Rabbi Kivelevitz cites a study published in Lancet that proves a precipitous increase of anxiety-related symptomatology during the current Covid pandemic. Doctor Juni responds to this with an exposition of dynamics of anxiety disorders, phobias, and hypochondriasis, as well as a sketch of advisable interventions.
The Professor explains what psychosomatic medicine was, and explores the chicken-egg issue of the physiology and psychology of mental illness, along with the psychiatric comorbidity of chronic medical conditions.
In general, Juni stresses the irrationality of phobias, while asserting that criteria of rationality are intrinsically socially defined by social norms rather than by unassailable reason.
As regards basic anxiety, Juni explains this as a physiological condition with clear genetic origins, not a psychological one.
Kivelevitz raises the popular psychoanalytic explanations of symbols as keys to comprehend phobias and the Jungian notions of collective unconscious determinants of specific types of fears, which Juni summarily dismisses as debunked legends holding little medical validity.
Juni expounds on his biases toward medication and behavioral conditioning to treat anxiety conditions – in contrast to insight-oriented psychotherapy.
Citing examples, such as portrayed in the Hitchcock film Marnie, where the notion of mind over emotions is portrayed as a classic triumph over mental illness, Kivelevitz indicates a quite similar stance in the writings of Rav Mordechai Leiner of Ishbitz and Rav Yisroel Salanter.
Juni while equivocating somewhat in respect to these highly regarded religious theorists, recasts the quest for a cure as dependent on emotional corrective experiences. He insists that negative emotionality cannot, unfortunately, be countered by logic or any Eureka moment of insight . This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate
