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I think I’ve grown accustomed to the edges and limits of my point of view. I think “syndromes” are very useful and often legitimate, but I find it intellectually useful to recognize them as man-made constructs which have some limits. For example, essentially all psychiatric diagnoses in DSM IV are syndromic, but they are accepted (no one really thinks schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are non-real). Yet the specific definitions and criteria will change if the committee that writes it changes its mind for DSM V or VI. That is why it was news some decades ago when the authors decided to remove homosexuality from the list of mental disorders.

I don’t have much of a problem with herbal and naturopathic and homeopathic approaches. But I try to be careful about telling people I can’t endorse something unless it has good (western scientific) data and/or FDA approval — because they pay me for expertise in western scientific medicine. But I tell folks I won’t hunt them down and beat them with a stick if they are taking herbals. I might do the same under some circumstances. My opinions get a little more edgy if someone tries to drop an important treatment that works (e.g. their insulin) in favor of something unproven.

I think you “sound” wonderful, especially given it is January and it is hard to really be bubbly this time of year. Piano is therapeutic. Keep playing. I’ll eat a (few hundred) M&M’s and think of y’all. Yours, E