"No, you see. Here's the problem. You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do."
Thus spoke Tom Cruise, the man who dropped out of high school and whose prescription of choice is proposing to a girl young enough to be his daughter, after a six-week relationship. That, along with the firm Scientologist belief that our bodies are inhabited by alien souls that cause illness, is perfectly normal. Taking a medication for a chemical imbalance, like in the case of Brooke Shields - who Cruise strongly criticized for taking medication for her postpartum depression - is not. Cruise's inflammatory comments were repeated by fellow Scientologist Kelly Preston (John Travolta's wife), who also claimed psychiatry is not a science during a TV interview.
Alright, if you want to believe the human condition is governed by a galactic overlord called Xenu (as many Scientologists like Preston believe), that's your business. But, spare the public your uneducated opinion on science. No one is going to visit their neighborhood psychiatrist to ask for advice about how to be a crappy actress. And no one is going to solicit your outlook on a branch of medicine.
Granted, celebrities haven't exactly been secretive about their religious beliefs. Richard Gere is a close, personal friend of the Dalai Lama, the Buddhist spiritual leader. Madonna busted over $30 million on building Kabbalah centers across the world. And Mel Gibson's "Passion" turned $50 million into $500 million.
It's their money and their right to spend it as they please. But recently it seems like celebrities think they have the mandate to push their personal convictions on subjects that, unlike their choice of religion, political leanings or social convictions, are not up to personal interpretation.
Of course, anyone with any interest in ethics has the right to inquire about the application of science, the principles of its testing methods and the possibility of error. And the conflict between theology and science is as old as the two disciplines. But adding film actors to the already large panel of experts on the subject is a mistake.
Members of the medical community, like the American Psychiatric Association (APA) responded to public accusations made by celebrities like Cruise and Preston by releasing a statement acknowledging both an individual's right to personal beliefs and that "mental health is a critical ingredient of overall health. It is unfortunate, that in the face of this remarkable scientific and clinical progress, that a small number of individuals and groups persist in questioning its legitimacy."
But the dialogue shouldn't end at simply providing an answer to a provocation. There should be a proactive effort to educate the public about the reliability and legitimacy of scientific endeavors. So when questioned, even by popular figures, medical research can stand its ground.
If anything, this summer's challenges should be a motivating factor for medicine as well as other branches of science. Even criticism is a form of publicity. And the medical community should use it to its advantage. With the proper educational and publicity mechanisms in place, the seemingly negative attention can be turned into a campaign that would promote the benefits of psychiatry.
A recent survey conducted by the APA reported that almost 90 percent of Americans believe that people with mental illness can live healthy and productive lives. And 80 percent of those surveyed disclosed that they had confidence in mental health treatments. It is clear that there is a significant number of people who believe in the ability of science to help humankind. And no matter how many couches Tom Cruise jumps on, there is proof for it.
Lucia Bill is a journalism and political science junior. Reach her at lucia.bill@asu.edu.
