Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

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720pete
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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by 720pete »

Mothman wrote: I assume he meant actual mental issues. Marshall has been diagnosed with a mental disorder known as Borderline Personality Disorder.
I think his situation is a little different than Aldon Smith's. Brandon Marshall has a diagnosed mental illness. Aldon Smith does not.

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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by dead_poet »

fiestavike wrote:I don't believe 99 percent of "borderline personality disorder" diagnosis. Basically the guy has been diagnosed as being an A@$%$# and there happens to be a name for that diagnosis.
That's fine, even though it's been a recognized mental illness since 1980. FWIW, as many as 80 percent of people with BPD have suicidal behaviors, and about 4 to 9 percent commit suicide. It's strongly thought to be genetic as well as environmental.
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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by frosted »

NextQuestion wrote: hahahaha thank you. I guess Aldon Smith isn't in the family friendly area of Erin Henderson and Chris Cook types. We need to be real: Every troubled player, the rubes have been like "ZIMMER CAN FIX HIM OMG". Aldon Smith is an elite talent that tears it up. He's far better than Clay Matthews and Von Miller. I'd say he'd probably the best OLB/DE in the game right now. He constantly gives fits to the Packers. Did anyone see the opening play of the NFC Championship game vs Seattle? Wasn't fooled on PA Pass, sack, strip, and he recovered it. This was while Wilson was trying to roll out and avoid Smith. Sometimes you need to drop the personal stuff and look at elite talent. 2nd & one of our 3rds for one of the top NFL players? You don't hesitate for long. Get him out of California and bring him to Eden Prairie where there's absolutely no action
I'm 'bout that action, boss.
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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by King James »

Getting Aldon Smith would really relieve us at OLB. I hope the Vikings hop down on this guy. Who cares about his troubled past? The guy can play some elite level of football. I don't recall any of is off-field issues affecting his level of play.
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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by Mothman »

fiestavike wrote:Yes, there are many "recognized mental illnesses" but BPD, like most of these recently discovered or recently redefined mental illnesses is based on the symptoms, with no established causes. So anyone who shows the symptoms can be diagnosed as BPD. In other words, if you are suicidal, you are much more likely to de diagnosed as BPD. Its not like they can give you a test to prove you have it, they just have a checklist of antisocial behaviors or problems and if you fit them, then could be diagnosed as having BPD. Bi-polar, ADHD...most of these things are wildly over diagnosed to the degree that they even exist.
Neither over-diagnosis or the inability to firmly establish the cause of a disorder serve as evidence that it doesn't exist. The entire history of medicine is filled with with illnesses and disorders that were diagnosed based on symptoms long before a cause was established.

Maybe Marshall is just an a*$*#@&, as you suggested, and maybe he has a genuine mental disorder but we're certainly not in a position to determine which is true and consequently, we're not in a position to just dismiss the possibility that BPD is real and that he suffers from it. Since being diagnosed, his behavior and outlook on life have changed pretty dramatically.
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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by dead_poet »

fiestavike wrote:Yes, there are many "recognized mental illnesses" but BPD, like most of these recently discovered or recently redefined mental illnesses is based on the symptoms, with no established causes. So anyone who shows the symptoms can be diagnosed as BPD. In other words, if you are suicidal, you are much more likely to de diagnosed as BPD. Its not like they can give you a test to prove you have it, they just have a checklist of antisocial behaviors or problems and if you fit them, then could be diagnosed as having BPD. Bi-polar, ADHD...most of these things are wildly over diagnosed to the degree that they even exist.
Every mental (or physical) disorder was once classified as "recently discovered." Just because it's "only" been an officially listed disorder for more than 30 years doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I will agree that prescription drug abuse exists and some people are misdiagnosed. Unfortunately as with most mental disorders you can't take blood, scan or drill into someone's head and compare it to a chart to see if, yep, they have that particular disorder. The assessments developed by experts and evaluations from a medical professional are the only way to properly determine what/if the problem is/might be. If you're dismissing BPD, are you dismissing autism the same way? Its diagnosis is based on interviews and observation/interaction, which isn't categorically dissimilar to methods used to diagnose other mental disorders, including BPD.

As Jim mentioned, Marshall can just be a jerk. Or he can have a mental disorder. Or he can be a jerk with a mental disorder/brain chemistry imbalance.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by PsyDanny »

fiestavike wrote: Again, I think maybe the answer to our disagreement might be found in a discussion of what constitutes a "disorder"?
Generally speaking, it has to do whether a set of behavioral/cognitive/emotional criteria cause significant distress or problems in functioning.
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therefore, I shall endeavor to acquire some self-control."
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Re: Could the Vikings have any interest in Aldon Smith

Post by NextQuestion »

Aldon Smith can play all 16 games a year. Matthews seems to be hurt for multiple games a season, and there's ZERO question that Smith is the far superior athlete.

btw: Brandon Marshall -

On July 31, 2011, Marshall announced at a press conference that he had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and that he hopes to spread awareness and understanding about the illness. Marshall said his entire professional career and adult personal life has been marred with symptoms of BPD, but only recently through treatment has he learned to consciously and effectively deal with the resulting problems of his actions that have been influenced by BPD. Marshall cited a recent study that suggests at least 35% of male prison inmates nationally, and 25% of female inmates, have been diagnosed with BPD. He said he hopes to help reduce the stigma of BPD, and encourage and lead others with the disease to receive proper care. On October 10, 2013, Marshall donned a pair of bright green Nike cleats in support of Mental Illness Awareness Week.[75] Marshall pledged to donate any fine he incurred from the NFL to charity, an estimated $5,250
Pull yr 84 jerseys out.
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