Old Faithful WebCam
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
"life in quotations"
--
------
Thursday, June 10, 2010-"mom!" will wonders never cease
Thursday, June 03, 2010-Dr. Joseph Biederman: "I am God": Johnson&Johnson's muddy waters: J&J rips off PA for $289 million dollars for antipsychotic RISPERDAL sales
Sunday, May 23, 2010-"I know I told you this before, but I might not have lately, you're my hero"
Saturday, May 08, 2010-"washer"
Friday, April 30, 2010-Jim Edwards: AstraZeneca's "Man Behind the Curtain" Moment: Company's Blog Monitoring Database Is Hacked
Monday, April 19, 2010-BBC "America's Medicated Kids" programs
Thursday, March 04, 2010-"The trumped-up Avandia "scandal", Dr. Gilbert Ross, American Council on Science and Health: his prison time and loss of medical license
Sunday, February 28, 2010-quote of the day: "life is there to be enjoyed not endured", Herrad
Thursday, February 18, 2010-Bob Fiddaman, authors book "The Evidence, However, Is Clear.." : The Seroxat, Paxil, GSK Scandal
Sunday, January 24, 2010-"i think i'm going to cry"
Sunday, December 13, 2009-"searching for my memories"
Monday, November 09, 2009-Dr. Peter Breggin, "psychiatrists routinely commit spiritual murder"
Thursday, October 15, 2009-"it's all about hope", said my daughter
Friday, September 18, 2009-AstraZeneca sponsors "Living with bipolar" exhibit: NAMI, DBSA
Wednesday, July 08, 2009-Zyprexa withdrawals; summer of 2005, "I think it's gonna rain"
Wednesday, May 20, 2009-"Seroquel Documents: Allegations AZ Planned Off-Label Marketing To Kids, Elderly, Tried Obscuring Weight Gain, Hyperglycemia":Furious Seasons
---
be the life you want yours to be.
Looks like Koplewicz using the NY Times to plug Delcath in the "Ask a Child Psychiatrist" column didn't work: Bankruptcy for Delcath Inc.? DCTH
Looks like Koplewicz using the NY Times to plug Delcath in the "Ask a Child Psychiatrist" column didn't work: Bankruptcy for Delcath Inc.?
Due to popular demand via those ssshhmart-tee-pant investors asking "Delcath bankruptcy?" inquests have taken me once again, on another adventure into the land of Koplewicz, the "Ransom Notes" campaign psychiatrist who lives the high life (oh is that not correct?) while promoting NAMI's latest love note queen, Judith Warner and her book. I've read in the forums it's time to dump the stock when it "gets to 6 bucks".
It's getting close.
Very close.
"Hey Delcath, Koplewicz has you by the balls"--signed Corporate greed.
Due to popular demand via those ssshhmart-tee-pant investors asking "Delcath bankruptcy?" inquests have taken me once again, on another adventure into the land of Koplewicz, the "Ransom Notes" campaign psychiatrist who lives the high life (oh is that not correct?) while promoting NAMI's latest love note queen, Judith Warner and her book. I've read in the forums it's time to dump the stock when it "gets to 6 bucks".
It's getting close.
Very close.
"Hey Delcath, Koplewicz has you by the balls"--signed Corporate greed.
Sara Carlin's voice has been heard: Paxil Suicide Inquest,Canada: the Jury Delivers
**BOB FIDDAMAN has the exclusive story:
HERE,The Jury returns with recommendations:
In part:
B. Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons
Ontario College of Family Physicians
8.The Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons (OCPS) and the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) should develop practice guidelines and training to family physicians on administering and monitoring the use of selected serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's). Those guidelines should include, but not be limited to the following:
8.l. Prior to prescribing SSRI's the physician should;
- give the patient a physical examination
- request laboratory investigations, including drug screen, where appropriate
- inform the patient of the benefits and risks, inclusive of rare and serious side effects of SSRl's
- inform the patient of all reasonable alternative treatments and benefits and risks of such alternative treatments
- inform the patient of the treatment plan should SSRI's be prescribed
- discuss with the patient alcohol and substance abuse as cofounders in the illness
Continue reading the article HERE Bob Fiddaman also has an exclusive interview commentary with Sara Carlin's father, Neil.
---
THANK YOU TO THE CARLIN FAMILY
My heartfelt thanks for standing up and speaking out for your daughter, the loss of her indescribable, and what you have done for others now is heroic.
I agree with Fiddaman, you deserve a standing ovation.
---
*Photograph of Sara Carlin, RIP.
HERE,The Jury returns with recommendations:
In part:
B. Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons
Ontario College of Family Physicians
8.The Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons (OCPS) and the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) should develop practice guidelines and training to family physicians on administering and monitoring the use of selected serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's). Those guidelines should include, but not be limited to the following:
8.l. Prior to prescribing SSRI's the physician should;
- give the patient a physical examination
- request laboratory investigations, including drug screen, where appropriate
- inform the patient of the benefits and risks, inclusive of rare and serious side effects of SSRl's
- inform the patient of all reasonable alternative treatments and benefits and risks of such alternative treatments
- inform the patient of the treatment plan should SSRI's be prescribed
- discuss with the patient alcohol and substance abuse as cofounders in the illness
Continue reading the article HERE Bob Fiddaman also has an exclusive interview commentary with Sara Carlin's father, Neil.
---
THANK YOU TO THE CARLIN FAMILY
My heartfelt thanks for standing up and speaking out for your daughter, the loss of her indescribable, and what you have done for others now is heroic.
I agree with Fiddaman, you deserve a standing ovation.
---
*Photograph of Sara Carlin, RIP.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Ghostwriting in Medical Literature: The Senator Charles Grassley Report
HAT TIP
VIA PharmaGossip:
VIA pdf, Grassley:Ghostwriting in Medical literature
"In 2005, the Senate Committee on Finance (Committee) initiated an inquiry into
educational grants for continuing medical education (CME) programs. This inquiry began after reports that drug companies were using the grants to promote off-label uses of their drugs, i.e.,uses that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The findings of that inquiry were released in a Committee staff report in April 2007.1 The Committee’s inquiry revealed that the pharmaceutical industry spent more than a billion dollars a year to fund CME programs.
Since releasing that report, Ranking Member Charles Grassley expanded his inquiries
into the financial relationships between drug and device companies and academic physicians and scientists. These financial relationships include payments to physicians and scientists for consulting services, speaking engagements, and research activities. Senator Grassley also examined the policies and reporting practices at over a dozen medical schools in the United States and found that the medical schools have not adequately monitored the outside income of their researchers and faculty.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) relies on an institution to report and manage its faculty members’ conflicts of interest in order to maintain the integrity of federal funding for biomedical research.
However, Senator Grassley found cases where there were vast disparities between the amounts of payments leading physicians and scientists received from drug companies and the amounts they reported to their institutions.
Senator Grassley’s inquiries led to the introduction of the bipartisan Physician Payments
Sunshine Act, which he co-authored with Senator Herb Kohl. This bill was incorporated into the recently passed health care reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,2 which was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010.
Beginning in March 2013,drug, device, and biologics manufacturers will be required to report annually payments they made to physicians nationwide.
About two years ago, Senator Grassley inquired about an industry practice to get articles published in major medical journals touting the benefits of a company’s product without public disclosure that the company initiated and paid for the development of the articles.
Specifically,Senator Grassley wrote to Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck) and Scientific Therapeutics Information (STI), a medical publishing company, following the publication of a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).3 In that study the authors examined Merck’s manipulation of scientific literature through ghost writers to market the painkiller Vioxx.
Notably, based on their review of court documents the authors of the JAMA article concluded that “review manuscripts were often prepared by unacknowledged authors and subsequently
1 Committee Staff Report to the Chairman and Ranking Member, Use of Educational Grants by Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers, S. Prt. 110-21, April 2007, available at
http://finance.senate.gov/newsroom/chairman/release/?id=af4af834-3fab-4293-be6d-ca7f1246484f.
2 Pub. L. No. 111-148, § 6002 (2010).
3 Merck removed Vioxx from the market in 2004 because of cardiovascular risks.
2
attributed authorship to a academically affiliated investigators who often did"
--
Do you love music?
Many musicians hire "Ghostwriters" to complete, or write or score the entire album(track, song et al), if the person is in rehab, or other life situations. the person who "ghosted" the album does not receive PRINT acknowledgement: they receive $$$$ for their work, remaining in the background, only known by listeners/people "in the know".
--
Ghostwriting in medical literature
Is dangerous. This is not a song and dance routine. Profit is to be made by the drug company.
"Ghostwritten articles can have a significant impact on, among other things, physician prescribing practices. When prominent physicians and scientists lend their names to an article, it raises the credibility of the findings and conclusions presented.
This, in turn, can affect the pocketbook of the American taxpayer since Medicare and Medicaid pay billions of dollars for prescription drugs. In addition, manipulation of medical literature could lead physicians to prescribe drugs that are more costly or may even harm patients."
--
Lessons in Medical Ghostwritings
Given to me via:
Dr. Aubrey Blumsohn
Dr.Aubrey Blumsohn,Scientific Misconduct.
Mind Hacks :
Psychiatrist denounces own ghostwritten article as 'crap'.
--
VIA PharmaGossip:
VIA pdf, Grassley:Ghostwriting in Medical literature
"In 2005, the Senate Committee on Finance (Committee) initiated an inquiry into
educational grants for continuing medical education (CME) programs. This inquiry began after reports that drug companies were using the grants to promote off-label uses of their drugs, i.e.,uses that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The findings of that inquiry were released in a Committee staff report in April 2007.1 The Committee’s inquiry revealed that the pharmaceutical industry spent more than a billion dollars a year to fund CME programs.
Since releasing that report, Ranking Member Charles Grassley expanded his inquiries
into the financial relationships between drug and device companies and academic physicians and scientists. These financial relationships include payments to physicians and scientists for consulting services, speaking engagements, and research activities. Senator Grassley also examined the policies and reporting practices at over a dozen medical schools in the United States and found that the medical schools have not adequately monitored the outside income of their researchers and faculty.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) relies on an institution to report and manage its faculty members’ conflicts of interest in order to maintain the integrity of federal funding for biomedical research.
However, Senator Grassley found cases where there were vast disparities between the amounts of payments leading physicians and scientists received from drug companies and the amounts they reported to their institutions.
Senator Grassley’s inquiries led to the introduction of the bipartisan Physician Payments
Sunshine Act, which he co-authored with Senator Herb Kohl. This bill was incorporated into the recently passed health care reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,2 which was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010.
Beginning in March 2013,drug, device, and biologics manufacturers will be required to report annually payments they made to physicians nationwide.
About two years ago, Senator Grassley inquired about an industry practice to get articles published in major medical journals touting the benefits of a company’s product without public disclosure that the company initiated and paid for the development of the articles.
Specifically,Senator Grassley wrote to Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck) and Scientific Therapeutics Information (STI), a medical publishing company, following the publication of a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).3 In that study the authors examined Merck’s manipulation of scientific literature through ghost writers to market the painkiller Vioxx.
Notably, based on their review of court documents the authors of the JAMA article concluded that “review manuscripts were often prepared by unacknowledged authors and subsequently
1 Committee Staff Report to the Chairman and Ranking Member, Use of Educational Grants by Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers, S. Prt. 110-21, April 2007, available at
http://finance.senate.gov/newsroom/chairman/release/?id=af4af834-3fab-4293-be6d-ca7f1246484f.
2 Pub. L. No. 111-148, § 6002 (2010).
3 Merck removed Vioxx from the market in 2004 because of cardiovascular risks.
2
attributed authorship to a academically affiliated investigators who often did"
--
Do you love music?
Many musicians hire "Ghostwriters" to complete, or write or score the entire album(track, song et al), if the person is in rehab, or other life situations. the person who "ghosted" the album does not receive PRINT acknowledgement: they receive $$$$ for their work, remaining in the background, only known by listeners/people "in the know".
--
Ghostwriting in medical literature
Is dangerous. This is not a song and dance routine. Profit is to be made by the drug company.
"Ghostwritten articles can have a significant impact on, among other things, physician prescribing practices. When prominent physicians and scientists lend their names to an article, it raises the credibility of the findings and conclusions presented.
This, in turn, can affect the pocketbook of the American taxpayer since Medicare and Medicaid pay billions of dollars for prescription drugs. In addition, manipulation of medical literature could lead physicians to prescribe drugs that are more costly or may even harm patients."
--
Lessons in Medical Ghostwritings
Given to me via:
Dr. Aubrey Blumsohn
Dr.Aubrey Blumsohn,Scientific Misconduct.
Mind Hacks :
Psychiatrist denounces own ghostwritten article as 'crap'.
--
cognitive impairment, processing thoughts, being able to think and speak on psych meds
BY AGE 18.5 IN THE ADULT PSYCHIATRIC SYSTEM
how does one think, or be able to read, write or speak while taking 19 medications per day?
(2006) if your brain is loaded up on Clozaril, Lithium, Cogentin (side effect med for tremors with it's own psychosis as a side effect problem) 300mg benadryl (unbelievable! Benedryl can affect people differently and induce psychosis at 25-75mg typical rx'd for 'sleep', how about 300mg? you don't want to know what it was like to see THAT psychosis). plus the doctors added 2 stool softeners that, alongside the Lithium created bathroom blow outs no one wants to know about.
---
I was a banging drum. i just kept on saying, "less drugs!" God, has anyone ever witnessed their child in a stupor where they cannot speak, think, or appear other than a shuffling Alzheimer's patient?
--
I have.
You can learn from this.
LONG TERM OUTCOME.
--
You'll ask me questions
1. Yes, she on a thyroid medication now as a result of the Lithium and a decade of psychiatric medications damaging her body.
2. Yes, she has Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as a result of 1500mg of Depakote per day from age 11 until 17. The Poly Ovary was verified at the elite inpatient unit at a Children's hospital by their team of EXPERTS! well-published and very snooty, now she has an increased chance of CERVICAL CANCER due to never menstruating.
3.Yes, she is on Clozaril.One of the deadly antipsychotics they have had her on since 2006. It's on a slow taper down.
4. Yes. At the first psych hospital in Sept 09 they ADDED Trileptal for the hell of it.
5. Yes. The Trileptal has now been long gone.
---
processing thoughts
over the last 3 years i have used up hundreds of pages of those rainbow 500 count notepads. in my purse, in the car, everywhere and pens! because for years my daughter said not one word. it was ALL by notes. mostly me talking and writing and she reading it. right down to at times, seeing "how to" lists. or schedules. etc. today i realized there is far less note writing happening. sometimes, she would not eat her food (as in the last months and last summer etc) unless she saw a note. "hot dog-yours" "ice cream-yours". she would eat and look at the note in reference. processing words from voice to mind was an obvious problem. so the last 2 months she started for example with 5-11-10 note to me in the car: "deoderant". (i saved the note) that's when i knew she was coming "back". she speaks slowly and quietly at times, but when she does it's music! one day, last week i took her to McDonald's for a dollar hot fudge sundae. she looked at me and slowly said "M&M McFlurry". :) God I love hearing her communicate what she wants! yesterday and today i took her out and she gave me high 5's and all of that. not a lot of talking, but smiling and hugging. and yesterday i went to her room and there was a pile of laundry to fold. the outfit! she folded it all nice and neat. so today, i pick her up and she was smiling HUGE wearing the outfit.
---
we drove to the water and walked and admired the view of islands and heard the lapping of the water on the rocky shore below us. it's really beautiful.
--
then as usual now she goes to the dollar store to buy candy and a soda.
--
while driving
she reached for a notepad.
"aren't".
I read it and said, "aren't what?"
and kept driving to the water for the view. i knew something would eventually process out.
---
an hour and a half later in her room
she writes, "yeah you are not".
--
"OK, that is the beginning of a sentence. yeah you are not....does not tell me the whole story, it's the beginning of a sentence." i said.
she gets another post it note.
writes for about 10 minutes. i stand in her room and wait, silently and patiently, allowing her to get this out.
--
"you are not allowed to spend my money under my bed".
--
i gave the note a check mark and a smiley face and wrote "OK". and told her of course, it is hers.
--
well, I guess years ago she must have saved her allowance and put it under her bed! bless her heart, she's remembering a lot!
---
we drove to the water and walked and admired the view of islands and heard the lapping of the water on the rocky shore below us. it's really beautiful.
--
then as usual now she goes to the dollar store to buy candy and a soda.
--
while driving
she reached for a notepad.
"aren't".
I read it and said, "aren't what?"
and kept driving to the water for the view. i knew something would eventually process out.
---
an hour and a half later in her room
she writes, "yeah you are not".
--
"OK, that is the beginning of a sentence. yeah you are not....does not tell me the whole story, it's the beginning of a sentence." i said.
she gets another post it note.
writes for about 10 minutes. i stand in her room and wait, silently and patiently, allowing her to get this out.
--
"you are not allowed to spend my money under my bed".
--
i gave the note a check mark and a smiley face and wrote "OK". and told her of course, it is hers.
--
well, I guess years ago she must have saved her allowance and put it under her bed! bless her heart, she's remembering a lot!
life lessons
i've looked over at the calendar next to where i'm typing, and realize it's an old friend's birthday. not old, not forgotten, but one that is gone by the wayside. it gave me pause and for some reason i remembered a neighbor of mine from about a decade or so ago. a young woman nearly 30 years old, with 2 small children and a husband working for a big ticket big money software company. i stood in her family room, where i was shocked at how her fire place mantle was lined with birthday card after birthday card. i'd never seen someone receive so many. she began to complain that one particular person had not sent her one. i looked at that line up of birthday greetings, and thought how she didn't see all of those people in a visual of cards wishing her a great day. all she saw was the one card missing.
---
the friend i remembered this morning has known me since i was 18. moving to different states brought the friendship to a different level, of not being able to just go hang out with the little kids or bbq and things like that. but we kept in touch via letters and cards. she visited me once in my state after i had moved and that's when i saw the 'true colors' of who she was, and learned that you don't really know a person until you travel with them. i took her on a trip. i had the funds to do a short 3 day trip where we rode a car ferry and visited beautiful gardens, and had a 'girl's trip'. i had looked forward to it a lot. i knew she didn't have much in the ability to pay for hotel, etc. and so i did. gladly. until the end of the trip when she demanded that i purchase a whole salmon on dry ice to take on the plane back home for her husband. it actually started as asking me to take her to the grocery store to purchase the salmon, and when it was time to pay for it, she looked at me, and just stood there. well, i paid for it. i haven't seen her since. after that, my daughter had her 'life changing event shall we call it' happen. people dropped out of my life like flies sprayed with bug killer. i had one friend i met in my new state, tell me my life was 'too over the top' to listen to or spend time with me any more. it happens to be her birthday today as well. ironic.
--
when my daughter was having a medication induced wild zone moment she ran down a local road. that friend told me she should be locked away. this was several years ago. she told me she should be locked up in the institution and i should get a life.
--
the friend who travels with rudeness as her way of thanking people for things, has a son who was at a party when he was a teenager and had his head bashed with a rock. this rendered him TBI, and i heard from her. suddenly, she 'knew how it feels' she told me about what i had been going through for years with my youngest. i was a convenient friend. once her son rehabilitated, she stopped calling. i wrote her letters a couple of times the last 3 years wishing her a good birthday, and telling her the horrid tale of how my daughter was then in the adult psych system, how i was battling the doctors for autism diagnosis vs. schizophrenic. she never responded. i remember writing out the notes, in a plea for support, many times on the way to the hospitals dropping the letter into the post office, hoping for someone to listen. for support.
--
i was checking email one day in the last several months, and an IM window popped open. i didn't even know that email had the feature so it surprised me. it was the salmon-son with TBI friend. "well there you are" the IM said. "what is happening" it said again. well, i tell her daughter was in hospital, my dad was killed in plane crash, other friend died (that she knew through me) and i am bankrupt. i sat there pondering how if she was wondering about me, and in the email account, why not send an email instead of 'waiting to see me online' as she said. then she IMs that "oh i knew about your Dad, i saw it on the news. I knew about the bankruptcy i read it on the Internet."
---
i don't know if that made me feel anger, sadness or plain offended. if you knew of all of the worst things that happened to me why didn't you send a card, a note, call me. reality check, about the quality of friend i suppose. i lost my dad, my friend of 43 yrs. was in emotional agony trying to cope with it all at once. i wonder if they enjoyed that salmon.
--
the ex neighbor with the cards lined up on her mantle now lives in a mansion in the mountains. her husband blatantly called her a fat pig in front of all of us in the old neighborhood. as a result she ate barely any food, and worked out constantly. she never looked happy.
---
"i don't know how i have ended up like this, without any friends left". i cried to my friend this morning. we talk every day, lots of times a day. i treasure him and the talks.
--
sitting here looking at the calendar and remembering the neighbor with all of those cards on her mantle, and how she didn't see the cards she had, only the one that was missing, gave me pause.
i heard what i said about having no friends to my friend this morning, and have just had a life lesson. with all the worry and fret over not having any friends here, i wasn't acknowledging the one on the phone. the one who cares about me and loves me. having this life lesson through memory has corrected my vision and outlook for the day today.
--
i suppose if one wants to summarize in a moral of the story way, be grateful for what you have, for who is in your life , and appreciate it all. don't focus on what you don't have....focus on what you DO have.
---
the friend i remembered this morning has known me since i was 18. moving to different states brought the friendship to a different level, of not being able to just go hang out with the little kids or bbq and things like that. but we kept in touch via letters and cards. she visited me once in my state after i had moved and that's when i saw the 'true colors' of who she was, and learned that you don't really know a person until you travel with them. i took her on a trip. i had the funds to do a short 3 day trip where we rode a car ferry and visited beautiful gardens, and had a 'girl's trip'. i had looked forward to it a lot. i knew she didn't have much in the ability to pay for hotel, etc. and so i did. gladly. until the end of the trip when she demanded that i purchase a whole salmon on dry ice to take on the plane back home for her husband. it actually started as asking me to take her to the grocery store to purchase the salmon, and when it was time to pay for it, she looked at me, and just stood there. well, i paid for it. i haven't seen her since. after that, my daughter had her 'life changing event shall we call it' happen. people dropped out of my life like flies sprayed with bug killer. i had one friend i met in my new state, tell me my life was 'too over the top' to listen to or spend time with me any more. it happens to be her birthday today as well. ironic.
--
when my daughter was having a medication induced wild zone moment she ran down a local road. that friend told me she should be locked away. this was several years ago. she told me she should be locked up in the institution and i should get a life.
--
the friend who travels with rudeness as her way of thanking people for things, has a son who was at a party when he was a teenager and had his head bashed with a rock. this rendered him TBI, and i heard from her. suddenly, she 'knew how it feels' she told me about what i had been going through for years with my youngest. i was a convenient friend. once her son rehabilitated, she stopped calling. i wrote her letters a couple of times the last 3 years wishing her a good birthday, and telling her the horrid tale of how my daughter was then in the adult psych system, how i was battling the doctors for autism diagnosis vs. schizophrenic. she never responded. i remember writing out the notes, in a plea for support, many times on the way to the hospitals dropping the letter into the post office, hoping for someone to listen. for support.
--
i was checking email one day in the last several months, and an IM window popped open. i didn't even know that email had the feature so it surprised me. it was the salmon-son with TBI friend. "well there you are" the IM said. "what is happening" it said again. well, i tell her daughter was in hospital, my dad was killed in plane crash, other friend died (that she knew through me) and i am bankrupt. i sat there pondering how if she was wondering about me, and in the email account, why not send an email instead of 'waiting to see me online' as she said. then she IMs that "oh i knew about your Dad, i saw it on the news. I knew about the bankruptcy i read it on the Internet."
---
i don't know if that made me feel anger, sadness or plain offended. if you knew of all of the worst things that happened to me why didn't you send a card, a note, call me. reality check, about the quality of friend i suppose. i lost my dad, my friend of 43 yrs. was in emotional agony trying to cope with it all at once. i wonder if they enjoyed that salmon.
--
the ex neighbor with the cards lined up on her mantle now lives in a mansion in the mountains. her husband blatantly called her a fat pig in front of all of us in the old neighborhood. as a result she ate barely any food, and worked out constantly. she never looked happy.
---
"i don't know how i have ended up like this, without any friends left". i cried to my friend this morning. we talk every day, lots of times a day. i treasure him and the talks.
--
sitting here looking at the calendar and remembering the neighbor with all of those cards on her mantle, and how she didn't see the cards she had, only the one that was missing, gave me pause.
i heard what i said about having no friends to my friend this morning, and have just had a life lesson. with all the worry and fret over not having any friends here, i wasn't acknowledging the one on the phone. the one who cares about me and loves me. having this life lesson through memory has corrected my vision and outlook for the day today.
--
i suppose if one wants to summarize in a moral of the story way, be grateful for what you have, for who is in your life , and appreciate it all. don't focus on what you don't have....focus on what you DO have.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
i'll be seeing you
I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.
stephen grellet.
A Navajo Prayer Song
Today I will walk out,
today everything evil will leave me,
I will be as I was before,
I will have a cool breeze over my body.
I will have a light body,
I will be happy forever,
nothing will hinder me.
I walk with beauty before me.
I walk with beauty behind me.
I walk with beauty below me.
I walk with beauty above me.
I walk with beauty around me.
My words will be beautiful.
In beauty all day long may I walk.
Through the returning seasons, may I walk.
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk.
With dew about my feet, may I walk.
With beauty before me may I walk.
With beauty behind me may I walk.
With beauty below me may I walk.
With beauty above me may I walk.
With beauty all around me may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, lively, may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, living again, may I walk.
My words will be beautiful.
The abundant life does not come to those who have had a lot of obstacles removed from their path by others. It develops from within and is rooted in strong mental and moral fiber.
~William Mather Lewis
stephen grellet.
A Navajo Prayer Song
Today I will walk out,
today everything evil will leave me,
I will be as I was before,
I will have a cool breeze over my body.
I will have a light body,
I will be happy forever,
nothing will hinder me.
I walk with beauty before me.
I walk with beauty behind me.
I walk with beauty below me.
I walk with beauty above me.
I walk with beauty around me.
My words will be beautiful.
In beauty all day long may I walk.
Through the returning seasons, may I walk.
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk.
With dew about my feet, may I walk.
With beauty before me may I walk.
With beauty behind me may I walk.
With beauty below me may I walk.
With beauty above me may I walk.
With beauty all around me may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, lively, may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, living again, may I walk.
My words will be beautiful.
The abundant life does not come to those who have had a lot of obstacles removed from their path by others. It develops from within and is rooted in strong mental and moral fiber.
~William Mather Lewis
Sara Carlin Paxil Suicide Inquest: Fiddaman asks "We know how, now tell us why!"
Bob Fiddaman, is a blog author, and book author in the U.K. and has been what Philip Dawdy from the Furious Seasons mental health news blog, once called "a one-man wrecking crew" in 2007 advocate.
Bob Fiddaman suffered personal loss from suffering on and while withdrawing from PAXIL/SEROXAT. His family crumbled.He became a person unrecognizable to himself and his children. He,like many others who have taken psych meds and sobbed and suffered their way through painful dark times withdrawing--- to somehow hang onto this world to remain alive...are still alive. Surviving brain zaps, vomiting, chills, skin crawls, nausea, the list is endless of the physical symptoms people have while simply wanting to remove a drug. While on PAXIL, some people have experienced changes in thoughts, some suicidal.
MY daughter had a friend in 5th grade (1999) prescribed PAXIL for 'social anxiety'. The 11 year old's mother was phoned in an emergency from summer camp, to come get her son, he was standing on a cliff threatening to jump.
---
SARA CARLIN
A bright and beautiful 18 year old, hung herself in her family home and her father found his daughter that way. Sara, a typical teenager from Canada, took PAXIL, and killed herself.
The family requested an inquest, which was to give their daughter a voice after she died.
"We speak for the dead to protect the living" is the Coroners Court proud boast."
What has happened as a result of the inquest? Sara's lifestyle has been attacked. Sara is dead.
The inquest was to give a voice to how she died, to enter the PAXIL by GlaxoSmithKline as reason. Instead, the family suffered through listening to testimony twist and contort the evidence to basically allow GSK, the prescribing doctors and the Canadian Medicines regulator, Health Canada to be "off the hook" for reason for her death.
Instead they painted a picture of a wild party girl who killed herself of her own idea. Completely ignoring the PAXIL induced, SSRI induced suicidal ideations.
It is a sad occurrence for the Carlin family, to have to listen to their daughter, whom they only have photographs and memories now, be raked over hot coals, and her character assassinated in such a way, in my opinion that is just as bad as the PAXIL itself, a bitter pill, and a bittersweet ending to her inquest.
Please go to Bob Fiddaman's blog, and read his passion-filled article, look at Sara Carlin's photographs and read the other links to this story there.
I commend Fid, and thank him for following this inquest so carefully. As a father and a SEROXAT SUFFERER, he has done Sara Carlin justice.
Sara Carlin HAS A VOICE BEING HEARD ON FIDDAMAN'S BLOG.
Myself, as a mother, who has sat through mental health court trials and heard awful things (and lies) about my daughter said by opposing sides I appreciate Bob giving Sara a voice.
My recent testifying on behalf of my daughter was positive. The records do not show her being the "delusional" with "a nail stuck up her nose" any longer. Now the record is set straight. I was grateful to have the opportunity, and I wish that would have happened for Sara Carlin.
But, Sara Carlin's family had to be in the same court room as GSK PAXIL maker's attorneys and defense, doctor's etc. which must have been a far worse of an ordeal.
My daughter is alive.
Bob Fiddaman suffered personal loss from suffering on and while withdrawing from PAXIL/SEROXAT. His family crumbled.He became a person unrecognizable to himself and his children. He,like many others who have taken psych meds and sobbed and suffered their way through painful dark times withdrawing--- to somehow hang onto this world to remain alive...are still alive. Surviving brain zaps, vomiting, chills, skin crawls, nausea, the list is endless of the physical symptoms people have while simply wanting to remove a drug. While on PAXIL, some people have experienced changes in thoughts, some suicidal.
MY daughter had a friend in 5th grade (1999) prescribed PAXIL for 'social anxiety'. The 11 year old's mother was phoned in an emergency from summer camp, to come get her son, he was standing on a cliff threatening to jump.
---
SARA CARLIN
A bright and beautiful 18 year old, hung herself in her family home and her father found his daughter that way. Sara, a typical teenager from Canada, took PAXIL, and killed herself.
The family requested an inquest, which was to give their daughter a voice after she died.
"We speak for the dead to protect the living" is the Coroners Court proud boast."
What has happened as a result of the inquest? Sara's lifestyle has been attacked. Sara is dead.
The inquest was to give a voice to how she died, to enter the PAXIL by GlaxoSmithKline as reason. Instead, the family suffered through listening to testimony twist and contort the evidence to basically allow GSK, the prescribing doctors and the Canadian Medicines regulator, Health Canada to be "off the hook" for reason for her death.
Instead they painted a picture of a wild party girl who killed herself of her own idea. Completely ignoring the PAXIL induced, SSRI induced suicidal ideations.
It is a sad occurrence for the Carlin family, to have to listen to their daughter, whom they only have photographs and memories now, be raked over hot coals, and her character assassinated in such a way, in my opinion that is just as bad as the PAXIL itself, a bitter pill, and a bittersweet ending to her inquest.
Please go to Bob Fiddaman's blog, and read his passion-filled article, look at Sara Carlin's photographs and read the other links to this story there.
I commend Fid, and thank him for following this inquest so carefully. As a father and a SEROXAT SUFFERER, he has done Sara Carlin justice.
Sara Carlin HAS A VOICE BEING HEARD ON FIDDAMAN'S BLOG.
Myself, as a mother, who has sat through mental health court trials and heard awful things (and lies) about my daughter said by opposing sides I appreciate Bob giving Sara a voice.
My recent testifying on behalf of my daughter was positive. The records do not show her being the "delusional" with "a nail stuck up her nose" any longer. Now the record is set straight. I was grateful to have the opportunity, and I wish that would have happened for Sara Carlin.
But, Sara Carlin's family had to be in the same court room as GSK PAXIL maker's attorneys and defense, doctor's etc. which must have been a far worse of an ordeal.
My daughter is alive.
Friday, June 25, 2010
friday funny
Go here to Dr.X's Free Associations --psychology,great vintage photos, and more blog for "Warnings for Hikers" sign that gave me a laugh. Especially, since I used to be a little jumpy when on walks and we'd come across a 'warning, bear sighting' sign. (Don't say one word, Stan.)
gratitude, and thanks
though life will continue to unfold as it happens for my daughter, today was a positive milestone in the recent 6 month long journey and campaign for better care, rights and dignity restoration for my daughter.
the support i have received from around the world on this blog left in comments, sent in emails and by writing articles on blogs from blog authors, has been astounding. from the readers at the Furious Seasons website, as well as the author of that site(currently on hiatus) because as a result, my daughter garnered a very large letter writing campaign in support of her care, being denied outside fresh air time, and more.
Blog authors from around the world wrote letters, posted them on their blogs and many people emailed me and told me they wrote letters, all to the Governor. those letters, including mine, were at times part of the 'round table' discussions, that at one point did directly influence the decision to move her to a ward that gave her then, an enclosed basket ball court. eventually it worked up to the outside outings with me and my friend, and ultimately to ---today.
I thank ALL of you who have read here, and other places, and left comments and wrote letters. I thank ALL of you who wrote about us on your blogs. I thank you ALL, everyone who reads this blog and gives me a virtual "hug" on my 'karma hug meter"! i notice those, and you know what? it helps.
it helps to know i have not been alone on this journey.
THANK YOU FROM MY ENTIRE HEART.
the support i have received from around the world on this blog left in comments, sent in emails and by writing articles on blogs from blog authors, has been astounding. from the readers at the Furious Seasons website, as well as the author of that site(currently on hiatus) because as a result, my daughter garnered a very large letter writing campaign in support of her care, being denied outside fresh air time, and more.
Blog authors from around the world wrote letters, posted them on their blogs and many people emailed me and told me they wrote letters, all to the Governor. those letters, including mine, were at times part of the 'round table' discussions, that at one point did directly influence the decision to move her to a ward that gave her then, an enclosed basket ball court. eventually it worked up to the outside outings with me and my friend, and ultimately to ---today.
I thank ALL of you who have read here, and other places, and left comments and wrote letters. I thank ALL of you who wrote about us on your blogs. I thank you ALL, everyone who reads this blog and gives me a virtual "hug" on my 'karma hug meter"! i notice those, and you know what? it helps.
it helps to know i have not been alone on this journey.
THANK YOU FROM MY ENTIRE HEART.
Janet Wozniak, Mass General trialed Seroquel in 4 yr olds: Quetiapine for Mania In Preschool Children 4 to 6 Years of Age With Bipolar Disorder
Janet Wozniak, who once partnered with Joseph Biederman trialing the antipsychotic Risperdal in children has completed a study trialing the antipsychotic SEROQUEL, made by Astra Zeneca in children 4-6 years of age at Massachusetts General Hospital. Biederman has been investigated by Senator Charles Grassley for a protocol breach in the/a Risperdal trial, as well as being investigated for non-disclosure of pharmaceutical industry income into his personal bank account.
---
I wrote about Wozniak and Biederman here, in August 2007 in my series: "1999- 2007: OCD: ADHD: Childhood Bipolar Disorder: The Evolution of a Diagnosis" ; part 20
From that page:
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 38(8):960-965, August 1999.
FRAZIER, JEAN A. M.D.; MEYER, MICHELE C. M.D.; BIEDERMAN, JOSEPH M.D.; WOZNIAK, JANET M.D.; WILENS, TIMOTHY E. M.D.; SPENCER, THOMAS J. M.D.; KIM, GRACE S. M.A.R.; SHAPIRO, STEPHANIE B.A. -1999
Conclusions
Although limited by its retrospective nature, this study suggests that risperidone may be effective in the treatment of manic young people and indicates the need for controlled clinical trials of risperidone and other atypical neuroleptics in juvenile mania.
J. Am.Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1999, 38(8):960-965. Copyright 1999 (C) American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry"
---
Janet Wozniak sits on the CABF Scientific Advisory board along with Joseph Biederman.
---
I find several things troubling to say the least about the recent Seroquel trial in 4-6 year olds.
Quetiapine for Mania In Preschool Children 4 to 6 Years of Age With Bipolar Disorder:
STUDY INCLUSION CRITERIA
•Male or female subjects, 4-6 years of age.
•Subjects must have a DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar I, bipolar II disorder or bipolar spectrum disorder and currently displaying manic, hypomanic, or mixed symptoms (with or without psychotic features) according to the DSM-IV based on clinical assessment and confirmed by structured diagnostic interview (Kidd Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Epidemiological Version). Bipolar spectrum disorder (or sub-threshold bipolar disorder) is operationalized as having severe mood disturbance, which meets DSM-IV Criteria A for bipolar disorder but meet fewer elements in criteria B (only require 2 items for elation category and 3 for irritability).
Responsible Party: Massachusetts General Hospital ( Janet Wozniak, MD )
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00181883 History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 2004-P-001509
Study First Received: September 13, 2005
Last Updated: June 18, 2010
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
--
There is no criteria for diagnosing pediatric bipolar disorder other than adult criteria currently listed in the DSM-IV. Who decided the 4-6 years olds were bipolar?
REBECCA RILEY
DIED at age 4 after being diagnosed bipolar and placed on Seroquel, Depakote and other psychiatric medications.
Both of her parents were eventually charged with murder, they are in prison and Rebecca's doctor's medical license was restored. Rebecca Riley's doctor testified under immunity.
----
I feel it is with reckless disregard for children's health that Mass General would allow such a study to take place, with a drug, Seroquel in known litigation for diabetes and weight gain lawsuits, a drug that is a powerful antipsychotic and not approved for use in children.
Rebecca Riley's death should have been a wake up call for America.
Apparently, it was not a wake up call for C.A.B.F. Child Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, Wozniak, Biederman, Mass General or our government agency that should be watching over the safety of children with psychiatric neuroleptics: THE FDA.
When will the pharmaceutical industry assault on our children stop?
Who will fight for the kids? do parents know Seroquel is not an antidepressant, it is an antipsychotic? do parents know that AstraZeneca buried data that showed they knew it could cause diabetes yet they marketed the drug anyway?
If you are a parent considering these childhood "mental illness" disorders being given to your toddlers and preschoolers, you need a wake up call, you need to research these drugs and pay attention. These drugs can cause permanent body and brain damage, they are not approved for use in little kids and there is no medical model for a diagnoses for childhood bipolar, and certainly no proof that the drugs prescribed are safe for long term use in kids.
--
Further reading:
This "Connect-the-dots" round up of KOL's and how they are all connected in "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive” – Big Pharma and the evil minions that market their Magic Poison Pills to Children" on the mental health awareness(without sugarcoating) blog, Is Something Not Quite Right with Stan
---
I wrote about Wozniak and Biederman here, in August 2007 in my series: "1999- 2007: OCD: ADHD: Childhood Bipolar Disorder: The Evolution of a Diagnosis" ; part 20
From that page:
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 38(8):960-965, August 1999.
FRAZIER, JEAN A. M.D.; MEYER, MICHELE C. M.D.; BIEDERMAN, JOSEPH M.D.; WOZNIAK, JANET M.D.; WILENS, TIMOTHY E. M.D.; SPENCER, THOMAS J. M.D.; KIM, GRACE S. M.A.R.; SHAPIRO, STEPHANIE B.A. -1999
Conclusions
Although limited by its retrospective nature, this study suggests that risperidone may be effective in the treatment of manic young people and indicates the need for controlled clinical trials of risperidone and other atypical neuroleptics in juvenile mania.
J. Am.Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1999, 38(8):960-965. Copyright 1999 (C) American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry"
---
Janet Wozniak sits on the CABF Scientific Advisory board along with Joseph Biederman.
---
I find several things troubling to say the least about the recent Seroquel trial in 4-6 year olds.
Quetiapine for Mania In Preschool Children 4 to 6 Years of Age With Bipolar Disorder:
STUDY INCLUSION CRITERIA
•Male or female subjects, 4-6 years of age.
•Subjects must have a DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar I, bipolar II disorder or bipolar spectrum disorder and currently displaying manic, hypomanic, or mixed symptoms (with or without psychotic features) according to the DSM-IV based on clinical assessment and confirmed by structured diagnostic interview (Kidd Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Epidemiological Version). Bipolar spectrum disorder (or sub-threshold bipolar disorder) is operationalized as having severe mood disturbance, which meets DSM-IV Criteria A for bipolar disorder but meet fewer elements in criteria B (only require 2 items for elation category and 3 for irritability).
Responsible Party: Massachusetts General Hospital ( Janet Wozniak, MD )
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00181883 History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 2004-P-001509
Study First Received: September 13, 2005
Last Updated: June 18, 2010
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
--
There is no criteria for diagnosing pediatric bipolar disorder other than adult criteria currently listed in the DSM-IV. Who decided the 4-6 years olds were bipolar?
REBECCA RILEY
DIED at age 4 after being diagnosed bipolar and placed on Seroquel, Depakote and other psychiatric medications.
Both of her parents were eventually charged with murder, they are in prison and Rebecca's doctor's medical license was restored. Rebecca Riley's doctor testified under immunity.
----
I feel it is with reckless disregard for children's health that Mass General would allow such a study to take place, with a drug, Seroquel in known litigation for diabetes and weight gain lawsuits, a drug that is a powerful antipsychotic and not approved for use in children.
Rebecca Riley's death should have been a wake up call for America.
Apparently, it was not a wake up call for C.A.B.F. Child Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, Wozniak, Biederman, Mass General or our government agency that should be watching over the safety of children with psychiatric neuroleptics: THE FDA.
When will the pharmaceutical industry assault on our children stop?
Who will fight for the kids? do parents know Seroquel is not an antidepressant, it is an antipsychotic? do parents know that AstraZeneca buried data that showed they knew it could cause diabetes yet they marketed the drug anyway?
If you are a parent considering these childhood "mental illness" disorders being given to your toddlers and preschoolers, you need a wake up call, you need to research these drugs and pay attention. These drugs can cause permanent body and brain damage, they are not approved for use in little kids and there is no medical model for a diagnoses for childhood bipolar, and certainly no proof that the drugs prescribed are safe for long term use in kids.
--
Further reading:
This "Connect-the-dots" round up of KOL's and how they are all connected in "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive” – Big Pharma and the evil minions that market their Magic Poison Pills to Children" on the mental health awareness(without sugarcoating) blog, Is Something Not Quite Right with Stan
by order of the Judge in court, placement is appropriate
I testified on behalf of my daughter today in court, sworn in via telephone conference call. I heard testimony from the hospital psychologist taking it all the way back to December 09 when she arrived into the first ward and the "issue" of no outside time given came up and she was moved to the 2nd ward. the person testifying reviewed the charts, and concluded that many different dx had been given to my daughter over the years and the one that is now being acknowledged is the autism spectrum, and that it appears that her 3rd ward and current one is the most appropriate placement and staff and doctors have agreed as did this person, she is doing well to the point of noticeable improvement, arriving to the newest appropriate placement 2 months ago, it is now documented in testimony, that she went from writing notes to speaking and verbalizing and participating in rehabilitative groups and outings.
(i was sworn in over the phone btw) i testified that this is the most appropriate placement, and her improvement has been "phenomenal", and that her improvement reflects the appropriate placement. i testified that the goal is to be back into the community with the same appropriate care she is receiving now, and it should reflect this one to one care with opportunity and choices.
this has been now recorded and deemed by a Judge in the mental health system, that she is in fact in the correct system, now the DDD system, that her needs are being met with the level of care needed at this time. (meaning NOT in the mental health psychiatric wards)
THIS IS WHAT ADVOCACY AND WRITING LETTERS AND PUSHING AND PUSHING FOR THE RIGHT THING RESULTS.
I also added in my testimony when asked how I know she is happy with where she is at, "because she smiles at me, appears confident, nods yes if asked if she likes it there and more recently gives me 'high 5's".
There you have it.
---
*I feel like wearing a shirt today that says:
Just say NO to psych wards!
No more psych wards!
Thank you GOD.
:)
Thank you to my dear friend and my daughter's advocate, who pushed and pushed and pushed the advocacy to get these results.
--
*reference point articles to read
january 2010.
and
here, where the advocate with the strongest voice for proper placement writes a letter to the Governor. January 2010
(i was sworn in over the phone btw) i testified that this is the most appropriate placement, and her improvement has been "phenomenal", and that her improvement reflects the appropriate placement. i testified that the goal is to be back into the community with the same appropriate care she is receiving now, and it should reflect this one to one care with opportunity and choices.
this has been now recorded and deemed by a Judge in the mental health system, that she is in fact in the correct system, now the DDD system, that her needs are being met with the level of care needed at this time. (meaning NOT in the mental health psychiatric wards)
THIS IS WHAT ADVOCACY AND WRITING LETTERS AND PUSHING AND PUSHING FOR THE RIGHT THING RESULTS.
I also added in my testimony when asked how I know she is happy with where she is at, "because she smiles at me, appears confident, nods yes if asked if she likes it there and more recently gives me 'high 5's".
There you have it.
---
*I feel like wearing a shirt today that says:
Just say NO to psych wards!
No more psych wards!
Thank you GOD.
:)
Thank you to my dear friend and my daughter's advocate, who pushed and pushed and pushed the advocacy to get these results.
--
*reference point articles to read
january 2010.
and
here, where the advocate with the strongest voice for proper placement writes a letter to the Governor. January 2010
Fuller Torrey's TAC'y booth at the NAMI 2010 convention:Workshop, 'How to Get Help to Those Who Don't know they're sick'
E.Fuller Torrey's TAC (Treatment Advocacy Center) has a booth at the NAMI 2010 Convention:
"2010 NAMI Convention
Come by and visit! Treatment Advocacy Center staff will have a booth at the 2010 NAMI Convention in Washington, DC.
You can also join us on Saturday, July 3 for our workshop, Confronting Anosognosia: How to Get Help to Those Who Don’t Know They’re Sick. The panel discussion will shed light on this often misunderstood phenomenon and how to prevent it from impeding the recovery process. Panelists include: Dr. Xavier Amador, author of I am Not Sick I Don’t Need Help!; Jonathan Stanley, Treatment Advocacy Center Board Member and former staffer; and, Dr. Delaney Ruston, producer of the movie Unlisted."
---
The TAC believes in and promotes forced out patient court ordered treatment (psych drugs) and also has fear mongering down to an exact science, more so than their media hype they are best at, scaring the public into believing exactly what their workshop will preach: They don't know they are sick, so preventative medication ahead of time is best! then pull in the NAMI troops to make sure they all STAY medicated! NAMI is a pharma-funded group that, in my opinion has nothing to do with being a patient advocacy group.
"2010 NAMI Convention
Come by and visit! Treatment Advocacy Center staff will have a booth at the 2010 NAMI Convention in Washington, DC.
You can also join us on Saturday, July 3 for our workshop, Confronting Anosognosia: How to Get Help to Those Who Don’t Know They’re Sick. The panel discussion will shed light on this often misunderstood phenomenon and how to prevent it from impeding the recovery process. Panelists include: Dr. Xavier Amador, author of I am Not Sick I Don’t Need Help!; Jonathan Stanley, Treatment Advocacy Center Board Member and former staffer; and, Dr. Delaney Ruston, producer of the movie Unlisted."
---
The TAC believes in and promotes forced out patient court ordered treatment (psych drugs) and also has fear mongering down to an exact science, more so than their media hype they are best at, scaring the public into believing exactly what their workshop will preach: They don't know they are sick, so preventative medication ahead of time is best! then pull in the NAMI troops to make sure they all STAY medicated! NAMI is a pharma-funded group that, in my opinion has nothing to do with being a patient advocacy group.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
may my voice represent wide open spaces
friday my voice will be representing my daughter's in a new definition of being heard. it's going to reframe her existence in the mental health system.
today she spoke, and did plenty of 'official' nodding yes today at a meeting.
--
God,'grant me the wisdom, the words and the voice i need'. i've placed my life in front of a freight train is how i feel at times. i have my notes ready. she deserves a right to reside in the least restictive manner in an appropriate placement. she heard all of this talk today, and i know that's the reason for the trust-filled hug.
today she spoke, and did plenty of 'official' nodding yes today at a meeting.
--
God,'grant me the wisdom, the words and the voice i need'. i've placed my life in front of a freight train is how i feel at times. i have my notes ready. she deserves a right to reside in the least restictive manner in an appropriate placement. she heard all of this talk today, and i know that's the reason for the trust-filled hug.
---
grace, give me grace.
*this is one of her favorite songs, the photo is on the walls in staff rooms in many many hospitals, in charts, taped to radio station walls, and handed to 2 investigative journalists by me. my only hope was for her voice to be heard. and it's been a long haul. send up the karma hugs and prayers. thank you from my heart.
trust
over the years in and out of the revolving door of the mental health system and inappropriate placement, my daughter closed herself off into a silent, mute world. from 2007 through now has been an evolvement of her somehow grasping at life, keeping hold of it and hanging in there. silent for years, at times i forgot her voice. i would hear it ring out in my mind, and i'd hear my voice ring through the house announcing, "dinner!" and she loved spaghetti. she made lasagna. she baked her dog his first birthday cake. i watched her being driven away in ambulances too many times from mental health court back to hospitals, and from being lost and once from being dehydrated. those years, the last couple of them---she was guarded. rightly so. never a hug from this kid who used to hug you before she said "hello". i knew she was traumatized by being in those places and all i could do was hope she would somehow, some day trust the world again, and worse---trust her mom again. as hard as i've fought for her, and often times lost--i always hoped she knew i loved her. it was a great loss for me. as a woman and a mother who loves her kids and totally enjoyed raising little snot-nosed and barfy toddlers with pudgy fingers and one who stuffed snails into her mouth...my youngest caught frogs and stuffed them into her summer time shorts outfit one year when she was 4. she did not want to give them up so i got a plastic tub for her frog friends.
--
today she had an important meeting showing her proactive side in her care. i was proud of her and told her that. we went to buy the usual snacks and went back to her room. she straightened her bed, set out the snacks on her table and looked at me and smiled.
over the last year or so, she let me place my arm around her. it seems it's always my left arm, probably because i stand on purpose on her 'good ear' that is not deaf so she can hear me. that's habit.
today, as usual, i placed my left arm around her shoulder as she leaned over for a hug.
my arm around her shoulder and my left hand grasping her arm hugging her.....i felt and arm cross around my shoulders and her hand on my right arm.
she hugged me.
my daughter hugged me.
a milestone that brings me to tears writing this.
there we stood, in her room with the bright comforter and the butterfly covered fleece blanket on her bed, standing side by side with arms giving each other an embrace that spoke 1000 words.
i stepped back and she smiled and stood up tall and i said, "gimme 5". she did, about 5 times.
--
today she had an important meeting showing her proactive side in her care. i was proud of her and told her that. we went to buy the usual snacks and went back to her room. she straightened her bed, set out the snacks on her table and looked at me and smiled.
over the last year or so, she let me place my arm around her. it seems it's always my left arm, probably because i stand on purpose on her 'good ear' that is not deaf so she can hear me. that's habit.
today, as usual, i placed my left arm around her shoulder as she leaned over for a hug.
my arm around her shoulder and my left hand grasping her arm hugging her.....i felt and arm cross around my shoulders and her hand on my right arm.
she hugged me.
my daughter hugged me.
a milestone that brings me to tears writing this.
there we stood, in her room with the bright comforter and the butterfly covered fleece blanket on her bed, standing side by side with arms giving each other an embrace that spoke 1000 words.
i stepped back and she smiled and stood up tall and i said, "gimme 5". she did, about 5 times.
when good people making a difference suffer a loss : Pink Pedal
When I read this article this morning it just moved me to the point of tears. A group of young men set out to bike ride across the country to raise money for breast cancer awareness and research. They called their group "The Pink Pedal". Tragic loss happened that is unfathomable, when one of the riders was struck and killed by an SUV in New Mexico.
Their blog is here, The Pink Pedal. Here's the page about the riders.
I find myself in admiration of such a determined group of young college students, and the one killed was just 19 years old, for their dedication and enormous effort---it's not that often we read about people setting out and physically making a difference. Many are behind the scenes, and unsung heroes, and like the Pink Pedal team, show they care by making a difference, a choice to make one.
If inclined, make a donation to their group or to your local chapter for breast cancer research, and do it in honor of biker John Anczarski. There are sometimes no way to make sense of when things like this happen, God Bless all of them and their families.
Their blog is here, The Pink Pedal. Here's the page about the riders.
I find myself in admiration of such a determined group of young college students, and the one killed was just 19 years old, for their dedication and enormous effort---it's not that often we read about people setting out and physically making a difference. Many are behind the scenes, and unsung heroes, and like the Pink Pedal team, show they care by making a difference, a choice to make one.
If inclined, make a donation to their group or to your local chapter for breast cancer research, and do it in honor of biker John Anczarski. There are sometimes no way to make sense of when things like this happen, God Bless all of them and their families.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Judith Warner, NYTimes columnist and book author teams up with NAMI to promote drugging of children with psychiatric medication
NAMI will be presenting Judith Warner an award for her book: (which in my opinion is a promotion of drugging of America's youth platform for both NAMI and Warner)
2010 NAMI Convention to Address Youth Mental Health; Pediatricians Call for Routine Screening:
"The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will address concerns for child and adolescent mental health at the 2010 NAMI National Convention in Washington, D.C, July 1-3.
The 2010 NAMI Convention also will honor journalist Judith Warner with an award for the book, We’ve Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication, which explores difficult decisions parents face in finding help for children who “suffer enormously” from mental illness.
Only one in five children who has a diagnosable mental illness receives treatment, yet children who receive earlier treatment interventions have better outcomes.
On June 1, an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) mental health task force called for pediatricians to perform mental health screenings for children at each doctor visit. The AAP also underscored a need for more child psychiatrists and mental health professionals in communities—to overcome critical shortages.
NAMI maintains a Child & Adolescent Action Center that focuses on child and adolescent mental health.."
---
2010 NAMI Convention to Address Youth Mental Health; Pediatricians Call for Routine Screening:
"The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will address concerns for child and adolescent mental health at the 2010 NAMI National Convention in Washington, D.C, July 1-3.
The 2010 NAMI Convention also will honor journalist Judith Warner with an award for the book, We’ve Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication, which explores difficult decisions parents face in finding help for children who “suffer enormously” from mental illness.
Only one in five children who has a diagnosable mental illness receives treatment, yet children who receive earlier treatment interventions have better outcomes.
On June 1, an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) mental health task force called for pediatricians to perform mental health screenings for children at each doctor visit. The AAP also underscored a need for more child psychiatrists and mental health professionals in communities—to overcome critical shortages.
NAMI maintains a Child & Adolescent Action Center that focuses on child and adolescent mental health.."
---
Senator Charles Grassley investigates NAMI funding from pharmaceutical companys
Sen. Grassley Extends Pharma Probe To NAMI-April 2009- Furious Seasons
Judith Warner is at it again February 2008, Furious Seasons
"How she could've ignored the bipolar child controversy in what she wrote strikes me as sloppy work. How Warner could not have even referenced the recent studies showing that many ADHD kids turn out just fine with or without medication, that ADHD meds seem to retard brain development and so on strikes me, again, as sloppy work. How Warner could not have even flown the flag of concern around the use of anti-psychotics in children strikes me as a flagrant foul (she should be referencing it in adults too). I have no idea why Warner doesn't get that we are now diagnosing mental illnesses in kids where less than a generation ago we would've let the kids alone, and that all this dx'ing and treating with very serious medications has serious cultural implications--and last time I checked we had never done this with kids before in our entire history."-Furious Seasons author Philip Dawdy
*HAT TIP VIA Stan, Is Something Not Quite Right With Stan mental health awareness blog
AstraZeneca PR spin doctor at it again: Tony Jewell defends AZ : and the bipolar depression "education" site by AZ--Seroquel anyone?
VIA PharmaGossip, AstraZeneca Settlement Expected to Yield payouts to consumers
VIA LAW.com:
AstraZeneca Settlement Expected to Yield High Payouts to Consumers
Agreement to pay $103 million in average wholesale price litigation includes innovative clause
In a statement, AstraZeneca spokesman Tony Jewell said the company "has competed responsibly with respect to pricing and marketing of our medicines, and we firmly believe that we have acted at all times in accordance with the law."
"Although we deny liability and any wrongdoing, we believe that this settlement is the appropriate way to resolve this matter quickly and allow the company to focus on our core mission to deliver meaningful medicines to patients," stated Jewell."
----
Tony Jewell is the PR guy for AstraZeneca, makers of the blockbuster drug Seroquel. The antipsychotic re-marketed by AstraZeneca for patent extension and profit gains as an antidepressant.
AstraZeneca's Website promotes educating the public on bipolar depression
This is how patients can be duped into believing a certain drug fits their need, while being DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY SELLING THE DRUG.
ASTRAZENECA TRAVELING PATIENT HEALTH EXHIBIT CONTINUES TO HELP AMERICANS UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE BIPOLAR DEPRESSION:
From AstraZeneca's campaign DTC site:
"The Bipolar Journey exhibit’s consumer-focused activities provide insight and clarity into the life of someone living with bipolar depression, inspiring patients and caregivers to start talking with a physician about managing the illness.”
In its second run, the Bipolar Journey will continue to feature much of the same imagery, multimedia activities, and interactive tools that helped patients last year connect with experts as well as other patients and caregivers who have dealt with the impact of bipolar depression in their own lives. For example, visitors will be able to interact with a popular educational tool, which allows users to select questions of interest and hear video responses from Dr. Taylor. An “inspiration wall” will allow visitors to view inspirational messages from people who visited the exhibit last year."
"About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. As a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease medicines, AstraZeneca generated global revenues of $32.8 billion in 2009. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $14.8 billion healthcare business."
--
Now, you tell me if you want to be educated by a pharmaceutical company regarding a psychiatric 'illness' (bipolar depression) and wonder why they are promoting this so-called education.
Because, they want you to ask your doctor for Seroquel or Seroquel XR for your bipolar depression. The drug Seroquel that is in current litigation with over 25,000 injury lawsuits due to people becoming diabetic on the drug...information AstraZeneca KNEW could happen, according to internal documents from the trial....and yet they marketed the drug anyway.
AstraZeneca just this past May was fined $520 million dollars by the DOJ (U.S. Department of Justice) for illegal marketing of Seroquel. AstraZeneca was the unfortunate recipient of Whistleblower James Wetta, as well as a few others including a psychiatrist.
If you see this traveling exhibit, be sure to remember who is "teaching you" about bipolar depression.
A $32 billion dollar pharmaceutical company.
NO THANK YOU.
Propaganda brought to you by the makers of Seroquel *if the video doesn't play here go to the AZ site and watch it. AZ tries to tell you that 8 million people *could* have bipolar
Does AstraZeneca care about your health? or their profit? you decide.
VIA LAW.com:
AstraZeneca Settlement Expected to Yield High Payouts to Consumers
Agreement to pay $103 million in average wholesale price litigation includes innovative clause
In a statement, AstraZeneca spokesman Tony Jewell said the company "has competed responsibly with respect to pricing and marketing of our medicines, and we firmly believe that we have acted at all times in accordance with the law."
"Although we deny liability and any wrongdoing, we believe that this settlement is the appropriate way to resolve this matter quickly and allow the company to focus on our core mission to deliver meaningful medicines to patients," stated Jewell."
----
Tony Jewell is the PR guy for AstraZeneca, makers of the blockbuster drug Seroquel. The antipsychotic re-marketed by AstraZeneca for patent extension and profit gains as an antidepressant.
AstraZeneca's Website promotes educating the public on bipolar depression
This is how patients can be duped into believing a certain drug fits their need, while being DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY SELLING THE DRUG.
ASTRAZENECA TRAVELING PATIENT HEALTH EXHIBIT CONTINUES TO HELP AMERICANS UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE BIPOLAR DEPRESSION:
From AstraZeneca's campaign DTC site:
"The Bipolar Journey exhibit’s consumer-focused activities provide insight and clarity into the life of someone living with bipolar depression, inspiring patients and caregivers to start talking with a physician about managing the illness.”
In its second run, the Bipolar Journey will continue to feature much of the same imagery, multimedia activities, and interactive tools that helped patients last year connect with experts as well as other patients and caregivers who have dealt with the impact of bipolar depression in their own lives. For example, visitors will be able to interact with a popular educational tool, which allows users to select questions of interest and hear video responses from Dr. Taylor. An “inspiration wall” will allow visitors to view inspirational messages from people who visited the exhibit last year."
"About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. As a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease medicines, AstraZeneca generated global revenues of $32.8 billion in 2009. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $14.8 billion healthcare business."
--
Now, you tell me if you want to be educated by a pharmaceutical company regarding a psychiatric 'illness' (bipolar depression) and wonder why they are promoting this so-called education.
Because, they want you to ask your doctor for Seroquel or Seroquel XR for your bipolar depression. The drug Seroquel that is in current litigation with over 25,000 injury lawsuits due to people becoming diabetic on the drug...information AstraZeneca KNEW could happen, according to internal documents from the trial....and yet they marketed the drug anyway.
AstraZeneca just this past May was fined $520 million dollars by the DOJ (U.S. Department of Justice) for illegal marketing of Seroquel. AstraZeneca was the unfortunate recipient of Whistleblower James Wetta, as well as a few others including a psychiatrist.
If you see this traveling exhibit, be sure to remember who is "teaching you" about bipolar depression.
A $32 billion dollar pharmaceutical company.
NO THANK YOU.
Propaganda brought to you by the makers of Seroquel *if the video doesn't play here go to the AZ site and watch it. AZ tries to tell you that 8 million people *could* have bipolar
Does AstraZeneca care about your health? or their profit? you decide.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The truth about locked inpatient psychiatric wards, units, floors, "hospitals", part 1
There are events, situations and things I witnessed inside the locked hospitals with my daughter that have brought me at times, to the edge---to the place no one wants to ever know exists---seeing human beings treated without dignity, like prisoners and with less than basic needs being met.
Such as the brown paper bag lunches.
As a mother, this memory haunts me the most, so I need to process it and write about it. For those who believe psychiatric hospitals are like hospitals: they are not.
----
Part one: Food, and Meals
"Why doesn't she have the hot meal?", I asked after she had been inpatient for several weeks last September 2009.
"She played with her food, or something, actually, I'm not sure."
"How do we find out?"
"Well the hospital nutritionist might know."
"Who ordered it?"
"Doctor's orders."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
--
Every single day from September through December
The Monday through Friday meals are delivered by an outside food preparation facility (actually every meal, every day). The Monday through Friday meals for lunch are brown paper bags. Inside is a sandwich, an apple or orange, carrot and celery sticks wrapped in plastic wrap, packets of mustard and mayonnaise, a bag of potato chips and an 8 oz. carton of milk.
On the weekends the meals are hot foods, such as hamburger and tator tots, or spaghetti, things like that.
One distressing weekend, they had told me the doctor removed the cold paper bag meal "special order". The cart was delivered with the hot meals and I happened to be in the elevator with the delivery person. He knew my daughter and kindly asked about her, knowing her from inside the unit. I looked down at the cart and saw the slip of paper with her name on it. My heart sank. The boxes were all checked off for "special diet". The special diet was the same brown bag lunch from the weekday, except the staff placed the items on a plastic tray.
My daughter would hand me the slip and look like she was going to cry. She took the sandwich, stuffed it into the milk carton after she drank the milk (no cups). She threw the celery stick plastic wrapped with carrot sticks at me.
She placed her head onto the table and started to cry.
I placed my arm around her and told her I would be back in 20 minutes with a hot meal for lunch.
This went on for weeks, and weeks and weeks.
Sub-human treatment. As a mother who loves to cook and felt completely hopeless to help get her out of there, I started cooking and bringing her food from home toward the last weeks there, every single day, I made pesto tortellini with lots of fresh garlic, placed it into a container and brought cheerful napkins and plastic fork and cookies and whatever else I could. She started to smile more. She was one who had rare visitors. I sat there one day longing to have a kitchen where I could cook hot food for everyone there, and I would have and I would now.
I always felt it was imperative she had someone eat with her. It's the only way at that point to somehow stay connected. They won't allow family into the art group any more there, and they remodeled and actually removed the visitors room.
Our visits, I ended up deeming in a few posts, "in the cafe with the view". Because we were only allowed to visit where the main area and meals were served, TV's blaring and the cleaning crew was famous for moving us from one side to the other, during the ONE HOUR in the morning deemed for visits.
The gut pain began then. Dreading how they called upstairs to "find out" if we can be approved for a visit, even after several months. Then sitting down with my daughter and 2 minutes later having to tell her we had to move to a different table with her food for the cleaning crew.
On the day I had visited her in December 2009 and she greeted me wearing the paper bag from lunch on her head as a chef hat---I got the call en route home that she was being transferred to the institution.
Doctor's orders.
---
Further reading, as it happened
pause-september 22, 2009. this post was saved to 'draft'. i'm letting it loose now. keep in mind as i wrote back then, (and even now) i have to be guarded.
also this one is especially intense regarding the visiting and food
choppy waters-september 2009.
Such as the brown paper bag lunches.
As a mother, this memory haunts me the most, so I need to process it and write about it. For those who believe psychiatric hospitals are like hospitals: they are not.
----
Part one: Food, and Meals
"Why doesn't she have the hot meal?", I asked after she had been inpatient for several weeks last September 2009.
"She played with her food, or something, actually, I'm not sure."
"How do we find out?"
"Well the hospital nutritionist might know."
"Who ordered it?"
"Doctor's orders."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
--
Every single day from September through December
The Monday through Friday meals are delivered by an outside food preparation facility (actually every meal, every day). The Monday through Friday meals for lunch are brown paper bags. Inside is a sandwich, an apple or orange, carrot and celery sticks wrapped in plastic wrap, packets of mustard and mayonnaise, a bag of potato chips and an 8 oz. carton of milk.
On the weekends the meals are hot foods, such as hamburger and tator tots, or spaghetti, things like that.
One distressing weekend, they had told me the doctor removed the cold paper bag meal "special order". The cart was delivered with the hot meals and I happened to be in the elevator with the delivery person. He knew my daughter and kindly asked about her, knowing her from inside the unit. I looked down at the cart and saw the slip of paper with her name on it. My heart sank. The boxes were all checked off for "special diet". The special diet was the same brown bag lunch from the weekday, except the staff placed the items on a plastic tray.
My daughter would hand me the slip and look like she was going to cry. She took the sandwich, stuffed it into the milk carton after she drank the milk (no cups). She threw the celery stick plastic wrapped with carrot sticks at me.
She placed her head onto the table and started to cry.
I placed my arm around her and told her I would be back in 20 minutes with a hot meal for lunch.
This went on for weeks, and weeks and weeks.
Sub-human treatment. As a mother who loves to cook and felt completely hopeless to help get her out of there, I started cooking and bringing her food from home toward the last weeks there, every single day, I made pesto tortellini with lots of fresh garlic, placed it into a container and brought cheerful napkins and plastic fork and cookies and whatever else I could. She started to smile more. She was one who had rare visitors. I sat there one day longing to have a kitchen where I could cook hot food for everyone there, and I would have and I would now.
I always felt it was imperative she had someone eat with her. It's the only way at that point to somehow stay connected. They won't allow family into the art group any more there, and they remodeled and actually removed the visitors room.
Our visits, I ended up deeming in a few posts, "in the cafe with the view". Because we were only allowed to visit where the main area and meals were served, TV's blaring and the cleaning crew was famous for moving us from one side to the other, during the ONE HOUR in the morning deemed for visits.
The gut pain began then. Dreading how they called upstairs to "find out" if we can be approved for a visit, even after several months. Then sitting down with my daughter and 2 minutes later having to tell her we had to move to a different table with her food for the cleaning crew.
On the day I had visited her in December 2009 and she greeted me wearing the paper bag from lunch on her head as a chef hat---I got the call en route home that she was being transferred to the institution.
Doctor's orders.
---
Further reading, as it happened
pause-september 22, 2009. this post was saved to 'draft'. i'm letting it loose now. keep in mind as i wrote back then, (and even now) i have to be guarded.
also this one is especially intense regarding the visiting and food
choppy waters-september 2009.
Monday, June 21, 2010
hey, my friend she did her own laundry
and while on one of the outings in february, this song arrived to the radio. "do you remember?",(this song and__)?and she nodded yes. be well my dear friend--she's our hope.i smile as i listen. the crow's feet somehow feel OK when i do. Happy Birthday. fuck Alzheimers.
*my fox butler remains as captain of the mantle. several decades later.
The book the NYTimes "Ask the Expert" Child Psychiatry Q&A Koplewicz didn't read: C-Span, Robert Whitaker Anatomy of an Epidemic
Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America--Robert Whitaker
Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America, by Robert Whitaker:
BOOK TV on C-Span 2
About the Program
The 1998 Pulitzer Prize Finalist and author of "Mad in America" discusses the rise in diagnosis of mental illness in the U.S. and the proliferation of drugs to medicate various conditions. Mr. Whitaker contends that drugs do little to balance imbalanced brain chemistry. The event is at the National Arts Club in New York.
About the Author
Robert Whitaker
Robert Whitaker has written for the Boston Globe as well as numerous articles on medicine, the drug industry and the mentally ill. He is also author of "Mad in America."
--
Related links, further reading and reviews of the book by Robert Whitaker, "Anatomy of an Epidemic", released April 2010
Anatomy of an Epidemic:(author website)
"Anatomy of an Epidemic investigates a medical mystery: Why has the number of adults and children disabled by mental illness skyrocketed over the past fifty years? There are now more than four million people in the United States who receive a government disability check because of a mental illness, and the number continues to soar. Every day, 850 adults and 250 children with a mental illness are added to the government disability rolls. What is going on?"
--
Salon
"Anatomy of an Epidemic": The hidden damage of psychiatric drugs
An award-winning science reporter looks at the history of mental illness in America -- with disturbing results -Salon review
"An acclaimed mental health journalist and winner of a George Polk Award for his reporting on the psychiatric field, Whitaker draws on 50 years of literature and in-person interviews with patients to answer a simple question: If "wonder drugs" like Prozac are really helping people, why has the number of Americans on government disability due to mental illness skyrocketed from 1.25 million in 1987 to over 4 million today?"
--
TIME magazine
Book review:Anatomy of an Epidemic:
" With Americans popping psychiatric drugs like so many pieces of candy, you'd think mental illness would have decreased since the first antipsychotic medication was approved in 1954. Not so. In 1987, the year Prozac was approved, 1 in 184 Americans was receiving disability payments for a mental illness. Two decades later, the rate had more than doubled, to 1 in 76. Why? Anatomy of an Epidemic offers some answers, charting controversial ground with mystery-novel pacing."
--
Huffington Post
'Anatomy Of An Epidemic': Could Psychiatric Drugs Be Fuelling A Mental Illness Epidemic?: (by Robert Whitaker)
"This epidemic has now struck our nation's children, too. The number of children who receive a federal payment because of a severe mental illness rose from 16,200 in 1987 to 561,569 in 2007, a 35-fold increase.
I wrote Anatomy of an Epidemic to investigate this epidemic, and this pursuit necessarily raises a very uncomfortable question. Although we, as a society, believe that psychiatric medications have "revolutionized" the treatment of mental illness, the disability numbers suggest a very different possibility.
Could our drug-based paradigm of care, for some unforeseen reason, be fueling this epidemic?"
Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America, by Robert Whitaker:
BOOK TV on C-Span 2
About the Program
The 1998 Pulitzer Prize Finalist and author of "Mad in America" discusses the rise in diagnosis of mental illness in the U.S. and the proliferation of drugs to medicate various conditions. Mr. Whitaker contends that drugs do little to balance imbalanced brain chemistry. The event is at the National Arts Club in New York.
About the Author
Robert Whitaker
Robert Whitaker has written for the Boston Globe as well as numerous articles on medicine, the drug industry and the mentally ill. He is also author of "Mad in America."
--
Related links, further reading and reviews of the book by Robert Whitaker, "Anatomy of an Epidemic", released April 2010
Anatomy of an Epidemic:(author website)
"Anatomy of an Epidemic investigates a medical mystery: Why has the number of adults and children disabled by mental illness skyrocketed over the past fifty years? There are now more than four million people in the United States who receive a government disability check because of a mental illness, and the number continues to soar. Every day, 850 adults and 250 children with a mental illness are added to the government disability rolls. What is going on?"
--
Salon
"Anatomy of an Epidemic": The hidden damage of psychiatric drugs
An award-winning science reporter looks at the history of mental illness in America -- with disturbing results -Salon review
"An acclaimed mental health journalist and winner of a George Polk Award for his reporting on the psychiatric field, Whitaker draws on 50 years of literature and in-person interviews with patients to answer a simple question: If "wonder drugs" like Prozac are really helping people, why has the number of Americans on government disability due to mental illness skyrocketed from 1.25 million in 1987 to over 4 million today?"
--
TIME magazine
Book review:Anatomy of an Epidemic:
" With Americans popping psychiatric drugs like so many pieces of candy, you'd think mental illness would have decreased since the first antipsychotic medication was approved in 1954. Not so. In 1987, the year Prozac was approved, 1 in 184 Americans was receiving disability payments for a mental illness. Two decades later, the rate had more than doubled, to 1 in 76. Why? Anatomy of an Epidemic offers some answers, charting controversial ground with mystery-novel pacing."
--
Huffington Post
'Anatomy Of An Epidemic': Could Psychiatric Drugs Be Fuelling A Mental Illness Epidemic?: (by Robert Whitaker)
"This epidemic has now struck our nation's children, too. The number of children who receive a federal payment because of a severe mental illness rose from 16,200 in 1987 to 561,569 in 2007, a 35-fold increase.
I wrote Anatomy of an Epidemic to investigate this epidemic, and this pursuit necessarily raises a very uncomfortable question. Although we, as a society, believe that psychiatric medications have "revolutionized" the treatment of mental illness, the disability numbers suggest a very different possibility.
Could our drug-based paradigm of care, for some unforeseen reason, be fueling this epidemic?"
Dr.Harold Koplewicz used the NYTimes to name drop Delcath Systems, Inc.
Dr.Harold Koplewicz, recently written about HERE and HERE regarding the NYTimes Q & A "Ask a child psychiatrist" advice column apparently, slipped in a bit of free advertising for Delcath Systems, Inc., of which he is Chairman of the Board.
I find this even more disturbing, considering the association of PAXIL study 329 (co-author)and the 'Ransom Notes' campaign associated with Dr. Harold Koplewicz.
From the a Delcath forum, open to the public for viewing, because I found it by Googling his name and DCTH, when I saw several stat reads come through my reader using that search term (the stock symbol DCTH, for Delcath, Systems Inc.)
Here's what this forum member wrote:
http://www.investorvillage.com/smbd.asp?mb=2420&mn=24096&pt=msg&mid=9070497
"Dr Koplewicz.........The Sly Name Dropper
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/answers-about-child-psychiatry/
Any publicity is good publicity and it doesn't get much better than a mention in the New York Time. A little interview with our Chairman of the Board, Dr Koplewicz. An interview dealing with his specialty, child psychiatry and you wouldn't expect he could get a mention of DCTH in but he does.
I find this even more disturbing, considering the association of PAXIL study 329 (co-author)and the 'Ransom Notes' campaign associated with Dr. Harold Koplewicz.
From the a Delcath forum, open to the public for viewing, because I found it by Googling his name and DCTH, when I saw several stat reads come through my reader using that search term (the stock symbol DCTH, for Delcath, Systems Inc.)
Here's what this forum member wrote:
http://www.investorvillage.com/smbd.asp?mb=2420&mn=24096&pt=msg&mid=9070497
"Dr Koplewicz.........The Sly Name Dropper
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/answers-about-child-psychiatry/
Any publicity is good publicity and it doesn't get much better than a mention in the New York Time. A little interview with our Chairman of the Board, Dr Koplewicz. An interview dealing with his specialty, child psychiatry and you wouldn't expect he could get a mention of DCTH in but he does.
Here's one his answers.....
"Neither I nor The Child Study Center Foundation receive funds from pharmaceutical companies that produce psychiatric medications. In fact, the charter of CSCF stipulates that we will never accept funding from a pharmaceutical company. In the interest of full disclosure, I have been chairman of the board of Delcath Systems Inc., since 2007. Delcath is a publicly held company developing a device that will enable physicians to deliver anti-cancer drugs to the liver without exposing the rest of a given patient’s body"
I realize its not much but this is the New York Times. He slipped in that we are a publicly held company and a very brief synopsis of what we do. Hopefully this brief mention will get the attention of a few readers and the will follow up with a little DD. Honestly, our company has so much prospect that it will sell itself to anyone who does even a little bit of investigation.
I expect that once the full results are made public at ASCO, Dr Koplewicz will bring to bear his full relationship with the media. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing caliber of recognized experts within such a little company."
--Delcath forum discussing stock, profit, Koplewicz and more
"Neither I nor The Child Study Center Foundation receive funds from pharmaceutical companies that produce psychiatric medications. In fact, the charter of CSCF stipulates that we will never accept funding from a pharmaceutical company. In the interest of full disclosure, I have been chairman of the board of Delcath Systems Inc., since 2007. Delcath is a publicly held company developing a device that will enable physicians to deliver anti-cancer drugs to the liver without exposing the rest of a given patient’s body"
I realize its not much but this is the New York Times. He slipped in that we are a publicly held company and a very brief synopsis of what we do. Hopefully this brief mention will get the attention of a few readers and the will follow up with a little DD. Honestly, our company has so much prospect that it will sell itself to anyone who does even a little bit of investigation.
I expect that once the full results are made public at ASCO, Dr Koplewicz will bring to bear his full relationship with the media. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing caliber of recognized experts within such a little company."
--Delcath forum discussing stock, profit, Koplewicz and more
---
My OPINION
I THINK WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THE NY TIMES AND WHO THEY CHOOSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM "EXPERTS".
THIS IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND AN ABUSE OF THE NYTIMES, abuse of power, and a fine example of the all for profit pharmaceutical, unethical and corrupt association psychiatry has with making money off of innocent victims. this is my opinion.
*American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference, which featured trial results from big-cap pharma companies for revolutionary treatments for leukemia, skin and lung cancers.
*Dr.Harold Koplewicz can also be found on Face Book
http://www.facebook.com/HaroldKoplewiczMD
and
Twitter http://twitter.com/DrKoplewicz
Fear mongering and pro-drug treatment "Ransom Notes"
*DTC advertising from the "Ransom Notes" campaign
NYTimes-Ransom-Note Ads About Children’s Health Are Canceled
.."..used the device of ransom notes to deliver ominous messages concerning disorders like autism, depression, bulimia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder."
*Dr.Harold Koplewicz can also be found on Face Book
http://www.facebook.com/HaroldKoplewiczMD
and
Twitter http://twitter.com/DrKoplewicz
Fear mongering and pro-drug treatment "Ransom Notes"
*DTC advertising from the "Ransom Notes" campaign
NYTimes-Ransom-Note Ads About Children’s Health Are Canceled
.."..used the device of ransom notes to deliver ominous messages concerning disorders like autism, depression, bulimia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder."
ten flowing words in one magnificent sentence
"the clothes were in the dryer while we were out."
that sentence came out slowly and with a lot of thought, as she pointed to the laundry room when we arrived back from the sunday outing.
she kept track of and washed and dried that outfit she chose! keeping track of her clothes was a glitch issue with her thinking process until now. she would (in spite of my note writing, instructions on "how to keep your clothes"), she would still put them in the main linens laundry that goes off into no man's land of laundry facilities. so this was a BIG deal, not just doing the laundry herself, i looked up on the board and she signed up for a time slot to DO the laundry. i saw her hand writing with her name on that board and i wanted to hug the wall. lol
when she said that sentence, i heard the word "while" , and she sounded so sophisticated. ha!
She had picked out candy and a Dr.Pepper soda to bring back for a treat and stopped and got her clothes from the laundry room. when i reached for a pair of socks I thought were hers, she said, "those are not my socks". i put them down!
I told her she is doing a great job, that it is hard work doing all of these things again and she should be proud of herself, and she gave me a high 5. on saturday she went on an outing with the group independent of mom. isn't this amazing.
that sentence came out slowly and with a lot of thought, as she pointed to the laundry room when we arrived back from the sunday outing.
she kept track of and washed and dried that outfit she chose! keeping track of her clothes was a glitch issue with her thinking process until now. she would (in spite of my note writing, instructions on "how to keep your clothes"), she would still put them in the main linens laundry that goes off into no man's land of laundry facilities. so this was a BIG deal, not just doing the laundry herself, i looked up on the board and she signed up for a time slot to DO the laundry. i saw her hand writing with her name on that board and i wanted to hug the wall. lol
when she said that sentence, i heard the word "while" , and she sounded so sophisticated. ha!
She had picked out candy and a Dr.Pepper soda to bring back for a treat and stopped and got her clothes from the laundry room. when i reached for a pair of socks I thought were hers, she said, "those are not my socks". i put them down!
I told her she is doing a great job, that it is hard work doing all of these things again and she should be proud of herself, and she gave me a high 5. on saturday she went on an outing with the group independent of mom. isn't this amazing.
Dr. Harold Koplewicz : Q&A for NYTimes, infamous "Ransom Notes" campaign backer says "no evidence to prove over-prescribing in kids"
Dr. Harold Koplewicz, Director of The Nathan Kline Institute, for psychiatric research, New York State Office of Mental Health, has been featured in the NYTimes, May 2010, "Answers About Child Psychiatry.
Dr. Harold Koplewicz is a co-author of the infamous PAXIL 329 study, and known for creating quite a media frenzy from advocacy groups due to running a pro-drug campaign for children known as "Ransom Notes" in 2007. The campaign was shut down due to heavy pressure from Autism Advocacy groups and mental health advocates.
Koplewicz stood by his campaign, claiming children were needing "treatment" with Ritalin for ADHD and more. The photo above is one of the ads from the campaign, and as you can see, that is fear mongering at its worst.
December 2007
Many Angry At Childhood Mental Illness "Hostage" Ad Campaign, Furious Seasons
"The campaign is to raise awareness around what Koplewicz calls “the silent public health epidemic of children’s mental illness.” It focuses on autism, depression, ADHD, OCD, Asperger's and bulima." -Dawdy
---
Where are Dr.Koplewicz' stats and what is his evidence to be able to make this statement (below)?:
December 2007-"Ransom Notes" Campaign Ends:
"When we launched our "Ransom Notes" public awareness campaign two weeks ago, our goal was to call attention to the millions of children with untreated psychiatric and learning disorders. We wanted a campaign that would grab people's attention, break through the clutter, and serve as a wake up call to what we believe is America's last silent public health crisis."--Dr.Harold Koplewicz
Oh really? MILLIONS of children with untreated psychiatric disorders? that is called:
FEAR MONGERING AND CREATE-DISEASE MONGERING
The New York Times gives disease and fear mongering a platform
From the May 2010 NYTimes Q & A
Q. For the sake of full disclosure, to help your readers know the full context of your work, please enumerate any financial or other conflict-of-interest ties you might have with pharmaceutical companies?
Also, how would you respond to the critiques made by Robert Whitaker in his book “The Anatomy of an Epidemic” (Crown 2010) of the explosion in the prescription of psychotropic medication to children and adolescents on the basis of dubious to nonexistent studies, studies often funded (and at times distorted) by the pharmaceutical industry, and his discussion of the negative impacts of this explosion on America’s youth?
A. Neither I nor The Child Study Center Foundation receive funds from pharmaceutical companies that produce psychiatric medications. In fact, the charter of CSCF stipulates that we will never accept funding from a pharmaceutical company. In the interest of full disclosure, I have been chairman of the board of Delcath Systems Inc., since 2007. Delcath is a publicly held company developing a device that will enable physicians to deliver anti-cancer drugs to the liver without exposing the rest of a given patient’s body.
I haven’t read Mr. Whitaker’s book, so I’m unable to speak to the specifics of his argument. But I can tell you there is no evidence to prove that children and adolescents are over prescribed psychotropic medications in this country. The argument that parents and child psychiatrists are throwing drugs at children’s bad behaviors is just as reductionist and dubious as the claim that there is no conflict of interest in industry-backed research studies. Judith Warner’s “We’ve Got Issues” is a wonderfully written, thoughtful, meticulously researched book on this subject, children and psychotherapeutic medications. When Ms. Warner started her investigation six years ago, she expected to find doctors who indeed prescribed medications too casually. After six years of research, however, she had a very different view: She did not see too many children getting medication; she saw too many children and their families getting no help at all."--Dr.Harold Koplewicz, May-June,2010
----
Let's review:
Concern About Psychotropic Drugs and Foster Kids-Psychiatric Times July 2008
"Based on the Texas data, Zito found that in 2004, 38% of the more than 32,000 foster care youth in Texas younger than 19 years received a psychotropic drug. When 2005 data were disaggregated by age group, the 2005 annual prevalence of psychotropic medication was 12.4% in 0- to 5-year-olds, 55% in 6- to 12-year-olds, and 66.5% in 13- to 17-year-olds."
June 2010-Psychotropic Drug Abuse in Foster Care Costs Government Billions: Politics Daily
"According to a number of foster care experts who spoke with Politics Daily, children in foster care, who are typically concurrently enrolled in Medicaid, are three or four more times as likely to be on psychotropic medications than other children on Medicaid. Alarmingly, many of these drugs are medically prohibited for minors and dangerous to the children taking them. Often young patients under state supervision are also prescribed three or four high-risk drugs at a time -- all paid for by Medicaid."
--
The book Koplewicz has not read, and the NYTimes has not reviewed:
Anatomy of an Epidemic, by Robert Whitaker, released April 2010
"About the Book
Anatomy of an Epidemic investigates a medical mystery: Why has the number of adults and children disabled by mental illness skyrocketed over the past fifty years? There are now more than four million people in the United States who receive a government disability check because of a mental illness, and the number continues to soar. Every day, 850 adults and 250 children with a mental illness are added to the government disability rolls. What is going on?"
--
BIG HAT TIP to Stan for noticing WHO the doctor was answering the NYTimes Q @ A and bringing this to my attention.
He is the author of the mental health blog, Is Something Not Quite Right with Stan has this article up: From The New York Times Propaganda Page - this time it's psychiatrist Dr. Harold Koplewicz dosing out the mind poison.
Stan wonders if the next Q@A might be ran by Joseph Biederman or Charles Nemeroff.
I wonder when Americans are going to wise up to print newspapers that are one-sided, pharma-pushing, pro-child drugging fear mongers, claiming to be reporting news in the way it should be, unbiased and balanced.
I suggest Koplewicz read Anatomy of an Epidemic, but then again that would be reading truth, and of course his entire platform of believing MILLIONS of children are walking around untreated (unmedicated) for illness he creates and tries to push on Autistic kids....that would be pill-pushing, and pharma -promoting of diseases created for PROFIT--would fall out from under him.
OUR Children are psychiatric drug marketing targets in America and it is time someone stopped the madness, before it's too late.
Dr. Harold Koplewicz is a co-author of the infamous PAXIL 329 study, and known for creating quite a media frenzy from advocacy groups due to running a pro-drug campaign for children known as "Ransom Notes" in 2007. The campaign was shut down due to heavy pressure from Autism Advocacy groups and mental health advocates.
Koplewicz stood by his campaign, claiming children were needing "treatment" with Ritalin for ADHD and more. The photo above is one of the ads from the campaign, and as you can see, that is fear mongering at its worst.
December 2007
Many Angry At Childhood Mental Illness "Hostage" Ad Campaign, Furious Seasons
"The campaign is to raise awareness around what Koplewicz calls “the silent public health epidemic of children’s mental illness.” It focuses on autism, depression, ADHD, OCD, Asperger's and bulima." -Dawdy
---
Where are Dr.Koplewicz' stats and what is his evidence to be able to make this statement (below)?:
December 2007-"Ransom Notes" Campaign Ends:
"When we launched our "Ransom Notes" public awareness campaign two weeks ago, our goal was to call attention to the millions of children with untreated psychiatric and learning disorders. We wanted a campaign that would grab people's attention, break through the clutter, and serve as a wake up call to what we believe is America's last silent public health crisis."--Dr.Harold Koplewicz
Oh really? MILLIONS of children with untreated psychiatric disorders? that is called:
FEAR MONGERING AND CREATE-DISEASE MONGERING
The New York Times gives disease and fear mongering a platform
From the May 2010 NYTimes Q & A
Q. For the sake of full disclosure, to help your readers know the full context of your work, please enumerate any financial or other conflict-of-interest ties you might have with pharmaceutical companies?
Also, how would you respond to the critiques made by Robert Whitaker in his book “The Anatomy of an Epidemic” (Crown 2010) of the explosion in the prescription of psychotropic medication to children and adolescents on the basis of dubious to nonexistent studies, studies often funded (and at times distorted) by the pharmaceutical industry, and his discussion of the negative impacts of this explosion on America’s youth?
A. Neither I nor The Child Study Center Foundation receive funds from pharmaceutical companies that produce psychiatric medications. In fact, the charter of CSCF stipulates that we will never accept funding from a pharmaceutical company. In the interest of full disclosure, I have been chairman of the board of Delcath Systems Inc., since 2007. Delcath is a publicly held company developing a device that will enable physicians to deliver anti-cancer drugs to the liver without exposing the rest of a given patient’s body.
I haven’t read Mr. Whitaker’s book, so I’m unable to speak to the specifics of his argument. But I can tell you there is no evidence to prove that children and adolescents are over prescribed psychotropic medications in this country. The argument that parents and child psychiatrists are throwing drugs at children’s bad behaviors is just as reductionist and dubious as the claim that there is no conflict of interest in industry-backed research studies. Judith Warner’s “We’ve Got Issues” is a wonderfully written, thoughtful, meticulously researched book on this subject, children and psychotherapeutic medications. When Ms. Warner started her investigation six years ago, she expected to find doctors who indeed prescribed medications too casually. After six years of research, however, she had a very different view: She did not see too many children getting medication; she saw too many children and their families getting no help at all."--Dr.Harold Koplewicz, May-June,2010
----
Let's review:
Concern About Psychotropic Drugs and Foster Kids-Psychiatric Times July 2008
"Based on the Texas data, Zito found that in 2004, 38% of the more than 32,000 foster care youth in Texas younger than 19 years received a psychotropic drug. When 2005 data were disaggregated by age group, the 2005 annual prevalence of psychotropic medication was 12.4% in 0- to 5-year-olds, 55% in 6- to 12-year-olds, and 66.5% in 13- to 17-year-olds."
June 2010-Psychotropic Drug Abuse in Foster Care Costs Government Billions: Politics Daily
"According to a number of foster care experts who spoke with Politics Daily, children in foster care, who are typically concurrently enrolled in Medicaid, are three or four more times as likely to be on psychotropic medications than other children on Medicaid. Alarmingly, many of these drugs are medically prohibited for minors and dangerous to the children taking them. Often young patients under state supervision are also prescribed three or four high-risk drugs at a time -- all paid for by Medicaid."
--
The book Koplewicz has not read, and the NYTimes has not reviewed:
Anatomy of an Epidemic, by Robert Whitaker, released April 2010
"About the Book
Anatomy of an Epidemic investigates a medical mystery: Why has the number of adults and children disabled by mental illness skyrocketed over the past fifty years? There are now more than four million people in the United States who receive a government disability check because of a mental illness, and the number continues to soar. Every day, 850 adults and 250 children with a mental illness are added to the government disability rolls. What is going on?"
--
BIG HAT TIP to Stan for noticing WHO the doctor was answering the NYTimes Q @ A and bringing this to my attention.
He is the author of the mental health blog, Is Something Not Quite Right with Stan has this article up: From The New York Times Propaganda Page - this time it's psychiatrist Dr. Harold Koplewicz dosing out the mind poison.
Stan wonders if the next Q@A might be ran by Joseph Biederman or Charles Nemeroff.
I wonder when Americans are going to wise up to print newspapers that are one-sided, pharma-pushing, pro-child drugging fear mongers, claiming to be reporting news in the way it should be, unbiased and balanced.
I suggest Koplewicz read Anatomy of an Epidemic, but then again that would be reading truth, and of course his entire platform of believing MILLIONS of children are walking around untreated (unmedicated) for illness he creates and tries to push on Autistic kids....that would be pill-pushing, and pharma -promoting of diseases created for PROFIT--would fall out from under him.
OUR Children are psychiatric drug marketing targets in America and it is time someone stopped the madness, before it's too late.
----
*Stephany, is the mother of an adult PDD-Asperger's autism spectrum child mis-diagnosed childhood bipolar in 1999. Her daughter is currently in a rehabilitative program after suffering disablement due to a decade of psychiatric medication use. She is re-learning to talk, do laundry and self-care. She was precariously close to being in the mental health system longer than this--due to strong advocacy she was finally acknowledged for the person she is, where at the doctor said, "these drugs are not designed for people like her".
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Recommended Sunday reading
In 24 hours I've been routed via reading blogs to several what i deem, must read articles.
VIA Bore Patch, I was directed to read this wonderful story, from American Digest. Go read that, right now. Then come back and read, via Dr.X's Free Associations where I was directed to read this, by Retriever, who then directed me to go here, to Sippican Cottage.
VIA Bore Patch, I was directed to read this wonderful story, from American Digest. Go read that, right now. Then come back and read, via Dr.X's Free Associations where I was directed to read this, by Retriever, who then directed me to go here, to Sippican Cottage.
If you need a specific itemized reading list, here it is:
Read these articles, I believe you'll be glad you did, at least I was!
1. Bore Patch, The Abyss.
2. American Digest, PUDDY: The Gift.
3. Dr.X's Free Associations, Motherhood.
4. Retriever, Never Alone.
5. Sippican Cottage, Tommy Walnuts.
That's your blog host in the photograph at age 8 reluctantly posing with my ocean fishing catch of the day. apparently it was a big deal. the fish are 'bonita', caught off of the california coast. thanks to my Dad, for all of the fishing memories. the prep table where the fish heads jumped body-less is a particularly nightmare type of memory, but one i'm glad to have.
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