Information About Psychiatry

Difference between Psychiatric Disorder and a Medical Disease

2009-11-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

Link List - Alternative Treatment for Depression

2009-10-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

I haven't done one of these for a while, so here's a list of informative links:

Dietary Decisions May Effect Depression

Some Mom's Decide on Homeopathic Remedies for ADHD

A Mental Health Professional Recommends Alternative Methods to Drugs in Treating Depression

Psychologists Reject Science when Treating Patients

Anti-Depressants Raise Birth Risks

I hope you find these links helpful!

Increased use of Non-Prescription Ritalin by Students

2009-02-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

An article came into my hand-dandy yahoo alerts that talked about usage of non-prescription Ritalin and Adderall. These are both schedule II drugs, in the same addictive category as PCP, cocaine opium and more.

The main stress of the article is on college students using these drugs to get through finals. This not only builds an unhealthy study habit, it also makes drugs a solution to stress. There are so many other solutions - like scheduling your life out, predicting what's coming up, making sure you are happy with what you are doing in life, etc.

Why do you think kids in school are turning to drugs instead of managing their stresses with time-tested methods? Are they lazy and want an easy way out? Or is it that our society is fundamentally geared to think drugs will handle our problems? Let me know what you think.

I'm Back

2009-02-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Hi! I know I've been off for a while, sorry. I have been working at getting a new job and all sorts of life stuff has been coming up. I'm back now though, so you should be getting semi-consistent posts from now on. :)

Just as a little tidbit, here's an interesting link: Military Suicide Rising. While some may say that the rate of military suicide is rising due to PTSD, I'd say there is more behind that. Obviously, I'm not a doctor, but here's my idea:

War is an awful thing. It certainly is extremely upsetting. So we are giving our military men and women - the people who are willing to give up their lives for us, we give them SSRIs and other drugs that deal in Serotonin reuptake. The majority of these drugs has suicide as a side effect.

While my opinions are anti-war, a part of my family has been heavily involved in the military since World War II. I respect and admire them and their bravery. It is extremely upsetting to me that we are allowing people who are willing to die for us and our country drugs that could make them kill themselves.

What do you think?

Zyprexa Reviewed for Children's Use

2008-11-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

Zyprexa has come up a lot on this blog lately. It's come up again - an FDA Panel has been formed to review Zyprexa off-label use for children. Apparently Zyprexa is supposed to be prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but is often prescribed for off-label disorders such as dementia and mild bipolar disorder. Another off-label prescription has been for kids. The FDA Panel has been convened to see about adding side effect warnings specifically for kids - as Zyprexa has been known to cause diabetes and other blood-sugar disorders.

Eli-Lilly is apparently pushing the FDA to approve Zyprexa for children between 13-17. With the not-uncommon side effect of diabetes, I wouldn't want my kid on it.

New Video Presented by CCHR

2008-11-12T00:19:00.000-08:00

There is a new video created by The Citizens Commission on Human Rights. It's really fascinating, so check it out.

Alternative Ways to Help Depression

2008-10-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

This is a continuation of my last post about ways to handle depression without using drugs.

One of these ways was discovered using animal studies - which I am personally opposed to since I rather like animals and have a dog and a hamster. Nevertheless, it's interesting. Basically, this article talks about a process that was done to mice. The process shows that going to a place associated with happiness, or hearing music that was associated with happiness made the mice regain their will to live just as anti-depressants do. It seems to me that playing a little music that makes you happy or going to the park instead of taking anti-depressants would probably save a lot of money during these rough economic times.

Another article talks about the uses of St. John's Wort to battle depression. It has been proved effective, so that's another natural remedy to depression. I actually went to school with a girl who was getting over an eating disorder. She took St. John's Wort to handle her depression and it really worked.

If you read the article referred to in the previous post about zinc deficiency being a cause of depression, that's three natural tools to battle depression.

I think that's pretty darn neat! What about you?

Alternative Resources for Dealing with ADHD and Depression

2008-10-13T00:09:00.000-07:00

My brother works for Novus Detox, which is a clinic that deals specifically with medical drug addiction. They wrote an article on a wonderful resource for handling ADHD and/or depression. Check it out, it's very informative.

News Link Roundup

2008-10-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

I get various yahoo alerts about psychiatric drugs, FDA situations and drugs with suicidal side effects. Because of these and stuff people send me, I end up with way to many links to way to many interesting or horrifying stories. So, here's a big ol' round up.

Psychiatrist accused of tax evasion

Curbs sought on certain psychiatric drugs - in Kentucky

Eli Lilly settles with 33 states on Zyprexa fiasco

Anti-psychotics boost risk of stroke in patients with dementia

The omega-3 fatty acids you are eating for your heart may work for depression too

Food and it's correlation with suicide

Love and paying attention to children works better than pills

A ton of articles about over prescribing Ritalin

CCHR Public Service Announcements

New radio show about the mental health industry

Drug Companies Fess Up

2008-09-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

In 2007, The New York Times published an article noting that some states would begin to require drug companies report the amount of money they pay to doctors to attend conferences, in gift form and as payment for doing seminars on the drug companies behalf. The legislation has largely been ignored by the behemoth companies, proving that age-old saying "Money talks, BS walks".

Now it looks as if Eli Lilly will be complying to these laws, as they are starting be be discussed on a national level.

Personally, I feel that Eli Lilly is simply pulling a PR stunt - saying "hey, don't look at us, we already comply to your rules", while still funneling tons of money into doctors to keep them talking about and prescribing their drugs. Really, the main benefit of the drug mammoth reporting what they are shelling out to whom is for the consumer, so they know in who's pocket their doctor resides.

Zyprexa News

2008-09-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

A Brooklyn judge decided to unseal the previously confidential court documents regarding Zyprexa. They can be downloaded from here.

FDA - A Step in the Right Direction

2008-09-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

The FDA reports that they will be providing the public with quarterly reports of the drugs that are undergoing safety investigations due to complaints from patients, manufacturers and physicians. This is definitely a step in the right direction and an excellent plan for the FDA. They are opening their doors to consumers more and more, letting us see what is actually happening with a drug and what could possibly happen so we can make better, educated decisions.

Children Misdiagnosed with ADHD

2008-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

I just read that there was a judge who scolded psychiatrists for their all too ready diagnosis of ADHD in today's kids. It all blew up after a child, who was doing well at home, was diagnosed for ADHD at school. After the build up of a couple years of drugs in his system, the kid began using drugs and sexually assulted an elderly woman at a railway station.

The psychologist on the case says that because boy did not need the drugs, they would have had the same affect on him as early illegal use of the drug "speed". This indeed makes Ritalin a surefire gateway drug for those misdiagnosed with ADHD.

I find it amazing that people will still deny that Ritalin, in the Narcotics Schedule as speed, is not right for kids to take. Any thoughts?

N. Washitngton Gunman

2008-09-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

I've read two articles about a gunman in Washington who shot and killed or injured several random people this last week. There's a statement in there from his mom saying he has been "desperately mentally ill" for some time. Does anyone know if he was on psychiatric drugs at the time? I'm just curious if this gunman was mentally ill, suffering from side effects or...?

Thomas Jefferson Quote about the FDA

2008-09-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

Thomas Jefferson comments on the FDA before it existed:

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls who live under tyranny" - Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)

Interesting, eh?

Mad Driving Skillz? Not on Anti-Depressants

2008-09-01T23:41:00.000-07:00

I just found out that Anti-depressants like Prozac and Zoloft affect driving skills negatively along with other coordinative skills and concentration. Another interesting side effect to spice up our lives. I wonder if all those commercials I've been seeing on TV about adult ADD have taken into account that some of those adults may simply be suffering from the side effects of anti-depressants.

Foster Kids Medicated

2008-08-17T19:41:00.000-07:00

I was sent this link. It's various youtube videos that have kids who were in foster care and heavily medicated. The stories are completely heartbreaking - one kid was told by a therapist that he should forget his mother because she was in prison. Then the kid was told he was depressed and given medication. Shockingly (excuse my sarcasm), the poor kid remained depressed. Anyway, check out the videos. They're real eye openers.

Overprescription of Ritalin in the UK

2008-08-12T01:16:00.001-07:00

I appear to be forever reading articles - I actually get so many articles about Ritalin, Prozac and psychiatric drugs/diseases that I don't ever have enough time to post them all. I wish I did, because I am sure there are a lot of people around that don't get alerts on these things. After all, there's only so much information we have time to read in a day.

So, here's an interesting article I read recently. The basic idea behind it is that there are huge variations in the amount of Ritalin prescribed in various parts of the UK. Some say that there is simply better health care in some areas than others, but there is such a disparity between amount of prescription, it appears that Ritalin is simply being over prescribed in some areas.

What do you think?

CCHR Public Service Announcements

2008-08-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

CCHR Museum Tour

2008-07-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

The Citizen's Commission on Human Rights Psychiatry, an Industry of Death Museum now features an online video tour. It's interesting - so make sure to check it out.

Adults with ADHD or Way for Drug Companies to Make Money?

2008-07-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

I just read an article which states that adults suffering from depression, anxiety, alcoholism, drug addiction and more may have ADHD. Of course, Professor Phillip Asherson at the Institute of Psychiatry gives us the nebulous, "We don't know if this is the problem - but hey, let's throw some drugs at it and see what that does."

I'm sorry if I sound rather jaded, ladies and gents, but I see this as a simple plan to make the drug companies and psychiatrists more money. All they are doing is prescribing something to cover up the problem - like giving someone with a broken back some Xanax. Sure he feels great, but he still can't walk. Plus, when it wears off, he still has a broken back!

What do you think? Do you think their supposition may be valid, or that this is just another plan to make drug companies richer?

Woman Doesn't Receive Proper Medical Attention in Psychiatric Ward

2008-07-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

This story tells of a woman who had a preventable blood clot in a psychiatric ward, but due to lack of care and inattention to her symptoms, she died. Psychiatrists went to medical school with other medical doctors. To my knowledge, they took the same Hippocratic oath as those doctors. This sort of inattention in any medical facility would be inexcusable, yet they are saying the woman died of "natural causes". If it's natural to be stationary in a hospital for 20 hours and then die of a blood clot, then I suppose they are right, otherwise I think it's totally outrageous and is definite medical malpractice.

Any thoughts?

Label Me Sane

2008-07-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

I found out about a great group that helps people get off of prescription drugs. Normally, when a drug is prescribed, it either a) only deals with part of the problem - other parts of the problem are prescribed other drugs or b) the drug will illicit side effects that get drugs prescribed to sort the side effects out. This program was set up to stop this vicious cycle and allow people get off of medical drugs once and for all.

I have encountered a few really excellent detox groups - one being Point of Return and the other is Novus Detox. Both of these are excellent medical drug detox facilities. Also, a great program created by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard is the Narconon Program.

If anyone you know needs help getting off of prescription meds, check out the above programs. They are all well worth your time and research.

New Warnings for Abilify

2008-06-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

The FDA has issued changes to the Abilify box warnings. The box now warns of seizures and convulsions, head rushes and possible cognative and motor impairment. I just wanted to send out a little update on this, since the FDA doesn't let you know about this sort of thing unless you sign up for updates - which you can do here.

Check Out the Links

2008-06-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

Wow! I found some great links to various blogs that have something to say about psychiatry. Check them out:

My brother works at a drug detox clinic and is often featured on a radio show about drugs. Check out what he has to say on his blog.

Sandy talks about what to do if your child has a chemical imbalance

Grahame talks about his views on psychiatry

The Alliance for Human Rights tells us about the ADHD Experts Meeting in Florida

Pharmalot posts an update on my previous post about army vets being use for drug experiments