I just read a book that everyone needs to read! I just read Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker. I came hone from the library and art museum at noon and I just finished a little after seven. I even stopped for dinner, to take some trash out, and rest. I have to admit that I didn’t read two chapters; the ones about the children and how they are unnecessarily being prescribed psychiatric medications. I thought I would get too angry because of children’s natural innocence and vulnerability. It is tragic how those so very young are being damaged for life. Some important points of this book are these psychiatric meds have very damaging side effects; including possible death. The rise of the use of these psych meds has lead to a rise in ssi and ssdi. The drug companies hid the side effects and adverse effects from us. Pdocs do get payoffs from the drug companies; especially big name, academic pdocs. The drug companies created a big campaign to convince the public to take the drugs; because they were reluctant. The meds may not stop the symptoms and cause the symptoms to return even if you faithfully take your meds. They can cause other symptoms to emerge. NAMI is in cohoots with the drug companies. There are alternatives to meds and people were recovering and returning to their lives better than before the rise of meds in treatment. There is more in the book. I think that I have been thinking of the similar things in the past two years; but this explained some of my thoughts on this matter. Please go to your local library and check out this book. It is a must for everyone diagnosed with a mental illness or every prescribed psychiatric medications for any reason. Also, it does not advocate for Scientology’s point of view or tactics; but, finds it unfortunate that they came on the scene at this time. Please read. You may not agree with what he says; but, read anyway. It will make you think twice before you take that pill again.
@Greykitten , how long have you been off meds? Were you diagnosed with schizophrenia?
I can’t read that repost or edit it to have some carriage returns and line breaks!
I have been working to get off meds for two years and in the last two years have mostly been off except for a few breaks in and there. I have had some hard times with withdrawal and was sick in the winter. I am better now. I have lost years of my life due to the meds. One point Robert Whitaker made was that people with sz die about 25 years earlier than the rest of the population. He said that this was due to the use of meds. He doesn’t advocate complete non-use of meds; but, he suggests a more limited use if they are needed at all. I plan to live. I do not plan to die. That is one of the reasons, I went off the meds. I am pure rebel and do not care what anyone says. I feel this is very bad medicine; especially for me and I do not plan to return to the hurtful, vegetative, symptomatic state that I was on. I also don’t want the other adverse effects. I am not here to make the psychiatric industry rich. There is not even any evidence that mental illnesses are biologically/ chemically based. In fact, there is a very strong possibility that the use of the meds causes biochemical reactions that force the symptoms to appear stronger and stronger. And who knows about the long term effects? You may disagree, but, I am strong. I stand by my decision. I choose life!
I am sorry that you are having trouble reading what I wrote. I don’t know how to edit it and I am not sure if I can repost it. Please forgive me.
Sounds interesting-I’ll check it out if I bump into it!
They recon it is partly due to neglect/poor to physical health and smoking!
In my country they did a drive to boost the physical helth part and Dr’s will always ask if you smoke!
Well for us they say at a certain age you can come off your meds well I wish someone would say that to me cuz now I’m 45 and still sick. I think that is the reality you need to look at and not the books stick around here and make up your mind .
I am sorry about your poor health and smoking. I will keep a good thought that things will get better for you. Take care.
I am very sorry that you feel the way you do. Please never give up hope for your recovery, remission, and well-being. Please keep your hope up that someday you may be able to get off meds. If you think you will; you will be able to do so.
Thanks I admire your resilience after adversity maybe you could share some pointers some time?
@Greykitten , for what it’s worth, I was off meds for 2 years, barely coping, and then had a psychotic relapse. It’s Russian roulette, if you have a psychotic relapse, you could be so out of it you might end up harming yourself or worse.
I honestly don’t really know where my resilience came from. And some moments are harder than others. But, it was like a switch went off in me and I have this thought; “I’ll be damned if I’ll let them kill me!” I saw this on a necklace inscribed on a website. It was inscribed. “Whatever doesn’t kill me; better run.” When I got some money, I am going to purchase it. This website has free shipping on any order!
I am a very determined woman. I choose not to have a psychotic relapse. Additionally, I had more psychosis while on the meds. I wasn’t symptom free before the meds, actually. I did have some thought problems in the winter. I got pretty sick. I now believe it was withdrawal from the meds. I now think in college, I had the best “therapy.” My therapists were actually graduate students in training. But, there were no meds involved. We did exercises and other things. The therapists, most importantly, really listened to me and actually had concrete suggestions that worked for years. You never know where you will get the treatment you really need. Sometimes, today, they are too busy and have too big caseloads. In the end, you really are your own therapist. I am also doing cbt on my own; which I have read is very effective. Part of the reason for relapses rests with the medications. Take care.
“I am a very determined woman. I choose not to have a psychotic relapse”
OK. I don’t have an answer to that, other than I wish it was that easy. It’s something that nobody has concious control over. I hope you’re smart enough to realise that.
I don’t mean to disagree with you; but I have conscious control over it. If you get a chance, you might want to read the book. It will open your eyes. I know I got sicker after they kept plowing all those medications in me. I do not apologize, I am very stubborn. I am very determined. I do not take no for an answer. I get what I want. I do not ever want to be sick as I was when I was on the meds. The withdrawal wasn’t so great, but, I feel that now I have gone through the worst of it. I am stronger now. Thank you for your concern. Please go to the library and check out the book. Please don’t be brainwashed by the pdocs and drug community. These drugs are very dangerous and do create changes in the brain and body. For your health and well-being, please read the book. But, your health is your choice, I jut wish for you a happy, healthy life free of symptoms. Take care, my friend.
I didn’t read the book but people on here bring it up every now and then. My first comment is that not EVERY schizophrenic dies 25 years earlier than the rest of the population. And this is the first time I’ve heard that statistic blamed on medication. Usually our life span is said to be shorter because of a sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits and drug and alcohol use,suicide and a few other reasons.
I don’t know.
I could offer my opinion and refute some of your information but I’m tired. Like you said yourself, I may not agree with everything this guy says. I just want to say that there are VERY few alternative methods of treating schizophrenia that work as well as meds. Vitamins don’t work, Soteria House PROBABLY didn’t work. I read in SZ Magazine this same opinion. As far as I know the advent of medication treatment got many supposedly chronic sufferers of schizophrenia out of back wards and long-term hospitals.
You are right. Not every schizophrenic dies 25 years earlier than the “regular” population. The reason Whitaker “blaims” the statistic on medication is that he says medication actually assists in causing the very things you mentioned that caused one with schizophrenia to die sooner. He does say that Soteria did work.The results were skewed to bring about the meds as treatment. He doesn’t advocate the total non-use of the meds; but, he does say they should be used on a very much more limited and thoughtful basis; if needed and not as the immediate treatment. I think before you refute my opinion and make judgements, you might want to read the book. There are risks involved in these meds and we have been hidden from the information. These meds do cause more disability, physical and psychological responses, and even death. He has examples of these in the book. Before, you think that meds are the only alternative to treatment in schizophrenia or any other mental illness, you need to read the book. Eve if you disagree with it. Each person needs to make informed decisions in their treatment. So, please read the book before you refute the author. Take care.
I am not required to take medications but I’m pretty sure that if it were court ordered to do so that I then would be upset about any claims as to their being harmful, and I’m pretty sure that I would be in a hospital or dead without them. The only other option I have is to self medicate with street drugs and beer agian, lots and lots of drugs and beer. That sure was fun and exciting but I couldn’t get anything done and it was very very expensive. I have just recently turned away from that way of self medicating to just using the medications alone that I get prescribed at no cost to me.
Determination can’t beat psychosis