Difference between Psychiatric Disorder and a Medical Disease

Increased use of Non-Prescription Ritalin by Students

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.

Zyprexa Reviewed for Children's Use

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.

News Link Roundup

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

Children Misdiagnosed with ADHD

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

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...?

Mad Driving Skillz? Not on Anti-Depressants

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

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

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?

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

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?

Check Out the Links

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

Shooting - Prozac Induced?

Decide for yourself, check out this article with the following in mind - Prozac is an SSRI with side effects of suicidal thoughts and violent behavior. SSRI withdrawl symptoms include the above two side effects as well.

Why do we have people on such destructive drugs? Aren't mental health experts supposed to be protecting society against those who would be dangerous to themselves and others - not causing depressed people to become dangerous to themselves or others via drugs?

What do you think?

Side Effect Info on Bupropion Hydrochloride

While the FDA is out there approving new drugs and saying they are safe as shown in this article, side effects of many anti-depressant drug including ones made from bupropion hydrochloride, such as Wellbutrin XL and the new generic produced by Impax Laboratories Inc list suicide as a side effect. So, be careful to read the side effects of all prescribed drugs.

As a side note, the FDA has begun to check for suicidal ideation more and more in prescription drugs, so make sure you check those pages of fine print before popping any pills. This goes for non-psychiatric drugs too.

Interesting video about Anti-Depressants, Pantyhose and Shaved Legs

Statistics for Child Drugging

This article from the Guardian indicates various shocking statistics from the first comprehensive study on child drugging. Ian Wong conducted the study in the UK and the following are some of the published results:

"His analysis, to be published next month in the US journal Pediatrics, shows that between 1992 and 2005, 3,000 UK children were given anti-psychotics.

"Twice as many prescriptions were given to children for the drugs in 2005 as in
1992, with the biggest increase in the seven to 12 age group, where the number of anti-psychotics prescribed trebled. The largest category of use by far is in cases of behavioural disorders and personality disorders, including bipolar disorder (manic depression), autism and hyperactivity."

Back at the ranch (read - in America) there are some shocking statistics of kids being prescribed drugs they aren't supposed to be using. The winner in the USA is... drum roll please... anti-psychotics!

Why are psychiatrists improperly prescribing drugs to their patients? Let me know what you think.

Speaking up about Seroxat

Pharmalot has a fascinating post regarding a blogger who spoke up about Seroxat (also known as Paxil to us Yankees) and the company that makes Seroxat/Paxil (GlaxoSmithKline) and the company's head of psychiatry. Glaxo only paid attention to him once it seemed he might be defaming the head of psychiatry. The blogger did compare the head of psychiatry to Hitler (perhaps not the wisest move in the world) and accused him of covering up the issues that Paxil has had - like the side effects of suicidality, death, etc. The lawyers for GlaxoSmithKline sent the blogger this letter, and he did take down the video and the defaming statements. However, the video that caused all this controversy has spread around the Internet and can be viewed here:

Interview with a Member of the Novus Detox Facility Staff - Part1

My brother - Monty - works at at medical detox facility called Novus LLC, which deals with people mainly addicted to prescription drugs. He is a very busy guy and works directly with drug addicts. I asked him if he would do a email interview and here is the first part of that interview:

Q: What do you do for a living?

A: I work at a medical detox facility in New Port Richey FL, It is called Novus LLC. http://www.novusdetox.com/

Q: Do you run across psychiatric drug addicts in your line of work?

A: Yes, absolutely! I see them all them time. I would say that the (drug) most widely prescribed and addicted to would be the Benzodiazepine Xanax.

Q: Which psychiatric drugs would you say are addictive?

A: Hmm... That is a good question, I would first like to give you a good explanation of what being addicted would be:
ADDICTION
A person who is physically dependent on a drug is not necessarily addicted.
Addiction is the continued use of a drug because of the way that one feels after taking the drug—often described as a type of euphoria feeling or a "mellow" feeling or sometimes, in the case of many drugs, to not feel a certain way.
The more one is addicted, the more one's use of the drug becomes compulsive despite negative consequences which can be severe. Addicted people will often lie, doctor shop, sell and buy drugs on the street, deny drug use if asked and, in short, do things that they would never do otherwise.
If the addicted person stops or reduces their use of a drug, in almost every case the addicted person will experience withdrawal symptoms associated with the drug.
Having stated this I would say that the Benzo's are addictive and let me explain what these are: Benzodiazepines ("Benzos") are drugs that were first marketed in the 1960's for the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, seizures, convulsions and as muscle relaxants. Today these drugs account for about one out of every five prescriptions for controlled substances. Benzos like ProSom, Dalmane, Doral, Restoril and Halcion are often prescribed for insomnia. Klonopin is often prescribed for the treatment of seizure disorders. Ativan, Centrax, Librium, Paxipam, Serax, Valium, and Xanax are often prescribed for the treatment of anxiety.

Q: What kind of withdrawal symptoms could one expect to encounter if they are trying to get off psychiatric drugs? I know the answer varies with the drug, but can you give me a general idea?

A: As you stated that this can widely vary but you can have anything from being nervous to having a Grand Mal Seizure. I know that if not weened off these in the correct medical environment you can die from withdrawals of Xanax.

Thanks Monty, for this informative look at prescription drug addiction! I look forward to talking with my big brother more about the prescription psychiatric drugs he has run into in his employment with Novus.

Great Links about Psychiatry Part V

Here are another set of links about psychiatry:

PsychData reports That People with Dementia are Being Drugged Rather Than Helped

The Alliance for Human Research Protection reports on The Congressional Hearing for the Drugging of Children by Psychiatrists

A Clinical Psychiatry and Psychology reports on Who is Bankrolling the Medical Journals that Doctors Trust

Prozac Causes Depression posts about Anti-Depressants Killing Again

PsychWatch posts about What Sort of People Love Psychiatry

PsychData posts on What the Government is Doing about Psychiatrists Drugging Children

Schoolboy Suffers from Suicidal Side Effect of Ritalin

This article reports the tragic death of 15 year old Anthony Cole, who hung himself after being on Ritalin for 6 years. From the report, it seems like it was a premeditated suicide - days before his suicide he had asked about how to write a will and about life insurance, an hour before he was found dead he had cuddled his parents and told them that he loved them.

My heart goes out to his parents, his brother and sisters, his friends and extended family. I don't understand why parents are still allowing their children to take these drugs, I can only guess that it's because the side effects are not being taken seriously. They are very real and very serious.

If you know someone on Ritalin, please make sure they know the side effects and have fully evaluated their decision to take it.

Great Links About Psychiatry

Here's some great links I found this week:

Scientology Lives reports connections between school shooters and psychiatric drugs

DBunker reports that the FDA is cracking down on neighborhood pharmacies

Alliance for Human Research Project reports about Eli Lilly concealing information

Pharmalot reports that Eli Lilly should have warned the American people about Zyprexa back in 1998

Grahame reports about a new anti-depressant (called Placebozac) that has just come on the market *This one deserves a warning for excessive sarcasm*

Attention Deficit Disorder reports some interesting statistics about ADHD kids

PsychWatch reports 8 reasons to run from Anti-Depressants