I found this somewhere and now I've well and truely lost it.
I read somewhere that the worst prognosis for schizophrenia was living in a developed western nation and having contact with psychiatrists.

I'm not saying I agree with the above statement and I have no idea whether it is true or not...

But if anyone knows of a reference I really would be very very very very very very grateful.

Thanks!

Hrm. Well I found a dodgey reference that will have to do. Along the way I found this:

http://www.moshersoteria.com/crazy.htm

Didn't read all of it (work work work!) but I'll put it here for future reference...

Actually I just realised it is from a WHO study that is cited in the above link:

>There's some debate over whether a massive study of schizophrenic outcomes conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows a similar correlation between lower reliance on neuroleptic medication and recovery. Begun in 1968, this research identified schizophrenics in nine countries (China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, India, Nigeria, USSR, United Kingdom, and the U.S.) and tracked what happened to them over the next five to ten years. The most striking -- some might say astounding -- finding was that the patients from the three poorest countries -- India, Nigeria, and Colombia -- fared far better than their cohorts in the developed countries. Whereas more than three-quarters of the Indians, Nigerians, and Colombians were either recovered or doing fairly well five years after their diagnosis, only 25 percent of the patients in the rich countries enjoyed a similar level of success.

Critics of this study charged that it must have suffered from design flaws. The patients from the poor countries must not have been as sick. So the World Health Organization launched another investigation, making every effort to use the same criteria in every country. It didn't matter. The new study "replicated in a clear and, possibly, conclusive way…the existence of consistent and marked differences in the prognosis of schizophrenia between the centres in developed countries and the centres in developing countries," the authors wrote. "It can now be said with a fair amount of confidence that they are not the result of differing sample composition in the two groups of centres."

woman, i've learned more from you than i thought possible. thank you so much for pushing the envelope...........xoxoxo pat p.s. didn't i read that the UK is now reluctant to use the the DX of schizophrenia?

[Perna]

Obviously an anti-psychiatry sentiment. There are those that don't believe in mental illness at all or have been or feel they have been harmed by psychiatry:

http://www.antipsychiatry.org/

Nothing too all or nothing about that :-) I was thinking about problems I've had with medical doctors each time I've needed them in the last few years (first time I've needed them) and the harm they've done (but I would have died otherwise so not much choice?) and mistakes they've made and it gets harder and harder to focus on individuals and knowing that doctors don't know everything and it's quite possible for them to make mistakes, etc. I get to wanting others to be "in charge" and "know" me and what's wrong with me and how to "fix" me (no matter what) to such an extent that it's really hard when they don't and when I realize to what extent they don't.

Hrm.

I'm wary of labels. Call someone a name (e.g., 'anti-psychiatrist') and that gives you an excuse to not take what they have to say seriously. (It is called an ad hominum attack or an attack against the person instead of a critique against what they actually have to say)

Labels can be dangerous. Think what kinds of behaviours tend to follow after we label someone a 'terrorist' or a 'schizophrenic'.

The WHO study is interesting though, huh.

What I find interesting to contemplate is that if the converse was found would that be publicised all over? You better believe it would. How many people have heard of this study, however? I guess there just isn't money in that for the drug companies...

And the hypothesis that the structural / functional / neurotransmission differences are largely a result of psychotropic medications damaging brains... Well... Why isn't there a massive testing effort so we can sort that out?