I am equally appalled & grateful for watching this video. It is relevant to the interests of a great deal of members here so I thought I'd share it.

[Wayfarer25]

yep. this is a big no brainer, but it's nice to hear it from someone who was on the inside. it doesn't take a conspiracy theorist to realize that companies are in the business of making money and care very little about who buys the product so long as enough people buy the product so the company can turn a profit. that's why there's no cure for cancer, a disease that has drugs that cost in the thousands of dollars PER DOSE to minimize the spread of cancer. can't make any money if you cure things.

doctors, medical journals, televisions, congress. just about everyone is in the back pocket of drug companies. i mean, really, how can we trust a new drug study that was performed by the company that manufactures the drug? independent studies without drug company influence are the way to go.

take schizophrenia for example. it's a disease that's hundreds of years old. can you honestly believe that researchers are doing their best to figure out what causes it and subsequently what can cure it? i highly doubt it. oh, but boy do drug companies know how to keep us shoving money in their pockets. or look at HIV. we know what causes it, and how to keep it from killing people (antiviral drugs that need to be taken for life = money in the pocket of drug companies).

bleh. i could rant all day about this. as far as sz is concerned, drugs are our best option to control the nastier symptoms. but i'd like to point to an article on the front page of psychcentral that says we're about 50% more likely to die of a heart attack because of smoking, lifestyle, and diabetes and metabolic syndrome, both of which are caused by second generation APs. for a lot of people, the drugs do work, but make no mistake that they are a poison. there is always a trade off with medication. are the potential side effects worth the risk? it's a question all of us should ask.

thanks for sharing the video. i'm tempted to watch the other ones she's got posted.

I agree with you completely. And I know that there is a multitude of people who could barely function without their meds -- that is why symptom management is necessary. But I also know that there are quite a few people here, like me, who are going it without meds. Both successfully & unsuccessfully. For those people, I think this video is useful. Excercise, healthy eating, sleep, & therapy are some of the most important things you can do. And who says you need the meds forever, yanno? There's always a silver lining.

[Melinae]

So how exactly are we supposed to live? HOW? If our success at healing is directly impacted by the efforts of our societies - which, as of now, is an almost nonexistent effort? How do we go on, fighting for ourselves in isolation? Are we martyrs, in the great scheme of things? Life should not be like this. We are meant to be happy and healthy. Our societies should be there to help us, like the great shamans of old. (rant over)

Thank you for this Shay. I have been privy to this information for years due to the fact that my mother is a Pharmacist for Walgreens Pharmaceuticals and two of my younger sisters are employed as Registered Nurses in the Houston metroplex.

This is a true message. Like you stated, this does not disqualify the usefulness of medications. It only reveals that permanent healing has never been proven to be achieved long-term through chemical medication.

Psychotherapy can be helpful for many, if the therapist is a professional who has been specially trained in the area that the patient is struggling with. Many times, this screening process is not possible due to a lack of adequate funds to pay for a higher line of mental health support.

Therefore, medication usage has been increased to make up for the lack of healing experienced in the sufferer's lives. This is what led me to overcome my illnesses without medication and psychotherapy. Had I an opportunity to heal with aid from the medical advances of our modern world, I would have certainly been open to it. Again, thank you for sharing this.

[Wayfarer25]

Originally Posted by Shayatanica

I agree with you completely. And I know that there is a multitude of people who could barely function without their meds -- that is why symptom management is necessary. But I also know that there are quite a few people here, like me, who are going it without meds. Both successfully & unsuccessfully. For those people, I think this video is useful. Excercise, healthy eating, sleep, & therapy are some of the most important things you can do. And who says you need the meds forever, yanno? There's always a silver lining.

Absolutely right. Not everyone needs meds and there are various reasons why some won't take them. Some manage just fine without them, and others need them to help them feel better and to function better. And you're right, the non-medication methods of making ourselves healthier can help with symptom management as well. And sometimes people need the meds to help them get into a particular state of mind so they can help themselves through non-pharmaceutical means (therapy, exercise, etc.)

Either way, it's great information. Thanks again for sharing it.

Originally Posted by Melinae

So how exactly are we supposed to live? HOW? If our success at healing is directly impacted by the efforts of our societies - which, as of now, is an almost nonexistent effort? How do we go on, fighting for ourselves in isolation? Are we martyrs, in the great scheme of things? Life should not be like this. We are meant to be happy and healthy. Our societies should be there to help us, like the great shamans of old. (rant over)

Well, if it's of any consolation, I think it's the failings of large systems that bring individuals together to help one another. If the mental health system were perfect, I don't think we'd have any reason for this forum. That'd be a damn shame, at least in my opinion, hm?

Originally Posted by lightbulb7

Thank you for this Shay. I have been privy to this information for years due to the fact that my mother is a Pharmacist for Walgreens Pharmaceuticals and two of my younger sisters are employed as Registered Nurses in the Houston metroplex.

This is a true message. Like you stated, this does not disqualify the usefulness of medications. It only reveals that permanent healing has never been proven to be achieved long-term through chemical medication.

Psychotherapy can be helpful for many, if the therapist is a professional who has been specially trained in the area that the patient is struggling with. Many times, this screening process is not possible due to a lack of adequate funds to pay for a higher line of mental health support.

Therefore, medication usage has been increased to make up for the lack of healing experienced in the sufferer's lives. This is what led me to overcome my illnesses without medication and psychotherapy. Had I an opportunity to heal with aid from the medical advances of our modern world, I would have certainly been open to it. Again, thank you for sharing this.

I agree with everything you've said! Lol. This message sounds a lot like how I feel about modern medicine & my own path to healing. Only my experience from the failings of the pharmaceutical industry have to do with my Mother. She has lupus & fibromyalgia. Instead of getting her to a rheumatologist, psychologist, & neurologist; her GP got her hooked on dangerous painkillers & antianxiety medications. Gave her antidepressants without recognizing that she was bipolar & they would drive her into mania. Even being completely modest, I'd have to say that modern medical care ****ed up a great deal of my family's lives.

Originally Posted by Wayfarer25

Absolutely right. Not everyone needs meds and there are various reasons why some won't take them. Some manage just fine without them, and others need them to help them feel better and to function better. And you're right, the non-medication methods of making ourselves healthier can help with symptom management as well. And sometimes people need the meds to help them get into a particular state of mind so they can help themselves through non-pharmaceutical means (therapy, exercise, etc.)

Either way, it's great information. Thanks again for sharing it.

Exactly! And I've always told myself... If I EVER get to the point where I simply cannot function anymore, I will put up my little white flag & start medication. But only when I can't do it myself & only until I can regain control again. But I'd never expect anyone else to follow my exact example -- there's no right way to do things. There's only what's right for oneself.

Thank you for enjoying it.

[Wayfarer25]

Originally Posted by Shayatanica

There's only what's right for oneself.

best piece of advice . . . ever.

[Deb5302]

Alot of people aren't going to like what I say-

Anti-depressants saved my life. Yes Im still on them - but that's my choice. You know how treatable depression is via meds? And no, she's wrong when she says once you sign up your on for the rest of your life.

Secondly - she was "one of the best" for "15" years? F-I-F-T-E-E-N YEARS??? If I knew it was all a ruse, I would have been outta there in 1. She made alot of money and I suspect has had a very nice life. She was in SALES people.

Bottom line - I've been psychotic. What was my option - stay psychotic? Sleep it off? Continue to wreak havoc on my family? Light some candles?

And what about the FDA. If she's pissed at pharma - the FDA APPROVES this crap. So why not a video about how the government is lying to us too?

Bottom line - the longer you stay sick - the worse you're life gets. I want to get well as quickly as possible. Let medication help you get a better hold on life - then decide if you want to manage without them. At least you'll have a choice and a mind well enough to decide for yourself.

If she was really genuine - she'd left that ship a long time ago. So now she's "selling" her story directly to vulnerable, possibly suicidal people. Sorry, but that conscience of hers came around a little too late.

Deb; I appreciate your opinion & your story.

I wasn't posting this to "convince" anyone to just stop their meds based on a youtube video. I was attempting to do a good thing for the people who are either going it without medication or people who are struggling to get off their meds. Not trying to tell anyone that there is a right or wrong way to do things.

Anti-depressants do save lives. Some of them actually do work based on testing against a placebo, but there's also a great deal that don't. I don't mean to discredit that. And some people ARE on them for life because a lot of people don't recognize they have other options for self-improvement when all they have is a psychiatrist shoving meds down their throat. It honestly takes a multi-disciplinary approach in order to heal the whole self... Even with regular health problems, just taking a medication is only a portion of the healing process.

We've all been psychotic. You're preaching to the choir. Some of us here have been in & out of hospitals, some of us have been zonked on strong meds until it passes, & some of us have tried to find other ways to heal after going through those traumatic experiences. Everyone has different ways of dealing with their problems. No one here is telling you what to do, if you'd bother to listen.

There are already probably hundreds of small organizations trying to fight the FDA. As if she's going to make any more of a dent? It's true, the FDA needs new regulation. They regularly allow toxic chemicals in household products, genetically-modified food, & what have you... But attacking the government is just going to make her appear to be a lunatic. She's speaking about what she knows first-hand, which I think is reasonable.

I appreciate your point of view. But honestly? A lot of people here haven't been helped by meds. And a lot of them have suffered really terrible side-effects. And there are some, like myself, who seem to manage pretty well regardless of my symptoms & I don't think taking medication at this point will do anything but impede my own progress. I like to pursue other courses of intervention as a prophylactic approach from getting any worse. I'm not posting this video to advocate "staying sick" & neither was the woman in the video. She said that taking medication for your entire life WILL NOT heal you. It will control symptoms, but it will never be a cure or a replacement for genuine treatment.
But that's just my own opinion, which differs from yours & doesn't make yours any less valid.

It's never too late to redeem oneself.

I was rotated around all kinds of medications for 16 years, and none of them ever did a thing for me ... I found that simply talking with a qualified and empathetic therapist works best for me ...

If I ever find myself in a therapeutic alliance that requires me to be medicated again, I'll simply say thanks, but no thanks and keep looking for a therapist who doesn't make that a mandatory part of treatment ...

I can remember how badly I ticked off one Psychiatrist when I told him the only difference between him and a street dealer was that he had the blessings of the FDA ...

All drugs - legal or illegal - (including alcohol and marijuana) are mind altering substances that have extreme and deleterious effects on the physical body somewhere down the road ... Liver failure, kidney failure, blindness, obesity, diabetes, etc. ...

Still not an easy decision to make though, and one size doesn't fit all ... Some people do well with medications while others can do just as well without ...

Tough Call ...

When I was seventeen years old I went through a rather severe psychotic episode in which ultimately landed me committed to a psychiatric ward for six months as an inpatient. I was at times raging with violence, and I was a major danger to myself and to others.

I was heavily tranquilized many times. This was the right thing to do to protect everyone, including myself, from the possibilities of my volatility. Stabilizing medication (depakote) was also prescribed to me, which seemed to help me to recuperate from my state of mind. For over a year I took twenty-three different pills every day, every single day.

A day without the medication was going to likely end in danger for me and those around me. I appreciate that while I was in desperate need and unable to control myself in a healthy manner, there was medication that was given to me to help me to remain safe. That said, I ultimately outgrew the need for the medication.

I found for myself that the depakote turned me into a vegetable. I didn't want to hang out with anyone anymore. I stopped caring for my hygiene as much. I lost the sparkle in my eye. I gained a LOT of weight in one year.

My appetite increased to over what a human being with my frame requires. I lost self esteem because of my new size. This caused depression, and anger over my "failure" to keep my weight under control, causing a vicious cycle. Then I felt intensely awkward in social situations, paranoid that others were making fun of me. The long-term use of the medication was not helpful to me.

To insist that everyone who has ever had a psychotic episode needs to be medicated on a life-long basis is unwise. I don't think I've heard anyone here say that, but I have heard it before from very educated and influential individuals (professionals even) who do try to push this doctrine upon anyone that will believe it. It is not motivated by the best interests of the individual patient. Every patient is an individual, which CAN NOT be forgotten, ever.

Also, the opposite is automatically true as well, medication is absolutely necessary in many many situations for the good of society. Great topic guys. Keep the good discussion alive.

Originally Posted by lightbulb7

To insist that everyone who has ever had a psychotic episode needs to be medicated on a life-long basis is unwise. I don't think I've heard anyone here say that, but I have heard it before from very educated and influential individuals (professionals even) who do try to push this doctrine upon anyone that will believe it. It is not motivated by the best interests of the individual patient. Every patient is an individual, which CAN NOT be forgotten, ever.

Also, the opposite is automatically true as well, medication is absolutely necessary in many many situations for the good of society. Great topic guys. Keep the good discussion alive.

Couldn't have said that better myself, hun. Every good thing in life usually comes as a double-edged sword. Some chances are worth it, some aren't, & no two people work the same way.

[costello]

I have this ad showing up on my facebook page.



A fictitious drug called 'fixitol'!

I think that's the problem with the medication mindset that seems to pervade mental health services now. The drug will fix it all. No other effort necessary.

Medication is one tool in the toolbox, and it's not necessarily the best tool. For some people it's a necessary tool; for others it isn't.

In all fairness I see this same mindset with physical ailments too. One obvious example is type II diabetes. Diet and exercise can help reduce or eliminate the medications, but many, many, many people don't want to give up their sugar and take a walk every day. And doctors don't push those options for a variety of reasons. One reason is that so many people aren't interested in making lifestyles changes. I have a coworker who watched both of his parents die of type II diabetes. He's in the early stages himself. He comes right out and says, "Just give me the drugs. I'm not changing."

Another way diabetes and MI are the same: some people can get off the medication and some people find that no matter what changes they make, they need to have the meds as part of their wellness plan.

[Wayfarer25]

I agree with what everyone's saying about the medication. It's not for everyone, and those who push it on a "for life" basis are incorrect. As a registered nurse who treats nursing home residents every day, it's amazing to see how many pills these people take in any given day. Some take upwards of 20 pills a day. Some, however, take very little and do just fine. Some take pills to counter the side effects of other pills they take, which is just mind-blowing to begin with.

What drives me insane is the people who ask for meds for every little cough, ache, or pain. They act as if a pill will fix all their problems, which they won't. Pills are poison. And this isn't some conspiracy theory talking. If they weren't poisonous they wouldn't cause side effects. And pills do NOT fix every problem. As many of you probably know they cause more problems than they fix. Some are even addictive (benzos, opiates, etc.) and have wicked side effects when you try to stop taking them. The doctors I work with are mostly pretty decent and try not to prescribe anything unless they absolutely have to. But it's the patients, who are in a dependent state, that beg for some magic pill to solve all their problems. It's maddening to hear them beg. Sure, a pill might relieve some symptoms, but it's not going to solve the problem. Like the lady in the video said, it's all about symptom management.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't want to be psychotic. It causes so many problems in my life that I can't function and my family suffers. I ask for medication. I do the research. I know more about antipsychotics than just about everyone I know (maybe even including my pdoc). I know I need them to be stable in life. Do I want them for the rest of of my life? Of course not. And I know they aren't a cure. But if they help me come to a point where I can help myself via other avenues, such as self-care, exercise, eating right, making it to therapy, etc., then so be it.

Many of you have said it already, pills aren't for everyone. Everyone is unique. I say this to my own patients as well. Everyone will react differently to medication as well as their own disease process. If SZ was so simple, we'd all have the same symptoms, disease process, etc., and we'd all take the same pill. But no disease is simple. Everyone's different, which I think is the key point. Everyone will need a different treatment. Some might do well on meds, while others will try every med under the sun and get no relief.