Madness Radio: Sane Medication Policy Robert Whitaker

[Apotheosis]

A very balanced & sane article on MH treatment; that I would highly recommend listening to -

http://www.madnessradio.net/madness-radio-sane-medication-policy-robert-whitaker

First Aired 3-30-2009 Duration: 51:25

Has society's embrace of psychiatric medications led to recovery -- or chronic disability? What would honest medical policy and treatment standards be if they were free of pharmaceutical company corruption? Pulitzer Prize finalist Robert Whitaker, author of Mad In America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill, discusses medications as a failed paradigm of care, and imagines what a sane alternative would look like.

http://www.madinamerica.com/Mad In America/Home.html

 

[schiz01]

interesting

Very interesting
I was diagnosed with schizophrenia nearly 20 years ago and have always blamed anti psychotics for ruining my life.The first time i was given them i had a seizure and nearly died.I have been fighting with doctors ever since about being on medication .Every time i present myself asking for help all they want to do is prescribe me an anti psychotic and if i dont agree they wont help me and say i am refusing treatment and am being difficult

 

[Apotheosis]

Very interesting
I was diagnosed with schizophrenia nearly 20 years ago and have always blamed anti psychotics for ruining my life.The first time i was given them i had a seizure and nearly died.I have been fighting with doctors ever since about being on medication .Every time i present myself asking for help all they want to do is prescribe me an anti psychotic and if i dont agree they wont help me and say i am refusing treatment and am being difficult

Diabolical isn't it. Choice? We don't have any; & never did.

 

[GhostWhisperer]

Choice

You have the choice to not take them or alter the dose to suit yourself, even on a section 3 in hospital I used to spit the shit drugs out or buy my own and the most effective drugs for me were and still are tea and cigs, I have also started doing a bit of Tai-Chi which I have found helpful physically and mentally. It helps to keep a diary and try and fill it up with things to do and look forward to. After an acute episode I have found it best to avoid T.V. radio and newspapers and to watch older films and read some old books or magazines that you can put away for such times. This will help ground you in the real and mundane world and calm flights of fancy and full on delusion. I have also taken olanzapine which helped short term but I don't like for more than a month or so. Some valium and someone to talk to are also good in a pinch. Just try and keep it real rather than surreal. Also comedy films are very good for lifting the mood, the life of Brian is very good unless you are having a religious experience in which case it may have the opposite effect.
Mix and match, variety is the spice of life and one mans meat is another mans poison.

 

[Apotheosis]

Good advice Ghost. Sensible.

 

[connect]

"When the World Health Organization compared outcomes for schizophrenia patients in rich countries to those in poor countries, it determined that outcomes were much, much better in the poor countries."

I'm surprised NICE hasn't picked up on that one

 

[connect]

This is the WHO report Robert Whitaker was referring to (see p. 15) (see attachment)