This article I write as a concerned scientist, and I am a psychiatrist, among other things. I don't watch much TV (none) but when I do I see something so immoral and deceptive, that I finally had to write about it.
It is the direct marketing of prescription drugs to the public, via commercials that promise vague solutions for vaguely described problems. Basically, in a commercial for citalopram or some such anti-depressant, it show a woman with a pained look on her face, and someone holding her, and saying "ask your doctor if "KureItAll" is right for you!"
This started during the fascist Reagan years...got pushed through a Republican dominated House and Senate---so the drug companies knew they'd finally paid enough for a carte blanche. They ran quick 6 week studies to "quickly approve" drugs for treatment for long-term, often for the rest of the patient's life though the drug has never been tested in humans for that long a period. The FDA rubber-stamped these unwaveringly over and over. Also, many existing drugs, especially those whose patents were about to expire, the drug companies ramrodded again quick shoddy studies to "use the drug for other indications." Problem is, most of these drugs do not help the depression at all--it just sedates the client more, and thus turns off the higher functions of the brain.
Some horrific and scientifically unsound and immoral abuses include approving neurileptics like Quetiapine or Aripiprazole as first line treatments for Bipolar Disorder! Might as well give them reserpine and wrap them in sheets and spray cold water on them while applying leaches! This is barbaric malpractice of the worst sort--government approved!
This type of "new indication" for drugs we know are very toxic, brain-disabling compounds with serious and often PERMANENT side effects, meaning brain damage, movement disorders (your body moves and shakes and you can't control it), Parkinson-like syndrome (like giving someone Parkinson's disease) as the "treatment" for a number of vague mythical "diseases" that are often little more than people emerging from the haze of the lie-matrix that has been presented to us and forced down our throats as "reality." In other words, they are waking up to who they really are, and the shrinks misguidedly shut it down, and consign that person to a life of marginalization, stigma and certain poverty.
Does anyone else see something's wrong here! Natural medicines, phytomedications, and healing plants such as medical cannabis and opium poppies are much much safer and often provide the same or superior relief to many of the so-called "psychiatric disorders."
Down with big Pharma--those of you with stock, divest for sake of human rights! Those who can, boycott psychiatrists who just write scripts and take no interest in you or your issues--that make no attempt at some sort of at least "supportive therapy." Lastly exercise your right as educated clients/patients to know about ALL POSSIBLE treatments for your disorder, even if it is not yet legal (like psilocybin for cluster headaches and end of life issues.) They may be able to get into a study of these natural non-toxic plant-derived compounds.
The times, they are-a-changin'---let's all push back at those in control and take back our rights!
Andre S. Lange, MD
Sacramento
