1. Take the latest research findings and critiques of psychiatric drugs to your doctor
Gianna Kali at Beyond Meds has zeroed in on the Irish Examiner article I posted yesterday and sees a niche marketing developing for psychiatrists who will help their patients get off psych medications. Those psychiatrists who do will have a hard time keeping up with the demand. If you are one of these patients who feels that they would like to try functioning without psych meds, or at the very least reduce the number and dosage, there has never been a better time than now. Only a few years ago, a lot of the information about the effect on the brain of psych meds was suppressed and it was easy for the psychiatrist to point to scientific "evidence" of the need for these medications. No longer need a patient go cap in hand to attempt to convince a psychiatrist that the drugs aren't useful and are actually doing a lot of harm. Now, psychiatrists should be more than willing to listen.
Gianna Kali/Beyond Meds
The article ends with that final statement which I have bolded because the fact is there is a huge niche opening up for psychiatrists and other prescribing physicians who want to take the opportunity. People want and desperately need COMPETENT professional help in coming off of psychiatric drugs. We need prescribers to make the transition easier.
This is an invitation for prescribing doctors to think about stepping up to the plate and perhaps even undoing some of the harm they’ve maybe helped cause.
This is not to be taken lightly. Many people come off meds with relative ease. Some of us, though, become crippled with iatrogenic illness. You will need to educate yourselves. Once you start making it be known that you can help — those of us who’ve been seriously and gravely harmed will start appearing on your doorstep. Most doctors never see (or recognize) us because once they deny our reality those of us who understand what has happened to us don’t hang around to be further abused. The doctors then move forward believing we don’t exist and spread that dangerous misconception to other doctors. It creates a treacherous world for those of us who are very ill with nowhere safe to go.
Please, it’s time that doctors learn how to help us. Some of you have unintentionally helped create the iatrogenesis that is now limiting our lives so much more than any “mental illness” ever did. Please start helping us heal now. We need you.
Some of what I’ve learned about psychiatric drug withdrawal with links to additional resources here: Withdrawal 101.
2. Join the MindFreedom campaign
On Sat. May 5th, 2012, in the spirit of free thought and liberty, MindFreedom is taking itsnonviolent revolution to historic Philadelphia, PA, USA, and to thedoorstep of the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting.
The APA is expected to give their blessing to the newest version of their devastating label bible (the DSM-5), and so MFI is going to 'occupy the APA!' This is part of a global peaceful campaign to Boycott Normality.
There will be a counter-celebration, Mad Pride Liberty March, and a Peaceful "Creative Maladjustment Protest." Members and allies will also be holding events in solidarity in other states and countries. Toronto is already on board!
For more information, visit: http://www.boycottnormal.org/
If you live in NYC, you may want to participate in an important public event, moderated by MFI President Celia Brown, in conjunction with the United Nations NGO Committee on Mental Health, on 8 December 2011, marking human rights day, more info here:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/as/act-archives/us/new-york/nyc-human-rights-day
Posts
Rossa,
ReplyDeleteIMO, the call that needs to be made is for psychiatrists to make a clean-break. Maybe not from using these drugs in the short-term, but certainly for the long-run.
It will be interesting to see what happens next. The facts are in.
I've grown a little tired of the conventional shrinks online who point fingers at the Pharma companies, managed care, and even the deinstitutionalization that took place under Reagan (which, by the way was a good thing).
It's time for psychiatrists to take responsibility.... To step up to the plate and be big boys and girls. To admit that it isn't Pharma's fault that they fell hook-line-and-sinker for a myth (of a simple chemical imbalance, and chemical cure).
They will need to get busy learning from the very patients they injured, who often know much more than they do about psychiatric drug withdrawal... They will need to get busy learning about integrative approaches (integrative is a better word than alternative for treatments that have been shown to be quite effective - IMO, especially hyperbaric oxygen therapy for vets, neurofeedback for kids diagnosed with ADHD, and meditation for anyone who has been traumatized).
Unless psychiatry does the right thing, and does so quickly... It will be replaced with peer-run respites and integrative modalities that offer hope.
At this point, it makes no difference to me. I have long-thought that psychiatry is dead. I would suspect few will hear the plea... They are numb to the injury of the drugs, and many are caught up in the power that comes from being all-knowing wizards of the human brain and mind (the first, a scientific phenomenon; the second, a spiritual mystery).
In the words of Thomas Paine, psychiatry needs to "lead, follow, or get out of the way."
I won't hold my breath for their leadership. Which really means they need to become better followers, or simply pack up and go home, and allow others to get the job done.
I've got my money on former patients, peers, and other "non-professionals." IMO, that's where the smart money will go!
My best,
Duane Sherry
discoverandrecover.wordpress.com
My money is on the ex-patients.
ReplyDeleteRossa,
ReplyDeleteI'd put my LAST DIME on ex-patients!
Be well,
Duane