Sunday - Professor Herman Schwartz on Mental Disability Rights

I'm amazed how fast Sunday arrives here on this blog!
In real life it does not rush like this.
This little text by Professor Herman Schwartz raises a good view on how mentally disabled human rights are neglected not only in US but around the world and how inhumane institutionalized persons are treated. It was written for the 1995's project for Human Rights and Mental Health in Uruguay and Professor Schwartz demonstrate how important this project is not only for measures in this country but also around the world.
I would be very glad if those who are regulating or have any link to treatments could start paying a little bit of attention on this subject and human rights advocates started paying attention to this sad situation.

"After centuries of indifference, human rights concerns are now recognized as essential to a free, democratic and humane society, of concern to all decent people everywhere. Because human rights issues arose originally in political contexts, primary emphasis has understandably been given to political rights like speech, press and association. The rights of institutionalized persons were of concern only if they were associated with political abuses.
That has changed somewhat, but the rights of the mentally disabled are still not on advocates' radar screens. Yet, if experience in the United States is any indication, few groups are subjected to as much discrimination, cruelty, and just sheer neglect and indifference. Only pretrial detainees are treated as badly, and as to them, there is at least a suspicion of wrongdoing, despite the presumption of innocence. People with mental disabilities are, however, completely innocent. The only crimes in which they are involved are those that are perpetrated upon them.
Nor is it likely that the United States is unique in this regard. Even in other free democratic societies like Uruguay, where the mental health workers are dedicated to humane treatment of the mentally disabled, this report finds that:
Conditions in Uruguay's psychiatric institutions violate a broad range of rights codified in the [United Nations Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Disabilities], including protections against harm and unjustified medication, respect for personal dignity, privacy and choice, and the right to treatment directed toward the preservation and enhancement of personal autonomy.
So little attention has been paid to these unlucky people, that despite international treaties, United Nations action, and other well-intentioned initiatives, human rights advocates know little about the treatment of the mentally disabled, and have done even less.
That must change. Those of us concerned about human rights must become aware of the inhumane treatment that even the most civilized societies inflict on the mentally disabled, and start doing something about it. This may be an especially auspicious moment for that, for there is increasing international interest in the treatment of the disabled, as reflected in Article 22 of the Declaration of the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in June 1993, and in the appointment of a U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
This report by the Mental Disability Rights International project of the American University Human Rights Center on the treatment of the mentally disabled in Uruguay is a major step in that direction. It documents the combination of neglect, indifference and outright cruelty that is perpetrated on these helpless people in one country, and it charts a strategy for change that takes into account the economic and social situation in that country. It is indispensable reading for all who are concerned about what has been, until now, a dark corner of human rights abuse. With luck it will be just a beginning."

Professor Herman Schwartz
Co-Director, Center for Human Rights
Washington College of Law, American
University
MDRI

September

I have many things about different topics and it led me to stop writing so I will write what comes to my mind:
Here comes September. It will bring autumn to US and spring to Brazil. Stephany has made this beautiful post with some photos from her garden and she talked about the seasons:

"outside, the air is fresh and cool, i can smell autumn lingering in the fragrance, about to leave summer behind. when the leaves fall they become my spring path in the woods. so as i look up to the trees today, i see next spring and feel it under my feet. for the seasons are one, and we are one."

I have said in two posts that I'm feeling fine. I would like to remember that you all helped me a lot dealing with the feelings I did not realize I still had as far as the harms of psychotropics is concerned. I thought I was in good terms with all of this when I've read many testimonies in 2005 and 2006 but when I started visiting Philip Dawdy's Furious Seasons, and from there knowing amazing people who were harmed by these drugs, I went into a roller-coaster of emotions.
In the two first months I've spent hours reading and I've cried a lot. Then it came the anger times mixed with sadness.
It was hard! I felt terrible most of the time.
So I decided to start this blog that I still making without knowing exactly why and what am I really doing.
All I know is that it helped me getting in touch with my feelings not only toward the dark side of psychotropics but also I had the chance to meet amazing people coping with sad circumstances in the most dignified way.
This is just part of what I want to say.

Here comes another day

Back in 2001 that was the sunrising from my window. The visible part of the mountain, in a foggy day, is the first Sugar-Loaf one.
There has been a construction that took away part of the view.
I love seeing the sunrising and I also enjoy the first hours of the day.
There is a promise of peace when we are feeling fine. I thank the Lord I'm feeling fine and I hope September brings some peace for all of us.

Comforting silence

It's 04:23 am. I cannot sleep and cannot do anything. I'm fine but I'm thinking about some my blog friends and ... I don't know what to do or say. All I know is that they are suffering too much and it has already reached that stage where "-Hang in there!" is meaningless.
Silence is the best choice but they cannot see me and read what is going in my mind that no matter how hard we try to hide it always shows.
What to say? "-I'm there for you!"; "-You're strong!"; "-Have faith........
No.
Sometimes we have to remain silent.

The last Scientologist Supper

"Lorelay: -Make sure he doesn't put you on those meds or Tom Cruise would be very upset with you."

From the "Gilmore Girls". Lorelay says to her daughter after she says she went to a psychiatrist.

It's supposed to be funny. Unfortunately it's not a good joke.
Thank you Tom Cruise for helping the Pharmas and making a very serious issue became a joke for some.

Staring at the wall

That is the reason I cannot leave the window open the whole day.
No! I am not depressed but I stare at the wall since my childhood for many reasons such as trying to find answers or raising the right questions, boredom, wandering/wondering, being, I don't know exactly why because I don't pay too much attention on what I'm doing during this time.
The window is opened when I'm doing normal stuffs such as cleaning up; reading; lunching; talking at the phone and others.
But never when I'm staring at the wall when I don't stare and the wall can be any object I don't see.

Recruiting for Clinical Trials

This is the last week of the month and same Brazilians have no money. Why not being volunteer in a clinical trial? The above map gives informations on clinical trials around the world.

If you, in US, know someone for the clinical trial below you can tell him to go to this page and give a try on Thalidomide:
"This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified by National Cancer Institute (NCI), August 2008

Sponsored by:	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Information provided by:	National Cancer Institute (NCI)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00357500

Purpose

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as etoposide and cyclophosphamide, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Thalidomide, celecoxib, and fenofibrate may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking blood flow to the cancer. Celecoxib also may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving combination chemotherapy together with thalidomide, celecoxib, and fenofibrate may kill more cancer cells.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving etoposide and cyclophosphamide together with thalidomide, celecoxib, and fenofibrate works in treating young patients with relapsed or progressive cancer.

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors Leukemia Lymphoma Neuroblastoma Sarcoma Unspecified Childhood Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific	Drug: celecoxib Drug: cyclophosphamide Drug: etoposide Drug: fenofibrate Drug: thalidomide	Phase II

U.S. FDA Resources

Study Type:	Interventional
Study Design:	Treatment
Official Title:	Anti-Angiogenic Chemotherapy: A Phase II Trial of the Oral 5-Drug Regimen (Thalidomide, Celecoxib, Fenofibrate, Etoposide and Cyclophosphamide) in Patients With Relapsed or Progressive Cancer

Further study details as provided by National Cancer Institute (NCI):"

You can visit the site and there might have some other you can volunteer and make an extra-money. Gook Luck!

Wyeth sued by ten families for Effexor suicides/violence

This is at Justiceseekers on October, 2005:

WYETH SUED BY TEN FAMILIES FOR EFFEXOR INDUCED SUICIDES/VIOLENCE
For Immediate Release
October 25, 2005

"Ten families from across the United States have joined forces to bring wrongful death and personal injury suits against the drug giant Wyeth alleging that their respective family members committed impulsive acts of violence - mostly suicides-or attempted them-shortly after taking Wyeth's best-selling drug, Effexor.

The suit was filed in Federal Court in Philadelphia, near Wyeth's corporate headquarters in Collegeville, Pa. The suit alleges that Wyeth's drug Effexor-an antidepressant-was responsible for the deaths of eight people and for injuries to three other teenagers. The average length of time that the patients took the drug before their deaths was ten days.

Citing Wyeth's own clinical trial data, the lawsuit also alleges that Wyeth knew for years that hostility and self-harm were side effects of Effexor but made a conscious decision not to warn prescribing physicians or consumers, fearing a loss of market share in the multi-billion dollar anti-depressant industry.

For over a decade, information has emerged linking antidepressant drugs like Effexor to homicide and suicide, but Wyeth and other drug companies shrugged it off, arguing that the suicides were caused by the depression, not their drug. The scientific and medical data of the connection between the SSRI's and suicide became so convincing, however, that the Food and Drug Administration in September of 2004 ordered BLACK BOX WARNINGS regarding the causal relationship between the drugs and adolescent and child suicides. In July of this year, the FDA expanded the warning to encompass the increased risk that anti-depressants pose to adults. Canada's drug regulatory agency-Health Canada-has also required warnings regarding the suicide risks of these drugs for all patients. Similar warnings have been required by European agencies.

The families are co-represented by the Philadelphia firm of FELDMAN & PINTO and the Houston, Texas firm of VICKERY & WALDNER. Further information, and a copy of the lawsuit itself, can be obtained from www.JusticeSeekers.com. The lawsuit does not seek any specific amount in damages, but seeks a determination that Effexor causes suicide in some patients who have never been known to be suicidal before they took the drug and a finding regarding Wyeth's "fault" for failing to warn about that risk. "After a Philadelphia jury determines what the FDA has already found to exist," said Andy Vickery of the Houston firm, "the Court can then consider whether to remand each family to their home federal district for individual trials on specific causation and damages." The Plaintiff families live in Florida, Georgia, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, California, Wisconsin and Alaska. "Filing the initial suit in Wyeth's home town," said Vickery, "avoids contradictory findings and is certainly the fairest and most economical way to proceed with these claims."

Relevant Links:

• Read the Complaint
• More Effexor information
• If your loved one killed themselves or someone else while taking Effexor, please contact us for a consultation regarding your family's potential claim, by clicking here."

Sunday

Sun day
Sun sets
Sun rises, 6x
SUNDAY

I've send my name to space

And you can do the same here and have your name on the Kepler Mission Certificate.
This is for the NASA's Kepler Mission that is scheduled to be launched in February 2009 from Cape Canaveral aiming what is written on the certificate.

If astrology is of any value I truly believe that it can make a huge difference if we have our names in space.
:)
The deadline to submit your name is November 1, 2008.

Frustration, agony, sadness...

Tears come to my eyes very often when I'm reading or commenting on sites and blogs.
I don't visit too much blogs for those I go have so many informations and I spend so much time reading them that if I go to others I will do nothing but sitting in front of this monitor.
I feel sad, and cry, for two reasons:
-seeing my blog buddies suffering with little help from their treatments;
-seeing that after so many time with all you are all writing, all the effort there are so little changes and how hard it's to make truth appears in the eyes of public opinion.
It's heartbreaking. I cry.
I keep on wondering why am I so connected with this issue.
I could forget it all. I'm fine. I'll just have to be on three drugs for life but I'm fine. I'm happy with myself and balanced.
My friends tell me that I should move on and forget about it all. They don't even know I'm blogging. Yep! I don't tell them.
They will not understand.
The thing is: I've suffered a lot and I acquired this knowledge so that I could choose the best for me.
I cannot pretend that nothing has happened and I cannot stop thinking that other people are going to be prescribed drugs that cause lots of risks.
At least the children.
Once again: SAVE THE CHILDREN! NOT THE CHILDREN!
DON'T DRUG THE CHILDREN!
...AND TEENAGERS!
I once heard on a movie that the Cabala says: "God count the tears of women."
He has already counted a lot from me. He will still be counting till I see that some changes are on the way.

Stanford Prison Experiment

I believe many people remember or have heard about the Stanford Prison Experiment led by Professor Philip Zimbardo at Palo Alto on August, 1971. The experiment that is now reported here shows a group of students randomly selected to be either prisoners or guards with the intention of studying the psychological effects of both groups in a simulated prison environment:

"Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended prematurely after only six days because of what the situation was doing to the college students who participated. In only a few days, our guards became sadistic and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress. Please join me on a slide tour describing this experiment and uncovering what it tells us about the nature of human nature."

"I ended the study prematurely for two reasons. First, we had learned through videotapes that the guards were escalating their abuse of prisoners in the middle of the night when they thought no researchers were watching and the experiment was "off." Their boredom had driven them to ever more pornographic and degrading abuse of the prisoners."

I think I don't need to name the kind of prisoners and warders I have on my mind now. I wish it was brought to public attention the extent of violence that happens... you know where.

Withdrawing Effexor - last phase - from Socialaudit discussion board

My withdrawal story is on SocialAudit discussion board as I have already explained here. I've found out this outburst after three months off Effexor. The last 35 mg was the hardest do withdraw which caused me a lot of anguish because I thought that it was the contrary.
I could never imagine that reaching the end of the withdrawal it would be more difficult and that 3 months after being off the drug I was going to feel so many withdrawal symptoms that living was no longer possible and I had to go back to the drug.
Perhaps if I kept on with the 35 mg for a long time... I don't know. Neither did the psychiatrist that at the beginning of the process, when I told him that I was tapering off he first 35 mg, said:
"-Good you're withdrawing because Effexor is what makes you feel all you're feeling."
He forgot he said this.
I did it all by myself and with the help of Socialaudit friendship.
Here is a comment - it's more an outburst because I was feeling terrible and was diagnosed... depressed by the same psychiatrist who said the above.
It was written on March 2006. I've read it now and I feel amazed how terrible I was feeling. I don't remember it clearly. I only remember that it was hell.

"I went to a psychiatrist for I have quit Effexor three months ago and I'm experiencing some withdrawal symptoms. I am apathetic, despair crisis in the morning that are unbearable, still feel dizzy and headaches and other "ailments". He said I was... depressed. He asked me if I would like to try another SSRI. I asked him about all the testimonies of Persistent Adverse Neurological Effects and about people reporting having all kind of terrible problems after years off SSRIs. He did not say a word and shacked his head saying "No". But this "No" meant to me: "We do have anything to do with it; we are aware but we are supposed to prescribe these drugs; we do not know what to do; don't you dare to mention this... and many other things".
I went home and felt like... I do not have words to express the feeling.
I keep on asking myself: "What on earth is this? So a bunch of people come here in this site and many others to say all these lies? Is it a new disease a kind of collective neurosis that is making people have the same symptoms? Am I crazy, finally I have reached dementia and it has affected my reading comprehension and all I read here are wonderful testimonies but my craziness makes me read the opposite?"
For those of you who have experienced this kind of inconsiderateness, and there are many reports here, trust yourself.
It hurts like hell. I was talking to a psychiatrist, someone whose duty is to help people being healthy, give support, comfort and above all listen to their patients and, at least, give an answer aloud "-No, never heard about that. Never saw that on the Internet and in my clinical experience never had a single patient who had this kind of problem. I do not know where you find these sites and these reports. All my patients on SSRIs are very happy and having a great life."
As you can see I'm very indignant. Every time I read someone reporting that their physicians answer "It is all in your head... 'That's not the way it is...' 'You must accept that...'" it makes me feel as if… I do not know what to say.
The right word for me to describe it is hypocrisy. But when it comes from a physician… I really do not know what values are left in this world in which we live.
I'm sorry for this long outburst. But I believe it express of what many people feel.
For how long this silence about this huge problem will last? How many people will have to suffer? How big is the greed and how much money will it take till they at least stop prescribing these drugs? I no longer believe that this will ever be unfold for it involves many people and issues. But nobody else should be expose to these drugs that causes much more harm than benefits."

I've received two awards

I've just received two awards given by PreciousRock who was kind enough to remember me.
They are the "Sharing the Love" and the "Friendship Award" and it means a lot to me because love an friendship... you know.


These are the blog buddies I've chosen to receive and pass the flame:

Jane at Bipolar Recovery; Jon at Living with a purple dog; Shiv at Shiv's Brain; Susan at If you're going though hell keep going and Stan at Is something not quite right with Stan. There are many brilliant people around the blogosphere but for some reason these buddies are very important to me.
Thank you all for making me feel at home talking about all the issues that are connected with mental health.

Give virtual activism a chance

This post shows Philip Dawdy' e-mail for two reporters from the"Wall Street Journal". Here Stephany wrote:
"MY LETTER TO FDA
THOMAS LAUGHREN:
Dear Dr. Thomas Laughren,"

Do you expect them to answer? They will not. Of course there will be no reply especially if the argumentation shows evidences that they are wrong, concealing information, distorting facts or display conflicts of interest.
They use the Göbells strategy "a lie repeated a million times becomes a truth". Replying e-mails that question them open a discussion and they don't want it. They use the strategies: "pretend not to care"; "ignoring will prevent them to question us more and more". So people give up sending them e-mails because it seems to be useless.
No! After receiving, and not replying, many e-mails they will have to think... and perhaps answer or not.
But their answer is not what is at stake here. They only need to be advised that we are not buying the forth power anylonger.

I'm keen to virtual activism.

I've already sent e-mails to WHO, FDA, MHRA, APA.... name it. I also have participated on BBC's "Have your say" - these are my contributions - and have send demands on more mental health problems sending request to explanations about psychiatric drugs on this opportunity:

HAVE YOU GOT AN IDEA?

Your say

I do some social networking activities from time to time and not only express what is concealed but receive lots of good information from people who know the truth. I use to signed all petitions online related to psychiatric drug problems as well as some other issues. I do what I can.
It's about time to question these people and don't wait for reply.
The answer will not go to our Inbox. But I truly believe that doing nothing is much worse.

YES

I just wanted to remember the word.

YES

Nice word to hear or to say.

For those who are depressed

There is nothing I can say, nothing.
I just want to say that I've been there while tapering Effexor or as side effect of this or another antidepressant.
If I remember correctly nothing seems real. You look outside the window and you hardly see. You don't connect, even your self don't seem to be real, only a deep pain, for no reason and perhaps that's why every big or tiny little bad thing that has happened to you is in your mind, or you blame yourself for silly things; there are no colors, sounds hurt, sleeping is a relief; fear in all its faces is around you, food has no taste, useless to try to explain all that a depressed person feel.
It only hurts, hurts and hurts.
Why do this, or that? That 15 minutes of relief has no meaning for it will go away and only bad, terrible and awful feelings - mind and body - will come back again taking away all the energy and any room for self-esteem; enjoying any activity,...
I don't even know why I'm writing it.
Just because today I'm feeling fine and I know that some of my blog friends are feeling depressed.
I've remembered those days and I just want to say that, miraculously, I don't feel it for a long time.
I just feel sad and sometimes sorrow and even have terrible hard times but not depression.
Hang in there!
I wish I had something to say but I know it's useless.
I want to say: I care.

Funday, I mean Sunday!

Just found out this site.
The good news is that you can click on "auto solve" any moment and it will be read in 1 minute.

Philip Dawdy - Before the Law - first door: FDA

If you know Kafka's text below perhaps you'll associate Philip Dawdy's attempt to talk to Thomas Laughren as one of the many doors that are necessary to cross in order to, at least, bring it all to the public attention. There he is, the infuriated Philip Dawdy, knocking on FDA's door.

"To be fair, I should note that there may be a perfectly good reason for Laughren's attendance at the conference. I can't guess at what that reason might be and that's why I contacted the FDA and Laughren seeking clarification of the reasons for Laughren's participation at the conference, but so far neither has responded to my request for comment."

There are too many doors. Sorry but you'll all have to open them wide open for you've already hurt too many people in America and you're aiming American children.
Don't do it. Stop! Don't you think that the American public opinion is not waiting for you to explain yourselves?
Even though the mainstream media don't cover it in details there has been some notes here and there and even sitcoms, movies, series, talk shows or music lyrics give some hints on what is being done with American medicine.
Please, don't resign, as some UK key persons, before telling America what you've been concealing for a long time. If your citizens are not fully aware they are quite suspicious because they are witnessing the great problems that these drugs have created on the first generation that was put on them.
And, please, open your doors so that ethical people can do their work properly. Leave a good note on your biography and show some ethics yourselves. It's never too late.
Thank you!

Before the Law - Kafka

This is a Andy Warhol portrait of Kafka and it's great achievement is to show a smile on Kafka's face. Sometimes we forget that Kafka is funny and it has been said that he used to read some of his writings to his friends laughing.
He wrote many little texts that are great.
Here is one of them and I've chosen it because it's available in English on the WWW kingdom - I read translations even of some Americans authors what makes difficult to put some excerpts I would like to share - and because it seems to me that it shows a little bit of the the situation of those who are striving to raise mental health problems.
But I hope that it does not end the way this text does.

"BEFORE THE LAW stands a doorkeeper. To this door-keeper there comes a man from the country and prays for admittance to the Law. But the doorkeeper says that he cannot grant admittance at the moment. The man thinks it over and then asks if he will be allowed in later.
"-It is possible," says the doorkeeper, "but not at the moment."
Since the gate stands open, as usual, and the doorkeeper steps to one side, the man stoops to peer through the gateway into the interior. Observing that, the doorkeeper laughs and says:
"-If you are so drawn to it, just try to go in despite my veto. But take note: I am powerful. And I am only the least of the door-keepers. From hall to hall there is one doorkeeper after another, each more powerful than the last. The third doorkeeper is already so terrible that even I cannot bear to look at him."
These are difficulties the man from the country has not expected; the Law, he thinks, should surely be accessible at all times and to everyone, but as he now takes a closer look at the doorkeeper in his fur coat, with his big sharp nose and long, thin, black Tar-tar beard, he decides that it is better to wait until he gets permission to enter. The doorkeeper gives him a stool and lets him sit down at one side of the door. There he sits for days and years. He makes many at-tempts to be admitted, and wearies the doorkeeper by his importunity.
The doorkeeper frequently has little interviews with him, asking him questions about his home and many other things, but the questions are put indifferently, as great lords put them, and always finish with the statement that he cannot be let in yet. The man, who has furnished himself with many things for his journey, sacrifices all he has, however valuable, to bribe the doorkeeper. The doorkeeper accepts every- thing, but always with the remark:
"-I am only taking it to keep you from thinking you have omitted any- thing."
During these many years the man fixes his attention almost continuously on the doorkeeper. He forgets the other doorkeepers, and this first one seems to him the sole obstacle preventing access to the Law. He curses his bad luck, in his early years boldly and loudly, later, as he grows old, he only grumbles to himself. He becomes childish, and since in his yearlong contemplation of the doorkeeper he has come to know even the fleas in his fur collar, he begs the fleas as well to help him and to change the doorkeeper's mind. At length his eyesight begins to fail, and he does not know whether the world is really darker or whether his eyes are only deceiving him. Yet in his darkness he is now aware t of a radiance that streams inextinguishably from the gateway of the Law. Now he has not very long to live.
Before he dies, all his experiences in these long years gather themselves in his head to one point, a ques-tion he has not yet asked the doorkeeper. He waves him nearer, since he can no longer raise his stiffening body. The doorkeeper has to bend low towards him, for the difference in height between them has altered much to the man's disadvantage.
"-What do you want to know now?" asks the doorkeeper; "you are insatiable."
"-Everyone strives to reach the Law," says the man, "so how does it happen that for all these many years no one but myself has ever begged for admittance?"
The doorkeeper recognizes that the man has reached his end, and to let his failing senses catch the words roars in his ear:
"-No one else could ever be admitted here, since this gate was made only for you. I am now going to shut it.""

Philip Dawdy querying FDA

The reason why I'm here is Furious Season. As many Americans I started blogging after being infuriated with Philip Dawdy's posts, that are written with the right amount of anger leaving room for action instead of paralysis, and lots of journalistic skill.
On this post he is doing a great job pressing FDA on diagnosing Pediatric Bipolar disorder.
Even DSM does not recognize bipolarity in children but FDA does. First in a tangential way by approving Abilify and Risperdal and now claiming on The Boston Globe that bipolarity is a diagnose for children:

"I've made repeated requests of the FDA to interview Thomas Laughren, director of the FDA's psychiatry products division. He was the official in whose name Sandy Walsh, an FDA spokeswoman, said the diagnosis was valid and I felt it was important for Laughren to come to the phone and answer some questions about the diagnosis, what scientific criteria the FDA had used to determine the validity of same or was this just the opinion of some doctors at Harvard, and why Laughren had made this determination in the face of heated opposition from some credible figures in child psychiatry. In other words, my request was pretty straightforward journalism. Walsh and I traded some emails, but yesterday she told me by email--does the FDA not use phones?--that my request was being denied."

You must have already read this on FS. If not it's a must-read for time to action has arrived.
I'm deeply happy with this "e-mail exchanging" for it seems to me that it's the beginning of pressuring FDA, Harvard, Biederman and those who are playing with children's health.

"I wanted to ask why the FDA has stayed mum on the validity of the disorder, because, if it truly exists, then wouldn't the FDA want to flag its existence for public health authorities so they can screen every kid in America?"

This is one of my big concerns: children being put on drugs while developing. Part of DSM-5 is dedicated to measures to start preventing diseases in early childhood.
Don't do it!
It's beyond comprehension even for pediatric psychiatrists.
Stop drugging American children. Let children play.
Please Mr. Thomas Laughren! We want you to be interviewed by Philip Dawdy. Why not?
Can't you speak to a journalist for half an hour?
I guess I'll have to keep on reading Kafka's "Before the Law".
But I'm sure Philip and Stephany will not keep on reading.

Marina Lima

I wanna share this music. This is Marina Lima one of our greatest singers who is also interested in philosophy, poetry and is one of these persons you feel that has a wonderful universe. She was born in US and first learned English. 
As she came to Brazil in her childhood she speaks Portuguese with no accent whatsoever. I've translated this lyric so that you can have an idea of what she's saying. The Portuguese version you can find here but I know you will not understand a single word, perhaps not even Brazil because we write it with "S". 
The good new is that you can listen to her beautiful voice as an instrument and not connect it with words. The video is very beautiful. Hope you like it. There it goes the translation (sorry Marina, I'll try to improve.): 

Pierrot
Marina Lima 

Yes, I decided to absent myself 
To conceal my pain
 I've run away, lied 
Perhaps for modesty.

Many things have happened 
And I have stop to think better 
I came back to tell you the much I felt 
For not kissing you. 

And life goes on, this to-and-fro 
All waves of love 
Spins, whirls 
Just like a Pierrot. 

One day all fall apart 
It's impossible to deny. 
I came back to tell you that here in my Brazil 
Another flower doesn't exist. 

 In Brazil: each town is an island, without trap, trace, without track 
And the fear to guide us 
So: welcome to my land made by men on war 
And others eager to love

And it's been like this, since the world is world 
Men fearing passion 
It hurts, it kills 
Just like a dragoon.

Defy it causes so much fear 
But run away is worse:
I came back to tell you that on this war 
There is no winner. 

 In Brazil: each town is a harbor, said a poet to a chick 
That didn't want to risk 
Come, welcome to my land, made by men on war 
And others eager to love. 

Dedicated to my dearest friend "A". He knows.

I'm fine.....

For no reason I'm happy. I'm doing my best to stay calm, in peace and, why not, happy. For the last four months I've dedicated my time on this subject. First in FS and for the last two months here and still leaving Philip and people who read him, so many that it reached 3.000 once, bored with so many comments I leave there.
I've also have left comments on other blogs. Sometimes I've talked too much.
The happy stuff...
That's it! I feel happy. Just like to share this feeling with you.
I'm experiencing all the tiny little things that leads to a calm and good state of mind. Talking to nice people, listening to music, gardening, spending time with my dog, watching landscapes from this city, trying not to listen to the news, eating good and health food, trying to slow my mind that is always full of thoughts mainly about problems, forgetting problems ...
just living and being.
Of course I have to shut up that voice that sometimes say: "- How do you dare to be happy?"
Go to hell all that has contributed to this question!
I'm HAPPY, CALM and PEACEFUL.

I have better...

Brazil and psychiatric problems

We don't have data; we don't have NGOs; we don't have any psychiatrist that does the work like Peter Bregguin, David Healy, Joseph Glenmullen and others; neither layman like Charles Medawar who, for more than ten years, have done a great job not only in Socialaudit but acted politically; patients blogs are linked to psychiatrists and the most known are always claiming that one drug was of great help - chemical imbalance causes depression -; we don't have any politician, celebrity, journalist, whoever advocating pro rational use of psychic drugs; we don't even have a regulator like FDA or MHRA to watch and to address for our ANVISA does nothing; psychiatrists remain silent when asked by any of these big issues that are being discussed on US and UK; we know cases of death on mental institutions but we are silenced because all the information and data are erased - that's why Damião Ximenes case is so important to us; we don't have a single site advocating; we don't have any movement; we don't have who to talk to either from the government of from the psychiatric side; psychoanalysts who are eager to talk about it are silenced and have no acess to the media; we don't have the media, not a single newspaper or mag or whoever;
Brazil has lost it's culture to fight for rights of any kind.

Fiddaman meeting with MHRA on September

I will not be there. But how I wish to witness this meeting!
He was called a scientologist:

"I have finally been granted a meeting with Kent Woods, CEO of the MHRA to discuss the issue of withdrawal regarding Seroxat. I will tell you the date of the meeting much nearer the time. I will probably announce it a day before.

I choose to do this because of a rather insidious character who helps moderate, it seems, a mental health forum. It seems this person is either infatuated with me or has nothing better to do with his life.

A recent visit to his forum sees a discussion labelling me a 'Scientologist lover'"

Why do they use this accusation to put in disbelief serious people?
I believe this is the most terrible kind of defense when you have no other argument or refuse to have a good dialogue.
Schopenhauer on his book "The Art of Controversy" uses it as the last stratagem:

XXXVIII.

"A last trick is to become personal, insulting, rude, as soon as you perceive that your opponent has the upper hand, and that you are going to come off worst. It consists in passing from the subject of dispute, as from a lost game, to the disputant himself, and in some way attacking his person. It may be called the argumentum ad personam, to distinguish it from the argumentum ad hominem, which passes from the objective discussion of the subject pure and simple to the statements or admissions which your opponent has made in regard to it. But in becoming personal you leave the subject altogether, and turn your attack to his person, by remarks of an offensive and spiteful character. It is an appeal from the virtues of the intellect to the virtues of the body, or to mere animalism. This is a very popular trick, because every one is able to carry it into effect; and so it is of frequent application. Now the question is, What counter-trick avails for the other party? for if he has recourse to the same rule, there will be blows, or a duel, or an action for slander."

This is used when the person is afraid and I dare to say has no character.

"On Justice" on a Sunday...

Is the world going crazy or is it me?

In bloghosphere I'm seeing my friends suffering too much. Too much. I've just visited one of my US virtual friends and I'm so sad because of what is going on that I can't even write the message I left, but was erased, again.
I went for a walk on a mall near my house. First I went to a library and finally saw one book written by a "bipolar" that is on the market.
She takes Lamictal and is doing fine! The book, well, the book... I'll talk about it later and also about the psychiatrist that prescribes the author.
I arrived at the mall and there was a woman in tears and saying that there was nothing on her purse... to make a long story short: in Rio de Janeiro when a person steal from a shop the whole thing is solved inside the shop with the manager.
Now they call the police. The person is treated like a criminal and is put in jail. Last month I've heard of a woman that spend 3 days in jail because of two bottles of shampoo.
I know in US it's the procedure.
But not here till now. Policemen are loosing all their credibility for the drug traffic is far more powerful and the police cannot do anything and some policemen are involved with the traffic.
So now if a teenager, remember those little robberies that were almost like a passage ritual?
I was caught once in a supermarket with chocolates and a pen. I left the chocolate but had to pay for the pen for I had opened it.
I arrived pale home but I didn't say anything. It was the last time. But the two bracelets, cheap stuffs, I had steal I've used for another month and the two little decks card for solitaire I still have. This is my "collection".
So if it was today I would end up in a police station?
I've tried to help the woman. People use to look at everything and don't act.
I have the misfortune of having the impulse to try to help.
The manager was a girl with little experience in life and clearly either has no idea of the dangers of a middle class woman going to jail or is just following this new tendency of chasing people who steal bread, butter and shampoo and leaving criminals at the streets.
End of the story: this manager told the policeman that the woman had... phoned ME and I was there helping her. As if we were "partners". Hello!
The policeman arrested the woman and wanted me to go too or pretended to because he wanted to arrest her alone and a friend of hers was arriving. I stayed beside her to make sure she was not going alone with 3 policemen. She went alone. I'm not claiming she didn't steal. I don't know. But there are crimes and crimes.
I've looked at the policeman in such a way that he stopped talking in front of me. But at the other side of the street he said "-You're stealing too. I'm going to catch you!"
You have no idea the way this man talked. He talked as if he was talking to a murderer. The whole scene was as if there was a crime, as if there was a murder. So much rage, violence and disrespect! They even disrespect themselves! As they cannot put in jail real "motherfuckers" they treat a woman who stole a shoe or I don't know what like this?
And he has threated me for nothing, for no reason. Just because the manager invented that the "stealer" has called me? This is beyond comprehension. I just wanted to see the same story if the "characters" were two men. I'm sure things would have been different.
I arrive and just took a look at FS, and some friends blogs.
Too much.
"By definition, somebody that depressed isn't capable of informed consent." is one of the sentences I've read on FS?
I guess I'm getting old and the world has changed too much in the last decade. I'm tired!
I didn't buy any book or any CD. Just hair conditioner.
Great saturday!

SSRIs - how they work, side effects and other problems - from Charles Medawar Socialaudit

This is back on 2004. The person who used "ANON" as a nick raises important issues. Notice that he claims that the starting dose of Prozac was designed to be 5 mg not 20 mg as it's prescribed.


Dear Arek,

The SSRIs are not selective for anything except that they act on all serotonin in the body.

Only 5% of this is in the brain. Five per cent. The other 95% is found throughout the body with large amounts being found in: the digestive system (stomach movement); the cardiovascular system (blood flow); blood cells (clotting); reproductive system (genitals); hormonal system (widespread effects on lots of physiological processes). All of which is acted upon by the drug. All of it.

Increasing the serotonin produces a secondary action - it reduces the dopamine (by approx 50%). Dopamine being a second neurotransmitter. The longer you are exposed to a drug which reduces dopamine, and boosts serotonin way beyond the normal biological norm... The phrase 'silent brain damage' is a term commonly associated with those discussing the likely future. The body is having to cope with levels of a neurotransmitter way, way above anything it is designed to cope with. Hyperstimulation. Drugs causing dopamine drops are well known to cause dangerous side-effects, just like those now seen with the SSRIs. This damage is generally related to cumulative exposure to the drug. i.e. the longer you are on it, the greater the propensity for damage. So, in 20 years time we may well be seeing the first mass discoveries of early dementia and alzheimers. In the meantime there are the many instances of individuals already having to live with the tics, short-term memory loss, widespread cognitive damage, confusion, apathy, aggressive impulses, suicidal impulses, zombie-dom, tiredness and the like... all of which ties in neatly (but nastily) with the permanant damage theory. Perhaps these are only the 'unfortunate few', perhaps not. Perhaps they are only the exceptionally physiologically sensitive few, who are experiencing the aftermath in advance of the majority.

The tics, unsteadiness of gait, yawns, jaw pain, extreme tiredness, and a whole host of other neurological adverse effects relate to a scrambling of the involuntary motor system, deep, deep within the brain. Earlier classes of drugs which caused these effects... well they are 'the dread side effect' in psychiatry. And, of course the serotonin nerves originate in the deepest, oldest part of the brain - the brain stem.

Serotonin (by itself) is implicated in sleep, aggression, sexual behaviour, appetite, learning, memory... dysfunction of all of which are commonly associated with uses of SSRIs or damage to the nerve fibres.

There is NO known depression centre in the brain, and the drugs which boost serotonin have vast effects throughout the body, affecting pretty much everything. Selective? This was a term adopted by the drug companies because it sounded good. There is absolutely no selectivity involved in the action of these drugs beyond the fact that they act on all serotonin regardless of location, within the body.

There is also absolutely no proof that the root cause of depression is a serotonin deficiency. None. It is simply a theory that the drug companies sold as fact, in order to market the product. To huge success.

The prescribing guidelines are for only those suffering from severe depression. Ideally for six-twelve months. Not years.

The prozac trials were based on a dose of 5mg. FIVE. Even at this level a hefty percentage of participants were secondarily drugged to suppress the anxiety/agitation. Yet the starting dose was 20mg. TWENTY. With many people routinely immediately shifted up to 40mg and 60mg. So 10mg could be considered a 200% dose... when dose increases are usually looked at in terms of small percentages. Once this is taken into account, then 10mg could be considered a double-dose and 5mg a standard dose. Not a low dose.

Most people do get through withdrawal. A minority do not, physiologically cannot. Some get through the process but do not emerge with a good life. After all, the commonest lasting effects on healthy volunteers were depression and anxiety. Hardly surprising considering that the drug has a stimulant rather than classic anti-depressant action.

So the worst case scenario could be painted rather differently than that of living life to the full. It could, alternatively, encompass dopamine receptor damage/destruction (often connected to the sexual side-effects, plus lots of other nasties), constricted blood vessels (increase in strokes), osteoporosis (SSRIs double the amount of cortisol - the 'stress' hormone), heart attacks (SSRIs can treble the triglycerides), diabetes (SSRIs can cause blood sugar irregularities), liver damage (they can saturate the liver), alzheimers and premature senility (cumulative neuronal damage) and so on and so forth...

I'm glad that, in your personal experience, you have nothing but positive words.

However, many of your views on the safety of long-term usage are not universally shared; although 10mg doesn't sound a lot, it could be considered so when compared to the original prozac trial dose; and the drugs much touted 'serotonin specificity' is a double-edged sword... by acting on pretty much everything, it affects pretty much everything.

Best Wishes.
By ANON on Wednesday, January 7, 2004 - 13:54 pm:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's quite clear to me that what Anon states is by far more acurate and PROVED than Arek argumentation.
If you assure that alcohol can damage the brain, for it has been on the market since the begginning of times, why is it so difficult to understand that SSRIs cannot affect our brains in a long period of time like 30-40 year of use?
Fotunatelly people suffer from so many side effects that they realize that they have to stop the drug in about one year or two. So the possibility of damage decreases. Few people stay on these drugs for more than 3, 4 or 8 years.
I believe that it's a very important that the long term use is more likely to promote the chemical lobotomy.
I believe you should not only rely on a single doctors point of view.
Your argumentation is very poor and does not reflect the testimonies of patients. One decade in medicine does not mean too much. But if you search on this site you can see that the harm SSRIs are provoking are quite hard to endure.
I'm sorry but you look like a KOL for me. You need serious argumentation.
You said "Of course I don't suffer from the same thing as other people here so perhaps my perspective is different but wondering how a drug that helps millions could damage you is hardly productive to the sufferer and probably not worth worrying about. The problem is that the drug is being used to treat depressed people and depending on how severe this is then it is not too surprising that aggression, anger and suicidal tendencies accompany it. Can this really be blamed on the drug? I don't think it is as clear cut as that. "
MY GOD... How many times will this argument be used?
You really should try to take a high dose off Seroxat or Efexor for six months and withdraw to understand what is the difference of a REAL suicide IDEATION and the CHEMICAL SUICIDE IDEATION.
THe review of the Paliament "The Influence of Pharmaceuthical Industry" have already made the distinction between the two.

"“5. Problems with Seroxat and other SSRIs Prozac and Seroxat are the best-known examples of SSRI and related antidepressants, but others are widely used. The introduction of SSRIs led to a threefold increase in antidepressant prescriptions between 1990 and 2000. Prescriptions for antidepressants now match those of the benzodiazepine tranquillisers at their peak, 25 years ago. Almost from the outset, there was concern about two main problems with SSRIs. First, there was suspicion (initially centred on Prozac) that these drugs could induce suicidal and violent behaviour – infrequently, but independently of the suicidal thoughts that are linked to depression itself. There was also concern (centred on Seroxat) about a risk of dependence; some users found it impossible to stop taking SSRIs because of severe withdrawal symptoms. The MCA/CSM formally reviewed these problems on several occasions. The suicidality problem was first investigated in 1990/1; withdrawal reactions were investigated in 1993, 1996 and 1998. In 2002, the MCA organised a further intensive review of both problems. This review was abandoned in April 2003, following criticism about conflicts of interest involving key figures on the review team.”"
There are many issues in this review. The above, and remember that the conflict of interest was due to half off the members were shareholders of the very Laboratories companies that they were researching, alert about the CHEMICAL SUICIDAL IDEATION.
I have suffered it. It does not come from your heart. Your life is great but something that we do not understand tell us to take our lifes is the only meaninfull thing to do.
Trust me. It is not me REAL SELF that I have to face when this feeling strikes me. I'm gladly cleaning the dishes and all off a sudden I start thinking about killing myself.
If you search, here, only here you will find many testimonies about "being a kind person and now I'm aggressive towards my loved ones"...
I'm tired of explaning this.
It seems to me that people...
Please Arek, refer yourself to the literature ANon gave you and search this site.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Anonymous on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 09:30 pm:

Arek, We really have different points of view.
"Additionally it would seem women who take the pill for decades again do more harm than an ssri according to the evidence we have. " I did not understand this argument It seems to me that you are comparing tomatos with avocatos here. You claim it is an evidence? Evidence of what?
"The problem is that the drug is being used to treat depressed people and depending on how severe this is then it is not too surprising that aggression, anger "
Again, the CHEMICAL agression is totally different from the natural aggression. We loose our senses in such a way that you can do things totally against your predisposition. I almost was beaten by a giant man for when the aggression side appears under these drugs you become totally possessed. I forgot I was 1,60, 50 kg and the man was a giant for me. Can you imagine if the other person is also under CHEMICAL AGRESSION?
"and so are used in fibromyalgia ". Strange. In the directions of some antidepressants it is reported that it can CAUSE fibromyalgia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Anonymous on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 10:54 pm:

Olympiads and politics

On the left: Berlin 1932 - On the right: 1969

"Yes that is true. In later years however, a street in Berlin was named Jesse Owens in honor of him and he was considered a great hero by the German people. Many people liked him at the time, but many were afraid to speak up for Jesse in fear of Hitler's anger.

That's a good point you make about dogs in your email. We have a saying in this country and perhaps you have the same one or a similar one in Brazil. When everything is going wrong, we say, "The world is going to the dogs." But you know what? I have dogs and I don't dress them up but I probably love them more than I love most people. My dogs have loved me unconditionally and would give their lives to protect me. That's why they say, "A dog is man's best friend."

Kind regards,
Daryl"

Hitler also have put on camps German mental health patients as well as homosexuals or "everything" that he didn't consider Arian.
I asked Daryl to write something on these famous photos above. He wrote me a wonderful elegia. I've translated it into Portuguese and I cannot find the original English version.
I'll try to see if I can reach him and if he still has it. If not I'll try translating it back into English.

A Black Man's Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan

I had a blog in Portuguese and talked about many different things.
This is one of the post I wrote about Daryl Davis:
Son of a diplomat Daryl Davis at the age of 15 have decided to be a pianist against the expectations of his father who wanted that he had followed his career.
Ironically it was as a pianist where he found the way to achieve results where diplomacy not always can reach.
When with the age of 10 he returned to USA, after living in Russia, Ethiopia and others African countries he came across with racism. After been jeered, attacked with stones pieces of glass, listening that he should go back to Africa, and, after being attacked by a racist policeman he started to ask himself about the reason why people hated him because of the color of his skin, in other words, what is the fundament the ideology of racism hate. He started his research and read about the White Power movement after meeting a classroomate who claimed to be a neo-Nazi and found out that these racists groups fight among themselves. One of them want to separate USA in five: some states for Arian, others for black people and some for other races. The solutions for "race problem" are multiples.
In a bar where he played piano Daryl got in touch with a white man who told him "-This is the first time that I sit to drink with a black man." Daryl asked him the reason "- Because I'm a Ku Klux Klan."
The diplomacy he saw when he was a child and the fact that he is a musician "-Music unite people." helped this black pianist, always compared to Jerry Lee Lewis, to get the address of a Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon, Roger Kelly, who have agree to be interviewed. What should have been a quick meeting have turned out to be a two and a half talking.
"While you are actively learning about someone else, you are passively teaching them about you" is Daryl motto who made friendship with Roger Kelly, and for Daryl surprise, gave him the Ku Klux Klan clothes and all the paraphernalia used in Ku Ku Klax rituals including the burning black people's homes whose names fall in misfortune next to members of the sect. Elevens kukluskamen followed Kelly's example.
He also got in touch with neonazi that are waiting anxiously for the 4º Reich. But they even considered the black man a nice person.
One of the results of his work was the book published in 1997: "Klan-Destine Relationships: A Black Man's Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan".
A lesson of action and efficiency when someone wants to make a difference in a case although he is criticized by black and white people.
Of course, some of his friends think that he is crazy. After all Ku Klux Klan have more than a million members.

Here you will find a game to punch Ku Klux Klan members if this is your case.
I just want do not know if Klu Klux Klan, neonazis and other sects have sense of humor or the guts to make a little game to kill blacks or no matter what race they hate. It is openly offensive and they prefer to do it in real life. As always it is hard to find the most adequate tact: the Luther King or the Black Panthers late days way.

I wrote a e-mail to Daryl and he was kind enough to answer me:


Dear Ana,

"Please call me Daryl. First, I must tell you how happy I am to hear from you and your interest in my work. I must also tell you that Brazil is one of my favorite countries in the world. I have visited 49 countries. I LOVE Brazil. I visited Bahia, Rio, Sao Paulo, Recife and Brazilia. Each city was very different and I love them all.

Yes, you are correct; I am very fond of Martin Luther King and his work. The original Black Panthers with Huey Newton was a good group and did a lot of good for the Black community when they had no one else to help them. They encouraged education and they made sure children in the community always had food to eat. Unfortunately, as is the case with many groups, someone goes astray and causes problems and ruins the reputation of the group with whom they are associated. Naturally, when they were pushed illegally by racist law enforcement, they would stand up for themselves even if it meant the use of violence.

There are about 3 groups today using the name Black Panthers. None of these groups are associated with the original group and I'm sure any of the original members who are still alive, would have nothing to do with these new groups. I know a couple of these new groups and they advocate violence. I am not a big fan of violence unless I am under attack and must defend myself or my loved ones.

Yes, Roger Kelly is now out of the Klan. He no longer believes in the principles of hating people because of their race. When his first child was born, I was her godfather. But he received a lot of criticism over that, so I told him, to let someone else do it. You must take things one step at a time. I don't care what anyone's race is. I respect all people and only judge them based upon how they treat others and how they treat me. But when you grow up in a family and environment filled with hate, it will take others a while to accept the changes you chosen to make in your life, if they ever accept it.

What have I achieved with my book? I would say my biggest achievement was a complete surprise to me. I never set out to cause people to quit the KKK. I simply wanted to interview them and get information for my book. But during the time of interviewing many of them, we saw that we all were human beings and friendships started to evolve. Eventually, many of these people began questioning their own beliefs and many eventually quit the Klan. We are still good friends today. So it has given me hope that we can change for the better and all is not lost. But, more people in my country need to take the step to get to know each other and sit down and talk. We fear each other too much for no reason. Just because of the color of someone's skin.

It bothers me when I hear my fellow Americans call this country the greatest nation on Earth. Yes, we have achieved many things that other countries have not achieved. We have the ability to put a man on the moon. While that man is walking around on the moon, we can talk to him live via satellite radio phone. You have a cell phone and you have email. You and I can communicate all the way from Brazil to the USA. So my question is: If we can communicate with someone walking around on the moon instantly and we can communicate with people on another continent, WHY can't we communicate with the person who lives right next door, just because he/she is a different skin color, religion, nationality, ethnicity or whatever????? So before my country can talk about how great we are, out ideology needs to catch up with our technology. I am doing my part to try to get my fellow Americans to come into the 21st century and I hope they will do their part.

Please keep in touch.

Obrigada,

Daryl"

Augusto Boal - the great Brazilian theater director

He is very known in France and, I believe, in US. He is the creator of the "Theater of the Opressed" and has many books translated into English: "The Rainbow of Desire: The Boal Method of Theatre and Therapy" (on the left) and "Legislative Theatre" (on the right) are on my list.
There are many sites about him and his work in English. His wife, Cecilia Boal is a psychoanalyst and has helped me once while mine was on vacancy. They are friends and when I discovered it I felt very happy for I admire Augusto Boal's work long before even thinking about doing therapy. As a matter of fact I thought that this whole thing about psychoanalysis was for weak or rich people. LOL I have the fortune to say I'm not weak and about rich... almost loosing my middle class status! lol

I took from the site dedicated to Augusto Boal one paragraph of his interview during a workshop in Berlin :
After the event (”Theater und Sensitives Denken”), Boal talked about the importance of the Theater of the Opressed today and about politics engagement:

"O que eu desejo é que as pessoas deixem de ser passivas. Por exemplo, o que aconteceu agora com a constituição européia. Ela não foi aprovada (pela população) em alguns países e teve de ser aprovada pelo parlamento. Isso não é democracia. É plutocracia, é o poder do dinheiro, é oligarquia, é o poder dos mais ricos. E o que nós queremos é dinamizar as pessoas para que elas não aceitem a realidade da forma como ela parece ser. E para que elas lutem contra as injustiças, seja racismo, sexismo, imperialismo, colonialismo, ou qualquer outro nome que se dê. Essa luta é uma forma plena de vida, não uma coisa de final de semana."

"What I desire is that people stop being passive. For instance, what has happened to European constitution. It was not approved (by the people) in some countries and had to be approved by the parliament. This is not democracy. It's plutocracy, it´s the power of money, it's oligarchy, it's the power of the richest. What we want is to make people dynamic so that they don't acept reality the way it looks like. And so that they fight against injustices, whether under the form of racism, sexism, imperialism, colonialism, or no matter how it's named. This fight is a way of life in it's plenitude, not a weekend activity."

I try hard to laugh

... but I can't. There has always been jokes on medicine, doctors, relationship between patient and physicians.
On this site there are plenty on medical jokes. They are funny. But health is the most important... blah, blah, blah....

I'm waiting for the day doctors will stop laughing not at the jokes but of their patients.

Double-blind tests

Trying to raise Brazilian data on Suicides and Violent Behavior

I'm trying hard to gather information on suicides and violent behavior caused by SSRIs in Brazil. In one desperate attempt I even wrote to ssristories on November 2007.

Rosie was very kind and answered me:

Re: Antidepressants

De:

@bol.com.br

Para:

">ssristories

Cópia:

">mtavares ,">marioecpereira

Assunto:

Re: Antidepressants

Data:

13/11/2007 11:04

Hi Rosie,

I forgot to tell you that in Brazil suicides are not reported by the media. They claim it can influence people to suicide.
As I told you before SSRIs are still miraculous pills with no side effects whatsoever.
I don't know what to do with the story of the woman in my building that was on antidepressant and killed herself. Surely it was due to the depression and is not related with the drug.
I have searched on the WHO archives and found out some data:

"- Although traditionally suicide rates have been highest among the male elderly, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of countries, in both developed and developing countries.
"- Mental disorders (particularly depression and substance abuse) are associated with more than 90% of all cases of suicide; however, suicide results from many complex sociocultural...
http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/

All of a sudden young people are the group at highest risk. No reference to suicides on antidepressants SSRIs.

I have searched in Portuguese about antidepressant + suicide the data are about the risks of suicidal behavior reported by FDA. It is appalling that the Suicide Prevention we have in Brazil claims that depression is one of the causes and it have to be treated. But nothing is said about suicidal risks on antidepressant SSRIs.
It is as if it does not exist.

In WHO I have found that in 2002:
In Brazil 2002:
15-24 years old= 1637
25-34 years old= 1721
http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/country_reports/en/index.html

If you compare with the other ages these are the highest rates.
I have noticed you have already put Pekka-Eric Auvinen, the Finland boy, on the list. As soon as I saw the news I got suspicious for this kind of violence already have a pattern and only those who do not want to see change the channel or do not read the papers.
We in developing countries have to wait the FDA or MHRA - even though the UK Parliament have already made the 2005 report - to finally make up their minds whether antidepressants SSRIs are great, terrible or great and terrible simultaneously.:)
Sincerely,
Ana



---------- Início da mensagem original -----------

De: "Rosie M" ssristories@yahoo.com
Para: @bol.com.br
Cc:
Data: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 18:07:18 -0800 (PST)

Re: Antidepressants

De:

@bol.com.br

Para:

">ssristories

Assunto:

Re: Antidepressants

Data:

06/11/2007 18:25

Hi Rosie,
Thank you very much for your reply.
There is nothing on the media about suicides or homicides of people on SSRIs.
Nothing is said about side effects, withdrawal symptoms and all the risks.
All we have is the official version of the pharmaceutical industry "there is chemical imbalance"; SSRIs are not addictive; very good medicines.
Not a single psychiatrist has sad anything about the risks.
When you ask them they never heard about it and those who claim these things are scientologists or anti-psychiatrists.
Strong campaign on the web from people who are receiving from laboratories. But only people who knows about it all can identify.
Even when you tell the story of Traci Johnson in Cymlbalta's clinical test trial any of them say something.
I have translated parts of the UK "The Influence of Pharmaceutical Industry"... silence.
Thank you again and hope all of you can make pressure. The more you bring it up to public opinion the easier it is to advocate here.
Sincerely
Ana



---------- Início da mensagem original -----------

De: "Rosie M" ssristories@yahoo.com
Para: @bol.com.br
Cc:
Data: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 18:07:18 -0800 (PST)
Assunto: Re: Antidepressants

> Hi Ana,
>
> There are no stories from Brazil because the two moderators of SSRI Stories can only read English, unfortunately.
>
> I wish there were some way to have the stories from Brazil and other countries in South America appear on SSRI Stories.
>
> If you know of any media cases from Brazil, let me know. Perhaps you would know how to translate the case into English so we could post them on SSRI Stories.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> SSRI Moderator: Rosie M
>
> @bol.com.br wrote:
>
> Sunday, November 4, 2007, 4:27 pm [EST]
>
> From: Ana Lima (@bol.com.br)
>
> I would like to know why there is not any story from Brazil or any other country below Equator.
> Many people are on SSRIs here in Brazil.
> Nothing is said about side effects. There is nothing on the web about side effects.
> Only people who can search the Web in English has access to this scandal.
> I know there is not so much you can do about it.
> I'm just trying to raise the issue.
> Thanks
>
>
>
>
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