Help free John Hunt of psychiatric incarceration

"I'm going to fade to nothing."

"I feel worn down."

"My body feels battered by medication."

"The strenght has been bullied out of me."

"I feel humiliated."

"The way they treat you is degrating."

John Hunt

"JOHN Hunt turned 30 on Saturday and spent the day as a free man.

He is no criminal, but after passing the day with family and friends, he was forced to return to his place of residence for the last four and a half years — a psychiatric intensive care unit in Cork city where he is being detained under the Mental Health Act as an involuntary patient.

On the day we meet in the small and uninviting visitors room at the hospital where he lives, just a few days before his birthday, he is looking forward to getting out, and smiles widely at the thought.

Clearly heavily-medicated, although he is a little confused at times, John is placid and amiable.

And when it comes to one topic in particular, perfectly lucid — he wants to get out.

His partner Gráinne and four-year-old son Joshua want him home too, but his doctors believe he is better off in Carraig Mór, a two-storey unit in the grounds of the former Our Lady’s Hospital, and Gráinne has been told John is seen as "suitable" for long-term hospitalisation.

John was first admitted to the unit after suffering a breakdown and has been diagnosed at various times as being bi-polar or schizophrenic.

He has been on a cocktail of drugs for years, and they have caused a serious deterioration in his physical condition.

He does not see the outside of the unit from one day to the next, the gated garden out the back is small and overgrown.

There is no psychologist to work with him, and he is well on the way to becoming institutionalised, although he is quite clear about wanting to get home.

John’s case is not typical, but is not unusual either, and highlights the inadequacies in the mental health system whereby people are being held indefinitely in psychiatric units, on high doses of medication, without seeming to make any progress.

According to the most recent Mental Health Commission inspection report of Carraig Mór, "the lack of a rehabilitation team is regrettable, particularly in view of the fact that a number of residents had been resident for longer than six months." It also notes no psychologist has been recruited as recommended.

According to Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Siobhan Barry, under the Mental Health Act 2001, a person should only be detained if they are likely to benefit from treatment, and it is incumbent on a doctor to show that this is the case when seeking further detention.

"If someone has plateaued and you cannot show that they will improve through further treatment, then you have no reason to continue holding them," she says.

Indeed, the 2001 act set up mental health tribunals to automatically review all decisions to protect patients’ interests. Under the act, the Mental Health Commission appoints a solicitor for the patient and a hearing determines if the person should be released or not.

According to Mark Felton, chairman of Mental Health Lawyers Association, and an experienced tribunal solicitor, people end up being detained for many years.

"As long as the doctor says that is what’s needed, then that is what will generally happen."

"We have no low-security forensic unit in this country for people who are held for long periods. Doctors do their best with what they have available to them, but it is not always what is in the best interests of the patient."

It is clear to all that John Hunt is not ready to leave Carraig Mór for good this week, or even next month, and his family accept this.

But it is not acceptable to them that there is no alternative to long-term hospitalisation for John.

Gráinne firmly believes he needs therapeutic interventions, such as psychotherapy, to deal with his underlying issues.

She does not necessarily blame John’s doctors, more the system that allows a young man to vegetate behind locked doors.

She believes John is on a worrying amount of medication and has expressed her serious concern about long-term brain and kidney damage to his doctors.

"I would like some plan to be put in place for gradually re-introducing John to life outside Carraig Mór," Grainne says. "John has committed no crime and yet he is locked up."

Grainne does not accept Carraig Mór is the only future for the father of her child and has vowed to continue fighting until some solution can be reached to give him the chance for a better life.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, July 19, 2010"

Read more: Irish Examiner

Visit the John's blog maintained by his wife and help signing the petition online to Free John.

Please, circulate it as much as you can. Let's try to make psychiatries and law makers understand that John is getting worse due to this treatment. It is amazing but they call it "treatment".

I call it torture, a crime and, seriously, I will never, never understand cases like John's and there are many.

The grassroots organization RIPPD- Rights for Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities

Visit the site RIPPD.

Mission

Over half of the incarcerated individuals in U.S. prisons have a history of mental illness. Police officers have limited training in both recognizing and dealing with the needs of mentally ill people. Consequently, their treatment of mentally ill people can cause further damage. RIPPD works to improve the criminal justice systems handling of people with mental disabilities. Its members include formerly imprisoned people with mental illness and their families.

About

Rights for Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities (RIPPD) is a grassroots, direct action organization, united to demand justice and social change, for imprisoned people with psychiatric disabilities.

Our membership is made up of people with psychiatric disabilities who have been in jail or prison and who have suffered in that system. Our membership also includes family members and friends of people with psychiatric disabilities who are and have been imprisoned.

We believe in humane treatment for all regardless of race, class or sexual identity. We want to end the discrimination and dehumanization in the criminal justice system.

We fight the stigma against people with mental illness by demonstrating our courage and empowerment. We are outraged and disgusted by the deplorable treatment by the people controlling the current system.

We confront all those who have the responsibility to make changes by strategizing, protesting, negotiating, collaborating with other groups and by any other creative means necessary.

We will not be ignored! Our voices will be heard!

RIPPD confronts a system set up to oppress people who have a mental illness and who have been in jail or prison. Despite the existing power structure, our organization has been able to gain respect from the powers that be and meet with judges, politicians, and other government officials and begin to achieve the policy changes that we seek. Through this work members develop leadership skills along with a greater understanding of the process involved in organizing for social change. Organizing is about more than the tasks at hand and the projected outcomes, it is also about the process that membership goes through as individuals unite and take action together. It is this process that empowers members and makes this work possible.

RIPPD is working towards the following:

Establishment of Alternatives to Incarceration

Establishment of Pre-Booking Jail Diversion in the NYPD, Community Crisis Intervention Teams

Abolition of Prison/Jail Expansion

Accountability and Training for Correction and Police Officers

Better Mental Health Treatment in Jails and Prison

A Change in the Public Hearing Process to Favor Community

SocialAudit discussion - SSRIs withdrawal hell (repost)

I've just found the SocialAudit discussion thread on "problems with Effexor withdrawal" that I've saved. I'm reading the comments and I'm trying to find those that could give an idea of what kind of problems were discussed. It's hard because many people was searching for the help they didn't find with their physicians.

I wish I could copy the whole thread but it is huge. Here are five of them and the last one is from "Anon" someone who used to help a lot answering some of the biggest concerns in 2005.
It's heartbreaking reading all this suffering. There was a thread for every SSRI but the complains were the same.

_____________________________________________________________________
By Roxan Brown on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 01:49 pm:

I have a nephew who was on efixor and he tried to commit sucide by hanging is this a side effect can any one tell me?
Thank-you
_____________________________________________________________________
By LEENA DUTRISAC on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 09:06 pm:

HELLO ALL - MY SINCERE PRAYERS FOR ANYONE WHO IS TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM THIS DRUG - WITHOUT PRE-WARNING FROM MY DR ABOUT THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS I WAS PERSCRIBED EFFEOR - MY DOSSAGE WAS 300 MLS A DAY... I AM 31 YEARS OLD WITH TWO KIDS. I HAVE BEEN FEELING BETTER IN MY LIFE AND HAD DECIDED LAST WEEK TO COME OFF THIS DRUG - WELL MY GOD - IF I HAD ANY IDEA WHAT THE CONSIQUENCES WERE I THINK I'D OF SHOT MYSELF LAST WEEK. LUCKY I HAVE KIDS SO I STILL HAVE TO BE HERE ON THE PLANET FOR A WHILE YET - TO MAKE THIS LONG TERRIBLE STORY SHORT I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM CONSTANT SHOCKS, CONSTANT CRYING OUTBURSTS, SUICIDAL TOUGHTS, HORRIBLE VIVID NIGHTMARES AND A NUMBER OF OTHER TERRIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE SIDE EFFECTS. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CARE FOR MY CHILDERN AND NOW HAVE A FRIEND HELPING OUT. IF I HAD BEEN GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT THE WITHDRAWL OF THIS EVIL DRUG I WOULD HAVE NEVER AGGRED TO TAKE IT. IT IS APAUING TO ME THAT DR.S JUST HAND THIS STUFF OUT......... I CAN GARUNTEE THERE WILL BE SUICIDES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS DRUG - IT IS A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS......... THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SHARED YOUR STORIES ON THIS SITE AS IF IT WERE NOT FOR ALL YOUR EXPERIENCES I WOULD HAVE DEFINATLEY LOST IT ............... TODAY IS DAY 4 AND I AM FEELING A BIT BETTER - LEENA
_____________________________________________________________________
By Anonymous on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 04:03 pm:

I have been off Effexor for about five years now, yet I STILL have one symptom that appeared either while on it or going off it, I don't remember: when lying in bed going to sleep or waking up, I hear a sudden whoosh sound, maybe every half minute, not regular. I remember five years ago I was going off Effexor and was hearing the same sound triggered by moving my eyes suddenly. There were some other symptoms such as dizziness when walking. I was having so much trouble going to sleep one night that it suddenly occurred to me that it might be related to going off Effexor. I got up and got on the internet and did some searching, and I found hundreds of testimonials about symptoms like mine from Effexor withdrawal. It was a relief, and caused me to do the withdrawal more gradually. After I was completely off it, all symptoms except this ear whoosh sound stopped. The whoosh has never stopped. I'm reasonably sure it appeared while taking Effexor, and was severe at that time. I keep having the feeling that there is something I think about that causes it. This morning I finally identified what I believe is the trigger for the sound: beginning to fall asleep, or conscious attention beginning to relax. Have you ever been driving and almost fallen asleep and jerked awake? Have you noticed that that jerk is accompanied by a sudden whoosh sound in the ears? That is EXACTLY the sound I hear now when relaxing in bed in the morning, every 5-30 seconds. I believe it was caused by Effexor, although I can't be certain. It is also possible, however, that Prozac also causes this, because Prozac has been my antidepressant of choice, and though I'm not on it now, I was about 3 months ago. I don't notice this symptom being any worse, though, when I'm on Prozac. I think Effexor is dangerous. I tell friends asking about antidepressants to avoid that one like the plague.
____________________________________________________________________
By Anonymous on Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 07:30 am:

I recently discontinued using venlafaxine, after only nine months, due to certain impairments in my daily life such as; huge impairments in short term memory, complete loss of pleasure in reading when I used to be an avid reader, memory loss in the way of spelling and such, problems in recalling familiar words and speech issues (i.e. unablity to speak the words that I'm thinking of, occasional stuttering), and severe loss of inhibitions (i.e. no conscience), and reoccurances of psychotic episodes from childhood.
I've been about a off effexor for three weeks now and things aren't getting back to normal. Could this be frontal lobe damage or something and is this likely to be permanent? I am 18 thus my brain should be more elastic than someone older. Does anyone have any knowledge about this for it would be much appreciated.
____________________________________________________________________
By Anon on Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 02:35 pm:

Hello. The deficits you list have been experienced by many, many people. Some people are finding that they have to live with long-term damage, however you have only just come off the drug and are highly likely to be in the throes of withdrawal... and withdrawal symptoms show a great deal of overlap when compared with the side-effects: including the memory problems, feeling detatched or unreal, confusion or cognitive difficulties, auditory and visual hallucinations, murderous urges, and manic-like reactions.

Time may prove to be a great healer. Lots of people suffering badly, withdrawal-wise, concur in stating the worst was at the 3 month mark.

I had all the 'huge impairments in short term memory, complete loss of pleasure in reading when I used to be an avid reader, memory loss in the way of spelling and such, problems in recalling familiar words and speech issues (i.e. unablity to speak the words that I'm thinking of, occasional stuttering), and severe loss of inhibitions (i.e. no conscience)'... myself, whilst on this category of antidepressant. And more. A lot of what I found helped me, in the immediate aftermath, turned out to be eerily similar to the advice offered over here.

Could it be frontal lobe damage? Well these drugs can certainly cause long-term damage, but it is a little more difficult to pin down the where and the how. Many of the symptoms do tie in with that theory, but that's a long, long way from fact. Many of them also tie in with hormonal damage, and dopamine receptor damage, and no doubt a host of other unknowns... I think that although 'the truth is out there', it's going to take some finding, especially given the significant lack of research. The book which addresses many of these issues is Joseph Glenmullen's 'Prozac Backlash' (equally relevant to venlafaxine).

Other people have posted to this board describing long-term after effects, if you use the search facility at the bottom of this page, you will find them swiftly.

You've been off them only 3 weeks. No time at all. You may find significant improvement occurs over the coming weeks, as your body adapts to its non-drug environment. Try a little mild exercise, a good old-fashioned diet (staying away from the additives & artificial sweeteners), and attempt to let yourself relax at least once in the day... easy to say, not so easy to do... give yourself as many advantages as possible: good nutrition, the exercise endorphins, stress reduction, natural sleep.

And time.

Eli-Lilly studies SSRIs Cymbalta and Prozac in children 7-17 years old

I have already reported it here and the recruitment of children is still going on and will end in December 2011:

A Study in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder

This study is currently recruiting participants.

Verified by Eli Lilly and Company, July 2010

First Received: February 23, 2009 Last Updated: July 27, 2010 History of Changes

Sponsor:	Eli Lilly and Company
Information provided by:	Eli Lilly and Company
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00849693

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess whether duloxetine is superior to placebo in the treatment of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD)

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Major Depressive Disorder	Drug: Placebo Drug: fluoxetine Drug: duloxetine	Phase III

Study Type:	Interventional
Study Design:	Allocation: Randomized Control: Placebo Control Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title:	A Double-Blind, Efficacy and Safety Study of Duloxetine Versus Placebo in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:	7 Years to 17 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:	Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	No

Read more at clinicaltrialsOrg.

Prescribing SSRIs for children is not approved:

"Children (18 years or younger) taking antidepressants experience suicidal thoughts or actions in about 1 out of every 50 who are depressed. Although duloxetine is prescribed for children, the FDA has not approved duloxetine for use in children."

Source: Nami

Still this study is being done since last year. After reading the post below it seems that neither Japanese or American children are respected and when profit is being done at the expenses of the health and life of children it is hard to understand what is integrity and ethics in medicine.

Image: CREDIT: DAVID TOASE/ PHOTODISC/ GETTY IMAGES

Paxil/Seroxat at the Japanese market for children: a Bob Fiddaman campaing

GSK carrying out Paxil trials on children in Japan

I was searching through the archives of my blog tonight for research purposes and came across the Japanese/Paxil studies I wrote back in 2009.

I'm not going to repeat the posts but offer this video I created and some links for further reading.

This really should be stopped.



Further reading:

Thursday, January 15, 2009
Email to Japanese Embassy regarding New GSK paroxetine study in Children. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00812812

Friday, April 03, 2009
Japan/GSK - 329 All Over Again!

Friday, April 03, 2009
Email to Ministry of Health - Japan

Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Any News on the Paxil Kids Yet?

Friday, May 21, 2010
EMAIL TO GLAXOSMITHKLINE RE; PAXIL STUDY IN CHILDREN

Saturday, May 22, 2010
Email to the Japanese Drug Regulator [Re; Paxil Clinical Trial in Japan]

Fid

I took this post from Fiddaman's blog. I published an excerpt of an article by Katharine Schulz here by the time a Japanese dermatologist told me he prescribes Paxil to treat skin problems because stress can cause dermatitides and Paxil does wonders to fight stress. This is a very strange off-label use. Someone from Japan came to comment that the article was not true blah blah...

I dedicate this post for him.

Hat tip to Bob.

I got the account back: Thanks to Google

I never thought that I care that much for this blog but during this period I thought I would never be able to login I realized how important it is for me.

I have to thank Google for doing the job.

My g-mail account has nothing but the source that Google left of the person who did it.

I don't care. All I wanted was my blog back. Yesterday I went to bed so sad and first thing in the morning was being online to see if it was recovered.

Here I am. Even though I'm not publishing as much as I did during the first two years this is a very important part of me.

I'm so happy!

Daniel Fisher, National Empowerment Center, Patricia Deegan and Rainbows

I love seeing light showing it's true colors and we can see it the Newton's way, using a prism, or when all of a sudden a rainbow appears where we are and time seems to stop a little because it is unexpected and very beautiful.

Daniel Fisher from National Empowerment Center went to Mexico to rest a little witnessed one of this moments and had a camera in his hands. He was kind enough to give me the left photo. The right one is at his profile at Facebook.

I first got in touch with him long after starting this blog because I was writing a book and found the article "Reclaiming your power during medication appointments with your psychiatrist" by Patricia Deegan, Ph.D. that I translated to Portuguese and as Patricia Deegan approval I included it at the book - no, never published because there is nothing in Portuguese to give an idea about psych-drugs and pharmaceutical industry is powerful enough to make any effort disappears.

I remember having problems translating the word "advocate". We don't have mental health advocates in Brazil. This is one of the reasons this blog is in English. I would never find people to share ideas and all the research I have is in English. Here I am a self-proclaimed mental health advocate.

To start the week I hope that looking at these rainbows empowers us all.

Marijuana as a medicine for pain: if you have a story leave a comment

I know many people with different diseases that got help from marijuana. If you are one of them please, leave a comment telling a little about your story.

Whenever I say it some people think I'm out of the planet.

One family member, 70 years-old, used marijuana to stand pain after having a malign tumor removed. Even taking legal medicines her only relief was marijuana.

May she be at peace.

Thank you in advance.

Half an hour as an "inmate" in a mental institution - (repost)

Some events of our lives, good or bad, will always be remembered with the same emotion.

I was trying to rest a little and I remembered the time I spent as an inmate for half an hour in a mental institution. I felt like crying.

I have already post and repost it. I'm posting it one more time.

Because of this experience, and also by seeing other people in mental institutions, I have an idea about what does it mean to be in a hospital for mentally ill destitute of any relation with a human being.

But I'm sure it is much more worse than can imagine.

Even asking for prescription puts patients in a inferior condition to those who work at a mental hospital.

It has to stop. For those who are in any mental institution I will pray even if my prayers are not considered strong because I don't go to any church or any spiritual institution.

God Bless you ALL!

"I’ve remembered this “story” yesterday and now I have to tell. I went to a psychiatrist of a mental institution that is in front of my house. He changed all my prescription. I looked at it and said to myself “-This is not a good idea!” But we trust physicians more than our instincts. Now I know I have to trust my instincts more than physicians.

He took away 200 mg of Seroquel and reduced the Efexor dose and changed something I cannot remember.
I’ve spent three days without sleeping.
On the third day I felt terrible. If I spend 1 day without sleeping I feel as if I was drunk. I don’t function normally and with all my energy.
So I went to see the psychiatrist. I was crying and feeling terrible. He looked at me and said “-You have to be hospitalized. I’ll try to find a bed for you.”
He didn’t say why I had to be on that place. He just said I had to spend 3 days there. I’ve said I had a dog… lol as if he cares.
He finally found the bed and I was taken to the ward by a nurse. I don’t mind and have good relations with people who are in mental institutions. They talked to me with respect and asked “-What are you doing here? What’s your disease?”
I don’t know.
I smoke and after 20 minutes I felt like having coffee. I went to the door that separates normal people from crazy ones and it was half opened.
I asked with a calm voice: “-I would like to have a coffee.”
There were two people who were sat with their back towards me. They didn’t reply.
I asked again, and again. They didn’t even look back. I started to feel nervous and angry. I said in a louder voice: “-I want to have some coffee.” No reply.

They talked to each other and it seems to me that they were saying something like “-These crazy people are such a bore!” I started to hit the steal door with my ring and I said that I wanted to have a coffee…

It was when one of them said; “-You cannot go out. You’re an intern now.”

I beg your pardon! ?

I hadn’t signed anything claiming I wanted volunteered psychiatrist treatment. I started screaming that I wanted to have the coffee.

All of a sudden a woman appeared. She was a giant for me. She restrained me from my back. I said: “-Wait! I’m not crazy and I’m here…” not a good sentence when you’re on a mental institution ward. A patient said: “-They want to use her as a guinea-pig!” I remember it quite clearly, even the voice. She saved me! Also my dog for I kept remembering she was alone.
So I said I wanted to talk to the psychiatrist that had made a questionnaire after I was put on this ward. She had asked me if I… heard voices. That was the first and only time a psychiatrist asked me this question and it gave me the exact measure on how these psychiatrists knowsnothing about anything. You can tell by a person way of expressing and so many other signs whether the person is a psychotic or a neurotic. I can tell! How can it be that a psychiatrist cannot distinguish after years working with these diseases? I can even tell when someone is playing crazy. Yep! There are people on this street that behaves as if they were crazy because of the two mental hospitals we have here. They do it to ask for money.

After the giant finally stopped restraining me – I can tell you that it’s one of the most invasive ways to treat anyone and you feel terrible, you feel as if you are nothing - I’ve got my cell phone and said I was going to call my lawyer.
After three minutes the psychiatrist who asked me if I hear voices appeared and I told her I wanted to get out of that place.
She said supper was on the way and I don’t remember what else for the door was opened and I went straight home.

I’ve cried, and I’ve cried and I’ve cried… This is such a terrible experience to be restrained. Jesus! If they did it to me because I asked to have a coffee I cannot imagine how they treat people who are passing trough a crisis.

The psychiatrist who told me I had to stay there didn’t appear. I met him for a second time after being put on the ward.

He told me: “-you’ll have to stay here for 2 months.”

I beg your pardon! ? Wasn’t it 3 days?

I took my old prescription and things got back to normal. I slept and felt fine again.

I still see this psychiatrist and I never asked him about it all. I’ve just talked to him when I was feeling fine and went to talk to the psychiatrist who asked me if I hear voices.

I acted like a lunatic. I told her I hadn’t signed anything; and the whole thing was a bad use of power;… I don’t remember…; told the parent with a daughter to be careful with that hospital because… I was very angry to be in a mental institution…. and she got nervous because she knew that it was a huge… mistake? Can we say it is a mistake?

The next section I reported the psychiatrist who had the brilliant idea to put me there. He apologized. At least he apologized.

But I have no idea why all this has happened and it makes me wonder what happen to those people I use to visit on this ward when they are not having sun.

I’ve reported it to the government.

Of course I’ve got no reply."

Image: Street art by Vinchen

Update:

Sorry about the grammar errors. It is very difficult for me to write about these events even in my own language although I'm a good writer and have already published reviews at newspapers. But these events are too hard for me to write. I still didn't write about something I must since the beginning of this blog. I prefer to talk about them aloud but nobody wants to listen. Therapy is done orally and because when writing one has to think differently.

I also made some comments in blogs that are disastrous. I only use "and"... and"... or write one sentence after another. I'm sure it is the source of some smiles... A good effect!

Today is code orange day - under the bed... hurry, hurry...

Homeland Security Live Alert

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There are other links and brochure to be downloaded here and at other places. I don't have time to write it now because I will prepare myself.
PANIC and FEAR is life-saving. See you when the.... arf.. arf...

If I keep smoking I will be dead at the age of 67

It is perfect for me. I always thought that living too long is not a very nice idea. So 67 is perfect.

We have to congratulate the anti-smoke propaganda. They did a very good job indoctrinating people to believe that cigarettes is the origin of all diseases and made those who smoke being discriminated and hated as if we were criminals.

The second-hand smoke theory was one of the most amazing ideas to spread the panic and fear and the arguments are incredible. A friend of mine said that lung cancer didn't exist before smoking. I could not believe what I was listening...

If they did the same effort to something that is really dangerous and lethal it would be good.

Please, if you are planning to comment saying that smoking is really a threat and blah blah...

spare your time. I don't buy it. I rather buy my daily pack of cigarettes.

If you smoke you can calculate when you will die. :)

Beyond Meds ends an era with a valuable legacy

Gianna Kali published the last post of her blog Beyond Meds. After blogging for three years Gianna have approached all important issues related to the psych-drugs harms not only by sharing her story, searching for the truth and also by gathering many people that for a period commented at her blog.
It is quite a work Gianna has done quitting all spych-drugs she was taking, she still experiences withdrawal symptoms even after months out of them, and leaving such a research she did to heal herself.
I'm glad she is closing the blog and I really hope that Google doesn't put this valuable lessons to the last pages.
I really hope she finds peace after all she has been through and have her voice heard.
This is how she ended this phase of her life:

End of an era (for me) this is Beyond Meds last post

September 4, 2010

by giannakali

Thank you to all my readers for being part of this transformative journey with me. It’s time for me to move on and do other things.

This blog, depending on which ranking system you look at, is between number 1 and number 5 or so of non-pharma funded mental health blogs. I feel good about leaving and that the work has been a success.

The blog will remain online as a resource. I will come and do a post that helps orient new comers to the blog in general and to the navigation of the archives sometime in the not too distant future.

For now simply go to the tabs above for some navigation. I will try to improve access to more parts of the blog as I have time.

A flower from our yard -- HUGE! That is my finger for scale

Goodbye! Cheers and peace to all.

Peace to you Gianna!

Let's Celebrate: Bloggers Unite finally deleted the event "International Day in Memory of SSRI Fatalities"

It did cost a lot of work and last week I wrote several messages at the discussion of Bloggers Unite asking them either to put the event at the list or deleting it.
They finally deleted. Hope next time they pay attention in the events they are approving.
Great! I'm honored not to have this day there because I changed my mind about Bloggers Unite after paying a close attention at their site.
Nothing left to say.
I will celebrate publishing this video I just found out at Bob Fiddaman's blog. I still didn't see it till the end. The reason I decided to see this one is because it was at Charles Medawar site, Social Audit, that I found many testimonies of people in hell withdrawing Effexor, Paxil/Seroxat, and others.
Unfortunately this forum is not open for the public now. I did read it en 2005 and went till 2006. My withdrawal story is there. I have already published it here. I'm moved seeing Charles Medawar for the first time.
He did a great work not only at Social Audit but he was the only "layman" that was part of the review of the UK Parliament: ""The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry" published in 2005.
I have already published some of the topics they raise.
Maybe I will republish them.
I will watch the entire video now. It's about the responsibility of physicians telling their patients the at SSRIs are addictive when they prescribe.
The hell of withdrawal is not told to anybody. Hiding it is addictive is no longer acceptable.
There are videos at Youtube of patients that tell their experiences.
But although they do it to help others... they are... anecdotal evidence.
I will never understand a science that consider the object that it's studying as anecdotal evidence. Why do they trust people when they are answering a form to join a clinical trial and not when they report that they felt, let's say, dizzy?
No idea! No idea whatsoever.

Health Insurance gives awards to bloggers soliciting add in return

I believe that many bloggers have received this e-mail:

2010/8/25 Brian Rubin <>
Dear Ana,

Congratulations! On behalf of Health Insurance Online -- a leading provider of health insurance resources and information -- we would like to present you with our Inspiration Award. You can find the code to place the award onto your website below:

http://www.online-health-insurance.com/images/ia/icon_ia_2_340x390.jpg
This award was created for people we feel have an inspiring story of recovery and survival, whether physically, mentally or emotionally. After reviewing your website and reading your inspirational story, we feel your story instills a feeling of hope in us all. Therefore, we want to recognize your story so that others may also feel inspired and hopeful in their own recovery and survival. As a recipient of this award, you can place our included badge anywhere on your website. You can also read more about the award and how it was created on our website:

http://www.online-health-insurance.com/health-insurance-resources/inspiration-award.php

As a courtesy, we would be delighted if you would please place a short blurb about us on your website in the hopes that we can educate more people about health insurance and health care reform. Please use the code included below:

Health Insurance Online

A dedicated and comprehensive health insurance portal offering a variety of ways to learn about and acquire cheap health insurance. Offers a wealth of information on health insurance from books and articles.

Thank you for your time, congratulations on your award, and please don't hesitate to write me if you have any questions. Have a great day, and we wish you the best.

Sincerely,

Brian Rubin (emphasis mine)

I don't think that these people understand the whole significance of corruption or bribery:
Wikipedia:

Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift given that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty. The bribe is the gift bestowed to influence the recipient's conduct. It may be any money, good, right in action, property, preferment, privilege, emolument, object of value, advantage, or merely a promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action, vote, or influence of a person in an official or public capacity.

Okay, they claim they will only be delighted if I put an ad at the blog and corruption is not associated with citizens. But if you want to recognize the work of others do it without soliciting anything in return.
It seems to me that people are so used to "give and take" that they forget that some people don't like it.
Or I'm very susceptible.
But this badge award has logo of the company. This is another subliminal propaganda!

PS:
At their site they ask:

"If you know someone who has an inspiring story of recovery please send us an email @ rubin@online-health-insurance.com. Tell us where we can read the recovery story online and why you think the person deserves an award. Thanks for your help.

Please don't give the names of your friends. Foes? No...

Erin Brockovich sent me an e-mail: Be careful pharmas: she is gathering informations from consumers

My e-mail Inbox is a complete mess because I don't delete what I don't open and, I have to confess I don't like e-mails.

So I have to apologize to Erin Brokovich for not publishing her answer one month ago. This is the first important e-mail I didn't see because I always check the names. Now I realized that her e-mail is in the middle of a bunch of spams. I will have to change my method and delete one by one.

Anyway, I wrote this post about her and Cymbalta and this is her answer to a comment I left at her site, yes I'm not blogging but I'm always working on this subject and will never stop. Well this is what she wrote:

RE: Fan Feedback | Website Message From Ana

	Caixa de entrada		X

Responder

Erin Brockovich para mim

mostrar detalhes 28 Jul

Hi Ann,

Thank you for writing. I am getting your emails and yes, I am watching and looking at cymbalta. I have had hundreds write to me and when that happens it is a flag that something is going on with the drug. I am working with several folks as to how we can address this issue outside of litigation, which none is pending now, but running everyone through the court system can take years and doesn’t always help. I am familiar with many of these medications on the market and watch closely as problems develop. We are trying to ascertain more information and see what it is that can be done.

Please look to my site in the future, many great things in regards to information, drugs, networking, advice column, resources, etc., are being built now for the site. It is lengthy and time consuming but we hope will provide more information to those seeking it.

I will keep you informed as we know more. I still do my work for causes today as I always have and just for your information, being a celebrity is the last thing on my mind, it does no one any good. I am still trying to help many and can’t always answer their questions or have information available as soon as they need it.

Best Regards,

Erin Brockovich

From: Ana[mailto:justana8@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 1:05 PM
To: erin@brockovich.com
Subject: Fan Feedback | Website Message From Ana

Funny, I can send it as a fan but not as answering the medicines Watch list. Fan? Do you want fans? Dear Lord! Hi Erin, Do you still have doubts about Cymbalta? All the SSRIs are poison. I was making a research about you my blog Hella Heaven but Ill not do it now. Please, google SSRIs side effects or withdrawal symptom or go to my by blog justAna and look at the blog list. Furious Seasons is the best blog about it all. Books by psychiatrists were already written and as you claimed you had suffered panic attacks I believe you know at lest side effects and withdrawal from a benzodiazepine. I dont know but the way this drugs are being put at your side looks like propaganda if the person dont read the blurred and tiny letters. Accutane? everybody knows about its problem. Not even physicians hide them. Hope you didnt become one celebrity without a cause. Im quite disappointed and will share it with my friends. Im sure it is not you who will read it. Thank you for your attention. Ana

Ana from Brazil

Phone: No phone entered

We know what Erin can do with data she collect from people.

I will go back, surely!

Who will be the next actress? :)

Erin,

Sorry about the celebrity provocation but we have to be sure about the intentions of people today. Those who are in this war of raising awareness, I do nothing compared to what other bloggers are doing, have been casted so many stones that many end up not believing many people.

Still, your story is an inspiration for many and Erin Brokovich is at the list of movies of many mental health advocates.

It is your story and we forget about the movie.