IUBio

WARNING: Dendritic Spreading

Jared Blackburn blackjar at planetc.com
Wed May 22 01:52:26 EST 1996


Rogue 007 wrote:
> 
> Support Coalition - David Oaks <dendron at efn.org> wrote:
> 
> >1. Forcing neuroleptic drugs is common, both inside institutions
> >and on an outpatient basis, in the USA and internationally.
> 
> 1a. This is because the mainstream media propagates the Big Lie that
> there is something ``evil'' about using antipsychotic meds for mental
> illness treatment.  As a result, many uniformed non- mental patients
> have a negative attitude toward antipsychotic meds.  Is it any wonder
> many untreated sufferers exposed to the same influences don't desire
> meds while dazed, confused, and paranoid?

Confused and paranoid by YOUR standards maybe.
For what it's worth, I've found it is amazing what can be rationalize as an 
"irrational reason" for refusing treatment.
 
> >2. Long-term administration of these drugs (Prolixin, Haldol, etc.)
> >can cause deleterious brain changes which can be seen from
> >post-mortem and animal studies, by neuroscientists.
> 
> 2a. Untreated schizophrenia sufferers can live in a nightmare world
> where all thoughts, emotions, and sensory input is heightened and
> magnified to such an overwhelming intensity their experience is like a
> living Hell.  That is the alternative to not receiving medical care
> from the point of view of a mental illness sufferer.

Interesting idea, but I have met people who met the diagnostic criteria for 
schizophrenia who seemed to be quite happy as they were - note that they 
didn't meet the Criteria (B) of being unable to cope with life situations, 
but this item is often ignored by diagnostician.  I've know of quite happy 
and well adjusted people being put on these drugs because they are cosidered 
"delusional" or of having "hallucinations" by know-it-all psychiatrist!  
Often this a mater of religious or "world view" discrimination.
 
> >3. Neuroscientists have generally been silent about bringing
> >this news to the public, and explaining "there may be a problem."
> >Certainly, no informed consent tells patient or family about these
> >brain changes, except tardive dyskinesia.
> 
> 3a. Which neuroscientists are you referring to?  At what facilities?
> And if they have _generally_ been silent, obvious not _all_ of them
> have been silent.  Perhaps Thomas Szasz and Peter Breggin are at the
> forefront of those who have been unable to keep quiet.
> 
> >4. During "Brain Awareness Week," as I explained on NPR's
> >"Talk of the Nation," our organization held a protest of the
> >above silence.
> 
> 4a. You received national public radio coverage?  This is an example
> of not speaking out?

This is a new growing trend which is only just starting to gain public 
recognition.
 
> >5. To publicize this, we held a tongue-in-cheek (but effective)
> >"BRAIN BOYCOTT," encouraging people to contact McLean's
> >"brain bank" (1-800-BRAIN-BANK). Researcher Jill Taylor there
> >has seen dendritic spreading attributed to a rebound against
> >neuroleptic drugging, but refuses to call this brain "change"
> >a potential problem. (There are *many* forms of brain change
> >following long term use of neuroleptics, as one can well
> >imagine!) You can call Jill yourself and ask her.
> 
> 5a.  And I assume you have posted Dr. Taylor's phone number to the Net
> with her permission, correct?
> 
> >6. People reading the above five points might deny them,
> >but now can never say, "But I was never told, I didn't know."
> 
> 6a.  People reading your similar spams all over Usenet never received
> an answer to the most important question I posed to you: in what way
> are these changes worse than living through a decades- long hell of
> untreated mental illness symptoms?

Nightmare? - well Ive already discussed that issue.
 
> >Silence is complicity.
> --
> Legislate the in$urance indu$try out of the business of preventing
> medical care. Bean-counters have a DNR order with *your* name on it.

Insurance? Industry?  These may like the idea of not paying for treatment, 
but I hardly beleive they are the driving force behind the "anti-psychiatric" 
movement!  To suggest such a conspiracy theory could be a sign of paranoid 
ideation...  ;)
	...or maybe it's the med manufacturers who are pushing drug 
treatment? ;)

The real point is that such treatment are often abused by enforcing them on 
people who donnot desire "treatment."





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