After reading "Anatomy of an Epidemic"

[bruno2016]

If you have read this book, I would like to discuss it with you. I am about halfway threw and find it very interesting and revealing.

[alexjuice]

Hi Zepp,

 

Yes. It's a terrifically eyeopening book. I even got my father to read it, and he doesn't read anything longer a TV guide logline.

 

Have you been surprised by the contents? What has surprised you, specifically?

 

Alex

[bruno2016]

Hi Zepp,

 

Yes. It's a terrifically eyeopening book. I even got my father to read it, and he doesn't read anything longer a TV guide logline.

 

Have you been surprised by the contents? What has surprised you, specifically?

 

Alex

 

Hi Alex,

 

I am about half way through with it and it is eye opening, especially the history of the psychiatric drugs. One is lead to believe that these drugs were developed in response to a disease, but they were never developed nor could they accurately, despite several attempts, find a biological cause of "mental illness". From what I understand, the drugs were "discovered" by accident and there was "part wishful thinking and part science" involved.

 

I have mixed thoughts about the biology of "mental illness" bc the majority of doctors and people in general have accepted that "mental illness" is caused by a biological imbalance, so we sort of grow up thinking this and accepting it as fact. I think that there is probably biology involved, but on what level I am not sure as no one can seem to prove that any biological problem is there. I personally think that its a combination of factors that we as humans do not fully understand.

 

Also i find it insane that the clinical trials and studies for the drugs were never long-term and most of these people do not get better, but they remain psychiatric patients for life. This is my biggest problem with drug therapy; why is it that these drugs are not making people better and "mental illness" not declining? I mean come on, is not that what medicine is supposed to do. I mean look at us, we are on a forum for withdrawal bc we have been made worse by the drugs, not better.

[elizabeth11]

I just read Anatomy Of An Epidemic after seeing it mentioned on the list. It scared the sh** out of me. I never knew how the drugs work; he explains it. It is clear that serotin levels are the same in depressed and non-depressed people...how did the drug companies ever pull the wool over our eyes to such an extent? The blantant use of the system to support the salaries of pdocs, the drug companies sales, etc., is disgusting and only in America kind of thing.

 

Reading the stories of people who are now of SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) throughly damaged by the drugs scared the sh^^ out of me too. But for the grace of god go I

 

The fact that the brains of people (on autopsy) who have taken the heaviest drugs are actually physically damaged by the drugs, the fact that the old way of keeping people in hospitals longer but without drugs led to better results is so scary.

 

I'm guilty of jacking myself up by reading the book, but has anyone else read it?

 

What was your reaction?

 

Am trying hard to get back to reality, but this one really scared me, especially because I had to reinstate.

[Skyler]

 

Am trying hard to get back to reality, but this one really scared me, especially because I had to reinstate.

 

Hi Elizabeth.. I had the opposite reaction. I felt validated. Someone finally was able to get the word out about all the things that are going on. But I can see how this could effect you this way.. it is scary to realize how much of our world has been taken over by the megacorps. Our world is not as it used to be, and Big Pharma is supported by a great deal of corruption. Flagrant harm to the people.

 

Schuyler

[elizabeth11]

Thanks schulyer

 

I'm guilty of jacking myself up after reading the book.

 

Need to change the thought processes.

 

I've just been "trained" to believe our MDs and see how the megacorps and money run even something so precious as making health decisions. Nothing is sacred, something I need to learn. Now. Fast. Makes one so jaded. Makes be wonder about the US of A.

 

Trying to cheer up.

 

Elizabeth

[Jemima]

I'm guilty of jacking myself up after reading the book.

 

Need to change the thought processes.

 

Not so hasty to blame yourself, please. The situaton is terrifying. I'd be worried about anybody who didn't react strongly to the reality of psychiatric drugs and our medical system in general. I haven't even worked up the nerve to read this book just yet.

 

 

I've just been "trained" to believe our MDs and see how the megacorps and money run even something so precious as making health decisions. Nothing is sacred, something I need to learn. Now. Fast. Makes one so jaded. Makes be wonder about the US of A.

 

 

There seems to be a great deal of mythology surrounding the medical profession: that they are all-knowing gods, that they're far more intelligent that the rest of us, that they know better how to make us well than anyone else, et cetera. Doctors encourage this mindless acceptance and awe, and in my experience, it's unbelievably difficult to convince someone that their doctor is actually doing them harm, even when they're sick all the time.

 

In my cynical opinion, when you put human beings into a situation where they can make a lot of money or obtain power, morals go out the window. (This isn't true of everyone, of course, or the world would have imploded centuries ago.) This has been the situation since the Garden of Eden and there is nothing in particular that makes our times any different except for the scenery and manner of dress. It is simply human nature to fall prey to greed, covetousness, and gluttony.

 

In my previous job (I'm retired now), I observed several people who became quite ill from job stress and although they were financially able to retire, hung on so they could get a full pension and health benefits. One of them died from two massive heart attacks in a row shortly before he would have retired. I would still be on Lexapro had I not decided that enough money is enough and retired, and I hate to think of the damage that would have been done had I tried to hang on for another several years.

 

So it's not all in your head, Elizabeth, and being upset - at least briefly - strikes me as quite a sane reaction.

[Altostrata]

We're in a unique position to grasp the enormity of the fraud of psychiatric drugs. This is one of the stories of the decade, if not the century.

 

It is staggering, but let's all take it as a warning about the way the world is going -- towards the interests of making money for huge corporations, and raise our voices in opposition to becoming mere consumers of whatever is shoved our way.

[bubbles]

I haven't read this but I might see if I can get it from the library.

 

Two books I have read recently are "The Myth of the Chemical Cure" by Joanna Moncrieff, and "The Emperor's New Drugs" by Irving Kirsch. After reading them I felt both horrified and pleased - horrified is probably self-explanatory, but pleased because it validates my getting off these drugs.

 

Bubbles