DRUGS TO COPEHIDDEN TRUTHS ABOUT PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATIONS

WAKE UP CALL

PURPOSE

• Create a healthy skepticism of psychiatric drugs & drug companies

• Present enough to make you want to research more on your own

• Provide some information about psychiatric drugs so you can talk to your clients about potential risks vs. benefits

• Cause you to more strongly consider psychosocial/environmental causes and therefore environmental based interventions for symptom relief

QUESTIONING DISORDERS (FOCUS ON ADHD)• Diagnose based on symptoms- no other tool such as blood test, etc. -very subjective

• “there are no data to indicate that ADHD is due to a brain malfunction” pg. 16

• Literally NO evidence of any biochemical imbalance causing ANY mental illness

• Drug companies are the ones who “hypothesized” that this was the case- never been proven

• ADHD-”Family relationships are often characterized by resentment and antagonism,” (DSM IV, pg. 88).

• “Family discord and negative parent-child interactions are often present,” (DSM IV, pg. 88).

• NOTE drugs are not to be prescribed when other psychosocial causes are identified- anyone know of a case of a child diagnosed with ADHD that didn’t have psychosocial or environmental problems?

• NOTE Schizophrenia prognosis- “”Individuals with Schizophrenia in developing nations tend to have a more acute course and better outcome than do individuals in industrialized nations,” (DSM IV, pg. 307).

• Lack of medications? Less Stigma.

• Brain Scans-”all of the studies involved children who had been treated with stimulants and often with many other psychiatric drugs,” (Breggin, Ritalin Fact Book, 51)

• “Children diagnosed with ADHD (regardless of medication use) perform significantly worse… than those without diagnosis” depression, self-perception, social functioning, academic performance, school enjoyment, attention

DO PSYCHOSTIMULANTS WORK?

• Psychostimulants-i.e. Adderall, Dexedrine, (Dextroamphetamines), Desoxyn, Gradumet (methamphetamines) Ritalin (methylphenidate) prescribed to children diagnosed with ADHD.• “suppress spontaneous and social behaviors while promoting obsessive/compulsive or pervasive behaviors.”

• Chimps: typical- grooming neighbor, playing, socializing, wanting to explore, trying to escape.

• Chimps: on stimulants- stops socializing, no play, picking at own skin, pacing a corner of a cage rather than systematically trying to escape.

• “These drugs make good caged animals”

• Human Children: “relatively affectless, humorless, and apathetic.” –Double-blind, placebo effect study

• Human Children: one “played Legos for a 36-hour period w/out breaking to eat or sleep,” “another who became compulsive about raking leaves and did so for 7 consecutive hours, after which he still felt compelled to rake individual leaves as they fell.”

• “effects are independent of any diagnosable disorder.” (Breggin, Ritalin Fact Book).

DO PSYCHOSTIMULANTS WORK?• “ADHD-like behaviors tend to disappear when the child is consistently disciplined, properly entertained, or

engaged in a one-to-one relationship, and that the behaviors often constitute rebellion against boring, monotonous tasks” (Breggin, pg. 27)

• “many problems return the day after the last pill is taken” – what is the purpose of taking these medications? Solve a problem?? keep busy adults from having to deal with the problem?

• “Stimulant drugs do indeed tend to make children more compliant… at the expense of their imaginations, their creativity, their capacity to generate activity, and their overall enthusiasm for life.” (Breggin, Ritalin Fact Book, 23).

• “Overall, the results suggest that whilst stimulant medication may be effective in managing the immediate symptoms of ADHD, these short-term effects may not translate into long-term benefits to the child’s social and emotional outcomes, school-based performance, or symptom improvement.” (RAINE STUDY)

• “the use of stimulant medication was not found to be associated with a long-term improvement in attention or externalising behaviour. This result is perhaps unsurprising, as stimulant medication is not seen as a ‘cure’ for the core symptoms of ADHD. Rather, medication temporarily assists in the management of symptoms” (RAINE STUDY)

MULTI-MODAL TREATMENT STUDY• The MTA was the first major multi-site trial comparing different treatments for ADHD in childhood. The initial results of the

14-month study, in which 579 children were randomly assigned to one of three intensive treatment groups (medication alone, psychosocial/behavioral treatment alone, a combination of both) or to routine community care were published in 1999. The researchers found that the intensive medication management alone or in combination with the behavioral therapy produced better symptomatic relief for children with ADHD than just behavioral therapy or usual community care.

• The initial 14 month period was and IS still used to confirm that stimulants are effective and safe to use for children with ADHD symptoms.

• National Resource Center on ADHD (run by CHADD which receives a large amount of funding from pharmaceutical companies) lists the positive effects as proof that medication in combination with therapy is the best treatment option- also only provides links to the abstract of the study rather than the full study- no where is it stated that further research indicates otherwise.

• When conducting a search of the study, the original is the only part that comes up- you have to be TOLD BY CHANCE that there was a follow-up to the study so you can search for that study.

• “Initial positive results gleaned from intensive treatment of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are unlikely to be sustained over the long term, according to a recent analysis of data from the NIMH-funded Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA).”

SHORT-TERM VS. LONG TERM• Clinical Trials are almost always short term- very few long term studies exist and I will discuss information from

two of them.

• Short-term = less than two months- typically 4-6 weeks. That’s how long the studies are conducted for which then gets them approval for the drug• How many kids do you know on adhd medications that are only taking the drug for 4-6 weeks?

• Why aren’t the studies conducted long-term when kids are prescribed the medication for YEARS?

• Adderall XR Capsules Medication Guide from FDA (supposed to be given to patients) • No studies conducted longer than 3 weeks for children and 4 weeks for adults

• Improvements in that time were based upon teacher ratings

• “stimulants are not intended for use in the child who exhibits symptoms secondary to environmental factors”

• EMERGENCE OF NEW PSYCHOTIC OR MANIC SYMPTOMS- “can be caused by stimulants at usual doses.”

A DANGEROUS CYCLE• Case of Alec- familiar to many cases that began with ADHD

• SIX YEARS-Alec’s teacher says he sometimes exhibits ADHD behaviors- talking out of turn, leaving seat without permission

• ADHD diagnosis, started on Ritalin, “much nicer to have in class”

• A few months later, behavior worsens and he becomes difficult at home for the first time

• Dose is increased and he “improves” again… Cycle repeats several times

• Alec also becomes agitated at night a few weeks after beginning Ritalin- afternoon dose added

• Continued to become more agitated- Sedative Klonipin is added to help him be calm at night

• AROUND 8 YEARS OLD- Alec becomes violent and has extreme mood swings- Psychiatrist says he may have Bi-Polar- Depakote is prescribed

• NINE YEARS OLD- Alec becomes afraid to go to school, psychiatrist adds clonidine- says it’s a “mood stabilizer” when in reality it is used to control hypertension in adults- tends to highly sedate children.

• TEN YEARS OLD and 100 pounds-Behavior CONTINUES to worsen- told by a new psychiatrist he may have schizoaffective disorder- prescribes antipsychotic Risperdol

• Alec begins to have uncontrollable facial movements three months after starting Risperdol, and Alec’s psychiatrist wants to increase Risperdol which can suppress tics temporarily but they come back even worse, sometimes irreversible.

HOPE FOR ALEC• Alec’s grandmother found Dr. Breggin who immediately started taking him OFF the medications

• “he didn’t have any kind of psychiatric disorder and that most of his disturbed behavior cmae from a combination of the drugs and his parents’ difficulties in learning to discipline him”

• Alec is told he would have to work very hard to get his behavior back under control

• Alec’s parents are told they need to develop a more consistent, rational plan of discipline and would have to find more time to spend with Alec

• Alec’s teacher were taught how to handle Alec’s sometimes difficult behavior.

• Alec’s tardive dyskinesia is almost completely resolved after a few months of being free of all medications (it DID worsen in the beginning before getting better)

• After about two years, Alec’s regular treatment was stopped, doing well in regular classes in public high school, no serious behavior problems, looking forward to college.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT…

• Are we drugging our children because they are angry? bored?

• How much damage is just the label of “mentally ill” do?

• What about “do no harm?”

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF PSYCHOSTIMULANTS• “All psychoactive drugs disrupt normal brain function,” (Breggin, Ritalin Fact Book, 27)

• For detailed explanation, refer to book.

• Cognitive toxicity- deterioration of mental functions such as thinking, learning, attention, and memory- pg. 34

• Occurs in 40% or more of the typically treated cases

• “Nervousness and Insomnia were the most common ADR’s (adverse drug reactions)” (Breggin, 17 Ritalin Fact Book)

• Amphetamine-induced depression- 39%

• Psychotic Symptoms- 9% of drug treated children developed psychotic symptoms, zero children diagnosed but not taking medications did. Most cases of psychosis cleared when medication was stopped.

• Zombie Like state

• Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior

• Shrinkage of areas of the brain, including frontal lobes

• LONG-TERM “significantly higher diastolic blood pressure”, possibly even after stopping medication (RAINE STUDY)

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF PSYCHOSTIMULANTS• Sensitivity to stimulants in the future- low doses produce unusually strong behavioral and biochemical reaction later

• Growth Hormone interrupted- growth stunted- threat to growth of brain

• Stimulant-Caused Hypertension- fatal cardiac arrhythmias- coroner compares changes to heart with changes he observed in chronic cocaine addicts

• Causing strokes

• Tics- One clinical trial- 58% developed tics on Ritalin and Dexedrine (Breggin, 59).

• ADHD appears in 50% of individuals with Tourette’s… when the two disorders coexist, the onset of ADHD often precedes the onset of the Tourette’s. (DSM IV, pg. 88)

• Convulsions

• Gastrointestinal Problems

• Headaches/Blurred Vision

• Hair Loss/Hair Pulling (compulsive behavior)

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF PSYCHOSTIMULANTS• Sexual dysfunctions

• Blood Disorders- Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia

• Liver tumors in mice

• Interactions with OTC drugs- cold/allergy meds containing stimulants = cardiovascular problems

• YOUNG CHILDREN (under 6) = HIGHER RATE OF SERIOUS ADVERSE REACTIONS – 69% markedly deteriorated becoming more unhppay and sad- improvement once medication is stopped

• RITALIN ACTS MUCH LIKE COCAINE! Reduced blood flow, oxygen flow, brain cell death and tissue shrinkage, etc.

• “children who are treated for ADHD with stimulants are more likely to abuse cocaine in young adulthood”

• Teaches children that they are not in control of their behavior & takes attention away from the problems in the environment

• Medication was associated with a greater likelihood of performing BELOW expected for age (RAINE STUDY)

OTHER POINTS• When reviewing the literature on other psychiatric medications, the information is just as grim.

• Withdrawal is VERY serious and medications should NOT be stopped “cold turkey”- talking with your prescribing physician is recommended so an appropriate schedule can be formulated. Do not go any faster than you can handle. THINK JOHNNY CASH in the movie “Walk the Line” when he was going through Withdrawal and bed-ridden.

• Dr. Breggin gained a lot of the information he presents while doing work as a medical expert in cases against giant pharmaceutical companies charged with negligence or fraud- he has therefore had access to records inside the drug companies that are not privy to the public.

• John Nash actually got OFF his medications prior to improving- not portrayed this way in “A Beautiful Mind”

• Many people have died from using prescription medications, sometimes in regularly prescribed doses.

• Some celebrities include: Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Dorothy Dandridge, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Lee, Freddie Prinze, Keith Moon, Abbie Hoffman, Steve Clark, Margaux Hemingway, Rob Pilatus, Dana Plato, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Chris Penn, Gerald Levert, Anna Nicole Smith, Pimp C, Heath Ledger

• Having these drugs prescribed by a doctor makes them seem less dangerous

MORE INFO

• Generation RX- Movie

• American Addict- Movie on Netflix

• Marketing of Madness- Movie

• Medication Madness- Book, Dr. Breggin

• Toxic Psychiatry, Book, Dr. Breggin

• Ritalin Fact Book, Dr. Breggin

• The Medicated Child- Movie

REFERENCES• American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric

Association.

• Baughman, D. F. (2014, January 14). ADHD: Epidemic or Fraud? Retrieved from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvdxW_T01lk

• Breggin, D. P. (2000, May 3). Medicating Kids. (P. Frontline, Interviewer)

• Breggin, P. R. (1999). Psychostimulants in the treatment of children diagnosed with ADHD: Risks and mechanism of action. International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine 12, 3-35.

• Breggin, P. R. (2002). The Ritalin Fact Book. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Perseus Publishing.

• Cassani, M. (2012, January 17). Video interview with John Nash of Beautiful Mind fame (with commentary). Retrieved from Beyond Meds: Alternatives to Psychiatry: http://beyondmeds.com/2012/01/17/johnnash/

• Groenendijk, C. (2009). The Serotonergic "Bio-Chemical Imbalance" Theory/Myth. Retrieved from Antidepressant Facts: http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/Biochemical-Imbalance.htm

• Harris, M. (n.d.). 18 Celebrities Who Died from Prescription Drugs. Retrieved from Pharmacy Techs: http://www.pharmacytechs.net/blog/18-celebrities-who-died-from-prescription-drugs

REFERENCES CONT’D• Hassner Sharav, V. (2000, January). Evidence of Neuroleptic Drug-Induced Brain Damage in Patients:.

Alliance for Human Research Protection. Retrieved from http://www.ahrp.org/risks/biblio0100.php

• Mate, G. (2014). AD(H)D. Retrieved from Dr. Gabor Mate: http://drgabormate.com/topic/adhd/

• National Institute of Mental Health. (2009, March). Short-term Intensive Treatment Not Likely to Improve Long-term Outcomes for Children with ADHD. Retrieved from National Institute of Mental Health: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2009/short-term-intensive-treatment-not-likely-to-improve-long-term-outcomes-for-children-with-adhd.shtml

• Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2010, October). SSRI Induced Indifference. Retrieved from US National Library of Medicine: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2989833/

• Schwarz, A., & Cohen, S. (2013, March 31). A.D.H.D. Seen in 11% of U.S. Children as Diagnoses Rise. The New York Times.

REFERENCES CONT’D

• US Food and Drug Administration. (2013). Medication Guide. Retrieved from US Food and Drug Administration, Drug Safety and Availability: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm

• US National Library of Medicine. (2014, April 1). Methamphetamine (By Mouth). Retrieved from U.S. National Library of Medicine: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0011126/?report=details

• Smith, G., Jongeling, D. B., Hartmann, D. P., Russell, C., & Landau, L. (n.d.). Raine ADHD Study: Long-term outomes associated with stimulant medication in the treatment of ADHD children. Retrieved from Government of Western Australia Department of Health: http://www.health.wa.gov.au/publications/documents/MICADHD_Raine_ADHD_Study_report_022010.pdf