Could this Simple Vitamin Help Treat Psychotic Disorders Better than
Drugs?
Posted By
Dr. Mercola |
April 04 2012 | 138,072
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By Dr. Mercola
A growing trend of drug misuse is alarming medical experts,
policymakers, and patient advocates.
In recent years, there has been a massive increase in off-label
use of a class of drugs called "atypical niacantipsychotics."
These drugs, which include Seroquel, Zyprexa, Risperdal and
Abilify, are only approved to treat disabling mental illnesses, but
they're being prescribed by psychiatrists and primary-care doctors
to treat conditions they were never approved for, such as:
- Anxiety
- Attention-deficit disorder
- Insomnia
- Behavioral problems in toddlers, and
- Dementia
Atypical antipsychotics have carried a black-box warning—the
strongest warning label possible for drugs—since 2005,
cautioning that use in elderly patients with dementia increases risk
of death.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, antipsychotic
drugs are not indicated for the treatment of dementia-related
psychosis.
Yet many doctors are still prescribing antipsychotics
for dementia.
According to a recent article in the Washington Posti
:
"Critics say the popularity of atypical antipsychotics
reflects a combination of hype that the expensive medicines,
which can cost $500 per month, are safer than the earlier
generation of drugs; hope that they will work for a variety of
ailments when other treatments have not; and aggressive
marketing by drug companies to doctors and patients ...
[S]erious side effects... include major, rapid weight
gain... [t]ype 2 diabetes, breast development in boys,
irreversible facial tics and, among the elderly, an increased
risk of death."
Skyrocketing Misuse of Dangerous Antipsychotics in Children
Most of the atypical antipsychotics were approved in the 1990's,
at which time they were reserved for a very small minority of
serious mental illnesses; primarily schizophrenia and bipolar
disorder—diseases afflicting an estimated three percent of
Americans. More recently, some atypical antipsychotics have also
been approved for the treatment of severe depression.
This class of drugs includeii
:
Aripiprazole (Abilify) |
Clozapine (Clozaril) |
Lurasidone (Latuda) |
Olanzapine/Fluoxetine (Symbyax) |
Quetiapine (Seroquel) |
Asenapine Maleate (Saphris) |
Iloperidone (Fanapt) |
Olanzapine (Zyprexa) |
Paliperidone (Invega) |
Risperidone (Risperdal) |
Shockingly, as discussed in the featured Washington Post
article, recent disclosures show that children in foster care
receive a disproportionate amount of potent mind-altering drugs. Not
only do American foster children receive more psychotropic drugs
than other children in general; they receive more drugs than those
with the most severe forms of mental illness! This is an absolute
tragedy, as these children are being drugged not out of medical
necessity, but primarily for the convenience of caretakers, and for
the profit of those within "the system."
Can Severe Mental Illness Be Diagnosed in Toddlers?
Children as young as 18 months are now receiving antipsychotic
drugs, despite the fact that the diseases they're designed to treat
rarely develop before adolescence. So why are toddlers
receiving these potent drugs? Sadly, one of the key reasons these
drugs are used is because of their sedative effect. They're
typically prescribed to control "disruptive" behavior—not to treat
severe mental illness.
Granted, the dubious diagnosis of "pediatric bipolar disorder" is
in large part responsible for the increased use of antipsychotic
drugs in young children. It is absolutely incomprehensible that
there has been such an astounding increase in the diagnosis of
childhood mental illness. The only rational explanation is a
manipulation of the definition to justify inappropriately drugging
our children.
According to the featured article:
"Between 1994 and 2003, reported diagnoses increased
40-fold, from about 20,000 to approximately 800,000, according
to Columbia University researchers. That diagnosis, popularized
by several prominent child psychiatrists in Boston who claimed
that extreme irritability, inattention and mood swings were
actually pediatric bipolar disorder that can occur before age 2,
has undergone a reevaluation in recent years.
The reasons include the highly publicized death of a
4-year-old girl in Massachusettsiii
, who along with her two young siblings had been
taking a cocktail of powerful drugs for several years to treat
bipolar disorder; the revelation of more than $1 million in
unreported drug company payments to the leading proponent of the
diagnosis; and growing doubts about its validity."
"Inventors" of Pediatric Bipolar Diagnosis had Strong Drug Industry
Ties
If you suspect foul play might have something to do with this
dangerous trend, you're probably right. Last year, the Harvard
psychiatrists who invented the pediatric bipolar diagnosis were
disciplined for conflicts of interestiv
after it came to light they'd all received millions of
dollars in undeclared drug company monies. In a July 21, 2011
article, Vera Sherav for Alliance for Human Research Protection
writes:
"An investigation, prompted by Sen. Charles Grassely, was
conducted by Harvard University-affiliated Massachusetts General
Hospital. It concluded that psychiatrist Joseph Biederman and
two of his proteges, Thomas Spencer and Timothy Wilens—each of
who failed to disclose millions of dollars they had each
received from the makers of antipsychotics, the drugs they
promoted for the treatment of bipolar in children–had indeed
violated the University's/ and hospital's conflict of interest
reporting standards. The three wrote a mea culpa letter stating
"we want to offer our sincere apologies…" acknowledging "our
mistakes…"
However, no mention was made anywhere about the
profound consequences of these psychiatrists'
commercially-driven clinical recommendations. No mention about
the corruption of the scientific literature, about clinical
practice that deviated from the Hippocratic Oath, "First, do no
harm," nor was any mention made about the harm suffered by
children whose doctors were misled about the safety and efficacy
of highly toxic drugs. Child psychiatrists and
pediatricians throughout the US were guided by these exceedingly
influential Harvard psychiatrists."
The investigation also unearthed evidence of commercially-driven
corruption of the research produced by these psychiatrists. A
New York Times articlev
revealed that court documents showed Dr. Biederman
promised Johnson & Johnson that the results of a planned study in
preschool children would "support the safety and effectiveness of
Risperdal in this age group."
One Drug... A Cornucopia of Side Effects...
According to a study published last year, off-label prescriptions
for antipsychotic drugs doubled between 1995 and 2008, from
4.4 million to a staggering 9 million prescriptions. In 2008, an
estimated $6 billion was spent on off-label antipsychotics in the
US, of which $5.4 billion was for uses based on uncertain evidence!
Taking an antipsychotic drug to treat, say, insomnia, is really
like using a bazooka to rid yourself of a mosquito. It's overkill of
the highest order, or as Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman is quoted as saying
in the featured article, "It's a total outrage."
Unfortunately, relentless advertising has helped "normalize"
these drugs, so people don't think much of taking one. Take Abilify
(aripiprazole), for example. It is licensed for the treatment of
bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, as well as major depression
when taken with antidepressants. I.e. it is used to
augment the effects of the antidepressants. This is because, of
course, antidepressants don't work as advertised either. Numerous
studies have demonstrated that antidepressants are no more effective
than a sugar pill...
Abilify is a perfect example of how dangerous polypharmacy is
spreading and increasing.
The word 'polypharmacy'
means "many drugs," and essentially refers to instances where an
individual is taking too many drugs--either because more drugs are
prescribed than clinically indicated, or when the sheer number of
pills simply becomes a burden for the patient. This situation used
to be primarily a concern for the elderly, who generally take more
medicines than younger folk. But over the past several years, even
children as young as three are increasingly being prescribed
four or more drugs! This is a significant problem, as the more
drugs you mix together, the greater the chances of serious side
effects.
People (of all ages) taking psychiatric drugs appear to be
particularly prone to polypharmacy, which is particularly disturbing
since each and every one of these drugs are quite potent and
potentially dangerous when taken all by itself. Abilify, for
example, has a staggering 75 different side effectsvi
associated with it, including:
Low thyroid (hypothyroidism) or high thyroid
(hyperthyroidism) |
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) |
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) |
Gallstones and kidney stones |
Yeast infections |
Arthritis |
Carpal tunnel syndrome |
Impotence |
Antipsychotics: Overused, Overpriced, Oversold
According to Sandra B. Goodman, author of the featured article:
"Antipsychotics are overused, overpriced and oversold,"
said Allen Frances, former chair of psychiatry at Duke
University School of Medicine, who headed the task force that
wrote the DSM-IV, psychiatry's diagnostic bible. While judicious
off-label use may be appropriate for those who have not
responded to other treatments for, say, severe
obsessive-compulsive disorder, Frances said the drugs, which are
designed to calm patients and to moderate the hallucinations and
delusions of psychosis, are being used "promiscuously,
recklessly," often to control behavior and with little regard
for their serious side effects.
Doctors are allowed to prescribe drugs for unapproved
uses, but companies are forbidden to promote them for such
purposes.
In the past few years major drugmakers have paid more
than $2 billion to settle lawsuits brought by states and the
federal government alleging illegal marketing; some cases are
still being litigated, as are thousands of claims by patients.
In 2009 Eli Lilly and Co. paid the federal government a record
$1.4 billionvii
to settle charges that it illegally marketed Zyprexa
through, among other things, a "5 at 5 campaign" that urged
nursing homes to administer 5 milligrams of the drug at 5 p.m.
to induce sleep."
Who Decides What Mental Illness is?
Modern psychiatry has expanded its reach to the point that even
the most normal of emotions and mental states now fall under one
labeled "disorder" or another. They have been able to cleverly
define mental illness with the use of the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This book is
created by members of the American Psychiatric Association.
You would think that diseases are put in this book after
evaluating carefully executed scientific trials, but nothing could
be further from the truth. Additions and changes to this manual are
determined by votes by its members. This categorization is NOT based
on science at all!
It is well documented that psychiatric drugs in general and
atypical antipsychotics specifically, are misused across the board.
The over-use and mis-use of these drugs exact a very steep
price—your health. If you fall into the category of having been
mis-prescribed a psychiatric drug—which today is more the norm
than the exception—please understand that there are far better,
safer options. And for those of you who are taking a properly
prescribed drug, based on appropriate diagnosis of a mental illness,
just be aware of what the potential side effects are, so
that you can avoid more serious illness. By making key
lifestyle changes you may be able to counteract some of the most
devastating side effects, allowing you to maintain better health…
Normal Life Challenges are Now Medical Conditions
According to the featured Washington Post article:
"Wayne Blackmon, a psychiatrist and lawyer who teaches at
George Washington University Law School, said he commonly sees
patients taking more than one antipsychotic, which raises the
risk of side effects. Blackmon regards them as the "drugs du
jour," too often prescribed for "problems of living. Somehow
doctors have gotten it into their heads that this is an
acceptable use." Physicians, he said, have a financial incentive
to prescribe drugs, widely regarded as a much quicker fix than a
time-intensive evaluation and nondrug treatments such as
behavior therapy, which might not be covered by insurance."
Alas, you cannot push a drug unless people believe they might
have a disease. At the heart of the problem is the
DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders), and its slew of newly created diseases that are
dubbed in need of medical treatment (i.e. drugs). The central
dilemma is that many of the "disorders" could apply to nearly any
one of us at one time or another, hence any one of us, or ALL of us,
can at some point justify taking a potent drug. The practice of
systematically inventing disease or exaggerating minor ones in order
to sell more products actually has a name. It's called
disease-mongering, and it's a well established tool used among
drug companies.
And as irrational as it may seem, any one of the following
"disorders" can be "treated" with a drug:
- Are you sometimes shy? Then you may have "Social Phobia."
- Are you wondering about deeper things, such as the meaning
of life? Then you've got a "Religious or Spiritual Problem."
- Do you argue with your brother or sister? Then it's a
"Sibling Relational Problem."
- Does your child argue with adults, lose his temper, or annoy
people? Then he has "Oppositional Defiant Disorder."
- If you or your teenager is uncertain about what path to take
in life, what your values or career goals are, you've likely got
an "Identity Problem."
The Drugging of Our Children
It is bad enough to prescribe dangerous psychotropic drugs to
adults, but some of the most targeted people are just barely out of
diapers. In 2007 alone, half a million children and teenagers were
given at least one prescription for an
antipsychotic, including 20,500 under the age of 6. American
children are the
most medicated children in the world. For example, they get
three times more prescriptions for antidepressants and stimulants,
and up to double the amount of antipsychotic drugs than kids from
Germany and the Netherlands.
How can we, as a society, continue to allow corporate profits to
come before lives, and even before children's lives? And why is it
that so few people are willing to step up and really expose the
corruption once and for all?
If you or your child is suffering from an emotional or mental
challenge, please seek help, but do so from someone who does not
regard psychotropic drugs as a first line of defense. It will be
very helpful if you first optimize your or your child's diet and
lifestyle as this will significantly improve the likelihood of any
successful natural intervention. A good starting point would be my
comprehensive
health plan
that is free to view. There are also many wonderful tools out there
to address your emotional challenges. One of my favorite ones is the
Emotional
Freedom Technique (EFT).
Could a Vitamin Actually Help Psychosis?
I will be interviewing Dr. Andrew Saul later this year about his
new book,
Niacin: The Real Story: Learn about the Wonderful Healing Properties
of Niacinviii
. He co-wrote the book with Abram Hoffer M.D.,
Ph.D., who published over 600 reports and articles as well as 30
books. His early work led to the use of niacin for schizophrenia and
as an cholesterol treatment. Dr. Hoffer died in 2009 at the age of
91, but he successfully treated many thousands of patients with high
dose niacin for psychotic disorders.
He presented some very compelling evidence to support treating
most psychotic disorders as a vitamin B3 deficiency.
Considering it is very inexpensive and has virtually no dangerous
side effects it would certainly be worth a consideration for anyone
who has a family member with this mental health challenge. I would
also highly recommend picking up this $12 book at Amazon and
learning more about its use.
Is there Hope for Change?
Fortunately, there are glimmers of hope that sensibility will
return and that much-needed changes will be made to prevent most of
the unnecessary drugging. According to Boodmanix
:
- Texas has announced it will not allow a child younger
than 3 to receive antipsychotics without authorization from the
statex
- Arkansas now requires parents to give informed consent
before a child receives an anti-psychotic drug
- The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
announced it is summoning state officials to a meeting this
summer to address the use of antipsychotics in foster care.
- Senators Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Charles E. Grassley
(R-Iowa) have introduced legislation that would require doctors
who prescribe antipsychotics off-label to nursing home patients
to complete forms certifying that they are appropriate, and
- Medco is asking doctors to document that they have
performed diabetes tests in patients taking the drugs
"Our intention here is to get doctors to reexamine
prescriptions," [Psychiatrist David J.] Muzina [a national
practice leader at pharmacy benefits manager Medco] said. "In
the short term, I don't see a change in this trend unless
external forces intervene."
I believe one of the first steps toward change is education and
awareness—in this case, people need to be re-educated about drugs
and disease, so they won't fall for the lure of "the magic pill."
Doctors must also become more sensitized to the grave harm inflicted
on their patients by unnecessary drugs, and focus on normalizing
their patient's biochemistry by eliminating sugars and processed
foods, and considering addressing hidden vitamin deficiencies like
niacin.
References:
© Copyright 1997-2012 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.
http://articles.mercola.com
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