The website itself, upon inspection, is laughable. "If he doesn't give
you a biological testing to see if you need this, don't take it."
While many mental illnesses are genetic and biochemical in nature,
there **IS NOT** a quick stick with a needle or bloodwork to prove
illness in most cases. It's not freaking diabetes or organ failure,
for cryin out loud. The medical complications listed should also list
which drugs CAUSE the associated problems. I also find it interesting
that the site itself doesn't include any information regarding the
individual diagnosis listed on the side... just more articles about
"drugs r bad, mkay?" Not one word about what the symptoms are or what
proper treatment SHOULD be, alternative or conventional. The
information about ECT is also just as sketchy. The "link of interest"
to a scientology group, CCHR, gave me a chuckle as well. Bipolar,
Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety, Schizophrenia... the symptoms are
obvious and sometimes VERY strong, debilitating enough to interfere
with normal life and day to day function. For many, especially bipolar
patients, the "old line" treatment of lithium/depakote and a ssri did
little to ease the mania or depression. The better functioning anti-
psychotics such as zyprexa work by easing the suspected cause of the
illness... leakage of cell walls in the brain. Fish oil is another
known treatment, though with lesser effects. (Its effective enough
that pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing pharma grade fish oil,
without all the heavy trace metals that wind up in the fish that are
normally the source of the oil.) Main line treatment for these mental
illnesses are NOT anti-psychotic drugs. Its a fallback when the other
stuff just doesnt work. The patients with more severe symptoms are
often willing to take the risk of allergies or complications, because
the alternative of a non-functional life is unbearable. Personally?
I'd rather live with a few side effects than be so depressed that
suicide was my only option. I know alot of people who have been in
that situation, and they all were of the same opinion. I know alot of
people who are alive today, leading healthy happy lives that they
wouldnt have had without the
medication.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
On a side note, Brit, if not taking medication has worked for you hun,
then good for you. But that doesn't work for everyone.. ask Elli
Perkins.Oh, but wait, you cant.... Elli was stabbed to death in 2003
by her schizophrenic son that she was treating with auditing and
vitamins.  Maybe he could have benefitted from an anti-psychotic
medication.  Here's the youtubery from a CBS special report on her
tragic death.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69qsEbSoTYo