Alternative Mental Health News -- Issue 49

[Guest guest]

> Safe Harbor

> <ezine

 

> Alternative Mental Health News -- Issue 49

> Wed, 18 Aug 2004 22:28:52 -0400 (EDT)

>

 

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> THE ALTERNATIVE MENTAL HEALTH NEWS

>

======================================================

>

> Issue 49, August 2004

>

>

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> TABLE OF CONTENTS

>

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>

> 1. ABOUT SAFE HARBOR

> 2. EDITOR'S NOTE

> 3. ANNOUNCEMENT: DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER, DR. DORIS

> RAPP HEADLINE SAFE HARBOR EVENT, OCT. 7

> 4. ANNOUNCEMENT: SAFE HARBOR LA OFFICE SEEKS

> VOLUNTEERS

> 5. ANNOUNCEMENT: 6-WEEK NUTRITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH

> CLASS 9/25-10/30, CHINO, CALIFORNIA

> 6. ANNOUNCEMENT: SAFE HARBOR NY TALK, AUGUST 23:

> INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRIST STEPHAN QUENTZL

> 7. ANNOUNCEMENT: SAFE HARBOR INDIA TALK, AUGUST 23

> 8. ANNOUNCEMENT: SEEKING SOMEONE TO HEAD SAFE HARBOR

> BOSTON

> 9. ANNOUNCEMENT: SAFE HARBOR SITE GETS A NEW LOOK!

> 10. ANNOUNCEMENT: AUSTRALIAN WORKSHOP - NUTRITIONAL

> MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR KIDS

> 11. GUEST EDITORIAL: FORCED MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS

> 12. ARTICLE: NATUROPATHIC PROGRAM FUNDED AT

> PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

> 13. ARTICLE: STUDY SHOWS DIETARY NIACIN EFFECTIVE IN

> PREVENTING ALZHEIMER'S

> 14. ARTICLE: HELPING THE HELPLESS IN CALCUTTA

> 15. ARTICLE: JAPANESE RESEARCH LINKS TOXICITY AND

> AGGRESSION

> 16. ARTICLE: STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS MAY LEAD TO

> DYSKINESIA IN CHILDREN

> 17. ARTICLE: SCHIZOPHRENIA DRUG MAKER ADMITS RISKS

> 18. ARTICLE: ANTIDEPRESSANT DANGERS CONTINUE TO MAKE

> HEADLINES

> 19. ARTICLE: NON-DRUG PROGRAM FOR LEARNING-DISABLED

> KIDS

> 20. ABOUT ALTERNATIVEMENTALHEALTH.COM

>

>

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> ABOUT SAFE HARBOR

>

======================================================

>

> Safe Harbor was founded in 1998 in the wake of

> growing public dissatisfaction with the unwanted

> effects of orthodox psychiatric treatments such as

> medication and shock therapy. Seeking to satisfy the

> desire for safer, more effective treatments, Safe

> Harbor is dedicated to educating the public, the

> medical profession, and government officials on

> research and treatments that, minimally, do no harm

> and, optimally, cure the causes of severe mental

> symptoms. Our primary thrust is education on the

> medical causes of severe mental symptoms and the use

> of nutritional and other natural treatments.

>

>

======================================================

> EDITOR'S NOTE

>

======================================================

>

> (My thanks to readers who caught my spelling error

> in last month's issue in the phrase " as ye sow, so

> shall ye also reap " - I shall not let it happen

> again!)

>

> Remarkably, this issue starts our 5th year of

> bringing you the AMH News. The small newsletter we

> started is now so full of announcements and news

> items that we can scarcely contain them all.

>

> Through the hard work and support of so many, Safe

> Harbor now has events going across the planet the

> next three months.

>

> Would you like to help? Like all other

> organizations, Safe Harbor needs funding to operate.

> We need it to hire staff, pay our bills, and fund

> the many events we do.

>

> Once a year Safe Harbor actively engages in

> fundraising so that we can support this important

> work. That time is now. Our big event is October

> 7, as you see below. A lot of people, including Dr.

> Laura Schlessinger, are donating their time and

> efforts to make this event a success to bring us

> much-needed funds.

>

> You can help by buying your tickets early. If you

> can't come, you can donate tickets or donate to our

> general funds or to help us underwrite the event.

> Or you can connect us with a foundation that may

> want to help underwrite the event or support our

> work.

>

> If you can help us with the finances, I assure you

> that we will provide the heart, passion, and hard

> work so that, together, we can continue to carry out

> our motto of " changing lives every day. "

>

>

======================================================

> ANNOUNCEMENT: DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER, DR. DORIS RAPP

>

> HEADLINE SAFE HARBOR EVENT, OCT. 7

>

======================================================

>

> Mark your calendar for October 7, Safe Harbor's

> remarkable Fourth Annual Awards Benefit - this year

> featuring two bestselling authors who are legends in

> their fields.

>

> Dr. Doris Rapp, author of the blockbuster books Is

> This Your Child? and Is This Your Child's World?

> plus the recent Our Toxic World, is the world's

> leading spokesperson on how allergies affect child

> behavior. Her work on Donahue, Oprah, and through

> lectures around the world has dramatically impacted

> a generation of children. One television appearance

> alone prompted over 100,000 letters from viewers.

>

> Safe Harbor is privileged to honor Dr. Rapp with our

> 2004 Lighthouse Award, presented annually to men and

> women who benefit humanity by forwarding truly safe

> and effective mental health treatments.

>

> Dr. Laura Schlessinger, America's top radio

> therapist with over 10 million weekly listeners, has

> generously agreed to donate her time as our keynote

> speaker. Dr. Laura finds common ground with Safe

> Harbor as a champion of children, a public voice

> encouraging the use of psychiatric drugs only as a

> last resort, and a promoter of the philosophy that

> full recovery comes from taking responsibility for

> one's health and one's life.

>

> Dr. Laura, author of seven New York Times

> bestsellers, including her recent mega-hit The

> Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, will answer

> questions from the audience.

>

> Also honored will be Melvyn Werbach, M.D., renowned

> nutritional psychiatrist and editor of numerous

> internationally popular texts such as Nutritional

> Influences on Illness and Nutritional Influences on

> Mental Illness.

>

> Ticket prices: $95 in advance; $125 at the door

> Special seating at Dr. Laura's or Dr. Rapp's table:

> $500

> SEATING IS LIMITED - THIS EVENT IS GENERATING A LOT

> OF BUZZ SO BOOK EARLY!

>

> Where: Glendale Hilton, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd.,

> Glendale, California

>

> When: 7:30 PM, Thursday, October 7.

>

> Prizes, including jewelry made by Dr. Laura, will be

> raffled off.

>

> Tickets can be purchased at the Safe Harbor office:

> (323) 257-7338 or mail checks to Safe Harbor, 1718

> Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041

>

>

======================================================

> ANNOUNCEMENT: SAFE HARBOR LA OFFICE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

>

======================================================

>

> Due to the rapid expansion of Safe Harbor

> internationally, the main headquarters is seeking

> volunteers who can help in the Los Angeles office

> with the day-to-day activities. Schedules can be

> flexible but day help is needed. The office is

> located in the Eagle Rock section of Los Angeles

> between Glendale and Pasadena. Contact: (323)

> 257-7338 or safeharborproj

>

>

======================================================

> 6-WEEK NUTRITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CLASS 9/25-10/30,

> CHINO, CALIFORNIA

>

======================================================

>

> THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION

>

> Physical Causes Underlying Mental Disorders

>

> LEARN THE SCIENCE BEHIND NUTRITIONAL TREATMENTS

> FOR MENTAL DISORDERS

>

> ...in a series of Saturday morning workshops with,

>

> Nancy Mullan, MD - Burbank psychiatrist

> Stu Shipko, MD -Pasadena psychiatrist

> Prof. James Croxton - Educator, physiological

> psychology

> Dan Stradford - Pres., Safe Harbor

>

> Week 1: Stress and Neurological Structures and

> Processes

> Week 2: Nutritional Factors Relative to Brain

> Structure and Function

> Week 3: Hormonal Issues, Cerebral Allergies, and

> Food Intolerances

> Week 4: How Pollutants and Toxins Affect Brain

> Function

> Week 5: Medical Causes of Mental Disorders

> Week 6: Resources for Alternative Mental Health Care

>

> PLUS hear the personal stories of people who have

> recovered from mental disorders through nutrition,

> diet changes, and other natural means

>

> Presented by NAMI Chino Valley - formerly NAMI Chino

> Hills - (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)in

> partnership with Safe Harbor, the nation's leading

> nonprofit agency for non-pharmaceutical mental

> health education.

>

> Saturdays - Sep. 25 through Oct. 30, 2004

> 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

> 6251 Schaefer Ave., Unit G

> Chino, California

>

> Fee (all six weeks): $38

> Two attendees together: $58

> Each additional family member: $10

> Seating is limited so register early!

>

> Phone : NAMI (909) 923 7517 or Safe Harbor (323)

> 257-7338

>

> Online: www.alternativementalhealth.com

>

> Mail: Check payable to " Safe Harbor " or " NAMI Chino

> Valley " ,

> send to Safe Harbor, 1718 Colorado Blvd., Los

> Angeles, CA 90041

>

> VISA, MasterCard, AMEX accepted.

>

> For more information contact

> www.alternativementalhealth.com

> or call the above numbers

>

>

======================================================

> SAFE HARBOR NY TALK, AUGUST 23:

> INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRIST STEPHAN QUENTZL

>

======================================================

>

> Dr. Stephan Quentzl will provide an overview of

> complementary approaches for dealing with mental

> health symptoms with an emphasis on self-care. He

> will discuss nutrition, nutriceuticals,and exercise

> as well as effective interaction with health care

> professionals, especially related to the integration

> of complementary techniques. He will also cover

> lifestyle issues, such as time management, and their

> effect on mental health.

>

> WHEN: Monday, August 23rd from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

> (Note: Please do not arrive earlier than 6:15. We do

> not technically have

> the space until 6:30.)

>

> WHERE: The Continuum Center for Health and Healing,

> an initiative of Beth

> Israel Medical Center, located at 245 Fifth Avenue

> (between 27th and 28th

> Streets), 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016. The

> closest subways: N, R to 28th

> St. or the 6 to 28th St.

>

> DONATION: $5 requested donation (to help cover Safe

> Harbor NY's operating

> costs)

>

> RSVP: Please let us know if you will be attending:

> 212-302-9811 or

> ny. We are volunteer-run

> and will not be able to

> confirm reservations. We will only contact you

> regarding reservations if you

> have a specific question or in the unlikely event

> that we have a question or

> concern. Please note it may take a few days to

> respond to any questions.

>

> We hope to see you there!

>

>

======================================================

> SAFE HARBOR INDIA TALK, AUGUST 23

>

======================================================

>

> We are pleased to announce that prominent Indian

> nutritionist Dr. Vijaya Sathe will be presenting the

> first talk for the Safe Harbor chapter in Pune,

> India, on August 23. The subject will be " Nutrition

> and Mental Health. "

>

> For details on time and location, contact Ramya of

> the Safe Harbor chapter at wamhc or (0091)

> 020-26837644.

>

>

======================================================

> ANNOUNCEMENT: SEEKING SOMEONE TO HEAD SAFE HARBOR

> BOSTON

>

======================================================

>

> The current president of our Safe Harbor Boston

> chapter is seeking someone to replace him. For

> personal reasons, he is no longer able to devote the

> amount of time he has in the past to the chapter but

> he will remain to help with events, etc. Boston was

> our first chapter and we have had numerous events

> and meetings there to meet the strong interest in

> alternative mental health in the Boston area.

>

> If you are interested, contact Gary at

> SafeHarborB or at 617 964 5544.

>

>

======================================================

> ANNOUNCEMENT: SAFE HARBOR SITE GETS A NEW LOOK!

>

======================================================

>

> Safe Harbor's site - the world's largest of its kind

> - at www.AlternativeMentalHealth.com has been

> upgraded and streamlined for easier use and better

> access. Take a look!

>

>

======================================================

> ANNOUNCEMENT: AUSTRALIAN WORKSHOP - NUTRITIONAL

> MENTAL

> HEALTH TREATMENT FOR KIDS

>

======================================================

>

> Fountaindale Clinic (Australia) Presents:

>

> THE ALPHABET KIDS

>

> Professional 2-day Workshops (August 21 & 22) plus

> others

>

> Maximum 10 participants per workshop

>

> " Designed for those many interested psychologists,

> special eds., nurses and others involved

> professionally in this huge problem - who asked me

> to share what I have learned. "

> Michael Sichel, D.O., N.D., Ph.D., author of " Good

> News for the Alphabet Kids "

>

> WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

> You will learn everything necessary to reverse, or

> significantly improve, the vital but damaged

> physiological/gastro-intestinal/metabolic function

> and nutritional status in children with all types of

> regressive (late onset) autism spectrum disorders.

> You will learn how these damaged processes have

> affected the brains of these children.

>

> For more information: adhd-specialist

>

> Phone: 02 43 622 458

>

> Fountaindale " Get Well Naturally " Clinic in

> Ourimbah, one hour north of Sydney.

>

>

======================================================

> GUEST EDITORIAL: FORCED MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS -

> A PSYCHIATRIC INQUISITION

>

======================================================

>

> by Nathaniel S. Lehrman, M.D.

>

> (The following was sent to us in response to recent

> headlines claiming that the Bush Administration is

> in support of mandatory screenings for mental

> disorders.)

>

> Forced screening of the general population for

> " mental illness, " and the possibility of forced

> treatment for those then " diagnosed, " is a dangerous

> un-American fraud. When people are troubled, they,

> and they alone, should determine whether to seek

> help, and, if so, where. We don't need experts to

> tell us when we are troubled. And when children have

> difficulties, it is the parents, not the state, who

> have primary responsibility for helping to deal with

> them.

>

> " Mental illness " is a vague term which has now

> expanded beyond all limits. Should " experts " so

> label any of us, or our children, how do we disprove

> it? And should they then insist that medication be

> given against our will - as some public schools are

> already doing with ADHD-labeled children - how do we

> protect ourselves against these often-dangerous

> substances?

>

> Some forty years ago, a psychologist on Long Island

> urged a group of educators to have " mental health

> teams " drop unannounced into classrooms to find

> " sick " teachers needing " treatment, " because they

> were supposedly so harmful to their students. All

> present were horrified, and rejected this proposed

> resurrection of the medieval Inquisition, with

> " mental health experts " taking the role of the

> medieval Church.

>

> Psychiatry has been called the only business in

> America where the customer is always wrong. Allowing

> it forcibly to screen the American public would

> benefit only the screeners and the drug companies,

> and harm the rest of us - as well as destroying our

> democratic traditions of free speech and thought.

>

> (Nathaniel S. Lehrman, M.D., is former Clinical

> Director, Kingsboro Psychiatric Center, Brooklyn NY.

> Contact: 10 Nob Hill Gate, Roslyn NY 11576;

> 516/626-0238)

>

>

======================================================

> NATUROPATHIC PROGRAM FUNDED AT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

>

======================================================

>

> The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester (New

> Hampshire) was recently awarded a $40,000 Ittleson

> Foundation grant designated to support the agency's

> efforts to integrate naturopathic medicine among the

> array of treatments available for behavioral and

> mental health concerns. The two-year grant will

> support efforts to develop a program model,

> treatment protocols and educational materials that

> can be replicated by other mental health programs

> throughout the country.

>

> A year ago, The Center became one of the first

> community mental health centers in the United States

> to offer naturopathic medicine as a treatment

> option. At a time when more people are seeking

> alternatives to traditional medical care and, in

> particular, looking to rely less on medication to

> manage their symptoms, the demand for complementary

> therapies like those provided by naturopathic

> medicine is growing. Research has shown that

> naturopathic therapies including clinical nutrition,

> vitamin and mineral therapy and botanical medicine,

> are effective in treating conditions such as

> attention deficit disorder, depression, anxiety,

> substance abuse, and other behavioral health

> problems.

>

> According to The Center's Medical Director, Daniel

> P. Potenza, MD, " The Ittleson Foundation grant

> affords us an exciting and unique opportunity to

> establish a first-of-its-kind program model. Dr.

> Jeffrey Sager, the naturopathic doctor on our staff,

> will be developing the program model, treatment

> protocols, educational and program development

> materials that will be an invaluable tool for other

> mental health organizations locally and nationally

> who want to replicate the program. "

>

> Dr. Sager, a licensed doctor of naturopathic

> medicine, joined the staff of The Center's Bedford

> Counseling Associates one year ago. He is also on

> the staff of the Center for Life Management, the

> community mental health agency located in Derry.

>

> Since 1932, The Ittleson Foundation has been serving

> the needs of the underprivileged and providing

> resources for not-for-profit organizations. Today,

> The Foundation continues a commitment to bringing a

> " venture capital " approach to philanthropy and is

> particularly interested in the areas of mental

> health, AIDS, and the environment.

>

> For more information regarding Naturopathic Medicine

> services, contact The Mental Health Center of

> Greater Manchester at (603) 668-4111 or visit

> http://www.mhcgm.org/.

>

>

======================================================

> STUDY SHOWS DIETARY NIACIN EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING

> ALZHEIMER'S

>

======================================================

>

> Eating abundant amounts of niacin-rich foods can

> protect against mental decline by 80%. That is the

> finding of a new study reported in the August issue

> of the Journal of Neurosurgery & Psychiatry authored

> by Dr. Martha Morris of the Rush Institute for

> Healthy Aging in Chicago.

>

> It has been known that a severe deficiency of niacin

> (B3) causes a condition called pellagra, which is

> characterized by dementia, and that pellagra can be

> resolved with synthetic niacin. However previous

> studies did not determine whether dietary niacin

> would also be an effective guard against mental

> deterioration.

>

> Dietary data was collected every three years from

> 1993 to 2003 from a group of 6158 Chicago residents

> over 65 years old. Cognitive testing was done four

> times over that period of time. A random sample of

> various subgroups within this larger group (sorted

> by race, age, sex and those who had a change in

> cognitive performance) was done. Of 815 people

> identified for the random sample, 131 participants

> experienced mental decline.

>

> The random sample was then divided into five groups,

> rated according to their intake of dietary niacin.

> The top fifth (highest intake of niacin-rich foods)

> were 80% less likely to develop dementia than the

> group in the bottom fifth. The middle three groups

> were 70% less likely to develop dementia than the

> bottom fifth.

>

> The study provided controls for various important

> risk factors for dementia, such as age, education,

> race, and the presence of a gene associated with

> risk for Alzheimer's, as well as intake of various

> other B vitamins, antioxidants, fats, and folate.

>

> Food sources of niacin include liver, poultry, fish,

> lean meats, whole and enriched grains (except corn),

> dried peas and beans, nuts, peanuts, Brewer's yeast,

> wheat germ, avocados, and dates.

>

>

======================================================

> HELPING THE HELPLESS IN CALCUTTA, INDIA

>

======================================================

>

> Ishita Sanyal's life completely changed when she

> learned that a loved one was believed to have the

> most dreaded mental illness, schizophrenia. As a

> psychologist, she felt helpless to improve the

> quality of life for the affected individual or the

> parents. Neither medication nor counseling can

> provide what is most needed in these cases -

> rehabilitation, learning life skills, social

> interaction, and communication.

>

> None of the centers she looked into offered real,

> practical answers. She decided to do it herself,

> founding the Turning Point center and designing its

> entire program. Where other centers offered

> bookbinding or pickle making as occupational

> therapy, she launched a computer training program

> for mental patients, the first of its kind in

> Calcutta.

>

> Her programs have garnered international praise,

> usually accompanied by astonishment that she has

> done all this without funding. She is recognized as

> a pioneer in making patients more responsible. Her

> paper on the role of responsibility in mental

> treatment has been adopted by the WFSAD Conference

> (World Fellowships for Schizophrenia and Related

> Disorders).

>

> Turning Point's first conference took up the subject

> of caring for the caregiver. Under her leadership

> the first parent group was formed in Calcutta, a

> precursor to the present trend toward family

> acceptance and contribution as an alternative to

> institutionalization.

>

> Ishita has arranged a number of awareness programs

> on mental health, and plans to start a mental health

> quiz program at Swabhumi.

>

> In addition to all these activities, she is a

> regular columnist at the Telegraph, working to

> promote broad public awareness and understanding of

> mental health issues.

>

> She may be contacted at sanishita

>

>

======================================================

> JAPANESE RESEARCH LINKS TOXICITY AND AGGRESSION

>

======================================================

>

> Japanese researchers are concerned about the impact

> of environmental chemicals on normal hormone

> functioning in mammals, including humans, according

> to a July article in The Yomiuri Shimbun.

>

> The article echoed the concern of the Japan Society

> of Endocrine Disrupters Research that DDT, dioxin,

> PCB, plastics, BPA, nonylphenol, and about 65 other

> named substances can suppress normal growth, nervous

> system and cognitive development, and fertility,

> with abnormal behavior a likely outcome.

>

> The Society stressed the importance of the problem

> at its June 25 meeting, following the release of a

> report that rats fed Bisphenol A - a chemical used

> in the manufacture of wrapping paper, plastic

> bottles, and other products - found it more

> difficult to negotiate a maze and exhibited

> ADHD-like symptoms.

>

> Female rats born to mothers that had ingested

> Glufosinate, a weed killer used on golf courses,

> were extremely aggressive toward other rats. The

> chemical structure of Glufosinate mimics that of

> glutaminic acid, which is indispensable to the human

> brain.

>

> A national campaign to assess the damage caused by

> such substances has lost momentum of late, said the

> story.

>

> In Taiwan, an average drop of about five percentage

> points in IQ on average was reported among children

> aged 6 to 7 suffering from polychlorinated biphenyl

> (PCB) poisoning.

>

> Underactive thyroid function in mothers during the

> early stages of pregnancy has been linked to lower

> IQ scores in their children. Chemically, PCB

> resembles thyroid hormones and may inhibit their

> production.

>

> Studies conducted in the mid-1990s reported that

> small traces of an endocrine disrupter could lead to

> smaller testes in carp and smaller penises on

> crocodiles, while male fish exhibited more female

> traits.

>

> Japanese scientists have dubbed such chemicals

> " environmental hormones " because of their

> hormone-like behavior when ingested, a kind of

> toxicity that defies usual classification.

>

> Yoichiro Kuroda of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute

> for Neuroscience said: " If something unusual happens

> to genes, any effects will take several thousand to

> several tens of thousands of years to become

> obvious. The abrupt changes in the past must have

> been caused by chemical substances. "

>

>

======================================================

> STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS MAY LEAD TO DYSKINESIA IN

> CHILDREN

>

======================================================

>

> Streptococcal infections may lead to dyskinesias

> (abnormalities in performing voluntary muscle

> movements) and associated psychiatric disorders in

> some children, says a July report in Archives of

> Diseases in Childhood.

>

> In the report, Dr. R.C. Dale and colleagues

> summarized their experience of post-streptococcal

> dyskinesias and mental symptoms in 40 patients

> (ranging in age from 1.2 to 16 years) examined

> between 1999 and 2002 at London's Institute of Child

> Health.

>

> The most frequent dyskinesias were chorea (rapid,

> involuntary dance-like movements) in 20 children,

> vocal tics in 17 children, and motor tics in 16.

>

> An infectious illness compatible with beta-hemolytic

> streptococci shortly preceded the movement disorder

> onset in 34 children, the authors report, whereas

> the remaining 6 patients had 2 or more relapses

> associated with streptococcal infections.

>

> Additionally, 33 of the children experienced mood

> swings, obsessions, compulsions, or depression,

> sometimes accompanied by unwanted behaviors.

>

> The disorder resolved completely after one episode

> in 11 patients (27.5%), the results indicate, but 15

> have persistent static disease, and 14 have relapses

> associated with further infections. It is hoped that

> further study will lead to effective treatment

> methodologies.

>

>

======================================================

> SCHIZOPHRENIA DRUG MAKER ADMITS RISKS

>

======================================================

>

> The maker of a leading anti-schizophrenic drug has

> notified doctors that it minimized potentially fatal

> risks and made misleading claims about the drug in

> promotional materials.

>

> Janssen Pharmaceutica Products sent a two-page

> letter to the health care community in July to

> clarify the risks of Risperdal, said Carol Goodrich,

> a spokeswoman for the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary.

>

> The letter complied with a directive issued last

> year by the Food and Drug Administration, which told

> several makers of anti-psychotic drugs to update

> their product labels.

>

> Janssen reported compliance in November 2003, but

> the FDA determined that the company's promotional

> materials still minimized the risk of strokes,

> diabetes and other potentially fatal complications.

> The agency also said Janssen made misleading claims

> that the medication was safer in treating mental

> illness than similar drugs.

>

> The Miami Herald reported in July that a handful of

> boys in Florida developed lactating breasts after

> taking Risperdal.

>

> Also in July, the drug - which is prescribed to more

> than 10 million people internationally - was named

> in a federal lawsuit by a doctor who claims children

> have been harmed and even killed by the misuse of

> drugs he blames on aggressive marketing by drug

> manufacturers.

>

> Risperdal was first marketed about eight years ago.

>

>

======================================================

> ANTIDEPRESSANT DANGERS CONTINUE TO MAKE HEADLINES

>

======================================================

>

> Doctors will be required to warn all patients under

> 30 of the suicide risk posed by the antidepressant

> Seroxat (Paxil) following an investigation into the

> drug by a European medical agency, AMH News learned

> in late July.

>

> The European Commission is expected to ratify the

> findings this fall, which would make the

> recommendations law throughout the European Union

> (EU).

>

> The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal

> Products (EMEA) had announced in April that Seroxat

> can lead to an increased risk of " suicide-related

> behaviour in young adults, " recommending extra

> caution in prescribing the drug to those aged 18 to

> 29 and calling close monitoring of patients

> throughout treatment. The EMEA licenses drugs for

> use in the EU.

>

> A significant number of patients prescribed Seroxat

> are under 30, according to the drug's manufacturer,

> GlaxoSmithKline. The drug was banned for patients

> under 18 in the UK last year.

>

> The mental health charity Mind called on the UK

> Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to

> order family doctors to warn all their depressed

> patients about the EMEA's findings immediately.

>

> A Mind spokeswoman said: " The European ruling on

> Seroxat makes it very clear that the very real

> problems with this drug potentially go far beyond

> the groups already acknowledged to be at risk.

>

> " When there are up to 800,000 people currently

> taking Seroxat in the UK, there is an urgent need

> for these risks to be made plainly known, and for

> GPs to be very aware of potential problems when they

> hand out prescriptions. "

>

> In the U.S., an unprecedented effort has been

> undertaken to evaluate suicides in a large

> population of depressed individuals taking

> antidepressant drugs for months or years. The study

> analyzed data collected on more than 2,500 patients

> prescribed fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil),

> amitriptyline, or dothiepin.

>

> Suicides and suicide attempts increased sharply in

> the month after patients started taking the

> antidepressants, reported Hershel Jick and

> colleagues at the Boston University School of

> Medicine (Journal of the American Medical

> Association, July 21). They argued, however, that

> the suicides must be a result of the depression and

> not of the drug treatment, which supposedly takes

> several weeks to " kick in. "

>

>

======================================================

> SUCCESSFUL NON-DRUG PROGRAM FOR LEARNING-DISABLED

> KIDS

>

======================================================

>

> The principal of CL Milton Elementary School in

> Laredo, Texas, has just announced breakthrough

> results for a pilot study using balancing and

> coordination exercises for children with learning

> disabilities or ADHD symptoms.

>

> After only four months of twice daily exercises,

> eighty-three 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students

> showed 75% more reading progress than a control

> group of non-learning disabled students from the

> same grades.

>

> According to the school principal, learning-disabled

> children typically progress in reading ability only

> 25% to 50% as much as non-learning disabled students

> over a given period.

> The Learning Breakthrough Program is a balance and

> sensory activity program designed to help better

> organize brain processing in order to improve a

> child's overall functioning in areas of learning

> such as reading, writing, comprehension and focus.

>

> The program is suitable for those 7 years and older.

> Improvement reportedly becomes permanent after 9-12

> months of use for fifteen minutes twice daily.

>

> The program may not only help struggling children

> catch up, but may help gifted children to excel. It

> does not replace skills training or tutoring, but

> enhances the results of such activities.

>

> According to Dr. Irvine Mason, Diplomate, American

> Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, " It is difficult

> for many to understand how a physical exercise

> program can improve reading, writing, comprehension

> and attention ability. My initial skepticism was

> replaced with excitement after a careful review of

> the program, research and user reports. With one in

> six school children diagnosed with a learning

> disability and probably an equal number that fall

> through the cracks, widespread use of a non-medical

> program such as this will have a significant impact

> on not only the children and families involved, but

> society as well. "

>

> " As the parent of a child with dyslexia who was also

> identified as gifted and talented, I had looked at

> everything I could find, " says Mrs. Ratliff,

> principal, C.L. Milton Elementary School. " The

> balance and sensory exercises that are part of the

> Learning Breakthrough Program made sense to me. So

> much so, that I took a leap and integrated it into

> the school. Simultaneously, my 8-year-old son used

> the program at home each day. After 5 months of

> program use, his reading level jumped by 2 years. My

> goal was to guide other parents who I knew from

> experience were as frustrated and desperate as I was

> in trying to help their children succeed. "

>

> A child enrolled in the program watches on

> videotape, then performs tasks such as throwing

> beanbags, tossing balls at a bounce-back target, and

> tapping a hanging ball, while standing on a unique

> balance board. Two 15-minute sessions per day are

> recommended for maximum benefit.

> For more information, visit

> http://www.learningbreakthrough.com.

>

>

======================================================

> ABOUT ALTERNATIVEMENTALHEALTH.COM

>

======================================================

>

> ALTERNATIVEMENTALHEALTH.COM IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST

> WEB SITE DEVOTED exclusively to alternative mental

> health treatments. It includes a directory of over

> 240 physicians, nutritionists, experts,

> organizations, and facilities around the U.S. that

> offer or promote safe, alternative treatments for

> severe mental symptoms. Many of the physicians

> listed do in-depth examinations to find the physical

> causes behind mental problems.

>

> Also included on the site is an array of articles on

> topics ranging from the medical causes of

> schizophrenia to the effects of toxic metals on

> mental health.

>

> Special AlternativeMentalHealth.com T-shirts and

> bumper stickers are available at our online store.

>

> A bookstore page lists top books that cover many

> areas of alternative treatments with titles like

> Natural Healing for Schizophrenia and Other Common

> Mental Disorders and No More Ritalin.

>

> AlternativeMentalHealth.com has been created to

> educate the public, practitioners, and government

> officials on the medical conditions that create

> " mental illness " and the many safe resources

> available for addressing and often curing severe

> mental symptoms.

>

 

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