CELEXA SUICIDE: Jim Torlakson uses art to make a statement

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atracyphd2

Thu, 18 Aug 2005 12:10:37 EDT

[drugawareness] CELEXA SUICIDE: Jim Torlakson uses art to

make a statement

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Torlakson's tragic experience with Celexa was featured in an

article just

yesterday in California. Thank you to Jim for this exposure of the

antidepressant dangers!

 

On March 15, 2004, his daughter Elizabeth, 21, entered a closed BART

tunnel

in San Francisco and threw herself in front of a train. She had been

under the

care of a doctor who had prescribed the drug Celexa (one of the most

powerful

antidepressants on the market) to treat her depression. Instead it

caused her

horribly tragic death.

 

Jim has designed a lapel pin in honor of his daughter Elizabeth to

help raise

awareness of this issue and hopes that all who have been adversely

affected

by these drugs will wear them to help get this information out to an

unsuspecting public.

 

See Jim's site at www.jamestorlakson.com to see the lapel pin Jim has

designed and to find how to aquire your own lapel pin.

 

Dr. Tracy

______________________

 

Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, Executive Director,

International Coalition For Drug Awareness

www.drugawareness.org

Author of the " Bible on Antidepressants, " Prozac:

Panacea or Pandora? - Our Serotonin Nightmare

& audio " Help! I Can't Get Off My Antidepressant! "

(Order: 800-280-0730)

_________________________

 

 

http://www.pacificatribune.com/Stories/0,1413,92~3247~3014231,00.html

 

 

Article Last Updated: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - 11:59:26 AM PST

 

 

Jim Torlakson uses art to make a statement

 

By Chris Hunter

 

Daughter's suicide sparks advocacy role By Chris Hunter When a parent

outlives a child, we all can sympathize with the grief that remains.

 

Sometimes, the specific tragedy can inspire a kind of rebirth through

advocacy. In national news, Bay Area resident Cindy Sheehan has been

inspired by the

death of her son in Iraq to challenge President Bush on the war. John

Walsh

turned the disappearance and murder of his son Adam into a life's work to

prevent, or at least catch, criminals.

 

Locally, James Torlakson has found that his artistic background is helping

him become an advocate for a growing battle against drug companies and

their

pharmaceutical therapies for depression.

 

On March 15, 2004, his daughter Elizabeth, just 21 years of age, entered a

closed BART tunnel in San Francisco and threw herself in front of a

train. She

had been under the care of a doctor who had prescribed the drug Celexa

to treat

her depression.

 

A debate on the effectiveness of mood-altering drugs is growing in

intensity,

with more and more people recognizing the possible connection between

drugs

meant to heal and the sometimes-negative effect they can produce. In

fact, it's

becoming something widely recognized as an important, public topic. Most

objective websites, even those produced by the drug companies

themselves, indicate

that " suicide " is a potential side effect of taking the drug Celexa, for

example. But they also point to the countless patients who are helped

by the drug.

 

 

Torlakson's brother, Tom Torlakson, is a California State Senator

(D-Anitoch)

who has initiated legislation that would simply require doctors to have a

brief training session about the controversy before prescribing drugs to

depressed young people. Senate Bill 524 is not yet law, and has been

struggling

against drug company lobbying. Ironically, when Elizabeth Torlakson

died, the San

Francisco Chronicle wrote about her as the niece of State Senator Tom

Torlakson,

leaving her father out of the news story completely. Lately, Jim Torlakson

says his politician brother is doing all he can to help.

 

The FDA earlier this year ruled that drug companies must place a

" Black Box "

warning on some drugs indicating that they could possibly induce suicidal

behavior in some cases, particularly in children and adolescents. In last

weekend's The Boondocks, a nationally syndicated Sunday newspaper

comic strip by Aaron

McGruder, a cartoon character promoting " Truth " asks an adult in one panel

" Did you know that Prozac can lead to suicide? "

 

The growing awareness of the problem has given Pacifican James Torlakson a

little bit of comfort, but nothing will ever take away the pain of

having lost

his daughter. So, he has embarked on a journey to help other families

realize

they are not alone with similar grim situations.

 

Torlakson, who teaches art at City College of San Francisco, has been

relentless in his exploration of his daughter's death. He acquired

eerie BART photos

showing her last few moments alive. He analyzed every detail of the police

reports, the autopsy and every other official bit of paperwork he

could get his

hands on. His most prized possession is the toxicology report that

links the

drug his daughter was taking to her death.

 

" I've had a lot of things of a real spiritual nature happen, " says

Torlakson.

" I asked God what to do next. The answer was just instant; a complete

package. "

 

The revelation for Torlakson was to use his artistic talents to speak for

himself and the other families across the nation who have similar

stories. His

website, already established as a showcase for his art, became a virtual

gathering place for like minds. His ultimate goal is to establish the

" Elizabeth

Torlakson Foundation " as an entity that can have an impact on the

issue. A small

artistic shrine in his workshop, devoted to Elizabeth, is an example

of how

Torlakson tries to keep the memory of his daughter alive. He gives a

lot of

credit to his wife, Stephanie, for her unconditional support of his

current

activities.

 

He created a poster that shows a handgun next to a bottle of pills.

Another

poster shows a graphic image of exactly what happened to his daughter

when the

BART train hit her. Alongside the image is a series of statements and

indictments of drug companies, doctors and others Torlakson blames.

 

" It's just at the beginning, " he says of his web and poster efforts. " The

very core issue is to save lives by getting people aware of the problem. "

 

As if to prove that he is really not alone, Torlakson has been receiving

email from people who stumble across his website and the story of

Elizabeth.

 

" I'm the mother of five children, " writes one woman, going on to tell

of her

15-year-old son who committed suicide while taking the drug Celexa. " I

found

the website about Elizabeth Torlakson and just felt the need to make

contact.

Thank you for sharing your story through pictures. "

 

Torlakson says he is in touch with other people who have lost children

and is

hoping to provide graphic images and posters to link the grieving

community.

Some advocates have asked Torlakson for images. He has also designed

and had

made a lapel pin promoting the political advocacy action.

 

" I'm helping with the grieving process, " says Torlakson. " That's what

we do.

It will help pull people together. This is more important than

anything I've

ever created. The work is painful, but I have not been this inspired

since I

began my career. This is what I'm supposed to be doing and I've just

put my

heart in it. "

 

For details about what James Torlakson is doing, visit his website at

www.jamestorlakson.com . He is exhibiting some artwork, unrelated to

this project, at

the US Bank office in Eureka Square. He also would like to hear from

anyone

interested in participating in his work or helping to fund his efforts at

promoting public awareness.