http://www.ednews.org/articles/14316/1/An-Interview-with-Ben-Hansen-The-Drugging-of-America/Page1.html
EdNews
An Interview with Ben Hansen: The Drugging of America
By Michael F. Shaughnessy
Senior Columnist EdNews.org
Eastern New Mexico University
7/11/2007
Founder and
president of the wickedly satirical Bonkers Institute for Nearly
Genuine Research, Ben Hansen is an independent investigator,
writer and activist in Traverse City, Michigan seriously alarmed
by the over-diagnosis of mental disorders and the widespread use
of psychiatric drugs in our society. Ben uses a two-pronged
approach to raise awareness about the issue, by collecting hard
evidence and scientific data pointing to the dangers of
psychiatric medications, and also with biting humor lampooning
the pseudoscience behind Big Pharma's slick marketing campaigns.
A taste of this can be found at the Institute's brilliant web
site,
www.bonkersinstitute.org
1) First of all, what got you interested in psychiatry and the
pharmaceutical industry?
In 1999, following the death of my father and the suicide of a
friend on the same day, I suffered a breakdown and soon found
myself on the receiving end of our mental health system -- a
system that offered nothing but drugs, drugs, drugs. The
experience radicalized me and opened my eyes in many ways. I
agree with author Leonard Roy Frank: "Psychiatry is to medicine
what astrology is to astronomy." That's why I founded
bonkersinstitute.org -- to expose psychiatry as fraudulent
pseudoscience, and to expose psychiatrists as incompetent
pill-pushing quacks.
2) You probably review mounds of data and statistic. What is the
biggest increase that concerns you?
I'm alarmed by recent data which shows a 100% increase in
children under age 5 being prescribed drugs like Artane,
Cogentin, and Requip for the treatment of movement disorders
such as dystonia, dyskinesia, tics, tremors, and restless legs
syndrome.
3) What do you attribute it to?
Drug-induced movement disorders are a common side effect of
psychiatric medications. The increased diagnosis and treatment
of "mental disorders" in toddlers has resulted in a
corresponding rise in the prescribing of drugs to control the
side effects of psychiatric drugs in toddlers. It's that simple.
4) Many years ago, we used to think epilepsy was caused by demon
possession. Now we know better. Yet, we still don't know if
there is a germ, a bacteria, or a virus that causes epilepsy or
attention deficit disorder. Is medicine still a growing realm of
investigation?
Many years ago we believed mental illness was caused by
"melancholy fumes" rising from the stomach. Today we believe
mental illness is caused by "chemical imbalances" within the
brain. I don't think science has progressed very far in this
regard. In some respects I think we've moved backwards. We used
to deal with unpleasant emotions by working to improve the
quality of our lives, but today we reach for a pill.
I don't call that progress.
5) According to every study I have ever seen, the rate of kids
with Attention Deficit has increased. IS this what we used to
call in graduate school a "garbage or waste basket" term-? When
in doubt, call it ADD?
And if it's not called ADD then it's called autism. These
so-called "disorders" are simply labels used to describe
behavior we're too lazy to explain another way. Too often
parents seem eager to accept a psychiatric diagnosis without
questioning whether the diagnosis is valid. If a child's
symptoms are caused by mercury poisoning, for example, a
diagnosis of autism does nothing to correct the problem.If a
child is inattentive because she's smarter than other kids in
the classroom, a diagnosis of ADD is positively harmful in every
way.
6) Obviously the various drug companies have a vested interest
in kids and adolescents getting labeled and receiving
medication. Who is out there to investigate and examine what is
going on?
The drug companies spend a lot of money analyzing the market,
and sometimes I think they're the only ones who really know
what's going on because they're the ones who have all the data.
The State of Michigan (and at least 24 other states) allows Eli
Lilly to pay for a program to monitor psychiatric prescribing
patterns within the Medicaid system. An Eli Lilly representative
literally sits at the table while the program's reports are
prepared. I made a Freedom of Information request for those same
reports, but I was refused and I continue fighting this battle
in the courts. Ordinary citizens and taxpayers have less rights
than pharmaceutical representatives. In the words of author
Thomas Szasz, "Democracy has been replaced by pharmacracy."
7) Many say that all psychiatric problems are subjective. Yet, I
personally have worked with emotionally disturbed, seen children
with autism, talked to friends who are depressed, some anxious
about certain things and the like. If certain medications can
help people through these adjustments or transitions, why should
they not be used?
I believe consenting adults should have the right to take
whatever drugs they wish, but I don't want to pay for those
drugs with my tax dollars and I refuse to pretend that
psychiatric drugs are "medications that restore chemical
balance." Personally I would never swallow any psychiatric drug
for any reason. All psychiatric drugs are toxic substances with
many adverse effects -- in other words they're not good for you.
Additionally, I think we need to be more careful about what we
call disease. Unpleasant emotions and unwanted behaviors are not
diseases. Our emotional and spiritual needs cannot be met by
popping a pill.
8) When I was growing up, I never noticed advertisements on
television for sleeping aids or (gasp!) erectile dysfunction.
What the heck has changed in our society?
In 1997 the FDA loosened restrictions on direct-to-consumer
advertising on television. It's been a rapid downhill slide ever
since.
9) Why are we so quick to medicate kids and adolescents and
adults, and not refer them to caring competent, counselors?
Every school has counselors, and many schools have
psychologists. Unfortunately, some of them are utterly
incompetent and many of them act as referral agents for the
mental health system. I was struck by a comment I heard from a
school nurse who said there are more psychiatric drugs in the
schools today than there were in the psychiatric hospitals
thirty years ago when she was a nursing student.
10) Many years ago, there was a jingle in a commercial which
went "Relief is just a swallow away" (I think it was for Alka
Seltzer). Are we in a society where everyone is looking to a
pill to help them sleep, deal with anxiety, cope with depression
and medicate behavioral problems with Taractan and Haldol?
Not everyone is looking for a pill. Only the gullible ones.
11) What question have I neglected to ask?
I'd like to recommend a couple good books. "Toxic psychiatry,"
by Peter Breggin, and "Mad in America," by Robert Whitaker. I
also invite your readers to visit my web site, and feel free to
contact me by email.
Thanks for the opportunity to share my views!
+++
Michael F. Shaughnessy Senior Columnist EdNews.org
Dr. Shaughnessy is currently Professor in Educational Studies
and is a Consulting Editor for Gifted Education International
and Educational Psychology Review. In addition, he writes for
www.EdNews.org and the International Journal of Theory and
Research in Education. He has taught students with mental
retardation, learning disabilities and gifted. He is on the
Governor's Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Council and the
Gifted Education Advisory Board in New Mexico. He is also a
school psychologist and conducts in-services and workshops on
various topics.
