Welcome to the March 2009 issue of the Psychology Debunked newsletter!
Continuing our focus on ways we can improve our marriages, here is Commandment #3 of our "Ten Commandments of a Blessed Marriage:"
3.Lift up your lover. Respect, praise, encourage and defend the love of your life. Never disrespect them or make them vulnerable, publicly or privately. Be positive, supportive and empathetic. Your spouse is your best friend.
Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Phl 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Pursuing peace in all situations, staying positive when times get tough, and shouldering the load when your partner needs it--these are all ways we can keep our marriages strong.
This month, drug companies continue to hide drug testing data while bribing doctors and educators, but fortunately some are fighting back and demanding more accountability and transparency. Also this month, a school shooting in Germany replays America's Columbine and Virginia Tech horrors. In articles and Q&A, we uncover some of the causes of mental symptoms instead of merely
masking them with therapy and drugs.
Lifting Him up in our hearts,
Lisa and Ryan Bazler
Seroquel manufacturer hides link to diabetes
Call it Zyprexa deja vu: another drug company's antipsychotic drug is exposed. Previously unpublished clinical trial data now made public through legal discovery from no less than 9,000 lawsuits has shown Astra Zeneca knew their antipsychotic drug Seroquel caused type-2 diabetes but purposely hid this data from doctors and the public for years in order to increase sales, which total $4.5 billion annually for the drug maker. They are also accused of marketing and selling Seroquel for uses not approved by the FDA. It seems Lilly isn't the only drug company who operates above the law. more »
PLoS: Medical literature tells the good news about drugs but not the bad
This Public Library of Science article cites a study concluding that negative drug trial testing outcomes are not as likely to appear in medical journals as positive outcomes, painting an inaccurate picture of drug safety and efficacy. Since doctors get most of their information on new drugs from medical journals, their patients only get half the story, and that story is colored by drug company influence and propaganda.more »
Forest Labs caught bribing doctors to prescribe their antids to kids
"Drugmaker Forest Laboratories Inc. offered kickbacks to doctors for prescribing its antidepressants Celexa and Lexapro and pushed the drugs for unapproved use on children, according to a complaint filed Wednesday by federal prosecutors. The New York-based drugmaker offered cash payments, expensive meals and entertainment to induce doctors and others to prescribe the drugs, the complaint said. It also accused Forest of promoting Celexa for pediatric use, even though a study showed it was no more effective than a placebo for children." more »
Crackdown! Some fight back against drug co influence over doctors and educators
- Massachusetts bans pharma gifts to doctors and requires public disclosure of payments to doctors for speaking and consulting.more »
- Harvard medical students protest against the out-of-control pharmaceutical company influence over medical education there.more »
- IA Senator Grassley orders Pfizer to provide details of payments made to at least 149 faculty members at Harvard Medical School.more »
- Pfizer to start publicly disclosing money they pay to doctors in 2010.more »
School shooter in Germany murders 15 before killing himself - antidepressants stopped
"[17-year-old Tiim] Kretschmer had been receiving psychological treatment for depression, but according to the police, he had recently abandoned his therapy."The world asks "Why?" but we know exactly why. Starting, stopping, or changing antidepressants puts you at very high risk of homicidal and suicidal thoughts and behavior, especially for children and teens who are still developing physically and mentally! How many more Columbines, Virginia Techs, and "Winnendens" do we need before people start listening? more »
Stop the Mother's Act
Ignorant and greedy politicians continue to push for the Mother's Act, which would force all pregant and new mothers to undergo depression screening, inevitably leading to an antidepressant drug prescription. Antidepressants are extremely dangerous, have recently been found to cause sudden cardiac death and fatal heart disease in women, and are known to cause birth defects and complications. The precious child in this video didn't have a voice, but we do...more »
Mental illness, or simply lack of sleep?
Sometimes common sense is the best doctor we have. Before admitting you have a mental problem, consider asking yourself, "How is my diet? Do I get enough exercise? Do I manage my stress levels and workloads? Do I get enough sleep each night?" In addition to spiritual habits, these lifestyle choices can greatly impact our mental stability. This article describes how sleep deprivation and disruption can show up as "mental illness" in many cases.more »
Pharmakeia and Modern Day Drug Use, Part 3
Pastor Scott Johnson dissects the biblical concept of pharmakeia and ties it to modern day mind-altering drug use in this hard-hitting, truth-telling sermon audio series entitled "Pharmakeia: Sorcery, Pharmaceuticals & the Roots of Modern Day Drug Use."Here is Part 3.
Q&A
This reader asks, "
How do I know the true cause of my symptoms? And what should I do if the doctors and psychiatrists just want to keep giving me drugs for the rest of my life?"See our answer here.
Letters
This woman's doctor has her on five psychiatric drugs at the same time.more »
"In an Aug. 15, 2005, voicemail message addressed to company salespeople, an AstraZeneca employee named Christine Ney followed up on a 'weight and diabetes sell sheet' they had recently been sent. The sales representatives should assuage doctors' fears about their patients' weight gains, she said in the voicemail, by telling them that data showed no causal link between diabetes and the drug.
'"Our objective is to neutralize customer objections to Seroquel's weight and diabetes profile,' Ms. Ney said, according to a transcript of the voicemail message. She then instructed representatives to 'refocus the call' away from diabetes to the drug's tolerability, the transcript shows."
--"AstraZeneca Papers Raise Seroquel Issues" article in WSJ, 27-Feb 2009
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The mission of this ministry is to inform mental sufferers and those from whom they seek help of the physical, mental and spiritual dangers of mental health disorders and treatments, and to encourage them to pursue a drug-free, psychology-free, Christ-centered life. Visitors to this web site taking psychotropic drugs who wish to discontinue use are strongly advised to consult a qualified physician for assistance and supervision before starting the discontinuation process. This ministry and web site provides information to help visitors make the most informed decisions about their mental health, and should not replace the advice of a medical doctor.
