The author calls Geodon Abilify's "big, hulking cousin," when in fact it is merely another med in the same class (atypical antipsychotics).

Thank you.

I can't believe what you've had to endure. I send you and your family love,love,love. You are a marvelous writer (and a wonderful mom)

That's what sent the whole process into start. A nominal functional adult who for whatever reason went into a moderate depression. After 6 months of this the caregiver decided to medicate, and medicate and medicate. Anyone would have known inside of 2 months whether or not antidepressants were working or not and if not needed to take steps to wean the patient off them, which can take quite some time. The usual standard for stopping SSRI's is something like half dose for 2 weeks then that same half dose every other day for 2-4 weeks then tapering off as required.

BTW this is the sort of thing you see with geriatric patients. Dr's give them all kinds of powerful drugs to shut them up. I see Dr's write Risperdal for moderate geriatric depression. That is beyond unethical it's dangerous.

So the rule of thumb is start out on the mildest settings. If it doesn't work in reasonable amount of time DO NOT GO FORWARD.

I have been a psychiatric nurse for many years, and would certainly agree with some of the comments made here.

Initial psychiatric examinations tend to be formulaic and quick. Diagnosis does not always mean much. Insurance companies need a diagnosis.

There is a huge difference between being assessed in a university department of psychiatry or a specialist facility like the one mentioned by the LW and by the average jobbing psychiatrist.

Psychiatrists are not bad people, but many of them are not geniuses. They are very concerned about not treating a patient's complaints in case this leaves them open to charges of negligence.

I often say, as a response to remarks about psychiatric drugs saving people's lives, that I would rather be dead than take the psychiatric drugs I give other people every day.

This is, of course, not the whole truth--and I would never say this to my clients--but I do think that people should be aware that they should only take psychiatric drugs (of any type) when life has become unbearable without them, if they have a major psychiatric disorder, (or if ordered to do so by a court).

Americans in general are very oriented towards the "pill for every ill" mentality, and would do well to be aware that the pharmaceutical industry, makes profits by continual growth in sales, and by trying to create demand where there was none before.

Atypical antipsychotic drugs (like Abilify, Geodon, Risperdal) are a bit of an improvement over older drugs, because they have less or different side effects. The lady's son was probably put on Geodon because it is one of the few drugs that does NOT cause weight gain, but apparently this was not explained to her.

Anyway, if he wasn't psychotic in the first place, then there was no point in him taking an antipsychotic drug.

Live is very difficult for the parents of kids who are autistic or have Down syndrome. They may indeed be lovable children, but when testosterone, a powerful hormone that affects the brain, starts to kick in, and their social handicaps make a fulfilling sex life impossible, then the resulting behaviors are unpredictable.

Let us not minimize the importance of the ties many psychiatrists have to the pharmaceutical industry. As Bauer points out, Minnesota has been singled out in the New York Times for its physicians' connections to big pharma. This is due to the fact that Minnesota is, as yet, the only state in which these ties must, by law, be disclosed. One can only imagine what will come to light when other states begin disclosing such ties.

And it is not simply a matter of doctors accepting little gifts from pretty pharmaceutical reps. Nor is it simply a matter of these doctor getting free meals at very nice restaurants, or even free holidays in exotic locales. Many of these doctors are employed by these pharmaceutical companies as "consultants."

Not to put too fine a point on it, but consultant pretty much means shill. These doctors are paid handsomely to give "educational" talks to other doctors and healthcare providers; these talks are, of course, about the benefits of a particular medication and are designed to motivate the audience to prescribe that medication as often as possible.

It is astonishing to read how these physicians justify the fact that they regularly prescribe drugs from the companies for which they "consult." One of the most disturbing reads I've encountered in a long time is the NYT piece Bauer refers to, "Doctors' Ties to Drug Makers Are Put on Close View" from March 23, 2007.

As long doctors are remunerated with impunity for marketing the drugs they should be prescribing with impartiality, stories such as Bauer's will be all to common.

That is an amazing story with many lessons. It shows the dangers of mixing unpredictable medications with very predictable human greed, and shows us why the drug companies, and the medical establishment both need to be regulated.

It shows us the power that comes through crisis, the power to find an answer despite being told we are "wrong" to have doubts about irresponsbile professionals who act out of greed despite their oathes.

It shows the efficacy of persistence, and patience under the most trying circumstances, and of love that abides the most challenging of trials.

It is also a heart warming, well written story and a joy to read. Thank you for all the useful information and for the way in which it was delivered.

Dear Mary,

I reviewed all the files you graciously loaned me regarding Misty and am totally outraged!

Now. Let me try to summarize the unconscionable actions of the mental health treatment criminals which led to the murder of your precious daughter.The incompetence, ignorance, and callous disregard for even the most minimal standard of medical care was abominable to the most extreme degree. Unfortunately, Misty's tragic death was the ultimate consequence of the mental health industry madness that has been steadily becoming more vile and also paradoxically more pervasive over the past fifty years.

Misty became, as is often seen in those in the midst of dealing with the stresses of puberty and of the adolescent experience, rebellious to authority. Formerly an honor student and assigned to gifted and talented classes, her school performance began deteriorating in the 9th grade and she began exhibiting behavior problems at school. Though never tested positive for illegal drugs, she was expelled from school for " drugs ". This led her to be committed by a dismally moronic juvenile judge to an adolescent treatment center named

The BridgeWay on 10/13/05. The intake psychiatric evaluation stated "Misty presented as a casually dressed, happy, cooperative, appropriate, 4'10"/93 lb. child of at least average intelligence, superior abstracting and concentration abilities; but poor judgement." Dr. N....... diagnosed Misty as depressed and despite no positive test

results for drugs, he also suggested she might be marajuana and cocaine dependent.

She was discharged two weeks later with Risperdal .25 mg 3 times daily, Tenex .5 mg, Zoloft 50 mg in the morning, and ordered to continue the drugs indefinitely and to receive treatment in Pine Bluff for follow-up.

Children like Misty frequently become ensnared in the mental health nightmare in a progressive fashion. . She is likely first to receive a stimulant like Ritalin, Dexedrine or Adderall. As she was only slightly less impulsive and continued to argue at home, Clonidine or Tenex may be added. If problems still persisted, the doctor, invoking an underlying "atypical" depressive disorder as his reason, may try Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft or Wellbutrin.

But if the child doesn't improve or gets worse, especially if she goes after an adult at school or breaks the law, serious consideration is given to using a "mood stabilizer." These drugs purport to treat the greatly expanded bipolar diagnosis. The anticonvulsants, Depakote and Neurontin, are often tried first. Some doctors prefer to prescribe lithium carbonate but its reputation as an adult drug that has frequent side effects decreased its popularity for use in children. Ultimately medications initially used to treat psychosis are used. They are categorized as novel or atypical anti-psychotics because their chemical structure is different from the first drugs like Thorazine or Mellaril used for schizophrenia. Risperdal, Zyprexa, are the current "hot" anti-psychotics that are now being used to treat bipolar disorder.

It remains to be seen how much safer Risperdal will be over Mellaril or Thorazine.

Several drugs that had been frequently prescribed by child psychiatrists and pediatricians plummeted in their use when catastrophic side effects were discovered. Desipramine, imipramine and clonidine have all been associated with episodes of sudden death in children.

Obviously the Risperdal and Tenex are incredibly dangerous when prescribed separately and even more hazardous when taken together. An interesting side-effect of Zoloft is that it often triggers mania/aggressiveness which is ironically one of the primary problems for which Misty apparently was being treated .

This combination of drugs is frequently prescibed as a " cocktail " for teens which should be made a major felony for any physician that does it!

Misty drifted in and out of The BridgeWay for two months; even spending her 15th birthday unnoticed and uncelebrated at the BridgeWay even though she tried to harm herself on that date. While at Bridgeway she was declared average and even above average by two separate psychiatrists; but Misty , a gifted child until a few years before, was declared retarded by Darla Earles and William Cochran,Ph.D. They unbelievably failed to note her history, her above grade level reading, spelling and comprehension skills. Everyone involved at The Bridgeway failed to note the neurotoxic effects of her being drowned in a cocktail consisting of : Zoloft 50mg

Seroquel 50mg three times daily

Clonidine .1 mg three times daily

Thorazine 25 mg every six hours prn

Ativan 1mg every six hours as needed

Misty was transferred to an even more destructive hell hole

called Millcreek of Arkansas in mid- december 2005 and remained there until May 31, 2005 . She continued to deteriorate ...probably as a result of being poisoned by the following meds she was discharged with;

Zyprexa 40mg

Depakote 1500mg

Clonidine .2 mg

Trazadone 50 mg

Cogentin 1 mgTwice daily

Benadryl 50 mg

Prolixin 50 mg IM Mon.& Thurs.

By this time, Misty was no longer the 93 lb child discharged by The BridgeWay to Millcreek shortly after her 15th birthday. She had gained more than 40 lbs.on her 5 foot body and now had difficulty attending to her most basic needs such as toileting and bathing. Misty had been literally chemically lobotomized by the criminals at Millcreek and Bridgeway. The appropriately named Hugh Nutt, M.D.,a primary culprit, has been committing medical malpractice in Dallas County for years ; being rewarded apparently by being named Medical Director at Millcreek of Arkansas.

Misty died in her sleep in her bedroom on August 8, 2005..

I hope I can be helpful in your struggle for justice.

With my warmest regards and condolences,

Roy