Posted by MrTook on June 6, 2010, at 14:41:06
In reply to Re: Don't know what to believe, posted by Huxley on June 1, 2010, at 0:52:40
> > I know there have been a lot of discussions about the the truthfulness about data regarding psychiatric medications.
> >
> > I know this is a rather simple point, but I don't know what to believe.
> >
> > There is just so much conflicting evidence out there and I am tired of being a guinny pig. I have to make important decissions and what good data is there out there?
> >
> > Linkadge
>
> Have you read 'anatomy of an epidemic' by Robert Whitiker?
>
> Must read for anyone on serious psych meds.
>I took a look at the article and I wasn't too impressed. Sure he has a scary premise, I was certainly thrown into an anxious tizzy at first, but a scary premise doesn't make something a fact.
My first problem with the article is that it equates hospitilization with social security disability without really going into detail as to why this is a valid comparison. I mean just think about it, might there possibly be some motivation for the 1950's patient to stay out of the hospital, and possibly some motivation for today's mentally ill to receive "free" money. Would it be possible that getting SSI has gotten a little easier as the world has gotten a better understanding and acceptance of mental illness?
Another problem, what is a patient care episode? It is impossible to understand why the rate might be increasing without understanding what is really being reported.
Let's say that his assumption on comparing hospitilzation and SSI is valid. He uses Table 2 to drive his point home by saying that from 1955 to 2003 the rate of disability increased by a factor of 6x, but is not interested at all in why it increased by a factor of 9x in roughly the same amount of time from 1850 to 1903? What might have caused the jump then, and is it possible that it continued to have an influence from 1955 till now? I can think of a couple.... maybe increasing population density? Maybe increased urbanization? Maybe changes in diet? Maybe increased exposure to pollution?
There is certainly an epidemic of mental health problems, and I would like nothing better for a cure and long term solutions. Might Whitaker be right? What is the cause? What is the problem? who knows? Whitaker certainly doesn't have anything more than guess.
poster:MrTook
thread:949655
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100604/msgs/950129.html