May 10, 2013

May 8^th in the USA Today:   “WASHINGTON (AP) — Wrigley says it is taking a new caffeinated gum off the market temporarily as the Food and Drug Administration investigates the safety of added caffeine.”  Really?  Major Tranquilizers, Amphetamines, Benzodiazepines, and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors have all been approved by the FDA for the treatment of “mental illness.” These drugs are being prescribed to youth, some as young as 3 and 4 years of age. My Big League Chew is more dangerous than Uncle Jim’s Seroquel or my big brother’s Adderall?
Full Article →

Categorized in: ADHD, Blogs, Children and Adolescents, Disorders, Featured Blogs, Psychiatric Drugs, Stimulants

March 30, 2013

This post is a bit different from my typical system sausage making pieces in that I would like to reflect on the Mad in America (MIA) community and how we share our ideas, beliefs and knowledge. For some time I …
Full Article →

Categorized in: Blogs

October 9, 2012

Our “friends” at NAMI Ohio took the occasion of so-called “Mental Illness Awareness Week” to try and drum up support for their efforts to loosen criteria for involuntary outpatient commitment (IOC) laws in Ohio. I would encourage those interested, particularly those in Ohio, to contact Ohio legislators as NAMI suggests; but to encourage them to vote DOWN any changes to the current law. Remind them that anosognosia is deliberately being mis-applied…
Full Article →

Categorized in: Blogs, Featured Blogs

August 5, 2012

While there was much to criticize in the final report of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, the basic observation that the “mental health system is in shambles” seems spot on.  Further, the recommendation was not for marginal, …
Full Article →

Categorized in: Blogs, Featured Blogs

June 4, 2012

I don’t normally post items so close together but today NAMI Ohio has successfully convinced a State Senator to sponsor a bill that I believe deprives individuals of their civil liberties, their due process, their dignity and their humanity. I’ve …
Full Article →

Categorized in: Blogs

June 3, 2012

As we prepared for our regular monthly Board meeting, a casually dressed middle-aged man entered the room.  I didn’t recognize him.  I was struck by the shirt he was wearing, it was hard not to be.  Imagine bright red flames …
Full Article →

Categorized in: Blogs

May 13, 2012

How are we going to do this?  That’s the question we asked ourselves when a few likeminded bureaucrats sat down and said, our current mental health and substance use system is broken and causing immeasurable harm to many.  If you …
Full Article →

Categorized in: Blogs

May 4, 2012

Robert Whitaker’s book, Anatomy of an Epidemic, has provoked all manner of responses.  Some outraged, dismissive, but many supportive and relieved to hear the clear voice given to concerns that many have had for years.  To keep the momentum going …
Full Article →

Categorized in: Blogs