Furious Seasons

March 29, 2007

03-29-2007 Media Madness

Halle Berry talks of a near-suicide attempt. Proof once again that love makes people do crazy shit. (Via The Blemish.)

Epix Phamraceuticals begins a trial of an experimental anti-depressant. Says the company, "We believe there is a significant unmet need for a depression treatment that is at least as effective as the current standard of care, but with a much improved tolerability and side-effect profile." Confidence inspiring.

CL Psych's perspectives on Rebecca Riley's parents possibly making up her symptoms of bipolar disorder. As well he has news of yet another failed anti-depressant, RU-486 in this case.

Liz Spikol also has some very strong views on the bipolar child business and the Riley case. Like me, we have another older bipolar who is very concerned about dragging kids into all of this. Good.

An interesting perspective on off-label marketing.

A very intense bashing of psych docs from the wild blog Bipolar Chicks Blogging.

Medical students get very little training in psych care. No wonder they are dupes for pharma reps who convince them to treat bipolar disorder and depression in a PCP setting.

Interesting views on homelessness from a pal of mine.

Isn't it funny how much coverage a rock star's wife doing crazy shit due to a reaction to meds gets when the rest of us get ignored? This story is all over the place. And yet if someone wacks themselves on an SSRI, say, then it was the disease's fault.

Some very kind words about my recent radio appearance. Thanks. And sorry about the bad phone connection we had. Too many radio towers in my neighborhood apparently.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at March 29, 2007 11:00 AM

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Comments

I think the points made about homelessness on that "Apesma's Lament" website are also true of the problems with the U.S. healthcare system. It says: "Homelessness has three related causes: The profit structure of housing, the distribution of income, and government policy."

The same three causes help explain why the healthcare system is such a failure for so many in this country - providing damaging treatments for some, while providing almost no treatment at all for many others. Treating medical care as a commodity causes both the damaging quackery (such as psych drugs whose dangerous side effects are kept secret) as well the withholding of even the most basic preventative care for millions.

There is no profit in providing any kind of medical attention to those who don't have the resources to pay for it and lack insurance, even if the need may be painfully obvious and the treatment relatively simple. But there's plenty of profit to be made by pushing unwanted or controversial treatments on people who may ultimately suffer serious damaging effects as a result.

Posted by: Kent at March 30, 2007 06:40 PM

Halle Berry spoke candidly about suicide years ago on Oprah. I don't know if she has ever spoken about having any mental illness, or being treated for depression etc. It would be interesting to know if she is addressing her suicide attempts this way.

Posted by: Stephany at March 31, 2007 08:15 AM

Re: RU-486 ; It would be interesting to know if the drug was used for psychotic depression as I read somewhere--would the docs warn women that this is the original abortion-inducing med that made a contoversial FDA approval in the US? The drug is used for other purposes as well; I find it actually freaky that it could be considered for mainstream anti-depressant use at all. Glad it failed. [talk about a black box warning]

Posted by: Stephany at March 31, 2007 08:21 AM

I just wanted to add a comment that I have been enjoying reading Apesma's Lament as well as the other blogs that link to it.

Posted by: Stephany at April 7, 2007 11:09 AM