It's acknowledged that any drug is going to have some effect on one's neurological functioning. One can't introduce "alien" chemicals into your system for that to not be true. The question, then, is how they affect one.

It is acknowledged that SSRIs, to name but one class of drugs, cause suicidality and aggression. However, it is argued by those who have an interest in such things that this does not extend to murder. Indeed, as I recall, Alistair "Ali B" Benbow argued that while SSRIs caused suicidality, they didn't cause suicide. The drugs, you see, know how far to take a course of conduct...

Think about it, Phil, if drug companies are putting a product on the market that is causing people to do violence, either to themselves or others, and that violence is taken to its logical extreme, then we're going to have deaths. If we're going to have deaths, then it is either the fault of the patient, on the grounds of their own peculiarities, or it is the fault of the manufacturers, for foisting these drugs on an unsuspecting public.

Given the interests at stake, how is that argument likely to be settled? Incidentally, I note that Eli bribed the plaintiff's lawyers in the Wesbecker case...

Matt

Terrible show. When a convicted murderer gets to prison and realizes that she's mentally ill, it's a ploy to get into a psych hospital. This woman strangled her son (she confesses to being around her child while wacked out of her mind on anti-depressants but we don’t know if she was on these drugs when she murdered the little boy, probably not or she’d have tried that defense). She deserves to die in spite of the fact that she also deserved to be informed of the dangers of these meds. There are just some things society shouldn't forgive. The fact that she's in prison taking medication that makes her not feel any responsibly for murdering her son is appalling - and I'm usually opposed to the death penalty.

Next we get Maurice Bernard, a celebrity spokesperson for the big pharma astroturf group "Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance," which received well over half of its funding in 2005 from the pharmaceutical industry, and then Jenifer Lewis, an actress who is now convinced that the discrimination she perceived as an African American woman was a symptom of undedicated bpd, so now the message is, they're not being racist, there's no such thing, and if you think you're a victim of racism, you're bipolar. Also, of course she got to promote the one woman show she's written on bpd on the Oprah show.

Oprah should be ashamed of herself.

I only saw the last 20 minutes or so of the show and I had to turn it off it was so nauseating. All it did was spread fear, and bigotry. The first guest was not the only one who spoke of being led to violence. It seems as far as I can tell violence was a part of everyone's picture regardless of degree. This is not reality...why choose only people who have committed or fantasized violence? The truth is most of us never do or even think such things--and then when did thinking such things become dangerous--I'm sure many a "normal" folk have fantasized killing or strangling someone when angry--doesn't mean there is any risk of it happening. This show inadvertently supported forced drugging by implying that most of us are potentially violent and rageful.

And then, of course, this is my own opinion, but why not offer alternative scenarios. Why not talk about recovery--some of us do recover--why is this kept secret?? If they want a famous person (since they were using famous people) why not get Margot Kidder up there who has indeed cured herself with nutrients? Not everyone needs meds. There are alternative treatments. AND Meds KILL. Yes--that is not mentioned at all.

And then one of the women talks about side effects as though all one has to do is tweak the meds and voila they are gone. Well that is not the case for most people--she appears to have been incredibly lucky. Most of us while on meds live with a myriad of side effects which range from being a serious nuisance to being life threatening.

What about all the people for whom drugs debilitate? Yes a lot of those people are not even aware of it. It's a tragedy and it's not talked about. NAMI and TAC are too ever present and their presence were certainly felt on that show yesterday.

And lastly the importance of social supports are completely ignored. Therapy is mentioned, but support networks really need to be greater and the peer specialist movement is slowly getting off the ground and expressing recovery as an option--not just by taking meds but by healing the wounds that created our illnesses to begin with. It's not all about biochemistry. Many consumers have reclaimed their brains and done the work to heal themselves through psychosocial work and support.

I think that Oprah's show did nothing but scare people. I don't think she necessarily knows better and potentially might even listen to other views. She has been known to do such things, but she failed miserably yesterday.

thanks for your thoughts. i share almost all of your concerns about the show, but want to think it through a bit more. but yes there seemed to be a huge emphasis on violence, or at least more of one than i would expect. tv sensationalism at its best i guess. i am a bit stunned that jamison didn't find some way to cast some cold water on all of this. i guess kay is only down for selling her book. yeah she's a fine role model for bpers.

meanwhile our pals at tac are already critcizing the program for not discussing outpatient commitment. how that is germane to any of the folks on the program is beyond me.

TAC's comments on the show are bone chilling. Sometimes it all feels conspiratorial--but I'm not into conspiracy theories.

I was going to give the link to TAC's blog but frankly it disgusts in such a profound way that I'll just have to leave it to y'all to google the toxic hatred they spew if you really want to see it.

Why should this women, who became manic on antidepressants or in withdrawal from antidepressants, suffer the tragic loss of her much-loved son and then be imprisoned for 45 years? Isn't it time that the pharmaceutical CEOs [and medical professionals who know that this is happening] be sent to prison. Instead they diagnose the person with "bipolar" disorder. While it is true that the mania caused by antidepressants is primarily seizure activity and that mood stabilizers can control this seizure activity [because mood stabilizers are actually drugs for epilepsy], it is criminal that the real perpetrators of these tragic cases are NOT in prison themselves.

This case has just been added to www.ssristories.com where it joins 132 other cases of mothers killing their children while they were on antidepressants or, occasionally, in withdrawal from antidepressants.

I knew her...you only heard a very biased view of the story, and quite a few lies on oprah today. She is still manipulative and controlling, and did indeed have a very nice and helpful husband and family. She wanted out of the marriage and family responsibility, but shows like oprah give a brief one-sided view of the tragedy.

It's very sad to hear that someone who has demonstrated distress and the immediate need for help in such an obvious way (cutting herself) has a poor support system.

I didn't see the show myself. However, I question the motives/agenda/sincerity of Oprah and good ol Dr. Phil (It's OK to look!) on a lot of topics. Mental health is a big one.

I feel nothing but sadness for the woman who lost her son. If I had lost a child, I think I would have gone off with him.

Interesting point, my mother called and thought it was Andrea Yates, since both women were named Andrea, and drowned their children in the bathtub.

I don't know about Oprah. Too many commercials. And Sinead O'Connor talks about bipolar? Hmm. This cause really really needs some A list people to get behind it like Aids or Breast Cancer. What she is doing is making people with bipolar stay in the closet, feel like they are less than people, and should be back in the Snake Pit.

One thing is clear: the net was cast.

The broad spectrum list, the new DSM list-- is what is being pulled into the boat in that net.

Every one of those people portrayed on the show are in the "new spectrum".

I saw an Abilify ad in Oprah's "O" magazine.

This is alarming, and not good.

I saw the show too. I hope most people are intelligent enough to see through the first guest and her issues. Clearly the "celebrity" bdp was just a freak. She couldn't even answer a question directly, and she seemed very sure that everything could work out if one just took their meds. Kay Redfield Jamison was in the audience and then given about 2 minutes at the end of the show to speak. Oprah literally put words in her mouth and did not allow her to speak as the expert she is on either diagnosis, suffering, talk and medicine therapy, and as someone living a full life. Oprah should be ashamed for exploiting two of her guests for sensational reasons and appalled at herself for not letting her "expert" speak to any of it. I'm a bit mad at Kay, too, if you really want to know the truth. I've heard her speak a number of times before and never known her not to enjoy the sound of her own voice. Why she didn't get it out there, I'll never know.

Unfortunately I was on the road when this show aired and I would have liked to have seen it, but I can tell from the description and the comments that it is more of the same. By that I mean we are looking at stories here of people driven mad by psychiatric drugs to the point of doing horrific violence. The more vulnerable they were before "treatment" the worse the outcome can be and then these incidents, which I have absolutely no doubt are really reactions, are used to diagnose and confirm mental illness. Worse the victims then continue to be medicated with more and more junk turning them into emotionally blunted zombies so that everyone really does believe they are mad but it did NOT have to be this way. The victims themselves don't realize what happened nor do the professionals thus perpetuating the cycle. Everyone keeps spouting stuff about mental illness and bipolar when the problem is treatment. I really can assure you these things wouldn't have happened if these people hadn't been put on antidepressants or some other drug. This goes for Andrea Petrosky, Andrea Yates and a whole host of other mothers and fathers who have murdered their children and for children who have murdered their parents.

As it turns out I've just spent the weekend hearing a whole stream of stories of people "accidentally addicted" to benzodiazepines and/or sleeping pills who endured agonizing and lengthy withdrawals lasting months. Their behavior both before and after taking pills included wildly out of character rages and violent aggression towards others. This is very similar to antidepressants. Medical professionals turn a blind eye and choose to blame anything and everything else to keep the reputation of their precious drugs clean but there is simply no doubt that the drugs are causing this behavior, not the underlying person. It is being repeated so very many times but people are recovering from this kind of behavior when their withdrawal is complete. This may take months from the time they take their last pill. Withdrawals from prescription drugs, especially if taken over a period of years, but even if it's only been months are reputed to be more difficult than withdrawal from illegal drugs contrary to what one might expect. Few people appreciate the length of time it takes to heal but it is possible and these horrific acts do NOT have to happen if only we would recognize the real process that's occurring. Oprah certainly sounds like she is not doing one little thing to help uncover the truth.

What upset me is in my bipolar support group (won't mention which one) everyone but me thought the show was wonderful and portrayed people correctly.

HELLO???? Did we watch the same show?

This is the first time in over a decade, I really want a drink.

Sorry if this offends some of you Kay Redfield Jamison lovers out there but that woman, despite writing some decent books early in her career (althouugh they've all promoted psychopharmacology), is now so drugged and impaired that I wouldn't want her as a spokesperson for anything. If you're really bright as I have no doubt she is and also drugged you can be really dangerous for a cause.

I think one thing we all have to remember is that there are millions of people with Bpd. We are hearing only about those who make headlines for violent acts, and then everyone with Bpd gets lumped together. There are so many living successful 'normal' lives with Bpd. Whether they are taking lithium or other meds to balance their moods or whether they have been able to conquer their moods by other means, these people are not the ones that make the headlines.

I did not see the Oprah show, but I heard about it and hope that she will follow up and help the public understand that those with Bpd can lead wonderful, successful, creative, full lives. It is so important that people with the disorder are not looked at as a threat or with fear.

one more thing, I think Oprah should do a show on the creative, compassion, highly intelligent side of those Bpd.

I am currenyly writing a Treatment book for Bi Polar. Most people are scared to death by the word . Much ignorance of the gift of this condition will be dispelled when my book is published. I am one of those people to take the years of dispair and misunderstanding and turn that into a million seller. I have already created success in the music business by taking advantage of the condition. Most people get dangerously jealous of Bi Polar financial sussess.But, thats just my way of regaining the empowerment that lithium took from me for twenty five years. Becoming a Bi Polar Millionaire. What sweet revenge.

I am a scot from the uk l feel even after reading this article than people on depressents can turn angry and do things they don't usually do.
Some one I know tried to strangle me.
Once the drugs were replaced by therapy hewas ok.
chas uk

The name of the new Alan C. DeTomaso book is "Brick Bar Blues". The true story of singer songwriter Alan DeTomaso chronicles his days as a powerless overmedicated Bi polar to success in the music business. Alan has written for national acts and is a BMI songwriter and has become a legend in Omaha Nebraska. The book is a shocker not to be read by the faint of heart. He talks of Transcendental Meditation as being the first element to his great success. Kathy DeTomaso