Psychiatric star-fucking, so it's come to this.

They sound like cult members in thrall with a narcissistic leader. This is their religion. Giving up family vacations to pay for visiting the famous family psychiatrist, a joyous sacrifice because they're inside the inner circle, with direct access to the great man who has a nine month waiting list. Gives parents the medical model framework that leaves them absolutely blameless for their kid's acting out, his theories are their reality so you can bet the more he is derided the more fervent will be their loyalty. He pays attention to these parents, he is available, he always returns their calls and will have "lots of conversations." My god. A patient under his care kills herself at age 20 and the parent is grateful for all the years he added to her life. O'rly? Religion, magical thinking, brainwashing, wish fulfillment, whatever you call it, it has a hold on his flock who appear desperate, unsophisticated, incurious and prone to watching way too much TV. One credulous parent describes her "bipolar" child as transforming "into Linda Blair in The Exorcist with the enraged strength of the Incredible Hulk." That's called dehumanization, why am I not surprised. And fuck the Boston Globe for its fawning tone and uncritical use of disputed medical constructs. I could barf.

flawedplan, I totally agree with your comment! The parent who was grateful for the "added" years to her child's life really was the frosting on the cake and the giveaway to what's really going on here which you describe so graphically. Usually Carey Goldberg gets it better than this. These manipulated victims who become supporters are the most dangerous people out there in terms of ever bringing lasting change and big pharma and psychiatry know it. I don't just barf; I also weep.

"Advisory Committee." Something smells fishy. Like old fish wrapped not in yesterday's paper, but wrapped in a bunch of money from a pharmaceutical company.

I think the advisory group is "Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation," a 501(c)3. Their publically available tax info notes that they have annual donations around a half million per year. Reasonable. Guidestar notes that about half of this comes from "corporations and foundations." Their website notes a few donors at the level of $5000 or more. No pharmaceuticals in that group as far as I can tell. They receive a very small portion (less than 5%) from fundraiser-type things such as t-shirt sales ("product sales"). They do not have member dues. So, from what I can tell in 30 minutes, it is not clear where the half mill comes from, but it may be that they get a big chunk of money from some place not readily apparent. So, this foundation that has spontaneously rushed to Biederman's support could have a decent link to a pharmaceutical company making a big donation. Not that I am cynical or anything. I am not familiar with financial papers on 501(c)3 groups so I am gonna leave it at that for now. Someone else can figure out whether they are supported by Big Pharma. Someone is bankrolling them.

There is another group, a non-profit pediatri bi-p group run by the couple named Papalos. They jumped on the bandwagon and sell many products for parents such as "How to Get What You Need at Your Child's School." I have written to them and they were indignant that I would infer that they take any Pharm $$ and I haven't felt like digging to find out.

But back to flawed plan's analysis. Right on! Had a teacher friend who lived in a trailor with an abusive husband who she finally dumped. A sweet and bright but relatively unsophisticated person. Both her boys were dx with ped. bipolar and she frankly said she just couldn't manage if they weren't on meds. In a totally dysfunctional household with few resources, her boys got drugged to keep the relative peace. Methinks this is very common and that the psycs. who buy into it should be banned from America. Or the world.

Peace be with you

I doubt Biederman is anything more then a PHARMA puppet, but unfortunately it is stupidstars like him who are used to justify the massive public health departments use of medications, algorithms, coercion, and force. Millions of Americans have the meds, but absolutly no access to doctors. It really seems evil when the poor, also the majority of persons put on these drugs, get cops when they "page" help. Cops have been known to be fatal when dealing with people "off their meds."

The flip side to all this is that, here at least, we have roving "mobile drugging units," with RNs, with "emergency drugging powers" - whether you have a history or not. I hate to always be the one too point out that the last few hundred times we gave them power to do something that was supposed to be used for good they turned it against us.

Nobody even brings up what a piece of shit Biederman is for "experimenting" on little children with those drugs anyway. A few years ago that would have been the sentiment, and few years before that there is no such illness as mental. Now, however, we have all the evidence piled to the sky, and slowly, systematically, and statistically by class, they are doping the world.

So, shame on you Biederman for blindly experimenting on little children with, what I know you know, are very dangerous chemicals.

And, thank you Philip for your devotion. I am not a back expert, but have great empathy towards yours. As a rule lots of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, and sunshine (Seattle not withstanding) cures about anything.

Please forgive me, but if I might also be so bold as to suggest you rethink your whole credit receiving stance. It kind of makes my balls cringe when I hear of it and it isn't even about me. Those who know, know. Those who believe that rolling stone is gathering these facts them selves are idiots. And lastly no genius ever let a silly thing like credit stop their geniusness. I would expect no less from you. Even if you only save a few hundred people, and those who know, know that sublimely trough the rolling stone maybe many, many more, remember that is where your joy comes from. Fame is over rated, but truth is a rare jewel. Thanks for what you do.

love eternal
tad

Unbelievable how the mother is grateful the daughter lived past age 13 and yet is DEAD at age 20. Beiderman did a fine job perfecting brainwashing with this group of parents, and don't forget he's been part of the largest parent of bipolar children website for years..CABF--bpkids dot org. This guy's influence is more than the average person ever realizes, his theory based on his own ideas funded by pharma created this pediatric disorder delusion, and pharma backs it up every single day.

He owns that paper, it's a Biederman loving paper, and his followers are a sad commentary on this entire topic.

NEVER, in my wildest imagination could anyone ever hear me say that I was grateful for the years of age 13-20 that my daughter survived because of psych meds!!! and if she dies, imagine that!? Her life is ruined from this axis of evil and the drugs and there is no going back, all I can do as a parent is try and live each day and give her God damn quality of life! She's disabled by age 21!

Oh I heard it all. I heard the cancer analogies, I heard the "I'm the doctor" speeches. I was degraded in boardroom for being SMART.

I agree with FP's comment up there, and say quite a bit more myself. It's crap being in this. I pity the parent who buys the bullshit, they have no idea what's in store for them, and for that matter the broad use of antipsychotics for depression and anxiety etc is going to ruin more than children's lives, welcome to the world of damaging bodies with chemicals that don't work for psychiatric issues, they work for pharma's bottom line at the expense of human lives.

I am not sure I will ever be the same again, and I know my daughter won't be as a result of Childhood Bipolar Disorder created by Dr. Joseph Biederman. On call 24/7? I can guarantee all he did was tell a parent to increase or decrease a med or call a new one into the pharmacy.

He trialed Zyprexa on 5 yr olds, Risperdal on 5 yr olds, a decade ago.

Everyone should be SHOCKED and saddened that girl is dead at age 20, and understand it was not a gift she was given a shortened life on drugs! WTF!

This will be my one and only comment to this egregious blog. Clearly you and those that comment on your blog are either in desperate need of neuropsychological evaluations and suffer from neuropsychiatric brain disorders - OR - you are the ones who are members of a cult called - Scientology -. It is insulting and disturbing beyond measure to live among a citizenship that believes the brain is not an organ in the human body. Do you also believe the heart is mechanical and not in need of medical treatment?

The comments on this blog and respective to the Globe article and Dr. Biederman's many supporters; reflect an illiterate understanding and misconception of the brain, familial heritability and genetic loading. Dr. Biederman's supporters did not "just" pop-up. Dr. Biederman is recognized by countless individuals in the United States and around the globe, as the modern father of child psychiatry. He will be remembered and cherished in history and medical books for decades and centuries to come...And long after we are all six feet under ground.

As long as I am alive, I will fight for my family members, my son and those around me that suffer from brain disorders. As advocates for mental health parity, research and targeted treatments...none of us will be thwarted by narrow-minded and contentious individuals like those of you on Furious Seasons. Marcie Lipsitt

Philip Dawdy responds: Thanks for sharing, Marcie. I wish you well.

I'm not in a cult, not a scientologist, I'm a mother of 3 daughters whose youngest was injured and damaged permanently by psych meds and a wrong diagnosis(biederman's pediatric bipolar disorder).

Interesting defense Marcie, coming from a person on a MASS GENERAL ADVISORY COUNSIL. Good luck with the Grassley investigation!

But will we hear from Marcie's son? Do we ever, hear from the targets of family "advocacy"?

I'd like to know what JC would say to Marcie and her son.