Philip, I have just added a small second donation for this fundraiser. I am heartened by Douglas Bremner's offer to kick in for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals who support this site. I was a Ph.D. psychologist for 20 years before leaving the profession, primarily over the issue of prescription privleges for psychologists (I am totally against the concept, and my colleagues were horrified at my attitude). The field of psychology that I left in 2000 was vastly different than the one I signed up for in the late 1970s. There is still much work to be done in the mental health fields to identify and develop effective treatments (medication, therapy, social change, ad infinitum) and this site is doing some of that work. And doing it quite well. Thank you!

I wouldn't have fallen into Dr. Bremner's kick in category, as I had already donated in this fundraiser, and I am techncially no longer a psychologist. So I'm putting a little more in the kitty on my own, just to acknowledge the spirit of his offer.

Gee, is this retroactive? I'm a card-carrying social worker.

I do my support on the installment plan so at least my next installment will count for inclusion in the Bremner Plan. Thank you, Dr. B.

What about ex-journos? ;)

InTheWild,
I'm amazed by your story. Aren't working at any other branch of therapy?
Can you tell me if psychoanalysts in US are different?

I challenge everyone reading who had an adverse reaction to a psychiatric medication or suffered withdrawals or has permanent body/brain damage as a result:

To match my $20.00 dollar donation.

Have you considered paid advertising on your website? It seems to be how all of the blogs are surviving these days, especially in the economic recession.

By the way, fantastic journalism (and I do NOT use that term lightly, nor do I consider 99.9% of blog postings to be journal). I wish that there had been more lag time in between your post and the court forcing AstraZeneca to release the documents so you wouldn't have had to be one voice among Bloomberg News and the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal.

But if you worked at a major newspaper, you wouldn't have the same freedom as you do here. Even if you would be on a regular salary. But such is the trade-off, I suppose?

It is heartening to learn that some doctors and other health professionals are reading and learning from Philip and FS comments.
More supporters of Furious Seasons are here:
http://www.beforeyoutakethatpill.com/index.php/2009/02/26/support-philip-dawdys-furious-seasons-pledge-drive-support-independent-medical-journalism/#comments

@Ana: I have been away from the profession of psychology for so long now, I can no longer speak with any credibility regarding the push for rx privleges. I don't know if/how that issue ever got resolved. I think there are some places where Ph.D.s can write scripts, provided they have specialized post-doc training. The issue for me is that these meds have serious impact on the patient's brains (and often on their bodies too), and I don't care how much post-doc training you give to anyone, it's not the same has having overall medical training and background. I am a very intelligent person, as were my Ph.D. colleagues, but I still don't think it is a wise decision to let unqualified people (no matter how smart) tamper with minds and bodies of patients.

It's just my opinion, but it is/was a value that I feel passionately about, one that I used to change the direction of my life, to move away from that profession. Of course, there were other reasons I made a career change too. I was working in a very hostile subsection of mental health, in a particularly toxic job environment too. I know that not all job settings would be that toxic, and I know if I had moved to another place (job-wise and field-wise), things might have been very different. But I don't regret my decision to leave.

Hi Philip,

I'm sending in my donation today, so Douglas can count one more psychiatrist. Keep up the good work. I really am glad you are out there doing what you do. The world needs you to be doing it, and you are doing it well. I know others feel this way too.

Gene Combs

Ex-practising psychologists and social workers count. But I can't pay for all who have taken psychotropics, at least not in the US, that would be too expensive!

InTheWild,

Thank you.
I understand your point of view and I know some Brazilian psychologists who gave up their careers because they realized that they couldn't help their patients as psychologists (without prescribing).
I've heard of some psychologists who wanted to prescribe...
Psychoanalysts here don't prescribe and will never ever do it. This is one of the big differences I'm finding from our system and American.
There are very good psychoanalysts here and I never heard of American psychoanalysts.
I listen "therapy" and practices that has much more to do with psychiatry than talking therapy. We have them here and it's becoming the rule.
Psychoanalysts have lost their power a long time ago and perhaps are in extinction.
Philip has made a post on this last year.
How I wish I wasn't aware of the "serious impact on the patient's brains (and often on their bodies too)" so closely, in my mind and body.
You did what you believed and you are right.
Yes, I believe that if you were in another environment perhaps things turned other way.
Hope you're enjoying what you're doing and that you didn't had to pay too high for acting according to your ethics.
You see what Philip has been enduring for his integrity.
Having to ask for donations - let's talk serious: $4,000 for the whole season? - to work is not the ideal and I don't think anybody have answered:

"What do I want to be when I grow up?
An ethical journalists that works hard and have to ask for money to keep surviving."

Hey Philip

I am on a very small back to education allowance for college, and I struggle to make ends meet. I wholeheartedly support what you do, and I will donate in the future hopefully, at the moment I'm totally broke though , like you. I do hope that changes soon in the future and if it does I will be sure to donate what I can. Hope the fundraiser goes well, and just wanted you to know that, even though I can't afford to support your fundraiser financially I do value your work and I just want to say thanks to those who have donated.
keep up the good work Phil (and other fellow bloggers)

:) :) :)

Doug said he would contribute 1 dollar for this ex journo, and 50 cents for one dead catnip mousie head, since i don't have a dead squirrel or chipmunk to send.

Just donated. Count one more psychiatrist-in-training. :)

I already let Doug know I'm an ex-social worker on his site...anyone adding up Doug's bill??

:-)

Hi Philip. Mrs. Bremner and I are going to the American Psychosomatic Society Meeting in Chicago tomorrow and won't be back until next week. Can you extend your pledge drive until Monday and we can square up our accounts with dead squirrels and others then? Thanks, Doug Bremner