Robert Whitaker’s new book: Psychiatry Under the Influence [BeyondMeds.com]

Unfortunately, people have been greatly harmed by the lack of research on how disorders develop environmentally (and instead with all focus on what is the gene for the disease) and on lack of research into what really is effective for people with these disorders often resulting from trauma (focusing solely on pharmacotherapy), by suppression of negative drug trial outcome data - we never published anything negative about the drug I worked on in the Cancer Research lab at U of Mich--by expanding medication use with no data about the effects on the developing brains and developing bodies of children for disorders that may not even be real disorders in children (ADHD, pediatric bipolar).  

Kids are treated with massive poly-pharmacy (the quick fix -- that generally doesn't fix - because the real issue, a toxic environment is not addressed) and so there are no interventions or changes in environments - or education about the need for education on toxic stress and its effects on brain development.   My brother with delusions related to child abuse cannot be taken off dangerous psychotropic meds - he is a ward of the state and the state system is to simple give anti-psychotics. He asks me why he has to take these things since they haven't helped now for 4 - 5 years or so.  I guess because psychiatry says so? I don't know. He shouldn't be on these.   They will shrink his brain as much as child abuse has.  There is ample evidence that SSRI's are only moderately better than placebo and only for those with no significant developmental trauma history. (certainly not effective with "borderline personality".   

However in many ways all of medicine is guilty of the same thing. All we can do is give a drug.  When babies come in with crying and spitting up -- we change formulas and then start zantac, then a PPI which has shown not to be beneficial, may increase the risk for pneumonia and a more virulent, newly increasing strain of C. dificile,  may increase risk of necrotizing enterocolitis.  However PPI's have become big business and for hurried doctors with only 10 minutes for what can be a complex visit (education can take time)  simply giving a drug gives a simple solution to a stressed mother and with the placebo effect as good as it is, why not?  We do not take the time to educate that infant "spit up" is physiological and as one of my professors stated was a problem for the washing machine not for the baby. We give dangerous medications instead of education.  I have also met doctors who take no time at all to learn about the medications and rely on drug company glossy brochures for their information.  This is simple because with direct to consumer advertising, these ads are on the TV and everything looks all pretty and bright. If we just say, yep your child needs Vyvanse, and here is the script this can be done in 10 minutes all with a smile on the doctors face. It takes a whole lot more time to educate and evaluate for true ADHD. When a commercial on TV has already decided the outcome of a doctor's office visit, well that is pretty hard to overcome.   I am not trying to be disparaging but I see this all the time.  Why was I given cyproheptadine (periactin) for migraine headaches that were the result of severe and sadistic child abuse, with no attempt to discern the psychosocial situation?  I have reason to be disappointed.  

It truly isn't just psychiatry...this simple drug prescribing has become what docs do.  We do not even have the courage to say you don't need an antibiotic for your cold.  We just give an antibiotic without regard for the individual danger or the larger societal danger of making antibiotics useless for people who develop severe infections. In a way I see this very much the same as vaccine refusal. When we don't get immunized others who are vulnerable can suffer from the disease. Same for antibiotics, when we give this for an infection that doesn't exist (i.e. we give an antibiotic for a viral infection) we potentially make the antibiotic useless for the 5 yr old in the neighborhood who has relapsed acute lymphocytic leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant and develops a antibiotic resistant superbug. This carelessness may cost the boy his life.  I try to be honest in all medication prescribing but when surrounded by a sea of others who aren't so careful  -- the lone stand-out doesn't survive long.   

People need education about prevention and how to develop resilience and funding needs to be directed into what works and making that available to patients not this pill pushing phenomenon.  It would be nice if we could reassess What are we doing in medicine? However, society and patients need to understand also that a pill isn't going to always be the solution to problems nor is it generally the most desirable solution.  

I agree that stress reduction and resilience building strategies are the best medicine. Exercise, yoga, meditation, nature, pets etc may be a much better and safer option that makes us happier and healthier. 

I am so happy this is here. I was going to put it under books but sometimes get a little concerned.  Thanks for the article.