Challenge the undue influence of the pharmaceutical industry in mental health care.
Create more non-drug alternatives in mental health. A SAMHSA summit of key mental health consumer and psychiatric survivor leaders passed the following position paper, please support it:
Bastille Day 2010 Statement – Rockville, MD
14 July 2010
The Urgent Necessity for More Non-Drug Alternatives in Mental Health Care
We are alarmed about the over-reliance on psychiatric medication in mental health care because of the undue influence of the pharmaceutical industry. We see an urgent need for a far greater range of non-pharmaceutical mental health care.
We are participants in the USA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) meeting, “Past, Present, and Future: SAMHSA Efforts to Promote Consumer/Survivor Inclusion.” We are speaking today only for ourselves as individuals, and not for SAMHSA. We applaud SAMHSA's endorsement of the values of peer support, social justice, self-determination, trauma-informed care, and a dignified life in the community for everyone.
As leaders in the mental health consumer and psychiatric survivor movement, we affirm the principle of choice in mental health care, and continue to work towards the elimination of coercion in all mental health treatment. We support the right of those who willingly choose to take prescribed psychiatric medications.
However, the inappropriate prescriptions of psychiatric medication are harming a wide range of the USA population, including infants, vets, people of color and seniors. Severe side effects are contributing to heartbreaking suffering and approximately 25 years of premature mortality for people in the public mental health system. Advertisements, the media and far too many mental health organizations are disseminating misleading information about psychiatric medication. Some individuals are even involuntarily administered psychiatric drugs over their expressed wishes, including on an outpatient basis.
Our constituency's right to choice, empowerment and self-determination in mental health care is threatened as never before, in the USA and internationally. We call upon SAMHSA to work with their federal partners and consumer/survivors to:
• Address the conflict of interest in the current relationship between the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry.
• End direct-to-consumer advertising for psychiatric medications.
• Complete the President's New Freedom Commission recommendation to investigate the long-term effects of psychiatric medication.
• Independently research on the efficacy, safety and successful ways of reducing psychiatric medications.
• Research and fund non-drug alternatives such as mental health peer-run respite centers and recovery-oriented education.
We encourage all those concerned to speak out about this crisis.
Signed:
Ellen K. Awai
Randall Bosin
Jean Campbell, Ph.D.
Gladys DeVonne Christian
Mary Ellen Copeland, Ph.D.
Jonathan David, Ph.D.
Daniel Fisher, M.D., Ph.D.
David Fuller, CPRP
Patrick Hendry
J. Rock Johnson, J.D.
Jacki McKinney, M.S.W.
James McNulty
David W. Oaks
Pat Risser
Stephen Robinson
Gilberto Romero
Lauren Spiro
Sharon P. Yokote, HCPS
182 comments
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Jill Ledet commented
please email the results David ASAP I'm noticing 10 votes left, what does this mean?
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margerys_pet commented
Yes, yes, yes, yes! More drug alternatives and adjuncts!
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HELEN KRISILAS commented
AM ALL FOR IT. WHAT THE **** ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?
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Me commented
Move away from drug therapies, move toward natural therapies.
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Sarah commented
There are many great alternatives to drugs. Hiking, talking in a group, reading, meditation, bike-riding, playing with animals are just a few.
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Larry Weeks commented
Time for the rights of others to be respected and move away from drug therapies. Responsibility does not come from drugs.
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Pat Holderman commented
Thank you for your fairness in the inclusion of non-pharmaceutical alternatives. These e(psychiatric) drugs killed my son. Pat Holderman
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jamie commented
Choice!!!
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Peter commented
It's time to break the Psych/Pharma money machine. The monopoly must end.
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David W. Oaks commented
An ancient Persian saying:
"No one is tired on victory day!
I am proud that MindFreedom International alerts helped reached thousands of people about this, thanks! MindFreedom International is one of the few totally independent activist coalitions in mental health advocacy. We work with a lot of great groups that get system funding, and we like to think we're the yeast that helps the bread rise! Join MindFreedom International by googling our name, and click on the big red button on the right!
- David Oaks, Director, MindFreedom International
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John Laue commented
I definitely think the drug industry has too much influence. I believe in meditation and other alternatives. But I do think it ought to be up to the
individual. -
Stop the Abuse commented
Join MindFreedom International!! Thank you for all your good work, David W. Oaks! Youre posting this forum to the SAMHSA Initiatives has been a wonderful experience and will educate many to the truths disclosed by all who participated.
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David W. Oaks commented
Thank you to everyone who 'voted' for the idea of supporting human rights and alternatives in mental health!
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Glenn M Ford commented
Non-drug alternatives must be a part of the equation in treatment.
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Michael Hlebechuk commented
Please stop the undue influence of the pharmaceutical industryi in mental health care. That influence is killing people.
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Michael Hlebechuk commented
Please stop the undue influence of the pharmaceutical industryi in mental health care. That influence is killing people.
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Michael Hlebechuk commented
Please stop the undue influence of the pharmaceutical industryi in mental health care. That influence is killing people.
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Tom Nerney commented
This is a simple ethical and moral position: end the undue influence that is so out of balance with any notion of fairness
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H commented
Please stop the undue influence of the pharmaceutical industryi in mental health care.
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harry gijbels commented
Robert Whitaker's latest book confirms the absolute need for non-drug alternatives