Archive for the ‘Psychotropic Medication’ Category
Thursday, February 28th, 2008 Email this to your Friends
For adolescents with depression not responding to an initial treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI; a class of antidepressant drugs), switching medications and adding cognitive behavioral therapy resulted in an improvement in symptoms, compared to just changing medications, according to a study in the February 27 issue of JAMA. (more…)
Posted in Child & Adolescent Issues, Psychotropic Medication | 6 Comments »
Thursday, May 31st, 2007 Email this to your Friends
Hello Members and Viewers of GoodTherapy.org,
I thought I would copy an email message I received today from the Consumer Reports Consumers Union of the US asking their members to join the campaign against inadequate drug research and research reporting by pharmaceutical companies. Here’s the message as I recived it:
Dear Noah,
Have you ever bought a drug advertised on TV? You and your family may be at risk because drug companies often keep dangerous side effects a secret.
Merck heavily marketed its painkiller, Vioxx, for years after its own research showed the drug can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
When the FDA tries to step in, it must negotiate with the drug companies, often for months or years, before it can even change a warning label.
TODAY, tell your Representative to stop the secrecy. Before a drug is approved, companies test it on just a few thousand people for a short time. After it hits the market, millions of people begin to use it regularly. At that point, the drug makers and the FDA may learn far more about side effects, but don’t effectively inform you.
GlaxoSmithKline, maker of the antidepressant Paxil, had studies dating back to 1998 showing an increased risk of suicide in children and teenagers. GSK never published that information. It was not until October 2004 that the FDA at last required the strongest safety warning on Paxil and other antidepressants.
You can help strengthen the FDA and make drugs safer. Help our movement grow! Every lawmaker from every state needs to hear from us. Take a moment to forward this action to people in your address book so they can help us get better information about drug hazards to you and your doctor.
Thank you,
Jim Guest
President
Consumers Union of the U.S.
101 Truman Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10703-1057
Posted in Psychotropic Medication | No Comments »
“Enlightenment consists not merely in the seeing of luminous shapes and visions, but in making the darkness visible. The latter procedure is more difficult and therefore, unpopular.” ~ Carl Jung
Disclaimer: Please be informed that although I am opinionated on the subject of medication and psychotherapy as forms of treatment, I am not a physician and do not prescribe medication. I am not authorized to make, nor do I make, prescriptions or recommendations to anyone about the use, type, frequency, and dosage of medication. The following is commentary on my experience and knowledge about the differences and interactions between medication and psychotherapy as mediums of healing. If you are in need of information about medication or if you want to alter the use, type, frequency, and dosage of your medication, I strongly advise you to consult with your prescribing physician. Doing otherwise could be harmful to your health and could endanger your life.
What medical professionals call “symptoms” (anger, anxiety, hopelessness, self-criticism, etc.) are important messages to us that something is happening inside which needs our attention. Therapy is the process of a person listening to, getting to know, and learning from the symptoms they’ve been experiencing. Because we naturally spend so much time focused on the outside world for survival and pleasure, looking inward is not the typical way we solve problems. Therapy helps people to turn inward, be present, and attend to their internal experiences in order to transform and relieve symptoms.
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