We can break down the teaching of Psalm 37 into seven major areas:
1. David cautions us not to worry about the prosperity of the wicked. He writes:
Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. . . . Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way. . . . Do not fret—it only causes harm. (verses 1, 7-8)
Jesus includes this point in the sermon on the mount, telling us not to worry about our life, our food and clothing and the troubles of tomorrow (Matthew 6:25-34). Calm down! Do not become worked up over it!
2. David describes the character of the wicked:
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. . . . The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. . . . The wicked borrows and does not repay. . . . The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him. (verses 12, 14, 21, 32)
Their evil is obvious to all, especially God. We can be certain that the wicked have not fooled Him.
3. David contrasts the character of the wicked to the righteous:
But the righteous shows mercy and gives. . . . He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed. . . . The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. (verses 21, 26, 30-31)
The difference in their characters is sharply defined, and we can rest assured that character is what dictates the outcome of our lives.
4. David shows the end of the wicked:
[Evildoers] shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. . . . For evildoers shall be cut off. . . . For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you will look diligently for his place, but it shall be no more. . . . The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. . . . But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. . . . [T]he descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. . . . I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a native green tree, yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. . . . But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. (verses 2, 9-10, 13, 20, 28, 35-36, 38)
We can know for a certainty that the unrighteous will get what is coming to them. God always gives the correct punishment at exactly the right time. It is out of our hands, so we need not concern ourselves over it.
5. David proclaims the reward of the upright:
He shall give you the desires of your heart. . . He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. . . . But those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. . . . But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. . . . [T]heir inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. . . . For those who are blessed by Him shall inherit the earth. . . . [T]hey are preserved forever. . . . The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever. . . . He shall exalt you to inherit the land. . . . But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. (verses 4, 6, 9, 11, 18-19, 22, 28-29, 34, 39)
If God is on our side, we have nothing to fear from the wicked, and we can look forward to blessings beyond anything we could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20)!
6. David explains that we can expect these blessings and rewards, not because we are innately wonderful and good, but because God is faithful:
[T]he Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright. . . . The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. . . . For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints. . . . The Lord will not leave [the righteous] in [the wicked's] hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. . . . He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him. (verses 17-18, 23-25, 28, 33, 39-40)
The picture in verse 24 is very comforting. David describes God as a Father, holding His child by the hand. The child has just learned to walk and is not very steady. When he stumbles—and he will—he does not fall completely because the Father pulls him back upright. God perfectly fulfills all the obligations He placed on Himself to do on our behalf. This is another reason we have no need to fear or worry.
7. Lastly, David provides us with solutions to this dilemma:
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord. . . . Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. . . . Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. . . . Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore. . . . Wait on the Lord, and keep His way. . . . Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. (verses 3-8, 27, 34, 37)
These are David's instructions on how we should handle our envy of the wicked man's prosperity: Do good, trust God and don't worry! If we patiently continue doing the things that God has commanded us to do—focusing on our own character, rather than complaining about another's—the scales of justice will come into their proper balance in God's time.
No Concern of Ours
Why do the wicked prosper? Some succeed due to Satan's influence. God may allow others to grow wealthy to try our character. Many have natural talents, a kind of Midas' touch, whereby everything they do brings them gain. A few, like the lottery winners, roll in wealth because of time and chance. There are many reasons why uncalled and unrepentant people seem so successful.
In the end it doesn't matter! Our neighbors' fortunes are completely out of our hands. God will deal with them when it is appropriate, and only He knows when that time will come. What is under our control is how we respond to it and—far more importantly—how we handle what God has given us. Rather than gaze enviously at our neighbors' wealth, we should strive to reach the apostle Paul's example: "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Philippians 4:11). He writes in I Timothy 6:8-10:
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The pursuit of wealth is a path that is likely to end in trouble and unhappiness. If we keep God's way, the blessings will come automatically, as God sees fit. Whether we prosper financially or not, we know that God has our best interests at heart (Romans 8:28). We can rely on Jesus' promise in Matthew 6:33 that God will give us all that we could ever need if we keep our focus on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
It is that simple. Do good, trust God and don't worry!
© 1998 Church of the Great God
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Charlotte, NC 28247-1846
(803) 802-7075
Read more: http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/RA/k/245/Why-Do-Wicked-Prosper.htm#ixzz1YB5kewLe
Friday, September 16, 2011
Nazi Hired Red Vehicles Stalked Me Again
As soon as I left a friend's house tonight, red vehicles, about 20 all in a row, came up behind me and approaching me.
You people, whether you are working for the government (FBI, CIA, Task Force) or for criminals or wealthy corporations, it doesn't matter, you are all the same. EVIL. You will stand before God and answer for this harassment and stalking.
It's easy to be a bully isn't it when you can pick on someone who doesn't know who you are? You are also COWARDS.
Proverbs 11:3--The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. God will DESTROY YOU.
Acts 13:10--"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?
Those who worship the devil do not receive ministering and comfort from the angels in heaven. They have to seek after the things the devil has to offer them such as a quick fix on some kind of a drug or drinks of alcohol or money, power--whatever else the devil can present to them as comforters.
You people, whether you are working for the government (FBI, CIA, Task Force) or for criminals or wealthy corporations, it doesn't matter, you are all the same. EVIL. You will stand before God and answer for this harassment and stalking.
It's easy to be a bully isn't it when you can pick on someone who doesn't know who you are? You are also COWARDS.
Proverbs 11:3--The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. God will DESTROY YOU.
Acts 13:10--"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?
Those who worship the devil do not receive ministering and comfort from the angels in heaven. They have to seek after the things the devil has to offer them such as a quick fix on some kind of a drug or drinks of alcohol or money, power--whatever else the devil can present to them as comforters.
Monday, September 12, 2011
former Secret Service and FBI contractor, Bill Taylor PI shed light on government's secret program targeting individuals in their homes, communities and everywhere they try to escape for relief and survival.
http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-national/ex-ss-fbi-agent-on-rfid-implanted-walbert-and-many-others
Human Right to Private Life - The right to privacy is the right to individual autonomy that is violated when states interfere with, penalise or prohibit actions which essentially only concern the individual. The right to privacy encompasses the right to protection of a person’s intimacy, identity, name, gender, honour, dignity, appearance, feelings and sexual orientation and extends to the home, the family and correspondence.
In the first segment of this interview, Secretly forced implants Part III, former Secret Service and FBI contractor, Bill Taylor PI shed light on government's secret program targeting individuals in their homes, communities and everywhere they try to escape for relief and survival. Part III highlighted Taylor's intelligence career of over 50 years including Chief Investigator of high-profile cases such as the Karen Silkwood Case, the 3-Mile Island case, the Iran Contra Scandal and Phoenix Program case in Vietnam.
Although Targeted Individuals do not require implants to be kept under technological surveillance, harassment, and torture, in this segment of the interview, Taylor answered questions specifically about the James Walbert case of forced brain and other implants. He revealed that trusted medical professionals are implanting children and adults, and explains the military value of implanted subjects. The hidden crime brutally taking lives of Targeted Individuals is more widespread than Americans have known or want to know according to credible self-identified targets' testimonies and Bill Taylor PI. The media and professional blackout on this atrocity continues.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Secretly forced brain implants Pt IV: Intel expert on the doctors, children, military research - National Human Rights | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-national/ex-ss-fbi-agent-on-rfid-implanted-walbert-and-many-others#ixzz1Xmp1rdzc
Human Right to Private Life - The right to privacy is the right to individual autonomy that is violated when states interfere with, penalise or prohibit actions which essentially only concern the individual. The right to privacy encompasses the right to protection of a person’s intimacy, identity, name, gender, honour, dignity, appearance, feelings and sexual orientation and extends to the home, the family and correspondence.
In the first segment of this interview, Secretly forced implants Part III, former Secret Service and FBI contractor, Bill Taylor PI shed light on government's secret program targeting individuals in their homes, communities and everywhere they try to escape for relief and survival. Part III highlighted Taylor's intelligence career of over 50 years including Chief Investigator of high-profile cases such as the Karen Silkwood Case, the 3-Mile Island case, the Iran Contra Scandal and Phoenix Program case in Vietnam.
Although Targeted Individuals do not require implants to be kept under technological surveillance, harassment, and torture, in this segment of the interview, Taylor answered questions specifically about the James Walbert case of forced brain and other implants. He revealed that trusted medical professionals are implanting children and adults, and explains the military value of implanted subjects. The hidden crime brutally taking lives of Targeted Individuals is more widespread than Americans have known or want to know according to credible self-identified targets' testimonies and Bill Taylor PI. The media and professional blackout on this atrocity continues.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Secretly forced brain implants Pt IV: Intel expert on the doctors, children, military research - National Human Rights | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-national/ex-ss-fbi-agent-on-rfid-implanted-walbert-and-many-others#ixzz1Xmp1rdzc
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Glass
Husband and I got into a heated discussion about his "mind games." I told him we needed to stop because I was having chest pains, but he kept on talking about it anyway.
I walked outside to get laundry, putting my tennis shoes on before walking out. He came outside and left, saying he needed to get away.
I was reading at the website freedom from covert stalking about FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth and how eating it can get rid of parasites.
I Googled this and someone said it was made of glass crystals.
I walked around the yard a little bit, and then felt something gouging me in the bottom of the foot. I took my shoe off and had blood in it. I took the shoe inside and pulled out the object that had been gouging my foot--it was a piece of glass.
I walked outside to get laundry, putting my tennis shoes on before walking out. He came outside and left, saying he needed to get away.
I was reading at the website freedom from covert stalking about FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth and how eating it can get rid of parasites.
I Googled this and someone said it was made of glass crystals.
I walked around the yard a little bit, and then felt something gouging me in the bottom of the foot. I took my shoe off and had blood in it. I took the shoe inside and pulled out the object that had been gouging my foot--it was a piece of glass.
Heritage Manor
I was at my sister's house today and we discussed Heritage Manor, a nursing home. As soon as I came home, my husband invited me to see him and his band play at "Heritage Manor."
Do What You Love
Two days ago a friend and I were talking and said that to earn a living, one should "do what you love."
Went home and husband came home shortly with groceries. He always buys Total cereal, but, that day, he bought Cheerios. He made sure to point out the back of the box to me--it said "Do what you love."
Went home and husband came home shortly with groceries. He always buys Total cereal, but, that day, he bought Cheerios. He made sure to point out the back of the box to me--it said "Do what you love."
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Widely Prescribed Drug No Better than a Placebo & Has Serious Side Effeccts
The Widely Prescribed Drug that's No Better than a Placebo
Posted By Dr. Mercola | September 03 2011 | 26,440 views
Researchers have found that antipsychotic drugs which are widely prescribed to treat severe post-traumatic stress symptoms for veterans are no more effective than placebos. In addition, the drugs come with serious side effects.
The finding is such a serious blow to current treatment standards so directly that some experts say it could change treatment practices in the near future. Although the study focused on one medication, Risperdal, the results most likely extend to an entire class of drugs, including Seroquel, Geodon and Abilify.
According to the New York Times:
"The use of such drugs has grown sharply over the past decade, as thousands of returning soldiers and Marines have found that their post-traumatic stress symptoms do not respond to antidepressants, the only drugs backed by scientific evidence for the disorder. Doctors have turned to antipsychotics, which strongly affect mood, to augment treatment, based almost entirely on their experience with them and how they expect them to work."
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
A sizable number of U.S. combat troops are now taking either antidepressants or antipsychotic drugs to calm nerves strained by repeated and lengthy combat tours. But according to the results from the largest study of its kind in war veterans, even some of the most potent of these mind-altering drugs are no different from sugar pills in terms of the relief they provide.
According to the New York Times, this finding "challenges current treatment standards so directly" that the treatment practice for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might soon be altered.
After all, why take a drug fraught with dangerous side effects if it's been proven ineffective? I truly believe we need to start looking at other alternatives, because clearly, these veterans need help.
The question is what kind of treatment will actually work?
I think it's impossible to make any sort of blanket recommendation that would cover every case of PTSD. It's an extremely challenging situation, and different individuals may find relief using a variety of different methods. Here, I will only attempt to highlight a few suggestions that I believe can play an important role in the mental health of most people, but that's certainly not to say that these strategies will be successful for everyone—especially not when you're talking about combat-induced PTSD.
However, the evidence indicates that drugs are not the right answer for the majority of people suffering with various degrees of mental problems, including PTSD, and therefore I recommend making a concerted effort to seek to avoid them, if at all possible, and to carefully consider trying other alternatives first.
If you haven't read my recent comprehensive report on the dangers of using antidepressants, I would strongly encourage you to do so as it has a very detailed report that includes all my many concerns about this therapy.
Antipsychotic Drugs No More Effective than Placebo in PTSD Treatment
Of the enlisted who see heavy combat, 10-20 percent develop persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and about 20 percent of those who seek treatment end up getting a prescription for an antipsychotic drug.
The reason why so many veterans are now prescribed antipsychotics is because PTSD symptoms were found to be unresponsive to antidepressants. Antipsychotics like Risperdal are more potent in terms of affecting and altering mood. However, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the drug Risperdal is no more effective than a placebo, and is associated with a long list of potentially devastating side effects.
The study included 123 veterans with PTSD who received Risperdal, and another 124 who received a placebo. After six months of treatment, about five percent of the participants in both groups recovered, and between 10-20 percent in each group reported minor improvement.
According to the lead author, Dr. John H. Krystal, who is also the director of the clinical neurosciences division of the Department of Veterans Affairs' National Center for PTSD:
"We didn't find any suggestion that the drug treatment was having an overall benefit on their lives."
Although the study focused on just one drug, Risperdal, experts have stated that these results most likely extend to the entire class of similar drugs, which also include:
Seroquel
Geodon
Abilify
Risperdal
Risperdal is known as an "atypical antipsychotic," used to treat schizophrenia and biopolar disorder in adults, and irritability associated with autistic disorder in children. Side effects, some of which may be permanent, include:
Somnolence and fatigue Increased appetite and weight gain Upper respiratory tract infection
Restlessness Metabolic disorders Muscular tics, tremors, muscle stiffness
Vomiting, coughing, fever Indigestion Urinary incontinence
More serious side effects include:
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, which can be fatal
Hormone disruption (including breasts producing milk and breast development in males)
High blood sugar and diabetes
Abilify
Abilify (aripiprazole) is a newer psychotropic medication, licensed for the treatment of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism—and major depression when taken with antidepressants. I.e. it is used to augment the effects of the antidepressants—because, of course, antidepressants have also been found to be about as effective as a placebo, and sometimes less effective than a sugar pill...
Abilify is a perfect example of how polypharmacy is spreading and increasing, as ineffective drugs are simply "boosted" by yet another drug. The word 'polypharmacy' means "many drugs," and essentially refers to instances where an individual is taking too many drugs--either because more drugs are prescribed than clinically indicated, or when the sheer number of pills simply becomes a burden for the patient. Polypharmacy is a significant problem, because the more drugs you mix together, the greater the chances of serious side effects.
People (of all ages and walks of life) taking psychiatric drugs appear to be particularly prone to polypharmacy, which is disturbing since these drugs are quite potent and potentially dangerous when taken singularly. Abilify, for example, has 75 different side effects associated with it, including:
Low thyroid (hypothyroidism) or high thyroid (hyperthyroidism) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Yeast infections Carpal tunnel syndrome
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Gallstones and kidney stones Arthritis Impotence
Antidepressants Frequently Prescribed without Psychiatric Diagnosis
While surveys have discovered that only about half of those thought to need treatment for mental problems actually seek it out, other research shows that a large portion of the growth in antidepressant prescriptions is driven by an increase in antidepressant prescriptions by non-psychiatrist providers -- without any accompanying psychiatric diagnosis.
Over the course of the past two decades, the use of antidepressants in the U.S. has grown significantly, making them the third most commonly prescribed class of medications in the country. Between 2005, and 2008 nearly nine percent of Americans took at least one prescription in this drug class during any given month!
On August 4, Eurekalert reported:
"Between 1996 and 2007, the number of visits where individuals were prescribed antidepressants with no psychiatric diagnoses increased from 59.5 percent to 72.7 percent, and the share of providers who prescribed antidepressants without a concurrent psychiatric diagnosis increased from 30 percent of all non-psychiatrist physicians in 1996 to 55.4 percent in 2007."
As you can see, there are a number of concurrent problems festering in the field of mental health. Many who need help aren't getting it, while at the same time, a great many are being overtreated with potentially dangerous drugs... All in all, what this tells me is that we need to become more open-minded when it comes to the treatment of psychiatric problems. And we need to become more adept at addressing lifestyle issues that contribute to deteriorating mental health.
If Drugs Don't Work, What Does?
There's no cut and dry answer to that question.
"[S]tudies suggest that talk therapy, alone or in combination with antidepressants, can accelerate the relief of common symptoms, like nightmares and reclusive behavior. These psychotherapies tend to include relaxation skills; incrementally increased exposure to stress triggers; and challenging some inaccurate assumptions that fuel anxiety," the New York Times reports, adding:
"… Dr. Krystal said the benefits many doctors thought they were getting from the drugs "quite possibly came from simply engaging the patient in treatment, and not from the medication."
Additionally, according to other research, it takes about twice as long for your body to 'reset' itself physiologically once you return from combat deployment. This means that if you've been in a combat zone for 12 months, you can expect it to take about 24 months to recover once you get back home, so give yourself enough time to work through it.
As mentioned above, learning relaxation skills along with reprogramming of emotional triggers are likely to be some of the most important treatment strategies.
Energy Psychology, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and other similar techniques can help accomplish both of those simultaneously. Although most forms of energy psychology are easy to learn and eventually perform on yourself, when it comes to the treatment of PTSD, I would highly recommend seeking out a trained professional that you feel comfortable with, rather than trying to do it on your own.
Important Lifestyle Factors to Consider to Help Strengthen Mental Stability
Even if you have a decent diet, nutritional deficiencies are pervasive and can easily contribute to depression, as can other "lifestyle deficiencies." Dietary factors have also been linked to other more serious psychiatric disorders.
Here are a few of the most important lifestyle factors that you'll want to address, whether you're trying to address depression, PTSD, or any other mental health problem:
Animal based Omega-3 fat: This is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies that can have a major impact on your mental health. Many people don't realize that their brain is 60 percent DHA, which is an animal-based omega-3 fat. Dr. Stoll is a Harvard psychiatrist and was one of the early leaders in compiling the evidence supporting the use of animal based omega-3 fats for the treatment of depression. He wrote an excellent book that details his experience in this area called The Omega-3 Connection.
Another vitamin deficiency that can contribute to depression is vitamin B12, which affects about one in four people.
Vitamin D is also important. One study found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who had normal levels. Additionally, a study published in the September 9, 2010 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry found that maintaining proper levels of vitamin D in utero and during early infancy can even help prevent schizophrenia later in life.
The best way to get vitamin D is through regular year-round exposure to sunshine. Remember, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a type of depression that we know is related to sunshine deficiency, so it would make sense that the perfect way to get your vitamin D is through sun exposure, or a safe tanning bed if you can't have regular access to the sun. Your next option, if these two superior options are not available, is to use a vitamin D supplement—just make sure to check your levels regularly to make sure you’re maintaining optimal levels.
Another important deficiency is exercise. There’s a veritable mountain of well-done scientific research pointing to the fact that exercise is one of the most potent treatments we have for depression. Unlike drugs, it is FAR more consistently effective than placebo when done properly.
Sound sleep is another critical issue. You can have the best diet and exercise program possible but if you aren't sleeping well your mental health can suffer. Sleep and depression are so intimately linked that a sleep disorder is actually part of the definition of the symptom complex that gives the label depression.
If You or Someone You Love Has Just Returned From Military Duty …
Please make sure to take steps to help heal the emotional wounds. Left untended, emotional trauma like the experience of battle can lead to serious health problems down the road -- anything from depression to heart attacks and cancer is possible. Be sure to pay VERY careful attention to the above physical cofactors as they will make any emotional technique work that much more effectively.
Learning to address your stress is imperative both for mental and physical health, particularly if you're suffering with symptoms of PTSD. Exercise is very helpful for this aspect. Other common stress reduction tools with a high success rate include prayer, meditation and yoga, for example.
By applying techniques such as Energy Psychology in conjunction with other stress reduction tools, you can teach your body how to try and maintain an alert yet relaxed state, which will help strengthen your inherent coping mechanisms when faced with stressful situations that trigger your anxiety symptoms.
Last, but certainly not least, please remember that your mind and mood is significantly affected by your diet, so don't dismiss that part. While it may not be a miracle cure in and of itself, it can be extremely difficult to achieve mental health without the proper foundation of a sound diet and exercise plan. For an inspiring testament of how one man (who had suffered with a debilitating anxiety disorder for 11 years) managed to resolve his anxiety through dietary changes alone when everything else had failed, please read this previous article.
My heart goes out to you if you, or someone you love, have experienced a situation or tragedy in life that resulted in PTSD. I hope you will find encouragement, strength, hope, true heaing and complete recovery from your symptoms.
Posted By Dr. Mercola | September 03 2011 | 26,440 views
Researchers have found that antipsychotic drugs which are widely prescribed to treat severe post-traumatic stress symptoms for veterans are no more effective than placebos. In addition, the drugs come with serious side effects.
The finding is such a serious blow to current treatment standards so directly that some experts say it could change treatment practices in the near future. Although the study focused on one medication, Risperdal, the results most likely extend to an entire class of drugs, including Seroquel, Geodon and Abilify.
According to the New York Times:
"The use of such drugs has grown sharply over the past decade, as thousands of returning soldiers and Marines have found that their post-traumatic stress symptoms do not respond to antidepressants, the only drugs backed by scientific evidence for the disorder. Doctors have turned to antipsychotics, which strongly affect mood, to augment treatment, based almost entirely on their experience with them and how they expect them to work."
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
A sizable number of U.S. combat troops are now taking either antidepressants or antipsychotic drugs to calm nerves strained by repeated and lengthy combat tours. But according to the results from the largest study of its kind in war veterans, even some of the most potent of these mind-altering drugs are no different from sugar pills in terms of the relief they provide.
According to the New York Times, this finding "challenges current treatment standards so directly" that the treatment practice for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might soon be altered.
After all, why take a drug fraught with dangerous side effects if it's been proven ineffective? I truly believe we need to start looking at other alternatives, because clearly, these veterans need help.
The question is what kind of treatment will actually work?
I think it's impossible to make any sort of blanket recommendation that would cover every case of PTSD. It's an extremely challenging situation, and different individuals may find relief using a variety of different methods. Here, I will only attempt to highlight a few suggestions that I believe can play an important role in the mental health of most people, but that's certainly not to say that these strategies will be successful for everyone—especially not when you're talking about combat-induced PTSD.
However, the evidence indicates that drugs are not the right answer for the majority of people suffering with various degrees of mental problems, including PTSD, and therefore I recommend making a concerted effort to seek to avoid them, if at all possible, and to carefully consider trying other alternatives first.
If you haven't read my recent comprehensive report on the dangers of using antidepressants, I would strongly encourage you to do so as it has a very detailed report that includes all my many concerns about this therapy.
Antipsychotic Drugs No More Effective than Placebo in PTSD Treatment
Of the enlisted who see heavy combat, 10-20 percent develop persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and about 20 percent of those who seek treatment end up getting a prescription for an antipsychotic drug.
The reason why so many veterans are now prescribed antipsychotics is because PTSD symptoms were found to be unresponsive to antidepressants. Antipsychotics like Risperdal are more potent in terms of affecting and altering mood. However, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the drug Risperdal is no more effective than a placebo, and is associated with a long list of potentially devastating side effects.
The study included 123 veterans with PTSD who received Risperdal, and another 124 who received a placebo. After six months of treatment, about five percent of the participants in both groups recovered, and between 10-20 percent in each group reported minor improvement.
According to the lead author, Dr. John H. Krystal, who is also the director of the clinical neurosciences division of the Department of Veterans Affairs' National Center for PTSD:
"We didn't find any suggestion that the drug treatment was having an overall benefit on their lives."
Although the study focused on just one drug, Risperdal, experts have stated that these results most likely extend to the entire class of similar drugs, which also include:
Seroquel
Geodon
Abilify
Risperdal
Risperdal is known as an "atypical antipsychotic," used to treat schizophrenia and biopolar disorder in adults, and irritability associated with autistic disorder in children. Side effects, some of which may be permanent, include:
Somnolence and fatigue Increased appetite and weight gain Upper respiratory tract infection
Restlessness Metabolic disorders Muscular tics, tremors, muscle stiffness
Vomiting, coughing, fever Indigestion Urinary incontinence
More serious side effects include:
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, which can be fatal
Hormone disruption (including breasts producing milk and breast development in males)
High blood sugar and diabetes
Abilify
Abilify (aripiprazole) is a newer psychotropic medication, licensed for the treatment of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism—and major depression when taken with antidepressants. I.e. it is used to augment the effects of the antidepressants—because, of course, antidepressants have also been found to be about as effective as a placebo, and sometimes less effective than a sugar pill...
Abilify is a perfect example of how polypharmacy is spreading and increasing, as ineffective drugs are simply "boosted" by yet another drug. The word 'polypharmacy' means "many drugs," and essentially refers to instances where an individual is taking too many drugs--either because more drugs are prescribed than clinically indicated, or when the sheer number of pills simply becomes a burden for the patient. Polypharmacy is a significant problem, because the more drugs you mix together, the greater the chances of serious side effects.
People (of all ages and walks of life) taking psychiatric drugs appear to be particularly prone to polypharmacy, which is disturbing since these drugs are quite potent and potentially dangerous when taken singularly. Abilify, for example, has 75 different side effects associated with it, including:
Low thyroid (hypothyroidism) or high thyroid (hyperthyroidism) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Yeast infections Carpal tunnel syndrome
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Gallstones and kidney stones Arthritis Impotence
Antidepressants Frequently Prescribed without Psychiatric Diagnosis
While surveys have discovered that only about half of those thought to need treatment for mental problems actually seek it out, other research shows that a large portion of the growth in antidepressant prescriptions is driven by an increase in antidepressant prescriptions by non-psychiatrist providers -- without any accompanying psychiatric diagnosis.
Over the course of the past two decades, the use of antidepressants in the U.S. has grown significantly, making them the third most commonly prescribed class of medications in the country. Between 2005, and 2008 nearly nine percent of Americans took at least one prescription in this drug class during any given month!
On August 4, Eurekalert reported:
"Between 1996 and 2007, the number of visits where individuals were prescribed antidepressants with no psychiatric diagnoses increased from 59.5 percent to 72.7 percent, and the share of providers who prescribed antidepressants without a concurrent psychiatric diagnosis increased from 30 percent of all non-psychiatrist physicians in 1996 to 55.4 percent in 2007."
As you can see, there are a number of concurrent problems festering in the field of mental health. Many who need help aren't getting it, while at the same time, a great many are being overtreated with potentially dangerous drugs... All in all, what this tells me is that we need to become more open-minded when it comes to the treatment of psychiatric problems. And we need to become more adept at addressing lifestyle issues that contribute to deteriorating mental health.
If Drugs Don't Work, What Does?
There's no cut and dry answer to that question.
"[S]tudies suggest that talk therapy, alone or in combination with antidepressants, can accelerate the relief of common symptoms, like nightmares and reclusive behavior. These psychotherapies tend to include relaxation skills; incrementally increased exposure to stress triggers; and challenging some inaccurate assumptions that fuel anxiety," the New York Times reports, adding:
"… Dr. Krystal said the benefits many doctors thought they were getting from the drugs "quite possibly came from simply engaging the patient in treatment, and not from the medication."
Additionally, according to other research, it takes about twice as long for your body to 'reset' itself physiologically once you return from combat deployment. This means that if you've been in a combat zone for 12 months, you can expect it to take about 24 months to recover once you get back home, so give yourself enough time to work through it.
As mentioned above, learning relaxation skills along with reprogramming of emotional triggers are likely to be some of the most important treatment strategies.
Energy Psychology, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and other similar techniques can help accomplish both of those simultaneously. Although most forms of energy psychology are easy to learn and eventually perform on yourself, when it comes to the treatment of PTSD, I would highly recommend seeking out a trained professional that you feel comfortable with, rather than trying to do it on your own.
Important Lifestyle Factors to Consider to Help Strengthen Mental Stability
Even if you have a decent diet, nutritional deficiencies are pervasive and can easily contribute to depression, as can other "lifestyle deficiencies." Dietary factors have also been linked to other more serious psychiatric disorders.
Here are a few of the most important lifestyle factors that you'll want to address, whether you're trying to address depression, PTSD, or any other mental health problem:
Animal based Omega-3 fat: This is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies that can have a major impact on your mental health. Many people don't realize that their brain is 60 percent DHA, which is an animal-based omega-3 fat. Dr. Stoll is a Harvard psychiatrist and was one of the early leaders in compiling the evidence supporting the use of animal based omega-3 fats for the treatment of depression. He wrote an excellent book that details his experience in this area called The Omega-3 Connection.
Another vitamin deficiency that can contribute to depression is vitamin B12, which affects about one in four people.
Vitamin D is also important. One study found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who had normal levels. Additionally, a study published in the September 9, 2010 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry found that maintaining proper levels of vitamin D in utero and during early infancy can even help prevent schizophrenia later in life.
The best way to get vitamin D is through regular year-round exposure to sunshine. Remember, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a type of depression that we know is related to sunshine deficiency, so it would make sense that the perfect way to get your vitamin D is through sun exposure, or a safe tanning bed if you can't have regular access to the sun. Your next option, if these two superior options are not available, is to use a vitamin D supplement—just make sure to check your levels regularly to make sure you’re maintaining optimal levels.
Another important deficiency is exercise. There’s a veritable mountain of well-done scientific research pointing to the fact that exercise is one of the most potent treatments we have for depression. Unlike drugs, it is FAR more consistently effective than placebo when done properly.
Sound sleep is another critical issue. You can have the best diet and exercise program possible but if you aren't sleeping well your mental health can suffer. Sleep and depression are so intimately linked that a sleep disorder is actually part of the definition of the symptom complex that gives the label depression.
If You or Someone You Love Has Just Returned From Military Duty …
Please make sure to take steps to help heal the emotional wounds. Left untended, emotional trauma like the experience of battle can lead to serious health problems down the road -- anything from depression to heart attacks and cancer is possible. Be sure to pay VERY careful attention to the above physical cofactors as they will make any emotional technique work that much more effectively.
Learning to address your stress is imperative both for mental and physical health, particularly if you're suffering with symptoms of PTSD. Exercise is very helpful for this aspect. Other common stress reduction tools with a high success rate include prayer, meditation and yoga, for example.
By applying techniques such as Energy Psychology in conjunction with other stress reduction tools, you can teach your body how to try and maintain an alert yet relaxed state, which will help strengthen your inherent coping mechanisms when faced with stressful situations that trigger your anxiety symptoms.
Last, but certainly not least, please remember that your mind and mood is significantly affected by your diet, so don't dismiss that part. While it may not be a miracle cure in and of itself, it can be extremely difficult to achieve mental health without the proper foundation of a sound diet and exercise plan. For an inspiring testament of how one man (who had suffered with a debilitating anxiety disorder for 11 years) managed to resolve his anxiety through dietary changes alone when everything else had failed, please read this previous article.
My heart goes out to you if you, or someone you love, have experienced a situation or tragedy in life that resulted in PTSD. I hope you will find encouragement, strength, hope, true heaing and complete recovery from your symptoms.
Friday, September 2, 2011
There is NO SUCH THING AS BIPOLAR
MENTAL ILLNESS AS BRAIN DISEASE:
A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON
by
Thomas S. Szasz, M.D.
A 1999 White House Conference on Mental Health concluded: "Research in the last decade proves that mental illnesses are diagnosable disorders of the brain."
President William Clinton was more specific: "Mental illness can be accurately diagnosed, successfully treated, just as physical illness." Persons who reject the view that mental illnesses are physical diseases are dismissed by today's opinion-makers as intellectual troglodytes, on a par with "flat earthers."
That the claim that "mental illnesses are diagnosable disorders of the brain" is a lie ought to be evident to anyone who thinks for himself. Here I want to show that the claim that "research in the last decade proves [this]" is also a lie, one more in a very long list in the history of psychiatry. The contention that mental illness is brain disease is as old as psychiatry itself: it is an integral part of the grand lie that psychiatry is a branch of medicine and healing, when in fact it is a branch of the law and social control. Hannah Arendt was right when she observed: "There are no limits to the possibilities of nonsense and capricious notions that can be decked out as the last word in science."
The idea that mental illness is a bodily disease dates back to the premodern medical conception of disease as a "humoral imbalance," comically prefiguring the modern, supposedly scientific conception of it as "chemical imbalance." In the United States, the idea of mental illness as humoral imbalance was famously espoused by Benjamin Rush (1746-1813), the founding father American psychiatry. Rush did not discover that certain behaviors are diseases; he decreed that they are: "Lying," he declared, "is a corporeal disease." In a letter to his friend, John Adams, he wrote: "The subjects [mental diseases] have hitherto been enveloped in mystery. I have endeavored to bring them down to the level of all other diseases of the human body, and to show that the mind and the body are moved by the same causes and subject to the same laws."
In the nineteenth century, the scientific concept of disease as lesion replaced the Galenic concept of disease as humoral imbalance. Now, physicians postulated that mental diseases are diseases of the brain. From about 1850 until past World War I, German (more precisely, German-speaking) psychiatry ruled the field. The very term psychiatry (Psychiatrie) was a German invention, coined by Johann Christian Reil (1759-1813) in 1808. Reil, not an alienist (psychiatrist), was one of the outstanding medical scientists and physicians of his age. He was a friend and physician of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In addition to coining the term "psychiatry," he also coined the term "noninjurious torture," to describe the methods of frightening mental patients that he considered effective and legitimate "treatments."
It is important to keep in mind that the German asylum system was created, in 1805, by the autocratic Prussian state: specifically, by Karl August von Hardenberg (1759-1822), a Prussian statesman. Hardenberg declared, "The state must concern itself with all institutions for those with damaged minds, both for the betterment of the unfortunates and the advancement of science. In this important and difficult field of medicine only unrelenting efforts will enable us to carve out advances for the good of suffering mankind. Perfection can be achieved only in such institutions."
Writing in 1917, at the height of World War I, Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926) -- creator of the first system of psychiatric classification, today widely considered the father of modern "scientific" psychiatry -- offered these revealing remarks about Hardenberg's achievement: "The great war in which we are now engaged has compelled us to recognize the fact that science could forge for us a host of effective weapons for use against a hostile world. Should it be otherwise if we are fighting an internal enemy seeking to destroy the very fabric of our existence?"
Kraepelin's remarks make clear that he regarded psychiatry as an arm of the state, similar to the military forces, whose duty is to protect the fatherland from "an internal enemy" that, like a hostile army, seeks to destroy it. The evil genius of psychiatry lay, and continues to lie, in its ability to convince itself, the legal system, and the public that, in matters defined as psychiatric, there is no conflict between the legitimate interests of the individual and the legitimate interests of the political class in charge of the state.
Of course, the German psychiatric pioneers had to answer the question, "What is mental illness?" Answer it, they did. Wilhelm Griesinger (1817-1868), considered one of the founders of German psychiatry -- and also of the famed Zurich insane asylum, the Burghölzli -- declared: "Psychological diseases are diseases of the brain. ... Insanity is merely a symptom complex of various anomalous states of the brain."
Theodor Meynert (1833-1892) -- a German-born Viennese neuropsychiatrist and one of Freud's teachers -- began his textbook, Psychiatry (1884), with this statement: "The reader will find no other definition of 'Psychiatry' in this book but the one given on the title page: Clinical Treatise on Diseases of the Forebrain. The historical term for psychiatry, i.e., 'treatment of the soul,' implies more than we can accomplish, and transcends the bounds of accurate scientific investigation."
In a review of Swedish psychiatry in the nineteenth century, historian of science Roger Qvarsell states: "In the 1860s, the debate among psychiatrists about the real nature of mental disease was over ... Almost all medical scientists and medical authorities were at this time convinced that mental diseases were of the same nature as somatic disorders." Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Infringement of Freedom
What inferences did and do doctors draw from their concepts of mental illness as brain disease? First, as Carl Wernicke (1848-1905), a prominent nineteenth-century German neuropsychiatrist observed, "The medical treatment of [mental] patients began with the infringement of their personal freedom." In addition, it began with "benevolent tortures," such as frightening them by throwing them into a pit of snakes, the origin of the term "snake pit" for insane asylum. More specifically, the humoral imbalance theory led Rush to employ "bleeding, purging, low diet, and the tranquilizing chair. "The tranquilizing chair was a chair-like contraption for confining the patient and rotating him until he became dizzy or lost consciousness. This was supposed to rebalance the circulation in the brain. It was but a small step from the nineteenth-century's tranquilizing chair to the twentieth century's tranquilizing drug, supposed to rebalance the chemical imbalance in the patient's brain.
Psychiatric practice today requires that doctors and patients ignore evidence and be ignorant of history. There was no evidence for a humoral imbalance causing illness, but the doctrine prevailed for two thousand years. There is no evidence for a chemical imbalance causing mental illness, but that does not impair the doctrine's scientific standing or popularity. Neither the American Psychiatric Association nor American presidents remind people of the caveat of the great nineteenth-century English neurologist, John Hughlings Jackson (1835-1911): "Our concern as medical men is with the body. If there be such a thing as disease of the mind, we can do nothing for it."
A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON
by
Thomas S. Szasz, M.D.
A 1999 White House Conference on Mental Health concluded: "Research in the last decade proves that mental illnesses are diagnosable disorders of the brain."
President William Clinton was more specific: "Mental illness can be accurately diagnosed, successfully treated, just as physical illness." Persons who reject the view that mental illnesses are physical diseases are dismissed by today's opinion-makers as intellectual troglodytes, on a par with "flat earthers."
That the claim that "mental illnesses are diagnosable disorders of the brain" is a lie ought to be evident to anyone who thinks for himself. Here I want to show that the claim that "research in the last decade proves [this]" is also a lie, one more in a very long list in the history of psychiatry. The contention that mental illness is brain disease is as old as psychiatry itself: it is an integral part of the grand lie that psychiatry is a branch of medicine and healing, when in fact it is a branch of the law and social control. Hannah Arendt was right when she observed: "There are no limits to the possibilities of nonsense and capricious notions that can be decked out as the last word in science."
The idea that mental illness is a bodily disease dates back to the premodern medical conception of disease as a "humoral imbalance," comically prefiguring the modern, supposedly scientific conception of it as "chemical imbalance." In the United States, the idea of mental illness as humoral imbalance was famously espoused by Benjamin Rush (1746-1813), the founding father American psychiatry. Rush did not discover that certain behaviors are diseases; he decreed that they are: "Lying," he declared, "is a corporeal disease." In a letter to his friend, John Adams, he wrote: "The subjects [mental diseases] have hitherto been enveloped in mystery. I have endeavored to bring them down to the level of all other diseases of the human body, and to show that the mind and the body are moved by the same causes and subject to the same laws."
In the nineteenth century, the scientific concept of disease as lesion replaced the Galenic concept of disease as humoral imbalance. Now, physicians postulated that mental diseases are diseases of the brain. From about 1850 until past World War I, German (more precisely, German-speaking) psychiatry ruled the field. The very term psychiatry (Psychiatrie) was a German invention, coined by Johann Christian Reil (1759-1813) in 1808. Reil, not an alienist (psychiatrist), was one of the outstanding medical scientists and physicians of his age. He was a friend and physician of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In addition to coining the term "psychiatry," he also coined the term "noninjurious torture," to describe the methods of frightening mental patients that he considered effective and legitimate "treatments."
It is important to keep in mind that the German asylum system was created, in 1805, by the autocratic Prussian state: specifically, by Karl August von Hardenberg (1759-1822), a Prussian statesman. Hardenberg declared, "The state must concern itself with all institutions for those with damaged minds, both for the betterment of the unfortunates and the advancement of science. In this important and difficult field of medicine only unrelenting efforts will enable us to carve out advances for the good of suffering mankind. Perfection can be achieved only in such institutions."
Writing in 1917, at the height of World War I, Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926) -- creator of the first system of psychiatric classification, today widely considered the father of modern "scientific" psychiatry -- offered these revealing remarks about Hardenberg's achievement: "The great war in which we are now engaged has compelled us to recognize the fact that science could forge for us a host of effective weapons for use against a hostile world. Should it be otherwise if we are fighting an internal enemy seeking to destroy the very fabric of our existence?"
Kraepelin's remarks make clear that he regarded psychiatry as an arm of the state, similar to the military forces, whose duty is to protect the fatherland from "an internal enemy" that, like a hostile army, seeks to destroy it. The evil genius of psychiatry lay, and continues to lie, in its ability to convince itself, the legal system, and the public that, in matters defined as psychiatric, there is no conflict between the legitimate interests of the individual and the legitimate interests of the political class in charge of the state.
Of course, the German psychiatric pioneers had to answer the question, "What is mental illness?" Answer it, they did. Wilhelm Griesinger (1817-1868), considered one of the founders of German psychiatry -- and also of the famed Zurich insane asylum, the Burghölzli -- declared: "Psychological diseases are diseases of the brain. ... Insanity is merely a symptom complex of various anomalous states of the brain."
Theodor Meynert (1833-1892) -- a German-born Viennese neuropsychiatrist and one of Freud's teachers -- began his textbook, Psychiatry (1884), with this statement: "The reader will find no other definition of 'Psychiatry' in this book but the one given on the title page: Clinical Treatise on Diseases of the Forebrain. The historical term for psychiatry, i.e., 'treatment of the soul,' implies more than we can accomplish, and transcends the bounds of accurate scientific investigation."
In a review of Swedish psychiatry in the nineteenth century, historian of science Roger Qvarsell states: "In the 1860s, the debate among psychiatrists about the real nature of mental disease was over ... Almost all medical scientists and medical authorities were at this time convinced that mental diseases were of the same nature as somatic disorders." Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Infringement of Freedom
What inferences did and do doctors draw from their concepts of mental illness as brain disease? First, as Carl Wernicke (1848-1905), a prominent nineteenth-century German neuropsychiatrist observed, "The medical treatment of [mental] patients began with the infringement of their personal freedom." In addition, it began with "benevolent tortures," such as frightening them by throwing them into a pit of snakes, the origin of the term "snake pit" for insane asylum. More specifically, the humoral imbalance theory led Rush to employ "bleeding, purging, low diet, and the tranquilizing chair. "The tranquilizing chair was a chair-like contraption for confining the patient and rotating him until he became dizzy or lost consciousness. This was supposed to rebalance the circulation in the brain. It was but a small step from the nineteenth-century's tranquilizing chair to the twentieth century's tranquilizing drug, supposed to rebalance the chemical imbalance in the patient's brain.
Psychiatric practice today requires that doctors and patients ignore evidence and be ignorant of history. There was no evidence for a humoral imbalance causing illness, but the doctrine prevailed for two thousand years. There is no evidence for a chemical imbalance causing mental illness, but that does not impair the doctrine's scientific standing or popularity. Neither the American Psychiatric Association nor American presidents remind people of the caveat of the great nineteenth-century English neurologist, John Hughlings Jackson (1835-1911): "Our concern as medical men is with the body. If there be such a thing as disease of the mind, we can do nothing for it."
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