Prozac still has a useful place in the world, mental health professionals say

If you're worried about a recent study that says Prozac isn't effective, mental health professionals have a message for you.

Don't worry about it!

A story from the The Guardian, a British newspaper, claims a scientific study has proven that the bestselling antidepressant "does not work," nor do similar drugs in the same class.

The study, developed by Hull University in the United Kingdom and other institutions, examined all available data on the drugs - including results from clinical trials that compared the effect on patients taking the drugs with those given a placebo or sugar pill, according to The Guardian.

When all the data was pulled together, it appeared that patients had improved - but those on placebo improved just as much as those on the drugs, according to the newspaper.

But Benjamin Druss, the Rosalynn Carter endowed chair for mental health and an associate professor at Emory University, said the information isn't very new. But it doesn't mean that it's right.

"There have been several other recent meta-analyses that have found that [anti-depressants] aren't as effective as we had originally thought," he said.

The study, however, seems to indicate that - at the very least - seriously ill patients consider the drugs to be effective.

"It's interesting to see where and how this story has been covered; more in the U.K. than in the U.S.," he said. "The U.K. articles appear to be more likely to come up with the '[anti-depressants] don't work' conclusion, whereas the U.S. reports talk more about the fact that these meds primarily appear to be useful in more serious cases of depression."

Recent events seem to prove that: law enforcement officials noted that Steven Kazmierczak went on a murderous shooting spree at Northern Illinois University after he recently stopped taking Prozac.

Psychiatrists say suspending a patient's use of antidepressants is rarely linked to violence toward others, according to The Chicago Tribune.

But they also said it's not impossible.

If you haven't done it yet, this is the week to recognize eating disorders

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week began Sunday, and runs through March 1. And those who are trying to spread awareness of the illness will be everywhere.

The National Eating Disorders Association, for one, is looking for volunteers to be part of the NBC Today Show crowd to launch "NEDAwareness Week" before millions of TV viewers throughout the country.

This week, you're asked to be there between 5:15 and 8:30 a.m. every morning, at 1 Rockefeller Plaza (on 48th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, outside Dean & Deluca) in New York City.

Helpers will be there to meet you and provide materials you'll need for the event: NEDAWareness Poster Signs, a NEDA banner and ribbons to wear on your lapel to promote this year's NEDAW "Embrace Your Genes" campaign.

Contact NEDA via email if you are able to help with this initiative at emccormick@myneda.org.

An endorsement for brains, honesty and integrity

By STEVE BERLIN
Featured Blogger

The movement to make Steve Berlin - who has agreed to make mental health a priority in his administration - as the nation's next vice president got a boost recently when popular singer-songwriter Tim Butler endorsed Berlin's candidacy.

Butler, speaking from his home in Glenside, Pa., said Berlin is a great choice for the nation's second-banana slot because of his brains, honesty and integrity, among other reasons.

"The people need their public servants to be selfless, and Steve Berlin is the most selfless person I know," Butler, said. "In fact, he's so selfless, sometimes you forget he's even there, and that's what we need in a vice president."

Butler has been performing in the Middle Atlantic states for years as a solo performer and previously with the band Hoppers 13. He expects to release another solo CD in 2008. His music can be found at www.myspace.com/timbutler and www.timbutlermusic.com.

Berlin welcomed the endorsement and looked to Butler's nod as evidence of the traction his campaign is generating.

"Tim is a great friend and when it comes to his endorsement, he knows what he's talking about," Berlin said. ""I just want to say that if you are a real, neo-, pseudo-, minor, or flash-in-the-pan celebrity, know a celebrity, or look like a celebrity, there is ample room under my tent for all of you. Your endorsement would mean a great deal to America getting the high-quality, honest and thoughtful vice-president it deserves. Plus I might be able to get you gigs."

To contact Mr. Berlin for a speaking engagement, beer, date or a movie, reply to this e-mail or call visit him online at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=731888126, or www.myspace.com/stevieb82.

Going off your meds could have serious consequences

Only 4 percent of Americans with mental illness kill. But many of those cases involve people who didn't pay enough attention to their condition.

The Campus Police at Northern Illinois University say Stephen Kazmierczak, the man responsible for killing five people and himself, had stopped taking his medication before the shootings, according to news reports.

The medications the Northern Illinois shooter were not identified. But the incident speaks to the potential consequences of deciding to not take any prescribed medications.

Once on their medications, physicians say, patients feel fine and feel they do not need their medicine. But any psychological disorder should be treated like any other disease.

"If you have diabetes or a different health concern, you can be stable on your medications and feeling really good, but things would go really bad if you went off that medication and it's the same thing with any psychiatric medications," said Elisabeth Kinghorn, an Idaho medical professional who spoke to western news outlets.

In the military, the battle against mental health awareness continues

Fort Drum, a U.S. Army base in northern New York state, has become the epicenter of the military's mental-health ignorance.

A critical report on the mental health care provided at Fort Drum highlighted previously identified shortcomings and incorrectly characterized other facets of support being provided to soldiers, according to The Associated Press.

The report released Wednesday by Veterans for America cited problems with understaffing, a reliance on self-reporting of mental health problems and a prevailing attitude at the company level that treats mental health issues in an atmosphere of secrecy.

It also claimed that some soldiers had to wait up to two months before they were seen by doctors, according to The Associated Press.

"Are our processes as effective as we would like? No, but we're working hard and we remain fully committed as an Army and post to address our soldiers and family needs," Maj. Gen. Michael Oates, the division commander, told the wire service. "Helping our soldiers overcome the challenges of continued service in a time of war remains one of our top priorities."

Among its recommendations, the report urged Fort Drum to establish more proactive mental health screening and treatment capabilities, according to The Associated Press.

Oates noted that the post has a permanent mental health staff of four psychiatrists, six psychologists, three registered psychiatric nurses and four licensed clinical social workers.

The report was based on interviews with a dozen unnamed soldiers.

"While we don't believe 12 random soldiers represent a valid sample of our entire population, we do agree that our soldiers are having challenges," Lt. Col. Paul Swiergosz, the division spokesman, told The Associated Press. "We welcome the opinions of outside interest groups, but we're more interested in well-researched solutions to these problems."

Britney and Heath needed more help, and less pain

By ANDY BEHRMAN
Featured Blogger

There's been so much in the media lately about two celebrities - Britney Spears and Heath Ledger - and about their mental health conditions.

I'm not a psychiatrist or a mental health care professional, so I'm not qualified to say whether Britney has bipolar disorder, or if Heath's death was a suicide. I was encouraged to hear that Ms. Spears was seeking treatment by qualified psychiatrists at one of the best mental health care facilities in Los Angeles. But now that she's been released, who knows what will happen to her?

Perhaps the most horrifying piece of Ms. Spears's story (not to minimize her own suffering) is how the media has turned her erratic and often risky behavior into a joke and her psychological problems into a circus event. If she is diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, she - like any one else - deserves our best wishes, because she will struggle with this invisible and insidious disease for the rest of her life.

At the least, we can be hopeful that perhaps she will eventually get the help that she so clearly needs. And today, there is so much support available to people with mood disorders and their families. If you visit "About Bipolar Disorder" on my website, www.electroboy.com, you'll find some helpful information.

With more than 6 million people suffering from bipolar disorder in this country, it's finally time to take mental illness seriously. It's not a laughing matter, regardless of how famous you may be or how much the media spins the story of this "crazy" pop culture figure.

More and more people are becoming aware of the fact that mental illness is so rampant because of cases involving celebrities - but this particular case increases the stigma of the illness as one which is defined by the media with terms like "crazy" and "lunatic." I even was shocked to read that someone couldn't believe that "someone with all of the resources of Ms. Spears couldn't just control herself." If it was only that easy.

Heath Ledger's death, according to the medical examiner, was caused by a combination of six prescription drugs - two sleep medications, two anti-anxiety drugs and two narcotic painkillers. Hopefully, we're waking up to the fact that the abuse of prescription medication is a huge problem in this country. Coincidentally, tomorrow is the first anniversary of Anna Nicole Smith's death.

The real tragedy of all of these stories is that people are still ashamed of mental illness and addiction and would prefer to sweep them under the carpet by saying that all three of these celebrities were unfortunate victims of being in the spotlight. Mental illness and addiction doesn't discriminate, and perhaps their being in the spotlight is a blessing in disguise.

Andy is a mental health writer whose autobiographical book, "Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania," has been translated into six foreign languages. His articles have been featured in The New York Times Magazine, and he was recently featured on CNN's "360" with Anderson Cooper. He currently lives mania-free in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters.

Postpartum depression legislation is ready to move forward - finally

Supporters of legislation that will promote postpartum depression treatment are about to get their reward - and it's a Valentine's Day gift.

The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act will be marked up in the Senate H.E.L.P. committee on Feb. 14, which also happens to be Valentine's Day.

If all goes well, it could be passed by the committee on that day, supporters say. From there, it would go to the Senate and then return to the House of Representatives for final passage.

"As it originally passed by nearly unanimous bipartisan support in the House, we expect it would do so again," said Susan Dowd Stone, president of Postpartum Support International. "This is very encouraging progress."

Britney Spears released from psychiatric ward of Los Angeles hospital

Britney Spears was released on Wednesday from the Los Angeles hospital where she had been undergoing a mental evaluation since last week, according to Reuters.

Spears, 26, slipped out of UCLA Medical Center escorted by a private security detail and was believed headed home before seeking additional treatment, the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site.

Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose

Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs that included painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, the New York City medical examiner says.

"Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine," medical examiner's spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said in a news release that was reported by The Associated Press.

The medical examiner's office only provided generic names, so it is unknown whether he took generic or brand-name drugs, according to The Associated Press. Police had said they found six types of prescription drugs, including sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, in Ledger's apartment.

Oxycodone is a painkiller marketed as OxyContin and used in other painkillers such as Percodan and Percocet; hydrocodone is used in a number of painkillers, including Vicodin. Diazepam and alprazolam are the generic names for the anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax, and the other two drugs are sleep aids commonly sold under the brands Restoril and Unisom, according to The Associated Press.

Heath Ledger's autopsy results could be revealed; what will the public learn?

The answer to why Heath Ledger died could be revealed as early as today, according to the Melbourne Daily Sun.

But a public that has been clamoring for information regarding the late actor may not get all their questions answered - not right away, at least.

The New York Chief Medical Examiner's Office, responsible for Ledger's autopsy and deciphering tests undertaken on his blood and tissue, confirmed today it was close to announcing the cause of the 28-year-old Australian actor's death, the paper reported.

"We're expecting something in the next two days,'' Ellen Borakove, director of public affairs at the New York Chief Medical Examiner's office, said.

But other questions, such as the official estimated time Ledger died, will not be made public, according to the Sun.

The Sun reported there has been speculation since Ledger's body was discovered in the bedroom of his rented Manhattan apartment on Jan. 22 that the actor may have been saved if medical help was called earlier.

New York police have said masseuse Diana Wolozin, who found Ledger's lifeless body, called Hollywood actress Mary-Kate Olsen several times before alerting paramedics.

NYPD investigators who inspected Ledger's apartment, however, said there were no signs of foul play or evidence to suggest he committed suicide, according to the Sun. They also dismissed reports illegal drugs were found.

Police did find six different types of prescription drugs in the apartment, including pills to treat anxiety and insomnia.

That claim has inspired the media to do more than implicate that drugs contributed to his death (see New York Daily News cover, above) - despite the fact that much of the drug-death evidence is circumstantial.

The media frenzy has inspired many to do a Google search and ask questions that have led them to this blog. They've asked: Can anti-anxiety and anti-depressants be mixed? Was Heath Ledger a drug addict? How will Michelle Williams, his actress-girlfriend, cope?

Based on what's been said, we may never know.

Hey, Woodstock alumni: The "brown acid" actually may be good for you

Dude - psychedelic drugs are back. But not in the traditional drop-in, drop-out sense.

David Jay Brown wrote in the December issue of Scientific American that LSD and magic mushrooms and other drugs that "blew minds in the 1960s" may soon may be used to treat mental ailments.

Scientists say they have "therapeutic potential" because they could ease a variety of difficult-to-treat mental illnesses, such as chronic depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and drug or alcohol dependency, Brown wrote.

Clinical trials are underway - so start lining up, hippies. This time they are being explored in labs for their therapeutic applications rather than being used illegally, Brown wrote.

"The past 15 years have seen a quiet resurgence of psychedelic drug research as scientists have come to recognize the long-underappreciated potential of these drugs," Brown wrote. "In the past few years, a growing number of studies using human volunteers have begun to explore the possible therapeutic benefits of drugs such as LSD [and] psilocybin."

Much remains unclear, but scientists do believe they have somewhat similar psychoactive effects that make them potential "therapeutic tools," Brown wrote.

Though still in their preliminary stages, studies in humans suggest that the day when people can schedule a psychedelic session with their therapist to overcome a serious psychiatric problem may not be that far off.

Crosby Stills Nash & Young - Long Time Gone Lyrics

It's been a long time comin'
It's goin' to be a Long Time Gone.
And it appears to be a long,
Appears to be a long,
Appears to be a long
Time, yes, a long, long, long ,long time before the dawn.

Turn, turn any corner.
Hear, you must hear what the people say.
You know there's something that's goin' on around here,
The surely, surely, surely won't stand the light of day.
And it appears to be a long,
Appears to be a long,
Appears to be a long
Time, yes, a long, long, long ,long time before the dawn.

Speak out, you got to speak out against the madness,
You got to speak your mind,
If you dare.
But don't no don't now try to get yourself elected
If you do you had better cut your hair.
`Cause it appears to be a long,
Appears to be a long,
Appears to be a long,
Time, such a long long long long time before the dawn.

It's been a long time comin'
It's goin' to be a long time gone.
But you know,
The darkest hour is always
Always just before the dawn.
And it appears to be a long, appears to be a long,
Appears to be a long
Time before the dawn.