Sinead O'Connor

This is a link to a totally fascinating article about Sinead O'Connor and her bipolar disorder. Who knew. All I can say is that even though I'm (almost) totally beyond the struggle, I still feel so touched to learn that someone I really admire also has bp.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article1916518.ece

Now SHE is someone who could be our celebrity partner.....

The Unspecified Condition

So first, here's a link to an AP recap of what's happened to Paris.http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/08/paris.hilton.ap/index.html. In brief, she was arrested for DUI, caught twice driving on a suspended license, sentenced to jail, released home after a few days because of an "unspecified medical condition" and then put back in. The above pic is her going back to jail. Nobody is saying what the unspecified condition is yet but people are hinting at something psychological. Oh. It sure is hard to know where to start with this one--First, I think it's as high as 80% of women in prison suffer with a mental illness. And research shows that prison is not a place to recover wellness for most of them, either. But I highly doubt that the impact of all this is a re examination of the mis use of incarceration. Second, I've always thought that paris had a very modern, yet to be classified illness, which is like a pathological and addictive need to expose herself to humiliation and recover. It's like a form of media bulimia, a binging, a purging, but we're all involved. The armchair psychologist in me would guess that at an early age she was shamed and traumatized--probably sexually--and that she is passing her entire adult life returning herself to the scene of that crime so that she can release herself from it, but, of course, doing nothing of the sort except damaging herself more and more with every go. I would have more empathy for whatever is ailing her if she wasn't also the emblem for our culture's celebration of emptiness. Her singular talent is building fame and wealth. That her ascent in the media corresponded with the ascent of the war against terror is not a coincidence---she's part of what distracts us from meaning, responsibility, and agency. Third, if they do announce her medical condition, and that condition is mental illness, we in the sport of mental health awareness might have to referree.

Spelling Bee Winner

When you have a minute, watch this interview btwn this year's spelling bee winner and some lady on morning television. I saw an equally painful one between him and Meredith Viera, where Mereddith Viera came pretty close to snapping at him. and I cannot figure out: is this kid purposefully being rude; or does he have some kind of aspergers? Is he missing social cues because of his arrogance or might he have some kind of disorder? Watch the video till the end. Thoughts?

http://my.break.com/media/view.aspx?ContentID=308035

Stigma, VTech, and our Elected Officials

I recently came across an article in a local newspaper that scared me. It scared me because the stigmatizing attitudes it conveyed - attitudes, I know, that are not unique - came from an elected official in a small town. While those of us in large urban cities often plug into politics and politicians, I know that there are a lot of people who look to their elected officials to shape their thoughts. In the least, it is these elected officials who are shaping policies.

The article I'm referencing is: Gun bill targets mentally ill in KnoxNews. It quotes Rep. Frank Niceley, a Republican from Strawberry Plains - and opens with him saying "Right now, you can get out of a mental institution in the morning and buy a gun that afternoon. I'm a so-called gun nut, and I think that's just wrong." The article goes on to convey continually more stigmatizing views: "Niceley said he sees it as arguably more important to provide mental illness records than criminal records. 'A criminal may rob you and may shoot one person,' he said. 'A crazy person may be trying to set a record for how many people he can kill, like at Virginia Tech.'"

While the author of the article does a good job at balancing Nicey's quotes with those of NAMI, a national mental health organization that explains that people with a mental illness are no more likely to be violent than those without; his quotes, and his attitudes, are harmful enough. We elect officials into office because we feel they can best represent us, our opinions, and our needs. How do we make sure that they are the most educated on any given topic they can be? I wouldn't be surprised if someone who didn't already have that stigmatizing view has it now, as a result of the crass words of one elected official.

Is choosing a prescription drug the same as choosing a brand of shampoo?

Posted on behalf of Wendy McLaughlin

Surely you have seen the plethora of commercials and print ads for prescription and over-the-counter drugs. On more than one occasion I’ve been sure I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Joint Inflammation, and Depression from the ads. These ads give me the same emotional appeal for the prescriptions as shampoo ads. Don’t you want to feel like the woman walking out of the elevator after having been “finessed” or get that incredible shine from Pantene ProV? In 2005 Nexium was the third best selling drug in the world. It is used to control stomach acid.

Have you ever tried to talk with your doctor or pharmacist and really tried to understand which medication is “better” based on risks and benefits. I find this extremely challenging- no matter what the medical concern. Don’t get me wrong, I want each of us to have access to the most current drugs appropriate for our condition and be well informed as active participants in our health care. But where do we draw the line? How do we ensure that we receive effective communication about the risks/benefits and most current medication available to us? As you know this problem has been around since the mid-80’s when the FDA lessened restrictions on drug company advertisements. Should I be surprised that we still have newsworthy incidences almost weekly where medications are prescribed inappropriately (not the intended use of the drug) or marketed incorrectly?

The FDA just announced a new advisory committee to address risk communication. You can view the press release here: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01648.html .

This is an opportunity for the FDA to explore and report on how they communicate information about the efficacy, safety and use of drugs. I feel good about this- and believe we should support these efforts. Some drug companies report similar efforts to develop voluntary guidelines for advertising. However, I really struggle with the fact that pharmaceutical companies spent an estimated $1.9 billion on TV advertising in 2005. Most countries have banned direct-to-consumer drug advertising; the United States and New Zealand are the only countries where this is legal.