The article stated that there are many doctors up in arms over the UK’s decision, claiming this law basically says ‘quacks’ are okay.  A conflicting viewpoint was put across that really it ought to be the patient’s choice which sort of treatment they take, either herbal or pharmaceutical.  The article also noted that one such herbal remedy under contention is St John’s Wort, as used in the treatment of depression.

I think the key here is ‘choice’.  Last I checked, the US and UK supposedly invaded the Middle East under the pretense of bringing ‘democracy’, yes?  And I appreciate that a little government intervention is necessary from time to time, but when it comes to our health, shouldn’t it be up to us what we put in our bodies?

Example 1:

Many of my good friends have neurological conditions.  One such friend was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder a couple years ago.  He tried prescribed medications for a while, but they only seemed to make him worse, so he stopped, and started exploring his options.  He struck upon a vitamin regime that did not cure his symptoms, but it did improve things greatly for him.  Unfortunately, by that point so much damage had already been done at his job, due to his condition going undiagnosed for so long and due to his colleagues being small-minded and not accepting / understanding him once the diagnosis was made.  My friend has been severely bullied at work for a long time now, and the abuse built up to a point where he just couldn’t handle it anymore.  He felt so low, he went back to the doctor, and in his vulnerable state, he agreed to try a new prescription.

He went on a course of Sertroline (Zoloft in the States) – something I took myself, many years ago, and which had greatly detrimental affects on my mental health.  In my experience, I was a guinea pig for this ‘miracle drug’, and when things went wrong, the doctors were suddenly uncontactable.  In my friend’s case,  he sank lower and lower over a period of six weeks, until one morning his partner found him slicing open his own wrists.  Thank God my friend does not live alone, else he would have died.  Instead, though, he was rushed to hospital and saved.

One could argue he was depressed anyway, so how can you say this was caused by the drug?  Except my friend has never been suicidal before – and if you look around the internet, you will see there are several class action suits being filed in connection with this and other such drugs due to unprecedented violent acts on the part of patients taking these prescriptions – and when I was taking the drug myself, after sinking into a suicidal state unlike anything I’d ever experienced before (not to mention developing schizophrenic symptoms), I read in the list of side effects contained in the medication box that this ‘anti-depressant’ and ‘anti-anxiety’ tablet could, in fact, cause ‘anxiety’ and ‘suicidal ideation’.

The day before my friend started self-harming, he had gone to see his doctor again and told him how depressed he was feeling since taking the drug.  The doctor’s reply was to increase the dosage!  And might I add that never was there any suggestion to see a psychologist who could help him work through his pain, even alongside the medication.  This, too, has been my own experience: unless I begged for a psychologist and absolutely insisted upon it, it was not given to me.

I’m not saying the drugs don’t work for everyone.  But I have spoken to many fellow diagnosees (if there is such a word!), read many books on these subjects, and have tried a variety of medications myself.  The general consensus seems to be that for some people these medications work – for others, it is helpful to take the drugs on a short-term basis alongside some other form of psychological therapy, so that they feel a boost in spirits and clarity to enable them to focus on the therapy and learn the long-term techniques to help themselves.  For others still (myself included), the drugs do not have any affect on the actual condition, but they do induce a lot of nasty side effects.

Another point to mention is that I believe we focus so much on the diagnosis, we forget about the ‘little’ things, like sleep and diet.  For instance, I have started on a vitamin regime (similar to my friend’s) that has meant at long last, I sleep at night and I wake up refreshed.  This has in no way cured my symptoms – but just getting that sleep has de-stressed my body and mind so much, my symptoms have become much more bearable.  I also tried a year of talking therapy and discovered that much of the pain and volatility within me was due to experience, not the diagnosed conditions themselves.  Through this therapy, much of my frustration and unhappiness was healed.

The point is: it should be our choice.  I don’t know about you, but I do not want to live in a nation governed by people who decide what we’re allowed to put into our bodies in the name of health.  There is a reason these chemical compounds are called ‘drugs’ – they have the potential to be dangerous, depending on who takes them and for how long.

I think people often view doctors as all-knowing, but it’s so important that we step back and remember the human body is not a machine.  You can’t call up Tech Support when something goes wrong, have them run a few diagnostic checks and come out with a foolproof solution.

Example:

Just last year I developed some kind of infection that required antibiotics.  I was given a basic prescription, and within 15 minutes of taking the drug as prescribed, my temperature shot up to 105F, I lost feeling in the right side of my body and my chest started seizing up.  I was in absolute terror.  My husband threw warm wet flannels over me to bring down the temperature, and slowly I came back to health.  We spoke to a nurse who said it was a result of the drug, because apparently you shouldn’t take that particular pill if you have neurological conditions – which no one bothered to check when giving the prescription.  I spoke to a doctor who prescribed a new drug and his response was, ‘There’s nothing wrong with the antibiotic – that should not have happened to you.’  Yes, but it did happen.  But he just kept saying, ‘It shouldn’t have.’

Doctors do not have all the answers, despite how advanced they are.  They particularly do not have all the answers when it comes to the brain.  I would also argue there is a huge issue of spirit involved, when delving into matters of the psyche, i.e. some scientists believe everything is down to chemical reactions, and others believe there’s something more to it, something beyond the body.  There’s no way to prove it either way.

So do I think the UK government has just said it’s okay for ‘quacks’ to practise in our nation?  No.  I believe they just reaffirmed our right to choose – which is just how things should be in a so-called democracy.

I just pray we keep it that way.

Vrinda Pendred

Editor & Founder

]]> http://conditionalpublications.com/2011/02/23/herbal-or-pharmaceutical-your-choice/feed/ 1 http://conditionalpublications.com/2011/02/06/watch-the-check-mates-ocd-book-launch-party/ http://conditionalpublications.com/2011/02/06/watch-the-check-mates-ocd-book-launch-party/#respond Sun, 06 Feb 2011 12:41:42 +0000 http://conditionalpublications.com/?p=657 The launch party for ‘Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD’ – available on Amazon today. Also, now in a kindle edition! Part of the proceeds will be donated to OCD charities.

At the launch, Vrinda Pendred (Editor & Founder of Conditional Publications), Sharon Meyer (Promotions & Communications Assistant) and Beth Barker, all writers for ‘Check Mates’, gave readings from the book, talked about its purpose, and shared a little bit about what OCD really means.

Watch Part One

Watch Part Two

Click below to order Check Mates, the first ever collection of fiction poetry and artwork about OCD

amazon.com amazon.co.uk amazon.ca

In a nutshell: the authorities have discovered a new drug to ‘cure’ the mutants of their ‘abnormalities’.  Mutants queue up in the thousands to receive this ‘cure’, but Magneto does everything in his power to sabotage it.  Magneto believes the mutants are special for their ‘unnatural’ abilities.  He thinks they should revel in their differences.  He takes this view to the extremes, sadly…but each time I’ve watched the film, I couldn’t help thinking how much it was like the struggle of living with a neurological condition.

There are ‘cures’ out there, and they are unarguably a godsend for people who can’t function in life without them…but for those of us who – if properly motivated – could find alternative means of dealing with these conditions…do we need a ‘cure’?  Are we that damaged, or do we just have different types of brains that lead to different thinking styles, different ways of feeling and responding, different abilities (just like everyone in the world, really)?

They called it ‘The Last Stand’ – I know where I stand on these issues, but where do you?

I suppose I’m a bit more like Professor Xavier: I believe in allowing the ‘mutants’ to make up their own minds on this subject, rather than tricking and bludgeoning them into agreeing with my perspective, as Magneto did.  But for what it’s worth, I like to think that there are darker sides to these conditions that we should fight.  It’s wrong to sink into them until they consume us and we lose ourselves.  That is illness.  Some people can’t help falling prey to this illness, because their brains won’t allow it, and I appreciate they need the drugs.

But for the rest of us, perhaps we’re overmedicating – and not just with prescriptions.  Perhaps we spend too much time feeling shameful about our brains being a little bit different, and we forget that all brains are different, that there is no such thing as a normal brain.  Perhaps we forget that our brains have made us who we are, through chemicals, neurons and the life experience they have given to us.  Do we really hate ourselves so much that we’d risk losing our personalities (those drugs are definitely mind-altering – I speak from experience) just to remove symptoms that are often only so bad because others around us don’t accept them?

I have said for years that if the world accepted our differences, we could find a way to live comfortably enough with a vast proportion of our symptoms.  This was the inspiration behind my story The Royal Bank of Scotland.  To add to that story, perhaps in such an acceptant world, we would also feel less afraid to seek help for the symptoms that aren’t so easy to manage, because there would be less stigma involved.

What do you think? Vrinda Pendred Editor & Founder

The Royal Bank of Scotland can be found in Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry & Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD, available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

Click below to order Check Mates now

amazon.com amazon.co.uk amazon.ca

In recent years, OCD has become more publically discussed, with celebrities coming forward and admitting they are afflicted by the condition.  Yet when David Beckham went public with his diagnosis, much of the world made jokes and laughed.  There was little consideration for his lifelong struggle with his own mind, or the difficulties it might pose for his family.  There was even less acknowledgment that most people are at least a little obsessive-compulsive themselves.

Despite the growing awareness of such conditions, stereotypes persist…and an inspiring group of people have decided to do something about that.

‘Check Mates’, edited by Vrinda Pendred, is the first ever collection of fiction, poetry and artwork about OCD, by people with OCD – the real experts on the subject.  It also marks the launch of Conditional Publications, the only dedicated publishing house for writers with any kind of neurological condition.

Divided between ‘Realism’ and the ‘Beyond’, this book drives the absurdity and horror of OCD straight home.  It has been put together by writers and artists from around the world, and showcases a wide range of emotions, from love to hate, joy to rage, fear and sorrow to hope and optimism.  There’s even a little bit of humour!  Everyone will find something to relate to.

What it doesn’t do is shy away from the truth.  Every angle is covered, no matter how painful, which makes for a startling and moving read.

If you have OCD, you’re going to find yourself in this book and realise you’re definitely not alone.  If you don’t have OCD…you’re probably going to find a little of yourself anyway, because that’s what this book does: it forces us to look at our own neuroses.  I think this book is set to crack wide open a few stereotypes that have been flying around for far too long.

And as if that’s not enough, part of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to OCD charities.

‘Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD’ is coming to Amazon on 11 May 2010.  To show support of this inspirational new book, a collection of authors, coaches and healers from around the world will be giving away free online gifts if you purchase the book on its launch date of 11th May.

AND … Vrinda Pendred, the editor of ‘Check Mates’, is giving away an EXTRA special gift of her own: ‘The Passenger’, an unpublished short story about Tourette Syndrome.

Usually when you read books on these conditions, they will be medical non-fiction or a parents’ guide to raising their afflicted child.  Too rarely are the true experts – the sufferers themselves – given a chance to tell us what it’s really like to live with such disorders.

Conditional Publications is going to change all this.  This brand new, much-needed niche company is run entirely by people with nervous disorders, so they understand the subjects and the frustrations experienced by so many sufferers on a daily basis.

The company’s exciting entrance onto the publishing scene is marked with its first major release, ‘Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD’, coming to Amazon on 11 May 2010.  Astoundingly, this is the first ever book of its kind…but it’s definitely not the last.

Divided between ‘Realism’ and the ‘Beyond’, this book drives the absurdity and horror of OCD straight home.  It has been put together by writers and artists from around the world, and showcases a wide range of emotions, from love to hate, joy to rage, fear and sorrow to hope and optimism.  There’s even a little bit of humour!  Everyone will find something to relate to.

What it doesn’t do is shy away from the truth.  Every angle is covered, no matter how painful, which makes for a startling and moving read.

If you have OCD, you’re going to find yourself in this book and realise you’re definitely not alone.  If you don’t have OCD…you’re probably going to find a little of yourself anyway, because that’s what this book does: it forces us to look at our own neuroses.  I think this book is set to crack wide open a few stereotypes that have been flying around for far too long.

And as if that’s not enough, part of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to OCD charities.

‘Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD’ is coming to Amazon on 11 May 2010.  To show support of this inspirational new book, a collection of authors, coaches and healers from around the world will be giving away free online gifts if you purchase the book on its launch date of 11th May.

AND … Vrinda Pendred, the editor of ‘Check Mates’, is giving away an EXTRA special gift of her own: ‘The Passenger’, an unpublished short story about Tourette Syndrome.

Be sure to sign up for a “launch reminder” HERE, and then mark your diary for May 11^th!

I have the more Compulsive side of OCD – probably due to the fact that it is co-morbid with Tourette Syndrome.  I have had the stereotypical handwashing and compulsive checking, as well as a few obsessional thoughts I just couldn’t shake.

I tried Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for it but found it 9/10ths useless. However, when I started to be treated with Zoloft for Depression, my OCD got up and walked away.  I don’t have any compulsions these days, so my thoughts on OCD are muted.  It’s never been my biggest issue; it’s always just been me.

Caroline

Click below to order Check Mates, the first ever collection of fiction poetry and artwork about OCD

amazon.com amazon.co.uk amazon.ca

Included in the proposal is the combination of all autistic disorders into one single entry for Autistic Spectrum Disorders – as well as the consolidation of certain psychotic conditions, and a new category for Psychosis Risk, intended to help treat patients earlier rather than once the problems have overtaken them.  There will be rules enstated in order to prevent overdiagnosis…so they say.

I happen to think in some ways this is a step in the right direction, because the DSM was becoming cluttered with 1,001 different disorders when many of them seem to be aspects of the same few things.  Having a risk category could possibly be useful, too – particularly for people who are trying to understand extra symptoms they may have without having a full-blown condition.

The obvious worry, though,  is that doctors may distort this and start prescribing drugs to people who really don’t need them and can get on fine in life without them.  It’s possible that we don’t need a new diagnosis for such things, but rather more public awareness of the truth that most people probably share some of these symptoms without even thinking about it.

They are also proposing to revamp the whole personality disorders section.  Reading their suggested amendments, it seems a good move.  It feels clearer and less extreme, allowing room for the notion that people with such conditions are human, like anyone else – fancy that!

You can read more about the changes in the Scientific American article, and whatever your view on the matter, please do get involved here.

Vrinda Pendred
Editor & Founder of Conditional Publications

I proudly present ‘Our Daily Meds’ by Melody Peterson.  This book exposes all the pharmaceutical industry horror stories I’m sure many of us are aware of, but in graphic detail we often turn a blind eye to because, well, it’s terrifying.

I heard about this on Madness Radio, when they interviewed the author – it seems an invluable book to look at, if we ever hope to overcome the pharmaceutical grip on today’s Western approach to health.  For more information, view the book on Amazon, or try listening to the interview on Madness Radio – a free podcast accessible via iTunes.

Vrinda Pendred
Editor & Founder of Conditional Publications

I, for one, have turned a blind eye to this subject for too many years, because let’s face it, I like pizza and ice cream!  But at what cost?  That’s why this week I decided to be sensible and shift our family’s diet for good.

I will be honest: I like tofu, but I hate soya milk/yogurt, so I don’t know how to cut out dairy completely.  But the no-gluten has turned out to be surprisingly easy.  The main issue is cost.  There is corn pasta, for example, which is delicious and naturally gluten-free…but it costs twice as much as a bag of normal wheat pasta, and you can’t go and get it from your local corner shop at 7pm when you realise you’ve run out of food!

So we’ve decided, for now, to try having almost no gluten or dairy – to minimise our intake of such foods greatly and save them for occasional treats.  As it turns out, this is simply achieved.

We also happen to be vegetarian, so we’re following a book called The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook by Professor Jennie Brand Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell and Joanna McMillan.  Everything looks fantastic, and at the back they even lay out what to keep stocked in your pantry, fridge and freezer.  We did a big shop yesterday of mostly tinned and frozen foods, as well as bagged beans, seeds and nuts – so it will keep over the next couple weeks, plus it’s all so good for you, as well as being filling.  Last night, I even made a crustless apple crumble with cinnamon, apples, oats, a tiny smidgen of butter, lemon juice and agave syrup, the ultimate natural healthy sugar substitute.  It was just as good as any other apple crumble, but it had hardly any calories and was even good for you.

This isn’t about dieting – it’s about cutting down on the allergies and living sensibly.  I also have to say the cooking has been so beneficial for my ADD.  It fills up spaces of time when I would otherwise feel listless and overwhelmed by racing thoughts – it focuses my attention so much that my mind is clear and even my Tourette’s tics seem to calm down for the time.
So now the only question is: how many of you are ready to join me?

Vrinda Pendred
Editor & Founder of Conditional Publications