Green Body and Mind
Help Santa Cruz become Psych
Drug-Free The Kito Foundation was created to support educating the world to the dangers
of SSRI antidepressants, atypical antipsychotic medications and all serotonergic
drugs, plus any unknown dangers of all prescription medications. This is by far
the greatest threat today against life as we know it. Learn more at
www.drugawareness.org
This website has saved countless lives.
There are gray clouds hanging up
above, like dangling crystals blocked from the sun by dusty
curtains... and the blue behind them seems so bright - the
rain, repelled by reflections and filtered light.
There are people who've forgotten how to think, and too many
who can't remember how to care. The innocence and
sensitivity of childhood - long-lost...
When I was born,
there was only one thing that mattered. But when I grew, I
saw a world where that love had scattered.
The Results Project:
How to get off psychotropic
drugs and protect yourself from forced medications by schools or
government agencies
Watch MY video below if you want to
understand why Melanie Stokes, namesake of the MOTHERS Act, really
died. You can pass all the laws in the world but it won't take away
the effects of these "antidepressant" drugs, nor will it somehow
magically make the "antipsychotics" safe or effective. Don't let the
body count grow any higher. STOP the MOTHERS Act! Say NO to
government-endorsed drug pushing and psychiatric torture.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNITE / CHAADA / ICFDA / COPES Foundation Objection to the
Proposed MOTHERS Act - Bill before Senate Puts Young Children and
Mothers in Serious Danger
To the HELP Committee of the United States Senate:
For years, the March of Dimes has warned not to use meds while
pregnant. Why now encourage mothers to take drugs?
Please register this extreme objection to the proposed MOTHERS Act (S.
1375) which is now before you in committee. It is my earnest hope that
you will immediately defeat this bill in committee. The bill has been
brought to you under the guise of ensuring safety or support for new
mothers- however, nothing could be further from the truth.
The bill was originally proposed in response to the death by suicide
of Melanie Stokes, a pharmaceutical rep. who took her own life by
leaping from a balcony several stories off of the ground. Contrary to
popular understanding it was not post-partum depression that killed
Melanie, but the numerous antidepressant drugs she was taking,
which the FDA confirmed double the suicide risk.
Nobody is suggesting that new moms do not ever experience mood
swings, depression, or even psychotic episodes. The more important issue
is what the effect of this bill will be and why nobody is addressing
potential methods of prevention. Everyone knows how many young moms
experience gestational diabetes, but who is addressing the even higher
rate of gestational hypoglycemia, which often initially manifests as
depression? This is a physical condition that is treated with diet and
is exacerbated by antidepressants (which list hypoglycemia as a side
effect).
To simply screen women for post-partum mood disorders and ensure that
they get "treatment," we would be setting families up for the
expectation of tragedy and increasing the chances of that actually
happening when we refer them to medical "professionals" who are
oblivious to the negative mind-altering effects of psychiatric drugs. A
popular opinion among medical caregivers these days is that "post-partum
mood disorders" must be a sign of an underlying biochemical imbalance
and would be corrected with drugs.
Current drugs used on post-partum women include SSRIs, atypical
antidepressants, and even antipsychotic drugs. These pose a significant
risk to the immediate safety and health of women as well as their
children and families. SSRIs carry a black box warning for suicide and
the most popular one, Effexor (the same med. Andrea Yates was taking
when she drowned her 5 children), has the words “homicidal ideation”
listed as a side effect. Nearly every recent case of infanticide which
has made news can be clearly linked back to a psychiatric drug. These
drugs endanger babies and mothers.
Additionally, the drugs can be extremely addictive and also pose a risk
to nurslings or babies exposed in subsequent pregnancies. Some babies
have died from SIDS linked to exposure from pregnancy or nursing; others
have experienced coma, seizures, GI bleeding, heart defects, lung
problems, and many babies died before reaching full term or soon after
birth.
The bill does not address the fact that studies show that biological
agents (antidepressants for example) cited in the bill and already
prescribed to pregnant women can cause congenital heart birth defects
where children have had to undergo open-heart surgeries to correct this.
Also, some babies are being born with organs outside their bodies,
requiring immediate surgery.
In closing I want to re-emphasize the total lack of any real answer to
post-partum depression posed by this bill. If we can prevent post-partum
depression or support moms through it, or offer proven SAFE and
EFFECTIVE natural alternatives to dangerous drugs, then we should.
However we should never, ever become party to a pharmaceutical campaign
to push drugs on the public. We will set ourselves up for disaster if we
allow an invasion into the privacy of every family in the country and
suggest to our most vulnerable citizens that they might be mentally ill.
We must do everything in our power to protect innocent children, and
giving their mothers addictive drugs which pose a significant risk of
causing suicide and violence does not protect anyone. It does cause the
child to become addicted while still in the womb and sets up drug
dependence which can be lifelong.
We still have no idea what effect most drugs have on developing brains.
It might take decades for the impact on the developing brain to become
apparent.
For information on the research pertaining to the risks of
antidepressants and other treatments for new moms and their babies,
details about the Melanie Stokes case (or you can read the letter by Dr.
Ann Blake Tracy at http://uniteforlife.org/MOTHERSact.htm#drtracymothersact),
as well as information on prevention strategies and safe, effective
treatments for post-partum mood disorders, please contact us.
Note: despite claims of minimal exposure to nurslings by some health
professionals, the data on "safety" of nursing a baby while taking SSRIs
and antipsychotics is based on an extremely small sample (nevermind that
serious adverse events have been observed even in the few studies
actually done). For SSRIs the studies amount to a few dozen people, many
of which were also supplementally feeding formula. The Zyprexa study
purported to study only 7 nursing couples and only examined 6 children's
blood. See http://uniteforlife.org/zyprexa%20objection.htm for
more information on the risks of Zyprexa.
II. Prevention of Post-Partum Mood Disorders:
A. Avoid interventions in childbirth: HOME BIRTH or midwifery or
otherwise natural childbirth statistically results in LESS PPD...
Mothers Can Avoid (Specifically):
1. Labor drugs, including pitocin which interferes with normal oxytocin
stimulation of uterine contractions (oxytocin is the love hormone and
sets off many chemicals in the brain associated with normal maternal
bonding & protective behavior)
2. IVs with glucose water during labor which can lead to complications
in the newborn like perceived excessive weight loss, hypoglycemia, thus
creating "mommy guilt" from feeling as if she is unable to sustain her
own baby's survival due to perceived inadequate milk supply and
subsequent breastfeeding difficulty when baby is inevitably given
supplemental feedings
3. Avoid epidural which can cause breastfeeding difficulties in the
newborn and may be associated with mood problems (the anesthesia
fentanyl in the epidural is derived from cocaine)
4. Avoid episiotomy which can lead to excessive blood loss and fatigue
as well as significant pain leading to use of pain medications
5. Avoid restrictive dieting before / after childbirth which can cause
preterm labor (not having enough calories and protein leads to low
albumin and high blood pressure), low blood sugar and lack of energy
6. Avoid epinephrine, which is often necessary in labor because of fetal
distress or maternal distress (trouble breathing, low blood pressure)
which are side effects in both mom and baby from pitocin or other
augmentation as well as epidurals. Epinephrine is synthetic adrenaline
and has been linked to mental disturbances.
B. Post-partum period:
1. FOR MANY WEEKS MOMS WILL NEED: someone to help with meals, chores,
child care, etc. Without that, women ARE FAR MORE LIKELY to feel
"symptoms" of depression, anxiety, etc.
2. MOMS WILL NEED someone to help with breastfeeding if they are
inexperienced or have problems. They can contact a La Leche League
Leader or an IBCLC. Loss of breastfeeding is sometimes associated with
PPD due to additional hormonal changes in moms, while breastfeeding
itself is thought to ease PPD due to numerous factors.
3. MOMS (and families) WILL FEEL BETTER if they cosleep because they
will be well-rested and breastfeeding will be easier. For safety tips on
cosleeping moms can use common sense or write to amy@uniteforlife.org
for more info. Contrary to campaigns by the Crib Manufacturers SIDS is
actually more common in cribs.
III. Alternatives to Drugs:
1. Screen for underlying medical conditions such as Thyroid
disorders, anemia, etc. and treat those as safely as is possible.
Thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (or both -
postpartum thyroiditis) are quite common and can cause depression or
anxiety. Often the first sign of hypoglycemia is depression which can be
handled by eating often - 6 small meals per day helps keep the blood
sugar level normal.
2. Omega 3 Supplements (From Fish Oil, Flaxseed, etc.) See this link
about postpartum nutrition:
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health_topics/postpartum_nutrition.php
and this link about Adrenal Exhaustion and PPD:
http://uniteforlife.org/adrenalppd.htm
3. Exercise (although initially excessive exercise will not help a
woman, after childbirth it is necessary to rest in order to recover, and
not lose too much blood)
http://uniteforlife.org/exercise.html Medication shown to cause
relapse, exercise MORE effective than antidepressant drugs
4. Some people feel that counseling is effective
5. Some people find alternative treatments effective, for example:
chiropractic, homeopathy (even for PSYCHOSIS), accupuncture, energy
work, etc.
6. MOMS can FIND A SUPPORT GROUP or helpful PERSON but NOT one that will
push them to use drugs.
IV. Alternative Ways to Support American Families:
If the government really wants to help moms, why not educate on these
common sense strategies, push for better maternity leave allowances,
improve obstetric cooperation with midwifery, or promote paternity leave
or leave for grandparents who can help new mothers during their time of
need?
V. The Bill Violates Basic American Principles and Rights:
Mothers want time in PEACE and PRIVACY to be with their new babies to
bond. They DO NOT need to be dragged off to an invasive and dangerous
screening for mental problems. The power of suggestion alone is enough
to scare a significant amount of moms and this invasion of privacy goes
far beyond anything EVER imposed on the U.S. Public.
Furthermore, similar programs like Teen Screen have been a total failure
with an 84% or higher misdiagnosis rate. The vast majority of these
misdiagnosed students were referred to mental health practitioners and
put on drugs.
==================
Additional Critiques of the Bill
==================
There is no language in the bill that protects thousands of mothers
being erroneously screened and drugged with antidepressants that medical
studies show cause birth defects and withdrawal symptoms, devastating
families and driving up health care costs to treat these
iatrogenic-caused conditions.
The bill seeks more appropriations to the National Institutes of Health
to research postpartum depression but doesn't specify how the funds are
to be used. For example, during the past 3 years, NIMH has already spent
more than $10 million on 38 studies of PPD, yet the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine lists no grants on its website
for such research.
There is no language about the diverse medical opinion and studies about
"post partum depression" and whether it exists as a mental disability or
as a physical condition that can be treated by normal medical or
alternative means.
While the bill promotes more research into the condition, it doesn't
provide safeguards about this research and the effects of biological
agents on the fetus--with studies suggesting that antidepressants may
exert an impact on developmental processes of the embryo, and cause
higher rates of premature delivery, low birth weight, admissions to
intensive care units, and poor neonatal adaptation, including
respiratory and feeding difficulties in infants.
The way in which the bill is currently worded could lead to thousands of
suits as hundreds have already been filed concerning antidepressant use
during pregnancy that has resulted in infants being born with a
life-threatening lung disorder, PPHN and that between 10% and 20% of
infants born with PPHN end up dying, even when they receive treatment.
Look who is cosponsoring the bill!!
(OBAMA. Hillary Clinton is ON the committee, so let's CALL her!)
***** Update: On Monday, Feb.25 Hillary Clinton agreed to also cosponsor
the bill. ************
=(
Edward Kennedy's office informed us that he is in favor of this
legislation. We have heard about some of the senators expressing concern
over the bill, so keep calling the HELP Committee and faxing or
emailing. The markup from March 5 was postponed because Dr. Coburn will
be offering some amendments.
S.1375 Title: A bill to ensure that new mothers and their
families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for
symptoms, and provided with essential services, and to increase
research at the National Institutes of Health on postpartum
depression. Sponsor:
Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] (introduced 5/11/2007) Cosponsors
(9) Latest Major Action: 5/11/2007 Referred to Senate
committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
COSPONSORS(9), ALPHABETICAL
[followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort:
by date)
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