[Marxism] RE: Proyect: Curing Schizophrenia

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From:                   "Tony Abdo" <gojack10@xxxxxxxxxxx>

> Lou, I saw two different things being said here by you, and I still
do.
>
> Medications help in some cases with  treatment of some forms
of what is
> called schziophrenia and major depression.   More often than
not, the help
> is actually less than than what is predicted by the doctor that
which will
> actually be delivered.  And concurrently, the actual side effects
and
> dangers of these drugs is actually much greater than that which
is talked
> about, or imagined beforehand by doctors.
>
> Tony
> ----------
> Lou's second comment...
>
> "Although there is no current schizophrenia cure, the
combination therapy
> and drug schizophrenia treatment effectively controls the
disordered
> symptoms enabling the patient to live more functional lives."
>


DAVID's response:  Not necesarily. Given that Lou doesn't (as far
as I'm aware) work within the psychiatric system, this statement
must be based on his faith of studies  purporting to demonstrate
the benefits of drugs prescribed for schizophrenia (or perhaps word
of mouth from his nurse friend?). First of all, most of the
researchers who conduct these studies receive some  direct or
indirect sponsorship by drug companies, which would seem to
compromise the studies. Some drug companies will even ghost
write the studies.  Second of all, many of the studies are
methodologically flawed.

I encourage anyone interested in this issue to check out David
Cohen's critical appraisals of studies conducted on the benefits of
drugs for schizphrenia...
(Here is a link to a full journal article of Cohen's  on social work
research on anti psychotic medication:
http://www.cswe.org/publications/jswe/02-2essay.htm )

The other interesting point that Lou's inadvertently raises is  what
exactly is schizophrenia? Laypeople, with not real knowledge of
labeling for schizophenia, commonly associates the 'disorder' with
hearing voices and delusions. In fact, theses are the common
behaviours associated with the 'disorder', but not the only. There
are different classifications for schizophrenia, with some forms
having nothing at all to with voices and delusions, and where you'd
be hardpressed to find even an inkling of commonality between the
one form and the other.Yet the persons dispaying these disparate
behaviours will be proscribed the same pills. So the question then
becomes: what exactly are drugs doing?

DOQ



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