Drug prescriptions shock mental health experts

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Sun, 30 Jan 2011 6:15p.m.

By Brook Sabin

There are calls for a major overhaul in the approach to mental health in New Zealand after 3 News revealed huge increases in drugs being prescribed for the problem.

Around 10 percent of the population took medication for mental illness last year, a figure which some say shows the system is too focused on drugs.

Kim Newton suffered from depression for more than 20 years. She weighed 120kg and had tried five different types of antidepressants, which had terrible side effects.

"Lying on the bed in a trance, and physically and mentally I just didn't have any energy," says Ms Newton.

At her wit's end, she discovered she was hugely deficient in vitamins and minerals. So she completely altered her diet - with remarkable results.

"I can live now, I can enjoy my life - I have a future. It did save my life."

Reluctant to use medication ever again, she's horrified at figures uncovered by 3 News. Last year there were 1.2 million antidepressant prescriptions used by nearly 400,000 individual users.

And as revealed by 3 News last night, 80,000 people are now using powerful antipsychotics.

Advocates say the best approach for most is therapy, with drugs as a last resort. 

"The emphasis seems to be on prescribing medication," says Judi Clements, Mental Health Foundation chief executive.

Mental health advocate Clive Plucknett says drugs can be the easy option - especially when many people are only seen by experts for a 15 minute consultation.

He cites an example of an Indian man who was prescribed powerful drugs after appearing depressed as well as aggressive around meal time.

"After we spent a day with this man, we discovered he had a tragedy in his life, he couldn't speak English and it was against his religion to eat meat, so he got agitated," says Mr Plucknett.

"He was prescribed antipsychotics - he didn't in fact need them."

With nearly half the population now projected to suffer from some form of mental illness in their lifetime, advocates fear tens of thousands may take drugs - not realising other options are available.

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Comments

24 Mar 2011 09:13p.m.

Heather wrote:

Have a look at an author Robert Whitaker, his book Mad in America and his articles. These drugs work by causing brain damage, a continuation from shock treatment and frontal lobotomies. The story of chemical imbalance is untrue and unproven.... until you have been on the drugs. The brain scrambles to correct itself and creates receptors so that when you go off the drugs it is now true that you are oversensitive to neurotransmitters. Sadly young people are being targeted and turned into life long customers, clients, fodder for the system. This happens as these very drugs lead to dependence, withdrawal problems, increased symptoms including suicide and increased use of street drugs. Time for medicine to focus on cause not symptoms.

02 Feb 2011 07:28a.m.

Steve Hallam wrote:

Hopefully this is a start to the whole planet waking up to this abuse of humanity!! The cranks in Europe are now trying to ban herbal remedies, who the hell do they think they are!

31 Jan 2011 02:19p.m.

pearly gates wrote:

A good friend prescribed many antidepressant incl antiphyscotic drugs by mental health experts elected to go to a renowned naturepath where she was told to take vitamins, minerals(cannot remember what sort) monitor alcohol and have a regular sleep pattern...Is now well with no problems..Found this quite amazing, do not medical profession have any experience in vitamins etc...

31 Jan 2011 11:04a.m.

Yure RAdojkovich wrote:

Thank you so much for publishing these statistics. Brook Sabin and TV3 you are to be comended. Many of the drugs you mention have as side-effects suicidal thoughts and violent behaviour. You may have gone a long way to saving lives if this gives people pause to reconcider and look a litle more closely at the "quick fix" option they or thier children have been presribed.

31 Jan 2011 03:10a.m.

Steve Taylor wrote:

Press Release: Time to go where the evidence leads in Mental Health care, says Counselling Director.

http://stevetaylor247.wordpress.com/

30 Jan 2011 11:02p.m.

kane wrote:

Linking diet to mental depression may work in a few cases but not all... The reason NZ has such high cases is due to people here not wanting to live with depression... In other country's seeking depression health care is going to cost patient's a lot of money.. And for places like India and china south Africa Most cant even afford to get health care... The rates in those country's would indeed much higher if people could get such good health care as New Zealanders can... Pushing for other options to be handed out may lead to people who should be on medication posing a danger to them selves or others... For most its a very big step to seek mental health advice then to be told your eating is the course of your depression may result in less people seeking help...

30 Jan 2011 09:59p.m.

nathaniel wrote:

People need to be aware of the harm these drugs can cause. I believe forcing people to take drugs is a sin. Being forced to take these drugs has been bad for my mind and body. It is also bad for the soul of the nation. The list of distressing side effects I've experienced is long: loss of confidence, a feeling of fear, seizures(or dystonia), agitation, stiffness, pain, distressing sensations in the head/body, irritability, ocular gyric crisis, paradoxical effects, anxiety, depression, mental impairment, sedation, hallucinations, difficulty in rejecting negative thoughts/voices because of mental fatigue, weight gain, enlarged breasts, to name a few. Then there can be the dejecting and depressing situation of the psychiatrist dismissing your side effects and distress as part of your illness. Psychiatrists may be good at dotting the I's and crossing the T's to the letter of the law but what about the spirit or heart of the matter. The model MHS follows goes like this: "We know best. We have the treatment. Here take these drugs. If you dont you're not getting out of hospital or off the Act." This is wrong. Where is the wisdom or understsnding with this approach? I glad the drugs are a help for some people but what about those who dont fare so well from the side effects. We are all different after all. Yet it seems the voice of this billion dollar drug industry holds more weight compared to the voice of the poor patient pleading with the doctor, "Please take me off these drugs."

30 Jan 2011 09:38p.m.

Nigel wrote:

With some 8000 deaths per year by doctors mistakes in New Zealand, many involving psychiatric medications, an investigation is long overdue. These statistics are real: http://psychiatryfraud.yolasite.com/contact-us.php The killing must end!

30 Jan 2011 09:16p.m.

Kevin Owen wrote:

Great work TV3

Drug Addiction
http://www.psychosomatic-healing.co.nz/drug.addiction.html
So before any government strikes too heavily at spreading drug use, it should recognize that it is a symptom of failed psychotherapy. The social scientist, the psycholo...gist and psychiatrist and health ministers have failed to handle spreading psychosomatic illness.