I am going to an herbal doctor and herbal psychiatrist who say the American Pychiatric Association is a scam. Why do they give brain medicine to children- all kids are crazy? Why do they give antidepressants to anorexics? If it takes 4-6 weeks, why don't they give them family and dietary counseling?
2006-12-29 22:15:46 · 12 answers · asked by karenlaughsalot 2 in Health ➔ Mental Health
It is true that alternative medicine and conventional medicine are not always in touch with one another. It is a matter of communication, and also of the neccessary funding to do research in alternative medicine. There are very useful remedies in the area of alternative medicine, but there are also many that are useless or harmful.
Psychiatry is a field that is studied and has the research in medical journals to back it up. Herbal medicine is not regulated by the government, and has limited research with verifiable evidence to substantiate its claims.
Perhaps we should encourage more studies on herbs to be done. but in the meantime, realize that not all psychiatry is bad. It is true, medications tend to be overdiagnosed, but for the people who truly need them, not having this medicine in practice would be a disaster!
The belief that psychiatry is a scam is a radical one and won't be taken seriously because of all the evidence of the good that psychiatry has done.
Psychiatry is not a scam and for this reason, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to shut down the APA.
2006-12-29 22:30:52 · answer #1 · answered by kristin c 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well i don't really think that they are a scam to begin. Like i have been told so very often, that they really don't know much about the brain, it is a whole new area to explore, and we are the people they kind of test their theries on. New medations are coming out all the time. Some of them will work really well for some people , while others will not get any relief from them. Each person is different, so a medication will act different with them. Well if an anorexics was not depressed, then they would not of quit eating now would they. Not all meds today take 4-6 weeks to start to work. Now back in the 80's i would say that is true, but today they have meds that can start to work the same day you start them. What do you mean by brain medicine to childern. that is a new one for me. No not all childern are crazy, other wise we all would of been born crazy. They do give family and dietary counseling. Some of them even know of the herbs your psychiatrst is giving you. But as i said everyone is different, and they might not work on them. We don't want to shut downt the American Psychiatric Association. It is getting hard enough to get services now. The presdient would love to shut down all mental healths and places you go for mental problems. He says it is all in your head, and you don't need to be seen by anyone. So that would be shuting down the people you see too. We have to stand together, for our rights, mental illness is like any other illness, and it needs to be addressed and treated. And if a lot of the people in higher positions had their way , you would not get any mental health help at all. They have been fighting this for more then 10 years with the goverment, and now you say the American Psychiatric Association should be shut down, well if that happens then who is going to stand up for your rights for treatment? I hope this has helped you to understand, for over 10 years i have been discussing this mental health problem with the professionals, in big citys when i go there, ex-therapist tell me what is going to be coming my way in a small town. They have enough faith that i can understand and am smart enough to know what they are talking about. So we talk shop a lot when i go up there. So who is telling you all of this anyway, are your doctors against medication. Most are, and they try not to give you more then you need. Herbal is good, but you know what, it is not for everyone. Some people it is not going to help. I hope this has helped you some. Sorry i don't see eye to eye with you on shutting them down. There are some people that should not be in this line of work, i will agree with that. So have a good day or night, whatever....
Happy Hoildays
2006-12-30 00:52:24 · answer #2 · answered by Ladyofathousandfaces 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is not the American Psychiatric Association that is the problem the problem is that there are alot of Psychiatrists out there that believe that medication is the only way to treat any type of mental illness if you can find a psychiatrist that will admit that medication is only a part of any patients treatment then you have a chance In my case I actually have a doc that told me that the meds are only 30% of my treatment the other 70 % needed to be taken up with a qualified therapist
2006-12-30 04:57:58 · answer #3 · answered by ourlittleposseof12 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
~Herbal drugs have not been tested by the FDA, so they have no data on it's side effects and INTERACTIONS, very important since most people are usually taking more than one.
There are health nuts out there with tunnel vision that see nothing beyond what's natural and herbal.
Some children need medications, they have mental problems, same as adults and anorexics too.
I'm sorry, but you are generalizing too much.
Not all medications take 4-6 weeks, they just give that as a base, since everyone is different.
If there is a need for family counseling, I don't see a problem with a doctor referring them. I'm sure anorexics get counseling along with medications as well.
Anti depressants have kept me alive, so I don't agree with you.~
2006-12-30 01:21:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the American psychiatric association, was created for a good reason. it should not be shut down. i would be caution against any body, that says the American psychiatric association is a scam, especially when it comes to your personal health and well being. i worked in a Canadian mental health hospital for 30 years, and have seen good results from psychiatric doctors intervention. when i started in 1968 there were over 2,200 pts.in hospital . with treatment and medication,now the hospital has about 400, the rest are living on their own, or with extra help. i am not totally against herbal remedies, but have little faith in them when it comes to treating a major mental illness. i have seen family members take their loved ones out of hospital for homeopathic, herbal, religious intervention, only to have them return their loved ones in worse condition. there are always some people in professions that do not do a good job, but the good outweighs the bad when it comes to psychiatry.
2006-12-30 00:48:49 · answer #5 · answered by zeek 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Um...I've had an anorexic friend and she was put in a facility strictly for eating disorders. They did nutrition and dietary counsellings daily group therapy and every other day private therapy...as well as some medication for those who showed underlying depression or other mental illness. It's not like they just hand them a script and send them on their way. And yes they give "brain medicine" to children. And as someone who was on it as a child...thank the lord they do. Saved my life...and kept me in high school. And I'm sorry but I'm not ingesting anything that's not approved by the FDA. Even in my worst manic episode I don't think I'd be that daring.
2006-12-30 01:13:42 · answer #6 · answered by evilangelfaery919 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why give antidepressants for anorexics? Aside from anything else, antidepressants are pretty famous for packing on the pounds.
Beware of anyone who calls others 'quacks', they are probably quacks themselves.
You seem to think 'herbal' remedies are better that prescription drugs. Do you realize the prescription drugs are usually derived from herbal compounds anyway? And many natural compounds are harmful or outright lethal.
The important thing about prescription drugs is that they are tested in trials on humans, and databases of their side effects are maintained even after they are approved for use.
None of those safeguards apply to 'herbal drugs' which are sold as 'food supplements'.
2006-12-30 01:00:10 · answer #7 · answered by ags3y7 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Herbs can be dangerous, interact with many things and are completely unregulated by the FDA. That's why all the herb bottles say "dietary supplement". Herbal psychiatrist? Give me a break. If he/she is a psychiatrist, why knock your own profession unless you got thrown out and can't practice real medicine?
2006-12-29 23:28:50 · answer #8 · answered by Debra D 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Is that Tom Cruise speaking?
If not, I would suggest that you chose your doctors with greater care. There is no such title like a Herbal psychiatrist and whoever uses it is a scammer and is manipulating your trust. You should know that depression can become so severe that a person's life can only be safed with antidepressants. For those with fewer symptoms, herbs can be fine. But they are not for everybody.
2006-12-29 23:30:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
....They gave brain medicine to ME and it helps me get nearly straight A's.
Most herbal doctors tend to be quacks anyway, and if you look in their professional history some have been accused of malpractice in the past and cannot practice "real" medicine any longer.
And.."herbal psychiatrist?" Give me a break....
2006-12-29 23:41:36 · answer #10 · answered by Mejoi 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋