The following resources have been helpful in my personal journey, but I would urge you to do research for yourself and find what may or may not be most helpful to you as an individual in learning more. Hopefully this information will help in getting you started.
This section will constantly be growing as new information becomes available. Please check back often.
*********************************************************************
WEBSITES directly related to medication usage:
SSRI Citizen - "Educating the Public About the Dangers of SSRIs. National All-Volunter Public Interest Organization" - Rob Robinson (Founder)
Very useful information about the effects SSRIs can have on everyone. A must see for anyone on antidepressants or thinking about using them. Targets Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, and Effexor but does discuss others as well.
http://www.ssricitizen.org/index.html
Note: this site now directs the viewer to the website Paxil Protest.
http://www.paxilprotest.org
International Coalition For Drug Awareness (ICFDA)
Example from website: "Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors do exactly that: Inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, thus leaving excess serotonin which allows this stimulation to continue. It has long been known that inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin will produce depression, suicide, violence, psychosis, mania, cravings for alcohol and other drugs, reckless driving, etc." The site refers to the following mental health medications: Prozac, Serafem, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, Remeron, Serzone, Cymbalta, Zyprexa, Geodon, Abilify, Seroquel, Risperdal. Note this quote from the website, ""Psychedelic agents mimic the effects of serotonin." The brain chemical these drugs increase, serotonin, is the same brain chemical that LSD, PCP and other psychedelic drugs mimic in order to produce their hallucinogenic effects." This site has links for experiences, resources, legal cases, medwatch, and alternatives. This site is also a must see for anyone on prescription mental health medication, thinking about taking them, or knows someone on them. A lot of research and time has been put into this site – very professional.
http://www.drugawareness.org/home.html
Click to join drugawareness
A campaign to make prescription medications safer through legislation.
http://www.prescriptionforchange.org
Psych Forums:: View Forum - Anti-Psych Forum
A message board for those with Anti-Psychiatric opinions. It is a forum of the website psychforums.com and even though they have started an Anti-Psych forum for people to express their personal opinions, it is not their view so be careful of what you read and remember that it is opinion based and not necessarily documented information. However, there are some who share additional informational resources and/or articles and a good place to express your own opinion(s).
http://www.psychforums.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=241&sid=f07d157a05875c3bba2d42fd1d9b128e
James Torlakson
A site with art and writings by James Torlakson, a father inspired by the prescription medication induced death/suicide of his daughter, Elizabeth. Her story is included along with excerpts from her medical records. Very insightful and eye-opening. He has also designed 'The Truth Trust Symbol' available as a lapel pin to further the awareness mission concerning prescription medication misuse and overuse.
http://www.jamestorlakson.com/
Side Effects
A Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau Film. Exposes pharmaceutical secrets from the viewpoint of someone who worked for the drug companies as a pharmaceutical sales representative. A drama/comedy. See the site for more on the story and showtimes. There is a place to make suggestions for cities and if you feel compelled to do so, please call or write your local theaters to ask for this film.
http://sideeffectsthemovie.com/home.shtml
*********************************************************************
WEBSITES related to renewing the mind and spirit:
Joyce Meyer Ministries - Help for the Hurting
Quoted from website:
“Are you, or someone you know, going through a difficult time? Has a crisis come your way that threatens to overwhelm you? Are you hurting physically, emotionally, or mentally? If so you're not alone. Joyce Meyer has endured difficult times in the past and understands the pain they bring.
In these articles, Joyce shares her own personal experiences and teaches how God brought her through to health and wholeness. She offers hope and biblical solutions for those struggling with the stresses and strains of everyday life. Don't let the painful issues of the past hold you hostage for the rest of your life. Learn how to turn your life around through the knowledge of God's Word.”
http://www.joycemeyer.org/cgi-bin/hfth.plx?page=hfth&subpage=hfth&page_ref=Nav§ion_id=NA
And her home page at:
http://www.joycemeyer.org/cgi-bin/home.plx?page=home&page_ref=Nav§ion_id=NA
MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)
MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers, a dynamic program designed to nurture mothers with children from infancy through kindergarten. MOPS is a relevant and caring network, making moms better moms through trusted resources and relationships.
http://mops.org/
Dr. Colbert's Divine Health Nutritional Products
Quoted from the site: "Don Colbert, M.D. bases his plan for healing on God's Word, nutrition, exercise and common sense. Not quick to jump to the invasive antibiotics, pain medications or mood altering drugs. Dr. Colbert works with patients to get to the source of their problem and then strategizes a complete healing, body, mind and spirit."
http://www.drcolbert.com/
Time for Hope: "Hope is like a drink of cold water to a thirsty soul"
To quote the website, "Time for Hope is a weekly Faith-Based Mental Health talk and interview television show designed to help people find hope and meaning in their lives." There is a resource section with listings for books, videos, and music. The topics include mental health, depression, ADD, family, health/diet, grief/loss, divorce, personal growth, parenting, prayer, spirituality, marriage, singles, and more. There is a place to place prayer requests. They quote the scripture "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." (1 John 5:14-15). Hope is the basis for making it from the darkness some find themselves in and combined with faith the journey towards the light will be fulfilling and rewarding. Faith in the Lord is what I have most relied on in my journey and has gotten me to this place so use this site and others like it and you will be on your own path to glorifying Him.
http://www.timeforhope.org/
In Touch Ministries - with Dr. Charles Stanley
Wonderful and Inspirational site with links to hear and see television and radio broadcasts.
http://www.intouch.org/
Christians and depression: biblical help
Most of us suffer from situational depression at some time, but some of us experience serious clinical depression. What comfort and help can we get from Christianity and the Bible?
http://txtx.essortment.com/christiansdepre_rcgc.htm
*********************************************************************
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES:
HARD SELL
How Marketing Drives the Pharmaceutical Industry:
A patient's right to know
How much should doctors disclose about treatments not approved by the FDA? - The San Francisco Chronicle (Sunday, May1, 2005)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/05/01/MNG4TCID0J1.DTL
Pfizer Lawsuits: Zoloft / Neurontin Concealed Evidence: Suicide Risk/ Lack of Efficacy (Mon, 26 Jul 2004)
On July 23, 2004, a citizen's consumer protection lawsuit was filed against Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for concealment of evidence and deceptive marketing of the antidepressant Zoloft. The California law firm of Baum Hedlund has filed a suit against Pfizer on behalf of a doctor of public health / nurse and on behalf of "all California residents who have been misled about Zoloft." [press release below]
http://www.ahrp.org/infomail/04/07/26a.php
FDA requests anticonvulsants be reexamined - The Boston Globe (April 20, 2005)
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2005/04/20/fda_requests_anticonvulsants_be_reexamined?pg=2
Pfizer Sued in California: Covering up Zoloft Side Effects
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2004/07/25/pfizer_sued_in_california_covering_up_zoloft_side_effects.htm
FDA Orders Antidepressant Suicide Warnings Over Psychiatric Association Resistance
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has been strangely resistant to the idea of warning patients of an increased risk of suicides when taking antidepressant drugs or SSRIs. One would think that psychiatrists should be the first ones to call for such warnings, but perhaps they fear to "lose ground" to natural alternatives in the treatment of mental disorders, which they have been persecuting for decades, concentrating their treatment efforts nearly exclusively on the "chemical option".
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2004/10/16/fda_orders_antidepressant_suicide_warnings_over_psychiatric_association_resistance.htm
LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Prozac Survivors Support Group and the International Coalition for Drug Awareness:
As Dyer, Indiana woman stands accused of murdering her children while on an
antidepressant, group accuses FDA of withholding violent and suicidal effects of antidepressants for more than 14 years.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/drugawareness/message/451
August 24 DC Protest Against the FDA- "What's Everybody Mad About? Approving and marketing lethal drugs, while concealing the results of studies that reveal deadly side affects, should be a jailable offense." by Evelyn Pringle
Quoted from the link below:
“Evelyn Pringle has done what a reporter should have done long ago - publicly
published much of the testimony given at the FDA hearing in February 2004.
Please get this to your local media so that they can see what the FDA saw and
heard before issuing the strongest warnings on antidepressants next to banning
these drugs.” - Dr. Tracy
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/drugawareness/message/458
*********************************************************************
BOOKS:
Many of these publications can be found at a public or church library.
Breaking Free by Beth Moore
Quoted from Amazon.com:
Book Description
Do you want to know God and really believe Him? Do you want to find satisfaction in God, experience His peace, and enjoy His presence? Do you want to make the freedom Christ promised a reality in your daily life? In Breaking Free, Beth Moore embarks on a study of selected passages from the Book of Isaiah, drawing several parallels between the captive Israelites and today's Christians, in order to show how to make freedom in Christ a daily reality. Moore teaches readers to remove obstacles that hinder freedom by identifying spiritual strongholds in their lives and overcoming them through the truth of God's Word-truth that will set us free.
About the Author
Beth Moore is a writer and teacher of best-selling Bible studies whose public speaking engagements carry her all over the United States. A dedicated wife and mother of two, Moore lives in Houston, Texas, where she serves on the pastor's council of First Baptist Church and teaches a coed adult Sunday school class with an attendance of over three hundred.
Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore (Bible Study)
Quoted from the back cover:
"You can know the glorious freedom of a life filled with the Holy Spirit. You can know the freedom of a life filled with the fruit of the Spirit. In Living Beyond Yourself noted Bible teacher and author Beth Moore leads an in-depth study of the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is - the supernatural outcome of being filled with the Spirit. the living proof that the Spirit of God dwells in us. Through this study you'll come to appreciate the supernatural aspects of the fruit - you cannot grow, learn, or produce the fruit on you own. Beth challenges you to pursue the only route to develop the fruit - by maintaining an intimate relationship with the Spirit of God. As you walk with God, He develops in you the fruit of the Spirit. The title of this study describes the ultimate evidence of the Spirit-filled life. A life filled with the Spirit truly results in living beyond yourself."
Beauty for Ashes by Joyce Meyer
Quoted from Amazon.com:
Book Description
Receiving Emotional Healing. You will learn: -How to deal with the emotional pain of abuse. -How to understand your responsibility to God for overcoming abuse. -Why victims of abuse often suffer from other addictive behaviors. -How to grab hold of God's unconditional love. -The importance of God's timing in working through painful memories. Many people seem to have it all together outwardly, but inside they are a wreck. Their past has broken, crushed and wounded them inwardly. They can be healed. God has a plan, and Isaiah 61 reveals that the Lord came to heal the brokenhearted. He wants to heal victims of abuse! Joyce Meyer is a victim of the physical and sexual abuse she suffered as a child. Yet today she has a nationwide ministry of emotional healing to others like herself. In Beauty for Ashes she outlines major truths that brought healing into her life and describes how other victims of abuse can also experience God's healing in their lives. Joyce Meyer suffered for thirty-three years the devastating effects of abuse. Now, God has exchanged her ashes for beauty and called her to help others allow Him to do the same for them.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
About the Author
JOYCE MEYER has been teaching the Word of God since 1976 and in full-time ministry since 1980. Previously an associate pastor at Life Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri, she developed, coordinated, and taught a weekly meeting known as "Life In The Word." After more than five years, the Lord brought it to a conclusion, directing her to establish her own ministry and call it "Life In The Word, Inc."
Now, her Life In The Word radio and television broadcasts are seen and heard by millions across the United States and throughout the world. Joyce's teaching tapes are enjoyed internationally, and she travels extensively conducting Life In The Word conferences.
Joyce and her husband, Dave, the business administrator at Life In The Word, have been married for over 35 years. They reside in St. Louis, Missouri, and are the parents of four children. All four children are married and, along with their spouses, work with Dave and Joyce in the ministry.
Believing the call on her life is to establish believers in God's Word, Joyce says, "Jesus died to set the captives free, and far too many Christians have little or no victory in their daily lives." Finding herself in the same situation many years ago and having found freedom to live in victory through applying God's Word, Joyce goes equipped to set captives free and to exchange ashes for beauty. She believes that every person who walks in victory leads many others into victory. Her life is transparent, and her teachings are practical and can be applied in everyday life.
Joyce has taught on emotional healing and related subjects in meetings all over the country, helping multiplied thousands. She has recorded more than 230 different audio-cassette albums and over 75 videos. She has also authored 49 books to help the body of Christ on various topics.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Victory over the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson
Quoted from Amazon.com:
Book Description
Ten years ago a breakthrough book launched a ministry that has helped more than one million people overcome this world and win the battle for their hearts and minds. Now Neil Anderson has revised and expanded Victory over the Darkness for a new generation of readers, outlining practical and more productive ways to Christian growth based on Christ's promise: "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Victory Over the Darkness emphasizes the importance of believing and internalizing the cardinal truths of Scripture as a base from which to renew the mind and fend off Satan's relentless attempt to convince us that we are less than Christ empowers us to be.
From the Back Cover
It's Jesus' promise to you-the promise that you live triumphantly. But what keeps you from really walking in the joy of the Lord? The powers of darkness attack us daily. But, as Dr. Neil Anderson shows in Victory over the Darkness, you can have the power to conquer them by knowing who you are in Christ. Learn how to: € Realize the power of your identity in Christ € Free yourself from the burdens of your past € Stand against the spiritual forces of this world € Win the battle for your mind € Become the spiritual person you want to be € Discover the truth about God's view of you Neil Anderson has updated and expanded his best-selling Victory over the Darkness for a new generation of readers, spelling out practical and productive ways to experience Christian growth based on Christ's promise. Learn to apply the truths of Scripture as a base from which to renew your mind and become the person Christ empowers you to be.
*********************************************************************
MUSIC:
Family Life Ministries - Impacting Lives with the Message of Hope
Great Site and has a link to listen to their radio network online.
http://fln.org/
