Dr Nitschke and assisted suicide.

Dear Oh dearie me! Here we go again. People are getting on their high horses over who may die, by what means and when. The Australian Medical Board (or any such organization) should know better than to dictate what a doctor may or may not do, in this case Dr Philip Nitschke, who has had his medical practitioners licence suspended because he admitted to supporting 45-year-old Perth man Nigel Brayley in his decision to commit suicide despite knowing he was not terminally ill.

People differ in their attitude to life and their emotional experiences to the daily “grind”. Who, other than the person concerned, is “qualified” to determine if they are “right” or “wrong” about this?

If any person has decided, for whatever reason, that life is no longer worth living and they are determined to end their life, who has the right, the knowledge or the moral authority to state that such a decision is “wrong”?

To claim that there is no such thing as “rational” suicide is ignoring the facts. The world we live in today – our dysfunctional society that allows the irrational behaviour, the injustices practiced (racism, sexism, domestic and child abuse) , the increasing prevalence of homelessness and poverty, the staggering disparity between the very rich and the very poor all give rise to frustration, to stress and to anger. All this may lead to despair because of a loss of control which in turn may lead to depression and then, possibly, to a person’s determination to escape from life, as currently experienced, by whatever means available.

Are they wrong? Are they “mentally ill”? Are they no longer “rational”?

Look to the cause – not the result. It is worthwhile repeating the quote from Jiddu Krishnamurti (May 12, 1895 to February 17, 1986) that, “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society”.

For any “authority” – statutory body, organization or individual – to demand that any person they know who wishes to end their life MUST be directed to a “mental health professional” and compelled to be assessed and compelled to accept treatment is wrong. Such a process and such treatment, in my experience, consists principally of medications.

Before anyone says, “OK. What is wrong with that”? please read what follows below.

“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FDA Product Information Warning:-
Patients with major depressive disorder, both adult and paediatric, may experience worsening of their depression and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behaviour (suicidality), whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications, and this risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Although there has been a long-standing concern that antidepressants may have a role in inducing worsening of depression and the emergence of suicidality in certain patients, a causal role for antidepressants in inducing such behaviours has not been established. Nevertheless, patients being treated with antidepressants should be observed closely for clinical worsening and suicidality, especially at the beginning of a course of drug therapy, or at the time of dose changes, either increases or decreases.  Consideration should be given to changing the therapeutic regimen, including possibly discontinuing the medication, in patients whose depression is persistently worse or whose emergent suicidality is severe, abrupt in onset, or was not part of the patient’s presenting symptoms.”

Now, is there still reason to believe that medication is the best form of treatment as dictated and directed by a “Mental Health Professional”?

Furthermore the findings in the 2012 report of the Australian National Mental Health Commission are very disturbing. According to the report the Commissioners found that:

“Most Australians may not know that treatments with prescribed psychiatric drugs may lead to worse physical health. There are increased risks for some specific treatments such as antipsychotics and for those with underlying vulnerabilities such as diabetes. This can mean that the antipsychotic medications that are prescribed to manage severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, contribute to the risk of having severe physical illnesses.

The national survey of psychotic illness uncovered the extent of general health problems for people in this group:

·         Diabetes was at a rate over 3 times found in the general population.

·         One third carried the risk of a ‘cardiovascular event’ within five years.

·         Half have metabolic syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes as a side effect of prescribed antipsychotic medications.

·         They have nearly twice the rate of being obesely overweight.

·         They smoke at a rate 2 to 3 times higher than the general population.

·         They have high blood cholesterol levels at 5 times the rate of the general population.

It is evident that people with the most severe mental illness have a worse level of overall health than people with more common mental illnesses, which compounds the health difficulties they need to overcome.”

NOW is it still considered appropriate to subject anyone suspected of “mental illness” to this form of treatment?

For some to state that suicide is wrong because “only God can decide when a person should die” – how do they know? What about the possibility that God may have already “decided” and allowed the expression of free will, that God gave us all, thus freeing the person who wants to die, to die, in the manner of their choosing?

Presumably free will allows a person to make a choice – good, bad or indifferent.  What is “wrong” with that?  

For the Medical Board of Australia to suspend euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke because he "presents a serious risk to public health and safety", is ludicrous and beyond reason.

Antipsychotic medication and physical ill health

I know that I have written quite a few posts on the subject of mental health principally because this is a very important issue which, despite what psychiatrists and psychologists tell us, is little understood. For this reason it has been sidelined by mainstream health and welfare authorities in all countries and by politicians of all persuasions for many years. Mental health problems cannot, ever, be “cured” by drugs alone – in fact antipsychotic and antideressant drugs are not as effective as “big Pharma” would like us to believe.  [I read somewhere (source unknown) that one can hardly prescribe drugs without knowing what is wrong with the patient - and that requires the delivery of a diagnosis – but diagnosis  in mental health is fraught.]

The efficacy of current "cures" with a reliance on drugs is an important question that is more often than not ducked by “Health Professionals” and left unanswered. I am sure many others are as confused as I am by the secretive and sometimes unethical behaviour and the antics of the psycho-pharmacological “industry” and many of the professionals who administer these drugs to the unsuspecting public. There is, however, a great deal of information available, that is both alarming and illuminating, if one is prepared to dig around.

For instance there is quite surprising information in the 2012 report of the Australian National Mental Health Commission. Their finding regarding antipsychotic medications is most concerning. According to the report:

“…. there is little or no accountability as to what improvements we are getting for such a significant investment, whether it improves the health and well-being of people with a mental illness and provides them with the services they need.

Most Australians may not know that treatments with prescribed psychiatric drugs may lead to worse physical health. There are increased risks for some specific treatments such as antipsychotics and for those with underlying vulnerabilities such as diabetes. This can mean that the antipsychotic medications that are prescribed to manage severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, contribute to the risk of having severe physical illnesses.

The national survey of psychotic illness uncovered the extent of general health problems for people in this group:

• ·Diabetes was at a rate over 3 times found in the general population.
•  One third carried the risk of a ‘cardiovascular event’ within five years. 
•  Half have metabolic syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of  cardiovascular disease and diabetes as a side effect of prescribed antipsychotic medications. 
• They have nearly twice the rate of being obesely overweight. 
•  They smoke at a rate 2 to 3 times higher than the general population. 
•  They have high blood cholesterol levels at 5 times the rate of the general population.

The Commissioners go on to state “These statistics mirror the burden of health difficulties endured by people living with mental health difficulties. It is evident that people with the most severe mental illness have a worse level of overall health than people with more common mental illnesses, which compounds the health difficulties they need to overcome.”

Furthermore the Commissioners state that “We need more research into the medications that treat mental illness and the significant side effects they have upon a person’s health. We need this research to develop best practices for managing and reducing metabolic side-effects (such as weight gain, increased risk of diabetes and heart problems) and assessing what approaches work best with the people who rely upon these medications to sustain their mental health.”

The World Psychiatric Association reported in 2008 that an estimate of the mean weight gain in patients receiving standard doses of antipsychotics over a 10-week period was quite significant: the mean increases were 4.45 kg (about 10 pounds) with clozapine, 4.15 kg (about 9.5 pounds) with olanzapine, 2.92 kg (about 6.5 pounds) with sertindole, 2.10 kg  (about 4.5 pounds) with risperidone, and 0.04 kg (about 2 ounces) with ziprasidone.

Interesting. I wonder why this information is not widely disseminated?