Tom Cruise comes-off as a real horse's ass when he attempts to play the expert on non-medical interventions for psychiatric disorders. I'm not saying there should not be movement and research in this direction because way too many drugs, in general,are prescribed for psychiatric disorders. But this arrogant, cavalier, and rude attitude exhibited toward Brooks Shields and in his interview with Matt Lauer make him seem like he is, a little know-it-all cultie. If Mr. Cruise ever became psychotic let's see how many vitamins and long walks he takes before hitting the psychotropics!
--- anonymousff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- In [email protected], "Jeff Fischer" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], Rick Archer > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > Broken link. Use http://tinyurl.com > > > > Thanks, Rick: http://tinyurl.com/92agf > > http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/01/opinion/01shields.html? > > War of Words > > By BROOKE SHIELDS > Published: July 1, 2005 > > I WAS hoping it wouldn't come to this, but after Tom > Cruise's > interview with Matt Lauer on the NBC show "Today" > last week, I feel > compelled to speak not just for myself but also for > the hundreds of > thousands of women who have suffered from postpartum > depression. > While Mr. Cruise says that Mr. Lauer and I do not > "understand the > history of psychiatry," I'm going to take a wild > guess and say that > Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum > depression. > > Postpartum depression is caused by the hormonal > shifts that occur > after childbirth. During pregnancy, a woman's level > of estrogen and > progesterone greatly increases; then, in the first > 24 hours after > childbirth, the amount of these hormones rapidly > drops to normal, > nonpregnant levels. This change in hormone levels > can lead to > reactions that range from restlessness and > irritability to feelings > of sadness and hopelessness. > > I never thought I would have postpartum depression. > After two years > of trying to conceive and several attempts at in > vitro fertilization, > I thought I would be overjoyed when my daughter, > Rowan Francis, was > born in the spring of 2003. But instead I felt > completely > overwhelmed. This baby was a stranger to me. I > didn't know what to do > with her. I didn't feel at all joyful. I attributed > feelings of doom > to simple fatigue and figured that they would > eventually go away. But > they didn't; in fact, they got worse. > > I couldn't bear the sound of Rowan crying, and I > dreaded the moments > my husband would bring her to me. I wanted her to > disappear. I wanted > to disappear. At my lowest points, I thought of > swallowing a bottle > of pills or jumping out the window of my apartment. > > I couldn't believe it when my doctor told me that I > was suffering > from postpartum depression and gave me a > prescription for the > antidepressant Paxil. I wasn't thrilled to be taking > drugs. In fact, > I prematurely stopped taking them and had a relapse > that almost led > me to drive my car into a wall with Rowan in the > backseat. But the > drugs, along with weekly therapy sessions, are what > saved me - and my > family. > > Since writing about my experiences with the disease, > I have been > approached by many women who have told me their > stories and thanked > me for opening up about a topic that is often not > discussed because > of fear, shame or lack of support and information. > Experts estimate > that one in 10 women suffer, usually in silence, > with this treatable > disease. We are living in an era of so-called family > values, yet > because almost all of the postnatal focus is on the > baby, mothers are > overlooked and left behind to endure what can be > very dark times. > > And comments like those made by Tom Cruise are a > disservice to > mothers everywhere. To suggest that I was wrong to > take drugs to deal > with my depression, and that instead I should have > taken vitamins and > exercised shows an utter lack of understanding about > postpartum > depression and childbirth in general. > > If any good can come of Mr. Cruise's ridiculous > rant, let's hope that > it gives much-needed attention to a serious disease. > Perhaps now is > the time to call on doctors, particularly > obstetricians and > pediatricians, to screen for postpartum depression. > After all, during > the first three months after childbirth, you see a > pediatrician at > least three times. While pediatricians are trained > to take care of > children, it would make sense for them to talk with > new mothers, ask > questions and inform them of the symptoms and > treatment should they > show signs of postpartum depression. > > In a strange way, it was comforting to me when my > obstetrician told > me that my feelings of extreme despair and my > suicidal thoughts were > directly tied to a biochemical shift in my body. > Once we admit that > postpartum is a serious medical condition, then the > treatment becomes > more available and socially acceptable. With a > doctor's care, I have > since tapered off the medication, but without it, I > wouldn't have > become the loving parent I am today. > > So, there you have it. It's not the history of > psychiatry, but it is > my history, personal and real. > > Brooke Shields, the author of "Down Came the Rain: > My Journey Through > Postpartum Depression," is starring in the musical > "Chicago" in > London. > > > > > To subscribe, send a message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Or go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ > and click 'Join This Group!' > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
