Lupus -- Typical Psychiatric View Of Disease As Causing A Mental Condition That Must Be Treated With An Anti-Depressant
[Karl Note:
This is an example of how psychiatry and
psychiatric drugs creep into society.
This is an evil man, Dr. Shapiro, worthy of
placement in the Hall of Infamy. Many
diseases have been "invented" for the sole
purpose of selling some newly developed drug.
In psychiatry it is true that virtually ALL
the so-called "mental illnesses" were created
out of whole-cloth by committees of
Psychiatrists -- looking to turn some form of
"human behavior" into a "chemical imbalance"
in the brain, thus, they think, justifying
treating that "imbalance" with a psychiatric
drug. CLICK HERE for a private message
suggesting that chelation therapy will help in this -- because Lupus
is probably caused by heavy metals in the body.]
Depression and Lupus
By Howard S. Shapiro, M. D.
People with lupus often ask: "What degree of depression is 'normal' and when should a patient seek professional help?" These questions reflect an awareness that depression occurs frequently in the course of lupus and that there is often an uncertainty as to whether or not it is "to be expected" because of the stresses, strains, continuous adjustments, and frequent sacrifices imposed by the illness. The person with lupus is often well aware that states of depression may be induced by the lupus, itself, by various medications used to treat lupus, and by various factors and forces in a patient's life that are unrelated to lupus.
Depression can be understood as a natural, although unpleasant experience which can vary in intensity, duration and in the degree that it is tolerated by the individual, but most important, by the degree to which it interferes with ability to function and maintain a reasonable sense of well being. Therapeutic assistance or intervention is indicated when the degree and duration of the depression is disruptive to the individual's sense of well-being and interferes with overall functioning and adjustment.
The medical condition that we refer to as depression is not to be confused with the transitory, everyday experience of a mild mood swing that everyone experiences during a difficult time of life. We all feel depressed from time to time, just as we feel happy, fearful, jealous, or angry.
Although depressive illness is more common in people with chronic medical illness than it is in the general population, not every person with a chronic illness (e.g. lupus) suffers from clinical depression.
Clinical depression may bring on a variety of physical and psychological symptoms: sadness and gloom, spells of crying (often without provocation), insomnia or restless sleep (or sleeping too much), loss of appetite (or eating too much), uneasiness or anxiety, irritability, feelings of guilt and remorse, lowered self-esteem, inability to concentrate, diminished memory and recall, indecisiveness, lack of interest in things one formerly enjoyed, fatigue, and a variety of physical symptoms such as headache, palpitation, diminished sexual interest and/or performance, other body aches and pains, indigestion, constipation or diarrhea, etc.
Two of the most common psychological signs of clinical depression are hopelessness and helplessness. People who feel hopeless believe that their distressing symptoms may never get better, whereas people who feel helplessness think they are beyond help, that no one cares enough to help them or could succeed in helping, even if they tried.
Not all depressed people have all of these symptoms. But someone is considered to be clinically depressed if he or she experiences a depressed mood, disturbances in sleep and appetite, and at least one or two related symptoms which persist for several weeks and are severe enough to disrupt normal daily life. Many people who come for treatment have been depressed for a good deal longer than this; some people stay depressed for years and life seems flat and meaningless. Thoughts of death and deformity often are present and occasionally turn into self destructive urges.
[Karl Note: These "symptoms" are completely created by psychiatrists. They never can find anything wrong with the body, its organs, etc., that isn't caused by some germ or known medical problem. So, they just assert that there are mental diseases that are, in fact, caused by chemical imbalances. The truth, of course, is that various diseases may well create chemical imbalances, and the cure of the disease brings about the "balancing" of those chemicals. To artificially adjust chemicals, particularly in the brain, is treating a symptom, not a cause. Psychiatry is a gigantic fraud on society!]]
While there are many symptoms associated with depression, there are seven which indicate the depth and degree of depression. These are: sense of failure, loss of social interest, sense of punishment, suicidal thoughts, dissatisfaction, indecision, and crying.
Depressive illness in the medically ill often goes unrecognized because it presents symptoms so similar to those of the underlying medical condition. In lupus (SLE), depressive symptoms such as lethargy, loss of energy and interest, insomnia, pain intensification, diminished libido, etc., can quite naturally be attributed to the lupus condition.
Unfortunately, many people with lupus refuse to acknowledge themselves to be in a depressed state; in fact, most depressive illness goes unrecognized and untreated until the later stages when the severity becomes unbearable to the patient and/or until the family or physician can no longer ignore it. In fact, several studies indicate that between 30-50 percent of major depressive illness goes undiagnosed in medical settings. Perhaps more disturbing is that many studies indicate that major depressive disorders in the medically ill are undertreated and inadequately treated, even when recognized.
Stress of all sorts has long been known to exacerbate lupus and the stress and suffering of depressive illness is no exception to this. People with lupus must take some responsibility to inform their physicians about the stress(es) and stressors in their lives, and must also openly and honestly reveal their true emotional condition.
Physicians who are familiar with their patients' usual mood and personality, as well as their lifestyle and situation, are more likely to recognize changes associated with depressive illness. Similarly, patients are more apt to open up about their feelings when they are encouraged to do so by a physician they trust and with whom they are familiar. This is especially important with that group of depressed individuals without the subjective complaints of unhappy mood who often deny or "resist" the notion of "emotional distress", substituting in its place various "physical" complaints. Physicians suspect "masked depression" in such patients, especially when they appear with a saddened facial expression, have lost interest in and are withdrawn from their usual activities, and are preoccupied with painful somatic complaints.
Failure to recognize and diagnose depression in the medically ill reinforces the acceptance that they have "reason to feel depressed because they are sick," and therefore discourages appropiate help. This error ignores the fact that clinical depression in the physically ill generally responds well to standard psychiatric treatments and that patients treated only for their physical illness will suffer needlessly the effects of current depression. Depression should not be used as a synonym for "sadness".
Today, effective treatment is available for depressive illness and usually consists of psychotropic medication, psychotherapy and, most often, a combination of both. Antidepressant medication is the major class of drugs used; the four categories are: tricyclics, newer-generation non-tricyclic antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, and lithium. The effectiveness of these medications may be increased by using them in combination or by the addition of other medications. Not infrequently, depressed patients are undertreated and/or inadequately treated, reflecting a therapeutic uncertainty and pessimism.
Adequate and aggressive treatment is vigilant and involves the cooperation of the patient. Such treatment may involve blood tests to determine the appropriate dosages of medication, open communication, trial and error, and a large ration of optimistic support in the form of encouragement, patience, availability and perseverance. Naturally, any underlying organic factors that contribute to the depressive state must be identified and addressed. Antidepressant medications are associated with various side effects and may intensify various symptoms associated with lupus (e.g., increase in the drying of mucous membranes in Sjogren's Syndrome). When antidepressant medications are effective, there is a welcome improvement in the patient's sense of well-being and overall attitude and adjustment.
Recovery from depression usually is a gradual process. You can't expect dramatic improvements in a few days; however, one begins to see some progress after a few weeks. Even when depression seems to clear quickly, it is not unusual to relapse when the medication is stopped. For this reason, medication should be continued for approximately six months or longer and dosage should be tapered slowly over a 3 or 4 week period when treatment is discontinued. Patients who are resistant to those treatments mentioned above have several other effective options.
Often in depressive illness, there is a general slowing and clouding of mental functions (cognition) and many people with lupus worry about changes in their alertness, attention span, capacity for concentration, orientation, memory and recall, reasoning abilities, and use of language and calculations. These troublesome and not infrequent disruptions in mental functioning tend to go underreported to their physicians and are rarely confirmed to be due to any specific structural change. Fortunately, these transient alterations in mental functioning improve as the depressive condition improves.
Psychotherapy can be very helpful in assisting depressed people to work through and understand their feelings, their illness and their relationships and to cope more effectively with stress and their life situation. The benefits to the patient are best served when the primary care physician maintains a close relationship with a psychiatrist or psychologist for consultation about and referral of depressed patients presenting difficult diagnostic and treatment problems. Such a working relationship maximizes the quality of patient care and provides the most powerful approach to management of depression.
[Karl Note: Pure Trash!]
Howard S. Shapiro is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the U.S.C. School of Medicine.
CARING AND SHARING
Newsletter 6, December 1996
E. L. E. F.
European Lupus Erythematosus Federation
Lupus -- Typical Psychiatric View Of Disease As Causing A Mental Condition That Must Be Treated With An Anti-Depressant
Dear Karl,
I'll jump right in to my story.
I was diagnosed with Lupus nephritis in June of this year and was put on 60 mg of Prednisone to suppress my immune system.
The next month I was chosen to participate in a clinical study in which they were testing a drug called Cellcept. This drug was said to have lesser side effects than Cytoxan (a chemo-type drug) and could be just as effective at treating Lupus nephritis.
Since I've been on this drug I haven't stopped looking for alternatives to treating my problem.
I know the long-term side effects can be terrible and yet right now I need treatment of some sort or risk kidney failure.
My interest lies in your Life Glow Basic formula.
I was actually going to make an appointment with a clinic here in Manhattan to have the chelation therapy done. The people I spoke to at this clinic said that this therapy has been very helpful to their Lupus patients.
They are finding that most people with the disease have high levels of metals in their system.
Each visit would cost me $125.00.
I didn't know how I was going to handle the money and I had no idea that I had a choice of oral chelation. I'm so glad I found you!
My main concern, however, comes from the fact that I keep seeing cautionary statements regarding chelation and how it could cause kidney problems.
I already have a kidney problem so, of course, I don't want to make it worse.
Could you please help me understand better why there is this concern?
What is it about chelation (I guess IV or oral) that can be harmful to one's kidneys?
If a doctor was willing to recommend the therapy for me knowing my condition, then it must be safe for me, but I guess for peace of mind I need clarification on the whole chelation/kidney issue.
By the way, if this helps to know,
my kidneys do function, however, I keep spilling protein in my
urine--over 3g on my last lab work-up. Your product would cost me a
lot less than having IV chelation done and I am more than willing to
spend the 120.00 if it means I can get off these pills.
Sorry for the long message, I tried to keep it short. Thanks in
advance for your time and attention.
Sincerely yours,
Dear S
Life Glow Basic sounds just right for you.
IV chelation puts a large dose (3000 mg) of an artificial amino acid -- EDTA -- into your body. It must be processed out in a few hours. It all has to go through the kidneys, so there is a burden on them.
When you take my oral chelation, only 400 mg of EDTA per day, and only 10% gets absorbed to be eliminated through the kidneys. The other 90% is effective even though it stays in the stomach and intestine.
So, OC is very safe, and as you said, less expensive.
I think my formula is better, anyway, because of the use of N Acetyl Cysteine to help in the chelating.
Karl Loren
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