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I fully agree with Tom wilson's comments and want to a couple of things...Tom mentions auxiliary staff, receptionists, etc. yeah lower staff!!! You will find within the rank and file of the OSH staff a lot of compassionate people doing good things with patients in tiny ways, my daughter was the recipient of many acts of kindness by rank and file employees but these employees lack power to change the mental health paradigm at hospitals such as OSH. What they need to bring into the new 'culture' are the highest ranking employees, the psychiatrists, most of whom embrace the disease model of mental illness, comparing it falsely to diabetes, a very unscientific claim since we know the mechanism by which diabetes is diagnosed and contolled, as opposed to this theory of a chemistry imbalance in the brain which vagely has something to do with seratonin and dopamine but which has never been proven. This approach simply does not address the underlying cause of psychosis for thousands of indivdiuals like my daughter trapped in the mental health system. I believe that trauma is important to look at as well as nutrition, cognitive behavior therapy, spiritual practices such as yoga, etc. The whole soft science of psychiatry is based on experimenting with different medications and dosages until a 'match' is found, no matter that many people are devestated by the side effects while this process of trial and elimination takes place, and meanwhile, many become trapped within the mental health system while acting out symptoms that are actually worsened if not originating from withdrawal from these powerful medications.

Doctors do not own up to the the fact that longitudinal studies indicate that outcomes for patients labeled with severe psychiatric disorders have become worse since the advent of the new 'miracle' generation of neuroleptics or studies which indicate that the patients with the best outcomes are those, who, like escape from the chronic cycle of drugs/dependence/symptoms

These important studies are virtually being ignored by the highest ranking employees of OSH, the very ones who purport to be 'scientists' and it wouldn't be so scandalous if were not our children whose lives are affected. Where are the psychiatrists who are willing to think outside of the box?

If OSH wants to truly change the culture: dramatically increase the number of treatment specialists (peer counselors) at OSH, so that EVERY patient is assigned to one, be among the very first state mental hospitals in the U.S. to institute open family dialog, and in situations where families are not involved, create alternative 'families' team of community based volunteers and professionals who will help indivdiuals to successfully integrate back into the communities.

posted 2 years, 1 month ago
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