Groundbreaking, Ceiling Shattering, Box Destroying . . . Dr. Bonnie Burstow's Toronto Public Library Talk on "Psychiatry and the Business of Madness"

If you really want to understand why psychiatry is such a threat to humanity, watch Bonnie Burstow's (Dec. 6, 2016) Toronto Public Library Talk on Psychiatry and the Business of Madness. 

I believe that your future self will thank you for it.








Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault thank you for getting this video out!

Publish Post

Emergency: Senate Vote on Amendment to HR 34 is NEAR. update on #PsychiatrictsuNAMI

If amended, HR 34 will change your life. 

The amendment to H.R. 34 targets: babies, children, teens, young adults, college students, pregnant and lactating women, seniors, veterans, and everyone who uses medical services. 

Please, before Monday morning – leave as many messages on your Senators AND Representatives Voicemail opposing the scam of amending the HR 34 the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015 as the 21st Century #CuresAct amendment which includes awful versions of the Murphy Bills and multiple other bills that Senators are still attempting to amend before a vote.
Our legislators are pushing this through, and if you can believe, Senators are even still adding amendments. 

The Senate will take up the proposed amendments on Monday, December 5, 2016, at 3PM Eastern or earlier – so keep an eye out for another sneak attack. 

Even if the Senate pulls off this state-sanctioned scam of what an aid from a Representative’s Office explained to me as “a simple parliamentary procedure”, it will have to go back the House of Representatives and if it passes there, on to the President. 

PLEASE ACT NOW AND STOP THE AMENDMENT TO HR 34. 

To be clear, our government took a bill that passed, HR 34, Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2016 and replaced the text with the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes the controversial Murphy Bills, and acted as if what they have done is legitimate. 

#tsunNAMIWarning

On Sunday, December 4, 2016 at 9PM Eastern, call in to (267)521-0167 to be part of the program.  This is an urgent call for you to speak out to your legislators.  

On this show, Yvonne Smith, Lauren Tenney, and others will discuss things that you can talk about with your Senators AND Representatives concerning the scam of amending the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015 H.R. 34 as the 21st Century #CuresAct amendment, which includes awful versions of the Murphy Bills and multiple other bills that Senators are still attempting to amend before a vote. They are pushing this through and if you can believe, Senators are even still adding amendments.

Senate will take up the proposed amendments on Monday, December 5, 2016, or earlier.

PLEASE ACT NOW AND HELP STOP THE AMENDMENT TO HR 34. #tsunNAMIWarning

For More information: https://www.madinamerica.com/2016/11/warning-psychiatric-tsunami-upon-u-s/

To reach your SENATORS: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

To reach your REPRESENTATIVES: http://www.house.gov/representatives/http://www.house.gov/representatives/http://www.house.gov/representatives/

WARNING: A Psychiatric Tsunami Is Upon Us

WARNING::: A PSYCHIATRIC TSUNAMI IS UPON US.

WE MUST ACT TODAY. 

The Murphy Bill (HR 2646) has been merged with the 21st Century Cures Bill 

and snuck into H.R. 34 as an an amendment. 

The 996 page bill includes multiple provisions for forced psychiatry 

not limited to IOC/AOT, ACT Teams, and Prison Psychiatry.

H.R. 34 also include:

SAMHSA reorganization,

condoning of HIPPAA violations,

a study of peer support specialists for future controls of the field, 

multiple attacks on young people and veterans,

and a host of other potential human rights violations.

Psychiatry is a fraud and this bill perpetuates it.

Today, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2016 tell your legislators to VOTE NO on H.R. 34, Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015.

Demand that your legislators stop sneaking controversial, 

damaging bills into other bills at the last minute.

The American people deserve more.

Find your representatives here: http://www.house.gov/representatives/

For more information about the hearing on H.R. 34 11/29/16: https://rules.house.gov/bill/114/hr-34-sa

Here, an aid to a congress person explains that it is not a scam, just a "simple parliamentary procedure". 

For a more in-depth analysis from Lauren Tenney:
https://www.madinamerica.com/2016/11/warning-psychiatric-tsunami-upon-u-s/#comments

Shock for Breakfast? March 28, 2016: 11:59 PM FDA Shock Dockets Close

Today is the last day to sign the petition before the docket closes.

The FDA is attempting to down-classify the shock device to say that shock treatment (shooting electricity through the head to cause a grand mal seizure) is 'safe enough' for people with "treatment-resistant" depression or who "require rapid response".

#FDAStopTheShockDevice

This video is about #FDAStopTheShockDevice Sign petition here: https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment Info for submitting your own comment to FDA here: http://www.madinamerica.com/2016/02/40-days-to-tell-the-fdastoptheshockdevice

Posted by Lauren Tenney on Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Please speak out before it's too late.  Our petition and complaint to the FDA are below.

https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

http://www.madinamerica.com/2016/03/only-72-hours-left-to-stop-shock-device/

NIMH Deletes and Blocks Truth During Public Q& A about Shock Treatment on Facebook

On March 17, 2016 the National Institute of Mental Health held a one hour Facebook Question and Answer period on shock treatment with Dr. Lisanby.

Below, please see the photographic record of comments that were made by myself, Lauren Tenney, and then subsequently deleted.  I also was blocked from commenting and reacting to posts made by others.

I think that NIMH ought to be held accountable for giving acurate information about shock treatment. Do  you?

To see the NIMH transcript and deleted comments, please visit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByfGR4ZrDF0oVGhCd0FfS01wcTg/view

Posted by Lauren Tenney on Thursday, March 17, 2016

Comment on Complaint to FDA Ombuds Office #FDAStopTheShockDevice on Talk with Tenney

March 17, 2016

9-11 PM Eastern

Comment on Complaint to FDA Ombuds Office #FDAStopTheShockDevice

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/talkwithtenney/2016/03/18/talk-with-tenney-comment-on-complaint-fda-ombuds-office-fdastoptheshockdevice

Tune in on March 17, 2016 from 9-11PM Eastern (267)521-0167 to hear and comment on the Final Draft of Official Complaint to Ombuds Office at FDA concerning the processes that FDA has taken in the proposed down-classification of the shock device 

The rule proposed is that for people who are 18 years of age and older, who experience a “depressive episode” as part of “major depressive disorder” or “bipolar disorder” and are “treatment-resistant” or “require rapid response” that the “probable benefit of ECT outweighs these risks” (p. 81228).  

March 28, 2016 is deadline for FDA comments. 

Tune in to hear the current situation, share your experiences of shock treatment, and encourage others to respond to the FDA. 

For more information and to sign the MindFreedom International Petition that has over 1,150 supporters see: https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

To read about the FDAs latest move to down classify see: 

http://www.madinamerica.com/2016/02/40-days-to-tell-the-fdastoptheshockdevice 

http://www.madinamerica.com/2015/12/shock-device-safe-as-eyeglasses-89-days-to-say-no/

https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

13 Days to say #FDAStopTheShockDevice: Talk with Tenney Special Radio Show

March 15, 2016 9-11 PM Eastern:: 

Call in (267) 521-0167 to be part of the show - 

13 Days to say #FDAStopTheShockDevice

Direct link if embed fails: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/talkwithtenney/2016/03/16/talk-with-tenney-special-13-days-left-to-say-fdastoptheshockdevice

 On March 15, 2016 from 9 - 11 PM Eastern, call in (267) 521-0167 to join people who are shock treatment survivors and allies discuss the current state of the FDAs attempts to down-classify the shock device to a class II device putting it in the same category as eyeglasses or wheelchairs. 

The rule proposed is that for people who are 18 years of age and older, who experience a “depressive episode” as part of “major depressive disorder” or “bipolar disorder” and are “treatment-resistant” or “require rapid response” that the “probable benefit of ECT outweighs these risks” (p. 81228).  

We have 13 days left to say #FDAStopTheShockDevice. 

Tune in to hear the current situation, share your experiences of shock treatment, and encourage others to respond to the FDA. 

For more information and to sign the MindFreedom International Petition that has over 1,000 supporters see: https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

To read about the FDAs latest move to down classify see: 

http://www.madinamerica.com/2016/02/40-days-to-tell-the-fdastoptheshockdevice 

http://www.madinamerica.com/2015/12/shock-device-safe-as-eyeglasses-89-days-to-say-no/

Watch this powerful video: ECT Destroys Life produced by Aftershock: Life After ECT here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyi32-slxUk

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/talkwithtenney/2016/03/16/talk-with-tenney-special-13-days-left-to-say-fdastoptheshockdevice

Combat the American Psychiatric Association's Pro-Shock Treatment Campaign: Do Not Be Fooled! #FDAStopTheShockDevice

#FDAStopTheShockDevice: Sign the MindFreedom International Petition here:

 https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

Join 900+ Supporters saying #FDAStopTheShockDevice

Do Not Be Fooled

 It is important to understand that the psychiatric industry - the trade organization for the psychiatrists, the American Psychiatric Association--have their own campaign supporting the use of shock treatment on people that they assign as "depressed", "bipolar", "treatment-resistant", or "require rapid response". 

They are threatened by the truth. This statement is from the American Psychiatric Association to its members in its push to support shock treatment: 

"A similar reclassification proposal by the FDA in 2010 met significant resistance from anti-psychiatry groups and did not pass. That is why it is so important for psychiatrists to take the lead in expressing their views in regard to the role that ECT plays in clinical practice and in the treatment of major depressive disorder." 

The American Psychiatric Association tells its membership blatant lies: specifically they are arguing that the Shock Device is currently listed as "Class III (high risk)" and that what the FDA is proposing is to move them to Class II (low risk)". 

Class III means that the device has never been tested for safety or efficacy (and is usually high risk).  

Because the shock device existed prior to the FDA, it was grandfathered in as a Class III device.  

There is a move at the FDA to either have all Class III devices moved to Class I (general controls) or Class II (special controls) devices--or-- taken off the market.  

The American Psychiatric Association's claim to its membership that Class II is "low risk" is an outright lie.  

Class II means that there are special controls put on a medical device to try to mitigate risk.  

In the current case of the shock device, what the FDA is trying to do is say that by labeling the device with its known risks and brain and body damaging consequences, the risk is mitigated. This of course, is ludicrous. 


Putting a label on a device will not mitigate the real risks of shock treatment.   

The Risks

The risks of shock treatment consist of one whole section of the proposed rule. Yet, there is not one specific known benefit that the FDA lists in the proposed rule, just a consistent "unknown" benefit. Concerning risk, Section V (FDA, 2015, p. 81227) is as follows:

"After considering the available information from the reports and recommendations of the advisory committees (panels) for the classification of these devices, FDA has evaluated the risks to health associated with the use of ECT devices and determined that the following risks to health are associated with its use:

• Adverse reaction to anesthetic agents/neuromuscular blocking agents. The muscle relaxing and sedating (or sleep inducing) drugs that are a part of the procedure may hamper the patient’s ability to breathe spontaneously.

• Adverse skin reactions. The patient contacting materials of the device may cause an adverse immunological or allergic reaction in a patient.

• Cardiovascular complications. The therapeutic convulsions may be accompanied by arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat) or ischemia/infarction (i.e., heart attack). Hypertension (high blood pressure) as well as hypotension (low blood pressure) may be associated with ECT treatment. ECT treatment may also result in stroke (impairment of blood flow to the brain or bleeding in the brain).

• Cognition and memory impairment. ECT treatment may result in memory impairment, specifically immediate post-treatment disorientation, anterograde memory impairment and retrograde personal (autobiographical) memory impairment.

• Death. Death may result from various complications of ECT such as reactions to anesthesia, cardiovascular complications, pulmonary complications, or stroke.

• Dental/oral trauma. Dental fractures, dislocations, lacerations, and prosthetic damage may occur as a result of strong muscle contractions during treatment.

• Device malfunction. Faulty hardware, software or accessories (electrodes) or improper use may cause electrical hazards, such as the risk of excessive dose administration, prolonged seizures, and skin burns.

• Manic symptoms. ECT treatment may result in the development of hypomanic or manic symptoms.

• Pain/discomfort. The patient may experience mild to moderate pain following the motor seizure induced by ECT treatment.

• Physical trauma. Inadequate supportive drug treatment may allow the patient to be injured from unconscious violent movements during convulsions.

• Prolonged or tardive seizures. ECT treatment may result in prolonged or delayed seizures, and status epilepticus (continuous unremittent seizure) may ensue if prolonged seizures are not properly treated.

• Pulmonary complications. ECT treatment may result in prolonged apnea (no breathing) or inhalation of foreign material, such as regurgitated stomach contents.

• Skin burns. Excessive electrical current or improperly designed electrodes may cause the patient’s skin under the electrodes to be burned.

• Worsening of psychiatric symptoms. ECT treatment may be ineffective and therefore may result in worsening psychiatric symptoms."

Again, there is not one specific known benefit that the FDA lists in the proposed rule.

What Psychiatric Survivors and Allies Are Doing
People who are psychiatric survivors, particularly people who are survivors of shock treatment, allies, and MindFreedom International members have held 9 national teleconferences since the FDA released the proposed rule, December 29, 2015.  

We have created a petition stating that the FDA should not down-classify the shock device for any reason.  We are also demanding that the FDA hold hearings about this proposed rule to down-classify the shock device.  If this rule is put in place the use of shock treatment to soar. 

What You Can Do

Please join the 900+ supporters who are calling on the FDA to do the right thing and not down-classify the shock device, and listen to those who have been damaged by those who subjected them to shock treatment.

Sign the petition here:   https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

Thousands Are Having Shock Treatment For Breakfast. #FDAStopTheShockDevice

3 FOIA Requests Reveal Shock Treatment Used on Veterans and Their Fetuses

3 FOIA Requests Reveal Shock Treatment Used on Veterans and Their Fetuses 

3 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests reveal that veterans have been subjected to shock treatment in the VHA system.

Most disturbing, the draft data released shows that only 2 or more shock treatments were counted.

We have no idea of how many vets were shocked once.

Even more problematic, guidance on the use of shock treatment was released, and this included using shock treatment as a first line treatment for women who were pregnant.

That is electricity shot through her brain, general anesthesia, muscle relaxers, and pain killers, and not eating for long periods of time before the brain-damaging procedure, multiple times a week.

For more information see my Mad in America article:
Electroshocking Veterans and Their Fetuses.

You can hear more on the Talk with Tenney episode, FOIA: Evidence of VMAs Electroshocking Veterans:

Right now, the FDA is trying to say that shock treatment is 'safe enough' for people experiencing a "depressive episode" as part of "major depressive disorder" or "bipolar disorder" that is "treatment-resistant" or "requires rapid response".

 Please join our efforts to stop the FDA from being able to do this.

You can sign and share the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment

www.laurentenney.us

Thousands Are Having Shock Treatment For Breakfast #FDAStopTheShockDevice

If the FDA is successful with its new proposed rule that is open for public comment, shock treatment will soar.

Sign the petition to tell the FDA they must hold hearings about the down-classification of the shock device and that the shock device must not be lowered to a Class II device for any reason.


Sue Clark-Wittenburg (1955 - 2015), 2015 shared her experiences on Talk with Tenney and reminds me and everyone else to keep focused. Shock treatment is torture.

Sue through her work in organizing the International Campaign to Ban Electroshock would be working to stop the FDA from its current shady proposed rule to down-classify the shock device from a Class III experimental device to a Class II device, putting the machine used to generate the shock in shock treatment in the same category as eyeglasses or a wheel chair.

The FDAs proposed rule allows that shock treatment is 'safe enough' for people who experience a "depressive episode" as part of "major depressive disorder" or "bipolar disorder" and who are "treatment-resistant" because you 'failed' neuroleptic or psychotropic drugs, or "require rapid response".

In the Talk with Tenney episode that this excerpt of Sue is taken from, Electroshock: A Crime Against Humanity, Sue explains that when she was a teenager, she was shocked, and that the last shock treatment she had stopped her heart.

Sue is not physically here to lead the fight, but her memory persists and what happened to Sue, and millions like her, will not be in vein.




In Loving Memory of Sue Clark-Wittenberg from Lauren Tenney on Vimeo.

Watch People Who Are Shock Survivors and Allies After 2011 FDA Shock Device Hearings

#FDAStopShockDevice

In 2011 the FDA held public hearings on the shock device that delivers electric shock treatment (electroconvulsive treatment, ECT).  The panel voted in nearly all situations to keep the shock device a Class III Experimental Device.




Now, the FDA is proposing to down-classify the shock device to a Class II device with "special controls" that would put it in the same category as a pair of eyeglasses or a wheelchair specifically for people who are over 18, have a "major depressive episode" as part of "major depressive disorder" or "bipolar disorder" are deemed "treatment-resistant" or "require rapid response".

The FDA is proposing that since they held hearings in 2011 they do not need to hold hearings now. Not one of the members of the decision-making panel from 2011 is on the panel today.

Please get involved and tell the FDA not to down classify the shock device for any reason and to hold public hearings.

Psychiatry ought not be allowed to get away with this fraud! The FDA needs to be held responsible for the damage this will cause. Shock treatment will soar.

Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/fda-stop-fda-from-down-classifying-the-shock-device-to-a-class-ii-device-stop-shock-treatment