- kaleidoscope game
- The Transfer Book. Helpful for college students thinking of transferring.
- Some medical schools have trouble disclosing their disclosure policies! In the case of an NPR show The Infinite Mind, which I liked, the founder, Frederick Goodwin, whom I took seriously, “received over a million [undisclosed] dollars from pharmaceutical companies to give promotional talks.” Details. This is especially horrifying because Goodwin co-authored the “bible” of bipolar disorder research. His influence is great. His co-author was Kay Jamison, who writes a lot about the subject for popular audiences. To me, she’s now tainted by association.
- Robert Woodward, the great chemist. A terrific biographical essay.
The kaleidoscope game was fun! Very colorful and entertaining!
About the links on Goodwin–
I know many bipolar patients, including those who tried Lamictal. If they did not take their medicine, they would be more likely to manifest harmful conduct, such as: attempting suicide, going on a spending spree, or quitting their job. Perhaps then their focus should be on quality, not quantity of life. Yes, psychiatric medications have deleterious side effects, such as weight gain, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and tardive dyskinesia. Right now, what else could these patients do? I’m not advocating medicines for everyone, but I’ve seen how they could make someone’s life productive.
@ 1 re: “Perhaps then their focus should be on quality, not quantity of life.”
After the acute phase has been managed, does our quick-fix society have a primary concern in quality-of-life outcomes for the mentally ill? Probably not. Life-long medicating to the max is simple, standardized, and profitable.
“…does our quick-fix society have a primary concern in quality-of-life outcomes for the mentally ill?”
Nansen:
There is a stigma against the mentally ill, yes. Support from family and friends, in addition to taking medications, is more helpful than medications alone. Psychiatrists try to keep medications doses low, unless one is in a psychiatric hospital, then psychiatric medications start out very high to stabilize the patient. Doctors know how to solve problems with medication, so that is how they’re going to treat someone, not just the mentally ill. I agree, medications are expensive and people must work for their health care or get help from the government, etc. For the mentally ill who can be independent, doctors don’t force them to take additional medication, they can choose what they want to take. I agree, medications are very profitable for the pharmaceutical companies, but if it improves life for the patient, it’s profitable for them, too. Just because “the acute phase has been managed” doesn’t always mean a patient should go off his or her medicine, or else the symptoms can come back to haunt the patient.
“For the mentally ill who can be independent, doctors don’t force them to take additional medication, they can choose what they want to take.”
True enough.