Philadelphia, my home
The NYT has a video up of Philadelphia. It’s so stupid. The footage was obviously taken at least a year ago, when it last snowed. And surprise, surprise, there’s a reference to cheesesteaks. Ugh. Go here and scroll halfway down to see it.
liz | 1:16 PM | Uncategorized
Kids talk
Here’s an eloquent reply to the recent New York Times article about children taking multiple psychiatric drugs. July writes:
The Times article is particularly distressing. as their previous pieces have shown, there are situations where mental health diagnosis and psychiatric drugs can be appropriate for children (though particularly adolescents). i don’t know what i’d do if my child punched hole through the walls and ripped doors of the hinges. something’s wrong and if it’s his brain chemistry, i’d want him to take any drugs that would fix that. at the same time, i’d be terrified that i’d might be damaging his body and mind in other ways.
on the other hand, you have a three year old who has tantrums and insists on “eating the meat, cheese and bread in her sandwiches separately.” with her antipsychotics, she can now sit sweetly for hours. i don’t have words to express my horror. the drugs are already shown to produce children who are “short and underweight.” we don’t know what other harm they do to developing minds and bodies. particularly with a three year old!
children don’t prescribe psychiatric drugs or choose to take them. adults decide for them. we are responsible for all of their effects. these drugs permanently alter their bodies in a way we don’t understand. if dispensed at all, it should only be as a last resort – not used for temporary behavioral control or as a babysitter.
I completely agree.
[Photo copyright Liz Spikol]
liz | 12:39 PM | Uncategorized
That’s sick
In the past few years it’s become increasingly acceptable to say you’re taking a “mental health day” in order to get out of work. Though it’s obvious that not every one of these people has a mental illness, I think there’s nothing wrong with taking a day to decompress if that’s what you need to stay sane in the pressurized chamber of the working world.
A new study from CareerBuilder.com seems to imply the trend is increasing. From the AP:
Senior career adviser Jennifer Sullivan says many people are using sick days as “mental health days” to catch-up on sleep or simply relax.
According to Sullivan, many employers are honoring that. But she warns that using sick days as vacation days can get you in trouble, especially if a colleague spots you.
And for those who told the teacher, “My dog ate my homework,” it turns out there are grown-up versions. Employers have heard plenty of unusual excuses for not coming to work, including one guy claiming his mother-in-law poisoned him. Or the fellow who said he broke his leg snowboarding off the roof while drunk.
[Photo copyright Liz Spikol]
liz | 11:48 AM | Uncategorized
Most upsetting article ever
Children on drugs. Read it and weep.
Proof Is Scant on Psychiatric Drug Mix for Young [NY Times]
liz | 2:22 PM | Uncategorized
Noel Gallagher to facilitate his enemy’s suicide
From Monstersand Critics.com:
Noel Gallagher believes Robbie Williams will commit suicide one day – and has offered to give him a loaded gun to use. The outspoken Oasis guitarist, who has been feuding with the ‘Angles’ singer for years, insists it is just a matter of time before his rival takes his own life because he is a “grossly unhappy person”.
In an interview with Oasis fans conducted by Britain’s The Sun newspaper, Noel was asked who he would aim at if he had a gun with one bullet in – Phil Collins, who he has repeated mocked, or Robbie. The rocker said: “I don’t give a f**k about Phil Collins. I wouldn’t shoot him. I do think he’s a bit of a k**b though. As for Robbie, I’d put the bullet in the gun as he’s eventually going to do it himself anyway as he is a grossly unhappy person.”
Noel’s comment is sure to reignite his bitter war of words with Robbie, 32. Noel and his brother Liam have been feuding with him since 2000, after Noel labelled him “the fat dancer from Take That”.
Robbie famously responded by branding the 39-year-old rocker a “mean-spirited dwarf” and challenging Liam – who is engaged to Robbie’s ex-girlfriend Nicole Appleton – to a prize fight at that year’s BRIT Awards.
The trio have been trading barbed comments ever since, with Noel most recently suggesting the ‘Rudebox’ singer is a sad and lonely recluse. He said: “I’m one of the rare breed of rock ‘n’ rollers who actually does my own shopping. I don’t mind rubbing shoulders with the mere mortals in the street. It doesn’t freak me out going to buy a pint of milk. Not like Robbie Williams – I don’t lock myself way from society and then claim that people don’t understand me.”
What a dumbkof. You know why he can shop in public? No one even recognizes him anymore. Ha!
liz | 2:34 PM | Uncategorized
Is anybody out there? Just nod if you can hear me.
Apparently, the blog world shuts down the Friday after Thanksgiving, which means that—though I’m at work—I don’t really have to blog. But I’m so neurotic that I can’t not blog, which is somewhat pathetic. However, today I’ll be pithy and basically unavailable, so I’ll seem as cool as the other bloggers.
So a day after the day of giving thanks, here’s a heartwarming story about a depressed man whose therapy dog, Melody, was stolen and missing for weeks. She was finally found, and is now back with her owner, who says he hasn’t been depressed since he first got her many years ago.
Companion dog found, ending hunt across western U.S.
[Photo copyright Liz Spikol]
liz | 12:39 PM | Uncategorized
Quote of the day
“Second-generation anti-psychotics are not the great breakthrough they were once thought to be.” –Professor Shôn Lewis, as quoted by the BBC.
Dispute over schizophrenia drugs
liz | 10:57 AM | Uncategorized
Happy Thanksgiving
I don’t have a turkey handy, so a duck carved out of soap will have to do. (Don’t ask why I have that handy. This office is a minefield.)
Hope you have a great holiday. I’m considering spending much of my time tomorrow watching TV and eating junk food. Good thing I don’t get more days off.
liz | 4:01 PM | Uncategorized
Marie Osmond was first, goldarnit
From the Palm Beach Post, this quote from Marie Osmond:
“I was truly the first celebrity to come out with (having postpartum depression publicly), leading to people like Brooke Shields,” she says. “I will never regret writing that book [Behind the Smile, about PPD]. Part of loving people is being honest enough to help. A lot of women have suffered in silence. I bet I still receive 100 emails on a daily basis from people about this. I met a woman at a doll signing whose daughter took her own life because of (PPD). She asked ‘Why couldn’t you have written that book five years sooner?’ Now there’s a lot of awareness.”
Okay, let the record stand corrected. Marie, then Brooke. Either way, I think it’s depressing to be into dolls. I don’t know why, but I just have a sense it’s a sad hobby.
liz | 2:00 PM | Uncategorized
Karol strikes again
There are some readers of this blog—Kent, Gena, Joe, HS, July, Annette, Massalle Wallah and others I’m not thinking of this second—who are so faithful, I feel like I know them/you. Another faithful reader, Karol, has mastered the fine art of sending in items that I want to post. It takes a certain kind of genius. (Thanks to Amara on that score as well.) Today he sent me an article about psychiatrist Thomas Szasz. It’s incredibly long and incredilby fascinating. I’m going into a meeting right now, but I suggest you take a look at it when you have, um, 45 minutes to spare.
liz | 1:55 PM | Uncategorized
