Who Is Right – Brooke Shields or Tom Cruise?
So who is telling the truth?
(PRWEB) July 5, 2005
The recent press on the postpartum depression experienced by Brooke Shields has brought a highlight on opinions expressed by Tom Cruise on his anti-psychiatry position. The debate has become extremely heated as many women feel CruiseÂ’s position diminished their personal experience with post-partum depression. So who is telling the truth? Ironically, they both are.
According to the Postpartum Resource Center of Texas, Postpartum depression occurs in 1 of 10 women. It is marked by drastic mood swings, feelings of despair, crying spells and avoidance of their new baby. Postpartum psychosis can result in hallucinations, delusions, severe insomnia, extreme agitation and suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
For most of us the idea of injuring a newborn makes us cringe and seek revenge. But for those women who have suffered the acute symptoms of postpartum depression or psychosis, they are haunted by such thoughts and will seek any remedy to alleviate the symptoms.
Brook Shield’s willingness to use Paxil is not to be criticized or commended, but rather understood. She sought a solution – some women haven’t and have killed their children as a result.
Tom CruiseÂ’s suggestion that vitamins could have balanced hormones, while sounding too simplistic, actually has merit. So why was he attacked for his statements? Could it be that as a man he has no perceived validity with womenÂ’s issues? Or is it his stance against the use of psychiatric drugs that has the world responding harshly.
In 1999, a Harvard University study generated tremendous interest throughout the bipolar community with information about a natural substance that offered an effective and simpler treatment than pharmaceuticals – fish oil. The study was conducted on 30 patients with bipolar disorder who had histories of relapse. Most were on medications that did not offer successful treatment. Although the trial was scheduled to last for nine months, it was cancelled after only four due to the outstanding results.
Additional findings concluded that postpartum depression is 50 times more common in countries with low levels of seafood consumption. During pregnancy, a woman’s body becomes depleted of fatty acids, which are transferred to the fetus. Omega 3 is not only critical to the growth and maintenance of brain cells but low levels have been detected in studies on depressed patients. A National Institute of Health study tracked 15,541 women from their eighth week of pregnancy to eight months after giving birth and found those who had no seafood rich in Omega 3 fatty acids had nearly twice the rate of depression as those who had rich Omega 3 sources in their diet. Psychiatric Times published a special report in August 2003 stating “Inadequate levels of Omega 3 fatty acids have been associated with depression, including postpartum depression.”
So why do we as a society turn to behavioral drugs to treat the symptoms of depression. That is the question that needs to be addressed. Why has information on natural treatments been suppressed while drugs reign supreme? Unfortunately these are the pertinent questions that need to be addressed and have been lost in the debate.
There are many women still suffering from postpartum depression. Lets offer solutions that truly work rather than offering a way to cover the symptom. That would be a fair debate to both opinions.
Label Me Sane lectures and addresses the media on multiple topics regarding behavioral drugs. For more information contact Label Me Sane at 866.628.6135 or info@labelmesane. com
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