Dan Stradford, Editor
Alan Graham, Assistant Editor
Gloria McTaggart, Assistant Editor
SafeHarborProj@aol.com
www.AlternativeMentalHealth.com

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Safe Harbor was founded in 1998 in the wake of growing public dissatisfaction with the unwanted effects of orthodox psychiatric treatments such as medication and shock therapy. Seeking to satisfy the desire for safer, more effective treatments, Safe Harbor is dedicated to educating the public, the medical profession, and government officials on research and treatments that, minimally, do no harm and, optimally, cure the causes of severe mental symptoms. Our primary thrust is education on the medical causes of severe mental symptoms and the use of nutritional and other natural treatments.

ALTERNATIVEMENTALHEALTH.COM IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST WEB SITE DEVOTED exclusively to alternative mental health treatments. It includes a directory of over 240 physicians, nutritionists, experts, organizations, and facilities around the U.S. that offer or promote safe, alternative treatments for severe mental symptoms. Many of the physicians listed do in-depth examinations to find the physical causes behind mental problems.

Also included on the site is an array of articles on topics ranging from the medical causes of schizophrenia to the effects of toxic metals on mental health.

Special AlternativeMentalHealth.com T-shirts and bumper stickers are available at our online store.

A bookstore page lists top books that cover many areas of alternative treatments with titles like Natural Healing for Schizophrenia and Other Common Mental Disorders and No More Ritalin.

AlternativeMentalHealth.com has been created to educate the public, practitioners, and government officials on the medical conditions that create "mental illness" and the many safe resources available for addressing and often curing severe mental symptoms.

Safe Harbor
1718 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90041
U.S.A.
Phone:  323-257-7338
Fax:  323-257-7014
SafeHarborProj@aol.com
www.AlternativeMentalHealth.com

We are very proud to announce Safe Harbor's second annual medical conference coming on May 31-June 1, 2003. We have gathered a phenomenal lineup of speakers (with further surprises to be announced next issue).

We have added several improvements to this year's conference. In keeping with Safe Harbor's philosophy that personal medical education is vital in maintaining health and mental health for one's self and family, we have cut the cost of our conference in half to make it accessible to all. We have done this by removing the continuing medical education (CME) credits (though cont. ed. units are still offered for some professions) and by omitting the cost of lunch periods.

The result is a streamlined conference, packed with vital data for professionals, yet available to the public.

A guest speaker will speak at the Safe Harbor office on natural mental health treatments on Wednesday, March 12, 2003.

We will have a support group meeting from 7 PM to 8 PM and the talk and a question-and-answer period will last from 8 PM to 9 PM. The talk is free and all are invited.

The lecture will be at the Safe Harbor office at 1718 Colorado Blvd. in the Eagle Rock section of Los Angeles.

Admission is free and all are invited. We ask that you call the Safe Harbor office or email to let us know you are coming: (323) 257-7338 or SafeHarborProj@aol.com.  

Antioxidants:
Ginkgo biloba, 120 mg in the morning or 60 mg three times daily
Vitamin E, 2000 mg per day
Vitamin C, 1,000 mg per day
Acetyl-L-carnitine, 500 mg twice a day
N-Acetyl cysteine, 500 mg twice a day

Anti-inflammatory:
Essential fatty acids (including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, DHA, EPA and GLA). Dosage depends on the form.
Curcumin (Turmeric), 900 mg, twice a day

Homocysteine:
Vitamin B12, 1000 mcg or more a day
Vitamin B6, 500 mg a day. (Note: This level may be too high for some individuals, causing tingling in extremities or trouble walking)
Folic acid, 800 mcg a day
SAMe, 400-1600 mg a day, particularly if there are signs of depression

Nervous system support:
Methylcobalamin, the neurologically active form of vitamin B12; 5-40 mg daily for brain aging
Phosphatidylserine, 100 mg three times a day

Inhibit AGEs: (Note: Glycation is a process central to aging. Advanced glycatioin end products (AGEs) are formed when glucose binds tightly to protein forming abnormal (glycated) complexes that progressively damage tissue elasticity. This process causes and increased stiffness in the cardiovascular system leading to high blood pressure. Researchers are proposing that AGEs may be part of Alzheimer's disease).

Carnosine, 1000 mg per day (minimum) should be considered

Se-methylselenocysteine:
Animal studies also indicate that this form of selenium is as much as 10 times less toxic, than any other known form of selenium. It has been shown to:

Rosemary essential oil in a nebulizer helps the mental function of people with memory impairment, plus it is beneficial to the heart and it protects from viral and bacterial infection.

MUSIC THERAPY (Alzheimer's study)

A novel study assessed the effects of music therapy on the concentrations of melatonin, norephinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, and prolactin in the blood of 20 male patients with Alzheimer's disease at the Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, Florida. Patients listened to 30 to 40 minute morning sessions of music therapy 5 times per week for 4 weeks.

Melatonin concentration in serum increased significantly after music therapy and was found to increase further at 6 weeks follow-up. Norepinephrine and epinephrine levels increased significantly after 4 weeks of music therapy, but returned to pretherapy levels at 6 weeks follow-up. The authors concluded that increased levels of melatonin following music therapy may have contributed to patients' relaxed and calm mood. (Kumar, Tims et al. 1999)

I have recently finished compiling my new website:
www.nutritional-healing.com.au

The focus of this site is on nutritional therapies for existing illnesses. I feature 17 illnesses, including the following:

Pages contain a compilation of key health professionals/organizations and research, articles, websites, books, issues, research archive etc.  

One of the major tests for parents today is the blame game. Society over the last ten to twenty years has been searching for a single simple answer. It must be the parent's fault if a child is having trouble: Too much freedom, too little freedom, not enough discipline, too much discipline.

If your troubled child ends up committing an antisocial act, the blame game starts. As a troubled child who became a seriously imbalanced adult, I will attest to the fact neither my parents nor society was the cause of my failures. It cost me a lifetime of imprisonment, shame, and walking the thin line of sanity. There were periods of success, but always followed by massive doses of stupidity. Throughout it all, family and friends have stood solidly supportive of me.

It would nice to be able to say, "It was my parents fault" but it would be a lie. I have learned that I was born with a physical affliction. It simply is a fact. It was nobody's fault.

My first experience in seeking help was to see a counselor. I seriously wanted to know what was wrong with me. The first words out of his mouth were questions about my stepfather, a man I loved then and today..... A man I admire for his courage, his ethics and his absolute belief in family.

He was never my 'stepfather"; he was and always will be "dad" to me. My father worked for the same company till retirement, and never stopped for drinks on the way home. He turned down promotions so he could stay closer to home. When my mother had serious illnesses, he did the cooking, cleaning, laundry and all the other chores and never missed a day of work. He taught me so many things, I will be eternally grateful to him. He is a man I admire, respect and love.

My problems during youth were considered minimal until my grades at the age 12 did a drastic reversal. In eighth grade, my problems escalated into minor stealing, not doing home work, and general dissatisfaction with myself and others. I began to commit crimes and was convicted and imprisoned in several different states. I met Dr. William Walsh [now chief scientist at the Health Research Institute and Pfeiffer Treatment Center] in the late 1970's at the age of 34. He explained the concept of biochemical [nutritional] imbalances to me and it immediately made absolute sense to me.

Once released from prison, I started to follow the guidelines and nutritional therapy program, Dr. Walsh had created. My life not only improved, but the label "potential" no longer applied. I was moving ahead rapidly and found myself in charge of exports to Mexico, Central America, and South America for a top of the line Golf Club Company. In 1985 my employer sold the company & I received a fair financial settlement, but was unemployed.

Soon after the sale, I moved to Phoenix Arizona, stopped following the nutrient program, and returned to drinking. Within three months I was arrested in Phoenix and charged with date rape. I was devastated. I made bond, and ran to escape incarceration.

It took the authorities almost four years to find me. I had moved to Seattle, resumed the nutrient therapy and built a concession business which was my underground employment. While in Seattle, I had a son.

When his mother told me she was going to have a child, I make a promise to myself. This child will never know a father who has a chemical imbalance or drinks. Jordan was just one when the FBI picked me up. The day I knew would arrive, finally did. I was sentenced in 1990 to serve 18 years flat. In prison a wise doctor prescribed many of the things I needed, after we had a long talk. It seemed my life was over - I was 47 years old, no money, and facing 18 years in a state penitentiary. Yet, I managed to never act out or feel sorry for myself. I did the best I could, under the conditions. My appeal was denied, but the Court changed my sentence so I could earn good time.

In prison I watched healthy, bright, articulate (but hyper) young men become zombies on the so-called "help" drugs. They complied, but it was painful for me to watch. The only reason you knew they were not dead, is because they could move..... and sometimes you still were not sure. One of my friends committed suicide while taking his medication. The combinations of medications handed out can be deadlier than the psychiatric problem.

I was released Jan 2, 2003 after 12 1/2 years in the Arizona State Prison system.

Today I am free, but deeply afraid. I have reunited with my son and he is a joy. It appears he has not inherited my bad chemistry. I take my nutrients religiously. My worry today is finding employment, and to eventually fulfill my dream of starting the concession business again. I have returned to a much colder world than I remember, but Dr. Walsh and Health Research Institute, have remained the same. If I had followed his advice long ago, or if his therapy would have been available when I was 12, I might have led a different life. Yes today, I am afraid, broke, and without many options. Yet I am free, not only from prison, but from the imbalance and the monsters are gone.

My thanks go out to all the staff at Health Research Institute and the Pfeiffer Treatment Center [www.hriptc.org] for their dedication and understanding. I have a message for parents of children with behavior problems: "No matter what the label they place on your child, it is not your fault!" You must remind yourself of this fact daily." Just continue to search for the answer. I know it is possible to change! 

If you're tired, feel down, are stressed out, anxious or losing your mind there's a good chance you have a biochemical imbalance affecting your brain. The good news is that research is proving that all of these problems from depression to schizophrenia, hyperactivity to autism can in most cases be effectively corrected using the right diet plus supplements. But, the big question is, how do you know what's out of balance and what to do about it?

The Mental Health Project, which I set up, has launched an 'on-line' mental health check on its website www.mentalhealthproject.com <http://www.mentalhealthproject.com/>. By answering a series of simple questions, the mental health check works out whether you are likely to have one of 14 common biochemical imbalances that contribute to mental health problems. Some of these are well known, although too rarely checked by psychiatrists, for example blood sugar problems, thyroid imbalances, essential fat deficiencies. Others are rarely, if ever, checked such as pyroluria, high homocysteine and serotonin deficiency.

The Mental Health Project is also launching Britain's first-ever Brain Bio Centre, an out-patient treatment centre for people with mental health concerns, focusing on correcting biochemical imbalances using the optimum nutrition approach. I've seen schizophrenics completely cured within weeks; I've seen disruptive children transform; we even have a case of a man with diagnosed Alzheimer's disease who's so much better he's written a book about it. Professor André Tylle, from the Institute of Psychiatry, is working closely with us and believes "this is the breakthrough we've been waiting for."

The Brain Bio Centre, based in Putney, London, launches in April. For details visit www.mentalhealthproject.com or write to Brain Bio Centre, Carter's Yard, London SW18 4JR.  

The February 2003 issue of the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics reports on recent research showing that 54% of parents use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, such as nutritional supplements and dietary changes, on their children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.

The journal reports, "Parents who used CAM rated a 'natural therapy' and 'having more control over treatments' significantly more important in their choice of therapy than parents who did not use CAM.

Only 11% of the parents using CAM discussed its use with the child's physician, suggesting that the physician's failure to meet the needs of the parent and child may be fostering an independent, and private, effort on the part of parents to augment standard treatment.  

I am 76 years old, widowed twice in the last three years and a classic candidate for depression, but it didn't happen! My first wife was a phobic and was being medicated with everything the doctors could get a hold of. After a reaction to some of the drugs she was on, she was hospitalized and the first thing they did was get her off all medication. She went through withdrawal with all the classic signs. The medics could not determine what the problem was and after two months in the hospital, she was sent home. All the time she was in distress, I never left her side, consequently, I myself became ill.

Our doctor, after a cursory check of my symptoms told me to come to his office for a checkup. This was August of '97. He told me I was suffering from depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic fatigue, congestive heart failure and sleep deprivation problems. My weight had gotten to 328 pounds at that point. He informed me that he could 'give' me something. I said no way would I take the drugs he was recommending, I was going to research alternative medicine, with the hope I would benefit my wife and get her off all the dangerous drugs. The doctors gave my wife some new medications which I tried to fight but lost out since the wife supported the doctors approach. It took me a while but in February of '98 I found this company right here in Boise, Idaho, that was handling all the basic supplements and some compounds that they had developed themselves. I talked with them about my wife's condition and, of course, volunteered to be a test subject since I was paralleling some of her problems. They supplied me with some of their products and I started taking them on February 12, 1998.

I had immediate results, I was no longer depressed, my blood pressure was normal, my energy level skyrocketed and I was feeling great and looking forward to getting my wife on these products. She, in fact, saw how great my response was to these compounds and on March 16, 1998, she asked me if she could take these compounds herself. I told her yes, if the doctor agreed. That same day I called the doctor about her taking these compounds and he mentioned that we an appointment on Monday, March 23 to go over tests we had both taken and that I should not give her any until he checked them out. She died of a 'coumadin bleed' on Friday, March 20, she never got to take a single capsule. [Coumadin is a blood-thinning drug that has an occasional side effect of uncontrollable bleeding.]

That was two weeks before we were to celebrate our 50th anniversary, I had to call 150 people that had accepted our invitation to our 50th and tell them to come for a funeral, not a wedding celebration. My family was amazed at how I held up under the strain, and that was due to the way these compounds worked on me - I should have broken down, but didn't.

A year later, I met a lady so similar in character to my first wife, with almost all her traits, and 6 months after our meeting, we were married. My second wife was on an HMO program in New York and there sure was something lacking in that program because just 16 months into our marriage, she died after a gall bladder attack. The attending doctor here said that she had a diseased gall bladder for 10 or 12 years and nobody caught it. Now I should have become a basket case right then and there but I have been on these compounds steadily for 4 years next February 12, and I am sure I would not have survived otherwise.  

People diagnosed with schizophrenia often manifest negative symptoms such as depression and a lack of interest or energy. Research reported in the Feb 2003 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry finds that DHEA supplementation, which has been found to be helpful in lifting mood in a number of psychiatric studies, improves these negative symptoms.

DHEA is a hormone used by the body in making other hormones, thus its use commonly results in an overall "lift."

In a double-blind study of 30 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, researchers found, "Results indicated significant improvement in negative symptoms, as well as in depressive and anxiety symptoms in individuals receiving DHEA. This effect was especially noted in women. The improvement in negative symptoms was independent of improvement in depression."  

I am 29 years old. I have completed a university degree in psychology and also two years of post-grad work in women's studies. I was "diagnosed" as having Generalized Anxiety Disorder approximately six months ago--four days after completing my last exam for the university. My doctor immediately wrote me a prescription for Paxil and Valium. I waited three weeks before filling the prescriptions as the panic attacks increased and the symptoms took over my daily life.

I have two children, aged six and four. I was juggling my schoolwork with the raising of my children and also a small daycare centre that I operated. When I look back now it is no wonder that I had a breakdown. However, I only stayed on "the meds" for four weeks and then I weaned myself off of them. Since I have been through this ordeal I have learnt so many new things.

I began studying nutrition and the connection between food and mood. I know that I am a survivor of the labeling that goes on within the medical community. Now, instead of applying for a job at my local hospital Ontario, Canada, I am opening my own centre for recovery. I am fascinated by this field and all the research I have done (and continue to do) has truly SAVED MY LIFE!

In closing, I would also like to add that I NEVER suffer from anxiety attacks anymore. I supplement daily with: salmon oil pills, vitamins C & E, magnesium, zinc, calcium and soya lecithin. I have lost 55 pounds in the past year--and I have never felt better. My hope is that others who have or are suffering from mental issues can learn that THERE IS ANOTHER WAY besides the toxic drugs that mainstream medicine pushes on us when we are most vulnerable!  

The 1998 book Psychiatric Side Effects of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications by Thomas Brown, M.D., and Alan Stoudemeir, M.D., could be a very valuable accompaniment to the library of any mental health practitioner.

One study of a clinic some years ago revealed that of all the clinic's patients who were experiencing depression, 43% of them were taking medication that could cause depression. Dr. Stuart Shipko of Pasadena, CA, a Safe Harbor advisor, once remarked on a radio broadcast that the majority of psychiatric symptoms in the U.S. are caused by psychiatric drugs.

The problem of mental symptoms from medications is a serious one that all healthcare practitioners (and all consumers) should consider when anyone reports mental problems.

The problem is often worsened by the symptoms themselves as Brown and Stoudemire point out: "The development of side effects is a risk of all prescription medications....In the case of cognitive and behavioral side effects, however, the physician may find that the collaborative relationship enjoyed with the patient, which is usually called upon to understand and reverse side effects, may be undermined by impairments imposed by medication side effects."

This book covers the full array of medications in depth with what psychiatric symptoms they cause and how often. Each medication has sections on general information, pathophysiology, drug interactions, and treatment.

The book comes with a CD-ROM that contains the entire text and a search engine for locating specific subject matter. This helps soften the blow of the $92.00 price tag. Published by the American Psychiatric Press.