A Brilliant Madness
PBS AIRED A TV SHOW ABOUT JOHN NASH ON SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2002
MANY POSTED QUESTIONS VIA A PBS WEB SITE TO AN ON-LINE PANEL
NAMI IS ON DEFENSIVE ABOUT FACT THAT NASH WAS FREE OF PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS SINCE 1970
On Sunday, April 28, 2002, the USA public broadcasting service aired a television show about John Nash, whose life was featured in the popular film "A Beautiful Mind."
PBS is invited people to e-mail in questions. You can see a selection of the questions and the answers from the PBS Forum at:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/nash/sfeature/sf_forum.html
From Thurs., April 25 to Fri., May 3 PBS selected a few questions daily, and had the panel answer them, posting the answers.
Several panelists push for more forced psychiatry, such as E. Fuller Torrey, Laurie Flynn and Fred Frese (Frese is on board of the Treatment Advocacy Center, one of the main groups promoting more forced psychiatry).
But journalist Robert Whitaker, author of the courageous book _Mad in America_, is also one of the panelists.
To read the PBS page about their TV show on Nash, go here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/nash/
PBS BLUNDERS ON INSULIN COMA THERAPY
WARNING: This PBS site has a horribly flawed section on insulin coma therapy (ICT). PBS chose Max Fink to write the lengthy piece. Max Fink is well known as one of the most extreme pro-forced shock activists in the world. Fink also advised the filmmakers about psychiatry in the making of "A Beautiful Mind."
PBS tries to reassure readers that they checked for accuracy by having a neuropsychiatrist review what Fink wrote. The fact-checker: Dr. William Karliner, a neuropsychiatrist who actually *INTRODUCED* insulin coma therapy to the U.S. Dr. Karliner is an emeritus faculty member of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. So much for PBS accuracy.
One of Fink's most bizarre lies about insulin coma on this page:
"The immediate benefits of ICT were increased feelings of well-being and less preoccupation with obsessive thoughts."
To view the PBS section on Insulin Coma Therapy (ICT) see: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/nash/filmmore/ps_ict.html
To complain to WGBH, which originated this program, go to: http://www.wgbh.org/contact/
To complain to PBS itself for hosting this page, e-mail to: www@pbs.org
Support Coalition International has several members who experienced Insulin Coma Therapy, such as Don Weitz and Leonard Roy Frank. They clearly describe ICT as torture.
NAMI ON DEFENSIVE ABOUT JOHN NASH BEING FREE OF PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS SINCE 1970
Meanwhile, the web site for National Alliance of Mentally Ill (NAMI) is also encouraging members to post to PBS's forum:
http://www.nami.org/pressroom/20020418.html
But since a center-piece of NAMI's campaign is to promote taking psychiatric drugs, how does NAMI deal with the fact that panelist Robert Whitaker has been pointing out to the public that John Nash recovered despite -- perhaps because of -- being entirely free of psychiatric drugs since 1970?
In their news release on the PBS show, NAMI tries to respond to Whitaker's point in _USA Today_ (3/4/02) that the film "A Beautiful Mind" distorted Nash's life when it inserted a fictional line that Nash later took "newer" types of psychiatric drugs.
NAMI's spin: NAMI's news release extensively quotes NAMI Board President Jim McNulty. First, McNulty tries to say psychiatric drugs *still* played a major role in Nash's life, because supposedly before 1970 Nash's moments of lucidity were on psychiatric drugs. The NAMI president also tries to go on the offensive by chiding Whitaker for not putting a standard disclaimer in his column warning people about quitting psychiatric drugs.
McNulty doesn't spell it out, but it's well known that quitting neuroleptics can trigger a "Neuroleptic Discontinuation Syndrome" caused by having been on the drugs themselves. NDS can last months, and can be far worse than the person's original problems. Neither NAMI nor the psychiatric industry sufficiently warn clients about NDS.
The NAMI news release's main answer to the drug-free message of Nash and Whitaker is this: NAMI says, "Significantly, McNulty warned that growing evidence suggests that without medication, following a person's early psychotic episodes, the risk of permanent brain damage increases with every recurrence."
David Oaks, director of Support Coalition International, responded with a two-word challenge to NAMI President McNulty: "Prove it."
Oaks said: "NAMI refuses to warn their members that taking neuroleptic psychiatric drugs can cause structural brain changes, even though this fact is now well-established in the medical literature. On the contrary, NAMI somehow twists reality to claim that *not* taking neuroleptics causes permanent brain damage, even though NAMI has no solid evidence for this claim."
Why would NAMI omit solid information that neuroleptics can lead to structural brain damage, but promote undocumented speculation that refusing neuroleptics can lead to brain damage? Said Oaks: "Once more, it's highly significant that NAMI receives millions of dollars from psychiatric drug industry manufacturers, but still refuses to disclose basic information about the amounts of this money, even to its own members."
For more information about NAMI's covert funding from the psychiatric drug industry, and evidence of neurolepti-induced structural brain changes:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/industry_watch.shtml
To provide feedback to NAMI, their contact information is here: http://www.nami.org/poc.htm
JOHN NASH -- THE REAL LIFE HERO IN THE OSCAR-WINNING FILM "A BEAUTIFUL MIND" -- SPOKE TO AN AUDIENCE ON THURSDAY NIGHT:
JOHN NASH CONFIRMS HE HAS BEEN OFF *ALL* PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS SINCE 1970!
THE PSYCHIATRIC ESTABLISHMENT AUDIENCE RESPONDS WITH "LOUD GASPS OF SURPRISE," BUT A PSYCHIATRIC SURVIVOR LEADS APPLAUSE
PHILADELPHIA: In the below commentary, psychiatric survivor Mark Davis reports about a live appearance on Thursday night by John Nash, the real life hero in the popular film "A Beautiful Mind," winner of this year's Academy Award for best picture.
Nash spoke in front of an audience mainly composed of the psychiatric establishment in Pennsylvania. As a leader in Philadelphia, Davis also got inside.
Nash confirmed to the audience that he has not taken psychiatric drugs since he was forced to do so in 1970. Davis said, "One could hear loud gasps of surprise and shock" from the audience. Davis applauded loudly, and one another person joined in.
The film "A Beautiful Mind" mysteriously includes a fictional line that falsely claims Nash was helped later in his life by taking "newer" types of psychiatric drugs. There is speculation that this line was injected as a kind of "product placement" to promote atypical neuroleptic drugs, and to discourage people from quitting their psychiatric drugs, as Nash did.
While the film is inspiring to many psychiatric survivors, there is widespread concern about why the film would distort Nash's life in this way... why would a dramatic film diminish its own drama? Despite all the media attention to various controversies involving the film "A Beautiful Mind," the central one was ignored: One of the most dramatic aspects of Nash's life is that he recovered without taking psychiatric drugs, but the film muddied and covered up truth.
Mark Davis is on the Support Coalition International Advisory Spokescouncil. Below is his commentary. At the BOTTOM is an address where *you* can write to John Nash, plus more news on this controversy.
I WAS MOVED BY JOHN NASH
by Mark A. Davis <Mark.Davis@phila.gov>
Last night, April 18, 2002, was "An Evening with Nobel Laureate, John Nash." The event was held at the Free Library of Philadelphia and was sponsored by Arthur P. Noyes Research Foundation, Astra-Zeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, The Free Library of Philadelphia, Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc., NAMI-PA, National Institute of Mental Health, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and WHYY (list incomplete). With the above list need I say more about the event?
Let me share with you how this event was for those of us lucky enough to buy tickets from the limited number sold to the general public. The entire front half of the small auditorium were reserved for VIPs only. They were government officials and leaders of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of PA. They were psychiatrist, psychologist and administrators of hospitals and large foundations. They were high level pharmaceutical representatives and of course most were there with a spouse or significant other. These folks roamed into the event with name tags from somewhere which I am assuming was a dinner event prior to the 7:00 PM EDT lecture.
In the back of the auditorium (bus) were peers who called on April 12th at 10:00 AM EDT to buy the remaining $12.00 tickets before they were sold out. Those on limited incomes or who were not early enough purchasing tickets were upstairs sitting in folding chairs in the lobby of the building watching and listening via television. Rebroadcasts of parts of the evening are slated to air on WHYY 91 FM in the days to follow.
An early heat wave left the auditorium extremely hot. The kind of heat that makes one feel faint.
Our welcome was from Elliot Shelkrot, President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, PA U.S.A. after the music of Barry Sames, pianist, and Meg Okura, violinist. The piece was "Akatumbo" specially arranged and commissioned in celebration of Dr. John Nash's receipt of the Arthur P. Noyes Award in 2000. Need I go on?
Yes, I must! The dignitaries in the audience were introduced by Elliot as was the moderator Dan Gottlieb, Ph.D. of WHYY who is a family therapist in private practice. In addition to John Forbes Nash, Jr., Ph.D. were discussion panelists Richard C. Josiassen, Ph.D. the Executive Director and Chief Scientist of the Arthur P. Noyes Research Foundation and Richard K. Nakamura, Ph.D., the Acting Director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
Dr. Nash was interviewed for 30 minutes by Dr Gottlieb who has been quadriplegic for twenty years. Several attempts were made to relate paranoid schizophrenia and quadriplegic disabilities.
Dr. Nash was superb. Listening to him speak with such humility and realism, I wondered if he had ever heard of the psychiatric rights movement or the mental health consumer/survivor/persons in recovery movement. I wondered if he has connected with any movement in which he would have the opportunity to share his story, listen to others and feel a part of something larger than himself.
He was very honest to say that he was not involved with the writing of the screenplay, the production or direction of the movie or in an advisory role for "A Beautiful Mind." The movie screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman, produced by Brian Grazer and Directed by Ron Howard. It was mentioned by Dr. Nash that one of the principle players had a family member who was a psychiatrist, but the connection was vague. I was looking forward to asking the question, which I had written on an index card to be read by the moderator. I was prepared to stand up and ask the question. I wanted to shake the hand of John Nash.
Dr. Nash shared that the movie added visual hallucinations and he had only experienced auditory hallucinations.
Dr. Nash proudly reported that he had not been on psychiatric medications since 1970. One could hear loud gasps of surprise and shock. I personally burst out in applause only to be joined by one other person. Those with me seemed embarrassed with my loud applause and the entire audience froze with disapproval. I am so proud that John Nash heard two people supporting his heroism. I was not surprised of the silence from an audience full of the establishment. And that applause came from me, a person living with mental illness, addiction, HIV+ (13+ years) and hearing loss to name a few. I choose to take medication for the Bipolar II and am on a cocktail holiday from HIV medications and alcohol/street drugs. I am in recovery, adjusting to a hearing aid and deal with high blood pressure and narcolepsy. This is my choice and I applaud the choice of John Nash to go it without taking disabling medications which many in the audience would rather promote and applaud.
The moderator proceeded to ask questions of the two other persons who were a part of the discussion panel. At that point it was as if John Nash became invisible or a visual hallucination as the movie falsely portrayed. Dr Josiassen and Dr. Nakamura spoke about Dr. Nash and "the mentally Ill." They did not speak with Dr. Nash. They agreed that Dr. Nash was not the usual schizophrenic ( like the usual suspect?). They were stumped to understand why and how Dr. Nash survived without medications and was later able to continue surviving without forced psychiatric treatment or hospitalizations.
Dr. Nash spoke of his sister being quite aggressive in involuntarily committing him when he was divorced from his wife whom he later re-married. The moderator said he should say no more because they would have to give the sister equal time. John Nash beamed and said she was not there.
Of course it was mentioned that the Nashes have a son with schizophrenia who is on anti-psychotic medications. Dr. Nash shared that his wife is satisfied with the son's safety and protection, but he would rather see his son more active. I almost felt he wanted to say that his son should try life without meds, but stopped short of that given the audience and the richness of those supporting his current speaking tour. I again wondered if there was a way to communicate with John Nash about the movements which represent people who have survived the psychiatric system and those struggling to live within the bounds of that system. It was almost like Dr. Nash was surrounded by the psychiatric establishment protecting him as their subject or prize patient. I felt the discomfort of John Nash as he was thrust into the spot light of being a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics, the release of an Oscar winning film which takes major liberties in distorting his true life story and now a person on the lecture tour who seems to look forward to the peacefulness away from the madness of the attention. I saw John Nash as a humble person who has given hope to many people. I wanted to ask him personally why and how his story was distorted by Hollywood.
And then, without notice and after nearly two hours, the moderator closed the discussion with no opportunity to ask questions. The program noted there will be no book signing following the lecture. It felt as if people realized oh my God, there are mental patients in the audience, we must protect Dr. Nash. As I rushed to the front from the far back, I was run down by all the VIP types who had a dinner somewhere, got a free ticket to the lecture and were rushing up to the closed reception to meet Dr. Nash. No chance for me to get close to Dr. Nash to ask who was the influential person(s) to falsely portray him as taking medication as a part of his recovery and to add visual hallucinations which were not a part of the John Nash story of recovering survival.
I realized I had seen a Best Picture movie that was a fictional account of a true story. People say, but it thrust schizophrenia into the mainstream of our society or it put schizophrenia on the map. I say that the truth in psychiatry has been whitewashed yet again. John Nash really survived despite the system and with the love of his wife, his mother and his profession.
I was moved by the truth expressed by John Nash.
I was not surprised that the evening was a benefit for those who make money from psychiatry and live off those of us who are victim of their power and authority.
I was moved by the words of John Nash.
I was not invited - along with my peers - to the post lecture reception.
I was moved by the dignity projected by John Nash.
We had to wait two hours for the NAMI-PA people to leave the reception. Four of us were going elsewhere for something to eat and to chat about the evening. One colleague had his luggage in the car of the three NAMI-PA folks attending the reception. The reception was too important for the NAMI people to miss a moment which made us wait outside the closed library for those two hours until we could retrieve the luggage. If felt elitist, rude and a power ploy. I have grown accustomed to that kind of behavior from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill folks who love to speak for us, try to represent us and love to lock us up back in institutions. I never know whether to kiss them or slap them silly.
I was still moved by John Nash who was escorted away with his wife under the watchful eye of the funders.
The best part of the evening was finally being able to spend time with my friends and peers. We agreed and disagreed on certain parts of the evening and we each felt disempowered by the experience. We listened, shared, laughed and supported each other back to sanity.
I was moved by John Nash and wondered how we can let him know we are here to listen, to share and to support him as well. I repeat, WELL!
Mark Davis is liaison for Support Coalition International Sponsor Organization "Fruit and Nut Bar," which networks bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender (BGLT) psychiatric survivors. His e-mail address: <Mark.Davis@phila.gov>
A BEAUTIFUL MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO... ELECTROSHOCK, FORCIBLY DRUG AND LIE ABOUT!
POSTAL MAILING ADDRESS FOR JOHN NASH FROM PRINCETON WEB SITE FOR *YOU* TO WRITE TO HIM:
John F. Nash, Jr.
Fine Hall -- Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544-1000
David Oaks, Director
Support Coalition International
454 Willamette, Suite 216
PO Box 11284
Eugene, OR 97440-3484 USA
email: oaks@mindfreedom.org
phone: (541) 345-9106
toll free in USA: 1-877-MAD-PRIDE
fax: (541) 345-3737
"Support Coalition International is the
epicenter of the 'mad movement!'"
- _Adbusters_ magazine May/June 2002
Win human rights in the mental health system!
