Psychiatry: Medical Fraud
or Incompetence
Trauma (including abuse and neglect, both childhood and
adult, physical, sexual and emotional) is, according to researchers, inexorably
linked as a causal factor for 80-90% or more of all psychiatric diagnoses and
treatments. This is pretty widely
accepted now but there are still those who hold that thereÕs such a thing as
Òmental illness.Ó
FACT: There are no biochemical
markers, no biological tests, no hard evidence at all, to "prove" the
existence of "mental illness." ÒProofÓ means to demonstrate a
reliable association between a clearly specified pattern of observables and
other reliably measurable event(s) that operate as antecedents. (This is same
level of proof used for TB, cancer, diabetes, etc.)
So, how shall we account for the 10-20% of people who may
exhibit unusual behaviors and thereÕs no apparent causal link to trauma? Read on and discover how psychiatry has
failed to perform honorably as physicians and should be dropped as a medical
specialty.
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Psychiatrists often
fail to regard behaviors as having a physiological basis.
Medical Problems Cause
Psychiatric Symptoms by:
¥ Altering the
structure and function of brain neurons;
¥ Altering the
processes in learned pathways, which results in an inability to cope;
¥ Altering or
distorting sensory input from external sensory pathways or centers;
¥ Altering
internal sensory input, which results in distortions in body image and
function;
¥ Disrupting
the bodyÕs regulatory system.
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Some Psychiatric Symptoms
Caused by Medical Illnesses
Psychosis with
halluncinations and delusions can be caused by:
Hepatitis
Amphetamines and other
Sympathomimetics
Porphyria
Alcohol withdrawal (paranoia also)
Von GierkeÕs Disease
Anticholinergic intoxication
Cerebral allergies
Hallucinogens (PCP, LSD, etc.)
Hypertension (seizures)
Temporal lobe epilepsy
Mixed sensory lobe seizures
PickÕs Disease
Medication toxicity (antabuse,
cimetidine, Levadopa,
anticonvulsants, etc.)
AddisonÕs Disease
Limbic seizures
Cerebral vasculitis (SLE)
SchilderÕs Disease
Hypothyroidism
Uremia (chronic)
Multiple sclerosis
Azotemia (chronic)
Neurosyphilis
Hypocalcemia
Encephalitis
Hypontremia
FanconiÕs Syndrome
Metal poisonings
HuntingtonÕs Disease
Vitamin A toxicity
Brain tumors
SimmondÕs Disease
Pernicious anemia
Electrolyte imbalances
Hypoparathyroidism
WilsonÕs Disease
Hyperthyroidism
Vitamin B-12 deficiency
Sensory deprivation
Hyperinsulinism
Excited states (mania and
hypomania) can be caused by:
Amphetamines and other
sympathomimetics
Alcohol (intoxication or
withdrawal)
Hyperadrenalism
Hyperparathyroidism
Hyperthyroidism
KleinfelterÕs Syndrome
Psychosis section conditions,
sometimes part of
symptomology
Steroids or CushingÕs Disease
Depression can be caused
by:
Alcoholism
SyndehamÕs Chorea
Carcinoid syndrome (small
intestine cancer)
Malignancies, especially of the
pancreas
Parkinsonism
Sedative/hypnotic abuse
Amphetamine and other
sympathomimetics
Folic acid deficiency
Insecticide and gaseous
poisonings
HartnupÕs Disease
Viral illnesses (mono, etc.)
Steroids and other medications
(see Psychosis section, also
anti-arrythmics,
anti-hypertensives, oral
contraceptives,
anti-inflammatory medications,
etc.)
Endocrinpathologies (thyroid,
parathyroid, adrenal gland and
pituitary diseases)
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Endocrine Disorders
Relationship to Psychiatric Symptoms
|
Disorder |
% of endocrine patients
with psychiatric symptoms |
Symptoms |
|
Thyroid |
|
|
|
hyperthyroid |
as high as 50% |
agitation, depression,
schizoid paranoia, hallucinations |
|
hypothyroid (myxedema
madness) |
as high as 20% |
mania, schizoid paranoia,
catatonia, depression |
|
Adrenals |
90% |
some psychiatric
disturbances |
|
hyperadrenal-corticolism
(CushingÕs Disease) |
20 to 30% |
depression, delerium,
agitated paranoia, hallucinations, suicidal tendencies |
|
hypoadrenalism |
60 to 90% |
hallucinations, paranoia,
catatonia, bizarre posturing – all episodic |
|
Pancreas |
|
|
|
hyperglycemia (Diabetes
Milletus) |
not known |
impotence, schizoid
depression |
|
hypoglycemia |
not known |
violence, unprovoked anger,
confusion, amnesia |
|
Pituitary |
|
|
|
hypopituitarism (Simmonds
Disease) |
as high as 70% |
anorexia, confusion,
apathy, depression |
Based on the work of R.C.W. Hall and T.P. Beresfors
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Behaviors and Conditions
Associated with Occult Seizures
¥ Multiple personalities, especially when there is dissociation.
¥ Depression with withdrawal, psychomotor retardation, loss of interest, slowed thinking and/or fatigue.
¥ Automatic behavior, often with bizarre movements and agitation.
¥ Visual auras, with or without feelings of confusion, strange sensations in the head or other parts of the body.
¥ Hallucinations, especially auditory.
¥ Abdominal sensations, with an awareness of having illusions, and rigidity or adversive (away from the body) movements.
¥ Thoughts described as Òcloudy,Ó claims to have Òdifficulty thinking,Ó and use of expressions like Òthings are mixed up,Ó complaints of vague perceptual distortions.
¥ Episodes with fixed, staring gaze and unresponsiveness, even while continuing to perform tasks. Usually canÕt remember what occurred during that period of time.
¥ Episodic bouts of violence.
¥ Inappropriate actions or gestures, unresponsive or irrelevant replies, aimless wandering around or dazed, vacant facial expression, often with amnesia.
¥ Hysterical dissociation, a confused state while still performing tasks, with amnesia often lasting hours, days or weeks.
¥ Regular episodes of schizophrenic behavior of short duration but sometimes severe enough to require hospitalization; between episodes, normal behavior resumes, although may appear more withdrawn than before episodes began.
¥ A history of schizophrenia and no response in medications. Ambivalence along with a decrease in speech cohesiveness and organization.
¥ Episodes of schizophrenic behavior that always seem to start in the same way.
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Research Results
Percentage of Patients With Medical Problems Involved in
Their Psychiatric Symptoms
Researcher %
Hall (1981) 46%
Hall (1978 9.1%*
Hoffman 63%
Davies 4.1%
Koranyi (1979) 37%
Koranyi (1972) 51%
Marshal 22%
Summers 17.7%*
Pokorny 30%****
Salter 30%**
Herridge 26%
Bunce 52%
Robbins 33%***
Weingarten 51%
Johnson 12%*
LaBuzza 5%*
* The percentage with medical problems as the sole identified cause of their psychiatric symptoms.
** The percentage of people with hysteria caused by their medical problems.
*** The percentage with dementia caused by medical problems.
**** The percentage with neurological abnormalities causing psychiatric symptoms.
All other studies in the above chart show the percentage of patients with medical problems that causes or greatly exacerbated their psychiatric symptoms.
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Characteristics of the High Risk Group for Medical
Problems Involved in Psychiatric Symptoms
¥ First psychotic episode
¥ Onset of psychotic symptoms at middle age
¥ Abrupt onset or episodic course of symptoms
¥ Absence of severe psychological distress
¥ Thought disorder or hallucinations
¥ Current use of street drugs
¥ History of alcohol or drug abuse
¥ History of impaired organic brain functioning
¥ Family history of an inheritable brain or metabolic disease
¥ Poor response to psychiatric medications
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If psychiatrists practiced
real medicine, theyÕd identify the actual causes of unusual behavior in a
person. TheyÕd perform the
following tests to find out whatÕs going on. Instead, they diagnose and label behaviors in a most unscientific
manner. They then prescribe
psychiatric drugs to quell the labeled behavior. This is malpractice akin to prescribing pain killers for a
broken limb in the emergency room and then sending the person home.
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General Medical Screen for Problems That Can Cause
Psychiatric Symptoms
CBC (Complete blood
count), with differential
SMA 26 (26 blood
chemistries and electrolytes)
T3 and T4
Serum folate level
Serum Vitamin B-12 level
Urinalysis
These lab values may provide markers for the following
conditions/diseases:
Anemia
Diabetes Milletus
Folic acid deficiency
Hepatitis
Hypoglycemia
Parathyroid adenoma
Pernicious anemia
PickÕs Disease
Some renal and hepatic disorders
Thyroid dysfunction
WilsonÕs Disease
These tests should be supplemented by a careful medical history and a physical exam. The exam should include a thorough neurological evaluation. EEG and CAT scan studies may be required if the above screen and neurological exam reveal no disease or abnormal conditions.
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Recommended Review of Systems
by Medical History
Nervous system
General
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Recommended Review of Systems
by Physical Exam
Ears, eyes, nose and
throat
Neurological
Recent memory
Calculations
Repeat digits (backward/forward)
Abstractions
General knowledge
Current events
The remainder of the exam is a routine physical.
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The Most Common
Disease/Conditions Detected by Laboratory Studies (plus medical history and
physical exam)
AddisonÕs Disease
Cardiac problems
CushingÕs Disease
Diabetes Mellitus
Hypertension
Hypoglycemia
Malnutrition
Metal Poisoning
Porphyria
Post-concussive syndrome
Seizures
WilsonÕs Disease
Some of the above diseases/conditions require further
testing to rule out their presence.
The initial screen and exam are designed to point toward more specific
diagnostic testing.
NOTES
Physical findings and history, along with lab testing, point to the possibility of the following frequently occurring conditions/diseases.
AddisonÕs Disease: Increase in skin and mucous membrane pigmentation, especially overexposed areas, scars and in skin creases; orthostatic hypotension; usual onset during middle age; gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea and vomiting; weakness and, to varying degrees, hyponaturemia; hyperkalemia; azotemia; weight loss.
CushingÕs Disease: Truncal obesity with painful upper torso fat pads; facial mooning; muscle wasting in extremities; abdominal distension; easy bruising; hypertension; amenorrhea; impaired sexual functioning; unusual hair growth and purple markings on the body; diabetes; emotional instability; agitated depression; sleeplessness.
Diabetes Mellitus: High incidence of infective lesions that appear on the extremities and heal slowly; frequent urination and unusual thirst; numbness or tingling in extremities; visual impairment; obesity or weight loss; increased appetite.
Hypoglycemia: Weakness; drowsiness; faintness; sweating; mental confusion; episodes of the symptoms listed under seizures; tremors; hallucinations; hypertension; anxiety. Symptoms are usually most severe in the morning before breakfast and after vigorous exercise.
Porphyria: Dermatitis on skin areas exposed to sunlight; history of dark, red urine; history of unexplained seizures; peripheral nerve palsies; diffuse chest and abdominal pain; anemia with an enlarged spleen; malar flush with a butterfly pattern on the face. Disease symptoms may appear intermittently.
Seizures: Headaches, especially ones that throb; dizziness; Òblacking outÓ; history of trauma, encephalitis, and/or meningitis; previous history of having taken anticonvulsants; episodes of explosive behavior; auditory and visual hallucinations; episodes of amnesia; multiple personalities, especially when the personalities do not know each other.
WilsonÕs Disease: Flaccid muscles; abnormal posturing; tremors; fixed facial expression; flapping wrist tremors; joint discomfort; brown-green-yellow rings in the cornea of the eyes; abnormal liver enzymes.
Not all of the above symptoms need to occur in any one
diagnostic category for the condition to be present. A cluster of symptoms is often significant.
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Not had enough yet? ThereÕs more, lotÕs more! First thereÕs just a list but then
thereÕs a more comprehensive list with greater detail and descriptions.
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Medical Problems Related
to Psychiatric Symptoms
The medical problems listed here are systemic or localized diseases that cause or exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. Some are inherited, others acquired, and psychiatric symptoms may be among the first symptoms of disease.
I. Specific system dysfunction
A. Central nervous system
1. Encephalopathy, metabolic
a. Azotemia
b. Uremia
c. Carbon dioxide retention
d. Kernicterus
e. Chronic acidosis
f. Hypertensive crisis
g. Chronic obstructive lung disease
h. Hyponatremia
i. Hypoglycemia
j. FanconiÕs Syndrome
k. CoganÕs Syndrome
2. Encephalopathy, chronic poisonings
a. Insecticides
b. Gaseous poisons, usually industrial
c. Metals
1) arsenic
2) antimony
3) mercury
4) bismuth
5) lead
6) nickel
7) iron
8) cadmium
9) beryllium
10) thallium
11) manganese
12) sodium
d. Non-metals
e. Volatile organic compounds
1) carbon tetrachloride
2) benzene
3) camphor
4) ethyl alcohol
f. Volatile inorganic compounds
g. Salicylates
h. Halogens
1) bromine
2) flourine
i. Hypervitaminosis (A, D, and K)
3. Toxic psychosis
a. Carcinoid syndrome
b. Therapeutic drug intoxication or side-effects
c. Drug abuse intoxication
4. Cerebral edema
a. Pseudotumor cerebi
b. ÒPump psychosisÓ
5. Biochemical cerebral abnormalities
a. BriquetÕs Syndrome
b. Gilles de la Tourette Disease
6. Chronic hypoxia
7. KorsakoffÕs Syndrome (from alcoholism)
8. Syphilitic paresis
9. Klippelfiel Syndrome – cerebral anomaly
10. Partial deafness and/or blindness
B. Endocrine system
1. Pituitary, ÒMaster GlandÓ
a. Diabetes Insipidus
b. Hyperpituitarism (anterior and posterior)
&