Why is it that Bonnie Burstow, Associate Professor at U of T, being attacked for being a trailblazer? For stating the truth by exposing psychiatry as one of the most fraudulent, barbaric practices known to man?

Could it be that her stance on psychiatry rattles the cages of the vested interests who make money out of human suffering?

I believe so. I also believe that there are a lot of irresponsible journalists out there, forwarding the bullshit chemical imbalance theory, the bullshit theory that Electroconvulsive Therapy works and that psychiatry, as a whole, actually has a clue as to how to alleviate human suffering.

Recently I read an article in the Huffington post, submitted by a blogger who took it upon himself to attack Bonnie Burstow for exposing the dangers of ECT. In the article, he refers to the (updated) Canadian Psychiatric Association’s position on ECT CPA – Electroconvulsive Therapy . He couldn’t possibly have read it himself!

This paper is so riddled with inconsistencies, no intelligent person could come to the conclusion that ECT ” should remain readily available as a treatment option”.

Throughout this entire “Scientific Paper” they state (and I quote):

….”Although the mechanism of action is not completely understood…”

….”Although unanswered questions about ECT remain…”

…”it is important to note that the severity of adverse cognitive effects of ECT is dependent upon the specific technique used”.

…”it is therefore difficult to provide specific guidelines for the max allowable number of treatments…”

…”The question of what constitutes the optimal technique for administering ECT is not completely answered.”

… “we still do not know precisely why ECT works.”

…”although awareness of the way treatment technique can effect outcome has increased, it is still not known how to select the ideal form of treatment for a given patient. “

THEY DON’T HAVE A CLUE!

Here’s another line:

…”when used properly, ECT is a safe and effective treatment.”

But didn’t you just tell us that you have no idea of what the ideal form of treatment is?!?!?!

If it is so effective, how come “follow up studies of patients treated for depression especially those with delusional or treatment resistant depression (two common indications for ECT) have high relapse rates in the year after acute treatment.”?

How safe and effective is THAT?

HERES THE KICKER: …“for this reason, some form of maintenance treatment is indicated to prevent relapses”. Which means, shock the shit out of him again – and keep doing it, ca-ching, ca-ching.

Of course it helps doesn’t it, that the poor guy will have no memory of how badly and how often he’s been abused by this treatment? Is this why psychiatrists still get away with giving it? Because ECT has made him passive and apathetic? Because he is now lacking energy and has been stripped of his vitality?

Despite their “scientific” psychobabble, the brutality of ECT just goes to show that psychiatry has not progressed beyond the cruelty and barbarism of its earliest treatments, of which there are many.

Psychiatrists are supposed to help people, not sentence them to a life of despair, memory loss and degradation.