Western Mass RLC website
Beyond the Medical Model (Summer 2013)
"This summer, Sera Davidow, Laura Delano, Sean Donovan and Caroline White began a collaborative process with many others from the Western Mass RLC and beyond to develop two new films (not yet titled) focusing particularly on the topic of psychiatric drugs."
Sera:
"This isn’t really about eradicating all use of psychiatric drugs. I heard Katherine Sharpe – author of ‘Coming of Age on Zoloft’ – speak not too long ago, and she had a really great perspective to offer on the use of psychotropics. It went something like this: Sure, psychiatric drugs have an effect, and some of it can be positive. Just like coffee or any other mind-altering substance, these drugs have an effect. If you decide that the good effects outweigh the bad or unintended effects, than take them. But, let’s not kid ourselves anymore and keep claiming that we know exactly what they do or that they truly have a targeted and ‘corrective’ effect!
Ultimately, this is about the indisputably devastating effects of telling hundreds of thousands of people that they have no other choice for the rest of their life. It’s about failing to offer true informed consent. It’s about making the decision for people that they can’t handle the truth of hearing about the risks or that it’s better that they be on the meds, so “let’s just leave the scary stuff out.” It’s about denying the bad outcomes, early deaths and permanent damage staring us in the face. It’s about our children. And, about our future.
The only way real change will happen is if our voices get loud enough and our numbers get big enough that the balance simply tips."
-- retrieved January 13 2014