Tony Robbins is the most successful life and results coach in the world. Why? Because he gets results. His system is based primarily on neurolinguistic programing, (NLP) combined with leadership training and immersive seminars (1). 

There is that word again. Neuro-linguistic programming. What the heck is it and why does it matter?

Common NLP techniques include :

• Anchoring: Associating an external or internal trigger with a healthier response until it becomes automatic

• Belief changing: Replacing negative thoughts or beliefs that prevent the client from achieving their desires

• Reframing: Putting a situation in a different context to elicit an adaptive reaction instead of following the same maladaptive behavioral patterns

• Visualization: Forming a mental image of something the client wants

• Visual-kinesthetic dissociation: Guiding the client in reliving trauma by evoking an imaginative out-of-body experience

Mirroring, modeling, image training, incantations and repetition are also common techniques.

NLP is considered a useful set of tools for behavioral therapies - including drug addiction, over eating, cessation of smoking, etc. Particularly when combined with conversational hypnosis. Conversational Hypnosis is a set of techniques used to make the receiver of information more open to accepting and acting upon suggestions. 

Although Wiki and others label NLP as a “pseudo-science,” the public and long a list of peer reviewed publications disagree. For instance, The BMJ has a series of articles specifically citing many successes using this approach as a behavioral therapy,

What is not as commonly recognized is that these tools, including subliminaladvertising, are used extensively in marketing. Marketers and advertisers having been using these techniques effectively for decades, and there are whole courses on how to use these tools effectively to increase sales.

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We have a government who seeks to influence us on a daily basis. We all know this to be true. Of course for some, there is a naive belief that it is all for “our own good”. That censorship and propaganda “will save our democracy”. Others believe that the first amendment is our one great protection if we wish to remain a republic and a representative democracy. When we lose our first amendment rights, we will lose our country.

We have a government which deploys information control and propaganda technologies on its citizens on a daily basis. These techniques were developed during the cold war, refined during our war with Vietnam and then the forever wars in the Middle East. Now, the federal government appears to be working in concert with marketers, advertising agencies, big tech, NGOs, astroturf organizations, etc. to control bad-speak (as the government defines it) and to create more “positive” narratives for the people of the USA.

By now, we all know that billions of dollars were spent during COVID-19 to influence our behaviors. Actors, artists, musicians, paid-influencers, NGOs, advertising and marketing agencies, tech/social media manipulations, newspapers and magazines were all paid as part of the process to convince people to wear masks, social distance, stop shopping, stay home and to “get vaccinated” The money came from many different agencies - the DoD, CDC, NIH, FDA, DHS, USAID, etc. 

Information warfare conducted by the US government includes covert propaganda, controlled opposition, chaos agents, divide & conquer operations, false flags, disinformation campaigns, bad jacketing, advertising and more. These are being combined with neural-linguistic programming, subliminal messaging, nudge technology, hypnosis and propaganda. 

The tools of the marketeers, big tech, social media and behavioral therapists combined with the tools of the intelligence community. These powerful weapons are being used on all of us. They wish to control our feelings, emotions, thoughts, beliefs and state of mind. To keep us compliant and happy. But how can one be free when one’s very thoughts and emotions are being manipulated?

In fact, what we have seen in the past year is that the government is willing to use these tools to influence elections, such as the campaigns to discredit the news story about Hunter Biden’s laptop in 2020 and the 2016 Russia “dis-information” false-flag operation, and to stop any public dissent over the war in Ukraine in 2023 or the approved “climate crisis” narratives. 

The government manipulated media to to create fearporn surrounding monkey pox, the Nordstream explosion and of course, my favorite, the evolving theories regarding the origins of COVID-19.

So, who does this work for the government, to convince, cajole and to get compliance of the American people? For COVID-19, the list of advertising companies includes IQ Solutions, FORS Marsh, Atlas Research, Lamar Media, Palladian Partners, The Scientific Consulting Group, Silver Fir Media, and “various foreign awardees” - to name a few.

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Here is a typical “campaign” by FORS Marsh,. This is a recruitment campaign for the Army National Guard: 

How do we get people to serve in a national service they know nothing about?

Army National Guard, Social Media Campaign

We developed a social media campaign that positions ARNG as the pathway to achieving life-changing goals. We create and share meaningful and motivational content to promote the benefits of enlisting. Full of heart and hustle, our content presents a realistic portrayal of day-to-day service. We connect with people by acknowledging their challenges and providing actionable steps toward the lives they envision.

A community management team responds to comments and messages, keeping the conversation authentic and insightful. People are directed to fill out a lead form and are connected with local recruiters for more information.

We provide local social media marketing teams with in-person and virtual training support, weekly newsletters, and digital materials, including a resource website to ensure cohesive messaging nationwide.

FORS Marsh Group, LLC is utilizing propaganda and NLP tools, including belief changing, reframing, visualization and repetition in the above example. But this is just one small example of how our government uses advertising and marketing companies to “sell” propaganda.

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The truth is that our government has become a master at information control and propaganda as well as marketing through their many contractual awardees - otherwise generally known as “beltway bandits”. 

We have a government who seeks to influence us on a daily basis. They also know how to use the tools of the internet to stop you from seeing and reading what they don’t want you to see. Examine, question and do your own triangulation of facts; using many sources. A critical mind will set you free.

Atrazine and Gender feminization

Open in app or online Kennedy is right - Atrazine and Gender Fluidity It will affect reproductive development and health. ROBERT W MALONE MD, MS JUN 19 Atrazine is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world, and is often used to control weeds in commercial crops. It is also available on Amazon for home use. Atrazine is applied to corn, soybean and sugarcane as well as on turf, such as golf courses and residential lawns. Atrazine is an endocrine disrupter, which is able both demasculinize (chemically castrate) and completely feminize adult male frogs as well as other aquatic life. It has been documented to affect murine (mouse) reproductive systems. That endocrine disruptors found in this herbicide will make its way into puddles, ponds, lakes, streams, rivers and even ocean is well proven. That these herbicides are feminizing aquatic life is well proven That is well established in the scientific literature. From a paper published in 2010,  Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) Abstract: The herbicide atrazine is one of the most commonly applied pesticides in the world. As a result, atrazine is the most commonly detected pesticide contaminant of ground, surface, and drinking water. Atrazine is also a potent endocrine disruptor that is active at low, ecologically relevant concentrations. Previous studies showed that atrazine adversely affects amphibian larval development. The present study demonstrates the reproductive consequences of atrazine exposure in adult amphibians.  Atrazine-exposed males were both demasculinized (chemically castrated) and completely feminized as adults. Ten percent of the exposed genetic males developed into functional females that copulated with unexposed males and produced viable eggs.  Atrazine-exposed males suffered from depressed testosterone, decreased breeding gland size, demasculinized/feminized laryngeal development, suppressed mating behavior, reduced spermatogenesis, and decreased fertility. These data are consistent with effects of atrazine observed in other vertebrate classes.  The present findings exemplify the role that atrazine and other endocrine-disrupting pesticides likely play in global amphibian declines. It is also true that even common foods which are endocrine disruptors can cause feminization in adult human males: Such as documented in this case study: Secondary Hypogonadism due to Excessive Ingestion of Isoflavone in a Man Intern Med 2022 Oct 1;61(19):2899-2903. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.8578-21. Epub 2022 Feb 26. Abstract: A 54-year-old man had been drinking approximately 1.2 L of soy milk (equivalent to approximately 310 mg of isoflavones) per day for the previous 3 years. He then developed erectile dysfunction and gynecomastia. On an examination in our department in May, blood tests showed low gonadotropin and testosterone levels, indicative of secondary hypogonadism. He stopped drinking soy milk on his own in June of that year. When he was admitted in August, blood tests showed an improved gonadal function. Secondary hypogonadism caused by the excessive intake of isoflavones in soy milk was diagnosed. In men, an excessive intake of isoflavones may cause feminization and secondary hypogonadism. Personally, I call into question the author's conclusions above. Atrazine is used extensively on soybeans. The diagnosis of the author was that it was the isoflavones in soy milk that caused this man's secondary hypogonadism. However, atrazine levels weren't considered or even mentioned in the paper. The authors or physicians assumed a diagnosis without considered the use of atrazine on soybean crops. It could be that he had been drinking soy milk contaminated with a known endocrine disruptor, a synthetic chemical that is in the form of a pesticide called atrazine. In the News In an interview with Jordan Peterson and another interview with Joe Rogan over the weekend, Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. specifically brought up the frog feminization study and the hypothesis that atrazine could have negative consequences on childhood development.  The fact is that the papers cited above (and below) support what RFK, Jr. stated. He even got the percentages of feminized frogs correct! That is that exposure to endocrine disruptors during in-uterine or childhood development could be impacting normal reproductive development.  This hypothesis is even found in peer reviewed literature. The authors of one such literature review write:  "Likewise, there seems to be a growing concern with regards to the relationship between endocrine disruptors and transsexuals as well as other gender minority populations."  (in Transgender Associations and Possible Etiology: A Literature Review).  But what was the response of the Youtube fact-checkers? Whelp, no dangerous information allowed -even if correct! The Jordan Peterson interview was deleted from YouTube.  YouTube removed an interview that Jordan Peterson conducted with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in which the Democratic presidential challenger repeated a theory suggesting that certain chemicals in the water supply shown to forcefully feminize frogs could also be turning kids transgender. "I mean, they're swimming through a soup of toxic chemicals today, and many of those are endocrine disruptors. There's atrazine throughout our water supply," RFK Jr. said in the video posted in early June. "Atrazine, by the way, if you in a lab put atrazine in a tank full of frogs, it will chemically castrate and forcefully feminize every frog in there. And 10% of the frogs, the male frogs will turn into fully viable females able to produce viable eggs if it's doing that to frogs. It could, there's a lot of other evidence that it's doing to human beings as well." Here we go again.  New Rules! No dangerous information allowed! Our government must control what we are allowed to think. Correct thoughts make for a compliant population. This isn't just a hypothetical exercise. Atrazine has even been shown cause feminization of aquatic life in a natural environment:  Comparing the effects of atrazine and an environmentally relevant mixture on estrogen-responsive gene expression in the northern leopard frog and the fathead minnow Environ Toxicol Chem 2018 Apr;37(4):1182-1188. doi: 10.1002/etc.4069. Epub 2018 Feb 15. Abstract: In Nebraska, fish are exposed to herbicides in agricultural runoff. The study objectives were to determine 1) if fathead minnows and northern leopard frogs exposed to atrazine experience alterations in gene expression, and 2) whether these changes are elicited by a simulated herbicide mixture. Following a 7-d exposure to atrazine, female minnows were defeminized, whereas male frogs were feminized. The mixture did not elicit statistically significant effects in either species. The negative impact of Atrazine on reproductive health of mice passes through to the F2 (second) generation.  Impact of Chronic Multi-Generational Exposure to an Environmentally Relevant Atrazine Concentration on Testicular Development and Function in Mice Cells 2023 Feb 17;12(4):648. doi: 10.3390/cells12040648. Abstract: A common herbicide, atrazine, is associated with poor health. Atrazine acts as an endocrine disruptor at supra-environmental levels. Little research, however, has been conducted regarding chronic exposure to environmental atrazine concentrations across generations. This study utilized comprehensive endpoint measures to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to a conservative atrazine concentration (0.02 ng/mL), measured in Australian waterways, on male mice fertility across two generations. Mice were exposed through the maternal line, from the pre-conception period and through the F1 and F2 generations until three or six months of age. Atrazine did not impact sperm function, testicular morphology nor germ cell parameters but did alter the expression of steroidogenic genes in the F1, down-regulating the expression of Cyp17a1 (Cytochrome P450 family 17, subfamily A member 1; p = 0.0008) and Ddx4 (DEAD-box helicase 4; p = 0.007), and up-regulating the expression of Star (Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein; p = 0.017). In the F2, atrazine induced up-regulation in the expression of Star (p = 0.016).  The current study demonstrates that chronic exposure to an environmentally relevant atrazine concentration perturbs testicular steroid-associated gene expression that varies across generations.  The effects of an endocrine disruptor can even pass through to the third generation: Effects of perinatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the reproductive system of F3 generation male rodents: a meta-analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 May;29(22):33218-33229. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-18338-w. Epub 2022 Jan 13.PMID: 35022983 Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are significantly associated with the reproductive system of male rodents of F3 generation, especially the testis (RR = 3.13, 95% CI: 2.05, 4.76), prostate (RR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.27, 4.00), and kidney (RR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.77, 4.52), but the current … But the toxic effects of atrazine don't stop at messing with reproductive health. It is also linked to cancer. Atrazine promotes breast cancer development by suppressing immune function and upregulating MMP expression Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2023 Mar 15;253:114691. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114691. Epub 2023 Mar 1. Abstract: There is evidence that the triazine herbicide atrazine, which is used extensively, is present in both surface water and groundwater, and its interfering effect on immune systems, endocrine systems, and tumours has been reported by laboratory and epidemiological studies. This study explored how atrazine affected 4T1 breast cancer cell development in vitro and in vivo. The obtained results showed that after exposure to atrazine, the cell proliferation and tumour volume were significantly increased and the expression of MMP2, MMP7, and MMP9 was upregulated. The thymus and spleen indices, the CD4 + and CD3 + lymphocyte percentages which from the spleen and inguinal lymph nodes, and the CD4 + /CD8 + ratio were noticeably lower than they were in the control group. Importantly, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes such as CD4 + , CD8 + , and NK cells were decreased while Treg cells were increased. Moreover, IL-4 was increased and IFN-γ and TNF-α were decreased in the serum and tumour microenvironment.  These results suggested that atrazine can suppress systemic as well as local tumour immune function and upregulate MMPs to promote breast tumour development. Another study found that there was a positive correlation (< 0.05) between pesticide exposure and breast cancer. What's a person to do? Let me be very clear. It is critical that you actively seek out and buy organic grains and soybeans for your diet, and if you are using soy-based products try to find ones that are free of this agent. It isn't a perfect solution, but it is a great place to start.  We have 45 acres that we farm, and we have a large tree orchard, vegetable garden, botanic plants and horse pastures. We control weeds by rotational grazing, mowing and weed whipping. The secret is to not let the broad leaves grow up. I use milky spore, dormant oils, guinea fowl, etc. for pest control. I do accept that our farm will never be weed free, but we will have amphibians in the creeks, butterflies, and lots of lizards. That sometimes our crop will have damaged fruit. But it is incredibly healthy. The reward is an amazing diversity of birds, amphibians, snakes, and other wildlife. Yes, the raccoons and foxes are annoying. But seeing a beaver, a river otter, wild turkey, bald eagles and various hawks on our land makes it all worth it. Advice for healthy living: If you use a commercial lawn service that sprays conventional herbicides, please fire them.  Buy organic produce. Buy grass fed meats (local if possible). Talk to the farmer about what sprays they use and how often. Buy organic eggs. Use "green" products when cleaning your house. Soap and water will take care of most cleaning needs. Buy organic grains, legumes and nuts. Think about investing in a bread maker or find a local bakery/grocery store that uses organic flours. Consider eating less simple carbs (sugar, flour, etc). Unfortunately, sugar cane is another crop where atrazine is used extensively. Be mindful about what you put in your body and of course, avoid ulta-processed foods! Finally, find out if atrazine is being used in your local community. Local parks, playgrounds, school grounds. Start by calling your parks service (city, county) and find out. Put together a white paper - send it to school superintendents, board of supervisors, etc. Then go speak to them! Our children should not be walking or playing on turf that has been sprayed with this toxic brew.  We can impact our local communities more than we think!

proper nutrition and engaging in regular exercise

Nutrition for Healthier Bones

Prevention is key when it comes to osteoporosis, and the food you eat can go a long way toward building and maintaining strong, healthy bones. Important nutrients for bone health include:

1.Vitamin D — Vitamin D plays a regulatory role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous, which are important for healthy bones.27

2.Vitamins K1 and K2 — Vitamin K1, phylloquinone, is found in plants and green vegetables. Aside from playing a crucial role in blood clotting, it's also important for bone health. Osteocalcin is a protein produced by your osteoblasts and is utilized within the bone as an integral part of the bone-forming process.

However, osteocalcin must be "carboxylated" before it can be effective. Vitamin K1 functions as a cofactor for the enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of osteocalcin.28

Vitamin K2, menaquinone, which is synthesized by intestinal bacteria, works synergistically with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D to build strong, healthy bone. Vitamin K2 directs calcium to your bones and prevents it from being deposited in your soft tissues, organs and joint spaces. Vitamin K2 also activates the protein hormone osteocalcin, produced by osteoblasts, which is needed to bind calcium into the matrix of your bone.

The pooled evidence of seven Japanese trials assessing vitamin K2’s (menaquinone-4) ability to prevent fracture rates found “hip fractures reduced by 6%, vertebral fractures reduced by 13%, and all nonvertebral fractures by 9%.”29

3.Calcium — Calcium works synergistically with vitamin K2, magnesium and vitamin D, and needs all three of those to function properly. Vitamin D aids calcium absorption, while vitamin K2 makes sure the calcium ends up in the right place — your bones and not your arteries.

4.Magnesium — Magnesium works synergistically with calcium, vitamin K2 and vitamin D, and aids calcium absorption.

5.Collagen — Collagen has been shown to strengthen bones30 and improve osteoporosis.31

Sleep Disturbances Affect Bone Health

Sleep disturbances influence bone turnover and muscle strength,32 which is why getting proper sleep is so important for bone health. Both short and long sleep duration have been indicated as risk factors for osteoporosis, for instance, and a study of older adults revealed that long sleep (eight hours or more a night) was the best predictor of osteoporosis risk.33

In fact, when 10 men had their sleep restricted and their circadian rhythm disrupted for three weeks, it led to an “uncoupling of bone turnover wherein bone formation is decreased but bone resorption is unchanged.”34 Lack of sleep is also problematic for bones.

A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research35 looked at postmenopausal women and found intriguing correlations between sleep duration and bone density. Women who reported sleeping only five hours or less per night had, on average, 0.012 to 0.018 g/cm2 lower bone mineral density than those who slept seven hours or more.

Bone density was checked in four sites: whole body, hip, femoral neck and spine. Short sleepers had lower bone density in all of these areas and were at increased risk for osteoporosis of the hip and spine.

Physical Activity — Including BFR — May Help

Along with nutrition and proper sleep, regular physical activity is essential for bone health. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is an ideal form of exercise that’s effective yet safe enough that even the elderly and the frail can participate.

It involves performing strength training exercises while restricting venous blood flow return to your heart (but not arterial flow) to the extremity being worked. This is done by wrapping your arms or legs with a cuff that mildly restricts blood flow.

By forcing blood to remain inside your extremity while it is exercising with light weights, you stimulate metabolic changes resulting in greater strength with virtually no risk of injury. While more research is needed on how BFR affects bone health, a systematic review found four studies showed BFR training increases the expression of bone formation markers and decreases bone resorption markers.36

Another study published in Medical Hypotheses suggested, “We hypothesize that the main mechanism behind the proposed favorable bone responses [of BFR] observed thus far is through increased intramedullary pressure and interstitial fluid flow within the bone caused by venous occlusion.”37

By providing your body with the fuel it needs via proper nutrition and engaging in regular exercise and daily movement, you can keep your bones strong and avoid osteoporosis, without the need for drug treatments.

- Sources and References

• 1, 10, 11, 12 International Osteoporosis Foundation, Epidemiology of Osteoporosis and Fragility Fractures
• 2, 3, 4 National Osteoporosis Foundation, Osteoporosis Fast Facts
• 5, 7 Eur J Rheumatol. 2017 Mar; 4(1): 46–56
• 6 Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51 Suppl 1:S5-17. doi: 10.1590/s0036-36342009000700004
• 8, 9 Penn Medicine, Osteoporosis
• 13 British Journal of Cancer September 9, 2020, Background
• 14 BMJ Open 2013;3:e002091. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002091, Discussion
• 15 BMJ Open 2013;3:e002091. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002091, Conclusions
• 16 Reuters March 22, 2017
• 17 Bone & Joint Research 2017 Oct; 6(10): 602–609
• 18, 19 Scientific Reports 2017; 7: 43399, Abstract
• 20 British Journal of Cancer volume 123, pages 1570–1581 (2020)
• 21 Medscape January 8, 2021
• 22 Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2015 Feb; 7(1): 11–16
• 23 NIH. Bisphosphonates. June 14, 2018
• 24 Osteoporos Int. 2015; 26(5): 1499–1506
• 25 US Pharmacist May 20, 2010
• 26 Journal of Bone Metabolism 2012 Nov; 19(2): 139–145
• 27 Natural Medicine Journal November 2010; 2(11)
• 28 Metabolism May 2017; 70: 57-71, Abstract
• 29 Archives of Internal Medicine 2006; 166: 1256-1261, Results
• 30 Bone 2010 Mar;46(3):827-3
• 31 J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 27;58(2):835-41
• 32 J Bone Miner Res. 2018 Nov 21
• 33 J Clin Sleep Med. 2016 Nov 15; 12(11): 1461–1469
• 34 J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Oct 1;102(10):3722-3730
• 35 Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 2019 Nov 6. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3879. [Epub ahead of print]
• 36 Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2018 Mar 2. doi: 10.1111/cpf.12512
• 37 Med Hypotheses. 2012 Apr;78(4):523-7. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.01.024. Epub 2012 Feb 10

 

How Electromagnetic Fields Damage Your Health

I've felt how, we can change anything. Below the "Magnetic fields CAN change" and the 'can' here mean we can shift it as well. like going to sunrise ritual now 

How Electromagnetic Fields Damage Your Health

Magnetic fields can change the transparency of the water channel to protons, thereby reducing the current. As a result, you get less ATP, which can have systemwide consequences, from promoting chronic disease and infertility to lowering intelligence. Héroux explains:

"When you impair the flow of protons to ATP synthase, you increase mitochondrial membrane polarization … If you increase the polarization of the mitochondria by 14 percent, you will have a 70 percent increase in the reactive oxygen species coming out of complex one, which is the leading edge of the oxidative phosphorylation chain.

Essentially, my explanation is that by physical action on water, you can change the transparency of the most critical enzyme in the human body, modulate the amount of ATP, increase the escape of electrons from complex one; thereby explaining practically all of the observations related to EMF.

Of course, the moment ATP is perturbed in a cell, there are calcium signals being emitted all over the place, because calcium is possibly the most critical intracellular messenger."

EMFs Trigger Massive Oxidative Stress

11 pernicious lies about mental illness

Busting 11 pernicious lies about mental illness Dr. Aruna Tummala, a board-certified psychiatrist, breaks down some common and harmful misconceptions about mental illness and how to treat it. FLCCC Alliance Jun 17   Share   Myth 1: Mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Fact 1: This is the most common myth about the roots of mental illness and is most likely perpetuated by Big Pharma. In fact, mental illness is a breakdown in the larger physiological functioning within a person. In other words, it is a "hardware" failure of the body (aka the mind-body-spirit system) that manifests in the "software" of our systems as mental illness. Myth 2: Mental illness is lifelong. Fact 2: This is a blatant falsehood. No one needs to think their mental illness can't be treated – the key is to find and resolve the root cause. As one of my patients noted, "I feel empowered and no longer a 'victim' of a faulty chemical imbalance in my brain. I now know that the solution to my ailments is bringing my mind, body, and spirit back into balance. I feel a bit like Dorothy at the end of The Wizard of Oz when Glinda The Good Witch tells her 'You always had the power, you just had to learn it for yourself.'" Myth 3: Mental illness cannot be cured, just managed with medications and therapy. Fact 3: See fact 2 above. 😊 The same can be said for anyone receiving traditional care in the "sick care system" we know as mainstream medicine. Myth 4: Psychiatric medications are lifesavers. Fact 4: They are as much of a lifesaver as a BandAid is to a fracture! Or, for that matter, an antacid for acid reflux!! (Yep, this can be a post in itself. 😊) Psych meds can lead to symptomatic improvements in the short term, but invariably they cause further deterioration in the root causes, which are never addressed. In addition, most psychiatric medications cause dependence that is very hard to overcome without holistic treatment. Long-term studies for things like depression, schizophrenia, or ADHD, which are typically not funded by industry, have consistently shown short-term gains but long-term harms, including more severe episodes and more risk for permanent disability. Myth 5: Antidepressants are safe and do not increase the risk of suicide or self-harm. Fact 5: This is another blatant falsehood. Antidepressants are neither safe nor effective. Population-based studies have repeatedly shown that they carry the risk of impulsivity, especially when attempting rapid dose changes, titrations, withdrawals, or switching from one med to another. Patients can experience severe forms of adverse reactions, like akathisia, which can lead to suicidality, homicidality, and such. Here's a link to my Substack article on this subject: Aruna's Newsletter Whodunnit??? A story of a psychiatric murder/suicide. In February 2022, I received an email in my inbox from my professional liability company. The email described a legal allegation made against a psychiatrist and the verdict. As a psychiatrist myself, my interest was piqued and I read through it. Only to find myself deeply sad and disturbed. Here is the case I copied verbatim followed by my thoughts, my … Read more a year ago · Aruna, MD Myth 6: Psychiatric meds like antidepressants do not cause dependence. You can come off them when you are ready. Fact 6: I give this myth a 'Pinocchio rating' of 10 out of 10. All the psychiatric meds currently being used (antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, stimulants, etc.) cause dependence at the nervous system level. Most people are unable to come off these meds, even when they become well. For a long time, Big Pharma blamed the withdrawal symptoms on the patients as "discontinuation syndrome" and urged doctors and patients to never stop taking them (a perfect revenue generation model, eh?). But journalists like Robert Whitaker (Anatomy of an Epidemic) and physician researchers like Dr. David Healy, Dr. Peter Breggin, Dr. Peter Gøtzsche, Dr. Joanna Moncrieff and I have raised the alarm about this serious issue and tried to educate the public. At my practice, we know how to safely help patients come off medications that they do not need or that are causing them harm. Myth 7: Psychiatric medications are safe to use in children. Fact 7: There are no long-term studies that have looked at the effects of psychiatric meds on the developing brains of children. What we see is the same scenario as in adults. Psychiatric meds do not help and carry the risk of significant harm. Myth 8: We have made many advances in the field of neuroscience and mental illness is still a mystery. Fact 8: It can only be considered a mystery because we are barking up the wrong tree – believing that mental illness is just a disease of the brain. It is a disease of the whole mind-body-spirit system. When we address the root causes in the gut-brain axis, in the immune system, in the hormonal system, and so on, we can offer meaningful pathways toward recovery. The causes of mental illnesses, or for that matter any illness, are not a mystery. As I explain in my soon-to-be-published book, the three main root causes are 1) bad diet, 2) trauma or stress in life, and 3) toxins in our environment. Myth 9: Antidepressants are relatively safe during pregnancy. At the very least, it is better for mom and infant to be on an antidepressant than to be depressed. Fact 9: Studies have consistently shown that antidepressant exposure during pregnancy affects the neurodevelopmental trajectory of the developing baby and has been linked to conditions like autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc., by the time the child is 8 years old. Paternal use of antidepressants around the time of conception is also linked to autism in the offspring. Myth 10: Mental illness is genetic. Environment plays a minor role. And besides gene therapy, which is in its infancy, nothing much can be done. Myth 10: If the environment is not to blame, how come we are seeing a tremendous increase in rates of all mental illnesses over the last few decades? Do genes change so quickly, within a matter of decades? No, they do not. In fact, gene defects account for only a small percentage of mental illnesses like autism, schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression, etc. Even here is the epigenetic effect – which is the complex interplay between environment and genes that decides how, when, and what genes are expressed. We are in constant "play" or "dance" with our environment. When genes are involved, the main genetic mechanism involves a group of genes known as methylation genes – MTHFR is the main one among them. Even here, the expression of these genes can be changed for the better with targeted nutritional supplements. Myth 11: Modern science has progressed so much in the field of mental health, and we have transformed patients' experiences for the better. Fact 11: Cross-country studies consistently show more mental illness and higher rates of worse outcomes like suicide in countries where there is a high availability of psychiatrists, therapists, and mental health care systems. We need a better way. Dr. Aruna Tummala, MD, ABIHM, is a board-certified adult/geriatric psychiatrist/integrative and holistic medicine doctor. She is the founder of Trinergy Health & Psychiatry 2.0 in WI, which offers holistic psychiatry. References: Burgess P, Pirkis J, Jolley D, Whiteford H, Saxena S. Do nations' mental health policies, programs and legislation influence their suicide rates? An ecological study of 100 countries. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2004 Nov-Dec;38(11-12):933-9. doi: 10.1080/j.1440-1614.2004.01484.x. PMID: 15555028. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15555028/ Chaste, P., & Leboyer, M. (2012). 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Clinical practice guideline recommendations on tapering and discontinuing antidepressants for depression: a systematic review. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2022 Feb 11;12:20451253211067656. doi: 10.1177/20451253211067656. PMID: 35173954; PMCID: PMC8841913. Spence D. Bad Medicine: The rise and rise of antidepressants. Br J Gen Pract. 2016 Nov;66(652):573. doi: 10.3399/bjgp16X687793. PMID: 27789499; PMCID: PMC5072904. This post was originally published at the author's Substack and is reprinted here with permission. Aruna's Newsletter Myths of mental illnesses - Let's break them down Myth 1: Mental illness is from a chemical imbalance in the brain. This is the most common myth peddled about cause of mental illnesses, likely perpetuated by BigPharma. Fact 1: Mental illness is a breakdown in the larger physiological functioning within a person. In other words it is a breakdown in the "hardware" of the body aka the mind-body-spirit syst… Read more a year ago · 3 likes · Aruna, MD We're so glad you found us here on Substack! In this era, it is vitally important that we're able to stay connected. Censorship is alive and well, and although we are still currently on social media, we may not be for long.