Schizophrenia Study Finds Similarities Across 37 Countries

medicalnewstoday.com:

An international study of more than 17,000 people with schizophrenia has found striking similarities in symptoms, medication, employment and sexual problems.

Read the whole story: medicalnewstoday.com

Comments

[lillibelle]

It would have been interesting to read about the 'distinct differences' found in the study.

[Gatogorra]

The last large scale WHO study on schizophrenia found that relapse rates were three times higher and outcomes poorer in developed nations rich enough the drug the living crap out of everyone with a schizophrenia diagnosis. In underdeveloped countries, where rates of drugging were lowest and at times nonexistant, long and short term outcomes were up to four times better than the US, the (old) Soviet Union, the UK and Denmark-- the countries with the highest rates of drugging with neuroleptics.
Loren Mosher, the late former head of the NIMH's schizophrenia research division launched the Soteria project which was basically a harbinger for the later WHO findings. The clinics were to be drug and restraint free and included an economic model of using less expensive staffing with individuals with a talent for empathy, not necessarily specialized degrees. Data and recovery rates from the Soteria project were taken by independent researchers and the findings were replicated in two later, also independent attempts to mount similar projects. The findings were that Soteria showed the best recovery rate for schizophrenia seen in American medical history and a rate of relapse which was precisely three times lower than in developed countries.

Naturally the NIMH removed funding and hounded Dr. Mosher mercilously for daring to challenge the profitable drugging treatment model.

[Willow712]

I was once married to a man who became schizoaffective 12 years after we married. After doing some research, I found that the percentage of schizophrenia (or psychotic episodes) is the same the world over, except for three places (all intermarried areas, secluded and isolated). 1. A small county in Ireland, where the percentage of psychosis is about 7% I believe, 2. the Amish in the US. and 3. Croatia, specifically the Istrian Peninsula, which has an average of psychotic people walking around at 10%. My ex was 15 when he left the Istrian Peninsula to move to the US. His family was known as "the family with the bad temper." Its genetic and intermarrying makes it much worse.

Another comment, my exH was in Gowanda Psychiatric Hospital in Gowanda, NY for awhile, and these people smoke like chimneys. They never seem to have any physical problems from smoking, such as COPD, etc. And they smoke a lot! I think it is a form of self medicating.

[lillibelle]

You are correct. Apparently, the nicotine quiets the auditory hallucinations.

http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainbriefings_smoking

[Shirley Fisk]

11/16/09
7:30pm
Alexandria, VA

This is pretty technical for me and I'm a psych major.

[JimRinX]

GoTo: CCHR.org - Immediately! The Truth Is Out There!

[xypher0725]

fascinating...I wonder if they find any other correlations.