Andrea Yates' New Lawyers: Idiots Or Bought Off?
Since Andrea Yates first stood trial on charges of drowning three of her five children, the facts of the case haven't changed. What her defense teams hopes has changed is the public's view of mentally ill defendants.
"More people know it's a brain disorder and not just something you can snap out of," said Betsy Schwartz, director of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston. "We can only hope the jury will have a keen awareness of the chemistry and physiology of what was going on in Andrea Yates' brain when this happened."
Full Article, San Francisco Chronicle, June 26, 2006
During a two-year period, Yates was prescribed four extremely potent mind-altering drugs intended to help her through two episodes of severe depression that began after the birth of her fourth child.
The first of these psychopharmacological cocktails included Haldol, an antipsychotic most often used to treat schizophrenia; Effexor, an antidepressant very similar to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); and Wellbutrin, a unique antidepressant that has amphetaminelike effects.
According to Yates' husband, Russell, his wife appeared to respond well to this treatment regimen and, after a short time, became her "old self."
At the onset of the second episode of depression following the birth of her fifth child, and the subsequent death of her father, Yates again was prescribed a psychopharmacological cocktail. This one contained Effexor and, at the end, Remeron.
While information about the Remeron dosage was not made public, Yates' husband has said that his wife was given Effexor at a dosage nearly twice the recommended maximum limit. Just days before the murders, the Effexor was for some reason reduced to just slightly more than the recommended maximum dosage of 225 mg per day and the Remeron was added.
Psychiatrist Peter Breggin, court-qualified medical expert and author of numerous books, including Talking Back to Prozac and the recently released The Anti-Depressant Fact Book, tells Insight:
"The mixture of Remeron and Effexor would tend to be extremely agitating and certainly could lead to behavioral disturbances. The mixture of Haldol, Wellbutrin and Effexor is unpredictable in its effects. Haldol actually can cause depression, and putting the three drugs together is somewhat experimental."
Breggin continues: "Haldol is a very blunting drug. It's difficult to come to any definitive conclusions with so little data about her state of mind at the time. However, Haldol is a drug that produces what can only be referred to as a chemical lobotomy that tends to make a person more docile and robotic."
Full Article, Dr. Joseph Mercola, August 4, 2001, includes references to other articles
So, did Andrea Yates suffer from a deficiency of numerous mind-altering drugs? Or were her actions CAUSED by a combination of numerous mind-altering drugs?
It seems rather obvious, from Dr. Mercola's article and many many others, that Andrea Yates--and her children--were victims of pharmaceutical sales representatives masquerading as "doctors". So why is THAT not being presented to the jury? Are her new attorneys complete idiots? Or have they been bought off by BigPharma?
TLC
"More people know it's a brain disorder and not just something you can snap out of," said Betsy Schwartz, director of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston. "We can only hope the jury will have a keen awareness of the chemistry and physiology of what was going on in Andrea Yates' brain when this happened."
Full Article, San Francisco Chronicle, June 26, 2006
During a two-year period, Yates was prescribed four extremely potent mind-altering drugs intended to help her through two episodes of severe depression that began after the birth of her fourth child.
The first of these psychopharmacological cocktails included Haldol, an antipsychotic most often used to treat schizophrenia; Effexor, an antidepressant very similar to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); and Wellbutrin, a unique antidepressant that has amphetaminelike effects.
According to Yates' husband, Russell, his wife appeared to respond well to this treatment regimen and, after a short time, became her "old self."
At the onset of the second episode of depression following the birth of her fifth child, and the subsequent death of her father, Yates again was prescribed a psychopharmacological cocktail. This one contained Effexor and, at the end, Remeron.
While information about the Remeron dosage was not made public, Yates' husband has said that his wife was given Effexor at a dosage nearly twice the recommended maximum limit. Just days before the murders, the Effexor was for some reason reduced to just slightly more than the recommended maximum dosage of 225 mg per day and the Remeron was added.
Psychiatrist Peter Breggin, court-qualified medical expert and author of numerous books, including Talking Back to Prozac and the recently released The Anti-Depressant Fact Book, tells Insight:
"The mixture of Remeron and Effexor would tend to be extremely agitating and certainly could lead to behavioral disturbances. The mixture of Haldol, Wellbutrin and Effexor is unpredictable in its effects. Haldol actually can cause depression, and putting the three drugs together is somewhat experimental."
Breggin continues: "Haldol is a very blunting drug. It's difficult to come to any definitive conclusions with so little data about her state of mind at the time. However, Haldol is a drug that produces what can only be referred to as a chemical lobotomy that tends to make a person more docile and robotic."
Full Article, Dr. Joseph Mercola, August 4, 2001, includes references to other articles
So, did Andrea Yates suffer from a deficiency of numerous mind-altering drugs? Or were her actions CAUSED by a combination of numerous mind-altering drugs?
It seems rather obvious, from Dr. Mercola's article and many many others, that Andrea Yates--and her children--were victims of pharmaceutical sales representatives masquerading as "doctors". So why is THAT not being presented to the jury? Are her new attorneys complete idiots? Or have they been bought off by BigPharma?
TLC
posted by TLC's Place at 6:25 AM
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