Rant - Scientology and Anti-Meds

HillaryC, RN, CRNA · Jun 19, 2005

Anyone else get caught up in this nonsense on the net or real life? Even people who are just anti-psych/med in general?? It drives me crazy.
On another forum people were discussing this TomKat (Tom Cruise) business and a couple mentioned the Scientology aspect. Well, I guess I can't avoid this issue, so I threw out a few comments about it. :chuckle Two people begin walking all over me about Tom's "religion" and what he and Katie Holmes do is their business. Fine by me, I was just pointing out the CoS issue. Then after a few exchanges they say "Scientology? I don't know anything about it" Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!
She was claiming how it helped his dyslexia. Oh boy. Why do people argue about things they no nothing about?

I find it absolutely infuriating. Especially the way he attacked Brooke Shields "promotion" of medication for post partum depression. Excuse me -- but since when did he get a right to comment on something only women experience? IMO, the guy is absolutely gone. I think it's clear that his church/cult has him brainwashed against psychiatry and psychology.

TCASII, ADN · Jun 19, 2005

No kidding. I saw him interviewed a day or so ago, and he made it sound as though people who take these medications are somehow less of a person. Claiming that there isn't any science to back up the claims that medication helps people with psychiatric disorders. I can't believe these people. Cruise is clearly a phoney and just out to recruit Katie Holmes IMO. His words, like those of the CoS are dangerous and irresponsible. How this "church" doesn't receive enough scrutiny to run for the hills is beyond me. They've actually been responsible for deaths by preventing members from getting appropriate health care for a wide range of critical conditions, like epilepsy and trauma from car wrecks.

lsyorke, RN · Jun 19, 2005

While I admit that I know nothing about Scientology some information that they put out there is very true. The science behind most psychiatric medications is speculative at best. The "chemical imbalance" theory is just that... a theory. Unsubstantiated by testing, purely based on anecdotal evidence in what we now know are "tainted" clinical trials. So while I may not agree with his religon, I do agree with the questioning of the overuse of psychiatric medications.

TypicalFish · Jun 19, 2005

While I admit that I know nothing about Scientology some information that they put out there is very true. The science behind most psychiatric medications is speculative at best. The "chemical imbalance" theory is just that... a theory. Unsubstantiated by testing, purely based on anecdotal evidence in what we now know are "tainted" clinical trials. So while I may not agree with his religon, I do agree with the questioning of the overuse of psychiatric medications.

I question the overuse of psych meds-especially in kids-BUT T.C. is against any psych meds at all-any; any nurse working with psych pts can tell you that meds often do make a diference, improve quality of life, etc. Tom Cruise also stated that brooke sheilds was a "washed Up" has-been, and mocked her career....Sorry there is no way possible for him to have any idea of what PPD is like---"better to keep quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"

live4today, RN · Jun 19, 2005

While I am NOT into "manmade religions", I definitely have a sour taste in my mouth for the church of scientology.

Back in 1979, I remember standing in a long line of people waiting to eat, and I overheard a group of about five or six people in front of me talking about their religion being the church of scientology. They stated that in their religion, they believe when people pass from this earth and go to heaven they are segregated by race....there are many heavens...one for each race of people.

I was SHOCKED to say the least! I've not wanted to hear another thing about that religion since that time.

Stitchie · Jun 19, 2005

better to keep quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"

My favorite line!

I searched for information on Scientology and couldn't find anything concrete, no values, no mission statement, nothing. It was weird. They did, however, invite to an 'audit' costing more than I will spend at a White Sox game taking my family of four and my brother's family of four -- that's a lot of beer and hotdogs! (I glanced at the figure; it was somewhere around $500.00) and this fee is not a great amount of money to the TomKat's of the world but we're all a little more real here.

While anti-depressants may not have an exact mechanism of action defined, other pysche drugs do, like Ativan, Valium, etc. And hasn't the theory behind Ritilan been shown to be valid? I'm not a psych nurse even though I love it, but I think it's terrible that someone who has no background in medicine can make these statements. Irresponsible to the core.

As for the Oprah show, I had the misfortune of catching the rebroadcast when my husband was traveling for work. It was disturbing, seemed like an act and after a while I just thought this guy was either high, drunk, or just plain putting on a show.

Run, Kate, run!

judy ann · Jun 19, 2005

I personally wonder if he couldn't benefit from some psychotrophics. :rolleyes:

live4today, RN · Jun 19, 2005

sorry for the double post :)

live4today, RN · Jun 19, 2005

........................Tom Cruise also stated that brooke sheilds was a "washed Up" has-been, and mocked her career....Sorry there is no way possible for him to have any idea of what PPD is like---"better to keep quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"

That concerns me because if Tom and his child bride marry, and she becomes pregnant, and happens to have PPD following the birth of their child, what will Tom do? What will he insist Katie do? What will happen to that child in that case? If I were Katie's mother, I would be strongly discouraging that union. She's so infatuated with Tom to the point she can't think straight. She's like Cinderella who dreamed one day her prince would come, and when he did, she vowed to marry him. Katie dreamed of marrying Tom Cruise...the movie star...not Tom Cruise the man she has yet to truthfully know much about. I feel so sorry for that poor girl. Tom is going through his midlife crisis for sure....at Katie's expense. I hope no baby is born of that union because Tom already has his other two children from Nicole Kidman following the church of scientology. :uhoh3:

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2005

While I admit that I know nothing about Scientology some information that they put out there is very true. The science behind most psychiatric medications is speculative at best. The "chemical imbalance" theory is just that... a theory. Unsubstantiated by testing, purely based on anecdotal evidence in what we now know are "tainted" clinical trials. So while I may not agree with his religon, I do agree with the questioning of the overuse of psychiatric medications.

Do you suffer from a mental illness? If you don't, I invite you to come try to live my life, live in my head, for a week without meds. Try to go to school, to work, to have friends, to leave your house, just to get out of bed every day without meds, and then you get to say that.

suebird3 · Jun 19, 2005

I'd hate to break it to Cruise, but this cult IS based on Psych. principles. Come on, folks...."auditing"? Sounds like talking to a shrink, wouldn't you say?