Former Pharma Sales Rep Talks About Benzo Withdrawal

[[ru...]]

If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else.

 

ok

[[Ma...]]

Hey Rubberduck,

 

I see your point.  Colin does not want this to become and anti-psychiatry website.  I guess I can understand that.

 

But just to say, my doc is a psychiatrist, but he is someone who has realized the damage these drugs cause, and now what he really does is try to get people off meds and use alternative treatments.  He is a psychiatrist, and I am not sure he is anti-psychiatry, but he definitely sees a problem with the whole system of medicating people, and has stuck his neck out saying so publicly and gotten beaten for it.

 

You should see his webpage.  He's got book recommendations on there about drugs, about how broken psychiatry is.  He has stated to me "Psychiatry is in a crisis."  He says "People come to me on 6 different drugs, and I feel if I can get them down to just one, I have accomplished something."  What can he do?  He is stuck in a profession that he is disillusioned with, and now he just does the best he can with it.  And he is not a scientologist lol.  You don't have to be a scientologist to disagree with psychiatry.

 

This is something that happens with people all the time.  They get involved in a profession, whatever it is, and realize, hey, there are problems with this.  But they have to keep doing it.  I used to work for a lawyer, he said the same kind of thing.  We get disillusioned.  I think what my doc is doing is good, recognising the dangers and trying to work within the system to somehow help people anyway.

 

 

[[Co...]]

would anybody thats on the BB team, moderator or what ever have an opinion that differs from this view? i can imagine there picked for certain reasons and every one who commented on here pretty much holds the same opinion on the issue.

 

I can assure you that 100% unconditional agreement with the administration of this board is not required criteria for joining the team. Matter of fact I was a bit surprised to have been asked to help out seeing as how I have expressed differing opinions in the past. I did however promise to enforce all of the rules as set forth by Colin and the admins when they brought me on board, and in this case I happen to agree with him.

 

To clarify what is required of Moderators when they joint the team in regard to the upholding of our rules and policies, I will copy here the relevant parts of a list I communicated to FloridayGuy prior to his joining the team:

 

Please consider the following points and let me know if you have any questions.

• Please read through the (stickied) items on the BenzoBuddies Community Policies & Documents board. If you would like anything clarifying, please let me know.
   
   
  
• Are there any issues about how the BenzoBuddies forum or website are managed which are of concern to you? If so, we should discuss these first.

 

There were other (unrelated) points, and FG was also required to agree to a confidentiality agreement (to help protect members' privacy).

 

There was no requirement made of FG or other team members to hold the same opinions as me. They do, however, need to abide by the forum rules, just like any other member. This is why I invited a dialogue with FG regarding our policies, in case we had any irreconcilable differences.

 

FG indicated in this thread that we have had some differences of opinion in the past - differences of opinion is no bar to members joining the BenzoBuddies Team. In fact, part of the reason FG was asked to join is because his ability to argue sensibly (and calmly) for his position and being able to agree to disagree without any fallout (he didn't get everything he requested).

 

To explain further, FG was instrumental in persuading me to introduce a Protracted Withdrawal board. I have resisted introducing this board when requested in the past - I think there are positives and negatives about providing such a space. However, FG persuaded me that the positives outweighed the negatives. I think he has been proven right.

[[Co...]]

I'm really not concerned about this woman's personal beliefs, I thought she made some very good points and presented them well. I actually posted the video on my Facebook page.

 

I honestly have nothing against Gwen Olsen. As I stated earlier in this thread, I'm sure she has some valuable insights into how the pharmaceutical industry operates from her time working for them. My issue is with links to anti-psychiatry propaganda, in particular Scientology and CCHR because they wish to see psychiatry and psychoactive medications outlawed. Since many of our members rely on such medications, there is no way I will allow the promotion of such ideas at this support community. Because of Olsen's past involvement with CCHR, and her apparent (partial?) continued support of CCHR, I deactivated (made non-clickable) the links to her videos. Given our policies on these matters, I could have just as easily decided to delete the links entirely. I pragmatically took a middle route in this case.

[[Co...]]

Meanwhile, you've been defending scientology for several pages and yet you seem to lack the understanding that because of them, the plight of people who are suffering from these drugs gets dismissed and we are considered radicals like them. Extremists thanks to them. They have caused us far more damage than you will ever know and they've HELPED big pharma in the process because every time some nutty fringe group takes a stance, that stance is FOREVER associated with that nutty fringe group and no matter how factual or serious that stance is, people stop taking it seriously. It's like the boy who cried wolf - only it was a crazy fringe group mock religion. And right now, because of them, most all stances against psyc meds no matter how valid and no matter how clear it is that people are suffering from these meds, runs the risk of being associated with that crazy fringe group. So we and our plight are weakened as a result of scientology.

 

[...]

 

So the more you stand up for scientology, the more you hurt everyone who suffers as a result of these meds because the association in people's minds almost never goes away and therefore it is difficult to be taken seriously. We as a group have suffered thanks to scientology. Let's pray that they haven't screwed us completely and people do one day become much more aware of how damaging these drugs are rather than remain dismissive of all the information out there because they think it's scientology behind the curtains.

 

I agree. Scientology and CCHR have only succeeded in making any sensible discourse regrading psychiatry and the use of psychoactive medications more difficult.

 

If CCHP is even remotely related to scientology and if this can be discovered through a basic search, then that video is now damaging to us and our plight because of this link. Once again, information that could help becomes a source that will be viewed as fringe radical nuttiness.

 

CCHR was founded by Scientology to promote the outlawing of all psychiatric practice and medicine. Such an aim is beyond ludicrous an certainly not in the best interests of our members.

[[ru...]]

there certainly r a lot of points here that r probably worth responding to but with a line by Colin like this who is the owner of this board; "If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else" i can't c how i could respond as i am admittedly anti-psychiatry and anti-psych-med.

 

that being said i had no idea until a few weeks ago that there was a policy against anti-psychiatry here when i had links removed and since then i haven't written anything about it that i can remember and have shied away from the subject this thread. i also had no idea who Colin was until now and i don't think he's a bad person even though i very much disagree with him and many others on this thread.

 

but that one line quote up there really says it all and i just can't argue with that. its straight forward and all though i don't agree with hardly anything Colin or others who take the opposite potion of mine here said i can agree that Colin is the guy who runs the board and if he says "take it somewhere else" then that's what i'm going to do.

 

anyway i didn't join this board to talk about psychiatry in the first place and i don't have any memberships on any other boards or socials networks in regards to this or anything so its not the biggest deal to have this shut out as its not something that i have to talk about.

[[JC...]]

Who sponsors this board anyway?  I wonder.  For all we know, Merck and Pfizer could be backing this board to monitor people who are having trouble with their drugs.

 

This statement is something else: "If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else"

 

After all that many of us have been through, why wouldn't there be many people on this board that have an anti-psych-med position?

 

Imagine, you're told on this board what opinion you're allowed to have?  It's ludicrous.

 

Just YouTube Gwen Olsen's discussion of her battle with Xanax.  Her story is like many people's story here.

 

Ever go to a psych ward?  Watch the people shuffle their feet as they line up for their medicine twice a day.

 

You think psych-meds are helping those people?  I've seen it with my own eyes.  Psych meds are clearly making these people zombies.

 

All I know, is psych-meds made me much worse.  They are dangerous and over prescribed.  Almost everyone I know that has been prescribed benzos has had a battle with them

and lots of symptoms.

 

Gwen Olsen is a hero.  The moderators on this board: I have no idea where they are coming from or who chooses them.

[[Ho...]]

Who sponsors this board anyway?  I wonder.  For all we know, Merck and Pfizer could be backing this board to monitor people who are having trouble with their drugs.

 

This statement is something else: "If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else"

 

After all that many of us have been through, why wouldn't there be many people on this board that have an anti-psych-med position?

 

Imagine, you're told on this board what opinion you're allowed to have?  It's ludicrous.

 

Just YouTube Gwen Olsen's discussion of her battle with Xanax.  Her story is like many people's story here.

 

Ever go to a psych ward?  Watch the people shuffle their feet as they line up for their medicine twice a day.

 

You think psych-meds are helping those people?  I've seen it with my own eyes.  Psych meds are clearly making these people zombies.

 

All I know, is psych-meds made me much worse.  They are dangerous and over prescribed.  Almost everyone I know that has been prescribed benzos has had a battle with them

and lots of symptoms.

 

Gwen Olsen is a hero.  The moderators on this board: I have no idea where they are coming from or who chooses them.

 

As I've said in an earlier post, Colin owns and pays for this forum out of his own pocket and has done so for almost a decade. I was a senior admin for quite some time. He and I worked closely together. There are no other players. Colin is the owner of BB. There are no "sponsors".

 

[[JC...]]

Who sponsors this board anyway?  I wonder.  For all we know, Merck and Pfizer could be backing this board to monitor people who are having trouble with their drugs.

 

This statement is something else: "If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else"

 

After all that many of us have been through, why wouldn't there be many people on this board that have an anti-psych-med position?

 

Imagine, you're told on this board what opinion you're allowed to have?  It's ludicrous.

 

Just YouTube Gwen Olsen's discussion of her battle with Xanax.  Her story is like many people's story here.

 

Ever go to a psych ward?  Watch the people shuffle their feet as they line up for their medicine twice a day.

 

You think psych-meds are helping those people?  I've seen it with my own eyes.  Psych meds are clearly making these people zombies.

 

All I know, is psych-meds made me much worse.  They are dangerous and over prescribed.  Almost everyone I know that has been prescribed benzos has had a battle with them

and lots of symptoms.

 

Gwen Olsen is a hero.  The moderators on this board: I have no idea where they are coming from or who chooses them.

 

As I've said in an earlier post, Colin owns and pays for this forum out of his own pocket and has done so for almost a decade. I was a senior admin for quite some time. He and I worked closely together. There are no other players. Colin is the owner of BB. There are no "sponsors".

 

What is up with the moderators of this board and their crazy attack of Gwen Olsen?  This is a woman who is exposing the dangers of benzo addiction to

millions of people.

 

Do these people not to warn others about what happened to them?

[[JC...]]

I saw that video by Gwen Olsen before I read here she was into Scientology, and even though I don't like her arrogance at times she does make some valid points and there's nothing in her video that should not be heard, so I don't really understand why the link was disabled. Based on that video alone there was no reason to do so.

 

I also saw the video before I heard anyone accuse her of being a stooge. The video stands on its own and is worthwhile on its own. Nowhere in the video or in her book does Gwen Olsen promote scientology.

 

So... I agree that the link was disabled for reasons not in the video itself.

 

Totally 100% accurate assessment.

[[Ho...]]

Who sponsors this board anyway?  I wonder.  For all we know, Merck and Pfizer could be backing this board to monitor people who are having trouble with their drugs.

 

This statement is something else: "If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else"

 

After all that many of us have been through, why wouldn't there be many people on this board that have an anti-psych-med position?

 

Imagine, you're told on this board what opinion you're allowed to have?  It's ludicrous.

 

Just YouTube Gwen Olsen's discussion of her battle with Xanax.  Her story is like many people's story here.

 

Ever go to a psych ward?  Watch the people shuffle their feet as they line up for their medicine twice a day.

 

You think psych-meds are helping those people?  I've seen it with my own eyes.  Psych meds are clearly making these people zombies.

 

All I know, is psych-meds made me much worse.  They are dangerous and over prescribed.  Almost everyone I know that has been prescribed benzos has had a battle with them

and lots of symptoms.

 

Gwen Olsen is a hero.  The moderators on this board: I have no idea where they are coming from or who chooses them.

 

As I've said in an earlier post, Colin owns and pays for this forum out of his own pocket and has done so for almost a decade. I was a senior admin for quite some time. He and I worked closely together. There are no other players. Colin is the owner of BB. There are no "sponsors".

 

What is up with the moderators of this board and their crazy attack of Gwen Olsen?  This is a woman who is exposing the dangers of benzo addiction to

millions of people.

 

Do these people not to warn others about what happened to them?

 

The moderators are upholding the rules of this forum (please read Colin's posts. He explains is all very well). One of our policies is no links to Scientology. Gwen Olsen is associated to Scientology. Actually, had I been admin still, I would have deleted that link all together. Colin simply disabled it. Our moderators are upholding the policies of this forum. These are policies you agreed to when you registered. I'm assuming you read our policies before you registered?

 

Btw, no one has "attacked" Gwen. We are stating she is affiliated with a group of people who have an agenda that BB does not support.

 

Of course we want our members to know the dangers of benzos. However, that is not what Gwen Olsen and Scientology would like. They are misinforming people. They have an very extreme approach. They are 100% anti-med. We are not. We are taking a reasonable approach which I believe is in the best interests of our members.

[[JC...]]

How is Gwen Olsen associated with Scientology?  I posted an article by her where she states SHE IS NOT A SCIENTOLOGIST.  She laughs at the notion as a smear tactic.

 

But Colin took down that post.  Why did he do it?

 

Please let me know how Gwen Olsen is associated with Scientology.

 

Gwen Olsen's own words (for anyone who wants to do the research, Google "Gwen Olsen Scientology")

 

"Excuse me, but being a veteran pharmaceutical rep who sold psychiatric drugs, I'd like to say that this bit is getting a little old.  The tiresome rhetoric of attack against Dr. Thomas Szasz and the Church of Scientology, who co-founded CCHR (Citizens Commission on Human Rights), is the oldest Pharma diversion tactic around.  I was taught to use it by a manager when I sold Haldol (haloperidol) over twenty years ago and, apparently, that smear campaign is still alive and well today.  Can't anyone come up with any new angles?

 

The truth is, the psycho-pharmaceutical interests do not dismiss these watch-dog advocates lightly and Pharma's media "spin" machine is in constant motion counteracting their vigilant efforts...among others.  Therefore, I was not surprised to see the cheap stabs at this organization in superfluous articles appearing in the Wall Street Journal and the Tampa Tribune -- just bored with them.  However, it initially made me suspect a possible financial conflict of interest on the part of the authors, as I know Pharma often pays hefty sums of money for the penning of articles such as these in times of controversy."

 

 

[[Ho...]]

How is Gwen Olsen associated with Scientology?  I posted an article by her where she states SHE IS NOT A SCIENTOLOGIST.  She laughs at the notion as a smear tactic.

 

But Colin took down that post.  Why did he do it?

 

Please let me know how Gwen Olsen is associated with Scientology.

 

 

 

Well, you can do a quick search on the net and you will see her being presented with an award by the CCHR. Kelly Preston (a very well known Scientologist) is presenting her with the award. She has also acknowledged she has been associated with CCHR (and received the award I mentioned) which is a known organization started by Scientology as a front to push their agenda. As I said, if you read this thread this all has already been discussed. Colin has given all this information and more regarding Gwen, in several posts on this thread. I suggest you read them.

[[JC...]]

How is Gwen Olsen associated with Scientology?  I posted an article by her where she states SHE IS NOT A SCIENTOLOGIST.  She laughs at the notion as a smear tactic.

 

But Colin took down that post.  Why did he do it?

 

Please let me know how Gwen Olsen is associated with Scientology.

 

 

 

Well, you can do a quick search on the net and you will see her being presented with an award by the CCHR. Kelly Preston (a very well known Scientologist) is presenting her with the award. She has also acknowledged she has been associated with CCHR (and received the award I mentioned) which is a known organization started by Scientology as a front to push their agenda. As I said, if you read this thread this all has already been discussed. Colin has given all this information and more regarding Gwen, in several posts on this thread. I suggest you read them.

 

So what if Kelly Preston is giving her an award?  If anyone here knows a Scientologist or if a Scientologist agrees with someone's position on pharmaceuticals (especially an informed person like Gwen Olsen), that takes away a person's credibility?

 

Again, the original video post made no mention of Scientology.  It was Gwen Olsen, a former Pharma Sales Rep, discussing her addiction to Xanax.

 

Here is Gwen Olsen speaking again

 

"Since I began speaking out about the drugging of our children with the publishing of my book,Confessions of an Rx Drug Pusher, in 2005, I have been labeled a lot of different things. **First, I was accused of being a Scientologist after receiving a human rights award from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights in 2007.** Subsequently, I was dropped like a hot potato by a mainstream Christian publisher that I was negotiating with to re-publish my book. This label greatly amused me considering I had previously sold psychiatric drugs for Pharma.

 

Next, I was accused on a number of blogs and viewer’s comments under YouTube videos I released, of being a radical, charismatic Christian because of my upbringing and use of Biblical scripture in response to the fundamentalist critics who had accused me of being a Scientologist!

 

Then, I was accused of attending a New Age church when a popular Christian poet declined my request to use of one his poems in my book. Apparently, the Web site of the Unity Church I attended did not pass muster upon review and he deemed it to appear “New Age”. None of these characterizations of me or my belief systems were accurate. In fact, I consider myself a sovereign spiritual being.

 

However, there is no label that makes me chuckle harder than to be called a “conspiracy theorist”. If they only knew, I think to myself. There are many days that I would gladly put that rabbit back into the hat if I could! It is painful enough to be awake and empathic to the horrors taking place all around me. But to be attacked and ridiculed by a zombified collective of brain-dead idiots while I am trying to alert their asses to the dangers all around them, can be very frustrating at times. Yes, I realize that I must forge on and continue to sound the alarm to whomever is willing to listen–labels and personal discomfort be damned! So, I do it for our children. I do it for the human race!"

 

 

[[Ho...]]

Look Curley,

 

This has all been discussed on this thread. Your questions have been answered many times by Colin on other posts on this thread. This is our policy. What Gwen has to say about it doesn't matter as far as our policies are concerned. She is/was affiliated with CCHR. She accepted their award. CCHR affiliated with Scientology, therefore the link to that video was deactivated. If you have very strong feelings that we are being unfair, then I'm sorry but this is our policy.

 

Colin might have more to say about this when he's online later but I can tell you that it's very unlikely that any argument here will change his mind on this. I support his policies.

[[ru...]]

I'm assuming you read our policies before you registered?

 

uv got to be joking and i believe u believe this as much as anybody could believe that there is a single person in the world who ever read the entire terms and agreements to an Apple Inc product before using there software. especially in the condition that most people join this board it is even more unlikely that anybody reads the poilcies even if they agree to them.

[[Ho...]]

We do have members who read our policies. I read them before I joined. If you didn't then that's your bad. In any event, you know them now. Right?

[[ru...]]

We do have members who read our policies. I read them before I joined. If you didn't then that's your bad. In any event, you know them now. Right?

 

i'v certainty learned a lot of them here and i agree to them, but i don't have to like em

[[JC...]]

Look Curley,

 

This has all been discussed on this thread. Your questions have been answered many times by Colin on other posts on this thread. This is our policy. What Gwen has to say about it doesn't matter as far as our policies are concerned. She is/was affiliated with CCHR. She accepted their award. CCHR affiliated with Scientology, therefore the link to that video was deactivated. If you have very strong feelings that we are being unfair, then I'm sorry but this is our policy.

 

Colin might have more to say about this when he's online later but I can tell you that it's very unlikely that any argument here will change his mind on this. I support his policies.

 

Hope,

 

It's not personal.  Really.

 

I am suffering horribly at the hands of these drugs.  It sux.

 

Of course, after my experience, I want to WARN THE WHOLE WORLD about what I am going through.

 

Just because some person got handed a stupid trophy by some lady who is involved with a whacky religion, why would anyone care?

 

Ok, that's the board's policy.  I won't bother kicking the dead horse anymore.

 

But, please, allow me to have the opinion that the whole thing is just weird.

 

I just think by its nature, BenzoBuddies would be considered generally anti-psych drug (of course not in every case, but in general).  And no matter what Colin does,

the Pharma industry is going to attack the board because the board exposes the very bad side of psychiatric drugs.

 

After suffering what we have suffered (if people have really suffered), it would be a little off the wall not to be primarily anti-psych drug (I'll bet most people on this board are -- even if

they won't admit it for worry they will get kicked out).

 

For example, I have to run about 7 or 8 miles a day right now just to be able to put a sentence together.  I know it's the benzos.

 

Am I against psych drugs?

 

You bet!

 

If that gets me get kicked off this board, so be it.  I still got a Facebook page and a megaphone!

 

And thanks for letting me at least post my opinion even though you don't agree.  Overall, the board has been a good thing for me.  This thing just surprised me.

 

Ok, nuff said.  No more Gwen Olsen posts (at least on BenzoBuddies).  :-)

 

[[Ho...]]

We do have members who read our policies. I read them before I joined. If you didn't then that's your bad. In any event, you know them now. Right?

 

i'v certainty learned a lot of them here and i agree to them, but i don't have to like em

 

Nope, you don't have to like them, rubberduck. I hope you can overlook this policy and get the support you need from the forum. We are truly here to help and support our members. I realize that not all policies will be understood or agreed upon by members but for the most part they can live with them in order to get the help they need and deserve. I hope this is the case for you as well. 

[[Ho...]]

Look Curley,

 

This has all been discussed on this thread. Your questions have been answered many times by Colin on other posts on this thread. This is our policy. What Gwen has to say about it doesn't matter as far as our policies are concerned. She is/was affiliated with CCHR. She accepted their award. CCHR affiliated with Scientology, therefore the link to that video was deactivated. If you have very strong feelings that we are being unfair, then I'm sorry but this is our policy.

 

Colin might have more to say about this when he's online later but I can tell you that it's very unlikely that any argument here will change his mind on this. I support his policies.

 

Hope,

 

It's not personal.  Really.

 

I am suffering horribly at the hands of these drugs.  It sux.

 

Of course, after my experience, I want to WARN THE WHOLE WORLD about what I am going through.

 

Just because some person got handed a stupid trophy by some lady who is involved with a whacky religion, why would anyone care?

 

Ok, that's the board's policy.  I won't bother kicking the dead horse anymore.

 

But, please, allow me to have the opinion that the whole thing is just weird.

 

I just think by its nature, BenzoBuddies would be considered generally anti-psych drug (of course not in every case, but in general).  And no matter what Colin does,

the Pharma industry is going to attack the board because the board exposes the very bad side of psychiatric drugs.

 

After suffering what we have suffered (if people have really suffered), it would be a little off the wall not to be primarily anti-psych drug (I'll bet most people on this board are -- even if

they won't admit it for worry they will get kicked out).

 

For example, I have to run about 7 or 8 miles a day right now just to be able to put a sentence together.  I know it's the benzos.

 

Am I against psych drugs?

 

You bet!

 

If that gets me get kicked off this board, so be it.  I still got a Facebook page and a megaphone!

 

And thanks for letting me at least post my opinion even though you don't agree.  Overall, the board has been a good thing for me.  This thing just surprised me.

 

Ok, nuff said.  No more Gwen Olsen posts (at least on BenzoBuddies).  :-)

 

 

I replied to your PM, Curly. 

 

As I said in that PM no one is going to get banned or kicked off the board for arguing this point as long as it's done in a respectful way...which has been the case during this discussion. It takes a lot for a member to be banned and this isn't even close to that so don't worry about that. 

[[Co...]]

there certainly r a lot of points here that r probably worth responding to but with a line by Colin like this who is the owner of this board; "If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else" i can't c how i could respond as i am admittedly anti-psychiatry and anti-psych-med.

 

Of course it is your right to hold such views, and you can even state that you hold those views in this thread- you just cannot promote those views at BenzoBuddies. This is why I deactivated (made non-clickable) those links. The links remain transparent and can be copy/pasted to your browser Web address bar.

 

that being said i had no idea until a few weeks ago that there was a policy against anti-psychiatry here when i had links removed and since then i haven't written anything about it that i can remember and have shied away from the subject this thread. i also had no idea who Colin was until now and i don't think he's a bad person even though i very much disagree with him and many others on this thread.

 

I avoid promotion of my position at this community - after all, it is not about me.

 

I have made our policies on this matter as clear as possible. They form part of the registration agreement. The Agreement is written in plain English, is only as long as needs to be, and formatted for easy reading. I understand that many people choose not to read such agreements (I sometimes fail to do this myself), but we should then be willing to accept the consequences.

 

Here are the two relevant rules (as featured within the Registration Agreement):

 

• Although we are not "an anti-benzo website", we are dedicated to help those who wish to quit benzodiazepines. We therefore require that you do not promote the use of benzodiazepines within our community, as this would be at odds with our Mission Statement.
   
   
  
• Whilst some of our members report negative experiences with doctors, psychiatrists, or the wider medical profession, and although we do not wish to outlaw comments about how members feel let down or mistreated in their personal medical care, you are not permitted to use this community as a platform to spread general anti-doctor or anti-psychiatry propaganda. Nor should you, unless you are posting a recommendation, name those involved in your healthcare. For more about this policy, please read our Anti-doctor, Anti-psychiatrist and Anti-medicine Comments notice.

 

The first rule in the above links to our Mission Statement:

 

BenzoBuddies provides an inclusive and nonjudgmental mutual support environment for those who wish to withdraw from benzodiazepines. Members of our community forum exchange ideas, information, and encouragement with each other during the withdrawal process. The BenzoBuddies Team and fellow members will help you develop a sensible withdrawal schedule – one to suit your specific needs.

 

Although outside of the immediate scope of BenzoBuddies, our members are free to discuss all their medications and medical needs, and the complications that arise from poly-drug use and withdrawal.

 

BenzoBuddies is not an anti-psychiatric or an anti-doctor community. Nor are we 'anti-benzodiazepine', as such. Taking or quitting a medicine should be a personal decision made in consultation with a suitably qualified medical practitioner. BenzoBuddies seeks to provide information and support to help the benzodiazepine-dependent to safely taper off and enjoy a new benzo-free life.

 

The second rule links to our Anti-doctor, Anti-psychiatrist and Anti-medicine Comments policy document.

 

I published our first formal policy document about anti-psychiatry and anti-psych-meds comments in May 2009 - though, we had rules about this matter from when we opened in 2004.

 

but that one line quote up there really says it all and i just can't argue with that. its straight forward and all though i don't agree with hardly anything Colin or others who take the opposite potion of mine here said i can agree that Colin is the guy who runs the board and if he says "take it somewhere else" then that's what i'm going to do.

 

You don't have to agree with the rules, just abide by them. BenzoBuddies exists to help all those wishing to gain support during withdrawal from benzodiazepines. Very many of our members take other psychoactive medications - I simply will not allow propaganda which seeks to pressure them into quitting their meds - this even includes benzodiazpines.

 

anyway i didn't join this board to talk about psychiatry in the first place and i don't have any memberships on any other boards or socials networks in regards to this or anything so its not the biggest deal to have this shut out as its not something that i have to talk about.

 

There is no problem and no consequences with you stating your view in this thread. We just will not allow the promotion of such views at BenzoBuddies - this includes links to propagandist web resources.

[[Co...]]

Who sponsors this board anyway?  I wonder.  For all we know, Merck and Pfizer could be backing this board to monitor people who are having trouble with their drugs.

 

I pay for it myself, and always have done. I have never accepted donations from anyone in the running of this website.

 

This statement is something else: "If you have an anti-psych-med, anti-psychiatry agenda, take it somewhere else"

 

After all that many of us have been through, why wouldn't there be many people on this board that have an anti-psych-med position?

 

BenzoBuddies is a support group. It does not exist to spread anti-psychiatry propaganda. Every community has rules.

 

Imagine, you're told on this board what opinion you're allowed to have?  It's ludicrous.

 

Perhaps you'd like to point out where you have been told "what opinion you're allowed to have"! We simply do not allow some very specific content here. That's completely sensible. You agreed to this when you joined here.

 

Just YouTube Gwen Olsen's discussion of her battle with Xanax.  Her story is like many people's story here.

 

How many of our members have been involved in the running and promotion of CCHR agenda? Gwen Olsen acted as a spokesperson for CCHR. whyweprotest.net also report that Olsen was on the CCHR board.

 

Ever go to a psych ward?  Watch the people shuffle their feet as they line up for their medicine twice a day.

 

You think psych-meds are helping those people?  I've seen it with my own eyes.  Psych meds are clearly making these people zombies.

 

More Aunt Sally (straw man) arguments.

 

All I know, is psych-meds made me much worse.  They are dangerous and over prescribed.  Almost everyone I know that has been prescribed benzos has had a battle with them

and lots of symptoms.

 

The relating of personal experiences and expression of personal opinions are fine.

 

Gwen Olsen is a hero.  The moderators on this board: I have no idea where they are coming from or who chooses them.

 

New team members are suggested by the existing team and chosen by the admins. With rare exception, the only people I choose for the team are the Admins.

[[Co...]]

I saw that video by Gwen Olsen before I read here she was into Scientology, and even though I don't like her arrogance at times she does make some valid points and there's nothing in her video that should not be heard, so I don't really understand why the link was disabled. Based on that video alone there was no reason to do so.

 

I also saw the video before I heard anyone accuse her of being a stooge. The video stands on its own and is worthwhile on its own. Nowhere in the video or in her book does Gwen Olsen promote scientology.

 

So... I agree that the link was disabled for reasons not in the video itself.

 

Totally 100% accurate assessment.

 

Gwen Olsen is an advocate for CCHR (and was actively involved with CCHR). CCHR is a Scientology created and funded front-group, whose aim is outlaw all psychiatric practice and medicine. You cannot be involved with CCHR and not be associated with Scientology. Again, CCHR is wholly owned and operated by Scientology.

 

I am constantly reminded of the Groundhog Day movie!

[[Fl...]]

I am suffering horribly at the hands of these drugs.  It sux.

 

Of course, after my experience, I want to WARN THE WHOLE WORLD about what I am going through.

 

The vast majority of us here are here for the same reason, are in the same position and feel the same way. You want to spread the word? We all do. You just have to be careful how you do that if you want to be taken seriously.