CONNECTICUT – This month marks the fourth anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. On an otherwise typical New England day, in a quiet town, 20 first-graders and six educators were gunned down. One of the worst mass murders in American history. Yet, years later shootings continue.
Nothing has changed. No gun laws have been passed to avoid loopholes. In addition, we still are not addressing the real issues affecting our mental health. It is though we are at a loss at what to do about our mental health problem in this country. So, the time is now. We need to change in the way treat mental illness in this country. Our lives depend on it.
Our Mental Health Epidemic: What Medical Issues Are We Ignoring?
The Truth
Our food industry is killing us. And, our mental health system is leading us away from the truth.
Monsanto/Bayer is a chemical company that should have stayed in the carpet business. Instead of relying solely on mediation, our medical doctors should return to practicing traditional healing practices. Our food companies and drug companies have zero interest in getting us well. In fact, psychiatric medications aimed at reducing attention issues, anxiety, depression and anger often make us worse. These companies have no interest in educating us about prevention. Nor, are they in the business of creating cures.
Disease equals big money! Drug companies have set out to discredit alternative medicine. Especially, in those areas of greatest drug profits. They make their biggest profit on cancer, psychiatric, and allergy medications. These companies aren’t only in the business of saving lives. They’re also in the business of inflating the profit margins on their drugs as much as possible.
According to research firms, these drug companies use the term “scientific evidence” as a political definition to control the FDA and National Institutes of Health. The companies buy investigative journalists with their advertising. They offer expensive trips, and steep payments to speak on their behalf. They block financial contributions by using terms like “unproven treatments.” In addition, many “charitable organizations” are completely controlled along with Congress. These are only some of the practices of the large drug companies that spend millions of dollars to implement carefully designed plans. R. Webster Kehr of the Independent Cancer Research Foundation says, “The FDA, NIH, NCI, ACS and medical schools are their puppets.” .
Our medical doctors are left in the dark because their textbooks are written by pharmaceutical companies. When it comes to health, our medical system is clueless.
My own son began exhibiting angry, obsessive – compulsive, and eccentric behaviors. I felt desperate to help him. However, I knew medication had potential side-effects. Working for over ten years in the Psychiatrists office, I recognized medication was the only tool in their toolbox. So, I wondered about natural medicine. I started reading numerous medical journal articles and posts on the Internet from mothers who found alternative and natural treatments genuinely helpful. While I was skeptical at first, the potential rewards were so high that these methods outside the mainstream seemed well worth trying.
It was obvious that the mainstream doctors weren’t reading the books or scientific articles I was. There is so much research demonstrating the link between mental illness and nutritional deficiencies and toxicity. It becomes obvious that intestinal distress, autoimmune issues, food intolerance, and the exposure to food additives and environmental chemicals are to blame. Yet, our doctors still turn to potentially dangerous medication first. Many studies demonstrate that medications can often lead to more psychotic behavior.
One study concludes that medication used to treat certain mood disorders and irritability associated with autism disorders can induce psychosis and depression in certain children. Another study finds that stimulants used in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can induce psychosis. In addition, an article in the American Journal of Psychiatry states, ” individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar or schizophrenia who were prescribed stimulants during childhood typically have a significantly early onset of the psychotic disorder and suffer a more severe clinical course of the disorder.”
If we are willing to move away from conventional medicine, we can help prevent tragedies like the one in Sandy Hook, CT.
Looking at Adam Lanza and others like him, we realize their profiles are hauntingly similar. First off, most were on medication for a presumed mental illness. Second, mass killers are often seen as socially isolated loners. Many have a history of struggling to connect with others and making real friends, and exhibit traits of OCD and Asperger’s Syndrome. They become obsessed with violent video games, guns and mass shootings. They are often bitter at a world. And, they believe the world is working against them.
We see their “cold, blank and vacant stare.” The lack of light reflecting from their eyes depicting health, depth and warmth. As described by Kenneth Bock M.D. in his book, Healing New Childhood Epidemics, this is often indicative of an unhealthy individual. Often these individuals suffer with food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, toxicity and other underlying medical illnesses. Therefore, it is important to find a naturopathic physician or an integrative medical doctor like Dr. Bock. These doctors take the whole person into account. They treat the body, mind, and spirit. Integrative medicine makes use of all appropriate therapies both conventional and alternative. It is a healing-oriented medical approach that seeks to treat ADD/ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders and paranoia successfully without the use of medication.
Time to take better care of those that are diagnosed.
We must recognize that not every person diagnosed with Asperger’s or mental illness will commit such violence. However, we need to take better care of those that are diagnosed. It should be our goal to help prevent a future Sandy Hook shooting. It is time that we do better and take a deeper look at what is plaguing our youth.
Hence, our doctors should look for food sensitivities, neurotransmitter imbalances and nutritional deficiencies. These can trigger depression, paranoia and violent behavior. We need to focus on boosting our gut health – the house of the immune system. This is where 95% of our happy hormone – serotonin lives. Practitioners should encourage a healthy diet, free from pesticides, chemicals, preservatives and artificial dyes that contribute to psychiatric symptoms. It is time we test for and treat numerous genetic mutations often plaguing us. The MAO-A “Warrior Gene” and the MTHFR mutation disrupts the brain.
We also need to properly access for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders associated with Epstein Barr, Streptococcal Infections and Lyme Disease. Viruses and bacterial infections can wreak havoc on our health and our brain – leading to rage and violent behavior.
Hence, proper testing and treatment can make all the difference. We need more long term treatment facilities and access to an integrative treatment team. And, our insurance policies should cover such services. Our national is in crisis! Therefore, I am calling for more due diligence in our healthcare system. Simply handing out medications to address symptoms and hoping the client follows through with recommended weekly individual psychotherapy appointments, is simply not enough.
I am on a mission.
In 2012, I began counseling family members and first responders after the devastating tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This led me to finish my book Healing without Hurting. I consult with thousands of moms through social media and conduct workshops for medical professionals to teach them about holistic and natural solutions for healing mental illness and spectrum disorders. I know from experience that addressing underlying medical issues significantly enhances the life, the health and the happiness of our children and our family. In addition, I know my mission has been successful in helping to prevent such tragedies.
Jennifer Giustra-Kozek is a board-certified psychotherapist with a Master of Science in Counseling and a Bachelor’s degree in English/Criminal Justice. She has worked in private practice for over 15 years treating clients with an array of mental health disorders including Asperger’s, depression, anxiety, OCD and ADHD. More recently she is the author of an award winning book, entitled Healing Without Hurting: Treating ADHD, Apraxia, and Autism Spectrum Disorders Naturally and Effectively without Harmful Medication. She is also a national speaker for universities & national conferences: conducting workshops for parents, teachers, and other healthcare practitioners. She has written numerous articles, has done nervous webcasts and has been interviews by Fox and NBC.
In 2012, she began counseling families and first responders after the devastating tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This led her to finish her book and consult with thousands of moms through social media to teach them about alternative and natural solutions for healing autism spectrum disorders. Since the creation of her page on Facebook called, “Healing ADHD & Asperger’s Without Hurting,” Kozek has amassed a following of over 100,000 weekly visitors, who turn to her for guidance and support as they desperately search for help for their children.
