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Katie Couric investigates death of Rebecca Riley
On the CBS television show "60 Minutes" on 30 September 2007, Katie Couric looks into the death of four-year-old Rebecca Riley who was given multiple psychiatric drugs after being diagnosed "bipolar." The parents were charged with murder.
Four-year-old Rebecca Riley whose death investigated by 60 Minutes.
An online debate began on the CBS web site about this story. You may easily comment on the CBS web site, and also read information about the story itself, by clicking here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/28/60minutes/main3308525.shtml
Go to the bottom of that page to "COMMENTS" to "post your own."
PLEASE NOTE that you are limited to 1500 characters (use can use "word count" in MS Word to check the number of characters in your comment).
Below is a comment by MindFreedom director David Oaks posted on the CBS web site:
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There is an emergency of over-use of psychiatric drugging of children and youth in the USA. Let's hear from youth who have been on the receiving end of abuse about what they would have preferred to help them reach their own well being.
A root of the problem is that as a society we have turned over authority for mental well being to a fairly small group of experts. It''s time for democracy -- for ''we the people'' -- to become familiar with the subject of mental and emotional well being.
Why did the World Health Organization show -- in two studies -- that people with severe problems have a better chance of recovery in poor and developing countries?
Why are some youth in the USA actually receiving "aversive therapy" (see front cover of current Mother Jones magazine)?
I encourage viewers to go deeper. Check out some of the INDEPENDENT critics of the psychiatric system such as by googling our own coalition MindFreedom and some of our 100 sponsor groups such as NARPA, ICSPP and PsychRights. This is my 31st year doing human rights in mental health. Once upon a time I was a teen getting over-drugged by the psychiatric system.
This is not a civil war between those who are ''for prescribed psychiatric drugs'' and those who are ''against''. This ought to be a nonviolent revolution to save the mental and emotional well being of America''s kids.
- Sincerely, David W. Oaks, Director, MindFreedom International
