More Medical Evidence Disproving the "Chemical Imbalance" Theory

Eating disorders are still not caused by "chemical imbalances", folks. Is there a chemical basis for "mental disorders"? Nope.

Peter Breggin, M.D. (1997), was formerly a teaching fellow at Harvard Medical School and full-time consultant with the National Institute of Mental Health. As author of Brain Disabling Treatments In Psychiatry, he declares that "there are no known biochemical imbalances in the brain of typical psychiatric patients" (p. 5). Breggin was also on the National Institute of Mental Health.

Dr. William Wirshing (1999), a researcher and professor of psychiatry at UCLA, stated to a room full of psychiatrists that “we have been lying to everyone for years concerning the chemical imbalance model.” No one in the audience challenged him.

In an article approved for continuing education by the American Psychiatric Association, the author states, “We don’t know how psychotropic medications really work” (Khan, 1999).

Dr. Ty Colbert, President of the Center for Psychological Alternatives to Biopsychiatry states: “Believe it or not, it is freely admitted even within the ranks of psychiatry that no conclusive evidence exists to show that any form of mental illness is biologically caused…

In contrast, there is considerable scientific evidence to show that psychotherapy can be more effective than psychiatric medication for disorders such as depression, mania, ADHD, anxiety, and even schizophrenia.”

Top 10 Myths About Eating Disorders - Courtesy of Radiology Technician Schools

This morning, Christine Seivers, the content manager for Radiology Technician Schools blog, contacted me with an excellent article about eating disorders her site had published. I find it to be well-written and informative, and so at her request I am happy to share it with you. Do check out the original article here, which also contains an embedded video, "How Can Bulimia Make Someone Gain Weight?"

As this article comes from the medical community and not the biblical counseling world, take careful note of the fact it cites the disproven theory that eating disorders are genetic (more to come this week on the 'chemical imbalance' hypothesis rejected by physicians).



Here is the article:

"Eating disorders are becoming increasingly common in Western societies. Despite educators' efforts to create greater awareness of anorexia and bulimia, there still remains a great deal of misunderstanding and misinformation surrounding the facts and consequences of the disorders. In order to get to the root of the problem, more people need to recognize the symptoms, victims, and treatments. That involves dispelling false notions and pervasive societal myths.


1.Eating Disorders Are Limited to Women: Although eating disorders are most prevalent in women, men are in no way immune to them. Men, one million of them in 2005, relentlessly tried to perfect their body image by excessively working out, eating less, or even throwing up their food after a large meal. According to The Wall Street Journal, many men are no longer acting as caretakers in a relationship — a greater number of women than men are excelling in both university education and the work force. With higher salaries and higher education, many women no longer find themselves financially dependent on men. In fact, they are often earning more than their male counterparts. Sometimes men try to compensate for this role reversal by perfecting their bodies. A muscular, slim man can definitely symbolize dominance and overall strength.

2.People with Eating Disorders Always Look Underweight: As described by Womenshealth.gov, an online resource provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, many bulimics are normal weight. In fact, some may even look chubby or a bit overweight. In addition to bulimics, those men and women that exercise excessively and count every single calorie may not look emaciated. The media often only shows the most extreme cases of anorexia nervosa in television and movies. There are some signs that you can look for in bulimics, such as: swollen cheeks, overtly clear teeth, and broken blood vessels in the eyes. However, these symptoms are not always obvious.

3. Hollywood and Vogue are Responsible for Eating Disorders: True: Constant exposure to images of overtly thin supermodels and actors can affect how we view our own bodies. False: These images are the leading cause of eating disorders. This is a common misconception. Parents often blame skinny celebrities for inspiring anorexia or bulimia; however, there are many other factors that contribute to eating disorders. Many women and men starve themselves or purge after eating as a result of psychological disorders, including (but not limited to): Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Multiple Personality Disorder, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder.

4. Eating Disorders Are Hereditary: Currently, scientists are actively trying to find out if eating disorders have genetic causes. Although they have found some correlations, correlation does not imply causation. Eating disorders do not necessarily have to be genetically predetermined. Your environment can affect your eating habits and self-image as well. For example, perhaps your mom is obsessed with being unnaturally thin. It may not pass on to you genetically, but it could pass on to you because of your constant exposure to her ideas and unreal image. At the same time, don't assume that just because your sister is bulimic or anorexic, you will be too. There could be a variety of contributing factors to her disorder!

5. Dieting Will Lead to Anorexia: Many people believe dieting is a gateway habit to future anorexia or bulimia. However, eating disorders are NOT just related to concerns about eating healthy or losing a few pounds. These disorders stem from an extreme obsession with losing weight. If your mind is consistently counting calories (all day long), that would be symptomatic of anorexia. Other symptoms include lying about your food intake and constantly feeling overweight (even though you are not). If dieting always lead to anorexia, we would have many more people with eating disorders. You should not let your weight and eating habits consume you, but still be health conscious about your food intake. Moderation is essential to leading a healthy lifestyle.

6. People with Eating Disorders Do Not Eat: Although people with anorexia may not eat very much, they usually do consume at least a small amount of food during the day. Otherwise, they would appear to be emaciated at a much quicker pace. Adolescents who suffer from anorexia may just eat one really small meal in front of others. Or, anorexics may also be bulimic. They may try to please friends and family members by eating large quantities at dinner or lunch. Afterward, in order to get rid of calories, they may make themselves vomit.

7. Bulimics Only Vomit to Get Rid of Extra Calories: Many parents and friends are unaware of another common tactic bulimics use to lose weight: Laxatives. Taking laxative pills help people lose weight initially.They usually get rid of water weight. However, consistent use of these diuretics can lead to a dangerous addiction. Constant abuse leaves users feeling extremely fat and bloated every time they eat. As soon as they finish eating, they have to take pills to get rid of their meal. Celebrities like Janet Jackson have admitted to abusing these pills. This can lead to extreme dehydration and internal bleeding.

8. Bulimics Purge Everything They Eat: Because vomiting after eating only gets rid of 50% of the calories, bulimics often gain weight from their destructive cycles of purging. In fact, many bulimics who use laxatives only get rid of ten percent of their calorie intake. Those that suffer from this eating disorder believe they are getting rid of everything when they purge. They often overeat during meal times, usually 5 to 6 times more than their normal intake. Furthermore, as the video demonstrates, when your body gets used to purging, you will only lose about twenty to thirty percent of your calorie intake.

9. People Cannot die from Bulimia: Although there are many unfortunate media stories describing deaths from anorexia nervosa, there is little information about deaths from bulimia. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, a person with bulimia can be at high risk for sudden death. Purging can be extremely destructive on the heart. It can also cause electrolyte imbalances. The New York Times article reports that bulimia can definitely result in death. Fortunately, Melissa Avrin's mom is adding to the short list of movies focusing on bulimia.

10. Eating Disorders Start at Adolescence: Eating disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent in children. As in adult eating disorders, similar factors can contribute to the same disorders in children. These factors can be environmental, psychological, and/or biological. Mothers seem to have a huge impact on young girls with eating disorders. The Agras, Hammar, and McNicolas study demonstrates that mothers with eating disorders interact differently with their children than mothers without them. Early on, they are less likely to feed their children (a normal amount) during early development stages."

Linkback: http://radiologytechnicianschools.net/10-most-pervasive-myths-about-eating-disorders/

"Chemical Imbalance" Theory Proven to be Just a Myth

With renowned psychiatrists now publically admitting that the chemical imbalance theory of depression and "mental illness" has been disproven, I thought it would be beneficial to cover this topic for readers of mine who may still believe bulimia has an organic origin. The depression you feel is, of course, due to your unhealthy and destructive behavior and the idolatry fueling it; it is not the cause.

I did not write the following; rather, it comes from prozactruth.com. Pretty much what I've been saying all along, hmm?

Also: See here for an excellent article by Chris Kresser, "The Chemical Imbalance Myth". Excellent medical research.

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Psych Drug Truth. The chemical imbalance myth? Chemical imbalance seems to mean different things to different people as well as physicians. Chemical imbalance myth? Why when a women is shown to have low estrogen levels after child birth would a Psychiatrist believe that is a chemical imbalance in the brain and prescribe an antidepressant? Would having a cold be a chemical imbalance?

Chemical imbalance.

As the debate on "chemical imbalance" escalates, I would like to pose a few questions for my readers.

If you have a cold or even the flue, do you think you have a chemical imbalance?

If you feel depressed by the loss of a loved one, do you think you have a chemical imbalance?

If you eat very poorly for 2 months and your body begins to slow you down, do you think you have a chemical imbalance?

If you have a baby and your hormones take a dive in the wrong direction, do you think you have a chemical imbalance?

In an explosive admission, American psychiatric Association President Steven Sharfstein did a 180-degree turnaround from his TODAY show interview (June 27) and admitted that there is no way to test for a “chemical imbalance” as the cause for mental disorders. PEOPLE magazine (July 11), quoted Dr. Sharfstein conceding, “We do not have a clean-cut lab test.”

What do we do with the chemical imbalance debate?

You feel bad, you are depressed, you have anxiety, you have lost a loved one and you feel very down, what do you do with that?

The FDA will not let the drug manufactures claim there is a chemical imbalance without their qualifiers.

Why?

It is only assumed there is a chemical imbalance.

It was once assumed the earth was flat. People were put to death for believing otherwise.

Today, in our scientific world, we are only able to assume chemical imbalance. This is even after the drug manufactures spending billions of dollars to try and prove their theory.

Who has something to gain by getting people to believe in the theory of chemical imbalance?

Drug manufactures and psychiatry have to profit.

The drug manufactures need to provide capital gain for their stock holders.

The psychiatrists have been using their tools of destruction for many years.

How did the chemical imbalance theory come into acceptance?

By some of the slickest marketing the world has ever seen.

The above comments are not to make less of a person suffering from depression or any other symptom. I have felt low at points in my life, just the same as any person who lives on planet earth, if they would tell the truth.

The low points and or call it depression have nothing to do with a chemical imbalance.

Does our endocrine change each and every day?

Yes it does. Don't eat lunch and your endocrine will change a little.

You could even call it unbalanced if you wish.

But it is not a chemical imbalance as being described by the drug manufactures and or psychiatry.

There are countless stories and press releases regarding chemical imbalance.

"How Does God View Eating Disorders?"

Recently, I read one of those "Research Shows" articles online which claim that eating disorders have mysterious, undetermined, biochemical causes. The piece was rife with misinformation and unsubstantiated claims, including the following:

"...Unlike a neurological disorder, which generally can be pinpointed to a specific lesion on the brain, an eating disorder likely involves abnormal activity distributed across brain systems. With increased recognition that mental disorders are brain disorders, more researchers are using tools from both modern neuroscience and modern psychology to better understand eating disorders."

As a point of fact, the conjecture that eating disorders are caused by chemical imbalances or abnormal cerebral activity is quite easy to refute. I will only touch on the lack of evidence for these claims, and then turn to the actual underlying problem.

1.) There is NO biochemical evidence, in 2 decades of research, that has ever indicated eating disorders are caused by chemical imbalances, genetic mutations, pathogens, or any other neurological abnormality;

2.) Neither SSSI nor psychotropic drugs (different forms of antidepressants) have been shown to have any effect on eating disorders whatsoever;

3.) Anti-depressants don't even help depressed people, eating disordered or not. A 2000 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry following Prozac and Selexor showed that of psychiatric patients who were prescribed medication, 24% responded well to herbal remedy St. John's Wort; 25% to Zoloft, and 30% to a placebo. Thus, a sugar pill was shown to be more helpful than the drugs.

The question of "chemical imbalance" is a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario. Since it is understood that addictions feed endorphins, the "pleasure center" of the brain, it is possible that the addictive effect of the binge, developed into a habit, has altered the brain chemistry. When re-learning to eat, the bulimic has to fight very real cravings and essentially "re-wire" her brain. In no way, however, does this indicate that the bulimic behavior was caused by chemical abnormalities. Rather, as in a drug addict's case, it points to a chemical dependency that has been caused by the behavior (and not the other way around).

Furthermore, if psychiatrists are so certain that eating disorders are 'diseases', why is diagnosis made purely based on symptoms? What diagnostic tests are used to determine the brain activity that is supposedly so abnormal? Cat Scan? MRI? Blood test? Biopsy? Tissue samples? No. Absolutely nothing. If these eating disorders are just "illnesses", why do the people who carry them feel guilty about their behavior? Would they feel guilty if they had chicken pox, or cancer? Or could it be, just perhaps, that they know, deep down inside, that they are doing something wrong, even if they are not quite sure of the reasons for their compulsion?

Knowing that I am a biblical counselor and have written a book on the Scriptural answer to food addiction, the administrator of the forum where this particular article was posted asked me to write an article on God's view of eating disorders. Let me say from the outset that God's view of eating disorders is the same as His view of all other addictions: He calls it sin. Sin is action, words, or thoughts that go against God's will and character. An addiction is a life-dominating sin.

Re-labeling 'sin' as 'disease' or 'illness' is an attempt to remove personal responsibility for the behavior. Harold Hughes, the Iowa congressman who championed health coverage for alcoholism treatment, admitted that the aggressive campaign to get alcoholism labeled as 'disease' by the American Psychiatric Association was nothing more than an attempt to get health insurance companies to pay for the treatment and thus keep foundering hospitals afloat. (It worked, by the way. More than half of health insurance expenses now go to 'mental health' care.) Those who see their bondage to drugs, alcohol or food as a 'disease' fatalistically tend to believe that they are "never recovered; always in recovery". By contrast, if we realize that this behavior is rebellion against God, in Whose image we are made, and call it what it is - sin - we may have great hope! We already know what the answer is - repentance.

Anorexia and bulimia are spiritual diseases masquerading as physical ones. In fact, for this reason, I believe the term "recovery" is slightly inaccurate and therefore I try to avoid using it. Recover has a connotation of the convalescence and passive improvement typical of physical diseases. What I hope to teach you is how to repent, so that God will restore you. Since the Bible speaks of overcoming sin, we may also use that term here. To all who are in Him, Christ promises victory, and that is our ultimate goal.

Addictions are, in fact, learned behaviors, which can be unlearned. Hopefully, we all agree that self-destructive behavior is sin. I have seen 1 Corinthians 6:19, "do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit" taken out of context and used to argue against everything from piercings to eating chips, but I don't think it's a stretch to apply it to eating disorders. The Bible always mentions "gluttony" in a negative light (see Deuteronomy 21:20; Proverbs 23:21; Matthew 11:19; Titus 1:12). In 1 Corinthians 6:20, Paul goes on to say, "Therefore honor God with your bodies". Later in the same letter he says, "But whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31). Does bulimic behavior honor or glorify God? Does it manifest self-control?

Ask yourself honestly: do I consider my behavior (binging, purging, starving or eating to excess) sinful? If so, are you really okay with continuing on in it? Biblical counselor and author Martha Peace puts the issue succinctly: "Bulimia is wrong for two reasons: First, it can cause serious medical problems such as damage to your esophagus and your teeth. Second, it is a sin because overeating is gluttony, throwing up is a lack of self-control, and wanting to be thin so badly that you are willing to sin is idolatry."

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul gives us a laundry list of what types of people, who, if they continue on in their sinful lifestyle of choice, will not inherit the Kingdom of God. He completes his litany of life-dominating sins by reminding the Corinthians, "And such were some of you." He is talking about the Christians who, before believing on Christ and turning from their sinful way of life, were controlled by things like alcohol, greed, and homosexuality. "Were" is past tense. They left this lifestyle behind. If God commands us to repent, and Scripture tells us that if we are in Christ sin no longer has the power to control us, then it must be possible to "put off" an addiction and "put on" freedom. God does not demand something from us we are incapable of giving, and perfect holiness has already been achieved by His children by Christ's death on the Cross. We are therefore exhorted in Philippians 3:16 to "live up to what we have already attained". This includes repenting of the idolatrous sins of anorexia and bulimia.

Article Source: Ezine article "How Does God View Eating Disorders?" by Marie Notcheva

“Holy Anorexia” and Sanctified Starvation

Catherine of Siena was bulimic. So was Theresa of Avila.

Did you know that? I’ll bet you didn’t know that fellow mystic, Catherine of Alexandria, is the patron “saint” of anorexics and bulimics.

One of the most bizarre chapters in Christian history is that of the Medieval ascetics. Many of these devotees to Christ and the so-called “cult of the Virgin” daily flagellated themselves, starved themselves, wore chains and hair shirts, mutilated their own bodies (particularly their sexual organs), and even purged food as an act of piety and self-denial.

Amy Indyke writes about Catherine of Siena: “This 14th century woman subjected her body to ruthless abuse and neglect throughout her life; these severe practices informed her theological constructs. Catherine does not discuss the extent of her asceticism in her writings, but the eyewitness accounts of her practices are innumerable. Her bulimia was so infamously extreme that she was reported to have shoved “twigs down her throat to bring up the food she could not bear to have rest in her stomach. Other accounts report spontaneous vomiting.” The idea of swallowing twigs and “spontaneous vomiting” denotes extreme pain caused by bloody lacerations, scratches, and the blood vessels that burst from forced vomiting. Rudolph Bell, author of Holy Anorexia, asserts that "not only did Catherine die from starvation but also from her perverse bodily mortification. She was also a flagellant who whipped herself “with chains for an hour and a half three times daily. At one time she wore a hair-shirt, but later replaced it with a chain bound to tightly about her that it embedded itself in her flesh. She reduced her sleep to approximately one half hour every two days, and used only a board for her bed.” Whipping and tightly-bound chains must have left her body bruised and torn. She believes suffering is necessary also because it imitates Christ’s paradigm, embodied by his crucifixion, and facilitates the Soul’s reintegration with God.” (Emphasis mine).
<== A heavily "re-touched" picture of Catherine of Siena

This kind of twisted thinking is difficult to fathom, even for the unregenerate mind. Self-destructive behavior is sinful, and the idea that it was held as a sign of holiness is a perversion, obviously, of biblical truth. Elevating starving and purging to the level of virtue is a twisting, a bastardization of the spiritual discipline of fasting and self-control (which is one of the fruits of the Spirit).

“In the medieval period, the control, renunciation, and torture of the body were understood not so much as a rejection of the physical, but as a way of achieving the divine…Theresa of Avila began frequently to use twigs of olives to induce vomiting and completely empty her stomach. In this way she was able to truly take into herself the Host, which became her unique source of sustenance. From an investigation of the conduct of 170 Italian medieval saints by Rudolph Bell (1985), fully one half of them exhibited symptoms of anorexia.” (Mario Reda,“Anorexia and the Holiness of Saint Catherine of Siena”).

Without getting into a lengthy discussion of medieval mysticism and why altered states of consciousness are demonic, (Ray Yungen does an excellent job of addressing this subject in “A Time of Departing”, as does Dave Hunt in “The Seduction of Christianity”), suffice to say that contemplative spirituality, which gripped the Roman church and thousands of pious young women during the Middle Ages, is a counterfeit trap of Satan. The lure of mysticism arises from it’s emphasis on personal experience, and is essentially a flesh-pleasing form of spirituality. Subtly, all biblical principals are misconstrued or ignored – the soul is seduced with the promise of “union with the divine”. Extreme fasting has traditionally been a part of this practice, which elevates altered states of consciousness to a holy rite.

The TRUE face of anorexia

Since the mystical practices associated with “sanctified starvation” are so clearly demonic – levitation; self-mutilation; demonic attacks – is it not logical that the eating disordered behavior these “contemplative saints” practiced was of the devil, as well? Here’s why:

1. Humans were made in the image of God.

2. Satan wants to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10) children of God.

3. One way he attempts this “revenge” against God is by harming you physically (even killing you, if possible).

When writing my book, I discussed at length the fact that Satan cannot make the believer do anything, but he can tempt you to harm yourself. This is especially effective if he has convinced the believer that the self-harm is a good thing, or has spiritual value (on some level, many women today believe that self-starvation is a noble, if not spiritual practice). One of the main ways the devil has operated from the beginning is by twisting God’s words and thus brainwashing His children.

<==A "holy woman", or one desperately in need of help?

I am convinced this is what happened among the medieval mystics, secluded in their austere convents. They were not reading God’s Word, which was forbidden at the time, but instead were relying heavily on their subjective, ecstatic experience. Furthermore, the notion that they, as sinners, could participate by physical suffering in Christ’s redemption of humanity belies an almost incredible hubris on their part. From the scant amount of research I’ve done on these Catholic ascetics/contemplatives, I am convinced that many of them were demon-possessed (or at least suffering demonic oppression). Out of body experiences are one of the characteristics of occultism, and combined with the unscriptural practices of the monastic life, demonization was the natural result.

“….a certain level of pain and suffering through careful dieting may be required. Women are not forced to do this by male religious authorities. This is not masochism either. On the contrary, young anorexics and bulemics believe that their pain brings them closer to God, for self-inflicted suffering imitates Christ’s own pain and suffering on the Cross. Saint Catherine is therefore the patron saint of anorexics. Modern women have a tendency to suffer guilt and remorse when they diet, instead of regarding it as a healthy spiritual process. Such suffering is unnecessary if modern women can learn that through the pain of the Eucharist and fasting that they can attain that higher mystical state. Women must learn to renounce food while the men must renounce power.” (“Voices and Saints”, emphasis mine).

How food and spirituality became intertwined is an interesting historical subject, but the spirituality ascribed to self-starvation did not begin with 20th century Western culture. I like to think, though, that no woman today purges in the Name of Christ. It is inconceivable to me that these “holy” women are canonized as saints; their purging and cutting given sacred value.

As a Christian counselor, it is particularly bizarre to me seeing how the concept of faith and holiness has historically been perverted to sanctify anorexia and bulimia. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20). Ladies, self-starvation, mutilation (including cutting), induced vomiting, and excessive restricting is not God’s will for you, and it never was. It is a false idol, an impure practice and is destructive to your body – the temple of the Holy Spirit. There is NO virtue in this practice, and it makes so one one iota holier – only progressively enslaved to sin. You cannot live the abundant life Christ promised – which includes obedience to Him and service to others – if you starving and purging yourself to death.

Catherine of Siena starved herself to death, by the way – in “atonement for the Church’s sins”. Look it up – it’s historical fact.

Hills Don't Make People Bulimic

I just got back from the store, where a the cover of a popular magazine caught my eye. The headline proclaimed: Stephanie Pratt: "The Hills Made Me Bulimic".

Now....I don't know who Stephanie Pratt is, and I've never seen "The Hills". (My daughter may have heard of her). However, the fallacy of her claim is all too revealing of society's attitude towards eating disorders.

Myth # 1: Society is responsible. This is unbiblical, to put it mildly. Eating disorders are, at the end of the day, worship disorders. A bulimic or anorexic has set up an idol in her heart, which needs to be torn down in Christ's power. We are called to live in this world but not be of it - consequently, what's most important to us will reveal where our treasure is. Whether you live in Beverly Hills or Indonesia, God calls you to value what He values and define beauty biblically.

Myth # 2: Someone can be "driven" to an eating disorder. Convenient cop-out, but it falls apart under scrutiny. Most certainly, images in the media and expectations placed on us by others serve as external factors which influence us (the younger a girl is, the more susceptible she is), but ultimately we each answer for our own decisions and sinful choices (Ezekiel 18:20). A mother's scathing criticism of a chubby youngster may wound deeply, well into adulthood. Emotional abuse leaves the deepest scars of all, and we may turn to self-destructive behavior out of anger, fear of man, vanity or bitterness. But correlation does not equal causation.

Myth # 3: A person can be "made" to be anorexic or bulimic. This myth is similar to #2, and is the result of blame-shifting and the "victim" culture in which we live. There is not a single example in the Bible of a person forcing another to sin. We are all born both with a sin nature and a free will. By nature, people love darkness rather than light (John 3:19) and apart from Christ are incapable of overcoming that tendency to please the flesh.

I hope that Miss Pratt re-learns healthy eating habits, but more importantly, I hope that she will turn to Christ to restore her spiritually.

Side-note: The lower insert photo claims to be a 5'7" Stephanie down to 100 lbs. Impossible. A woman who stands 5'7" would not have breasts at 100 lbs. and her ribs, clavicle and sternum would be much more prominent. I know what 5'5" and 100 lbs. looks like, and it's a lot worse than that. Why do these magazines see the need to exaggerate? Knowingly or not, they are glorifying and sensationalizing eating disorders - making them seem "Hollywood chic". This is not an accurate picture of what bondage looks like.