Secular Psychiatry

Pastafarian Niko Alm

2011-07-17T22:26:00.004+01:00

It is most amusing that this man has managed to keep a straight face on this photograph, but the issue is a serious one of equality. The laws in Europe are so varied as to what is allowed and what is not on official documents. In UK Sikhs can wear a turban instead of proper helmet when riding police motorbike. In France on passport photographs one has to show hair. And so on. Niko Alm is also officially certified as sane which is more than what some psychiatrists can claim for themselves.

Beatification of John Paul II

2011-05-02T20:12:00.011+01:00

Beatification of John Paul II has come at the time when Catholic church is seeing rapidly declining interest. Church attendance has declined as well as recruitment into priesthood. This means reduced income for the church at the time of record payments being made to compensate victims of sexual abuse by clergy. The beatification dates are highly symbolic. May Day celebrations originate from prehistoric times. It has always been necessary to measure time for agricultural and hunting purposes.In prehistoric times this was done using astronomy. Year was probably divided into sixteen months. The time was measured in terms of solstices and equinoxes. The days which fell in between solstice and equinox were called quarter days. May day is such a point and denotes the start of summer. Many prehistoric sites have large stones to mark such passage of time. Large stones are arranged in circles, henge, but sometimes rows. May Day sun declination is +16 67 +- 0.14 and stones helped to mark the point in time. Festivities amongst Celts and others have various symbols of fertility such as Maypole associated with quarter days in May. During periods of Christianity many pagan festivals were taken up and somewhat modified. It is said one must not fish on May Day. Fish is symbol of Christ. May Day celebrations were forbidden at different times in history such as during protestant opposition to Catholicism. So, I am not surprised that May Day was chosen for the beatification. The pleasure element of May Day did not appeal to puritans. They banned it. It is interesting to read that allegedly the sign that John Paul II should be beatified was that on of the nuns who attended to him in his final days and had Parkinson's disease recovered allegedly miraculously. Of course, doctors do know that signs of Parkinson's Disease such as trembling can come from various types of poisoning. Some sedative medication can cause it as a side effect. When medication is stopped the signs of parkinsonism go away usually. Maybe it was stressful looking after the Pope and nun needed some sedation, or was given medication for another condition and it caused the symptoms as a side effect. Click here to read about just a small selection of toxins that can cause parkinsonism. May Day is also symbolic of work such as planting. In secular states May Day was designated as Labour Day, International Workers Day, and much celebrated with spectacular military parades in communist countries (and time off work for a day or two) and HERE. The presence of Polish ex union leader Lech Walensa and Mugabe who was a socialist at some point in his political career is symbolic of Catholic power over communism which opposed religion as Opium of the people. Both Walensa and Mugabe were raised as Catholics. Mugabe opposed homosexuality and his predecessor was found guilty in court of many offences of sodomy.

GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL AND SWEARING ON THE BIBLE

2010-12-27T18:23:00.009Z

Following years of religious privileges at the General Medical Council, UK, and the persecutions of the innocent doctors by the religious left, now the General Medical Council has put a Bible on its website in the section on helping the witnesses. Now click here to watch Mr George Carlin on the subject of Stop Swearing on the Bible The rise of the religious fundamentalism has been noted in the last ten years in the world and so has the deterioration in human rights. At the General Medical Council doctors run the risk of being declared mad simply for being critical of some religious practice or local NHS small lords while doing this in the interest of the patients. Women are more at risk than men of being declared mad but this is to be expected from a sexist organization which would employ people who applaud their own narcissistic image. Most religions are patriarchal and asserting religious supremacy as the General Medical Council has done now has a number of political motives, one of which is to sabotage the reforms that the new government wants to make to this notoriously poorly performing body in the eyes of those who have experienced that dark side of controlling the freedom of thought by the state organs. Discrimination against freethinkers/atheists is rife in medical profession and having the Bible and other religious texts for witnesses opens witnesses just to that discrimination. A bit like declaring one is a homosexual to homophobes. So the whole thing is really not just silly but actually nasty.

Men wearing make up by Dr Helen Bright

2010-12-13T01:40:00.008Z

Men wearing make up look sexy and cool, but in some countries this leads to arrest and persecution. Seven men were recently arrested in Sudan for taking part in a fashion show wearing make up. They were all fined, including the woman who was their make up artist. There is also a possibility of additional 40 lashes each. Men have worn make up for thousands of years. The earliest historical evidence is probably Egyptian around 3500BC. The purpose of wearing make up was not just aesthetic. Some make up was believed to contain medicinal properties. Eye make up for men was of different types. Some was thought to act as aphrodisiac and black was thought to deflect the "evil eye". Make up was worn by adult men and children and every day not just for special ceremonies. It is women who copied men later on and started wearing make up themselves. Some of Egyptian ancient make up survives today in the form of Kohl eye make up. Today there is a lot of make up to choose from. Men take care of themselves more than before and why not. In countries like Sudan one may have to protect one's make up with a gun, it seems. It is enjoyable to give pleasure to oneself and others as one does by wearing tastefully applied make up. This is exactly what religious authorities tend to object to: human happiness. Religions feeds on misery of human beings and not prosperity and happiness. And it loves dividing the sexes in order to rule.

BANNED ADD

2010-09-15T15:01:00.006+01:00

Antonio Federici had yet another of their advertisements banned by English Advertising Standards Authority, presumably due to the fact that during Blair years many religious people were given posts in institutions to spread the Gospel. There is an excellent article on Ethics and Religion by South Place Journal about how religious people are drawn to the subject of ethics.

The last Federici add. which has been banned simply claimed: " immaculately conceived" and "ice cream is our religion". Yes, it is very offensive to have to think about oneself and why one holds certain beliefs about ice cream or religion.

Uniforms, per se can be construed as an advertisement for the organisation too. So why is then that religious uniforms have been allowed in England to be worn contrary to Human Rights Laws when working with mentally ill some of whom have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of the clergy. Why ASA does not ban that?

Well, all the reasons for this kind of opression are purely psychological and have nothing to do with law.

The idea of a nun still appeals to some people in all sorts of ways and there is no such thing as thought police to eliminate creative thinking yet.

Italians must be having a smile thinking of England while licking their ice cream.

Where to buy this ice-cream:

http://www.antoniofederici.com/

Picnic: Yes, Mass: No

2010-08-17T17:12:00.012+01:00

National Secular Society reported recently about forthcoming Papal visit: "Ordinary, working class, educated, 'aware' Catholics are boycotting the event (papal visit) in their tens of thousands. (In one parish in Fife the priest put up two notices: one for the parish picnic, the other for the Papal Mass. 129 names went up for the picnic, 6 for the Papal Mass.)"

This is in sharp contrast to British Medical Regulation where the feelings and wishes of the religious come first and the needs of the patients second. 11 years (in November) after I raised the issue of wearing of religious uniforms when working with mentally ill, all relevant British medical institutions have been unable to do what is right for the patients and remained silent, heavily loaded with not basket cases but religious doctors on ethical and regulatory bodies. They are not easy to spot as they do not carry picnic baskets to work nor do they declare their conflict of interests. They just tuck in invisible matters, I guess, to get some relief regarding their own inevitable mortality.

Religious indoctrination of children from early on in life may explain something, but upbringing can be only a very partial explanation. Those of us who have stood up for what is right have been systematically persecuted, defamed and punished for telling the truth. The last Health Secretary did not even wish to even hear it (paper on whistleblowing) and refused to meet with me and the patients' groups. He was schooled in Catholic school but never grew out of it when it came to patients' rights. He lost his position in election. Conservatives and Liberal Democrats met with us and they won.

It is now estimated that one million men or so have been raped as children by clergy all over the world.

Meanwhile, British medical regulator has failed to remove Phallic God from a secret niche (see picture on the right above) to which it bows repeatedly. Malicious communications from male medical directors are treated as truth, not investigated properly and women doctors, in particular, labelled as basket cases. In 2007 twice as many women doctors were declared mentally ill compared to male doctors by the British regulatory body which also employed religious psychiatrists to eliminate those who were a bit more keen on evidence.

Burka Ban: Syria 1 England 0 by Dr Helen Bright 26/7/2010

2010-07-26T22:28:00.017+01:00

Predictably, England remains backward when it comes to social justice and interestingly, national security. Syria has banned the wearing of burka in public places but UK has not.

Burka has been banned in many countries before eg socialist states. Some Arabic states, where Muslims are the majority faith holders, have also banned burka for a variety of reasons: security as well as allegedly some respect for women to be more free.

I read various arguments for and against burka.

My thinking is along these lines:

1. Burka unjustifiably segregates men and women. We know that millions of women are telling men every day what to wear and what not to wear. Men, usually, do obey. Women cannot use the excuse of wearing burka just to look a total mess underneath it. It is not fair to men! And to women who see a lot of self-neglected women.

2. Burka gives false impression that men are in charge. All the evidence of chaos in our world shows nobody is in control, but that the second principle of thermodynamic dominates matters. Please, read about it here.

3. It is a security risk. Criminals and terrorists can and do use it to hide their identity.

4. Women can make rude faces while hiding behind the veil and that is not honest communication. In fact, burka prevents effective communication. General Medical Council in London is very keen on effective communication. They blew it up when it came to the wearing of Christian religious dress and working with mentally ill (now one million men have been raped by Catholic clergy world wide and some of these men find the sight of religious uniforms panic provoking. Those who have panic attacks have twice as high mortality rates from cardiac arrests)

5. It is unsuitable for dining out etc. Burka looks silly in a swimming pool. Not dignified. Not fair to ice cream sellers, either.

6. It is not very good (protective) when it comes to radioactive radiation as it absorbs more radiation energy and causes more damage to the body. Look at the radiation burns on the body of a Japanese woman (photo above right) and how the pattern of radiation skin damage matches the pattern on her dress. Where the fabric is darker in colour it has absorbed more radiation. This is also interesting, as the last time I visited one Arab country, I noted some Arab men wearing long white shirts while women are dressed in black burka. In Saudi Arabia women do have reduced life expectancy compared to men. I am not aware that anybody thought of burka contributing to decreased life expectancy for women.

In Afganistan where one finds white burkas (and blue) women have slightly increased life expectancy over men, but still both sexes have life expectancy of only 44 years.

Religious Bias and Medical Regulation by Dr Helen Bright

2010-06-13T15:24:00.007+01:00

Anthropological research has already shown that human societies change. For example. early societies could have been matrilineal, with descent traced through mothers. Some were matrilineal and matrilocal, with mother-child bond the primary unit of social organisation.

Primatology research has shown that not all monkeys are the same in terms of their gender relationships. While some groups are characterized by male aggression and competition, others have females who are able to resist, protect themselves and their offspring.

Smutts (1995) found that social organisation of male dominance and violence in primate species has following factors:

1. Few and weak female alliances, with little support from kin

2. Female competitive strategies that reinforce male control

3. Elaboration of male alliances in organising attacks on females

4. Strongly hierarchical social structure among males

5. Male control of food resources in a confined area, limiting female mobility

It is so hard not to see the parallels in present day medical regulation. We have not moved that far from some monkeys, it seems to me.

In 1954 Taylor (G. R. Taylor "Modern Morality" Chapter 15 Sex in History) wrote about attitudes to gender as linked to political orientation in that "matrist" attitudes favour egalitarian relationships, cooperation and tolerance, while "patrist" attitudes favour social hierarchy, competition and punitive policies. Patrist attitudes can be held by women and men can have matrist attitudes.

Today, in human societies where women have higher social status (eg Nordic group) are known to have less social inequality, less mental illness, less crime, less teenage pregnancy and decreased early mortality rate.

UK medical regulation has not addressed religious bias as one of the root causes of gender inequality, injustice in professional regulation, and increased mortality.

There is no process of assessing religious bias by medical regulators other than occasional declaration by those compelled to do so by law (bias against freemasons while others are allowed to hide). Fitness to Practice Panellistsat the General Medical Council could be e.g. complete misogynists, religious fanatics, have anti-science stance, and there is no punishment for those who abused their position of trust. There has been apathy and lack of creative thinking, closure of ranks and growth of illusional crops of multi-faithism solely for the protection of a hierarchical structure and power.

Read this article on apparent bias and religious case where justices were screened contrary to the General Medical Council view that anything goes as long as it can read and write. As if we did not know, as doctors, that even very demented people can read without remembering what they read or what it meant:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/jun/07/religion-judiciary-supreme-court

Cardinal Ratzinger slaps reporter on hand

2010-05-07T21:55:00.028+01:00

Cardinal Ratzinger also known to US Judge Rosenthal as mere: "defendant Joseph Ratzinger" was in charge of Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (aka Inquisition) whose duty was to deal with allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy. Click here to see Cardinal Ratzinger being interviewed by a reporter on child abuse you can see him slapping reporters hand when asked awkward questions.

Judge Rosenthal (23-6-2005) ordered defendant Joseph Ratzinger to file a report why he claims diplomatic immunity in cases of child abuse by clergy in USA when he knew of the allegations being made about abusive priests.

In August 2005, Ms Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State intervened in her letter to Assistant Attorney General to obtain prompt dismissal of the proceedings...in view of the significant foreign policy implications of such an action against the Head of foreign state."

The proceedings were dismissed.

Mr Geoffrey Robertson QC wrote an article stating that there is no immunity that could protect Pope from International Criminal Court. Quite right, from my reading of Rome Statute Articles 4(2) and 7(1)g in particular.

Interestingly, Pope Benedict XVI (previously Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) father was a police officer. Here is a rare study on psychology of children whose fathers were police officers.

One group of offspring were desribed as having addictions.

Some regard religion as a form of addiction in that it is used to alter emotional state, leads to tolerance for religious practices and the need for increased doses, ritualized behaviour and pain on withdrawal. Addictions can lead to social difficulties and problems with the law.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND DEMONSTRATION

2010-04-18T16:31:00.005+01:00

ALICE IN WONDERLAND DEMONSTRATION To take place on: 26-5-2010 3-7pm In front of: General Medical Council 350 Euston Road London NW1 3JN Nearest underground station: Great Portland Street Dress: as any character from Alice in Wonderland if you like. Bring your own tea and cakes, folding chair. We will demonstrate against Human Rights Abuses by the General Medical Council 1.Against GMC failure to protect patients and public 2.Against predeterminations of guilty verdict in the cases of innocent doctors and failure to erase those doctors whose have ended lives of their patients. Against discrimination based on race, age and gender. 3.Against faulty, inadequate, biased and prejudiced investigations of complaints raised 4.Against false allegations by GMC psychiatrists of madness in doctors who have no mental illness used to prevent addressing issues raised by whistleblowers 5.For freedom of speech 6.Against religious fanatics sitting at Fitness to Practice hearings 7.Against breaches of Data Protection Act 1998 8.Against failure to address conflicts of interests of all of those involved in investigations, determinations as well as persecution and defence Characters in Alice in Wonderland:

http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/school/char1.html Alice in Wonderland trailer

Professor Dora Kohen, GMC, uniforms

2010-04-17T23:22:00.005+01:00

Professor Dora Kohen was appointed to work at the General Medical Council, UK as Health Screener (screening complaints against medical doctors in order to refer doctors for psychiatric examinations). She also worked for Parole Board (2007-2008) paid for by Department of Justice.

Interestingly, at the time when religion was forced by Blair Administration on many public institutions, she wrote an article: "Nurses' uniforms" in Psychiatric Bulletin Vol 26 No4 April 2002 page 156. Essentially, she claims that nurses balloted to go back to wearing their nursing uniforms in all the psychiatric intensive care unit, acute male and female wards, and rehabilitation wards. and that this was followed by "a great reduction in aggression, violence and the number of untoward incidents on the ward".

Professor Kohen's article is only the length of an average abstract, does not have any critical appraisal of other literature about the wearing of uniforms in psychiatric setting, or of her own research, contrary to all the principles of good science. There are no references given, no scales or tests mentioned, no statistical analysis and no explanation why no bias was excluded. Presumably, it is the same nurses who voted for uniforms that subsequently would not be filling untoward incident forms. It was left to them to report any incidents.

It is very easy for me to note that one of the editors of Psychiatric Bulletin was at the time Dr Mike Shooter (a religious man), who was also a President of The Royal College of Psychiatrists to whom I wrote about my concerns about the wearing of religious uniforms when working with mentally ill. He was completely incapable of addressing the issue. He did not seem to care about science or evidence by allowing such an article to be published.

The facts are that in UK mental health care professionals have not worn uniforms when working with mentally ill for over thirty years. The papers on wearing of religious uniforms are not readily available on line, or in the average good medical library. These have to ordered and paid for (hundreds of pounds). It appears, Professor Kohen did not dip into her own pocket as I did to find out why uniforms are not worn. I did not regret spending hundreds of pounds in search of truth. I can give references to what I write about simply, because I am willing to do so.

Having found out that the wearing of uniforms in psychiatric setting leads to a barrier in communications, increased violence, more self-harm, more absconding and worse treatment adherence I did research on religious uniforms and what mentally ill people think about it by administering a questionnaire (and not uniforms). Most people found religious uniforms off-putting.

Professor Dora Kohen could have administered questionnaires with photographs of the actors dressed as nurses and controlled for sex as well as uniforms. There should have been two different questionnaires: A and B. In A questionnaire she could have had a female nurse dressed in uniform, male in casual clothes with a Linkert scale below and in B questionnaire other way round. Linkert scale could have on one end Most attractive and at the other end Most-Off putting. Patients would than put a vertical line across the horizontal Linkert scale line to indicate how they feel about it. This would remove nursing, and administrative bias in deciding to go ahead with uniforms.

My research on religious uniforms in psychiatric setting (the first in the world) was followed by furore and mobbing leading to sham peer review before the General Medical Council.

Interestingly, GMC Health Screener thought I had mental health problems ( I never had mental illness in my whole life). When I obtained documents from GMC about the investigation of my case under Data Protection Act 1998, it was 10 years later. Medical Screener's name was blackened. Why such secrecy is required? I sign my patients notes and so do other doctors. Covering up the wrong doing is old and stinky and it is not lawful.

The stigma of mental illness was attached to me so that what I say can be disregarded and this is the case up to present day. GMC should ask for its money back from all of those experts who gave it poor service.

Religion is politics dressed in drag, as somebody said and the low standard of Professor Kohen's paper is noticeable as well as that of the editor who approved it.

Professor Kohen, in her paper, refers to patients as service users but staff as "in patient staff". Clearly, Professor Kohen cannot stomach being consistent and saying in service users staff.

There is no mention of the fact that nurses can be badly paid, houses can be expensive to buy to live in and not spending money on professional clothes which cost a bit, can result in a desire to wear a uniform because it is a cheap alternative. I do not think the same nurses would be spending hundreds of pounds to get publications on the wearing of nursing uniforms.

I guess, under Labour Government we are supposed to think that nurses, workers did the right thing and doctors the wrong, as I also note they did not opt to wear white coats. They do not need to, and could not be forced to.

Once again, The Royal College of Psychiatrists acted in its own interests: preserving the power of the religious psychiatrists and not putting patients first.

Now, that thousands of Catholic priests are known to have abused children, The Royal College will continue protesting that they really, always do their best in the interest of patients.

The famous experiment of Little Albert, see below shows how fears can be formed: through bad experience. Surely, abused men would fear clergy who were under obligation to cover up abuse as well.

However, the evidence is there, when the choice is presented to The Royal College of Psychiatrists to choose between science and abuse of power, it's choice was abuse of power.

If nurses needed to be identified by patients or relatives they could have had their big badges clearly displayed. There is no need for uniforms for identification purposes. Why they would not go to a nursing office on the ward if they needed a nurse? Why is not there a member of staff on duty to assist relatives during visiting time? Etc, etc.

Little Albert and other famous experiments

2010-04-10T16:30:00.011+01:00

I have been delighted to see that someone has thought it appropriate to bring to public attention psychological experiments that are famous in showing some aspect of human behaviour. Little Albert is the experiment that is relevant to my case before the General Medical Council and so is Milgram's. I objected to the wearing of religious uniforms when working with mentally ill people some of whom would have suffered abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy. Nobody listened, patients died, Health Secretaries resigned or were sacked and UK government like in Milgram's experiment remained a servant of Catholic church authority. Mentally ill people in UK are still exposed to the religious uniforms as per government policy makers who refused to specify that religious uniforms are not to be worn when working with mentally ill despite the fact that doctors and nurses working with mentally ill know that no uniforms should be worn at all.

To see the experiments click here.

The real photo of Little Albert is the experiment in which it is human being who is the subject of the experiment and not the rat. Little Albert who had no fear of rats or dogs or monkeys or even fire learned to fear when showing the rat to him was coupled with a loud noise. The fear generalized to other things including artificial fur and of course, the rat.

So, children raped by priests (mainly boys) grew up fearing many things in their life including living itself and some committed suicides. Others lived miserably and missed on many things.

Today, British government is spending 15 million pounds on Pope's visit when 8.16 million of British people are unemployed, and local authorities are at a loss how to meet their duties to the poor.

The estimated number of raped men by Catholic clergy is now, at around one million and thousands of priests have been exposed as paedophiles around the world.

Easter, It's Spring again

2010-04-02T11:39:00.011+01:00

I was amused by one of the blogs calling themselves feminist theologian. Oops! Feminism is not about propagating patriarchal fantasies with women writing to support it even if one writes about women in those fantasies.

London feminist free thinkers had this to say this year about Easter: "Let us reclaim 'Easter' named after various European goddesses, not about a man on a cross, but about the celebration of the Spring Solstice - a folk festival of warmth, light, women and fertility, a few drinks and eats perhaps to make the evening go with a swing. We still have the relics - flowers, chocolate eggs and rabbits. Let's remind everyone that it is only a religious 'celebration of a crucifixion' to Christians." Women remain repressed and not celebrated enough in the world still oppressive to them in many way and in many state institutions. Easter is a name given to festivals marking the change of seasons on planet Earth, where many confused and ignorant people have lived for a long time. In the last couple of thousands of years patriarchal religions made out of it a fantasy of supernatural resuscitation. I wonder how things would be if male fertility was not so obscure to people for such a long time and if it was celebrated equally from the start.

If you would like to know the science of how to calculate when Easter should be read here.

Elephant in the Room video here.

Dr George Tiller's murderer sentenced

2010-04-02T11:12:00.003+01:00

Dr George Tiller (see photo below) was murdered on the church doorsteps by a religious fanatic Mr Scott Roeder who has now been sentenced to 50 years of imprisonment. Dr George Tiller performed abortions to which Mr Scott Roeder objected. He stalked Dr Tiller before murdering him. Lee THompson, attorney for Dr George Tiller's family gave press statement: "The sentence handed down today was appropriate. It is the most severe penalty available to Judge Wilbert under Kansas law. This crime was cruel and heinous not only because it took our husband, father and grandfather; but because it was a hate crime committed against George – but also against all women and their constitutional rights. We only can hope that this sentence will serve as a deterrent to those who have conspired and continue to conspire to murder abortion providers. Certainly everything possible should be done by the prison system to insure that this man does not continue to foment hatred and violence from his prison cell. Dr. Tiller's story is being told every day in the lives of the women he helped. His legacy cannot be diminished by the act of a single terrorist. We appreciate the efforts of District Attorney Nola Foulston and Assistant District Attorneys Kim Parker and Ann Swegle, their entire staff, and all law enforcement personnel who have been so helpful to us over the years. "

PROTESTS AGAINST POPE

2010-04-01T17:15:00.004+01:00

UK government has now admitted that British taxpayer is expected to pay £15 million for Pope's visit to UK this year.

Somebody said that Religion is Politics dressed in drag.

Politicians like to have the vote of the religious people, but I do not see that religious people would necessarily approve of injustice, crime against children and adults or that they should pay for it themselves.

There are voices in USA asking for the Pope to give himself in to authorities. for covering up the abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy.

Do they mean that considering the scale of abuse (over 32 000 victims) International Tribunal e.g. such as the one in Hague is the only way forward?

Pharmacist refuses to issue contraceptives

2010-03-12T21:18:00.003Z

Once again a patient goes to an English Chemist to get her prescription of contraceptives

(in Sheffield this time) but gets an explanation that pharmacist's religion does not allow her to dispense it.

Religious privileges in United Kingdom mean that medicine comes into second place if at all for some people in some instances.

It is not difficult for me to understand that there are people who see medicine or pharmacy as business and have no emotional connection to their profession in a way that could be described as compassionate.

When I started my work as a Consultant Psychiatrist I had many difficult cases. I shall never forget one man who was the product of rape and his mother could not get morning after pill. He was never loved, had poor self esteem suffered from depression and could not be cured by any pill a psychiatrist could prescribe. Psychotherapy was painful and I would say partially successful. At that time I managed to stop him from killing himself, but did he ever find true love is something I never learned and even today I wonder about it.

I also had to treat parents who had unwanted children and had to deal with their guilt and help them become better parents which was really hard for them. It did not escape my attention that

they punished themselves by not allowing themselves to be successful and happy in other areas of their lives.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has to review its code of ethics so that patients always come first and not religious beliefs. I think they could do well by showing the video or two to their students about psychological aspects of failed contraception of which there are several: poor self esteem, difficulties forming relationships, lack of committtment, depression, agression and hatred.

Lloyds Chemist is the largest community chemist in UK with about 1600 branches.

John Lennon Airport and multifaith prayer room, Blasphemy Conviction

2010-03-07T22:57:00.008Z

It was bound to happen sooner or later: atheist enters multifaith room and leaves there material that religious people find offensive. This is exactly what happened at John Lennon Airport Multifaith Room.

Read about it here.

Nobody thought that it might be offensive to the memory of John Lennon that there would be a Multi faith Room on "his" airport. He was an atheist.

Religious bias in British Courts is rather archaic and leads to victimization and loss of life.

All state institutions should be secular and religious activities part of the private life.

ABUSE AND NEGLECT

2010-02-07T09:36:00.006Z

Judge Hawksworth ruling that Catholic Church was responsible for the employment of its staff at St. Williams' Community Home where over the period of thirty years more than 140 men have allegedly suffered physical, sexual abuse and rape, has paved the way for the victims to obtain about £8 million compensation.

This is the largest claim in UK so far and needless, to say, has been resisted by Middlesborough Catholic Diocese.

In my opinion, the compensation is really quite small if one takes into the account the suffering of these men and that many ended up in prison.

Abuse and rape can lead to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder with a number of manifestations including changes in personality and affect (such as increased irritability). Anger can lead to violence and violence to prison, especially when authorities turn a blind eye to the crimes and things spin out of control. Thus, there is nothing novel in finding out that disproportionate number of men ended in prison.

One would have to consider how these men who alleged abuse have been treated by authorities, in my opinion. When the victims of the alleged crimes blew the whistle on the abuse by De La Salle Brothers employed by Catholic Church were they thrown into prisons? Were the victims scapegoated in any way?

Lawyers acting for the victims of the alleged abuse put in a huge amount of work. There have been all sorts of obstacles on the way. One key witness hanged himself in prison. The trial of several abusers collapsed. What support if any did this man have in prison?

It is expected that Pope will visit UK and there was a request for the tax payer to pay 3-6 million for this visit. I wonder if this was because Catholic church expects UK to pay for the negligent treatment of children in their care. Questions can be asked and answered why so many people did nothing for so long. Where were social services, medical services, and police?

My own experience as a psychiatrist with special interest in post-traumatic stress disorder tells me that good doctors can be hounded by authorities such as the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Psychiatrists' members of the Special Interest Group in Spirituality. It appears that it does not matter that it is well known that victims of abuse self-harmed, were never able to form intimate relationships and attempted suicide. Medical institutions are committed to conformity, not to patients, it appears to me.

In 1999 I pointed that psychiatrists, nurses and social workers working with mentally ill do not wear uniforms in UK and therefore, it is ethically wrong to allow those who are members of religious orders to wear their religious uniforms when working with mentally ill.

Uniforms make a barrier to trust between patients and doctors especially in psychiatry where one would reasonably be expected to see emotionally distressed people.

If religious uniforms form barrier to trust, patients do not give their history and without history there is no diagnosis Thus, a Catholic nun employed as a Social Worker would be handicapped in her ability to do her work and Catholic Church would benefit financially from e.g. non-disclosure of sexual abuse by clergy. Very simple, really.

When I raised my concerns about the wearing of religious uniform in mental health setting quite appropriately, nothing was done. I raised the concerns publicly through media and then harassment commenced with the aim to humiliate me and ultimately exclude me from the medical profession altogether. This campaign has been successful and the General Medical Council obliged by putting 15 conditions on my practice which make it impossible for anyone to give me medical work.

It is very easy for any doctor to be eliminated in this way. The Fitness to Practice Committees have had religious extremists working there for years. In my case, in 2003 one believed that demons cause epilepsy. In 2007, I had a psychiatrist judging me who also has supernatural beliefs and was a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Spirituality Group. She judged me even though her mandate at GMC had expired. GMC gave their reasons "because she sat at my hearing before". They did not use the same people at Fitness to Practice Hearing as they did at Interim Orders Hearing.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists for ten years refused to address the issue of the wearing of religious uniforms. Finally, when they did, they conformed to the status quo of religious privilege. Religious bias at the Royal College of Psychiatrists has been present for many years.

The General Medical Council never considered the issue of ethics or how to protect patients and public interest with reference to the wearing of religious uniforms.

The political situation in all that time I have been hounded has been of religious policies and practices being forced into mental health services, education and prisons.

Human Rights are often not respected in UK because it would mean major changes in British institutions. Establishment does not want to change. It is comfortable and that pleasure of comfort is the major motivator for conformity. It has nothing to fear and it is not compelled to do anything by anybody.

Recently, Equality Bill has been defeated in the House of Lords in London which I would expect to be the case. It was religious opposition that defeated it. Lords law won.

The House of Lords still hangs to its name even though it is a misnomer. Surely, there are women there now and the name of the institution is so archaic.

Ask yourself why in England many toilets have Ladies written on the doors of the cubicles and men do not have Lords. I think, this is because men do not like the idea of Lord defecating and desperately hang onto the image of fancy clothes in fancy buildings saying self fancy things. Narcissism galore even in toilet politics.

If UK was a secular society, and human rights were really respected many institutions would disappear all together, in my opinion.

I doubt that my thinking is original and that many other people have not noticed the expansion of church into running of the business previously done by state institutions. Or is there a difference between the two (state and organised religious institutions)?

What I would propose that nobody goes to work in Parliament without learning about dysfunctional family psycho dynamics and how to take responsibility for their own feelings, actions and beliefs. MPs need to be trained and sign up to Continuous Professional Development Plan like all other professionals. The same applies to police, social services, lawyers, and doctors.

I had to laugh when I was informed that barristers are compelled to do 12 hours of Continuous Professional Development per year and think this is too much. What a joke.

SACRED PLACE = TOILET

2010-01-18T23:36:00.007Z

Atheists have confessed to going to empty churches in search of solitude. Religious have confessed to going to toilets in search of solitude. Busy executives harassed by endless interruptions of telephone calls, and knocks on their doors have found that toilets are places of contemplation and creativity. Mobile phones and bleepers slip into toilets too. Psychoanalysts may consider such events non-accidental. Parents search solitude in toilets. Away from their children and spouses. Children can be scared of toilets and it appears that political campaigners know it. Now some have exploited this fear of toilets in their campaign to preserve water by having a running toilet (see photo on the left) to scare children. No Royal flush is no longer acceptable. Children fear sometimes things coming up from water like a monster. I had a patient, a sweet, little girl who expected a huge shark to turn up in her tiny toilet. Some institutions like our National Health Service in UK under the pressure of the religious groups allocated rooms known as "quiet room" for the observance of faith. However, these facilities are not private and anybody can walk in. They are usually avoided by most. I wonder if the future architects would design solitary cells to accommodate human need for solitude. Something we all need. Human beings can be vicious beyond imagination, and at the lower end of the scale spiteful out of their own fears, usually fears of facing their own inadequacy and inferiority. Solitude is a great escape from envious attacks and intrigues. There is also expectation that human beings as social animals must be social at all times and that living with others at home is a sign of health. But solitude can be both an escape from cruelty of human beings and allow one the time for: creativity, healing, happy reflection on past events and being more in control of whom one lets in into that precious space of personal intimacy. In solitude great works of art, science and politics were completed for the benefit of society for centuries to come. Hardly, antisocial behaviour. Those who have anti-social personality have used their solitary time to plot destruction and wicked pleasures. Solitude is also a bit of anxiety provoking situation to insecure people as they feel excluded and not in control of what those who live alone actually do. There is a science fiction writer who predicted different future, where there are more people living alone in a state that controls everything including their genetic make up. I find it interesting, as it actually suggests that state would view people living alone as a threat unless their genetic make up is also controlled. Creativity can be a threat. Blackboard covered in a chalky writing gets erased for new material. But what if everything we have worked for our whole life is erased from history for ever because somebody comes along who is more creative, more persuasive and more successful? Fate worse than death for those who dream of eternal significance for themselves. Envy of creative people can lead to destruction of those people but also to growth by actually helping those people and feeling part of it. Rich aristocrats knew that one has to conquer own envy and supported arts. Some are remembered only because of that. Everybody has to deal with their envy, but it does require work. Sometimes very little: A kind word of support is all that is sometimes needed. Giving someone space to be alone and not harassing them with social expectations. At other times an awful lot of work is required if trying to entice a great person to live with you.

RUSSIANS BEAT BRITISH IN UNIFORM FASHION

2009-12-21T16:40:00.003Z

Less religious, more happy

2009-12-05T15:37:00.007Z

The research by Gregory Paul published in Evolutionary Psychology Journal established that the happiest societies are those who have the least amount of religion.

He showed that dysfunctional and poor countries turn to religion in the way that prosperous do not.

I have certainly seen increase in religiosity in former Yugoslavia during the recent civil war which started as a response to economic and political crises. It has not gone yet but neither has the poverty for many people.

On one of the flights to Belgrade I spoke with a representative of a religious organisation. She was on the religious hunt under the pretex of organising bussiness conferences. Some people would be keen to learn how to do things better economically only to find themselves on the religious sale patch of turf.

Click on the the title of this article if you wish to read Gregory Paul Article.

Here is Archbishop Nichols offering to increase the income of the church:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpqxjzzwJvw

SLAVE MORALITY

2009-12-02T12:49:00.009Z

It is thought that the origin of the current western culture is not so much in Greece as much in what is now Israel. One philosopher Nietzsche argued that Master-Moralists Romans took over what is now Israel, sacked Jerusalem expelled Jews and the remaining lot of poor Jews became "slaves". Christianity was invented by these people to value the weak, and the slaves.

Christian God is the judge who blesses the weak and punishes the strong. When? Well, never is the answer if you accept that God does not exist.

The Slave Morality has been brought into medical institutions such as the General Medical Council and the Royal Colleges where Christian doctors are given the power to judge those doctors who, paradoxically, have spoken out to for the weak: their patients and the public. Therefore, if a doctor is strong enough to speak up this doctor has to be punished according to Slave Morality logic.

Christian morality is about good and evil and one of the the General Medical Council Fitness to Practice Panellists wrote an essay with such dichotomy expressed. In other words, there is complete denial of human nastiness and therefore, this cannot be recognized and judged. Malicious persecutors and mobbers are allowed to practice medicine, earn their fortunes and sing "Onward Christian Soldiers" if they so please. THose who bully are the truly weak ones.

It has been argued by many humanists that one does not need God to form Slave Morality. Certainly, there is evidence for that in abundance. We do know that personal desire for power can do that as well as personal experience and reasoning.

St Thomas Aquinas believed that those who have no faith are not in fellowship with God and lack life purpose. Thus a person who deviates from this telos (purpose, Aristotel's notion) is considered bad/evil/sinful.

In practice, doctors who are atheists are judged in UK by the religious lot and find themselves guilty before they start to present their evidence at the Fitness to Practice hearings. It happened to me.

Some like panelist Dr Gwen Adshead, Consultant Psychiatrist never declared their conflict of interests to the General Medical Council such as the belonging to the Spiritual Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists (according to the GMC records).

Others like Dr Andrew Fergusson were allowed to take themselves off the medical register and not face any disciplinary procedures for their attitudinal problems such as supporting the Catholic church and not the men who were raped by the clergy by dismissing the importance of not wearing religious uniforms when working with mentally ill people.

One of the consequences of being raped as a child is not having trust in the authority figures.

Patients who have Post-traumatic Stress Disorder secondary to rape by clergy need to have trust in professionals in order to give history of what happened to them. Doctors are not mind readers. They need history to take the necessary steps towards diagnosis.

At the General Medical Council, it is Catholic Church that has been given priority not patients, in my case before them in 2003.

Dr Gwen Adshead, the GMC panelist, wrote that in all forms of child abuse it is parents who are the offenders. This is not the case. Keeping up to date is the requirement for the continuous registration with the General Medical Council, but some doctors do not want to recognize the unpleasant truths such as the abuse by Catholic clergy or other clergy or the fact that many Catholic priests have left the church in disgust.

It is easier for some GMC panelists to take the money from the General Medical Council than accept one has been so wrong for so long. I think the General Medical Council should recover their money from such offenders who have abused their trust. Why should other doctors pay increased fees year on year?

Here is the famous chorus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3Qx_oMH62U&feature=related

It is very moving music.

This is what they are singing:

Fly, thought, on wings of gold,

go settle upon the slopes

and the hillswhere the sweet airs

of our native soil smell soft and mild!

Greet the banks of the river Jordan

and Zion's tumbled towers.

Oh, my country, so lovely and lost!

Oh remembrance so dear yet unhappy!

Golden harp of the prophetic wise men,

why hang so silently from the willows?

Rekindle the memories in our hearts,

tell us about the times gone by!

Remembering the fate of Jerusalem

play us a sad lamentor

else be inspired by the Lord

to fortify us to endure our suffering!

NO SEX

2009-11-29T16:21:00.005Z

The recent International Conference on Population and Development was forced by Saudis and Sudanese to take out words "sexual" and "women's reproductive health" out of its end of conference communique.

It was held in Addis Ababa.

I noticed that in UK the rise of the religious in the administrative positions has led to avoidance of topics related to both men's and women's sexual health.

There has been persecution of doctors for many years who have been involved in those issues. Now even top lawyers have to agree to the ourageous requests at the international conferences. Rushing home via the first airport does not stop the need to deal with such issues as reproduction and poverty in the other parts of the world. I guess on return from such conferences one does not sleep that well for a little while.

PSYCHIATRISTS WHO KILL

2009-11-06T21:57:00.006Z

This article follows the news of the major shooting in American largest military base by the army psychiatrist Dr Nidal Malik Hasan who was known to be a risk and held extreme religious views. It was political correctness which led to the risks being ignored in allowing him to work in US military base. Dr Nidal Malik Hasan was not able to treat his patients while keeping his own belief system intact. The facts of the matter are that psychiatrists learn from patients. It is impossible to learn some things in medical school. The process of learning meant that I changed a great deal as the result of my learning. My whole life changed. And that is a lot. American psychiatry is regarded as founded by Dr Benjamin Rush. This physician held the view that there was a medical condition called Negritude which caused dark skin. Dr Benjamin Rush said that if that condition was cured the skin of the victim would turn white. His image adorns the seal of the American Psychiatric Association today. His therapeutic methods were dangerous and one of his students killed the first President of the United States by bleeding him of nine pints of blood. Another psychiatrist who killed was Dr Henry Cotton who treated psychotic patients with teeth extraction and 43% died. The American Journal of Psychiatry wrote: "an extraordinary record by one of the most stimulating figures of our generation". Dr Louis Tsavaris killed a patient with whom he had sexual intercourse. Dr John Nathaniel Rosen invented a technique of treating patients with schizophrenia by slapping them. In 1971 he was given an award by the American Academy of Psychotherapy. Dr Harvey Lothringer killed a 19 year old college student, cut her up with a power saw and flushed her down the toilet. Dr Omar Sabadia, a South African psychiatrist arranged for his wife to be killed. Dr Frederick Aptowitz used one of his patient to plant explosives under the car belonging to an ex-employee who was taking legal action for sexual harassment. Dr Michael Grinberg solicited a murder of ex-girlfriend. Unfortunately for him he hired an undercover policeman. Dr Ernst Rudin German Psychiatrist played his part in the extermination of Jews, Gypsies and others. Hendrick Verwoerd the Prime Minister of South Africa one of the creator of apartheid was trained as a psychologist. Dr Radovan Karadjic is in Hague answering charges of genocide during the war in former Yugoslavia. However, the biggest killers in my profession of psychiatry are those who are merely indifferent to the suffering of many mentally ill patients who go and kill themselves. The following categories of patients suffer neglect: 1. patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (like the ones Dr Nidal Malik Hassan treated but usually not caused by war experiences) 2. patients with social problems, those who discover unpleasant things about the place where they live 3. minorities 4. majority (women) When you add all of those, it is a larger number. Psychiatrists in UK are paying more attention to the politics of religion than science at some institutions and that is bad news, indeed. If it was not like that I would not have started Secular Psychiatry as I did. On the whole one can change people more easily if they are irresponsible with their feelings and in their actions than it is if it concerns their religious belief system. The reason for that is very simple. Religion is like a addictive drug and people do not want to give up pleasurable things, in general. Dr Nadal Malik Hasan could not do his job because of his religion. One of the techniques used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder is to imagine being powerful against the person who caused you harm. The imagery may involve agression and I guess Dr Hasan knew that. Out of his own feelings of inadequacy he killed. Some people would rather kill and die than say to themselves I fear my inferiority as a healer. The sick soldiers became his enemies because he made a choice not to change. According to American research on doctors psychiatrists are the least religious of all the doctors. Therefore, Dr Nadal Malik Hasan would stood out anyway amongst his colleagues. I imagine he would have suffered rejections and not many would be keen to work with him. Psychiatrists are also in short supply in the world and not keen to work in military either. Thus, the largest and most powerful military base had a number of problems to overcome and it did not.

LESS FIREWORKS ON GUY FAWKES NIGHT

2009-11-06T18:05:00.002Z

I noticed less fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night. Maybe it is because of recession, maybe it is something else. I do not know. Guy Fawkes was the man who was involved in attempting to blow up the Parliament in protest against the oppression of catholics. He was betrayed, caught leaving the rented cellar underneath the House of Lords where huge amount of explosives was found. Although sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered he actually committed suicide by jumping off the gallows before he could be hanged. He broke his own neck and died. What I find fascinating about today and celebration of his arrest is the limitation of freedom that still exists in UK today. Public institutions are still unfair and cannot be fair to all religions. The only way to have justice for all is to have a secular society. Religion should be relegated to the private lives of UK citizens. The obvious thing is that most people would agree with that, but the Parliament remains backward, at least one step behind what happens in the society. Many countries are already secular and have prospered because of that. There are progressive people in Parliament who would support secular state and there maybe more in the future.

Halloween Psychology

2009-10-31T19:30:00.004Z

Halloween is a celebration of death. Its origins are thought to go back to Greek, Roman, Druid and old Celtic holidays. It is the time of New Year in a sense that the Lord of dead Souls does a yearly review to see who is to be accommodated where. Thus all those souls that were kept in animal bodies could give presents and appeal to the Lord of Dead Souls to be transferred to another body to host them for another year. This is the origin of the expression "trick or treat". Celts call this Lord Shamhna. Romans had Pomona. Apples and walnuts were aspects of Roman celebrations as these were fruits stored for the winter. During Christian times like many other things pagan, there was a need to compete in business and to fill up the churches with those thinking of their dead relatives, or loved ones and to prevent them going elsewhere with their treats. Thus, Catholics have 1st November to celebrate dead. Flowers sellers do very good business around cemeteries on those days in many catholic areas.

Jews also had their Lord of the dead souls. And so did many other people in the world.

As you can see I put up a sexy witch picture with this article. In human psyche there is also hate and hate towards women is called misogyny. Witch in Old Scottish means a wise woman. Many thousands were burnt and their property taken by the church.

Psychologists, social scientists and feminist politicians have put various theories as to the origin of misogyny. One of them is that women give birth and through giving life also determine death of the newborn. Everything that lives has to die. The power of giving birth is thought to give rise to envy and envy to destruction.

Other explanations but not completely separate is that of hostile dependency. Hating those one has to depend on.

Melanie Klein, famous psychoanalyst, wrote that envy was linked with lack of gratitude and that it was constitutional i.e. people were born with it. Treatment for it was to help the envied objects, as it increased the low self-esteem of those who were green with envy.

Halloween is, of course, in essence a denial of death as it essentially propagates the idea that dead are still around and that one can manipulate the Lord of Dead souls by treats (presents).

Today, for many people Halloween means nothing and is just another excuse to have a party and wear costumes. However, primitive human psychology with its fears and denials is still around.

Veterans with PTSD twice as likely to die after surgery

2009-10-21T21:24:00.009+01:00

(photo of a soldier with his daughter)

Dr Marek Brzezinski from San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Centre who is the leading author of the first study to examine the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on mortality after surgery shows that veterans with PTSD are twice as likely to die following surgery as their counterparts without PTSD. The researchers found a 25% increase in one year mortality, even if surgery occured years after the patients completed military service. PTSD is thought to be independent risk factor even after taking into consideration the patient's age and other pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, and depression.

In medical profession malicious persecution through complaints and disciplinary procedures can lead to PTSD. Psychiatrists and surgeons receive most complaints according to one UK study. In addition, complaints and disciplinary actions are difficult for all doctors: a Finnish study found that medical surveillance often preceded the suicide of its female doctors (Lindeman et al, 1997).

Dr Bzezinski et al. research has been hailed as ground braking and it could have implications in legal settlements outside military.

There was increased incidence of post-operative delirium and respiratory failure in those with PTSD. It is also remarkable that that these patients with PTSD presented for surgery years earlier, and were sicker. Coauthors are : Dr Charles Marmar, Dr Brian Cason, Selwyn Au, MS and Dr Arthur Wallace.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists on Ethnicity, Religion and Evidence Based Medicine

2009-10-08T23:58:00.008+01:00

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is keen on ethnic diversity, religion and evidence based medicine. Here are some examples: Proof That Jesus Was Jewish: 1. He went into his father's business. 2. He lived at home until the age of 33. 3. He was sure his mother was a virgin, and his mother was sure he was God. Proof That Jesus Was Irish: 1. He never got married. 2. He was always telling stories. 3. He loved green pastures. Proof That Jesus Was Puerto Rican: 1. His first name was Jesus. 2. He was bilingual. 3. He was always being harassed by the authorities. Proof That Jesus Was Italian: 1. He talked with his hands. 2. He had wine with every meal. 3. He worked in the building trades. And the proof that at the College one can see more is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u64HDXoKVM&feature=related

Five Years in Jail for talk about sex

2009-10-08T21:45:00.006+01:00

Mazen Abdul Jawad (pictured)got sentenced to five years in jail, 1000 lashes in instalments (surely not because they care so much about not killing him), his car was confiscated because he flirted in it, his mobile phone was taken by the judge too because he used it to pick up women. It is this appearance on TV that led to his punishment:

http://www.wikio.co.uk/video/1445718

Clearly, while people in Saudi Arabia are desperately oppressed but trying to be freer this country established Sharia courts and much other nonsense.

Psychiatric patients in UK had more religious pressure piled on them in the last twelve years.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists established a Spirituality Special Interest Group although I cannot see anything in the Royal Charter, Supplemental Charter, Bye-Laws and Regulations that would make it really legal.

Section XXIII B. Special Interest Groups

1. There may be Special Interest Groups within the College in certain fields of Psychiatry with such objects and so constituted as the Central Executive Committee may prescribe in the Regulations.

Well, in Regulations we find that "The main objects of a Special Interest Group are to facilitate the exchange of information, to promote discussion and to generate interest in a particular field of psychiatry".

Religion is not a field of psychiatry. However, although it is legal to be stupid, it is the abuse of power one is witnessing at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The last twelve years UK had a government with religious agenda. The programme of interfaith working was set up even before they came into power, in the 1980's. Catholic church in particular urged its members to get into positions of power within public institutions and they did as we all know. One particular diplomatic arm from Vatican worked with Muslims and struck deals with serious consequences for UK today and other states most likely. Vatican emissaries visited Arab countries trying to establish common ground first and they did in these areas:

1. Stance on women

2. Opposition to birth control

3. Homosexuality

Having done that, in 1986 there was the first papal visit to a Muslim country.

Mazen Abdul Jawad may be scarred for life with psychological trauma and physically from beatings.

I had to laugh when I read on the Internet that the rating of UK was high as one of the free countries in the world. It is not a free country nor is it very democratic if one looks at the electoral system.

Some UK patients would have died because of religion and persistent refusal of the Royal College of Psychiatrists to consider the experiences of men raped by clergy, for example. Traumatized men have higher suicide rate.

If Mazen Abdul Jawad survives prison he would not be allowed to leave the country for five years.

In prison he could suffer torture and rape. As a psychiatrist who treated Muslim men who were raped (some for political reasons as part of the torture) I am aware of the devastating consequences for them and others such as their family, friends and neighbours.

Mazen Abdul Jawad thought he was talking about sex and probably did not realize that there is nothing in this world that some people would not want to regulate and own. His talk was a threat to political powers of his country.

PAPAL VISIT

2009-09-25T18:56:00.021+01:00

Papal visit to Britain is causing a degree of protest with more to come during Labour Party Conference. National Secular Society wrote: "The news that the reactionary head of the Catholic Church, Joseph Ratzinger, is to be accorded a state visit to Britain next September was greeted with dismay by the National Secular Society this week. The Pope will meet the Queen and speak in both Houses of Parliament. The whole visit will have the full panoply of a visiting head of state, although the Vatican has only a few hundred (all-male) inhabitants. Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society, said: "This is dismal news indeed. Why Britain should seek to laud such a nasty extremist is beyond me. We should not forget that his 'teachings' have resulted in the banning of condoms in developing countries where HIV is decimating the populations. He encourages population growth in places where starvation is common. He persecutes homosexuals, treats women as second class citizens, has colluded in the large-scale cover up of child abuse. His Church interferes illegitimately in politics and undermines democracy. It siphons huge amounts of money out of poverty-stricken economies – what is there to celebrate about such a bigot? The NSS will be joining other groups in protesting against the celebration of this ghastly man's presence here."

Maybe, he has urgent business to attend to in UK such as payments to all of those men raped by Catholic priests and nuns when they were under their care. There are women victims as well, but the majority are men.

Here are some of the survivors, websites:

http://www.snapnetwork.org/

http://www.macsas.org.uk/

Solicitor David Greenwood has taken on a number of cases, and fought successfully:

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Leeds-diocese-pays-out-victims.4495510.jp

NOCEBO MEANS I WILL HARM, VOODOO EFFECT

2009-09-23T08:44:00.007+01:00

Nocebo effect occurs when something which is inert (innocuous) is invested with negative belief and then causes ill health, and some say, even death. There are many studies which have examined Nocebo effect. There is a Japanese study of schoolboys who had identified what they thought caused them allergy: lacquer tree leaf. They were blind folded and each arm was tested with alleged allergen and non-allergen (chestnut tree leaf). When their arms were touched with chestnut tree leaf but boys were told it was poisonous lacquer tree leaf within minutes 75% of the boys developed skin rash on that arm. The arm which was brushed with poisonous lacquer tree leaf was rash free when they were told it was chestnut leaf.

In Framingham study women who believed they were at the risk of heart disease had four times higher death rate than women who had similar cardiac risks but did not believe they were ill.

There are studies in asthma which confirm nocebo effect exists.

There are also anecdotal case studies of patients dying when told by doctors the prognosis was poor, with subsequent autopsy showing no evidence of eg metastasis and tumour size very small.

Most doctors would know little of Nocebo simply because it is unethical practice to frighten patients and cause them harm.

This does not mean that there are no doctors who would not give negative prognosis when induced by payments eg from unethical solicitors. But what happens if patients believe doctors giving such negative outlook?

There are people who make Voodoo dolls commercially. See the one on the right. Some are so funny they make me laugh.

STRANGLED WITH NECKLACE

2009-09-21T20:36:00.015+01:00

Here are some articles on strangulation by necklace. Nun strangled with rosary beads:

http://www.portalofnews.com/stories.php?poeurlid=13156 Woman strangled by her own necklace: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2006/05/23/exclusive-was-gran-strangled-with-own-necklace-115875-17116052/

And another one:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1162828/Freed-man-spent-27-years-prison-murder-didnt-commit.html

Child accidentally strangled on trampoline:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19911223&id=XBcVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WwcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3699,1500555

In child abuse case:http://bjr.birjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/792/1186 Accidental in child: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0196064495701249 Paedophile strangulation of child by necklace: http://www.bernardomahoney.com/forthcb/pdt/sharticles/hwlnftm.shtml There are more probably more examples of ritualistic murders, auto erotic and accidental deaths due to strangulation by necklace.

Religious Necklace Health and Safety Risk

2009-09-21T19:07:00.010+01:00

As one might expect in victimization game truth does not matter that much. The wearing of necklaces (religious or not), earrings (religious or not), scarves, ties and other items of clothing can pose various hazards to health professionals and patients too. Strangulation is only one of the risks from necklaces, scarves and ties. I have survived two attempts to strangle me. One attempt was by a patient who thought I was a male Spanish inquisitor and the other by a man who thought he was Bob Dylan (he was not). Both attacks were completely unexpected. If I wore a necklace or a scarf at the time, I would not have lasted very long. One can defend oneself from the stranglers hands around the neck, but not that easily from strangulation by necklace or scarf. I observe that NHS is once again attacked by a Christian lawyer. There are many Christians working in NHS who understand why the Health and Safety rules apply to all the staff and who are compliant with the policies.

Read this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8265321.stm

The only way forward for UK is to accept the new laws for a secular state and true equality for all. In secular state more lawyers could accept, perhaps, that we live on planet Earth, and are entitled to a private fantasy world in our own mind.

Boundaries and limitations are problematic area for those prone to be victimized as well as those doing the victimization.

SHARIA COURTS and GHADA JAMSHEER

2009-09-14T07:54:00.012+01:00

British people have been misled to believe that sharia courts are OK in UK too. This woman speaks out against it, in Bahrain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhHG1ik-ZL4&feature=player_embedded There is discrimination against Muslim women in UK when they are left to Sharia courts to carry on oppressing them. The inter-faith working has done a lot of damage in UK as it has been used to oppress the rights of all women in UK. In my old medical school, even the names of the wards have been changed in order not to honour the great women in the history of the medical school. Time for change again, I say. Lord Phillips, in his role as Chief Justice, made sure Sharia Court decisions can be enforced in UK: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4749183.ece Human Rights. What's that?

Read this too:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1055764/Islamic-sharia-courts-Britain-legally-binding.html

Non-Muslims can also take their cases to Sharia Courts and do so, already.

Our Father, to thine own pathological self be true

2009-09-05T18:20:00.008+01:00

Here is an article which is an interesting analysis of projected human wishes leading to the creation of monotheism, for example.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/our-father-to-thine-own-pathological-self-be-true-20090901-f6vg.html

I wonder what would British institutions look like if children were thought something like that at school.

Watch this video on narcissistic personality:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frCIcYJuWwg&feature=related

Does that remind you of anyone at work? I can think of several from my own bitter experience.

STRESS, OBESITY AND SMALLER BRAIN

2009-09-01T21:18:00.005+01:00

Some people claim they do not know why there is an epidemic of obesity. It is not a mystery. It is not because people do not know how to eat better food. People who smoke do know about the dangers of smoking but still smoke because it makes them feel less stressed at least for a brief moment or two.

Increasingly, there has been more and more pressure in human lives with abusive powers (at work, particularly) but also everywhere if you look and care to observe. Brave and intelligent individuals who take action, such as whistle-blowers find themselves defeated by the system. It is only in films that these characters get recognized and sail into the sun set. Increased social control, decreased employment opportunities, and decreased social status for many millions of people are associated with variables such as obesity, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure.

So if the above average individuals can fail what chances does the rest of the population have?

It is known that stress and being out of control over one's destiny causes increased production of a hormone cortisol. This is to increase the capacity of body for the fight - it raises blood sugar and enables organism to store fat more efficiently. It also kills brain cells. Obese people have lower brain volume. The reduction in volume is 4-8%.

Thus mental stress kills people in a number of ways not obvious to those who have judgmental attitudes to fat people.

What does it say about world governments and the effectivness of their policies? You decide. Who needs statistics? Walking down the decaying high streets of many towns and observing passers by is quite enough.

BELGIUM

2009-08-29T18:42:00.028+01:00

Belgium is the most offensive word in the whole Universe according to Douglas Adams who wrote "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy". While there are national and regional variations in swearing on planet Earth, it is a part of 3% of normal working life and 13% outside. What does it prove? That work is less frustrating? Of course, it is. That is why some of us work a lot. Most swear words fall into just two categories: 1. Religion 2. Body functions. Mere insults are not swear words. Sorry. Men tend to swear more, but, according to some of the experts, women are not too far off. Social expectations of women decrease the frequency of swearing, just a bit, I think, but all of that can be changed in a taboo free culture. 72% of men swear in public and 52% of women. At the General Medical Council (GMC), London there is a different treatment of male doctors who swore from that of female doctors. Need I say more? Predictably, it is acceptable that male doctors get stressed and medical directors do not rush to the GMC to back stab the doctor who swore. In the case of women doctors, it becomes serious professional misconduct and the finding of the fact is called "the use of obscene language". Why not just say the use of swear words? Religious fanatics employed to sit on Fitness to Practice Panels, really do not help the healthy need to swear sometimes. Swearing is not in the Medical Act 1983. It is exempt from the protection of free speech in USA. However, we shall not see anyone checking law books (or any others) when swearing happens. William Shakespear swore a lot in his books. In his time, religious swear words were considered much more offensive than those relating to body functioning. The word "zounds" means God's wounds and it was considered very offensive in his time. He used it ten times in Henry IV! Similarly word "sblood" means God's blood. William Shakespear was very popular and swearing worked in his favour. Here is some swearing poetry from William Shakespear: http://www.fullbooks.com/King-Henry-IV-The-First-Part3.html Social norms change, but General Medical Council can be rather slow on the uptake. Or is just England? In France only 4% of the population attends church, but in England 50%. This does not mean anything more than the cultural constraints on the population brought up in a certain way. British people remain oppressed. If the General Medical Council invited me to discuss the issue of swearing at work and there was such a thing as poetry in their communications it could be like this: INVITATION TO FISH Dear Fish, For you we have a dish Of bugs and seeds And wicked weeds. Come to drink and dine After 8.0 p.m. but before 9. Wear vivid spots or stripes But we'll bear no grudge or gripes If your suit's dry and not too wet. (There is some choice of toilette). Please, please, please, Come to our den You'll look so nice In our frying pen. Editor's note: You'll look so nice With a lemon slice. Editor: Ms Philippa Kennard Bent From my book: The Reason for Treason