Pubdate: Thu, 07 Aug 2003
Source: CNN (US Web)
Copyright: 2003 Cable News Network, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.cnn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/65

THE FORGOTTEN WAR PART 4

DOBBS: Bill, thank you -- Bill Tucker.

Turning now to another trend that is concerning many in this country, the 
growing use of antidepressant drugs. Those drugs are among the most widely 
prescribed medications in the country, a $14- billion-a-year industry. Many 
of the consumers -- and there are millions of them -- are children and 
adolescents. And that is troubling some health professionals, who worry 
that, instead of helping depression, some of these drugs may in fact be 
worsening conditions.

Kitty Pilgrim reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tens of thousands of 
Americans are depressed and anxious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, AD)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I used to be happy. I remember being happy.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PILGRIM: Doctors wrote more than 100 million prescriptions 
of antidepressants last year. According to the American Psychiatric 
Association manual, a person is clinically depressed if they have at least 
five symptoms most days over a two-week period: sadness, loss of interest 
or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, change of appetite or weight, 
difficulty sleeping or oversleeping, physical slowing or agitation, energy 
loss, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, difficulty thinking 
or concentrating, or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Thoughts of suicide are the primary issue these days, especially when it 
comes to children. Some studies suggest certain antidepressants may 
increase thoughts of suicide.

Doctors like Joseph Glenmullen, the author of "Prozac Backlash," question 
dangerous side-effects, particularly in children. In June, Senator Charles 
Schumer called on the FDA to push ahead with its own study, saying, 
"Instead of helping kids overcome their depression, there is more and more 
evidence that Paxil makes it worse."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We really need to be doing more research in this whole 
area. For a lot of years, we just relied on the adult research, which is 
wrong, because kids are not just little adults. They need different 
dosages. They have different kinds of side- effects.

PILGRIM: The FDA Web site says it is currently reviewing reports of an 
increased risk of suicidal thinking and suicide attempts related to the use 
of the drug Paxil in children and adolescents under the age of 18 with 
major depressive disorder, or MDD. "We are recommending that Paxil not be 
used in the treatment of pediatric MDD."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PILGRIM: Now, doctors we spoke to also said there's a big concern about 
children coming off too quickly. And the FDA Web site also warns of severe 
side effects if a person suddenly stops take the antidepressant and 
recommends that they do that even under the supervision of a doctor -- Lou.

DOBBS: The serotonin-based drugs, in point of fact, are under review across 
the board now.

PILGRIM: They certainly are. In fact, there are quite a few questions. Many 
doctors are questioning their efficacy with the use of children and whether 
you should even give them to children.

DOBBS: And one of the remarkable aspects of this is the almost similar 
performance of placebos against these drugs.

PILGRIM: Yes, there is that disturbing study. And so you have to really go 
through many studies. The British have done quite a few studies on this.

[snip]

DOBBS: This week our series of "Special Reports" on America's war on drugs, 
what we are referring to as the forgotten war, tonight we focus on 
rehabilitation, the final line of defense when interdiction and prevention 
have failed. Only one of every six drug abusers who needs treatment is 
receiving it. Peter Viles reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For those of you who just came in, we are talking about 
the list that we developed two weeks ago on five things that I want to 
change about myself. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning, family. My name is 
Orlando.

CROWD: Hey, Orlando.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the things that I'd like to change is my level of 
responsibility because I feel that as an addict I became irresponsible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I really need to work on that pride issue, you know. I 
need to humble myself. I need to realize that, you know what, it's okay 
today that I'm an addict because I'm an addict in recovery and I do have 
another shot at life.

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Phoenix House, a residential drug treatment 
center in Brooklyn, where drug addicts come to rebuild broken lives. Dorian 
Baldwin is a cocaine addict. He's been in the program three months.

DORIAN BALDWIN, COCAINE ADDICT: It works if you want it to. If you come in 
with an open mind once you sign your name on that piece of paper that 
states that your life is unmanageable, unbearable, and someone needs to 
help you with that, then it works.

VILES: For most drug addicts, though, treatment does not work because most 
addicts don't give it a chance. Dr. Herbert Cleaver estimates he has 
treated 5,000 addicts.

DR. HERBERT CLEAVER, ADDICT COUNSELOR: What they all want is controlled 
use. I mean, what the crack addict wants is to be able to take an 
occasional hit off the crack pipe. What the alcoholic wants is to be able 
to knock back a couple with the guys on Friday or Saturday night.

VILES: Government statistics bear him out. The government estimates there 
are 6.1 million Americans who abuse drugs to the point that they need 
treatment. 1.1 million do get some form of treatment. And what about the 
rest? The vast majority, 4.7 million, don't get it because they don't think 
they need it. The so-called denial gap.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody else want to chime in on...

VILES: Treatment isn't always successful. The relapse rate is above 50 
percent, but when it works, it literally saves lives. Mitch Rosenthal 
founded Phoenix House in the late '60s.

MITCH ROSENTHAL, FOUNDER PHOENIX HOUSE: As we're sitting here, there are 
6,000 men and women and boys and girls in Phoenix Houses in nine states in 
America. Most of them, a year from now, will have their lives back together 
and be changed human beings.

VILES: Bill Scott hopes to be one of them. A recovering heroin addict, he's 
been at Phoenix House for eight months.

BILL SCOTT, RECOVERING HEROIN ADDICT: People should know that it's not 
hopeless. Take it from somebody that slept on the trains. There's always a 
light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you might not see it, because 
that tunnel is really long, but if you keep moving forward eventually 
you'll get there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VILES: Treatment is not cheap, and the federal government at $3 billion a 
year is the biggest payer for it but numerous studies have shown that 
treatment is a smart investment of federal money. It is a lot cheaper than 
prison, and in the long run it does save the government money -- Lou.

DOBBS: And it definitely saves lives 20,000 lives a year lost directly to 
drug. Peter Viles, tough story. Thank you very much. We appreciate it.
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