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In some ways I have mellowed out and backed off of my radical position about the use of prescription drugs; but I will never back off or be silent about the root cause of depression, bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia. It is demonic and must be and will eventually be fought and won on a spiritual battlefield. Demons of confusion, fear, rage, lust, greed and pain trash our lives but never leave a forwarding address. I equate these demons to pigs in the parlor of our minds and also body. Jesus gave us the keys and weapons of warfare to win the battle; but we are only using them sparingly. It is written and it is true: “They overcame him (Satan) by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” When the last battle is fought and won, the scoreboard will read:
SATAN: ZERO! – JESUS: WON!
Please hear me out.
The other day, the 16th of February 2009, my 76th birthday, Rebekah, my hand maiden and I happened to run across a PBS (Public Broadcasting System) program about the life of a Walter Freeman, called "The Father of the Lobotomy." The biographical sketch at the end of this letter of Freeman's evangelical, or I should rephrase "Obsessively Compulsive Remedy," sums up and closes another tragic chapter in the treatment of the mentally ill. There are many more horror stories that can be and must be resurrected. We must have the courage to visit the museums of both medical progress and medical atrocities. The use of electro shock therapy is another “blunder.” Until the risks of such treatment were understood, some of the patients wound up with broken backs and blank minds. Today electro shock therapy is not totally risk free, but at least patients no longer wind up with broken bones if the shock therapy is applied correctly. One day, however, and the time is close at hand, the chemicals we are asked or forced to swallow, will also be seen as bizarre, archaic, and hazardous. They will become one more skeleton in our arsenal of weapons and procedures. The name of Jesus and the power that is in His name will be prescribed as sufficient to deliver every mental patient from the horrors of the hell they are living in.
Jesus Christ is the only one who has ever prevailed over the powers of darkness. Only those who are aligned with Him have prevailed over those same powers by hurling the name of Jesus at the enemy. The enemy's name is Satan and he is evil - a liar and a deceiver. I am now on a crusade to make others aware that the name of Jesus is better and more powerful than any medical procedure or drug. I am on a crusade to alert the scientific, academic, counseling, church, and secular communities to the fact that the causes and cures for mental illnesses will never be discovered in laboratories as we know them today. Brain scans cannot discover demons, only the destruction and poop they have left behind. Spiritual weapons of warfare are necessary to expose and defeat the sinister devices of Satan.
With little effort and the use of the Internet it is now possible to research some of the “mad-doctoring” of psychiatrists who have experimented with human beings as if they were worth no more than laboratory rats. As an example, I quote an excerpt from a Yale Review:
Madhouse (A tragic Tale of Megalomania and Modern Science by Andrew Scull) reveals a long-suppressed medical scandal, shocking in its brutality and sobering in its implications. It shows how a leading American psychiatrist of the early twentieth century came to believe that mental illnesses were the product of chronic infections that poisoned the brain. Convinced that he had uncovered the single source of psychosis, Henry Cotton, superintendent of the Trenton State Hospital, New Jersey, launched a ruthless campaign to “eliminate the perils of puss infection.” Teeth were pulled, tonsils excised, and stomachs, spleens, colons, and uteruses were all sacrificed in the assault on “focal sepsis.”
Many patients did not survive Cotton’s surgeries; thousands more were left mangled and maimed. Cotton’s work was controversial, yet none of his colleagues questioned his experimental practices. Subsequent historians and psychiatrists too have ignored the events that cast doubt on their favorite narratives of scientific and humanitarian progress.
In a remarkable feat of historical detective work, Andrew Scull exposes the full, frightening story of madness among the mad-doctors. Drawing on a wealth of documents and interviews, he reconstructs in vivid detail a nightmarish, cautionary chapter in modern psychiatry when professionals failed to police themselves.
Continuing:
At the height of "The Father of the Lobotomy’s” questionable and driven career, the drug Thorazine was developed. It essentially and almost immediately put a stop to and replaced the surgical procedure of severing the frontal lob from the rest of the brain. Someone has equated Thorazine to "chemical surgery." That does not sound pretty, but there is an element of truth in it. Thorazine was one of the very first antipsychotic drugs developed and widely prescribed by psychiatrists. Yours truly, Peter D. Laue, was treated with Stelazine in 1970. Stelazine is a later generation of antipsychotic drugs. By the grace of God and with the help of the powerful name of Jesus, Peter refused to take further antipsychotic medication shortly after being discharged from the hospital. The drug, so to speak, made him "climb the walls." Similar drugs produced the same reaction. Refusing to take any type of mind and or mood altering drug, made him an enigma for psychiatrists, psychologists and others who were taught and convinced that drugs were so to speak, "The Holy Grail of psychiatry." In fact, today a psychiatrist can be sued for malpractice if drugs are not a part of his arsenal of weapons.
The responses to medication are highly varied. For some it is no more than a placebo, while others may become lethargic, hyper-active, and develop a variety of unpleasant and grotesque tics. The very essence of “life” is often stripped out of patients, while others seem to miraculously recover. Medication has also been equated to “convenient and inexpensive baby sitters.” Oh, how heart wrenching it is to observe the result of medication on residents in nursing homes and mental institutions. The book, “Toxic Psychiatry,” by Peter. R. Breggin, MD, is a sober appraisal of the use of drugs. Dr. Breggin is a maverick. His peers and the pharmaceutical industry do not applaud him, at least, not yet.
Thirty-nine years after my hospitalization I see the world of the mentally ill and my place in it through different eyes. I have a story to tell that I am compelled to tell. It is available in condensed version, book and video format. There is no charge when downloaded from the Internet. For a condensed version, go to: “In Search of Sanity”, for a medium size version, go to: “The Purple Pamphlet”, for a full length book version, go to: “To Hell and Back”, and for a video version, go to: “The Lord’s Scribe – A Video Journal”. The video journal is comprised of 10 – 30 minute segments.
Whether or not this writer is still ill today is a matter of conjecture. The definition of “normal”, “sane” or “sick” can be highly subjective. Today, not all doctors agree that antipsychotic medication is beneficial or trustworthy. Today not all psychiatrists agree that “speaking in tongues” is “gibberish.” Today not all doctors agree that mental illnesses are the result of a “chemical imbalance.” There are growing numbers of reports by “survivors” like myself that raise red flags about the use of medication. Sufficient negative reports are now available via the Internet that indicate that the use of antipsychotic medication has produced many casualties which have been swept under the carpet. Statistics have no emotions – no tears. They neither cry nor scream. Just because more people are helped than hurt must never legitimize the use of certain procedures or drugs.
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A few days ago I saw in my mind’s eye a life preserver thrown into the tumultuous sea of thoughts and emotions that ravaged a tormented individual. The life preserver was intended for someone who was ready to kill himself or possibly even kill someone else. In this case, a life preserver could be equated to a pill that served to calm and subdue his unruly and racing thoughts. When I told my counselor back in 1970 that I did not believe in antipsychotic drugs, he gave me this intelligent and acceptable reply, "Peter, I do not believe that medication is to be a permanent solution; but it is impossible to reason or dialogue with some patients unless they are medicated." I have never forgotten those words. They have legitimized the use of medication for me as long as their use is carefully supervised and does not become
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the only and the permanent remedy. Medication can be equated to temporary shackles that bind the strong man; but only Jesus has the power and authority to bind him permanently. Those who are unshackled by the Living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, have the potential to become mighty warriors and crusaders. The question is, “Am I ready to be recruited in God’s army?”
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Unfortunately, medication has become not only the acceptable solution to treat the mentally ill, but also the acceptable permanent solution. And there is always the risk of addiction. Using a life preserver has become a way of life for many people who have never been taught to confront the demons that ravage their souls. I speak compassionately into this endless cycle of drug use. It is the fear of facing another tormenting episode or sleepless night that keeps us drifting about in life rafts. I have fought these demons and with the help of Jesus have disemboweled them. I write these words with resolve, confidence and compassion. Don’t just read them, latch onto them and let them compel you to face and confront
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your demons of fear, rage, lust, confusion, addiction or whatever. Leave a legacy of victory for those you love and those who love you.
Those who have become permanent customers at the pharmacy counter often live in a fog and have an unrealistic and artificial sense of well-being. We recently met a lady who had attempted suicide. She was so immobilized by medication that there was little life or hope left in her.
The fighting spirit was nearly extinguished. Her husband was desperate for answers. A renowned mental health clinic was unable to help her. It is now my privilege to pray for her, teach her what I have learned, and encourage her through my own victory. I do not see myself as a counselor. I see myself as a “Life Coach” – an “Eternal Life Coach.”
As I reflect upon my earlier years, I see how I attempted climbing some very dangerous cliffs. I was a driven man but unaware of the driveness. I accomplished a few things the world applauded, but at a price. I left unnumbered casualties in my attempt to be the first person to reach the top. A radical and frenzied race to the top of the mountain is hazardous and not for everyone - maybe for no one. In retrospect, I see that I was on an “ego trip” that few survive when they crash unless the grace of God washes over them. And it washed over me. I had no broken bones when I crashed, but I cried a lot and every bit of self-confidence evaporated overnight. The world does not have a suitable word or explanation for God’s process of redeeming a soul. It is frequently equated to a nervous breakdown. Like the Apostle Paul, I met my Maker on “The Road to Damascus,” but I was unprepared for the encounter. I touched ten thousand volts. My nerves were shattered. I met my Maker without knowing that His mercy was greater than his judgment – not recommended!
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I stopped taking the prescribed medication some 38 years ago and was reckless about insisting that others do likewise. I apologize to all I have ignorantly shamed and judged in my heart. Some people will never make it without life preservers or crutches. Some people will need to rely on drugs for a season or they will act like bulls in china shops; or they may put a gun to their heads or a rope around their necks. Some people will need food stamps for a season. I did. Paying for groceries with food stamps was hard on my pride, but necessary to crucify my ego and for the survival of my family. Some people need to rely on government assistance for a while. We must never view such people as second class citizens or shame them with condemning words or thoughts. All of these types of “life preservers” have their place and purpose. In the long run, however, we must lean solely on Jesus Christ as our healer, provider, and the source of our strength and
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salvation. A spouse, a close friend, or a caretaker can easily become a substitute for Jesus. We must not allow that to happen.
We must not hang onto a caretaker lest we drown him or her. And a caretaker must use caution not to allow this to happen. It's a very delicate balance. I like to offer a quote by Abraham Lincoln: "You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." Everyone will eventually let us down and not necessarily intentionally, or go away except Jesus Christ. He is forever. He promised to be with us always. And God cannot lie. Jesus cannot lie.
Whoever may eventually read these words, please do not allow yourself to be shamed by using crutches. Be grateful that they are available; but throw them away as soon as possible. There is more power and healing in the name of Jesus than in a thousand atomic bombs, a thousand pills or a thousand man-made solutions. Call upon His name and you will learn that schizophrenia or any other mental or emotional disorder has to bow down to the name that is above every name. Schizophrenia is not an incurable disease. That is a lie from the pit of hell, and unfortunately many have chosen to believe that lie. Schizophrenia is the observable manifestation of a demonic and life-threatening attack on human beings. Yes, the attack may produce a “chemical imbalance” in the body, but that does not explain the root cause of the disease. Don’t buy it. Schizophrenia is demonic. The weird and often destructive behavior of the mentally ill is the result of demons harassing us, driving their victims into irresponsible and reckless behavior. Fear, whether real or perceived, is able to drive us insane and cause hearts to fail. “God has not given us a spirit of fear. He gives us power. He gives us love; and He gives us a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Don’t become a permanent part of a support group that claims that schizophrenia is incurable and that medication is the gold standard for treating the disease. Go to the internet and research the horrible and unpredictable side effects that can be caused by drugs. Should drugs have become your “gold standard,” please allow these words to wake you up and shake you up. Go higher, go higher by getting out of your life preserver and taking a hold of the hand of Jesus – call upon His name! He alone can set us free and keep us free. Always go higher and deeper; and always go back and help fallen soldiers get back on their feet. It’s the only way we will ever win this war. It’s not about me or you; it’s about “us” – all of us. That’s what I am doing by writing these words. I am going back and helping fallen soldiers get back on their feet. Go to Schizophrenia Defeated – TBN Video on the Internet and learn about someone whose testimony will help you win, will help you go higher.
I love to broadcast victory and God’s grace into the pit of hell called “schizophrenia.” I want to meet others who have defeated schizophrenia. I have met some, but I want to meet more – lots more! I want their testimonies to help debunk the lies of Satan and the debilitating labels the world pins on the mentally ill. Our testimonies are our weapons of warfare. They give hope where there is no hope. They challenge the fallen to get back up and start climbing higher. Failing is not the unpardonable sin; but refusing to get up and trying again is akin to a sleeping death. It is written, “They overcame him (Satan) by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11). Jesus is calling us to form an army of overcomers. Overcomers are God's dreaded champions. We are to encourage and rescue those who are bruised and broken. When restored, these grateful individuals will make the very best soldiers. I am one of them.
If you need more hope and want to climb out of the fog and hell you have been living in, go to this link: I HAD A DREAM, and learn the significance of the dream. It is prophetic and may have your name attached to it. Read the story and do what it says. Then tell someone what you did. God is recruiting an army of WARRIORS. I invite you to join that army. I invite you to become one of them – one of the Lord’s dreaded champions. You cannot be one of God’s mighty warriors while drifting in a life preserver. No, that’s not possible. Give Jesus and the Body of Christ the gift of your testimony. It’s a mighty weapon of warfare that can only be crafted in the furnace of affliction. Don’t wimp out! Resolve to do it now! Do it today! Be a “wordsmith,” craft your testimony, and send it to this writer!
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A warrior is a Father-pleaser. He has acknowledged his sins and has made restitution wherever possible. He has bridled his passionate, unruly human nature. A warrior has submitted to and obeys Jesus Christ as his Supreme Commander. A warrior knows his place and purpose in God’s army. He has been trained and knows how to use the weapons of warfare. He keeps his powder dry until he is called into battle. He knows the Word, trusts the Word, and is able to hear God’s still, small voice. He does not compromise what God says. A warrior knows who the enemy is and how he operates. He knows that the enemy is not made of flesh and blood like ordinary people (Ephesians 6:12). A warrior knows that Jesus in him is greater than any of his enemies; and that Jesus in him has defeated every enemy, including death. A warrior has no fear, except the fear of the Lord. A warrior knows that the battle is the Lord’s, the victory is the Lord’s, and the glory is the Lord’s.
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Don’t allow the drug counter to become your final destination!
Press in!
Let Jesus be your final destination and your
“Eternal Life Preserver.”
Thanks for hearing me out! God bless all who read these words. I’ll be eagerly awaiting your testimony! Proclaiming what God has done for us is our weapon of warfare! I challenge you to be a part of Jesus’ invincible army.
From one soldier to another soldier
Peter D. Laue
www.stretcherbearers.com
Let this article be like a “red flag.” JESUS alone is worthy of our trust!
Thinking of giving someone a piece of your mind? Stay clear of Walter Freeman.
by John McManamy
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The field of mental health suffers no shortage of weird and offbeat and arguably despicable characters, but the Washington Post several years ago outdid itself for its story on Walter Freeman, father of the lobotomy. Sample this lurid paragraph for starters:
"Walter Freeman lifted the patient's eyelid and inserted an ice pick-like instrument called a leucotome through a tear duct. A few taps with a surgical hammer breached the bone. Freeman took a position behind the patient's head, pushed the leucotome about an inch and a half into the frontal lobe of the patient's brain, and
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moved the sharp tip back and forth. Then he repeated the process with the other eye socket."
Freeman kept records of 3,439 lobotomies he performed over his long career, and he promoted the procedure to
more than 55 hospitals in 23 states. At AMA meetings, he set up graphic exhibits and used hand-held clackers to draw audiences.
In all, lobotomies were used on 40,000 to 50,000 Americans between 1936 and the late 1950s. Freeman believed lobotomies worked because the procedure severed connections between the frontal lobes of the brain and the thalamus, thought to be the seat of human emotion, which the mentally ill apparently had in overabundance. Although his theories have been discredited, Freeman was one of the few psychiatrists of his era who believed that mental illness had a physical biological component.
Freeman attended Yale and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, then studied neurology and psychiatry in Europe. Motivated by the tragedy of wasted lives in mental hospitals, he introduced insulin shock therapy and ECT for patients at George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC, where he served on the faculty. He also had a private practice and was director of the laboratories at St Elizabeth's Hospital.
Upon finding out that chimpanzees became subdued when their frontal lobes were damaged, and spurred into action by Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz' experiments on people, he and colleague James Watts started practicing on brains from the hospital morgue, and in 1936 they were ready for their first patient, a Mrs Hammatt, 63, who suffered from agitated depression and sleeplessness. The technique of entering the frontal lobes through the eye sockets was still far off into the future. Instead, they drilled six holes into the top of her skull.
According to Freeman, Mrs Hammet emerged transformed, able to "go to the theatre and really enjoy the play ... " She lived another five years.
Freeman and Watts claimed 52 percent of their first 623 surgeries yielded "good" results, but they did not offer a clinical yardstick for what constituted an improvement. Patients often had to be retaught how to eat and use the bathroom. Relapses were common, and three percent died from the procedure. The most famous Freeman-Watts failure was JFK's sister, Rosemary Kennedy, who needed full-time care for 64 years (she died in Jan 2005).
Nevertheless, hospitals were willing to put up with lobotomies and all their shortcomings for no other apparent reason than post-operation lethargic patients were easier to care for than pre-operation emotionally-charged ones.
In 1967, Freeman performed a lobotomy on one of his original patients in Berkeley, California. He severed a blood vessel, and the patient died three days later. This effectively brought his career full circle. During the last five years of his life, he performed no more lobotomies. He died from cancer in 1972, age 76.
Today, according to the Washington Post, there are probably fewer than 20 brain operations a year (not lobotomies) in the US to treat psychiatric disorders, part of the negative legacy of Freeman that has scared away researchers and funders.
In 1949, at Freeman’s urging, Moniz received the Nobel Prize. As S Nassir Ghaemi MD of Emory University in a review comments:
“It is quite ironic that in that same year, the Australian psychiatrist John Cade would discover lithium ... yet after the Moniz fiasco, the Nobel committee apparently has shied away from giving awards for direct treatment of mental illness, and thus the discoverers of lithium, antipsychotics, and antidepressants have never been duly recognized.”
One day that may change. But first the ghost of Freeman needs to be thoroughly lobotomized.
Published early 2000s, reviewed Feb 12, 2008
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