Its often best to ignore all the repeated wisdom from the friendly health experts that abound in the media. That, and bite your pills in half. And don't forget your flu shots. You might get a flu. Ohhhh, scary.

It's amazing how the media continues to gobble up the lies coming from the medical business. There was a proven link between vaccinations and autism, and the media was used to discredit all studies. But if mercury-laden flu shots aren't a problem, then why is the health authority now offering up mercury-free flu shots???? There's an absolute link between SSRIs and suicide/violence.

It continually amazes me that depression is regarded as an individiual's lack of a chemical in the brain. As if the deficiency is personal inadequacy. Perhaps the healthiest people are those under this cloud. A response to the continual assault upon us by a society obsessed with material gain without regard to the ecological environment we all live in. Confusion and spin take their toll and sorting out the bullshit from common sense is very hard to do when you have the so called experts buying into the propaganda. My heart goes out to the sufferers. They are like the canaries in the mine. With so many people diagnoised with depression and anxiety, one wonders why. Conventional medicine is letting us down. It is like blaming the victim for being victimized by a bully and then compounding it by with drugs.

Well, she took the drug and it worked. Addictiveness is a problem but keep in mind that it DID work. Babies and bathwater and all that. And no, there isn't an "absolute link" (whatever that means...) between SSRI's and "suicide/violence." Also, there is no proven link between vaccinations and autism. To be generous, some argue that there are still some open questions about the effects of certain vaccinations on certain individuals (perhaps a genetic issue), but those questions are far from resolved--and we have ample evidence that vaccinations work. Not getting your kids vaccinated is, in my opinion, irresponsible.

The Vancouver Sun, Friday, October 22, 2004: a special report on alternative medicine.

In "Medical Nemesis", Ivan Ilych began by saying that the biggest threat to public health was the medical establishment. That being said, people must also take on responsibility for their own lives and before visiting any doctor, realize that they put their trousers on one leg at a time, just like car mechanics.

http://www.coopradio.org/ Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. "Dynamic Health" (alternative perspectives)

Hey "More Anonymous": I'll bet you receive your paycheck from the medical/health care/drug business that continues to cover up these issues and more.

Y'know, doctors in general are actually TRYING to help people. Unfortunately, they are also human with all the limitations implied by that. It is nigh impossible for any one doctor to keep up to date on all the limitations and potential problems with the drugs he/she prescribes. Further, our knowledge is limited - right now most people think that vaccinations do more good than harm, myself included. But the day may come when that view changes. Part 2 of Ms. Werb's article also makes it clear that the system is also not exactly set up to promote feedback on potential problems with drugs after the initial trials are done.

Williams: The Face of Paxil. My understanding of this drug is limited to observations of its users. As a shameless sports and news junky, I’ve been inundated with the ever thickening plot of the Ricky Williams Saga. In brief: When he was first drafted as a running back by the New Orleans Saints, he was a phenomenal talent who suffered from ‘acute social anxiety disorder’. Ever the “anti-football player”, he was shy with reporters and would often keep his helmet on in post game interviews – even after rushing for over a hundred yards. Ricky was traded to the Miami Dolphins about the same time that he became a spokesman for Paxil. He started to act more like a football player in his Dolphins days; less shy, more personable and easy going, but without the notable ego problems of his peers. He began doing things that average football players do from time to time – like testing positive for Marijuana and getting fined by the NFL. Abruptly, days before this season’s training camp, Williams quit football and left The Dolphins to suck incredibly hard (currently 1-7). He quit Paxil and was famously quoted in the Miami Herald and Sports Illustrated as saying “Marijuana is 10x better for me than Paxil” Now, Williams is a mess. Initially, the consensus around The Sportsdesk was that Ricky was smart for taking his money and health and calling it a day before some rookie D lineman got a lucky shot at making him a cripple. He’s since become involved in several financial battles with The Dolphins and at last report was begging them to take him back. (they should consider it, Miami is on pace to go 2-16). This kind of drastic uncertainty and haphazard movement is uncharacteristic of anyone sound of mind. If Paxil’s PAID SPOKESMAN can’t find success with it, then why the hell should the general public trust that it’s any good?

The quitpaxil link is wrong. I think it's supposed to be http://www.quitpaxil.info/

I am a nurse who sees, all too often, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs being passed out like candy. Paxil is a big issue and people should be concerned if they are on it for too long. Taking any drug one should be monitored closely and not forgotten about. I frequently question the physicians about the amount of drugs that patients are on and suggest that it might be interesting to actually see the "real person" if the drugs were to be reduced or discontinued. We all need to be responsible and question the system. Many people are depressed and it is not an easy situation to go through, but perhaps more therapy such as discussion to get to the root of the problem might be the answer than just being given a prescription and popping a pill in hope that it makes everything better.

Paxil ate four years of my life, no anger, no joy, just a foggy, no cares place. My partner would stand in front of me and say you have to engage, and I would think "this is about as engaged as I'm likely to get."

Sometimes I can't believe the number of sanctimonious armchair do gooders that post their thoughts in this forum. Ever talk to someone that suffers from panic attacks? Depression ? Ever hear what they have to say about their state of mind? If it was your brother or sister whose mind was out of control, what would you do? You'd take him to a physician , and say please help him. And the Paxil might work . And you'd have your brother back. There were naysayers about insulin and penicillin. Wait until you're sick and you want help. Make up your mind then.

PAXIL HAS SAVED MY LIFE. I SUFFERED FOR 30 YEARS. I NOW NO LONGER LIVE EVERYDAY WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, CONSTANT DEPRESSION, OR ANXIETY. IT WAS SUCH A STRUGGLE TO LIVE EACH DAY. IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR THE PAXIL TO WORK BUT I NOW HAVE A HAPPY LIFE WITH GREAT QUALITY. I DO NOT KNOW IF I AM ADDICTED TO PAXIL AND I DO NOT CARE. LIFE WITHOUT PAXIL WAS OFTEN FOR ME NOT WORTH LIVING. I LIVED ONLY BECAUSE I HAD A CHILD THAT NEEDED HER MOTHER, BUT NOW THANKS TO PAXIL I HAVE A LIFE TOO. IF I SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE ON PAXIL THAT IS OKAY WITH ME. DON'T GET ME WRONG I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT PAXIL IS THE SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE. I SPENT YEARS IN COUNSELLING AND WORKSHOPS. I USED VITAMINS AND HRT THERAPY. I WAS DETERMINED TO FIND A WAY TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE BUT I COULD NEVER GET THERE. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM HERE TO TO GO INTO ALL THE THINGS I TRIED TO IMPROVE MY LIFE AND MANY OF THEM I STILL DO TODAY. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT PAXIL IS NOT BANNED IN MY LIFE TIME BECAUSE I REALLY NEED IT. IT WAS THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE FOR ME. I NOTICE THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONDEMING PAXIL HAVE NEVER LIVED MY LIFE OR ONE LIKE IT. AFTER YOU WALK IN MY SHOES FOR A FEW YEARS WITHOUT PAXIL THEN YOU CAN SUBMIT A RELIABLE OPINION.

Gayle, Thanks for your input. Balance is very important in drug related discussions. I’m interested to find out how long you’ve been using paxil, and whether or not you’ve tried any other chemical anti depressants. All the best to you and your daughter, I’m glad that you’re happier now.

me again, i was only recounting my experience, not generalizing. i began paxil because of depression and panic attacks and suicidal thoughts, and, and, and however, one person's answer (in my case better nutrition, meditation, exercise, a journey of personal discovery) is not a universal panacea. one path, one person — paxil was wrong for me. and, may i add, as a person who went through the 60's in san francisco, paxil was far more difficult to quit than anything else i ever came across.

Nice scare piece. Like ANY drug—whether it's to treat cancer or diabetes—there are side effects. This drug can help people. Get over your superiority complex.

“this drug can help people” Indeed. Hollow point bullets, cocaine, depleted uranium, corn whisky and blind arrogance can all help people. The concern lies in the fact that it is possible that these things’ destructive properties outweigh their benefits. I’ve never been an advocate of banning any drug, but just because something “can help people” shouldn’t give anyone a licence to push it like it’s crack.

The problem isn't the drug, it's the doctors prescribing the drug. My father was diagnosed with heavy-duty clinical depression about 5 years ago, and received the obligatory Paxil prescription, with no regard from the doc about his future. Well, Dad. albeit addicted and somewhat socially aggressive compared to his former withdrawn self, felt great until the last couple of years. Now he's addicted to a drug with diminishing effects. His depression is coming back hard, but this time he may not have a crutch to get him through. The situation is terrible, and all because of a "this drug is a cure all" mentality.

re: David M's comment, "Ever talk to someone that suffers from panic attacks? Depression ? Ever hear what they have to say about their state of mind? If it was your brother or sister whose mind was out of control, what would you do? You'd take him to a physician , and say please help him." I can tell you that I suffered debilitating panic attacks. My doctor thought I had a brain tumor, the effects were so extreme. Once that was ruled out, rather than looking to my doctor for drugs, I looked to myself. I knew my job was killing me. Since the day I quit I have not suffered a panic attack. My brother would be classified as manic depressive - if he'd go to see a doctor, which he won't. He manages his illness (imbalance, whatever you want to call it) by allowing himself the freedom to recluse when he needs to (for months at times) and work himself to exhaustion when that suits him (often his manic stage lasts several months). His wife ensures he eats and sleeps daily. It may not be considered normal behaviour - and certainly he couldn't hold a "normal" day job, so he's self-employed. I believe we can solve many of our mental health challenges, including depression, by respecting our personal rythms. And to all those who have been hoodwinked into believing that without vaccines we'd all contract life threatening diseases - I believe, based on years of research, that childhood vaccines are the the most unethical experiment ever performed on humans. Sadly, the proof about the dangers of vaccines have been made, but interests much bigger than university researchers control the flow of most medical information.

It seems to me a few of the above posts are casting opinions without even knowing the cliical differences between endogenous depression and the depression caused by anxiety, grief reaction etc.People afflicted with the former require a medication to restore a particular kind of neurotransmitter activity; these people cannot live a normal life without it anymore than some people cant live without insulin or a pacemaker. The bad news is that ther are no quantitative tests for endogenous depression that could be used by any health care system.Therefore appropriate diagnosing requires a skilled practitioner and the time to come up withthe right diagnosis.In todays world doctors and time in one spot is a rarity.Also it is also the ever strident demands of the public to be prescribed a chemical panacea for all that ails them,even for the bumps that life hands out that have absoltely nothing to do with our general health.One final comment on this article; drugs effects and interactions can only be described in the closest possible terms but not finite terms because we are all different. Lynn, I am always flabbergasted at the utter ignorance of the vaccination as a conspiracy crowd. How do you ignore polio and tuberculosis!I suppose you think that vaccinations just interupted the good ob that alternative methods were doing!

Braden--from your description it seems like the Paxil worked for Ricky Williams. It looks like his career went downhill after he stopped taking it.

Anyways, I've found that many people seem to really want there to be something horribly wrong with the anti-depressants. They want to cast depression as an illness created by our modern culture and "lifestyle." Often, these people are part of the anti-vaccination crowd, as well (and, in my experience, they also often believe in the 9/11 conspiracy nonsense--but I have a lot of hippie friends, so my experience may not be representative of the general population...) I say, if you can get by without the medication, then great, you should do that. But keep in mind that there are some people for whom nothing else works--they've tried everything, and only the drugs make a difference. Read tsanh's post for some clarification--it's clearly written by somebody who appears to actually know what they're talking about.

Deciding to take the medication took me months of talking to a psychiatrist--and years to decide/agree that I needed to see one. It was a scary decision, and it hasn't fixed everything. But the anxiety is gone, and I don't fall asleep every night crying into my pillow. Do people have problems with anti-depressants? Of course. I had a problem with the high dose of Wellbutrin. So I cut back, and the side effects went away (although, as I said before, at this low dose the drug doesn't appear to be doing anything, and I should probably quit). I want to emphasize that this is not a well understood subject, and people need to experiment. If it doesn't work, try something else. But don't throw out what in my opinion is a perfectly valid attempt at healing a very difficult problem.

User: Indeed, when Ricky Williams stopped taking Paxil it all hit the fan. The same is true for the author of the piece that spawned this discussion. Williams said that he stopped taking the Paxil because it upset his stomach, but it’s safe to assume that it could have been pretty much anything. Humans in general tend to be pretty fond of their drugs. In modern times, some unscrupulous individuals have jumped on chances to exploit society’s need for those drugs and are being given the green light / carte blanche to go ahead. The boards in charge of weighing the drugs’ long and short term effects on their users and society are at best questionable. Hell, why mince words? They’re as bent as a used car salesman in a house of mirrors. GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Paxil, earn 16.8 billion dollars a year US. That’s billion with a B. They didn’t get to be heavy hitters like that by designing drugs that help people control their depression on their own. Is such a thing possible? I wouldn’t know, but the scientists and GSK might. Then again, where’s the 16.8 billion/yr. in that?

Braden, if it weren't for the market driven by a consumer want (notice I didn't say need) there would be no pharmaceutical industry.We ahve to face the facts that WE are the enemy in our drive and desire to achieve perfect health ( whatever artificial blissful state that might be) by consuming some kind of shit.$16.8 billion worth of drugs went to people who took them willingly and paid cash for the privilege.I suppose government could take over research and development but the outlay would be unacceptable to the taxpayer so that will never happen.Thus we are left with two options; controls on standards for the pharmaceutical industry ( already in place)and our own education.I think Celexa has it pretty much nailed in laymans terms..good for you and I hope every day is a feel good day for you!

re vaccination dangers: tsanh, it's not about polio or TB vaccines, it's mostly about proven side effects of MMR vaccine and why we are injecting infants with mercury.

I’m right behind you, tsanh. Ultimately, it’s us who create the demand that drives the supply and it’s our responsibility to curb this demand. One must factor in, though, the properties of addiction. Is it ethical to sell people a drug that is more than likely to make them dependant for life? My point is that significant R&D that goes in to these products, and they often come out as highly addictive instruments of profit. It’s like a licence to push crack. Those in charge of standards and control in the pharmaceutical industry (obviously) haven’t shown any intention to take in to account possible addictive properties of the drugs that they certify, and I find that irresponsible.

Lots of ethical/philsophical areas here....if a drug is "addictive" yet enhances or producesa significant improvement in the quality of life for its consumer why wouldn't one accept the downside.I prefer not to think in terms of addiction but rather the symptoms of changing artificially the chemical function of our bodys.There are hundreds of drugs commonly used that have nasty side effects on withdawal.Using them has to be done with an undersanding of thedrawbacks.I once saw a chap collapse with a pulse of 250 and had to be taken to intensive carejust from nicotine withdrawal.I think that most if not all drugs one takes long term will produce side effects on withdrawal.Do the benefits out weigh the bummers?Again, heres where the physician comes in...I guess I'm back at my last post. Braden, I understand your feeling but get the feeling that you dont really understand the nature of drug interactions and how all drugs have them.Please, no insult intended...having said that I , who once worked for an international Pharma co. tip my hat to you because these buggers are dead cunning marketers and people like you help to keep them more honest.Sarah, I dont know if its good or bad to inject babies with any amount of mercury.I know that most of us have mercury in our tooth fillings to seemingly no ill effect yet because mercury is so toxic I too have concerns. Like I said to Braden, we need people of your opinion too. I,m just concerned that we may throw the baby out with the bathwater and undo some of the amazing good vaccinations have done for us.

I am also addicted to Paxil, but whatever. i could care less. Its this ambivalence that pervades my life. I think Rhonda hit the nail on the head. If pollution affects the physical, then what about the mental? what about the incessant quest for material gain? The clutter of ads from Hummers to Diets? http://www.adbusters.org/metas/psycho/prozacspotlight/index.php Al so a poem i wrote about Paxil Withdrawal: the metallic paxil withdrawal leaves a taste of electric shock in my mouth but its not as bad as the burnt city stain of red lights and models thighs, or the skin of progress stretched thin on a bustop, smiling and promising me that I’m worth it, that I have the freedom of individuality, blue jeans and cons and messy hair.

tsanh, Some very thoughful comments, indeed. Thank you. There undoubtedly has to be some responsibility taken on the part of the drug companies. We live in an era of phenomenal technology. For the amount of research and development money that shareholders, charitable donors and taxpayers contribute by the wheelbarrow full to drug companies, I think that they have a responsibility to design drugs (all pharmaceuticals are, in effect, designer drugs) that take in to account the properties of addiction. I suspect that they do carefully and are as pleased with the guaranteed returns, much like Phillip Morris and Imperial Tobacco, but I digress Indeed ,tsanh, voices of criticism are important counterpoints to the blind trust that many seem to have in 'modern medicine'. My concern is that, much like Rhonda and Sean Orr have concurred, the 'uberspin' that we are subjected to through mass media and marketing is a powerful juggernaut with no regard for its side effects or aftermath. You're right about drugs being addictive. I've always been a believer in the concept that the psychological component of addiction is more sinister and powerful than the physical one. As our minds are constantly manipulated through inane repetitions of worthless data and pictures, I fear that we're collectively bearing the adverse effects through changes in our actions and behaviours among other things. The counterpoint that cynical critics like myself add to many debates seldom measure up against force fed public opinion, and tends to become more of a side show curiosity than a serious side of people's reasoning. And who can blame them? It’s a hell of a lot easier to complacently accept the fact that we’re all doomed than it is to flail in futility trying to do anything about it. Those are the types who end up in padded rooms, insane from watching their efforts sunk in to figurative treadmills. Either way, locked in a canvas vest or complacently flicking through the channels, our heroes have literally lost psychological control. I’m glad that you’re happier now, Sean, and thank you for the poem. Keep your head on your shoulders and remember that YOU control your mind.

Our drug culture is a huge experiment with the human race with who knows what result. I have no faith in the drug companies. My wife had a infection problem that responded only to an old time sulfa drug rather than newer antibiotics. This drug became increasingly difficult to find and we had to search farther and farther afield until we could no longer obtain it. A pharmacist told us this was because there was only a relatively limited demand for this drug and the companies made only pennies on it so they stopped making it. They were shifting their research and manufacturing departments to more lucrative drugs such as Viagra. This is another example where the "market driven, free enterprise" system falls down. There must be some way to make these mega corps more responsive to the public good. Greed by itself is not a motivator to do what is right.

No suprise to me! I have been on antidepressants for almost a decade and still have morbid thoughts of ending it. I just refilled my percription and found out that my doc wants me to take these things 2 times a day.. I say !!#@# you to that, doctors percribe thse pills cus they might get a free movie pass of a chance to win a free trip someplace. $130 to a doctor is like $3 to someone like me they don't have to take the drugs or go without food to buy them. Maybe if people would stop telling us we are defective and start looking toward our value system and what causes depression in the first place and stop letting banks control our lives and stop letting business run their employees into the ground and expect a 2 hour job in 5 seconds and same with the customers we live in a drive through world where every thing has to be on your lap in 1 min or less.. our world sucks and drug companies are profiting from our poverty and misery

Corporations determine far more than any other institution the air we breath, the quality of the water we drink, even where we live. Yet they are not accountable to anyone." http://www.mega.nu/ampp/ White House May Be Planning Nationwide Program to Diagnose, Drug Kids A new plan by the Bush administration to test the nation's public school population for mental disorders and treat them with controversial drugs has raised an alarm among some medical science watchdogs and members of the mental health community. The White House is expected to announce a mental health and disability initiative that recommends the screening and treatment of the country's K-12 students. The plan is based on a Texas program a government whistleblower has called "a Trojan horse" for pharmaceutical companies. As first reported by bmj.com, the website for the medical news weekly the British Medical Journal, the plan is derived from findings by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, a committee of doctors and mental health care professionals established in 2002. Published by the New Freedom Initiative (NFI), the report recommends states start testing for and treating mental disorders as early as possible, focusing on students, who can be easily accessed in the public school system. The mental health component of the plan is based on the Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP), which was engineered during Bush's tenure as governor. An algorithm is a flow chart that helps psychiatrists identify and medicate a patient's condition. The New Freedom Initiative reported that "despite their prevalence, mental disorders often go undiagnosed," and recommended a screening program for "consumers of all ages," including pre-school children. The commission found that schools are in a "key position" to influence the phenomena of young children being "expelled from preschools and childcare facilities for severely disruptive behaviors and emotional disorders." To do so, the NFI said that "state-of-the-art treatments" were in order, and praised TMAP for showing "results in better consumer outcomes." The American Psychiatric Association, which itself receives some funding from drug companies, has hailed the commission's conclusions as a sound preventative approach to dealing with mental illness. Critics of the plan, however, point to strong connections between the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and the pharmaceutical industry, and they contend that the plan will be a financial boon to drug companies while compromising the mental health of the nation's children. Holistic mental health advocate David Oaks, director of MindFreedom, a coalition of groups that campaigns for people diagnosed with psychiatric disabilities, says the issues of child mental health are not only more complicated than just testing for disorders and putting kids on drugs, but also colored by powerful societal pressures and millions of dollars in drug revenues. Oaks says the president's plan amounts to little more than "No child left undrugged." "It's very unimaginative. The idea sounds good: get help for the kids," Oaks said. "But the mental health machine tends to label, label, label." The labeling, said Oaks, all too often stigmatizes children as "abnormal." "We're not happy to say the least," said Patricia Weathers, president of Ablechild: Parents for Label and Drug Free Education. "It's going to increase the drugging of children." Oaks says he believes the template for the NFI's plan originates in the kind of extreme treatments misdiagnosed patients suffered in "the back wards" of clinics and asylums of the past, like forced drugging or electroshock therapies. "This [has] been going on for years," said Oaks. "The psychiatric model [of the past] has been mainstreamed. And now, the system's coming for all of us." Labeling, says Weathers, places a great deal of stress on families to raise a "normal" child. "It's almost like a parent is beaten down. You want [your child] in a mainstream school, not in a special needs school." Weathers said her own son was dismissed from the public educational system because of her refusal to continue to drug him at the school system's request after school officials diagnosed him as having ADHD. "Parents are losing their children" to drugging and labeling regimens, she says. "We need to look at the underlying causes, and not be so quick to think a child has mental problems. "Instead of saying [a child is] having trouble reading, and giving him an educational resource, they say, `oh well, he's ADD'," she said. In the case of her son, Weathers said he had physical conditions, among them anemia, that may have been hindering his educational progress. Criticism of the NAI plan, or at least the blueprint for it, has not been limited to the grassroots. In 2002 Allen Jones, a former investigator for the Office of the Inspector General in Pennsylvania, had been looking into the propriety of an off-the-books account that originated within the Pennsylvania Department of Mental Health. According to Jones, when he went to the New York Times and bmj.com with accusations that the drug company Janssen may have been attempting to influence the formation of a TMAP-style test and treat plan, he was told to "quit swimming upstream." When he refused to quiet down, he was fired, he added. In a whistleblower report posted on the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights' website, Jones elaborated on his charges, and explained that during its pilot stage, TMAP was packed with doctors who had strong ties to the drug industry. Jones said that ties to the drug companies gave them a financial incentive to recommend expensive, brand name drugs, rather than cheaper comparable medicines. Jones also writes that a number of the New Freedom Initiative for Mental Health Commission members were linked to TMAP's founding or are advocates for the program's expansion in states like Maryland and Ohio. The NFI plan, said Jones, "doesn't have the Orwellian goal of drugging the populace for a political purpose; it's the Orwellian goal of drugging the populace for an economic purpose." Nationally, pharmaceutical companies have been generous in doling out campaign contributions to the former Texas governor and his party. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the pharmaceutical industry has given President George W. Bush $764,274 so far this election cycle, making the president the number one recipient of campaign donations of either party from the pharmaceutical industry. Number two and three respectively are New Jersey Congressman Mike Ferguson and North Carolina Senator John Burr, each of whom are situated on the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittees on Health, which oversees mental health and research, biomedical programs, Medicaid, and food and drug policies. Presumptive Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry has also received campaign contributions from the industry, with just over $149,000 in donations. This mix of money and politics is hardly helpful for members of the mental health issues community and their advocates, said Oaks. Instead, he said, "Imagine the whole environmental movement funded by the oil industry." from Texas Straight Talk, 2004-Sep-13, by Ron Paul: http://www.mega.nu/ampp/madness.html

http://www.mercola.com/

“Certain emotional patterns seem to make people more likely to find emotional relief in one substance rather than another.” -- Daniel Goleman, “Emotional Intelligence” (Bantam trade paperback edition), page 254, © 1995 by Daniel Goleman. ISBN 0-553-37506-7.