John Travolta's Son Jett
 

I keep reading these really stupid things about how they are Scientology followers....how they don't believe in med's.....I have had quite alot of dealings with med's with my daughter, and nothing works forever ! They have had her on so many different things trying to stabilize her bi-polar. Dr.'s are not GOD!!!!! It's ok to question them, espically when it comes to our kids. Parents are not stupid people, we know our children. My daughter is 25 and after getting guardianship because of just that, so dr's can't just give her something, I still question them. I use to be afraid to but not anymore. I think saying that the Travolta's were not giving him his med's because of their religious belief's is just plain stupid ! If the med dosn't work then you have to stop taking it and take other steps. They raised this child for 16 years, I think they know what's best. Sometimes you have to give the body a break from all the drugs and see what it will do on it's own. We are always looking for that magic pill. Sorry I had to vent......now I feel better. :D

I am BiPolar too, and my Dr. will tell me that there's no set rules in treating the disease. I can't tell you how many different types of meds I've tried. Now I search through WebMd whenever they give me a new med to make sure it's safe. I also go to a pain Dr., and we received a letter from the plan we use for meds saying he was giving us meds that didn't go together. It's sad, but you can't just trust your Doctors opinions. You have to be you own self advocate.

I personally have my own feelings about that specific "religion". However, I believe americans are WAYYY too over medicated, especially children. I believe that way too many people are labled bi-polar and depressed, and way too many kids are labeled adhd and autistic. I believe big pharm has its own agenda, and its succeeding. And that has nothing to do with religion. Don't believe me? Just watch one of those depression commercials with that sad little ball thing. Or one of those "depression hurts" commercials. They make every single person who sees it think "thats ME!". They basically sell you their product right there on the spot.
But thats just a little bit of how I feel about it ;)

All I have to say, as a parent, if you have seen the pic of him and his dad, you know that that is love of a parent & child.

I tend to agree. I think it is way over diagnosed and once on the meds they can't cope without them. I know there are some REAL cases out there and I am not saying that it is not a problem for some. But for others I think sometime they need to be told to suck it up and get over it.

we all have rough patches in our lives, but we don't turn to drugs. we deal with it because as children we had disappointments and learned to live with it.

Why do I even look in threads like this where I feel the need to defend myself? I am bipolar and if you haven't been through it, then please don't tell people to just "suck it up". No one knows what it's like unless you've been through it and it's very hurtful and potentially damaging to someone who has it.

I dont agree with the no meds rule of that religion. Some meds are lifesavers! Like antibiotics. I had pnemonia two years ago and would have died without them.

I also have GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) which is a real problem for me, and take meds that work pretty good to control it.

whatever the cause, I feel terrible for the family! bless them :(

I dont know anything about scientology, except that it is based on a sci-fi book/writer. I think that people have gotten a really bad impression about scientology because of Tom Cruise and his antics on the TV with Matt Lourer(sp) and the horrible, condescending things he said about post partum depression to Brooke Shields. So then alot of people think because of Toms wacko ideas then the Travolta's must be just as wacko because they are both into scientology.
I do think that the public/children are over-medicated and it seems to be used as an "easy way out" approach to dealing with the underlying issue. Then there are the people that truely need this medication just to function. ((sigh))

Don't ever feel you need to defend yourself. If it weren't for the dr's and meds my daughter is on I don't know if she would be alive. I didn't mean to suck it up, I meant they had done so many med's that her body didn't know what way was up. Bi-polar also took so much from my daughter on top of being handicapped (mr). If I hadn't questioned all the drugs, I don't know if she would still be with me. After a hospitalization, thank God, finding the right dr. she's having good days more than bad now.

Wow, that was incredibly defensive. No one said to suck it up. I said all those things are overdiagnosed, and they are. I do believe that *some* people have significant mental issues that do need addressed. I do not feel that most people need meds for them though. I dealt with debilitating anxiety and panic for years, and severe ppd to the point that I couldn't leave the house or ever be alone, until I was taught how manage it, and now I don't struggle with it at all, without any meds.
I lost 2 people that were the 2 closest people ever to me growing up, aside from my mother, because of pharmacuticals, just months apart from eachother.
I have a son with Kabuki Syndrome that is "autistic" that is not medicated that is the top reader in his class, and excels in everything he puts his mind to.
So yeah, I don't buy what big pharm is selling. Do we use antibiotics and ibuprofen? Sure, but I do try to manage otherwise first. I believe that both me and my son would not be nearly as successful as we are today if I would have chosen to do things differently.
Sometimes I find myself afraid of what this country is going to turn into when everyone is in a haze from all of the pills that are being put into them. Seems they have a pill for just about anything that might bother you anymore, with a list of side effects that far outweigh the benefits of the med.
It is truely amazing what God can heal in a person, and what He has put on this earth to help us naturally.

autism or autistic "traits"
 

"I said all those things are over diagnosed, and they are."

I don't mean to offend but this struck a nerve with me. Because of over diagnosing, autism has become this HUGE spectrum disorder. I am a Mom to a son with "classic" autism. There are specific criteria to get the diagnosis. Autism is autism. However, there are genetic conditions that may cause "autistic traits" to appear. Therefore, we now have pdd, pdd-nos, aspergers etc and the list goes on.

My understanding from reading up on the religon is they don't believe in mental disorders,that mental disorders are a form of non control of the mind and body. Now they do believe in meds for health reasons. So yeah I do believe that Jett was getting sezuire meds and they failed. People who have sezuires know this very well, that sometimes the mix of drugs you had been using stop working.

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That is my understanding too! I have an autistic nephew & the few images & video they have of Jett-looks to me like autism. Also, friends said he was non-verbal, & they had kept him away from the movie sets because -I believe-the disruption that upsets autistic children. Scientologist do not believe in Autism! If you read about Kawasaki disease-it doesn't cause sizeures & especially at the age Jett was. This was incrediblly sad-doesn't matter what the cause!

I have to agree that we as a society are over medicating ourselves......I never gave it a thought about medications until one day I came across an article on the FDA and the Pharmaceutical companies....I was intrigued, shocked, angry and frightened so I started googling anything that would include the words "FDA"... ""corruption" .... "Big Pharma".... "recalled medications".... " FDA drug approval" .... " adverse reactions".... " physicians ties to drug companies"...etc. etc. and the information was staggering!....

I will never take a medication without researching the side effects and data concerning recalls, adverse reactions, and how long it has been on the market, and I will research the condition that I may have and see if there is an alternative treatment that does not involve synthetic medications...Doctors generally are not trained in diet or (lack of) vitamins and minerals which could be a contributor to a condition. Their training is in disease and medications....

I also came across several articles that link a possibility that depression ADHD and a lack of omega 3's in the diet as being a plausible treatment...If that is that case then many children are being drugged unnecessarily The new shift is on our pets, that is an untapped segment for selling more pharmaceuticals to.. The pharmaceutical companies are known for making up diseases and disorders so they can sell more medications....People really have to get educated on what is happening in this business, and yes it is a business and a huge one at that.....

I never go to a site that is run by the government for info and I never get drug info from a site that advertises drugs. I try and get info from sites that fight for consumer rights. These articles are interesting.....


Psychiatry and disease mongering: Road Rage Disorder is latest spontaneously "discovered" disease

Pharmaceutical Industry and FDA Endangering Your Health for Profit

My brother has had a seizure disorder since he was 4, and his meds have failed many times. My moms friend has a daughter that has sometimes hundreds of tiny seizures a day, and they have yet to control it after several years of different treatments. Sometimes with seizure disorders nothing works unfortunately. And it is rather rare to die from a seizure. Not to mention most seizure meds carry a long list of side effects, many dangerous ones at that, where it may seem that an occasional seizure would be less damaging than the side effects of the meds. I believe whatever they decided to do (medicate or not) they did because they thought it was in the best interest of their child, and I am sure they researched it well because they seem responsible like that.
I have said before I don't care for the Travolta's, but this is one subject I can see their side on.

My heart aches for the loss of the beloved child. I can't imagine the pain they are in.

I, too, believe that as a society we over-medicate. I understand that there are people with chemical imbalances that need meds, but as a general rule doctors are way too quick in writing a prescription for mind/mood altering drugs.

I am speaking from experience here -- I suffer from chronic pain due to the 4-wheeler accident I had in 11/07. The theory is that you take a med that alters your moods and it helps with pain. I took several of these drugs and they didn't work so my well meaning very skilled doctor prescribed Cymbalta - which is an EVIL drug - I am convinced that it would have killed me if I hadn't quit taking it. I am now using a tens unit for pain and have a small supply of loracet plus for those days when the tens doesn't take care of the pain.

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:goodpost: While I have nothing against the Travolta's, I belive they have alway's had Jett's best interest in mind. I have a Seizure disorder and my medication does not alway's prevent them. I have not drove a car in 12 years because I have no clue when one will strike me. Medication works differently on each person. We do not know their reasons for taking him off the meds, what if he had reactions to it? I feel so bad that they lost their son, its very tragic for this to of happen at all.

I have also heard that, which is why I take a fish oil capsule every day. They had me try several antidepressants, and told me I was depressed in addition to my GAD. Those meds made me feel like I wasn't a person, so I got off of them. I switched to a gluten free diet (the changes from that alone were astounding, no more brain fog), I started taking omega 3s, B complex, and Tryptophan supplements. Also, I quit smoking and drinking caffiene. I can't tell you how much better I feel. The only thing I take meds for now is an occastional Ativan for anxiety. I agree that Doctors really don't loook at your diet to see if that is causing problems.

Good stuff here :thumbup: Most people that switch to a gluten free diet show amazing results! A persons diet controls so much, and the FDA and big pharma doesn't want you to know that!

My mother is Bi Polar and my nephew is high functioning Autistic,and my 9 year old neice has Leukemia. None of which were"a choice" All of the above, need certain medication management. Faith of any kind,is huge in the overall picture. I believe that every diagnosis and every person is different. Obviously finding the correct meds are very challenging. The side effects,lifestyles,and many other factors play an important role. My mother has struggled her whole life. She is now 60. She has been in menopause for 20 + years.Women have hormones to factor into their diagnosis also,which changes daily. My nephew is 9, but will go through puberty,and change his chemical make up,therefore, changing his needs and meds once again. And like every medication,when you are on it for a long time ,you can build up a resistance to it. No matter what...having friends and family support and education is key. I know that without support any diagnosis, no matter how big or small is twice as hard. We all wish there was a "Magic Pill"..not so. I truly know that in my experience with my family members that struggle ,the best medication is love.

The Travolta's , like every parent , wanted the best for their son and I feel for them right now . I can't imagine the sorrow they must wake up and feel everyday. Scientologist do believe in and take medications for certain disorders but ever since Tom Cruise spoke about mental disorders the whole issue has become clouded and the beliefs of Scientologist have been twisted by a media crazed society.

In today's society we are constantly told that if we are sad or something in our life is not going as expected , it's not our fault .Something must be wrong and medication can fix it. While I know some people truly do need medications doctors on a whole are far to willing to prescribe mind altering medications , especially to children , without really looking for an underlying cause.


WAY to many children ( as well as adults)are put on medication for everything from ADHD to depression without anyone questioning the diagnosis or trying to figure out the best possible way to treat them . We are trained that doctors know everything and we must sit , listen ,and never question.

Don't get me wrong , I have nothing against doctors in general , a wonderful group of doctor's saved my sons life! BUT I feel too many parent's put their children on medication and let it try to calm them down (to the point of changing their personality altogether) without questioning the diagnosis because they have just given up and been told this is the best thing to do.

I hope people soon realize the amount of damage that can be done by over medicating everyone for everything without really taking the time to discover if the medication is actually warranted.

Studying different religions is sort of a hobby for me. Usually I really enjoy it and even though they may not be my own beliefs I am very rarely tempted to pass judgment. Scientology is one of the few that have been the exception. I do believe, like most of y'all, that the Travoltas had the best interests in mind for Jett but it seems likely their religion failed all of them. It is true that Scientology does believe in meds for medical reasons but they also have their own "cleansing" rituals that can be dangerous. They have admitted that they took Jett off of his seizure medication and that he went through "cleanses" that helped him.

Most likely none of us will ever know if their belief in Scientology contributed to Jett's death but I can understand why people wonder. It's already been mentioned that they do not believe in ANY mental or psychological disorders- they believe you are "defective" and have to work to overcome it. They do not believe in any medication for psychological disorders and many people who had personal contact with Jett, including John's brother, believe he was autistic. Nobody in the medical field that I saw interviewed after Jett's death said his symptoms resembled Kawosaki syndrome. I am by no means an expert on autism but I do know that a lot can be done and I think it's sad that it was written off due to their religious beliefs.

I have no first hand knowledge of seizure disorders but my understanding is that though it is common for a medication to stop working and to even take a break from medication, doctors will keep trying others hoping to find the right cocktail that will work. To those of you with personal knowledge, is that true?

There are many people who used to be involved at a high level in Scientology who now actively speak out about it and how dangerous it is. This site Scientology associated deaths is one I came across that is really sad. There are many sites out there hosted by former Scientology members who are joining together to help each o other recover from what they feel is brain washing and spread the word that Scientology is a dangerous cult.

My heart really does go out to the Travoltas and the pain they are enduring now is unimaginable to me.

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Did I not say that I realize there are a lot of legitimate cases out there, but I also feel that it is way over diganosed.

No need to defend yourself if you fit into the former category and not the latter. But there are people that look up the symptoms on the internet and keep complaining about them until the Dr gives them the medication.

There are people that just cannot cope with normal day to day problems because they were never taught how to cope with disappointment.

Seem's like some dr's fix one thing and then that takes on the snowball effect and other things go wrong and then more and more meds. That is what I meant. Some people won't ask or question why they are given more meds. I'm sure if it's true he wasn't taking meds there was a good reason. I just don't think a mother would endanger her child for any reason or religion. But, we all make mistakes. This young person is now with God and all has been cured.

It's true, BUT how if someone comes up to you (not you specifically) and says I think I have this problem, how can you just say "suck it up you're over diagnosing it" when there really could be a problem? I don't think people realize how dangerous it could really be if it is real. Sometimes people just need someone to listen and try to understand, but not automatically dismiss it.

Are you speaking of ME diagnosing it? Or a Dr? As for me, that would not be my call. As for a Dr. Dr's prescribe things all the time that are not in the patients best interest. Drug companies push to the Dr's and Dr's push to the patients. It's all about the money honey.

They need to do more testing and evaluating. And as someone else pointed out, the drug companines come up with symptoms, that can be cured by their drugs, then put them on TV with an Ask YOUR Dr. for this medication.

But the problem lies much deeper. We are a spoiled country, we expect to have the government solve all of our problems for us. We expect a pill to cure everything, we expect never to be disappointed or uncomfortable in any way shape or manner. Many people use bi polar as a c rutch to excuse everything they do or don't do.

I have a step Grandson, 19 years old, over 6 foot tall that has never worked a day in his life. He cannot read well enough to fill out a job application or take a drivers test.

All his life he and his mother have used ADHD as an excuse for him not to do his schoolwork or to behave. so this big tall strapping lad will never work a day in his life because he is on SS disability.

Life in the real world comes with hardships and discomforts. Sometimes we just need to suck it up and stop looking for excuses.

I agree completely. My brother has had seizures throughout his life off and on, and his first was at 4. He was babied my whole life because of it, and of course, diagnosed ADD in school. Because of that, he got help with all of his work, never was held responsible for anything in his life, is now 25 and just got fired from his job at Taco Bell a few months ago, and has sat on unemployment since, because he "doesn't really like other jobs". He is very lazy. Its a sad truth, but almost every family that you ask (that believes that as many people as diagnosed really do have it) has at least one person in their family is either add, adhd, bi-polar, or autistic, many of them claim that their children are add/adhd/autistic, therefor THEY need drugs for depression because of it.
IMO many, if not most (not all...) kids diagnosed with add or adhd have had a severe lack in disapline. Not to mention the fact that society just cannot seem to accept that everyone is DIFFERENT. There are different learning styles, yet they want all kids to learn the same, and when they don't, they drug them instead of adjusting the way they teach. I have 6 kids, not one of them learns the same. My oldest could possibly be diagnosed dyslexic. My second has a genetic disorder and has already been labeled autistic. My third...good gravy, he could be the poster child for adhd, my 4th is just the perfect princess ideal student top in her class. My 5th and 6th are too young to tell for sure, but I am sure they will stand out as well. Its called being an individual, and I encourage it. All of my kids got the principal's award last year for their school, they have NEVER gone to the office, they get basically straight A's, and all of them are top in their class for reading. I could take any of my 3 boys to the doctor at any time and I am sure would get a prescription the same day instead of alternatives to actually help the issue. I am not saying that parents that choose to medicate are bad people or parents, I am just saying that the Pharm companies and doctors don't inform parents enough and maybe they themselves dont even know that there are better options out there.
I am not saying problems don't exsist, that would be rediculous. I am just saying that I don't agree with they way they are treated. :)