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Yesterday JayBird covered the story that actress Kirstie Alley was up in arms on Twitter over a proposed bill that has passed the House and is now awaiting Senate approval. The Mother’s act aims to increase education, screening and services for postpartum depression. This may include medication as warranted, but The Mother’s act doesn’t focus on medication as the solution to depression at all and there is barely any mention of drugs in the text of the bill. There is no forced screening of mothers proposed and absolutely no forced drugging. The bill is aimed at decreasing the stigma attached to postpartum depression and ensuring that new mothers have access to treatment.
Alley, a Scientologist, is absolutely against the bill and Twittered about “BABIES HAVING PROZAC squirted in there eyes at birth to prevent depression later on” as if this were a real possibility or even something that would be medically condoned. Scientologists are opposed to psychiatric medication and in a video leaked last year their leader David Miscavige said one of their primary aims was to “break the dark spell cast across earth by psychiatry.”
Alley is responding to false information spread about the bill, most likely by other Scientologists. We received an e-mail from the office of NJ senator Robert Menendez, the co-author of the bill. They let us know that this bill wasn’t at all sponsored or encouraged by the pharmaceutical industry, and that it doesn’t force women to get screened or to take medication in any way:
Hi there – just read jaybird’s post on Kirstie Alley’s Twittering about the MOTHERS Act. My boss is the author of that here in the Senate, and I just wanted to pass along that jaybird is absolutely correct in reading that there is nothing in this bill that forces expectant mothers or new mothers to do anything, much less take medication. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical industry has had nothing to do with this bill. We frankly have no idea where they get this stuff.
[Received via e-mail from office of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-NJ]
It looks like the Scientologists are against even the remote possibility that someone might be helped by anti-depressants. We could all be cured with some vitamins, sauna treatment, and a whole lot of cash for brainwashing sessions and reprogramming.
Another celebrity has lent her support to the bill. Brooke Shields, who drew criticism in 2005 from Scientologist Tom Cruise for admitting that the drug Paxil helped her battle postpartum depression, appeared at a press conference (link leads to video) in support of the Mother’s act in 2007.
Written by Celebitchy
Posted in Kirstie Alley
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20 Responses to “Exclusive: Sen Menendez’s office on Kirstie Alley’s opposition to Mother’s Act”
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What I think is funny is how someone like Kirstie, who has so many issues with food, is so violently opposed to mental health treatment. Obviously someone who self-medicates with food could really benefit from an evaluation and possible treatment plan. But fear and pride will prevent her from ever exploring that idea. Instead, she’d rather scare people with blatantly ridiculous nonsense.
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She should down a couple of bottles of Prozac daily to get rid of that fat ass!
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I’m sure she’s never read a single thing concerning the actual bill, just gossip from other whack-job scienos. I can only imagine what life must be like living it like a game of telephone.
I definitely see how foolish it makes one look, though.
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I was lucky – my hubby is an ob/gyn, and he recognized my post-partum early. It set in within a week of my daughter’s birth, and he put me back on my birth control and started me on Zoloft. Zoloft can be taken by nursing mothers WITHOUT crossing into the milk, so the baby gets none of it.
Post partum is a horrible condition. You begin to feel you are completely worthless as a mother. I believe screening should occur at the first post-partum checkup! You would really be suprised at the number of women suffering – it’s a physical condition caused by the changes in hormones as well as the stress caused by a newborn.
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Bad idea. We don’t live in lala land. The agenda is not as innocent as you are led to believe. And by the way All drugs pass into mothers milk. So I guess one would want that truth. But you see it is hidden from you. You made a decision based on false information. Now ask yourself why would they hide that truth. And then ask yourself if woman will be forced to take these drugs while nursing.
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if scientology is so wonderful why can’t it cure alley of her twinky addiction?
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~
I agree with the above poster.
You can’t ingest something and not have it show up in breast milk.
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As far as any pharmaceutical passing into breast milk, some do and some don’t.
Look up the drug on FDA.gov and search for that drugs clinical trials.
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EVERYTHING that the mother ingests will come out in breast milk, it’s just that some meds (zoloft in particular) doesn’t pass as much (only 1 or 2% of the active ingredient) to the baby.
however, there are no studies for long term effects on the nursing baby whose mother takes Zoloft.
try WebMD for good information and articles on the subject.
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The scis aren’t just against a person taking medication to help them. As I understand it they are against you even talking to a therapist/psychologist about it. And yet they wonder why people “persecute” them for their beliefs.
Kirstie Alley has just lost any ounce of credibility and normality I may have credited her with.
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Hold it..they are not forcing anyone to take drugs period. If a mother is breast feeding she wont take the drugs,but mnost depressed women do not breast feed for cripes sakes. Some of you people sound like Christie.
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let’s keep kirstie’s weight problems out of this… i think it’s a stretch to claim that just because someone has a religious affiliation, then they are perfect as human being and free of daily struggles…
that being said, this scientology stuff sounds like a bunch of nonesense… and entirely ignorant as well. but, i think they are doing more to further the cause of psychiatric treatment than not… most people seem to have an aversion to scientology and i think the more crap they spew about how the field of psychiatry and psychology is detrimental, the more people will open up their minds to it… so i say GO KIRSTIE and your kind… the more you talk, the more we’ll progress as a society
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I am sorry that Kriste Alley , is so misinformed, and she can hang her hat next to Tom Cruse’s ! If because of proper blood testing and thyroid screening, and severe case of postpartum depression ,can be headed off, perhaps, even with the first child’s birth, Would you reconsider your odd, and unfair statements, Discoraging you Mother’s from any support is cruel to ME!
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I believe there were studies done on Zoloft during pregnancy and breast feeding and there was a recommended dosage where it would be safe. It’s important that the mother be well, too.
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Scientologists have no credibility.
As for the issue with the chemicals in mothers milk being ingested by the baby… Look around us, there are chemicals and pollution everywhere that we ingest in some form or another everyday. From our food to the air we breathe and the water we drink.
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Have you ever noticed that every Scientologist in the entertainment business is crazy, uninformed, and completely unhappy? And these are the people that are supposed to recruit others into the “church”?! Wow, great examples to chose from. Let’s see…
Kirstie Alley – Delusional and majorly unhealthy – even did a show called Fat Actress to capitalize on her poor health because she couldn’t get any better jobs or prioritize her own needs but has tons to say about other’s needs.
Lisa Marie Presley – once quoted “Say it loud, say it proud, I’m completely insane”. I don’t even need to delve into her history, you all already know the whack job choices she always makes.
Plus, she has perma-frown, the woman is always growling every single time anyone takes a picture of her and apparently can’t stop eating either. What are they feeding Scientologists?! Besides the anti-depressants they all clearly need?
Giovani Ribisi – Where did his career go? Oh yeah. Down the toilet. Same with Juliette Lewis.
Priscilla Presley – looks like the Joker from Batman, completely fruity
John Travolta – had an autistic son he refused to acknowledge as such and refused to medicate his son who had FREQUENT SEVERE SEIZURES because he didn’t want to give him psychotropic medications since he doesn’t believe in them as a Scientologist, yet they are also proven to be effective in dealing with preventing seizures, hence his son died from his negligent choices. Not to mention, he claimed he could heal people with his bare hands, apparently that didn’t work out too well.
Tom Cruise – I don’t even need to go there.
Honestly, how can anyone think that this is going to make something look even remotely desirable?
Scientology is the biggest scam of all time and everyone involved is clearly brainwashed, miserable, and unhealthy.
Break out the anti-depressants and lets party!
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Psychiatry is evil!
Say no to The Mothers Bill.
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While I certainly have nothing against the use of controlled medication to help with issues like post-partum, there are other means of treating the condition if a mother is worried about taking drugs.
Sometimes even having someone acknowledge that what you are experiencing is real, and it is a physical condition (not just “being a nut” or a “bad mother”) can ease some of the burden.
I think screening is a wonderful idea, whether a mother chooses to take medicaiton for it or not.
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So what did the millions of mothers do in the last 2000 years before to deal with this issue? They didn’t just pop a get happy quick pill. No, they did bong hits! Which has been proven to have medicinal qualities. And just like everyone else here, Kirstie has an opinion and the freewill to voice it. Get over it people and agree to disagree with those that don’t agree with your views.
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Kirstie’s site seemed Ok to me. I liked the approach and do want to lose weight and when i checked the site could find no referecne to scientology..not that it bothered me- im catholic but respect all religions…anyway think you are being harsh- focus on the positives I say..America IS OVERWEIGHT..it costs us millions as tax payers..so the more motivation in weightloss the better I say!
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