So Tom Cruise has now apologized to Brooke Shields, and she accepted his apology (see story here). Good for them both.
I, on the other hand, have not forgiven Tom Cruise. It hurt all of us when he dragged our illness into the spotlight and essentially made us feel awful for having taken medications that were prescribed to us by legitimate physicians in order to recover. It wasn’t only his comments that hurt, but also the echoing, more destructive comments from so many ignorant people around the country when this story arose because of Cruise. It was very hard to read the words of many citizens online and in print about how we’re crazy and stupid and drugged up, etc.
When he apologizes to all women who have suffered or are suffering from postpartum mood disorders, I’ll accept. Until then, I don’t plan to spend my box office dollars on his movies.
It’s okay with me that he doesn’t believe in antidepressants. No problem. But don’t judge me because I do believe in them. Don’t make me look bad in the public eye because I had to take them. They saved my life.
AMEN!!
Thank you, Katherine. I couldn’t agree with you more.
Right on, Katherine! You perfectly articulated what so many of us feel.
There is another side to the story
In 1999 a study conducted by Adrian Preda, M.D.; Rebecca W. MacLean, M.D.; Carolyn M. Mazure, Ph.D.; and Malcolm B. Bowers, Jr., M.D. found that 8.1% of Psychiatric Admissions to hospitals were due to Antidepressant-Associated Mania and Psychosis (J Clin Psychiatry 2001;62:30-33). The number must be higher now because the numbers of people taking antidepressants has risen significantly. http://www.ssristories.com http://theeffexoractivist.org/
Does this controversy come down to the differences between men and women? No man–regardless how educated, understanding or involved–could ever possibly understand PPD. How could they? So why do they think it's a good idea to pass judgement on this issue?