Chy Sawel
Chy-Sawel is Cornish for ‘House of Health giving', which appropriately describes the aim of our project. Our vision is to build a Centre that will use our treatment methods and is operational as soon as possible.
For many years there was no adequate provision for the severely mentally ill in Cornwall with the result that patients were institutionalised in various parts of the country, resulting in separation from their families both in time and distance. It is because of the plight of one of these unfortunate people that this project was born. Sandra Breakspeare , who is the inspiration and driving force behind Chy-Sawel, has experienced years of pain and frustration, as the condition of her son gradually deteriorated despite the Health Authorities best efforts.
The more and more sophisticated drugs available offer many sufferers the chance of leading a ‘normal life' although it should be noted that current research indicates some of the newer ‘wonder' drugs have increasingly harmful side effects which were not previously evident. Tragically, however, there is a hard-core group who are, for whatever reason, resistant to this type of treatment and existing guidelines can offer these people no alternatives - so they are condemned to a sort of ‘half-life', with the antipsychotic drugs suppressing but not curing their symptoms. They become victims of the ‘revolving door syndrome' i.e. forever in and out of care and institutions, but for them the ‘door' has closed and is unlikely to be re-opened. The NHS approach can lead patients on to a type of recovery but we are stating that there is a credible alternative.
Our holistic approach, using orthomolecular/nutritional medicine as its foundation, has a proven record of success ( see Similar Projects ) and whilst it is no ‘magic cure' these restorative methods do work. As we are only using natural substances surely there can be no valid reason for not making this option available. There are many psychiatric health professionals who are willing to adopt a nutritional approach in some form and, indeed, are privately doing so. Unfortunately, it is not ‘company policy' so the majority of these doctors feel unable to continue but surely they are best placed to evaluate the situation, so if we can convince the ‘powers that be' of our validity, the support is there. When it is accepted that there is an alternative treatment, we must insist that, as we live in a democracy where all citizens have the fundamental right of choice, these are circumstances where that choice must be exercised.
The Chy-Sawel Treatment Centre
The first of its kind in the UK - The Project's purpose is to set up and run a therapeutic Centre, initially in Cornwall , for those suffering from schizophrenias and other mental illnesses. By adopting an orthomolecular treatment approach, this will be the first Centre of its type in the UK .
We want to avoid systems that are more convenient for the provider and favour the administration, as these can be less than efficient. We will keep the patient's needs and well-being in the foreground when planning the operational systems, rules and regulations. Proposed systems must be easy to use and understand and will be thoroughly checked to ensure that they provide as much patient focus and efficiency as possible before they are accepted and implemented. To achieve this will require a pragmatic and flexible approach.
Our treatment will be based on the pioneering work of Dr.Abram Hoffer and Dr.Carl Pfeiffer, in Canada and America respectively, known as orthomolecular or nutritional medicine. Our aim is to help participants re-enter society with a programme that will include occupational and recreational therapies, social re-education, psychotherapy and an holistic approach through
- Use of the orthomolecular method
- Developing the strengths of participants and helping them live in a community setting
- Involvement in the Centre such as taking part in our organic horticulture programme, gardening, cooking and cleaning. This will provide a structure and belonging in their lives plus a re-introduction to decision making and the issues of living as a group
- Recreational activities which will include supported contacts in the outside community when appropriate
- Encouraging family contact
- Activities that focus on relationships, regaining independence, housing and re-training for work. This will involve counselling sessions, therapy groups and practical groups to aid the relearning of basic living skills
- Self medication including nutritional maintenance and relapse awareness
- Regular physical exercise
Our staff, who will be studiously vetted and come from the ‘top' end of the employment market, will be dedicated to the aims of the Centre and skilled and experienced in helping people suffering from a considerable range of mental illnesses and problems.
We will provide secure residential facilities for up to 18 people as well as offering the opportunity to use the Centre for conferences, training and research once we are up and running. The setting will be rural, possibly a previous farm site, where the peaceful relaxing environment will aid the recovery process and provide a base for our work. It is hoped that our organic horticulture programme, an integral part of the recovery regime, will fulfil both its therapeutic responsibilities and satisfy the needs of the Centre.
We are suggesting that residents will be aged between 18 and 65 years without a history of serious offences such as violence, sexual assaults, drug or alcohol abuse. The expected stay would be between six months and two years although the Centre will treat each participant and their needs on an individual basis. All entrants will be registered with a local GP and a close working relationship will be developed with relevant services such as Community Health teams, the County Council, the Health Authority and Social Services. Enrolling at the Chy-Sawel Treatment Centre will be a lifestyle changing experience and because the patients will be learning a new way of living to help them overcome their problems, we intend to refer to them as ‘students'.
On arrival at the Centre each student will undergo tests for any biochemical and cerebral allergies plus checks for abnormal levels of toxic metals, such as lead, mercury, copper, cadmium and aluminium. Levels of vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and fats will be checked and all of this information will help indicate the appropriate individual treatment. This may initially mean a continuation of psychotropic medications but with a long-term view of reducing and eventually eliminating their need. Combining nutrients with medication can provide a number of advantages e.g. some nutrients progress the activity of the medications while others can be substituted for them. This will lead to the reduction of dosage as the body begins to do for itself what the drugs were prescribed for.
Nutrients will be supplied in regulated amounts to recreate biochemical balance in the same way that supplements are given when a normal diet is insufficient. Fresh fruits and vegetables (grown and harvested on our farm wherever possible), fish, fowl and whole grains form the basis of the diet whilst refined flours, white sugar, caffeine, processed foods, dairy products and chemical additives will be avoided. A rotation diet will ensure that students who are being treated for cerebral allergies will avoid hypoallergenic foods such as wheat, soy and eggs. Initially, some students will be overweight due to inadequate diets, heavy medication and lack of exercise whilst others will be underweight and malnourished – Chy-Sawel will instil healthy and sound dietary habits and re-educate its students by showing them that three healthy meals per day are satisfying both medically and socially.
As stated, we will look to accommodate a maximum of 18 students at any one time basically split into three units of 6, defined by their state of recovery. There will be a natural progression as the initial intake of severely ill move on to the next unit as they improve and then finally to individual flatlets which will prepare them to cope on their own. Students will gradually learn to become more self sufficient, intellectually as well as practically, living in a structured environment where they will be expected to manage their own nutrient / medication programme and attend all courses relevant to their needs. In time, they will be required to undertake household chores, volunteer and part time jobs as and when they are capable of doing so. In this way, the Centre will develop positive links with the local community, helping to combat the stigma and reduce the discrimination associated with mental illness. As the Centre becomes established, it is intended that provision will be made to include further education classes in association with one of the local colleges, again enhancing the rehabilitation process. We will find out the interests and activities that the students enjoyed prior to their illness and incorporate these into their recovery programme. This should help to create a friendlier and more interesting atmosphere and overcome any feelings that this is just another ‘hospital treatment'. Most sufferers dislike taking psychiatric drugs because of the severe and unpleasant side effects. Their appreciation that we are working towards curtailing that treatment will, in itself, be a strong motivating factor for their compliance and perseverance. We will involve their families at all times as it is recognised that they have an important role to play and must understand how they can co-operate in and assist the recovery. It should be remembered that, for the majority of our students, Chy-Sawel will be looked on as a last resort after years of psychiatric treatment and numerous periods of hospitalisation. With the introduction of their recovery programme, the student's concentration will improve, confusion will diminish and they will be able to appreciate what we are offering them……. hope!
Why hasn't our approach been adopted already?
The concept of psychiatric disorder is largely derived from a culture of drug therapy and clinical observation, not an analysis of underlying neurobiology, and is therefore based on the development of synthetic medicines. Drugs can be made available in a way that is more in keeping with the quick fix culture of today whereas the pursuit of orthomolecular treatments can often take months to achieve their best results. The drug industry is extremely profitable, with its own way of inspiring loyalty. Changing existing views, particularly where reappraisal is required of assumptions and theories derived and reinforced by the medical community over many years, will be difficult. However, challenges are now emerging from both inside and outside that community to this drug based pattern, so we must believe that considered debate will lead to our natural approach being adopted as the model for the 21 st century.
Orthomolecular Medicine
The term orthomolecular was first used by the Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling to denote the use of naturally occurring substances, particularly nutrients, in maintaining health and treating disease. Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body. It recognises that many mental illnesses are due to biochemical imbalances of the brain and that recovery is helped with suitable nutrition together with other treatments specific to the individual.
There is now general acceptance that what we eat and how we look after our bodies influences a great many conditions, not just in the mental health area. We are, however, becoming more aware of the relationship between food and mental health with current research confirming that poor (junk) foods and levels of pollution in the environment are connected to mental disorders. By educating people of all ages on how this affects us, we could go a long way to preventing so many of the modern ‘designer' mental illnesses which blight our society. We maintain that the value of diet should be taught to children as part of their school curriculum i.e. the creation of good habits. It is no longer tenable to believe that mind and body are separate and that poor nutrition and chemical imbalances do not underlie the majority of mental illness, so the introduction of a suitably controlled diet is essential. An integrated approach, recognising the interplay of biological, psychological, social and environmental factors is the key to challenging this growing burden of mental health…..and diet is a cornerstone of this integrated approach.