Re: Sally Kosoff’s June 18 letter, "Mental illness is very real":

It appears that Kosoff is misinformed. She is correct in that if mental illness is effectively treated, a person will lead a productive life.

To my knowledge, and to the knowledge of all drug companies, the drugs they make do absolutely nothing to cure mental illness. The drug companies tell us mental illness may (means “possibly”) be caused by a biochemical imbalance. This doesn't sound like well-known scientific fact to me.

If psychiatrists receive so much training and supposedly know so much about mental illness, how come they do not get any results? How come people on psychiatric drugs have a high suicide rate? How come people on psychiatric drugs become robot-like? How come people on psychiatric drugs become more crazy?

It sounds like another solution is in order. To continue to dump money into something that does not work and gets bad results makes no sense. I don't want to see taxpayers’ money funding the current system. It does not work!

Scientology beliefs or not, just look at the facts. Look at what these drugs are actually doing to the people who take them. Look at how it affects them mentally and physically.

The things I have researched and seen have made me pose the above questions. I have not found any drugs that give a 100 percent certainty of curing any form of mental illness.

Good treatment can truly lead to recovery. The current mental health system is not good treatment.

— Steve Grantham, Oxnard