http://www.nmha.org/newsroom/system/news.vw.cfm?do=vw&rid=709

War of the Words: Tom Cruise's Messages on the Today Show Perpetuate Fear and Misinformation

NMHA News Release June 24, 2005

(National Mental Health Association)

Contact: Heather Cobb 703-797-2588 hcobb@nmha.org

A Statement by Michael M. Faenza, MSSW, President and CEO of NMHA

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (June 24, 2005) - Tom Cruise's destructive, anti-mental health comments on the Today Show this morning -- and over the course of the last few weeks -- fuel an already intense stigma associated with mental illness that can force people with real needs to go without care.

Each year, 54 million Americans experience a mental illness, such as depression or an anxiety disorder. Yet, only one-third receive any treatment at all despite very high treatment success rates. In fact, the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health wrote in its final report, "Mental illnesses are shockingly common; they affect almost every American family." Clearly, the real crisis facing our nation is not that we over- or mistreat people, but that we fail to meet basic needs of most Americans living with mental health problems. The gap between the number of adults and children with mental health needs and those receiving treatment will certainly widen if people are dissuaded from seeking treatment because of such visible misinformation.

Cruise's comments could have very damaging consequences for American with mental health needs by increasing stigma and shame, discouraging treatment and forcing people to go without needed care. Celebrities, like Cruise, have an organic platform to share their talents and their viewpoints. However, this opportunity comes hand-in-hand with a responsibility to not mislead the American public with unfounded rhetoric.

The National Mental Health Association is the country´s oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 340 affiliates nationwide, NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans through advocacy, education, research and service.

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http://www.nmha.org/newsroom/system/news.vw.cfm?do=vw&rid=709

From: "Eldonbraun" <EldonB123@aol.com>
Subject: Re: National Mental Health Associations responds to Xenu Cruise
Date: 27 Jun 2005 08:13:17 -0700
Message-ID: <1119885197.839118.52410@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>

I just sent her an e-mail and suggested she's missing a golden opportunity by not mentioning Scientology as the source of Tom Cruise's nonsense.

TO: hcobb(at)nmha(dot)org

Dear Ms. Cobb:

I just read your press release where it was posted on the newsgroup alt.religion.scientology, a hotbed of criticism about the Scientology crime syndicate.

Of course, you know that Tom Cruise is only spouting the Scientology party line nonsense about "the evil psychs" as expounded by the cult's front group, Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR).

You're missing an opportunity here. With so much exposure coming out in the national press, you might as well go for the jugular and say he's been indoctrinated with this nonsense by the "church" of Scientology. Don't worry; they can't sue everybody, and at this point, that's about what they would have to do.

Best regards, Eldon M. Braun

From: desertphile@hot mail.com (David Rice, Esq.)
Subject: Re: National Mental Health Associations responds to Xenu Cruise
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 15:11:30 GMT
Message-ID: <42c168b1@news2.lightlink.com>

Subject: Tom Cruise's Disinformation Campaign

Regarding "A Statement by Michael M. Faenza, MSSW, President and CEO of NMHA." I am very happy to see the NMHA step forward and try to counter the madness "Dr. Cruise" is spewing. While Mr. Cruise is well beyond the point of being reasoned with (Scientology Inc. teaches, as a matter of "science," that the entire mental health profession is organized and run by space aliens to control and enslave humanity---- I am 100% serious), it appears that the majority of people who have expressed an opinion on the matter think that Mr. Cruise was very much "out of line" and have castigated him for it in litterally thousands of Internet "blogs" and journals and newspaper articles.

Scientology Inc. is considered an international crime syndicate by many of the world's human rights activists, and Scientology is considered to be one of the worse forms of thought reform and mind control so far developed. Mr. Cruise has fallen into the tar pit of Scientology, and he will never see the evil that he advocates and defends.

It is my opinion that Mr. Cruise should be arrested for his practicing medicine without a license. His disinformation campaign could very well cost people their lives if those people decide to abandon, or not acquire, the health care they need. Depression is far too often a fatal illness, and when Mr. Cruise urged people to abandon treatment in favor for "vitamins and exercise," he was advocating more suicides and more self-inflicted maimings.

David Rice

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