This is an excerpt from MISSD’s video “Voices of Veterans: The Hidden Dangers of Medication.” Co-produced by MISSD and K9s for Veterans, this public health video shares the adverse experiences of veterans who were harmed by polypharmacy and akathisia. Thank you for your courage and service.
See more shorts on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@MISSDFoundation/shorts.
This Veterans Day, MISSD honors the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans and their families.
Our commitment to veterans continues throughout the year. Through conference presentations, educational outreach, public health videos, and military base awareness campaigns reaching all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, we work to ensure veterans have accurate information about serious adverse drug effects that can negatively affect mental health, emotional well-being, and quality of life.
We’re especially grateful to the veterans who have shared their personal experiences with us, including those featured on our Akathisia Stories podcast. Their willingness to speak openly helps others recognize potential medication-related problems and contributes to greater awareness and patient safety.
To all who have served, and to the families who share in the sacrifice of military service, thank you.
MISSD is in Costa Rica this week, presenting medication-safety information to suicidologists, crisis responders and mental health professionals at the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s Pan American Forum.
We’re proposing practical training that turns knowledge about adverse drug effects into frontline practice—with a clear priority: Make routine medication questions a standard part of every suicide and crisis hotline protocol.
“It was so scary,” said Katy. After suffering from akathisia, she sought emergency help. “Doctors tried to put me on 16 different medications.”
Katy and her husband, Ben, share their full story at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMBxXCVTpmM&t=31s.
An editorial in MedPage Today by psychiatrist Devina Wadhwa cautions against labeling normal human suffering as mental illness. We agree.
Grief, loss, and life stressors can produce symptoms that resemble DSM-labeled disorders. Careful assessment is essential before making a diagnosis or suggesting any prescription drugs.
MISSD advocates for clear risk communication, medication safety, and greater awareness of adverse drug effects that can cause serious psychiatric symptoms, including akathisia.
Read the editorial at: https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/123669
You don’t need to watch an entire podcast to gain valuable insights about akathisia.
MISSD’s Akathisia Stories video shorts feature firsthand accounts from experts by experience, offering brief but important perspectives on this often-misunderstood and misdiagnosed medication-induced disorder.
Watch our latest short and explore more stories from those who have experienced akathisia firsthand.
The American Legion’s Be the One initiative emphasizes reaching veterans before a crisis through community outreach, education, and access to resources.
MISSD supports these prevention efforts while calling attention to an often-overlooked risk: medication-induced suicidality and suicide.
Veterans seeking cognitive behavior therapy are often put on long wait lists and given multiple medications without close monitoring and accurate risk information. When adverse drug effects, including akathisia, were misdiagnosed, many veterans report they fell victim to polypharmacy harms. Veterans deserve timely access to talk therapy and full risk information prior to considering any pharmacological treatments.
Read the American Legion article at:
https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/be-the-one/2026/october/reaching-veterans-before-the-crisis-point
Mientras MISSD se prepara para participar el próximo mes en el Foro Regional Panamericano de la Asociación Internacional para la Prevención del Suicidio (IASP) en Costa Rica, seguimos ampliando nuestros esfuerzos para llegar a más comunidades de habla hispana.
Hemos añadido tres videos de salud pública en español a nuestro canal de YouTube, ofreciendo a más personas acceso gratuito a información sobre la acatisia, un trastorno inducido por medicamentos que puede poner en peligro la vida y que con frecuencia pasa desapercibido o se diagnostica erróneamente.
Los videos explican qué es la acatisia, cómo reconocer sus síntomas y por qué la concienciación y la identificación temprana son fundamentales para la seguridad del paciente.
Ofrecer estos recursos en español es un paso más para ayudar a pacientes, familiares, cuidadores y profesionales de la salud a reconocer la acatisia y prevenir daños evitables.
Mira y comparte nuestros nuevos videos en español: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAlH6bAdfTt4.
As MISSD prepares to present at next month’s International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) Pan-American Regional Forum in Costa Rica, we’re expanding our efforts to reach more Spanish-speaking communities.
We’ve added three Spanish-language public health videos to our YouTube channel, providing more people with free, accessible information about akathisia, a serious medication-induced disorder that is frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed.
The videos explain what akathisia is, how to recognize its symptoms, and why awareness and early identification are essential to patient safety.
Making these resources available in Spanish is another step toward helping patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals recognize akathisia and prevent avoidable harm.
Watch and share the on MISSD’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAlH6bAdfTt4.
Akathisia isn’t as rare as drug companies lead patients and doctors to believe —and it can occur after stopping a medication.
In this podcast clip from Akathisia Stories, Kristina discusses how stopping or sharply reducing a drug associated with akathisia can also trigger the disorder.
Visit MISSD’s YouTube channel for more video shorts, podcasts, and public health videos to learn more about akathisia. Awareness and accurate info can help save a life.