Major changes to national guidelines in the UK may help people safely withdraw from dependency-forming prescription drugs such as depression pills, benzos, and opioids. The UK “finally acknowledged the prevalence, severity, and duration of withdrawal after decades of minimization and denial,” said John Read, professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of East London.

A 2019 Public Health England report also recommends “specialised services and a phone hotline” to help people safely withdraw.

When will the US FDA take similar actions to help reduce avoidable suffering and save lives? Akathisia is frequently a critical symptom of withdrawal.

Read the full article at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychiatry-through-the-looking-glass/202303/services-for-people-withdrawing-from.

Serotonin toxicity can occur with akathisia, especially after an increased dosage of certain drugs such as SSRIs. Symptoms include “altered mental status, changes in mood, behavior, increased anxiety, agitation or irritability, & confusion.”

This article does a good job explaining serotonin toxicity causes and symptoms. However, medical research does not support the author’s chemical imbalance claims. Read more at https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/what-is-serotonin-syndrome/ar-AA19bQJK?li=BBnba9O.

This excellent article is written by the spouse of an akathisia sufferer and can help others better understand akathisia symptoms and their impact on relationships.

“The suicidality that accompanies akathisia is the natural human impulse to escape being tortured. The body is overwhelmed by a frenzied need to fight or flee. The danger, while non-existent, becomes embodied in the physical and emotional torture akathisia creates, which then becomes overwhelming, culminating in a freefall of terror that can easily self-perpetuate.” — E. Kent Winward

Read the full article at https://www.madinamerica.com/2023/03/one-pill-disrupt-psychiatric-drug-withdrawal-marital-relationship/.

We give a grateful hat tip to The American Society of Pharmacovigilance (ASP) for spotlighting Adverse Drug Events today. See our press release and FourthCause.org to be better informed and safer healthcare consumers. https://www.einpresswire.com/article/624086335/medication-induced-suicides-are-adverse-drug-events-not-deaths-of-despair.

The response to our akathisia info presented at the 46th annual Psychotherapy Networker Symposium was amazing. Our straightforward message reached over 4,000 mental health professionals committed to improving patient safety and saving lives by increasing awareness of akathisia.

Read the press release at https://www.einpresswire.com/article/622884669/mental-health-professionals-learn-that-suicide-can-be-a-medication-side-effect.

(Pictured below: MISSD board member Dr. Linda Stern (r) and founder Wendy Dolin presented akathisia info at the Washington, DC, conference.)

At this week’s Psychotherapy Networker Symposium, Alanis Morissette and Dick Schwarts are keynote speakers discussing trauma. MISSD will be there to talk about medication-induced suicide, which definitely causes trauma for akathisia victims and their loved ones.

Isn’t it ironic consumers aren’t informed that drugs for hair loss, acne, blood pressure, asthma, & depression can cause self-harm, violence, and suicide? For the full conference schedule, see https://www.psychnetworker.org/2023/?update#section-1917-24.

Glam’s SSRI article has some misinformation & missing info, but at least they mention that depression pills can: “cause constipation, excessive sweating, hypomania or mania, SUICIDAL urges, serotonin syndrome, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome.”

Read the full article at https://www.glam.com/1226067/so-your-antidepressant-is-killing-your-libido-heres-how-to-handle-it/.

MISSD will reach more than 4,000 healthcare practitioners at this week’s Psychotherapy Networker conference, where in-person and virtual attendees can learn more about akathisia to reduce prescribed harms and save lives. Visit us online at https://web.cvent.com/hub/events/aea59846-0fda-4e8e-8d86-6313ac14203b/exhibitors/1e4a1e20-3cae-48c6-8d4c-73c8e809f7da.

It’s good to see this Med Page Today opinion piece addresses the lack of training and education for effective suicide reduction initiatives. Unfortunately, many, if not most, emergency doctors are not trained to ask crucial questions about medications and adverse effects that can cause suicidality and suicide. Many, if not most, are also likely to miss or misdiagnose akathisia.

Read the full article at https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/suicide-watch/103472?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2023-03-09&eun=g1045428d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%20Evening%202023-03-09&utm_term=NL_Daily_DHE_dual-gmail-definition.

On behalf of the Coalition members at the March 1st meeting, Dr. Diana Zuckerman offered our support to the Commissioner and the FDA, and thanked the Commissioner for his efforts to improve the Accelerated Approval program by requiring confirmatory trials be started prior to granting accelerated approval. Patricia Kelmar discussed members’ support for the FDA to regulate lab-developed tests to ensure their accuracy. Kim Witczak and Suzanne Robotti discussed possible improvements to the FDA Advisory Committee process, based on their perspectives as consumer representatives on two FDA Advisory Committees. After the meeting was completed, Coalition members who were attending in person had informal discussions with several FDA officials.  

FDA attendees: Robert Califf (Commissioner, virtual due to exposure to viruses), Peter Marks (Director, CBER, virtual), Owen Faris (OPEQ Principal Deputy Director, CDRH, virtual); In person: Julia Tierney (Chief of Staff, Office of the Commissioner), Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, (Principal Deputy Director, CDER), Dayle Cristinizio (Director, Stakeholder Engagement, Office of External Affairs), Hilary Maston (Chief Medical Officer), Namandje Bumpus (Chief Scientist, AdCom responsibilities), Kaveeta Vasisht (Assoc Commissioner for Women’s Health), Jennifer Dooren (Director Communications and Public Engagement, Food Safety).

Coalition Attendees: In Person: Thomas Eagen (NCHR), Maria Gmitro (BISA), Denise Hyater-Lindenmuth (NWHN), Patricia Kelmar (U.S. PIRG), Suzanne Robotti (MedShadow), Kim Witczak (WoodyMatters), Diana Zuckerman (NCHR). Virtual: Tahir Amin (I-MAK), Wendy Dolin (MISSD), Helen Haskell (MAME), Rex Johnson (WAPS), Katherine Leon (SCAD Alliance), Judy Norsigan (OBOS), Linda Radach (PSAN), Reshma Ramachandran (DFA), Brian Ronholm (Consumer Reports), Tess Schulman (Medical Device Problems), Robin Strongin (NCL), Dru West (USAPN), Sophia Phillips (on behalf of the Coalition).