November 11, 2024 at 8:43 am

Honoring Veterans: Reducing Medication Harm to Improve Mental Health Care

Our press release today highlights the struggle many vets face when seeking therapeutic care.

“MISSD recently presented at the first Veterans Harm Reduction Symposium, exploring the relationship between medication and veteran suicide. Symposium attendees shared similar adverse experiences as those MISSD spotlights in Voices of Veterans,” said Dolin. “Akathisia and related adverse psychiatric drug effects are systemic problems and not as rare as pharmaceutical companies have led the public to believe.”

Read more at https://www.einpresswire.com/article/758868598/missd-honors-veterans-by-raising-awareness-of-medication-induced-suicide.

November 4, 2024 at 12:25 pm

Podcast Examines How Pharma Uses Fear to Maximize Profits

The latest podcast on KevinMD features Martha Rosenberg, a journalist who has covered healthcare issues for decades, explaining how pharma uses fear as a marketing weapon to drive profits.

Only two countries in the world allow direct-to-consumer drug ads — the US and New Zealand. Listen at https://www.kevinmd.com/2024/10/how-modern-ads-manipulate-your-health-fears-for-profit-podcast.html.

October 28, 2024 at 10:01 am

MISSD’s Presents Info About SSRIs and Alcohol

It was good to see the recent UK article about SSRI-induced alcohol cravings (article link shared in our recent post below).

More than 4 years ago, MISSD presented to the Hazelden Betty Ford Center about this very important health topic. View our presentation to learn more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xs0u7cdiSE.

October 26, 2024 at 6:51 am

Antidepressant-Induced Alcohol Cravings is a Not-So-Rare Side Effect of SSRIs

“Tony suffered from a little-known side-effect of SSRIs: they can turn some people with no history of alcoholic dependence into full-on alcoholics.

‘Taking an antidepressant caused me to develop an alcohol use disorder, which stripped me of my ability to control or stop my consumption of alcohol,’ he recalls. It caused me to black-out after just a few pints and my behaviour changed to a scary degree.’

Tony’s experience is far from unique. Read the full article at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13996393/antidepressants-alcoholic-effect.html.

October 16, 2024 at 9:40 am

MISSD Shares Our 2024 Highlights

We’re proud to share this year’s highlights–and we realize such accomplishments are made possible by generous donors, grassroots collaboration, and thoughtful people who share our free resources to help others. Thank you!

October 6, 2024 at 12:04 pm

Medication-Induced Violence is a Hard Pill to Swallow, But a Reality Nevertheless

Risks of self-harm, suicide, and violence–to include iatrogenic homicides, were known for decades by the pharmaceutical companies. This article is an excellent summary of how such out-of-character violence is hidden and dismissed. “Before marketing the companies ran two week healthy volunteer trials, in which people, like Traci Johnson, became suicidal and aggressive.  So companies knew adverse events were coming from which doctors needed to be shielded – especially as no-one would get anything less than a toxic dose.”

Learn more at http://Slide 14: Before marketing the companies ran two week healthy volunteer trials, in which people, like Traci Johnson, became suicidal and aggressive. So companies knew adverse events were coming from which doctors needed to be shielded – especially as no-one would get anything less than a toxic dose.

September 26, 2024 at 3:26 pm

RxISK.org Explores Antidotes for Akathisia and Dysregulation

How is it that an ingredient in the first version of 7-Up might help alleviate symptoms of akathisia and antidepressant withdrawal? RxISK.org’s recent article is an intriguing look at possible treatments currently being explored and discussed by some sufferers and medical researchers.

Read the article at https://rxisk.org/antidotes-for-akathisia-and-dysregulation/ and please contact RxISK.org if you or someone you know has experiences to share about these possible treatment options. It’s great to see more possible treatment options being explored given that MISSD frequently hears from people searching for ways to alleviate their symptoms.

It’s also nice to read, “We have liaised closely with groups like The Medication Induced Suicide Prevention and Education Foundation in Memory of Stuart Dolin  –MISSD– set up by Wendy Dolin and run by an impressive group of people whose lives have all been touched by the catastrophes akathisia can visit on families.” Thanks, RxISK.org!

September 20, 2024 at 9:13 am

MISSD Releases New Podcast and Launches Military Ads on International Akathisia Awareness Day

MISSD designated this annual day of global observance to increase akathisia awareness and remember all who suffer from or have been lost to this medication-induced disorder.

“Understanding akathisia is vital to preventing medication-induced self-harm, violence, and suicide,” said MISSD founder Wendy Dolin. “It’s crucial for people to be aware of the real risks and potential benefits before starting medications that can trigger akathisia. Our latest public health campaign, now reaching over a million active-duty military members and personnel on US military bases, is a major step toward greater awareness.” Read the full press release at https://www.einpresswire.com/article/744814742/international-akathisia-awareness-day-boosting-knowledge-to-enhance-patient-safety-and-prevent-medication-harm.

Vincent Schmitt and Yoko Motohama share the akathisia-induced loss of their teenage son, Romain, on our latest podcast. Listen at https://www.studiocchicago.com/akathisia-stories.

MISSD is reaching more than a million military members and base personnel with our new digital ads on bases serving all military branches. Together, we continue making a positive difference in patient safety.

September 5, 2024 at 8:08 am

Suicide Hotlines can Save Lives by Including Questions About Medication Use

Suicide prevention hotlines should routinely ask questions about medication use. Neglecting to do so increases the risk of akathisia-induced deaths. Please support this petition asking crisis hotlines to add standard questions about medication use. See https://www.change.org/p/get-suicide-prevention-services-to-ask-callers-if-they-are-taking-meds-that-cause-suicide?recruited_by_id=e65a64ea-a238-4dbc-aa1e-825316043645.

September 3, 2024 at 1:08 pm

Not-So-Friendly Skies: Serious Adverse Effects of SSRIs Can Impact Public Transportation

When we think of adverse drug effects that can cause psychiatric side effects, the focus is often on the drug consumer. However, as this recent article about SSRIs and airline pilots notes, akathisia can cause psychiatric side effects that impact public safety and transportation on a large scale. Read more at https://www.madinamerica.com/2024/08/modernizing-airline-antidepressants/