On Prescribed Harm Awareness Day, we’re highlighting Side Effects May Include…, a powerful new play by award-winning playwright Lisa Loomer, now showing at the Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University near the Washington DC metro area.
MISSD applauds award-winning playwright Lisa Loomer for her powerful and deeply personal play, Side Effects May Include…, now running at the Contemporary American Theater Festival. The festival is recognized as one of the top theater festivals in the world by publications such as The New York Times and American Theater.
Inspired by her own son’s heartbreaking experience, Loomer adeptly brings akathisia and related iatrogenic harm into the spotlight. Akathisia is a devastating, medication-induced disorder that can lead to self-harm, violence, and suicide. Yet most sufferers report they were never warned about the risk, nor given fully informed consent before being prescribed medications associated with akathisia. Most sufferers also report their akathisia symptoms were missed, dismissed or misdiagnosed as signs of DSM-labeled disorders.
Critics are praising Side Effects May Include… for its emotional impact, gripping storytelling, and steadfast look at a global public health crisis.
“Like being burned alive in a locked coffin.” “Living in a scream.” These are the words used to describe akathisia in the play—and for many, they are all too real.
We stand with Stephanie McGill-Lynch and her campaign for Jake’s Amendment in Ireland. After losing her 14-year-old son Jake in 2013, she’s been calling for essential reforms to the Coroner’s Act—so that iatrogenic harm (medically induced harm) can be properly recorded as a contributing cause of death when warranted.
When healthcare contributes to a tragedy, families deserve truth—not silence.Blaming victims of iatrogenesis for their own prescribed demise is morally wrong and can perpetuate stigma and lead to further medical harm.
Akathisia is often one of many symptoms of SSRI withdrawal. “What most prescribers and consumers don’t understand is that depression pills can cause “symptoms that persist for long periods after you stop them,” said British psychiatrist Mark Horowitz.
New billboards in the Mount Rushmore state reflect MISSD’s bold “50 in 5” initiative. 50 States, 5 Years, 1 Mission: Raise Akathisia Awareness to Save Lives.
“Just as South Dakota’s Badlands conceal sudden drop-offs—and Mount Rushmore reminds us of enduring legacies—akathisia can surface without warning, causing avoidable suffering and tragedies. But with greater awareness and education, we can build a legacy of prevention, early diagnosis, and better care,” said Wendy Dolin, founder of MISSD.
Outro Health has just released an excellent webinar about SSRI tapering. Most healthcare professionals remain unaware of the slow process of safe tapering, and that for some people, getting off depression pills is a worse experience than what they experienced before initially being prescribed the drugs. Outro Health is an evidence-based tapering service for people looking to stop their antidepressants. Listen and learn at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSEEAfbuCv8.
Does pharma sprinkle “commercially sensitive information” into drug protocol docs to later block public access to efficacy and safety data? Or is their “commercially sensitive” claim pure fiction?
This recent blog posts shows how pharma gets drug regulators to cover for them when it comes to freedom of information requests–requests that can benefit the public and improve personal decision making regarding healthcare choices. “Common sense suggests drug company commercial interests should never over-ride patient welfare.” Read more at https://davidhealy.org/secret-moderna-trial-documents/.
Award winning playwright, Lisa Loomer, premiers a new production in the Washington, DC area about adverse drug effects, including akathisia. Loomer and her son previously shared their akathisia experiences on MISSD’s podcast and mentions MISSD as a resource.
Click on the links below for Loomer’s bio, ticket information, and learn more about her efforts to spotlight a medical system that too often makes us sicker.
Award winning playwright, Lisa Loomer, premiers a new production about adverse drug effects, including akathisia. Loomer and her son previously shared their akathisia experiences on MISSD’s podcast and mention MISSD as a resource.
The FDA warns that benzos—like Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin—can cause serious problems, problems that many consumers have been warning about for decades. Even a few weeks of benzo use can lead to dependence, and stopping too fast can trigger anxiety, seizures, and akathisia. Doctors are advised to limit prescriptions to 1–2 weeks.
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