An offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, Lane Johnson, recently publicized his adverse experiences withdrawing from depression pills. Johnson said he suffered severe withdrawal symptoms for months after he stopped taking an SSRI.
“He likened the symptoms to having the flu — “a lot of nausea, a lot of vomiting” — except the illness does not go away.”
Read the full article at https://todayuknews.com/sports/eagles-johnson-opens-up-about-anxiety-absence/
Antidepressant withdrawal can be severe and long-lasting. A new study found 84.6% of people who tried to discontinue an antidepressant experienced withdrawal symptoms, which lasted for over a year for 47% of them. It is critical that healthcare professionals understand the signs of antidepressant withdrawal and withdrawal akathisia which can include “anxiety, tearfulness, dread, numbness, brain zaps (described as similar to “electric shocks”), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, nightmares, sexual problems, confusion, and amnesia.”
In our latest episode of Akathisia Stories, Heather McCarthy bravely shares her son’s prescribed demise so that others might be better informed than was her family. Shea, who was in college at the time of his akathisia-induced death, was prescribed dangerous drugs but not provided with informed consent regarding the risks these pharmaceutical products posed.
Consumers should routinely check medicine cabinets to ensure unused and outdated prescriptions are disposed of properly. Some drugs, including those marketed for depression, can contaminate drinking water and harm animals.
Celebrity Lisa Snowdon discusses how she was mistakenly prescribed antidepressants for what turned out to be symptoms of menopause. If you or someone you know is given prescription drugs marketed as antidepressants, be certain to ask about akathisia and related adverse drug effects.
The 1-hour accredited MISSD Akathisia 101 course is designed for healthcare consumers, professionals, and caregivers. Spend an hour, save a life at http://MISSD.LearnUpon.com
Dear Friends of MISSD, I hope you, your family and friends are continuing to stay safe and healthy during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This year I am again grateful to the MISSD community for supporting our mission to reduce avoidable suffering and save lives. Together we have increased akathisia awareness and helped hundreds of thousands of healthcare consumers and professionals be safer. Please read the MISSD 2021 Highlights below for details on our many accomplishments your contributions fueled.
With safety at the forefront of what MISSD stands for, while disappointed, we once again will not see you and other MISSD supporters at our annual Chicago fundraiser. Instead, we will only have a mail-in and online “Stay Safe and Stand with MISSD” campaign. Most of the funds we receive are generated at this annual event and we hope you will contribute to help us reach new milestones for the coming year.
While September 20th marked our third International Akathisia Awareness Day, MISSD works every day to share this straightforward message that can save lives: The public, health professionals and caregivers should closely monitor for any unusual behavior changes that may indicate akathisia when stopping, starting, or changing the dosage of various types of medication.
Would you please share this important message with others and support MISSD by making a tax-deductible donation online? The MISSD mission can also be supported, at no additional cost, when shopping online at Amazon by going to smile.amazon.com and identifying MISSD as the charity to which you would like to contribute.
We can’t wait to see you at the annual Chicago fundraiser next year! In the meantime, continue to “Stay Safe and Stand with MISSD!”
Sincerely,
Wendy Dolin, MISSD Founder
MISSD 2021 Highlights • In 2021 MISSD created new akathisia billboards currently displayed in West Virginia and Illinois. Multiple media outlets provided additional coverage of our public health message. Feedback via MISSD.co has been significant, with one grateful viewer stating: “I saw your ad in Chicago today. I was driving here from Minnesota. I almost didn’t survive akathisia. Upon seeing the ad, I was so happy and started crying at the same time. Thank you for all your work. I definitely will be donating.” MISSD is exploring other states for future billboards.
• MISSD created a third public health video “Akathisia: In Their Own Words.” It has had more than 84K views. More than 350K people have viewed our three educational videos.
• A “quick-tips” sheet for healthcare professionals and consumers, which highlights akathisia symptoms, is in production and will be available for download at MISSD.co, on social media sites and via a QR Code.
• A second akathisia online course, targeting medical professionals, (e.g., doctors, nurses, pharmacists), has been developed and is undergoing final review. It will be offered free of charge for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit. The “Akathisia 101” online course, available at MISSD.LearnUpon.com, continues to successfully teach mental health professionals, (e.g., psychologists, social workers), and the public, about akathisia. It is also offered free of charge for Continuing Education Units (CEU).
• MISSD continues to use resources to expand our social media reach on Google and YouTube, significantly increasing our online visibility. MISSD received a Google Grant, which will further expand our online presence.
• “Akathisia Stories,” the podcast series MISSD produces which features the lived experiences of akathisia sufferers and surviving family members, recently added new episodes and international coverage from “Stephens’ Voice,” an organization based in Ireland.
• UpStart Strategic Partnership and Alliance recently awarded a $10,000 grant to MISSD and No Shame On U. The funds are being used to produce a ground-breaking video educating the public about suicide risks, including akathisia. The UpStart organization partners with leaders in the Jewish community to create new programming.
• The award-winning documentary, “Medicating Normal,” interviewed MISSD board advisor, Kim Witczak, and founder, Wendy Dolin, on its Facebook Live series. Several people from the “Medicating Normal” documentary will be interviewed on MISSD’s “Akathisia Stories” podcast series.
• MISSD participated in the online presentation, “Quieting the Silence: Suicide Awareness in the Jewish Community.” This successful presentation sponsored by the Blue Dove Foundation has had more than 3,000 views. Dolin also spoke at “Conversations that Uplift,” a three-part series featuring people who create positive change.
Darius shares a poignant, well-written, and accurate account of prescription drug-induced akathisia and related “side” effects. Like many akathisia sufferers, his doctor never informed him to watch out for and report adverse drug effects. Therefore, he and his family long suffered in the dark.
Annabel Wright, 15, “had no medical history of depression when she was found dead in her bedroom at her home in Ripon, Yorkshire.” The teen had been taking Accutane (isotretinoin) for 9 months.
Her mother distinctly remembers telling the prescribing doctor, “I had read about this drug years before and two Americans had taken their own lives.” But the doctor reassured her that this fatal reaction was due to teens’ “depression” over their skin.
An expert at the inquest stated that research shows the drug can affect parts of the brain, leading to depression and suicide. “We are talking about large numbers of patients killing themselves while on this drug,” said Dr. Chu.
“Suicide prevention programs should include akathisia info given that when akathisia is accurately diagnosed, actions can be taken to reduce these avoidable deaths.“— Wendy Dolin, MISSD Founder
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