The public is increasingly aware that medication-induced suicidality and suicide is associated w/ 100’s of different drugs. We’ve made strides in awareness, yet we never forget those whose lives were avoidably lost and the families that advocate for accurate info, transparency in clinical drug trials, and informed consent about real drug risks vs possible benefit. Today Natalie Gehrki would be 31, but died at 19.
Together, we’re making a positive difference for many! MISSD is grateful for your support. Whether it’s sharing our free educational resources, making a tax-deductible donation, or both, MISSD counts on your support and makes every dollar count. Thanks for helping us reduce suffering & save lives.
Today, we wish you and your loved ones a safe and joyful holiday. We’re thankful for community, and the chance to raise awareness about medication-induced harm. While we celebrate, we also remember those who are suffering and those we’ve lost.
Let’s stay informed, spread awareness, and continue supporting one another. Together, we’re making a positive difference for many.
Many people who stop depression pills suffer from withdrawal and other adverse effects they didn’t learn about at the time of prescribing. Their physical and mental health declined from iatrogenesis—not from an underlying condition.
“I felt so tired all the time, as well as sick, dizzy and just out of it. I had to keep working, but by the time I got home in the evening I was flat on my bed,” said Julie Hiener, who tried to withdraw from citalopram.
A few months later, Julie started suffering memory lapses. “I’d be driving through town, and I’d suddenly think: “How did I get here?”
Akathisia is frequently misrepresented and misunderstood, even by highly-regarded medical establishments. One example is the Cleveland Clinic’s akathisia info page. It describes akathisia as simply a “movement disorder” and appears to minimize symptoms of intense inner restlessness, agitation and suicidality. This incomplete and inadequate information can delay diagnosis, increase emotional distress & tragic outcomes for akathisia sufferers. See https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23954-akathisia for the clinic’s akathisia info.
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.”
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.
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.
“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.’
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!
