In Australia and most countries, children who need talk therapy are increasingly getting drugs instead.
“Most people would suggest trying psychological approaches first, but that assumes you can access those things – the waiting lists are horrendous,” said Ian Hickie, psychiatrist and co-director of the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre.
The federal health department has “launched a review of antidepressant prescribing behaviours by GPs.”
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.
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 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
Jeff and Mary Ellen Winter campaign for increased awareness of akathisia after their daughter, Beth, died within one week of starting Paxil. Beth was prescribed the SSRI for mild anxiety.
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.
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.”
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.
