A new publication to help people safely withdraw from antidepressants has been published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP). The “Antidepressant Withdrawal” leaflet specifically mentions akathisia and suicidal thoughts as symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal. RCP defines akathisia as “a feeling of inner restlessness and inability to stay still (akathisia).”

MISSD presented at the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ (RCP) 2019 International Congress in London. RCP’s then-president said they were developing new akathisia education for its members. MISSD is pleased RCP published the “Antidepressant Withdrawal” leaflet and we hope to soon see RCP’s new akathisia education for prescribers and patients.

To read and share RCP’s Antidepressant Withdrawal leaflet, visit https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/treatments-and-wellbeing/stopping-antidepressants

To view and share MISSD’s RCP presentation, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEu6c6UHUos&t=1144s

“The current labeling information on the drugs “does not provide adequate warnings about these serious risks and harms associated with these medicines,” the F.D.A.’s announcement said.”

Adverse drug effects associated with benzodiazepine includes akathisia.

Read the full story at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/health/benzodiazepines-fda-warning.html

A report by Public Health England found prescriptions for drugs marketed as antidepressants have doubled in the last 10 years, and similarly high prescribing rates are likely found in the US.

“Although national guidelines tend to recommend antidepressants primarily for moderate to severe depression, research tells us that millions of people with mild depression, or understandable grief following losses, are being prescribed these drugs,” said Dr. John Read, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of East London.

It’s important to be aware that possible adverse drug effects of SSRIs include ‘suicidality’ (reported by 50%) and difficulties in withdrawing from SSRIs (reported by 59%).

If you are experiencing difficulties withdrawing from SSRIs, and/or are suffering from withdrawal akathisia, check out these online resources run by ‘experts-by-experience’, including www.letstalkwithdrawal (UK) and https://withdrawal.theinnercompass.org (USA).

Read the full article at https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/psychiatry-through-the-looking-glass/202009/is-your-antidepressant-effective-and-safet

It’s Suicide Prevention Month and MISSD again designates today, September 20th, as International Akathisia Awareness Day. Sharing accurate info can save lives.

“Suicide prevention organizations and crisis hotlines can help reduce these avoidable deaths by asking questions about medications and adverse drug effects,” said MISSD founder Wendy Dolin. “Nobody is immune to akathisia.”

Read more at https://wellness.einnews.com/pr_news/526609172/akathisia-awareness-can-reduce-suicide

Whether it’s acne drugs, anxiety drugs, asthma drugs or possible COVID-19 cures, MISSD believes transparency in sharing clinical trial data is necessary to reduce adverse drug effects and related deaths.

Read the full Kaiser Health News article at https://khn.org/news/nih-and-fda-examine-serious-side-effect-that-surfaced-in-covid-vaccine-trial/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Daily%20Health%20Policy%20Report&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=95280749&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ZTSOmr_0wNVZFvY8vrjVBkkpxq0mX_zHYe9EYSaAhbUZ2HO-p_r00AxSMfRPBaKOkhNMBnlk1_3L0dYbep2OVM8B_Vw&utm_content=95280749&utm_source=hs_email

On World Suicide Prevention Day–and every day–we can reduce avoidable deaths by sharing akathisia info. Prescription drugs can cause akathisia and akathisia can cause medication-induced suicide.

Medical research terms these deaths “iatrogenic” which means caused by medical intervention and/or medical error. Knowing the risks & warning signs can save lives. Share our videos & podcasts found at https://www.youtube.com/c/MISSDFoundation/videos

New York Times health columnist, Jane Brody, spotlights how drug-induced delirium and other serious adverse drug effects can be caused by a “prescribing cascade that starts with drug-induced side effects which are then viewed as a new ailment and treated with yet another drug or drugs that can cause still other side effects.”

Prescribing cascades are “often overlooked by examining doctors and unrecognized by families.”

Make sure to ask your doctor if the pharmaceutical product you or your loved one is prescribed is known to be safe for that age group, and carefully review the patient information leaflet which may list some of the product’s risks. Drug-induced delirium and akathisia can precipitate medication-induced suicidality and suicide.

Read the full article at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/07/well/live/prescription-medication-drug-side-effects-cascade.html?surface=home-discovery-vi-prg&fellback=false&req_id=19362113&algo=identity&imp_id=601751296&action=click&module=Science%20%20Technology&pgtype=Homepage

MISSD hopes future studies might ascertain the percentage of people who are suffering from adverse drug effects, such as akathisia, but whose symptoms are misdiagnosed as mental health challenges.

Read the full article at https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisonescalante/2020/08/11/researchers-doubt-that-certain-mental-disorders-are-disorders-at-all/#460ef3cc15a6

Two moms who lost their daughters to “suicide” after the teens were prescribed a popular acne drug are sharing their family’s experiences to help others be better informed than they were. Roaccutane and Accutane can cause drug-induced psychosis, akathisia, and iatrogenic death,

Get the full story at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8613003/Two-bereaved-mothers-share-shattering-warning-acne-drug.html

In today’s episode of the MISSD podcast series produced by Andy Miles of Chicago’s Studio C, Janet Schiel, founder of Butterflies for Joe, discusses her husband’s prescription-drug induced suffering and avoidable death.

Read the release at https://world.einnews.com/pr_news/523412850/experts-by-experience-share-akathisia-stories and listen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jodulqg4jYw&t=9s&fbclid=IwAR2wWwxRMZNmzEK2Kr7lnaTalkBuXraMhJegH_mpiMtQB2nGOU1Go_YoKsI