An excellent MedPage Today article by Dr. Christy Huff helps increase public awareness of akathisia as an adverse effect of benzodiazepines. See: kevinmd.com/blog/2018/11/dont-miss-this-adverse-drug-reaction-when-tapering-benzodiazepines.html

We had a great turnout at last night’s community event focused on strengthening grief support and reducing avoidable deaths. A special thank you goes out to our event partners, Jewish Child & Family Services and No Shame On U. The panel discussion included Shifra Kolsky, Wendy Dolin, and Cara Levinson and keynote speaker, Michael Fine. Special thanks to our keynote speaker, suicide attempt survivor Michael Fine, and program planners Elizabeth Siegel Cohen, Ruth Fruehauf and Wendy Dolin. Let’s continue these critical conversations to save lives.

As we reflect on 2018, we are truly thankful for all the encouragement and support MISSD has received. With your help, we’ve been able to increase awareness, education and knowledge regarding the dangers of medication-induced suicide and akathisia. This year, our organization has continued to make many strides towards reaching the public, including:

• The creation of our second educational video, targeting first responders and health professionals
• The development of a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) program for health professionals
• Transit signage on 100 commuter trains and buses
• Hosting the Suicide Awareness Initiative with Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) and No Shame on U
• Recognition of MISSD’s Founder, Wendy Dolin, who was presented with the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP) Humanitarian Award, for increasing awareness of akathisia

We feel as if our work has just begun and we have ambitious visions for the New Year. Please help us reach our goals by making a tax-deductible donation to be used to help MISSD participate in conferences, produce more educational materials and pursue other awareness raising activities.

You can donate through our website or at the following address:
MISSD
P.O. Box 10107
Chicago, IL 60610

Together we can prevent the unnecessary loss of life. Warm holiday wishes and may the coming year be happy and healthy for you and yours.
~The MISSD Team

Kim Witzack, a national drug safety advocate and MISSD board member, is interviewed by Douglas Sidney as part of the Twin Cities Film Fest Insider Screening. Kim is also the founder of woodymatters.com, an informative public health website dedicated to the memory of her late husband, Woody, who died an akathisia-induced death. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kelYkRgMfQ

If you’re in the Chicago area this month, please join MISSD, Jewish Child & Family Services and No Shame on U for an evening of critical conversation about suicide prevention and grief support. This free event is open to all and will be held on Wednesday, December 12 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Beth Hillel B’nai Emunah Congregation, 3220 Big Tree Lane, Wilmette, IL.

Michael Fine is the keynote speaker and our discussion panel includes community members who have lost loved ones to suicide and akathisia-induced death. To register for “Suicide in the Jewish Community: Shining a Light in the Darkness,” please visit: https://jcfs.formstack.com/forms/suicide_jewish_community

Some akathisia sufferers use poetry as a creative outlet to communicate the inner restlessness of akathisia. J.A.’s poem describes akathisia as “a feeling of terror, panic, fear, as if you LIVE in a horror movie,” while Marci’s poem describes “feelings of lightening bolts bursting.”

CDC States Many Deaths are Preventable

MISSD is concerned that the US life expectancy has declined, but remains hopeful that increased public attention regarding prescription-drug-induced disorders can help reduce preventable deaths in the future.

See: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/29/health/life-expectancy-2017-cdc/index.html

MISSD is thankful for many opportunities this year to increase akathisia awareness. Our recent ComPsych presentation at the social work department in Chicago was well received. ComPsych provides services to more the 45,000 organizations reaching more than 100 million people in the US and 160 additional countries.

New train signage, accredited course and informative video help put akathisia on the public health map

See Washington Psychiatric Society news at

https://www.dcpsych.org/todays-news?rkey=20181102AQ60463&filter=9054&Medication-Induced-Suicide-Prevention-Foundation-Recognized-for-Public-Health-Efforts

International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP) Presents Wendy Dolin with Special Achievement Award

“The ISEPP Special Achievement award is intended for a professional or non-professional who has made a significant specific contribution to challenging the conventional mental health system,” said Dr. Chuck Ruby, ISEPP Executive Director. “Dolin’s advocacy and devotion to her husband’s memory is inspiring and warrants the receipt of ISEPP’s Special Achievement Award.”

2018 ISEPP Citation

Wendy Dolin is a therapist and activist who founded MISSD, which is an acronym for Medication Induced Suicide in Memory of Stewart Dolin. Stewart was Wendy’s husband of 36 years and a successful senior member of the international defense firm, Reed Smith in Chicago. In July 2010, one week after being prescribed paroxetine for work stress, Stewart’s life ended when he jumped in front of an oncoming train. This started Wendy’s painful search for an answer and her mission to educate the community about medication-induced suicide.

She discovered that the drug company, GlaxoSmithKline, had been concealing the suicide risks associated with paroxetine and so launched a lawsuit. In March 2017, a jury concluded that the drug manufacturer failed to warn about the suicide risk and awarded Wendy $3 million in damages. However, an appeals court recently overturned the ruling. Wendy will be petitioning the Supreme Court of the United States to review the case.