Common psychotropic medications may be contributing to the higher rates of physical illnesses and mortality in people diagnosed with mental illnesses, according to a systematic review published in World Psychiatry.
“People with severe mental illness have a considerably shorter lifespan than the general population,” began the authors. “This excess mortality is mainly due to physical illness.” Led by psychiatrist Christoph Correll from New York’s Long Island Jewish Health System, the researchers then reviewed articles published in MEDLINE from 2009 to 2014. “We systematically reviewed the effects of antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers on physical health outcomes in people with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder.”
The researchers found that, “Antipsychotics, and to a more restricted degree antidepressants and mood stabilizers, are associated with an increased risk for several physical diseases, including obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, hyponatremia; cardiovascular, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal, haematological, musculoskeletal and renal diseases, as well as movement and seizure disorders.”
“Besides mental illness-related factors, disparities in health care access and utilization, and unhealthy lifestyle, psychotropic medications can contribute to the emergence or aggravation of physical diseases,” stated the authors in the study’s conclusions. “In general, adverse effects on physical health are greatest with antipsychotics, followed by mood stabilizers, tricyclic antidepressants and newer antidepressants. However, effects vary greatly among individual agents, and interactions with underlying host factors are relevant. Higher dosages, polypharmacy, and the treatment of vulnerable (e.g., old or young) people seems to be associated with a greater effect on most physical diseases.”
Correll, Christoph U., Johan Detraux, Jan De Lepeleire, and Marc De Hert. “Effects of Antipsychotics, Antidepressants and Mood Stabilizers on Risk for Physical Diseases in People with Schizophrenia, Depression and Bipolar Disorder.” World Psychiatry 14, no. 2 (June 1, 2015): 119–36. doi:10.1002/wps.20204. (Abstract and full text)
It’s good this is finally being reported by / to the psychiatric industry, but it’s rather staggering to me that this is considered “news” to the psychiatric industry. Do they expect us to believe the psychiatrists didn’t know the neuroleptics, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants are toxic torture drugs?
My psychiatrist knew exactly how to create the symptoms of ‘bipolar’ / ‘schizophrenia,’ via the central symptoms of neuroleptic induced anticholinergic intoxication syndrome. He did this with three distinctly different drug cocktails.
His goal was to cover up prior easily recognized iatrogenesis and medical evidence of child abuse due to medical and religious incompetence, crimes, and greed.
I’m quite certain the psychiatrists are aware of the toxic nature of their drugs, and how to use them as weapons of mass destruction, injustice, and thievery. An ethical pastor told me the religions and medical community have been utilizing the psychiatric industry to cover up their mistakes and sins for decades, he called these white collar crimes, “the dirty little secret of the two original educated professions.”
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Many of us have been living compartmentalized lives such that until we had skin in the game, we didn’t discover psychiatric abuse, OR, until social media cracked open the dirty secrets. I notice in churches reverence for the medical and mental health system. Employees under the insurance networks don’t speak openly about alternatives such as Functional-Holistic practices. I have met arrogant Christian therapists and cheer leaders for the DSM Pharma drugging, pragmatists who don’t see alternatives. They will have Cognitive Dissonance when challenged. We have to keep shining the light and build better supports for healthy alternatives.
I’m optimistic that a Christian who values Biblical principles CAN be reasonable. We can invoke Biblical principles in dialogue with Christian professionals to enlighten them, in the same manner that we would hope to be challenged. Jesus said that he came to give us abundant life, yet spoke angrily against those who harm children. The life of a Christian may resemble a poorly drawn constellation of points of light. We fail to know all the points and to connect them. The LOVE of money is the root of many evils that DARKEN our paths. Many undoubtedly feel trapped in their profession; it pays the bills and the college debt.
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But what makes this important is that whenever a report or news article comes out suggesting that people with “mental illness” have shorter life expectancies, the implication from psychiatry is always that it is the “illness” causing the increase in mortality.
“…. are associated with an increased risk for several physical diseases, including obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, hyponatremia; cardiovascular, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal, haematological, musculoskeletal and renal diseases, as well as movement and seizure disorders.”
Of course psychiatrists, indeed all doctors, have known this from the beginning. It’s right on the drug store pamphlets for the drugs even. Could it even be possible that a doctor be competent, while not knowing or unable to acknowledge that obesity, diabetes, respiratory diseases, etc would increase mortality in patients and shorten their life expectancy? I think the term is called Cognitive Dissonance. And much of psychiatry appears to be drowning in it.
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Or correction: Implication usually being that the “mental illness” and SMOKING are the cause of the increase. I’ve read a couple of articles as well blaming “sedentary” lifestyles in those with “severe mental illness”, without acknowledging that sedation/somnolence is a common side effect of the neuroleptic and “mood stabilizer” drugs routinely prescribed to those people.
And since the biggest increase in mortality has been in the last 20-30 years, and during this time the cost of living has gone up drastically while SSI keeps increasing by pennies a year… how are all these “SMI” patients buying cigarettes? That’s like 5-8 dollars a day, if they are a one-pack a day smoker. SSI is 733 dollars a month, or roughly 24 dollars a day.
Besides, smoking decreases life expectancy by 10-12 years, not the 15-25 that we are seeing today in “SMI” people.
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lets not fools ourselves: antipsychothics are given to old , abandonned patients to kill them faster so another “customer” can take their place.
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We told you…
It’s pretty obvious to anyone who has ever taken these drugs that they’re poison’s. And if it isn’t it’s probably because they’re still taking them so they can’t think straight (or not at all).
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Being a bit wimpish with there results arent they? “” In general, adverse effects on physical health are greatest with antipsychotics, followed by mood stabilizers, tricyclic antidepressants and newer antidepressants.”””” They always seem to think newere is better, when that is anything but the truth, the newer have patents, and make the manufacturer more money..
1. All ADs cause harm and illness, both psychologicial and physical.
2. Newere antidepressants are proving worse than the old tricyclics.
3. Women taken antidepressants during pregnancy are 7 times more likely to have a deformed baby. (That does not take into account miscarriages caused by these drugs).
Oh well, if one “researcher” is brave enough to say something, even in such a wimpish way, at least that is a start. Maybe more people are finally brave enough to say the emperor “Merck, et al” truly have no clothes.
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If I was still taking those unnecessary drugs I’d be a zombie- or dead. Only took them 3 years and figured it out very quickly they were lying and gaslighting me. I am back to my happy, outgoing self just like I’ve been since birth! I take NO prescription drugs and feel great!!
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I’m so happy for you. You are fortunate!
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I want to help write proposals to make changes in the pediatric health care system. Will I rise to the challenge? I recently met a YOUNG woman in her early 20s with SERIOUS metabolic syndrome. She and her younger sister live in psychiatric facilities. Her physical condition reminds me of my deceased daughter , so the suffering is painfully sad to see. I don’t think the physical changes can be reversed, but perhaps with support and important changes in care , she could lose some of the weight and have more mobility and energy.The sisters have been drugged since childhood, is my understanding. They were foster children and then adopted. This raises questions about how pervasively is foster care starting innocent children early on psych drugs that rob them of their health. I want to see investigations and major changes in the pediatric health care system to prevent this kind of exploitation and destruction. It’s heartbreaking to see how children’s challenges are compounded by the psychiatric system.
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