More Discussions of Whether Psychiatric Drugs Cause More Harm Than Good
-The debate on drug harms lands in the pages of the British Medical Journal and The Guardian.
Researching the Link Between SSRIs and Violence
In 2010, my 25-year old son was prescribed Prozac for depression. After a psychiatrist doubled his dose, my son became acutely psychotic and had to be admitted to the hospital. Over the next twelve months, during which time he was treated with antidepressants and neuroleptics, my son had five further psychotic experiences. I thought it might be that my son was having difficulty metabolising the drugs.
Study Calls for Consensus on Overdiagnosis Across Medical Disciplines
Lack of overdiagnosis parameters stifles communication across fields seeking to mitigate its potential harm.
Researchers Argue that âADHDâ Doesnât Meet DSM Definition of a Disorder
New research questions whether the diagnosis of ADHD even meets the criteria for a disorder, as set out in the manuals used by the medical and psychiatric fields.
Many Psychiatric Patients Sent Home With Multiple Antipsychotics Against Guidelines
Despite the fact that clinical practice guidelines specifically recommend against the use of more than one antipsychotic at once, new research reveals that as...
Sexual Dysfunction from Antipsychotics Common — But Poorly Monitored by Physicians
Describing the prevalence and management of adverse effects from antipsychotics as "a neglected area" of study, a team of researchers from the UK has published a systematic review in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. They aimed to identify the prevalence of, and management strategies for nine categories of adverse effects, including sedation, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, sexual dysfunction and cardiovascular effects.
Pro-LGBT Policies Reduce Teen Suicide
A study demonstrates a 7% reduction in suicide attempts for teens in states that had legalized same-sex marriage.
âWhen Pills Are the Problemâ
In the context of the Silicon Valley suicides, one mother offers her story about her daughter. âItâs my premise that not only the culture of Silicon Valley, but also, almost more importantly, the nature of the remedies that are being proposed in the name of mental health counseling, are to blame in these deaths.â
Claims That Long-term Antipsychotic Use Leads to Better Outcomes are Misleading, Researchers Argue
Researchers reveal the limitations and misleading interpretations of two recent studies that claim to demonstrate that long-term antipsychotic use leads to better outcomes.
Lawsuit Over a Suicide Points to a Risk of Antidepressants
From The New York Times: The recent trial of Wendy Dolin, whose husband died of suicide after starting the antidepressant paroxetine, demonstrates our need for more...
Vitamin B6 Effective in Reducing Antipsychotic Induced Akathisia
A recent RCT showed that vitamin B6 is as effective as propranolol for the treatment of akathisia.
More Evidence Antidepressants Might Induce Sexual Dysfunction Even After Stopping Them
A retrospective study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry examined cases of people who suffered sexual dysfunction that endured even after stopping taking SSRI antidepressants.
Challenging the Relentless Rise of Depression in Young People
In this piece, Dave Traxson discusses the social and cultural factors contributing to the rise of depression among young people in Britain, arguing that...
Lithium: A Survivorâs Guide for Parents
When I was a young adult, I was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and placed on lithium. I am 61 years old now, living on the edge of end-stage kidney disease. If I could undo everything, by all means, I would not have taken this drug. It is not safe for anyone at any age.
Correction: No “Charges” Against Former FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg
Our headline on an Around the Web item posted on June 8Â stating that the former head of the FDA, Margaret Hamburg, had been "charged"...
âNew Pill for Boosting Female Libidos Off to a Slow Startâ
Ed Silverman reports that only 80 prescriptions for Addyi, or Flibanserin, were filled in the drugsâ first two weeks on the market.
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Systematic Review Finds Antidepressants Double the Risk for Agitation and Violence in Healthy Volunteers
The Nordic Cochrane Center conducted a systematic review of existing research trials on antidepressants and found that the drugs doubled the risk of feelings...
âAntidepressants Linked to Tooth Implant Failure, New Study Findsâ
Researchers from the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) found that antidepressants weaken bone growth which can disrupt procedures like tooth implants....
We Need to pay Better Attention to Medication Side Effects
From KevinMD.com: Doctors often fail to recognize that their patients' symptoms are side effects of medication.
"Cognitive dissonance, a universal human phenomenon, is based on the assumption...
âFederal Judge Declines to Toss Paxil Suicide Case, Setting GSK up for September Trialâ
Wendy Dolin sued GSK after her husband committed suicide after taking a generic version of Paxil. The US District Court has declined GSKâs motions...
Whistleblower Files Lawsuit Against AstraZeneca
From the Chicago Tribune: Former drug sales representative Allison Zayas became a whistleblower against her old company, AstraZeneca, after learning that a combination of Seroquel...
Researchers Identify Patterns in Antidepressant and Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use
The researchers found that, of those who were initially prescribed both antidepressants and benzodiazepines, approximately 12% went on to engage in long-term benzodiazepine use.
The Most Promoted Drugs are Those with Little Therapeutic Value, Study Finds
Majority of top-selling and most promoted drugs in Canada are rated as having very limited safety and efficacy.
SSRI Ineffective at Treating Depression in Individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease
Dr. Madhukar Trivedi and colleagues find that the SSRI sertraline does not reduce depressive symptoms any more than placebo in people with Chronic Kidney Disease.
We Pay a High Price for Unregulated Medical Devices
From The Lown Institute: New investigations and research are beginning to show the dangerous consequences resulting from the FDA's lack of oversight of medical devices.
"It sounds crazy...
