Elderly Patients Who Stop Antipsychotics Have Better Outcomes
Older adults are often prescribed antipsychotics off-label for behavioral control in the hospital. But thereās no evidence for antipsychotics helping, and a great deal of evidence of harm.
Exposure to Antidepressants in the Womb Makes for Sad, Scared Adolescents
SSRI exposure in utero āalters the offspringās brain structure,ā causing a hyperactive amygdala and fear circuits, leading to anxiety and depression.
From EMPOWER to Exercise: What Actually Helps Older Adults Quit Benzos?
Despite clear risks, benzos and z-drugs remain widely prescribed to the elderly. New research explores what helpsāand what doesnātāwhen trying to stop.
Psychiatric Drugs āA Crude Form of Chemical Restraintā
Mental health nursing has a key role to play in helping people discontinue the drugs, writes Timothy Wand.
Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms Linked to Life-Altering Consequences, New Study Shows
A new study reveals that withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants can last years, disrupting lives and relationships.
Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS): Why Donāt We Know More About It?
Persistent antidepressant withdrawal is a debilitating experience, but little research exists about its prevalence and treatment.
Therapy Beats Drugs for Depression for Long-Term Outcomes
Combining drugs and therapy also did not lead to better depression outcomes than therapy alone.
Hyperbolic Tapering off Antidepressants Limits Withdrawal
New research by Jim van Os and Peter Groot finds that using hyperbolic tapering to discontinue antidepressants reduces withdrawal effects.
Benzodiazepines Linked to Suicide, Study Finds
A new study finds that benzodiazepinesāalprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and diazepam (Valium)āare associated with an increased risk of suicidal events.
Antidepressant Withdrawal Is Common and Debilitating
Those using antidepressants long-term were more likely to experience withdrawal and to have severe withdrawal symptoms.
More Evidence That Antidepressants Work Via Placebo Effect
Antidepressants were more effective for depressed patients who were more āoptimistic.ā Still, only 30% responded to SSRIs.
Robin Williams On Antidepressant at Time of Suicide
Robin Williams had "therapeutic" levels of the tetra-cyclic antidepressant mirtazapine in his blood at the time of his suicide, according to the coroner's report...
Randomized Controlled Trial Confirms That Antipsychotics Damage the Brain
A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry connects antipsychotics with damage to the brain in multiple areas.
Antidepressant Trials Last Eight Weeks, So Why Do We Take Them for Years?
The studies are of short duration and are riddled with methodological issues like unblinding and failure to assess withdrawal.
Open Dialogue Approach Reduces Future Need for Mental Health Services
The Open Dialogue psychiatric treatment approach is associated with reduced utilization of mental and general health services for Danish youth.
Half of Those Who Take Antidepressants Are Labeled āTreatment Resistantā
Millions of people are trying multiple antidepressant drugs without success, and psychiatry labels them ātreatment resistant.ā
Animal Study: SSRI Neurotoxic in Pregnancy
Researchers: Fetal exposure to vilazodone hampers neurodevelopment and leads to "long-lasting neurodevelopmental impairments."
Antipsychotics Increase Risk of Dementia; New Research Illuminates Why
In JAMA psychiatry, researchers outline new theories connecting antipsychotic use in people with schizophrenia and increased dementia risk.
Recovery Rate Six Times Higher For Those Who Stop Antipsychotics Within Two Years
People with "serious mental illness" who stop taking antipsychotics are more likely to recover, even when accounting for baseline severity.
Remembering Bhargavi Davar: A Global Leader in the Struggle for Human Rights
Bhargavi Davar was a global leader in the struggle for human rights, with her work as a psychiatric survivor activist simply one aspect of that work.
When Psychology Speaks for You, Without You: Sunil Bhatia on Decolonizing Psychology
MIAās Ayurdhi Dhar interviews Sunil Bhatia about decolonizing psychology, confronting the fieldās racist past, colonial foundations, and neoliberal present.
Antidepressants No Better Than Placebo for About 85% of People
Researchers canāt predict the 15% who benefit from antidepressants, and the other 85% are unnecessarily exposed to the harms of the drugs.
Deadly Prescriptions: New Study Links Antipsychotics to Life-Threatening Risks in Dementia Patients
With pharmaceutical companies pushing antipsychotics for off-label use, dementia patients are being put at risk for devastating health consequences. Research suggests safer alternatives existābut why arenāt they being prioritized?
Involuntary Hospitalization Increases Risk of Suicide, Study Finds
New study finds that people who felt they were coerced into being hospitalized were more likely to attempt suicide later.
Antidepressants in Dementia Patients Increase Risk of Death and Fractures
A large-scale study reveals that antidepressant use is linked to faster cognitive decline in dementia patients, raising concerns about their widespread prescription.
