A Dribbling, Suicidal Mess – Until I Kicked the Pills
In this piece forĀ The Sunday Times, Oliver Thring tells the story of Katinka Blackford Newman, a woman who became psychotic after taking antidepressants and...
Is Xanax Really the Bad Guy?
While any effort to generate awareness and potentially curb the benzodiazepine epidemic is commendable, we have to ask ourselves, is Xanax just the scapegoat in this situation? Will legislative action and media attention for only one benzodiazepine out of so many make any difference?
Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy Without Patient’s Consent Rises
FromĀ The Irish News: Although the use of ECT has been steadily decreasing internationally, the use of ECT in Northern Ireland has significantly increased over...
Providers Fail to Report Information on Suicide Prevention Services
Researchers investigate services related to suicide prevention across mental health providers in England.
Letter Endorsing the Recent UN Report on Mental Health
Mental Health Europe and the British Psychological Society are looking for signatories to a letter endorsing the recent United Nations Special Rapporteur's report on...
Drugs for Bad Behavior Cause Alarming Weight Gain in Kids
FromĀ National Post: Antipsychotic drugs are increasingly being prescribed to children as young as two for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, aggression and behavior problems. A...
Reform of Mental Health Law Should Focus on Patient’s Voice
FromĀ The Irish Times: The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2017, which is currently making its way through the Irish legislature, would enact key policies and...
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome Awareness Video
Members of the group Benzodiazepine Recovery have created a video to raise awareness forĀ benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. It is estimated that 30 percent of people...
Is There Institutional Racism in Mental Health Care?
FromĀ BBC News: Black people are overrepresented in the UK's mental health system and are at an increased risk of being forcibly committed, diagnosed with...
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.
New Zealand Man Died After Being Restrained in Japan
FromĀ The Guardian: Kelly Savage, a 27-year-old New Zealand man working abroad as an English teacher in Japan, was admitted to a Japanese psychiatric hospital...
Over 1,000 Antidepressant Users Describe how Their Personal Life has Been Affected
Survey examines adverse personal and interpersonal effects of antidepressants and the impact of polypharmacy
More and More States Are Outlawing Gay-Conversion Therapy
FromĀ The Atlantic: States are increasingly moving to ban gay conversion therapy, restricting licensed mental-health practitioners including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers from practicing any...
Time for Full Transparency on Pharmaceutical Money
FromĀ The Toronto Star: Ontario law should require pharmaceutical companies to not only disclose payments to physicians but also make public their contributions to all...
‘Breastaurants’ Are Hurting Employees’ Mental Health
FromĀ HuffPost Canada: New research suggests that working at restaurants that sell sexual objectification of female staff, such as Hooters, can have a negative impact...
Do Voice Hearers Have the Right to Refuse Psychiatric Drugs?
In this piece forĀ STAT, Shirley S. Wang discusses the Hearing Voices Network and its non-pathologizing, rights-affirming approach to hearing voices and alternative realities.
"Many recovered...
Large Study Confirms Elevated Risk of Diabetes When Prescribed Antipsychotics
A large longitudinal study finds once more that being prescribed antipsychotics significantly increases the risk of diabetes.
Dementia Patients at Risk of Injury or Death Due to Antipsychotics
FromĀ The Independent: Thousands of people with Lewy Body Dementia are being prescribed antipsychotic drugs, increasing their risk of death fourfold.
"These medicines, prescribed to around...
People Are Hacking Antidepressant Doses to Avoid Withdrawal
FromĀ New Scientist: Some organizations are helping people hack theirĀ dosing regimens so they can taper off psychiatric drugs without severe withdrawal effects. One Dutch organization...
Research Suggests that Forensic Psychological Examinations are Unreliable and Biased
Concerns have been raised about inconsistent and unreliable results, which may lead to injustices in sentencing or even wrongful convictions.
Why Disclosure Policies Don’t Discourage Drug Salesmen
FromĀ The Chronicle: The practice of pharmaceutical industry payments to academic researchers to help promote their drugs remains widespread. Requiring scientists to disclose their ties...
Jerome Adams Nominated as New U.S. Surgeon General
FromĀ STAT: President Trump has nominated Indiana's health commissioner, Dr. Jerome Adams, to be the next surgeon general. Adams has played a critical role in...
Irish Teen Seeking Abortion Put In Mental Hospital (The Onion)
FromĀ The Onion:Ā āThank God that in America our mental health facilities are too poorly funded for something like this to happen.ā
Article āĀ
When Switching Antipsychotics, No Difference Between Immediate and Gradual Discontinuation
Review study compares outcomes of gradual vs. immediate antipsychotic discontinuation when switching from one drug to another.
When Calling the Police Results in Harm, Not Help
FromĀ Slate: The death of Charleena Lyles, who was shot by the police after she called them to report a burglary, serves as a reminder...
