Because withdrawal is an erratic process. So you might find that its going okay but then find that it needs slowing down.
It might also be a good idea after the taper, to keep the prescription active for a respectable period, to substantiate the post withdrawal period (if required).
Julia,
My GP at Newton Medical London W2 told me that the Severe Mental Illness Register was for people who at some stage might have had something wrong with them, and that it was purely a list held at the Medical Centre.
But, to any Normal Person a Severe Mental Illness Register, is a Register that contains the names of People that are Ongoing Chronically Severely Mentally Ill.
The idea behind “Severe Mental Illness” is that a person is Severely disabled:- more disabled than being blind, or in a wheelchair (according to the Lancet). The only condition more disabling than being Severely Mentally Ill (according to the Lancet) is being paralysed from the neck down.
I have NOT cost a penny in Mental Health Terms in my 32 years in the UK. This is Fact not Opinion and is traceable.
So the Warning must have been computer generated.
Dear Dr Breggin,
25mg of Seroquel IS the lowest dose available. But 25mg of Seroquel per day is not prescriptive for any Mental Disorder whatsoever (as far as I know).
The antipsychotic dosage begins at 150 mg per day. And Seroquel at 25mg is an antihistamine.
Eric,
Maybe you were kidnapped by the Fairies. This used to happen a lot in Ireland years ago.
People in Ireland can often identify with fairy kidnapping – it tends to follow a pattern.
There’ve been more than 100 million human beings killed in the world by other human beings in the past 100 years – very few of them killed by “schizophrenics”.
I would like people to stop using the term “psychosis”. If someone were demented then there would be no point in talking to them. Psychotherapy can only work with people that are not demented, and 99.5 percent of “Schizophrenics” are not mad.
There are discreet conditions attached to “schizophrenia”. When “schizophrenics” taper from “medication” they can develop severe and disabling anxiety – this anxiety is not psychosis, and it responds to normal psychotherapy.
There’s another discreet condition that “Schizophrenics” suffer from – drug induced disability. To get money to survive the “Schizophrenic” has to pretend that it’s “illness” induced disability.
I think the idea behind the Severe Mental Illness Register is to grab hold of vulnerable people and turn them into the longterm mentally ill.
Once a person is on the Severe Mental Illness Register a persons circumstances get forgotten and the person becomes homogenously Severely Mentally Ill; and they can be referred to as a person on the Severe Mental Illness Register.
Once they are described like this nobody knows anything else.
Newton Medical London W2 had my name on a Severe Mental Illness Register while I worked on Building Sites.
I was working as a subcontractor in the House of Commons Buildings when they put my name on the Register in 2002.
There was a fatality on the Site I was on at the time, as there has been on most building sites I’ve worked on.
I’m sure most of these doctors are “on medication” (themselves).
My GP Dr Simons last time I saw him assured me in writing “that he could see no reason that I couldn’t work on a building site”. And on another information sheet provided at the end of my interview was written “this patient has a diagnosis of schizophrenia”. My GP was not even aware of this.
The Diagnosis on the 1986 Irish Record was actually Schizoaffective Disorder not Schizophrenia. Newton Medical had altered my 1986 Irish Record by removing the last paragraph of the first page because they had originally guessed the Diagnosis as schizophrenia.
They only went looking for my Record when they thought they could get some money for it.
Dear Auntie Psychiatry,
My case might be a bit different from yours.
My Severe Mental Unwellness Information comes historically from Southern Ireland, is extremely dated, and on investigation is very weak. But this might be the reason that a GP might want to promote it.
I was originally delivered over to Ireland from England in 1980. The UK Maudsley Hospital had me for 2 months but their information on me was “confused”, and the English doctor that accompanied me to Ireland in 1980, has since committed suicide.
Amsterdam where I had recently spent several months was not menioned on the UK records and the Doctor at Galway that recorded Amsterdam, has never appeared on the Irish Records. His account was updated to several days later and copied in by my Consultant Psychiatrist as his own.
In my 30 years in the UK I have never been Disabled. I have consumed low dose “medication” but not suitable for SMI. I quit this years ago.
The Non Irish admitting doctor at Galway in 1980 presented me in Wellness terms (and this is how I am presented in the 1980 Discharge Summary).
I was physically disabled on drugs while at Galway in 1980 with high levels of Haloperidol, Modecate, Chloropromazine (and others).
In 1985 my Consultant Psychiatrist Dr P A Carney was on the Royal College of UK Psychiatrists examining board; and in 1986 the Professor of Pharmacology at Galway Brian Leonard was President of The British Association of Psychopharmacologists.
In 2012 when I received my historical Irish notes snd proceeded to make a complaint against my historical Irish Psychiatrist P A Carney – Dr P A Carney himself was on the Irish Medical Council.
Thank you Dr Stefan,
I made Full Longterm Recovery through “psychotherapeutic” means, which could equally be described as “Buddhist Practice”.
(I never cost anything again, and I was non the worse for this).
“Handwerker hatte golden boden”
Dear Dr Steffen,
In the “Power of the Now” Eckhart Tolle says that spirituality can be developed organically.
A German psychologist assured me in the 1980s that all “patients” could make full recovery with the help of “psychotherapy”. I am very happy to hear about your own developments.
I have to admit that I didn’t study your papers. But I can refer to my own experience of “psychotherapy” in dealing with the problems I experienced when I withdrew from my longterm neuroleptic injection.
I suffered with what Robert Whitaker describes as Neuroleptic Withdrawal “High Anxiety”. If I hadn’t found a (“CBT”) way of coping with this, I would have gone Mad.
Eckhart Tolle wasn’t around at that time but I did find it possible to recover organically in the longterm.
Dear Auntie Psychiatry,
Have you thought about taking the issue to your MPs Surgery?
Dr Simons at Newton Medical in Oct/Nov 2012 told me and put in writing, that my name had been removed from the SMI Register.
He also told me and put in writing, that he had removed “schizophrenia” from my records – but he was lying.
Dr Simons is also attempting to deny the existece of the ADR Warning Request Letter – but this can’t be done.
This 1986 Warning Request Letter describes AKATHISIA fairly Well :-
1. Extreme Restlessness
2. Unpredictability
3. The worst experience of my life.
Once:-
A) The 2012 Near Fatal Modecate Experience Statement;
B) The 1986 ADR Request letter;
C) The 1986 Irish Record Summary ;
D) Dr Fadels 1980 Impression on Admission;
….are reconciled then in my opinion, the only thing that “stands up” is Dr Shipman Type behaviour from Galway, Ireland.
This is a great Article Chaya. You’ve answered your calling.
I read through “…destroyed my health and nearly killed me…” and I can’t help feeling that you would have been better off had you taken street drugs. You would at least have had some real enjoyment (and access to relevant information about what you were consuming).
Psychiatric drugs nearly killed me again and again and again. When I recovered as a result of quitting drugs suitable for SMI and clarified this to my Psychiatrist he moved from Galway Ireland, to Ontario, Canada.
(He was to return to Ireland though, and write promotional research papers on the offending Drugs – for Money)
When I caught my present day GP in the UK exploiting my records he was apologetic. He committed verbally and in writing to removing all diagnosis. I discovered shortly after that he hadn’t.
He got away with this, but two months later he was involved in a patient fatality that went to the Coroners Court.
(Both doctors had been genuinely spooked, because ALL the evidence documentary and otherwise, pointed to Suicidal Reaction + Disability from Psychiatric drugs, and a return to Full Wellness as a result of carefully quitting these drugs).
It’s very good that you were able to get her off all the heavy drugs, AND the 25mg of Seroquel as well.
I was prescribed 25mg of Seroquel per day in 2005 and I only consumed maybe 1/4 of this. But I developed worrying “drops” on heartbeat, plus a pink chest in the morning, with every other part of my body white.
My “nerves” were better for the discontinuation, but my sleeping was worse.
In my observation it’s not just the Pharmaceutical industry and Psychiatry that are misbehaving. It’s the overall Medical Profession, Politicians and most other responsible bodies. I would imagine that with the amount of damage that has occurred – they cannot afford not to.
ConcernedCarer,
According to Professor Martin Knapp of the London School of Economics:- Each Severely Mentally Ill Person costs the UK about £65,000 per year.
If a person lives for 40 years after diagnosis this would amount to 40 × £65,000 equalling a Lifetime Total Cost per Severely Mentally Ill Person of £2.6 million.
So, it makes sense to move to Recovery Approaches that can be demonstrated to work.
Thanks Rossa,
It goes to show you that if you drop the “schizophrenia” and look for the solutions – the solutions can be found.
Think about the money Open Dialogue + Other Successful initiatives would ultimately save!
12 Step Shouldn’t be. There should be no dominant characters in 12 Step, and advice should be made by suggestion only.
The idea in 12 Step is that a person gets better
But 12 Step is also full of nutters.
Thanks a lot Rachel.
I hope I’m not too off message with this comment.
I was told I could come off “neuroleptic long acting injection” by my Psychiatrist in October of 1983 – but I didn’t last long. I ended up in hospital in December of 1983.
I got talking to a Psychologist during this hospital in stay and he reassured me that “everyone” could make full recovery without medication.
So after another 3 hospital in stays a suicide attempt and a near suicide attempt – I came off my “Long Acting Injection ” and my “Disability Check” in 1984 – and have remained well since.
The “problem” with “Schizophrenia” is that standard drug treatments for “schizophrenia” are disabling and this disability is very expensive. There ARE alternative, inexpensive non drug treatments available that don’t disable (or Kill) – and that work.
Withdrawal from standard drug treatment “suitable” for “Schizophrenia” is likely to result in Severe and Disabling Anxiety.
Severe Anxiety can be treated psychologically in the same way as normal anxiety can be. Tolerance to Severe Anxiety can be developed (with help), through a process of gradual exposure.
For me, once I could come off the “medications” successfully I was no longer disabled, and this meant that I could return to normal life.
In the USA if 10% of the population takes SSRIs, and 1% develop potentially Fatal Reactions – this translates into *320,000 People …
…with the majority of these Fatalities miscategorised as Suicide.
*(320 million people × 10% × 1%)
Richard,
I understand your point of view, but I think “Scientism” is a good description of this type of professional game playing.
Alternatively Don,
To claim MH benefit in the UK a person needs to pass themselves off as permanently Psychotic.
Since the vast majority of people are not like this (though they might have different issues) ; there exists maybe 1% to 3% of the UK Population in the community that’s classified as ongoing completely mad.
Which means MH Diagnosis in the UK cannot be relied upon.
Don
I would define Recovery as not being dependant on the “Mental Health System” and being non the worse for it.
(But I understand what you mean by Recovery being a misused term – only I don’t get in to that.)
Any drug taken for anxiety (in the long run) makes anxiety worse.
I had never thought much about Autism before I came to Mad In America.
Before I came into contact with Psychiatry I would have thought “Schizophrenia” and “Manic Depression” were definitely beyond the scope of the talking treatments (or anything else) but now I realise that this is not true at all. The talking treatments are the only approach that works.
Most people must have experienced the same “High Anxiety” as I did on withdrawal from “medication” and this must have been the main problem. But my “High Anxiety” definitely responded to the talking treatments.
Dr Russel Razzaque featured right on MIA – his approach is useful; as well as Sarah Knutson on MIA right now; as well as Psychologist Rufus May’s; as well as Will Halls. And all theses approachs are similar.
Too True Bonny,
How many GPs would prescribe antidepressants if they knew the dangers?
Unfortunately, dangers like suicide are often masked.
Thanks James and Dr Russell,
There are lots of solutions out there.
Anxiety is always “real” when its active, but it’s possible to know from experience that “sitting with feelings” works.
If a person sits with their feelings until the feelings soften their minds can find guidance to problems from within the problems themselves. A friend of mine in 12 Step Fellowship calls this the Helicopter View.
The only snag is that feelings of anxiety don’t soften easily!
I hope I’m not off subject here, but could one of the reasons for the rise in “childhood behavioral problems” in the 1990s, be the rise in consumption of psychiatric drugs during pregnancy around this time.
The reason I say this, is because I notice some psychiatric drugs are promoted as safe for use during pregnancy.
What about the UK politician Boris Johnson if anyone were to accuse him of being “diverse” – he’d probably make short work of them.
I’m going to have to say something about the false diagnosis of “schizophrenia”.
When the “schizophrenic” comes off “his medication” he goes mad, and when he goes back on “his medication”, he eventually feels “better”. He’s then, still “care in the community” but he’s considered to be well.
But if the “Schizophrenic” can come off his medication very carefully he probably won’t go mad. If he gets help with his “anxiety”, he’ll probably feel as good as the next person. He’ll also, be able to get back into life again because he’s not on very disabling drugs.
Lots of people on Mad in America have overcome “schizophrenia” – through using effective non drug strategies – suitable for “Anxiety”. But nobody has ever genuinely recovered through the Psychiatric System.
For Sure!
According to many experts – “Bipolar” has been medically and chemically created, there was only a very tiny amount of Bipolar around before the 1990s.
The person to most successfully pass a test like this might be a psychopath.
Since Cousin Marriage in Northern Ireland is very rare anyway; these examples are likely to come from minority ethnic groups that could be justifiably “anxious”.
I believe Seroquel has a Black Box Warning attached to it in the USA.
If a doctor doesn’t record heart rythm problems then they don’t exist, and a middle aged overweight person having a heart attack is not too out of the ordinary A lot of potential drug deaths could be going unnoticed.
The reason Seroquel was barred in the USA
Army was because young fit soldiers were being found dead in their beds in the morning.
Thanks Sandra,
First of all I refused drugs, because I thought the drug approach was ridiculous.
Then I bought into Mental Health Diagnosis because I couldn’t come off the drugs.
Then I learned how to deal with my head; and it became clear to me the drug approach was nonsense.
I dont see how its possible to make this genetic association In Northern Ireland, where maybe 15% of the population are taking “psychiatric medications”.
I was prescribed 25mg of Seroquel per day in 2005. I found 25mg (the lowest dose), a bit strong so I cut down to 1/4 of this. At night I used to take it maybe 15 minutes before sleeping and sometimes I nearly collapsed before I got to bed.
After some time I noticed on waking that my chest area was a soft red, and the rest of me completely white. I also noticed worrying heart beat drops. So I stopped the Seroquel and my chest colour returned to normal; and the drops on heart beats stopped. But my sleeping dropped as well from up to 9 hrs per night to 4 to 5 hrs. (and after many years it’s still not great). But at least I’m still alive!
Maybe, but completely unscientific.
From what I’ve seen “mental illness” only becomes “mental illness” with medical intervention. There’s evidence of historical “mental illness” in my background – but only with medical intervention.
Prior to the arrival of SSRIs, people in Ireland rarely took medication for “depression” – but some people did.
All the people that recover from so called “Schizophrenia” + “Bipolar” do this outside of medicine. According to their personal stories (as on Mad in America) people that do Recover often use similar “psychological” strategies.
Thanks very much Jay,
I object to false science as well.
I believe that “Schizophrenia” is not genetic, but chemically induced and homogeneous:- For example if I hadn’t accessed the suitable psychological help I needed to recover, when I withdrew from Neuroleptic treatments, I would still be “Chronically Schizophrenic”.
(I can scientifically prove that I did recover as I am still alive and healthy 30 years later, without dependence on the Mental Health system in the meantime).
Sarah,
I believe “Schizophrenia” could be eradicated (and the hopeless cases brought back to life), with the model you present.
I see your Your Stress Model as being very effective to someone attempting to taper from neuroleptics and suffering from the “High Anxiety” of psychiatric drug withdrawal.
Many years ago I suffered from dreadful Anxiety when I attempted to withdraw from neuroleptics*. It was worse than anything I had previously known, and I tried lots of different tactics to get myself off the hook.
Finally, I discovered that if I stopped trying to think my way out of it, my Anxiety would eventually soften and that my problems would then become manageable.
From a calm perspective my problems became “non problems”. You explain the physical processes attached to “High Anxiety” very well and you give excellent advice on how to deal with them.
I’m really looking forward to more extremely useful Presentations from you on Mad in America.
*(The drug I withdrew from in the mid 1980s was Depot Injection Fluphenazine Decanoate “suitable” for “Severe and Enduring Mental Illness”).
Sandra
If I was to take the same or similar drugs again, I could very easily attempt suicide again. My “good fortune” was that my reactions were acute, and that I knew exactly where they were coming from.
MY fear was so real that I sent a statement 28 years later to the University in Ireland that managed the “Unit” I was treated in. They were conducting a Study on the offending drugs:-
“2. There’s a bit of a trick to making conscious contact with the body of well being (restorative system). I can’t access this part of me by trying harder or forcing myself to feel something. The harder I try, the more my survival (stress) system revs up. The restorative (well-being) system turns on when I make a decision to let go and allow myself to be helped. I consciously shift my focus from trying to fix it to actively cultivating my capacity to trust and be cared for. This parallels the wisdom of many religions (and also Twelve Step programs). My personal belief is that this is not an accident, but more on that another time.”
Once you know this works, you’re Saved!
Frank, that’s what it is.
I really like this article Sarah. People on MIA recommend alternative solutions. It’s great to see examples of these solutions presented and analysed as you have done here.
I’ve read through your thesis but I’ll have to go through it again and again to get to a full understanding. It’s very worthwhile though.
The amyglydia (I believe) says “if it looks like you’re in trouble, look after yourself at all costs”; and Dr Peter Breggin says (I believe) that “Neuroleptics wreck the amyglydia”. This is the position I was in when I stopped taking “my medication”.
I have to let go of my defenses to get to a position of “wisdom”. That’s not an easy thing to do, but for me it gets a lot easier as I get older.
In the UK to claim mental health benefit a person needs to have themselves categorized as suffering from longterm severe and disabling mental illness symptoms. So their medical records are not going to reflect their true “mental health” condition – as they will need to exaggerate to survive.
But a person consuming neuroleptics is unlikely to be physically capable of occupational functioning anyway; and most UK “mental health consumers” buy into the “mental health” “illness” system.
My own experience is that I was only capable of functioning when I came off strong neuroleptic “medication”.
I believe the longterm jail population in the US is about 1 million, with jails being run by the private sector.
Standards in “Mental health care” have been falling over the years to the extent, that now – any type of standard “would be acceptable”. So there is a real private sector “incarceration solution” available for “the mental health problem”.
Thanks for your Article of wisdom.
I believe the only people that are expert at coming off Psychiatric Drugs are the people that have come off them. And the only people that are expert at Recovering from “Long term Mental Illnesses” are the people that have recovered.
People say that coming off Psychiatric Drugs can be dangerous. But going on psychiatric drugs can be dangerous; and changing psychiatric drugs can be dangerous as well.
It could be said that I suffered from a “Chemical Imbalance” in the Brain when I discontinued my Long Acting Depot Injection years ago (in the 1980s). I was completely racked with longterm “High Anxiety” withdrawal syndrome.
But the Psychological Process provided me with the skills I needed, to cope with my “high anxiety” and to return to normal life.
Needless to say I was very expensive while I engaged with the psychiatric services. I was also very heavily diagnosed.
I can’t see any difference between “rational” anxiety and “irrational” anxiety – both are “irrational” and both can be alleviated through the Psychological Process.
The same with “extreme anxiety” this can be alleviated through the same psychological process as “non extreme anxiety”.
The thing about the psychological approach is that once a person overcomes a problem they can move on. The mainstream chemical approach disables the person and ultimately makes the problem worse.
Hi Bob,
This is something I saw on Professor Peter Kinderman’s Twitter
STUDY (Lancet March 28 2018)
Antipsychotic drugs versus cognitive behavioural therapy versus a combination of both in people with psychosis: a randomised controlled pilot and feasibility study.
BACKGROUND
Background
Little evidence is available for head-to-head comparisons of psychosocial interventions and pharmacological interventions in psychosis. We aimed to establish whether a randomised controlled trial of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) versus antipsychotic drugs versus a combination of both would be feasible in people with psychosis.
“…NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said: “Every pound we save from cutting waste is another pound we can then invest in better [accident and emergency] care, new cancer treatments and much better mental health services.”
And Dr Graham Jackson, of NHS Clinical Commissioners, which represents local health managers, said unfortunately “difficult decisions” had to be made…”
Practical Psychotherapy for All “Mental Health” Conditions could save the NHS billions (it’s the mainstream psychiatric treatments that cause the psychiatric disability).
Practical psychotherapy can EVEN be found for free in the community.
I think for every “public SSRI tragedy” theres probably many near misses, and longterm private tragedies.
Dr Kelly Brogan uses the term “Intoxication” and I think this is a very suitable way to describe the effects of these drugs.
I had a series of suicidal hospitalisations in the early 1980s while on medication suitable for Severe Mental Illness and none since.
Strangely, “your delusions” under your circumstances do make a certain amount of sense to me.
I wish you luck with the Outcome.
My own notes state “the patient says he has benefited from Psychotherapy” – whereas what I have said is that I made Recovery through Psychotherapy.
This is a sight for sore eyes. Convincing evidence that everybody can recover through (carefully) not taking their medication and moving to Psychotherapy.
Reliability of UK Mental Health Diagnosis
If the UK General Medical Council is prepared to allow doctors to lie about the removal of Mental Health Diagnosis (as above) then this does not say much for the reliability of any UK Mental Health Diagnosis.
UK Regulators
When the UK ICO (Information Commissioners Office) recently carried out a raid on Cambridge Analytica Offices in London they looked like the FBI.
When I asked the ICO about having my work history entered into my Medical Records to substantiate my Longterm Wellness the ICO suggested I take matters to the High Court.
The Building Industry has been regulated since the Labour Party returned to office in 1997 and operatives are required to be certified and documented.
From an Email to my GP Surgery in
September 2017
“….Dear Manager/Partners,
Please find attached 9 attachments:-
1. A character reference from Ireland from 1986
2. An employer’s reference from Ireland 1986
3. A Subcontractors Inland Revenue ID Card from 1997
4. A House of Commons Subcontractors ID Card from 2003
5. A Construction Skills Certification Scheme ID Card from 2003
6. A Construction Skills Certification Scheme ID Card from 2008
7. A Construction Skills Certification Scheme ID Card from 2016
8. CSCS ID Card 2008 Reverse Side
9. CSCS ID Card 2016 Reverse Side..”
(2002 was when my name was put on a Severe Mental Illness Register by Dr D. Dock).
DRUG DANGER COVER UP
I do have an allergy warning regarding Fluphenazine Decanoate recorded on my present day UK records, but that’s about all – there is no background explanation.
When I reported my suicidal reaction to my then regular (doctor) Dr Dominic Dock, at Newton Medical Centre London W2 in 2011 he took it on board but did not write it down. I was never too confident of this doctors original “balance” but he developed psychosis within a year and was asked to leave the Medical Centre.
When I discovered that Dr Dominic Dock had placed my name on a Severe Mental Illness Register, (I’m a registered subcontractor in the Building industry and have never been “Ill” in my 30 years in the UK), I took matters up with his replacement Dr Simons in October November 2012.
Dr Simons promised (in a very distressed state) to remove all evidence of historical diagnosis, but I discovered by chance in December 2012 that he had not kept his word. I made an internal complaint to Newton Medical in 2013, and Dr Simons attempted to justify his Behavior. To me this was unacceptable so I complained shortly afterward to the UK General Medical Council.
The UK General Medical Council acknowledged my complaint but told me that in their opinion Dr Simons behaviour would not affect his ability to do his job.
Shortly afterward on July 13 2013, Dr Simons was involved in a patient homicide which went to The West London Coroners Court
My hunch is that Dr Simons was under orders from Superiors to cover up evidence of Suicidal Reaction to Fluphenazine Decoanate, because of the potential death scale involved, and that he was Absolutely Terrified.
Hi Bob
I notice in the Lancet study that there are a high number of suicides, but I don’t see any reference to suicide in the Norwegian Study.
The Norwegian Study is also geared up towards getting people permanently well.
The Norwegian Study refers to the use of fairly sensible Psychotherapy to Recover people “even” from “Incurable Schizophrenia”.
But once problems are looked in terms of normal problems then lots of solutions can become available:-
In my opinion “High Anxiety” or “Neuroleptic Withdrawal Syndrome” is what locks a large proportion of “diagnosed people” into Long Term Psychiatric Dependency.
Below – is a good explanation of how the “High Anxiety of Neuroleptic Withdrawal” might be described:-
“…Chapter two: “Consciousness: The Way Out of Pain”
In chapter two, Tolle tells the reader that they must recognize their personal ego “without the ego creating an antagonistic response to its own denial or destruction” and explains the purposelessness of the “mental pain and anguish” that people hold on to.[12] According to the book: “The pain-body consists of trapped life-energy that has split off from your total energy field and has temporarily become autonomous through the unnatural process of mind identification.”[8] In this chapter the author writes: “pain can only feed on pain. Pain cannot feed on joy. It finds it quite indigestible”.[8] The author goes on to write that “many people live with a tormentor in their head that continuously attacks and punishes them and drains them of vital energy. It is the cause of untold misery and unhappiness.”[5]..”
The link below describes how to Deal with conditions like “The High Anxiety of Neuroleptic Withdrawal”
“…Awakening Exercise for Chapter 5: Dissolving the Pain-Body
The pain-body doesn’t want you to observe it directly. The moment you observe the pain-body, feel its energy field within you and take your attention into it, the identification is broken. A higher dimension of consciousness comes in. It is called Presence. You are now the witness or the watcher of the of the pain-body…”
And this works …
ConcernedCarer,
You are right in saying Quietiapine is a sedating drug. Stopping Quietiapine can result in serious sleep disruption, and it’s difficult for anyone to remain well without consistent sleep.
Hi Bob,
I can identify with your frustration, I have personal experience of my own Recovery being denied – through Professional Game Playing.
The Norwegian Study
If people can recover from Severe and Enduring Mental Illness as a result of stopping Drug treatment, then the “Severe and Enduring Mental Illness” can’t have existed to begin with.
The Norwegian Approach sounds a bit like Albert Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy REBT Approach
I’m not sure that I would have recovered with this Approach. I suffered from “High Anxiety” Withdrawal Syndrome when I tapered from strong drugs and I was genuinely at risk of imploding.
BUT, I did recover from a “Variation” of this, which could also be described as Rational Emotional Behavioural Therapy.
I knew I was suffering from “Catastrophy”, and I had to find ways of working around this to survive. My solution was a bit like Eckhart Tolles “epiphany”.
I had to completely abandon my thinking when I was distressed because my thinking was reinforcing my Anxiety. But, once my anxiety eventually died down there was no real problem.
“…One way to protect persons with schizophrenia from frequent relapses due to complete or partial adherence with treatment is to use long-acting intramuscular injections of antipsychotic medications (a shot every two to four weeks) which can keep the symptoms under control without the need to take pills every day. This may be the best treatment approach for some persons with schizophrenia, including your brother…”
This was my Experience of Long Acting Injection 1980 to 1984:-
Suicide Associated with Akathisia and Depot Fluphenazine Treatment
I made Recovery in 1984 as a result of carefully coming off Long Acting Injection, and have remained well since.
“Psychosis” doesn’t help!
Psychosis means madness. But what is a psychosis symptom?
According to Dr Allen Frances if a person is okay with it, then it doesn’t matter about the symptoms.
If a person is not okay and they seek psychological help then their problem is the same as anyone else’s, surely.
Hi Someone Else,
I agree with you. “Schizophrenia” in todays terms is a homogeneous chemically induced disorder – anyone on strong psychiatric drugs 24 hours per day, will go Mad if they attempt to stop taking them. And this is the understanding of “Schizophrenia”.
But if a person gets suitable human based help when they run into crisis – then the “Schizophrenia” becomes transitory. But since theres no such thing as transitory “Schizophrenia” then it no longer exists.
Rachel,
I think everybody knows someone that wasn’t too bad to begin with and then got onto the slippery slope of “false mental illness”. “Bipolar” might be one way to describe the result, but it could equally pass for “schizophrenia” as the person develops lots of symptoms they never had before.
A friend of mine ended up like this recently. She got involved with the Borderline Personality “People” who were really nice to begin with, and got her on drugs. This triggered an eating problem and now she is morbidly obese with lots of connected health problems.
This friend of mine did have genuine issues and her struggle was painful, but she had been successfully dealing with life. She thought that the nice medical people might have something more to offer – but they nearly destroyed her.
Life is a series of pulls back and forth…
– A tension of opposites,
like a pull on a rubber band.
Most of us live somewhere in the middle.
A wrestling match…
Which side wins?
Love wins.
Love always wins…..
Oldhead,
I have made one serious allegation after another on this Website against named professionals. As far as I know, I have the reliable evidence to back up the allegations I have made.
Denmark is a country where everyone is more our less provided for from the Cradle to the Grave. It’s a very competitive country and a very ‘happy’ country.
But – the psychiatric abuse is supposed to be as brutal as anywhere else.
I can back my own experience (mentioned above) with factual evidence of “Extreme Diagnosis”; years of Disability; Recovery and return to normal life as a result of carefully coming of strong psychiatric drugs.
I can also describe the psychological process I used to deal with the “High Anxiety” of Psychiatric Drug withdrawal.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar creating his own Controversy
I think money is earned through “arrangements” and not through “work”. The resources are divided up between interested parties and these would be maybe 15% of the population.
The other 85% of the population are being reduced down. The middle class are becoming the lower middle class; and most jobs are coming under the influence of mechanization.
The majority of the huge UK “mentally disabled” population would have had transitory problems to begin with, but are now trapped in longterm psychiatric disability – as a result of psychiatric treatment.
I dont think people trapped in long term psychiatric disability would just recover by coming off “medication” – they would need a lot of help as well.
In my own case there’s no reliable evidence of any original mental illness. I came from England to Ireland and the English doctors were extremely “noncommittal”. My recovery after a number of years of disability in Ireland was as a result of rejecting psychiatric treatment.
I’ve been well for 30 years in the UK but my GP Surgery Newton Medical, London W2 have been attempting to promote an “Unwellness” idea regarding me.
Its not for genuine reasons as my GP Dr Simons knows that my main work in the UK is on Building Sites. It’s about “bent” behaviour in “Mental Health”.
Dr Davies,
The Royal Colleges default behaviour reminds me more of “petty criminal” than Royal College.
I support the idea (from my own experience) that psychiatric drugs cause long term disability – and that its possible to recover completely through coming off them (with suitable help).
“Psychosis”, would depend on the “reliability” of the doctors providing the information:-
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
“..The patient was co-operative well orientated with intact memory. He had mildly agitated psychomotor behaviour. There was no evidence of any florid psychotic features…”
Admitting Doctor 1980 Dr Fadel
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
” ..Presented with aggressive behaviour, paranoid delusions, ideas of reference and auditory hallucinations…”
Dr Donlon Kenny 1986 – to the UK
DR WRAY NEWTON MEDICAL, CENTRAL LONDON OCTOBER 2012
“…Eye contact normal currently functioning, no sign of self neglect
mildly agitated but no sign of thought disorder…”
MY COMMENTARY
I have never had an eye contact problem, I have never neglected myself, and I have functioned completely normally in the 30 years I have been in the UK.
I was not mildly agitated, I was unhappy with the misuse of my personal information. I have not suffered from thought disorder in my 30 years in the UK.
(I have the background documentary evidence to support what I’ve written above).
“..Some have even argued that the antipsychotic drugs themselves cause many of the psychotic symptoms..”
Hmmmm..
About 3% of the UK Population are now “Severely Mentally Disabled” and receiving Psychiatric Drug Treatments – so this is now, what Mental Disorder is.
Even if a person takes “medication” at the beginning, they can still make long term recovery but how many doctors would allow them to? Or how many doctors would know how to help them to do this?
According to my experience ALL people should be able to make Full Recovery without Psychiatric Drugs. It’s the medical system that’s blocking the process.
(Genuine Social Problem or Mental Health Issue would only apply to a very small fraction of todays “Severely Mentally Disabled”. Kidnapping might be the right description).
Schizophrenia is a Long term serious and chronic disorder more disabling than being blind or in a wheelchair – But can be proven not to exist with the right kind of non chemical help.
I have a friend with a “Diagnosis” and on a present day Long acting injection. His appearance and manner is well above average.
But when he tries to discontinue the “medication” he quickly runs into trouble – and the people around him are not very sympathetic.
If he doesn’t come off these drugs they will eventually destroy him. It is possible to come off a Long acting injection carefully with the help of practical psychotherapy but the “Mental Health System” is totally out of its depth in dealing with situations like this.
No other medicine that I know of in the UK has this type of dead end approach.
Dear Dr Joanna,
I initially refused drugs and requested the talking treatments but after being on long acting injection for a number of years it was extremely difficult to stop.
Coming off “medication” can be extremely difficult. A person might need several attempts and a lot of help in doing this.
There’s probably no reason other than policy, that most people can’t learn to cope at the start with non drug help.
I did Recover on Talking Therapies alone but you wouldn’t know this from my Records (historical or otherwise).
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
“..The patient was co-operative well orientated with intact memory. He had mildly agitated psychomotor behaviour. There was no evidence of any florid psychotic features…”
Admitting Doctor 1980 Dr Fadel
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
” ..Presented with aggressive behaviour, paranoid delusions, ideas of reference and auditory hallucinations…”
Dr Donlon Kenny 1986 – to the UK
DR WRAY NEWTON MEDICAL, CENTRAL LONDON OCTOBER 2012
“…Eye contact normal currently functioning, no sign of self neglect
mildly agitated but no sign of thought disorder…”
MY COMMENTARY
I have never had an eye contact problem, I have never neglected myself, and I have functioned completely normally in the 30 years I have been in the UK.
I was not mildly agitated, I was unhappy with the misuse of my personal information. I have not suffered from thought disorder in my 30 years in the UK.
Thank you Peter,
I was prescribed “antidepresssants” in the 1980 s. Emotionally:- going on them made no difference, being on them made no difference, and coming off them made no difference.
I wasn’t clinically depressed to begin with, but I did suffer “Melancholy”. My happiness levels improved a lot with the practice of Buddhist Breathing Meditation, and I suffer from very little melancholy now.
“..Some have even argued that the antipsychotic drugs themselves cause many of the psychotic symptoms..”
I would argue this; and a lot of Experts now accept this.
“..So yes, it has been clearly established for many years that “some patients are better off without antipsychotic drugs.” However, in recent years, advocates have interpreted this to suggest that most individuals with schizophrenia are better off without antipsychotic drugs…”
When I stopped taking my “medication” (with care) my suicidal hospitalizations stopped and I made full recovery. This can be demonstrated from my records.
More psychiatric drugging means more suicide and more homicide. If you look at the suicide / homicide figures in Ireland in the last 25 years the connection can be seen.
In my own case my drug induced suicidal reactions were covered up by doctors at Galway Ireland in a fairly amateurish manner (and are still being covered up – today).
“…. a group of patients with schizophrenia were each given 20 mg of fluphenazine, the difference between the highest and lowest blood level of the drug was 40-fold…”
Thanks Jan,
I found TM can have dramatic results in the short term – I’m not sure about the longterm. With Buddhist Breathing meditation I found that the longterm results were consistent.
I don’t think meditation is supposed to numb feelings like drugs do – this can be dangerous. I think meditation is supposed to help someone to react to things in a calm manner.
I sent Attachment Documentary Evidence + My (above) Commentary to my MP. I did receive acknowledgement from her Office. But I doubt very much if she got to see the information.
From: ME
Sent: 01 March 2018 08:35
To: BUCK, Karen
Subject: For The Attention of MP Karen Buck (only): Concerning – Dangerous Mental Health Behaviour.
Dear Karen (Buck MP)
Please find Attached, documentary evidence supporting the (serious) allegations that I have made. Please let me know if you get the Attachments:-
1. Admitting Doctor Dr Fadels impression of me “on Presentation” at Galway 17 November 1980
2. Pgs 1, 8, 9 of the 8 November 1986 Adverse Drug Reaction WARNING Request Letter
3. The 24 November 1986 Irish Record Summary (2 pgs) deliberately OMITTING Adverse Drug Reaction Warning
4. The November 18 1986 Dr Donlon Kenny False Reassurance Letter
5. A copy of my January 13, 2012 Statement Of Psychiatric Experience to Galway University
6. A September 15 1986 Employment Reference
7. A September 15 1986 Character Reference
8. A Professional Interpretation of “Akathisia”
My GP Surgery has been promoting Present Day Severe Mental Illness with me on account of the 30 + year old, 1986 Irish Record Summary; with complete confidence (and full knowledge of the issues).
“..In tandem with their increased use, they generated controversy. The most significant of these was the possibility that these drugs could trigger suicidal thoughts and behaviour in some people. This led to expensive litigation particularly in the US. But a more fundamental one was the claim that these and older antidepressants had limited effect on depressive illness and that they were little better than placebos (dummy look-alike medicines). This was the opinion of a group of psychiatrists in Britain and Ireland who belonged to the Critical Psychiatry Network (CPN). In the US the Church of Scientology provided huge financial support to similar groups…”
I notice that people who explode publicly are often on SSRI s but the people that attempt suicide are often on neuroleptics. But even proportionately with millions of people on SSRI s there could be lots of people silently going mad.
I object to the term antipsychotic, as it labels the person consuming the drugs as psychotic. Where as the drugs are not antipsychotic, they are disabling.
At times these drugs can create explosive reactions and at times the drugs can create very risky indifference. I took these drugs voluntarily for many years at very low doses and eventually stopped taking them.
Hi Eric
I might sound a bit contradictory above – but I don’t mean to be.
Hi Eric
I’m sorry for butting in here but is this not normal social thought rather hearing voices.
Question No 2. Is voice hearing is a type of manifestation of social judgement in the form of voices outside the head? I’m curious.
(A friend of mine enjoys going to restaurants on his own on a Saturday night – he says the other people might think he’s a sad bastard but he isn’t bothered).
Good Advice,
Because withdrawal is an erratic process. So you might find that its going okay but then find that it needs slowing down.
It might also be a good idea after the taper, to keep the prescription active for a respectable period, to substantiate the post withdrawal period (if required).
Julia,
My GP at Newton Medical London W2 told me that the Severe Mental Illness Register was for people who at some stage might have had something wrong with them, and that it was purely a list held at the Medical Centre.
But, to any Normal Person a Severe Mental Illness Register, is a Register that contains the names of People that are Ongoing Chronically Severely Mentally Ill.
The idea behind “Severe Mental Illness” is that a person is Severely disabled:- more disabled than being blind, or in a wheelchair (according to the Lancet). The only condition more disabling than being Severely Mentally Ill (according to the Lancet) is being paralysed from the neck down.
I have NOT cost a penny in Mental Health Terms in my 32 years in the UK. This is Fact not Opinion and is traceable.
So the Warning must have been computer generated.
Dear Dr Breggin,
25mg of Seroquel IS the lowest dose available. But 25mg of Seroquel per day is not prescriptive for any Mental Disorder whatsoever (as far as I know).
The antipsychotic dosage begins at 150 mg per day. And Seroquel at 25mg is an antihistamine.
Eric,
Maybe you were kidnapped by the Fairies. This used to happen a lot in Ireland years ago.
People in Ireland can often identify with fairy kidnapping – it tends to follow a pattern.
There’ve been more than 100 million human beings killed in the world by other human beings in the past 100 years – very few of them killed by “schizophrenics”.
I would like people to stop using the term “psychosis”. If someone were demented then there would be no point in talking to them. Psychotherapy can only work with people that are not demented, and 99.5 percent of “Schizophrenics” are not mad.
There are discreet conditions attached to “schizophrenia”. When “schizophrenics” taper from “medication” they can develop severe and disabling anxiety – this anxiety is not psychosis, and it responds to normal psychotherapy.
There’s another discreet condition that “Schizophrenics” suffer from – drug induced disability. To get money to survive the “Schizophrenic” has to pretend that it’s “illness” induced disability.
I think the idea behind the Severe Mental Illness Register is to grab hold of vulnerable people and turn them into the longterm mentally ill.
Once a person is on the Severe Mental Illness Register a persons circumstances get forgotten and the person becomes homogenously Severely Mentally Ill; and they can be referred to as a person on the Severe Mental Illness Register.
Once they are described like this nobody knows anything else.
Newton Medical London W2 had my name on a Severe Mental Illness Register while I worked on Building Sites.
I was working as a subcontractor in the House of Commons Buildings when they put my name on the Register in 2002.
There was a fatality on the Site I was on at the time, as there has been on most building sites I’ve worked on.
I’m sure most of these doctors are “on medication” (themselves).
My GP Dr Simons last time I saw him assured me in writing “that he could see no reason that I couldn’t work on a building site”. And on another information sheet provided at the end of my interview was written “this patient has a diagnosis of schizophrenia”. My GP was not even aware of this.
The Diagnosis on the 1986 Irish Record was actually Schizoaffective Disorder not Schizophrenia. Newton Medical had altered my 1986 Irish Record by removing the last paragraph of the first page because they had originally guessed the Diagnosis as schizophrenia.
They only went looking for my Record when they thought they could get some money for it.
Dear Auntie Psychiatry,
My case might be a bit different from yours.
My Severe Mental Unwellness Information comes historically from Southern Ireland, is extremely dated, and on investigation is very weak. But this might be the reason that a GP might want to promote it.
I was originally delivered over to Ireland from England in 1980. The UK Maudsley Hospital had me for 2 months but their information on me was “confused”, and the English doctor that accompanied me to Ireland in 1980, has since committed suicide.
Amsterdam where I had recently spent several months was not menioned on the UK records and the Doctor at Galway that recorded Amsterdam, has never appeared on the Irish Records. His account was updated to several days later and copied in by my Consultant Psychiatrist as his own.
In my 30 years in the UK I have never been Disabled. I have consumed low dose “medication” but not suitable for SMI. I quit this years ago.
The Non Irish admitting doctor at Galway in 1980 presented me in Wellness terms (and this is how I am presented in the 1980 Discharge Summary).
I was physically disabled on drugs while at Galway in 1980 with high levels of Haloperidol, Modecate, Chloropromazine (and others).
In 1985 my Consultant Psychiatrist Dr P A Carney was on the Royal College of UK Psychiatrists examining board; and in 1986 the Professor of Pharmacology at Galway Brian Leonard was President of The British Association of Psychopharmacologists.
In 2012 when I received my historical Irish notes snd proceeded to make a complaint against my historical Irish Psychiatrist P A Carney – Dr P A Carney himself was on the Irish Medical Council.
Thank you Dr Stefan,
I made Full Longterm Recovery through “psychotherapeutic” means, which could equally be described as “Buddhist Practice”.
(I never cost anything again, and I was non the worse for this).
“Handwerker hatte golden boden”
Dear Dr Steffen,
In the “Power of the Now” Eckhart Tolle says that spirituality can be developed organically.
A German psychologist assured me in the 1980s that all “patients” could make full recovery with the help of “psychotherapy”. I am very happy to hear about your own developments.
I have to admit that I didn’t study your papers. But I can refer to my own experience of “psychotherapy” in dealing with the problems I experienced when I withdrew from my longterm neuroleptic injection.
I suffered with what Robert Whitaker describes as Neuroleptic Withdrawal “High Anxiety”. If I hadn’t found a (“CBT”) way of coping with this, I would have gone Mad.
Eckhart Tolle wasn’t around at that time but I did find it possible to recover organically in the longterm.
Dear Auntie Psychiatry,
Have you thought about taking the issue to your MPs Surgery?
Dr Simons at Newton Medical in Oct/Nov 2012 told me and put in writing, that my name had been removed from the SMI Register.
He also told me and put in writing, that he had removed “schizophrenia” from my records – but he was lying.
Dr Simons is also attempting to deny the existece of the ADR Warning Request Letter – but this can’t be done.
This 1986 Warning Request Letter describes AKATHISIA fairly Well :-
1. Extreme Restlessness
2. Unpredictability
3. The worst experience of my life.
Once:-
A) The 2012 Near Fatal Modecate Experience Statement;
B) The 1986 ADR Request letter;
C) The 1986 Irish Record Summary ;
D) Dr Fadels 1980 Impression on Admission;
….are reconciled then in my opinion, the only thing that “stands up” is Dr Shipman Type behaviour from Galway, Ireland.
This is a great Article Chaya. You’ve answered your calling.
I read through “…destroyed my health and nearly killed me…” and I can’t help feeling that you would have been better off had you taken street drugs. You would at least have had some real enjoyment (and access to relevant information about what you were consuming).
Psychiatric drugs nearly killed me again and again and again. When I recovered as a result of quitting drugs suitable for SMI and clarified this to my Psychiatrist he moved from Galway Ireland, to Ontario, Canada.
(He was to return to Ireland though, and write promotional research papers on the offending Drugs – for Money)
When I caught my present day GP in the UK exploiting my records he was apologetic. He committed verbally and in writing to removing all diagnosis. I discovered shortly after that he hadn’t.
He got away with this, but two months later he was involved in a patient fatality that went to the Coroners Court.
(Both doctors had been genuinely spooked, because ALL the evidence documentary and otherwise, pointed to Suicidal Reaction + Disability from Psychiatric drugs, and a return to Full Wellness as a result of carefully quitting these drugs).
Asperger Co operated with Euthanasia
http://www.rte.ie/news/world/2018/0419/955628-asperger-/
The Euthanasia is still in progress.
4 out of every 10 people consuming Neuroleptic Injections attempt suicide.
It’s common practice to hide these events.
My historical ADR Warning Request was blocked in Ireland, and my present day GP Surgery is blocking ADR Warning in the UK.
Severe Mental Illness Register
I discovered my name on a Severe Mental Illness Register at Newton Medical Centre, London W2 in October 2012.
Near Fatal Modecate Experience Pg 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBAVk1KSmgwZTdKeHM/view?usp=drivesdk
Near Fatal Modecate Experience Pg 2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBAemlnNW0zUERieDA/view?usp=drivesdk
ADR Request ltr Pg 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBAZlVTbHdBRDFFSHc/view?usp=drivesdk
ADR Request ltr Pg 2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBAZ0otNjFyN0NJajA/view?usp=drivesdk
ADR Request Ltr Pg 3
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBAcExwMzhEMVRzdm8/view?usp=drivesdk
Irish Record Summary Pg 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBATlNoNTlpYy11X28/view?usp=drivesdk
Irish Record Summary Pg 2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBAMmlqS18xQVZlcms/view?usp=drivesdk
Admitting Doctor Dr Fadel on Presentation
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBANjBTZEtkbjBhMkU/view?usp=drivesdk
ADR Warning had been deliberately OMITTED.
False Reasurrance Ltr
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zhbh8V4MBAeUFLam5rYmtXd3c/view?usp=drivesdk
Dear Dr Breggin,
It’s very good that you were able to get her off all the heavy drugs, AND the 25mg of Seroquel as well.
I was prescribed 25mg of Seroquel per day in 2005 and I only consumed maybe 1/4 of this. But I developed worrying “drops” on heartbeat, plus a pink chest in the morning, with every other part of my body white.
My “nerves” were better for the discontinuation, but my sleeping was worse.
In my observation it’s not just the Pharmaceutical industry and Psychiatry that are misbehaving. It’s the overall Medical Profession, Politicians and most other responsible bodies. I would imagine that with the amount of damage that has occurred – they cannot afford not to.
ConcernedCarer,
According to Professor Martin Knapp of the London School of Economics:- Each Severely Mentally Ill Person costs the UK about £65,000 per year.
If a person lives for 40 years after diagnosis this would amount to 40 × £65,000 equalling a Lifetime Total Cost per Severely Mentally Ill Person of £2.6 million.
So, it makes sense to move to Recovery Approaches that can be demonstrated to work.
Thanks Rossa,
It goes to show you that if you drop the “schizophrenia” and look for the solutions – the solutions can be found.
Think about the money Open Dialogue + Other Successful initiatives would ultimately save!
12 Step Shouldn’t be. There should be no dominant characters in 12 Step, and advice should be made by suggestion only.
The idea in 12 Step is that a person gets better
But 12 Step is also full of nutters.
Thanks a lot Rachel.
I hope I’m not too off message with this comment.
I was told I could come off “neuroleptic long acting injection” by my Psychiatrist in October of 1983 – but I didn’t last long. I ended up in hospital in December of 1983.
I got talking to a Psychologist during this hospital in stay and he reassured me that “everyone” could make full recovery without medication.
So after another 3 hospital in stays a suicide attempt and a near suicide attempt – I came off my “Long Acting Injection ” and my “Disability Check” in 1984 – and have remained well since.
The “problem” with “Schizophrenia” is that standard drug treatments for “schizophrenia” are disabling and this disability is very expensive. There ARE alternative, inexpensive non drug treatments available that don’t disable (or Kill) – and that work.
Withdrawal from standard drug treatment “suitable” for “Schizophrenia” is likely to result in Severe and Disabling Anxiety.
Severe Anxiety can be treated psychologically in the same way as normal anxiety can be. Tolerance to Severe Anxiety can be developed (with help), through a process of gradual exposure.
For me, once I could come off the “medications” successfully I was no longer disabled, and this meant that I could return to normal life.
In the USA if 10% of the population takes SSRIs, and 1% develop potentially Fatal Reactions – this translates into *320,000 People …
…with the majority of these Fatalities miscategorised as Suicide.
*(320 million people × 10% × 1%)
Richard,
I understand your point of view, but I think “Scientism” is a good description of this type of professional game playing.
Alternatively Don,
To claim MH benefit in the UK a person needs to pass themselves off as permanently Psychotic.
Since the vast majority of people are not like this (though they might have different issues) ; there exists maybe 1% to 3% of the UK Population in the community that’s classified as ongoing completely mad.
Which means MH Diagnosis in the UK cannot be relied upon.
Don
I would define Recovery as not being dependant on the “Mental Health System” and being non the worse for it.
(But I understand what you mean by Recovery being a misused term – only I don’t get in to that.)
Any drug taken for anxiety (in the long run) makes anxiety worse.
I had never thought much about Autism before I came to Mad In America.
Before I came into contact with Psychiatry I would have thought “Schizophrenia” and “Manic Depression” were definitely beyond the scope of the talking treatments (or anything else) but now I realise that this is not true at all. The talking treatments are the only approach that works.
Most people must have experienced the same “High Anxiety” as I did on withdrawal from “medication” and this must have been the main problem. But my “High Anxiety” definitely responded to the talking treatments.
Dr Russel Razzaque featured right on MIA – his approach is useful; as well as Sarah Knutson on MIA right now; as well as Psychologist Rufus May’s; as well as Will Halls. And all theses approachs are similar.
Too True Bonny,
How many GPs would prescribe antidepressants if they knew the dangers?
Unfortunately, dangers like suicide are often masked.
Thanks James and Dr Russell,
There are lots of solutions out there.
Anxiety is always “real” when its active, but it’s possible to know from experience that “sitting with feelings” works.
If a person sits with their feelings until the feelings soften their minds can find guidance to problems from within the problems themselves. A friend of mine in 12 Step Fellowship calls this the Helicopter View.
The only snag is that feelings of anxiety don’t soften easily!
I hope I’m not off subject here, but could one of the reasons for the rise in “childhood behavioral problems” in the 1990s, be the rise in consumption of psychiatric drugs during pregnancy around this time.
The reason I say this, is because I notice some psychiatric drugs are promoted as safe for use during pregnancy.
What about the UK politician Boris Johnson if anyone were to accuse him of being “diverse” – he’d probably make short work of them.
I’m going to have to say something about the false diagnosis of “schizophrenia”.
When the “schizophrenic” comes off “his medication” he goes mad, and when he goes back on “his medication”, he eventually feels “better”. He’s then, still “care in the community” but he’s considered to be well.
But if the “Schizophrenic” can come off his medication very carefully he probably won’t go mad. If he gets help with his “anxiety”, he’ll probably feel as good as the next person. He’ll also, be able to get back into life again because he’s not on very disabling drugs.
Lots of people on Mad in America have overcome “schizophrenia” – through using effective non drug strategies – suitable for “Anxiety”. But nobody has ever genuinely recovered through the Psychiatric System.
For Sure!
According to many experts – “Bipolar” has been medically and chemically created, there was only a very tiny amount of Bipolar around before the 1990s.
The person to most successfully pass a test like this might be a psychopath.
https://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-mood-disorders-children-consanguineous-parents.html
Since Cousin Marriage in Northern Ireland is very rare anyway; these examples are likely to come from minority ethnic groups that could be justifiably “anxious”.
I believe Seroquel has a Black Box Warning attached to it in the USA.
If a doctor doesn’t record heart rythm problems then they don’t exist, and a middle aged overweight person having a heart attack is not too out of the ordinary A lot of potential drug deaths could be going unnoticed.
The reason Seroquel was barred in the USA
Army was because young fit soldiers were being found dead in their beds in the morning.
Thanks Sandra,
First of all I refused drugs, because I thought the drug approach was ridiculous.
Then I bought into Mental Health Diagnosis because I couldn’t come off the drugs.
Then I learned how to deal with my head; and it became clear to me the drug approach was nonsense.
https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/psychosis-and-depression-yet-another-downside-of-marrying-your-cousi-1.5975870
I dont see how its possible to make this genetic association In Northern Ireland, where maybe 15% of the population are taking “psychiatric medications”.
I was prescribed 25mg of Seroquel per day in 2005. I found 25mg (the lowest dose), a bit strong so I cut down to 1/4 of this. At night I used to take it maybe 15 minutes before sleeping and sometimes I nearly collapsed before I got to bed.
After some time I noticed on waking that my chest area was a soft red, and the rest of me completely white. I also noticed worrying heart beat drops. So I stopped the Seroquel and my chest colour returned to normal; and the drops on heart beats stopped. But my sleeping dropped as well from up to 9 hrs per night to 4 to 5 hrs. (and after many years it’s still not great). But at least I’m still alive!
Maybe, but completely unscientific.
From what I’ve seen “mental illness” only becomes “mental illness” with medical intervention. There’s evidence of historical “mental illness” in my background – but only with medical intervention.
Prior to the arrival of SSRIs, people in Ireland rarely took medication for “depression” – but some people did.
All the people that recover from so called “Schizophrenia” + “Bipolar” do this outside of medicine. According to their personal stories (as on Mad in America) people that do Recover often use similar “psychological” strategies.
Thanks very much Jay,
I object to false science as well.
I believe that “Schizophrenia” is not genetic, but chemically induced and homogeneous:- For example if I hadn’t accessed the suitable psychological help I needed to recover, when I withdrew from Neuroleptic treatments, I would still be “Chronically Schizophrenic”.
(I can scientifically prove that I did recover as I am still alive and healthy 30 years later, without dependence on the Mental Health system in the meantime).
Sarah,
I believe “Schizophrenia” could be eradicated (and the hopeless cases brought back to life), with the model you present.
I see your Your Stress Model as being very effective to someone attempting to taper from neuroleptics and suffering from the “High Anxiety” of psychiatric drug withdrawal.
Many years ago I suffered from dreadful Anxiety when I attempted to withdraw from neuroleptics*. It was worse than anything I had previously known, and I tried lots of different tactics to get myself off the hook.
Finally, I discovered that if I stopped trying to think my way out of it, my Anxiety would eventually soften and that my problems would then become manageable.
From a calm perspective my problems became “non problems”. You explain the physical processes attached to “High Anxiety” very well and you give excellent advice on how to deal with them.
I’m really looking forward to more extremely useful Presentations from you on Mad in America.
*(The drug I withdrew from in the mid 1980s was Depot Injection Fluphenazine Decanoate “suitable” for “Severe and Enduring Mental Illness”).
Sandra
If I was to take the same or similar drugs again, I could very easily attempt suicide again. My “good fortune” was that my reactions were acute, and that I knew exactly where they were coming from.
MY fear was so real that I sent a statement 28 years later to the University in Ireland that managed the “Unit” I was treated in. They were conducting a Study on the offending drugs:-
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22070791/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01807.x
Thanks Sarah,
What about other DSM Disorders…?
“2. There’s a bit of a trick to making conscious contact with the body of well being (restorative system). I can’t access this part of me by trying harder or forcing myself to feel something. The harder I try, the more my survival (stress) system revs up. The restorative (well-being) system turns on when I make a decision to let go and allow myself to be helped. I consciously shift my focus from trying to fix it to actively cultivating my capacity to trust and be cared for. This parallels the wisdom of many religions (and also Twelve Step programs). My personal belief is that this is not an accident, but more on that another time.”
Once you know this works, you’re Saved!
Frank, that’s what it is.
I really like this article Sarah. People on MIA recommend alternative solutions. It’s great to see examples of these solutions presented and analysed as you have done here.
I’ve read through your thesis but I’ll have to go through it again and again to get to a full understanding. It’s very worthwhile though.
The amyglydia (I believe) says “if it looks like you’re in trouble, look after yourself at all costs”; and Dr Peter Breggin says (I believe) that “Neuroleptics wreck the amyglydia”. This is the position I was in when I stopped taking “my medication”.
I have to let go of my defenses to get to a position of “wisdom”. That’s not an easy thing to do, but for me it gets a lot easier as I get older.
In the UK to claim mental health benefit a person needs to have themselves categorized as suffering from longterm severe and disabling mental illness symptoms. So their medical records are not going to reflect their true “mental health” condition – as they will need to exaggerate to survive.
But a person consuming neuroleptics is unlikely to be physically capable of occupational functioning anyway; and most UK “mental health consumers” buy into the “mental health” “illness” system.
My own experience is that I was only capable of functioning when I came off strong neuroleptic “medication”.
I believe the longterm jail population in the US is about 1 million, with jails being run by the private sector.
Standards in “Mental health care” have been falling over the years to the extent, that now – any type of standard “would be acceptable”. So there is a real private sector “incarceration solution” available for “the mental health problem”.
Thanks for your Article of wisdom.
I believe the only people that are expert at coming off Psychiatric Drugs are the people that have come off them. And the only people that are expert at Recovering from “Long term Mental Illnesses” are the people that have recovered.
People say that coming off Psychiatric Drugs can be dangerous. But going on psychiatric drugs can be dangerous; and changing psychiatric drugs can be dangerous as well.
It could be said that I suffered from a “Chemical Imbalance” in the Brain when I discontinued my Long Acting Depot Injection years ago (in the 1980s). I was completely racked with longterm “High Anxiety” withdrawal syndrome.
But the Psychological Process provided me with the skills I needed, to cope with my “high anxiety” and to return to normal life.
Needless to say I was very expensive while I engaged with the psychiatric services. I was also very heavily diagnosed.
I can’t see any difference between “rational” anxiety and “irrational” anxiety – both are “irrational” and both can be alleviated through the Psychological Process.
The same with “extreme anxiety” this can be alleviated through the same psychological process as “non extreme anxiety”.
The thing about the psychological approach is that once a person overcomes a problem they can move on. The mainstream chemical approach disables the person and ultimately makes the problem worse.
Hi Bob,
This is something I saw on Professor Peter Kinderman’s Twitter
STUDY (Lancet March 28 2018)
Antipsychotic drugs versus cognitive behavioural therapy versus a combination of both in people with psychosis: a randomised controlled pilot and feasibility study.
BACKGROUND
Background
Little evidence is available for head-to-head comparisons of psychosocial interventions and pharmacological interventions in psychosis. We aimed to establish whether a randomised controlled trial of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) versus antipsychotic drugs versus a combination of both would be feasible in people with psychosis.
Saving Money
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43576044
“…NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said: “Every pound we save from cutting waste is another pound we can then invest in better [accident and emergency] care, new cancer treatments and much better mental health services.”
And Dr Graham Jackson, of NHS Clinical Commissioners, which represents local health managers, said unfortunately “difficult decisions” had to be made…”
Practical Psychotherapy for All “Mental Health” Conditions could save the NHS billions (it’s the mainstream psychiatric treatments that cause the psychiatric disability).
Practical psychotherapy can EVEN be found for free in the community.
I think for every “public SSRI tragedy” theres probably many near misses, and longterm private tragedies.
Dr Kelly Brogan uses the term “Intoxication” and I think this is a very suitable way to describe the effects of these drugs.
http://kellybroganmd.com/homicide-and-the-ssri-alibi/
Dear David,
I believe everything you’ve said in this article.
I had a series of suicidal hospitalisations in the early 1980s while on medication suitable for Severe Mental Illness and none since.
Strangely, “your delusions” under your circumstances do make a certain amount of sense to me.
I wish you luck with the Outcome.
My own notes state “the patient says he has benefited from Psychotherapy” – whereas what I have said is that I made Recovery through Psychotherapy.
This is a sight for sore eyes. Convincing evidence that everybody can recover through (carefully) not taking their medication and moving to Psychotherapy.
Reliability of UK Mental Health Diagnosis
If the UK General Medical Council is prepared to allow doctors to lie about the removal of Mental Health Diagnosis (as above) then this does not say much for the reliability of any UK Mental Health Diagnosis.
UK Regulators
When the UK ICO (Information Commissioners Office) recently carried out a raid on Cambridge Analytica Offices in London they looked like the FBI.
https://news.sky.com/story/court-grants-warrant-to-search-cambridge-analyticas-office-11301691
When I asked the ICO about having my work history entered into my Medical Records to substantiate my Longterm Wellness the ICO suggested I take matters to the High Court.
The Building Industry has been regulated since the Labour Party returned to office in 1997 and operatives are required to be certified and documented.
From an Email to my GP Surgery in
September 2017
“….Dear Manager/Partners,
Please find attached 9 attachments:-
1. A character reference from Ireland from 1986
2. An employer’s reference from Ireland 1986
3. A Subcontractors Inland Revenue ID Card from 1997
4. A House of Commons Subcontractors ID Card from 2003
5. A Construction Skills Certification Scheme ID Card from 2003
6. A Construction Skills Certification Scheme ID Card from 2008
7. A Construction Skills Certification Scheme ID Card from 2016
8. CSCS ID Card 2008 Reverse Side
9. CSCS ID Card 2016 Reverse Side..”
(2002 was when my name was put on a Severe Mental Illness Register by Dr D. Dock).
DRUG DANGER COVER UP
I do have an allergy warning regarding Fluphenazine Decanoate recorded on my present day UK records, but that’s about all – there is no background explanation.
When I reported my suicidal reaction to my then regular (doctor) Dr Dominic Dock, at Newton Medical Centre London W2 in 2011 he took it on board but did not write it down. I was never too confident of this doctors original “balance” but he developed psychosis within a year and was asked to leave the Medical Centre.
https://youtu.be/bSxzVWjhchM
When I discovered that Dr Dominic Dock had placed my name on a Severe Mental Illness Register, (I’m a registered subcontractor in the Building industry and have never been “Ill” in my 30 years in the UK), I took matters up with his replacement Dr Simons in October November 2012.
Dr Simons promised (in a very distressed state) to remove all evidence of historical diagnosis, but I discovered by chance in December 2012 that he had not kept his word. I made an internal complaint to Newton Medical in 2013, and Dr Simons attempted to justify his Behavior. To me this was unacceptable so I complained shortly afterward to the UK General Medical Council.
The UK General Medical Council acknowledged my complaint but told me that in their opinion Dr Simons behaviour would not affect his ability to do his job.
Shortly afterward on July 13 2013, Dr Simons was involved in a patient homicide which went to The West London Coroners Court
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/sailor-died-from-internal-bleeding-after-ae-sent-him-to-minor-care-unit-10288447.html
My hunch is that Dr Simons was under orders from Superiors to cover up evidence of Suicidal Reaction to Fluphenazine Decoanate, because of the potential death scale involved, and that he was Absolutely Terrified.
Hi Bob
I notice in the Lancet study that there are a high number of suicides, but I don’t see any reference to suicide in the Norwegian Study.
The Norwegian Study is also geared up towards getting people permanently well.
The Norwegian Study refers to the use of fairly sensible Psychotherapy to Recover people “even” from “Incurable Schizophrenia”.
But once problems are looked in terms of normal problems then lots of solutions can become available:-
In my opinion “High Anxiety” or “Neuroleptic Withdrawal Syndrome” is what locks a large proportion of “diagnosed people” into Long Term Psychiatric Dependency.
Below – is a good explanation of how the “High Anxiety of Neuroleptic Withdrawal” might be described:-
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Now
“…Chapter two: “Consciousness: The Way Out of Pain”
In chapter two, Tolle tells the reader that they must recognize their personal ego “without the ego creating an antagonistic response to its own denial or destruction” and explains the purposelessness of the “mental pain and anguish” that people hold on to.[12] According to the book: “The pain-body consists of trapped life-energy that has split off from your total energy field and has temporarily become autonomous through the unnatural process of mind identification.”[8] In this chapter the author writes: “pain can only feed on pain. Pain cannot feed on joy. It finds it quite indigestible”.[8] The author goes on to write that “many people live with a tormentor in their head that continuously attacks and punishes them and drains them of vital energy. It is the cause of untold misery and unhappiness.”[5]..”
The link below describes how to Deal with conditions like “The High Anxiety of Neuroleptic Withdrawal”
http://www.oprah.com/own-a-new-earth/awakening-exercise-dissolving-the-pain-body
“…Awakening Exercise for Chapter 5: Dissolving the Pain-Body
The pain-body doesn’t want you to observe it directly. The moment you observe the pain-body, feel its energy field within you and take your attention into it, the identification is broken. A higher dimension of consciousness comes in. It is called Presence. You are now the witness or the watcher of the of the pain-body…”
And this works …
ConcernedCarer,
You are right in saying Quietiapine is a sedating drug. Stopping Quietiapine can result in serious sleep disruption, and it’s difficult for anyone to remain well without consistent sleep.
Hi Bob,
I can identify with your frustration, I have personal experience of my own Recovery being denied – through Professional Game Playing.
The Norwegian Study
If people can recover from Severe and Enduring Mental Illness as a result of stopping Drug treatment, then the “Severe and Enduring Mental Illness” can’t have existed to begin with.
The Norwegian Approach sounds a bit like Albert Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy REBT Approach
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/Albert_Ellis
I’m not sure that I would have recovered with this Approach. I suffered from “High Anxiety” Withdrawal Syndrome when I tapered from strong drugs and I was genuinely at risk of imploding.
BUT, I did recover from a “Variation” of this, which could also be described as Rational Emotional Behavioural Therapy.
I knew I was suffering from “Catastrophy”, and I had to find ways of working around this to survive. My solution was a bit like Eckhart Tolles “epiphany”.
I had to completely abandon my thinking when I was distressed because my thinking was reinforcing my Anxiety. But, once my anxiety eventually died down there was no real problem.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eckhart_Tolle
I didn’t reach Enlightenment like Eckhart Tolle, but I learned how to overcome my High Anxiety.
With enough “Variations” of the non drug approachs we all ready know to work, everybody should be able to make complete Recovery.
It Is The Drugs Fault.
https://www.everydayhealth.com/schizophrenia/specialists/is-drug-free-schizophrenia-treatment-possible.aspx
“…One way to protect persons with schizophrenia from frequent relapses due to complete or partial adherence with treatment is to use long-acting intramuscular injections of antipsychotic medications (a shot every two to four weeks) which can keep the symptoms under control without the need to take pills every day. This may be the best treatment approach for some persons with schizophrenia, including your brother…”
This was my Experience of Long Acting Injection 1980 to 1984:-
Suicide Associated with Akathisia and Depot Fluphenazine Treatment
https://insights.ovid.com/clinical-psychopharmacology/jcps/1983/08/000/suicide-associated-akathisia-depot-fluphenazine/6/00004714
Not This:-
“Depot Antipsychotic Revisited”
https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/ps.49.10.1361-b
…from my Historical Irish Psychiatrist + Psychopath P A Carney, et al.
€9.6 Million from Bristol Myers Squibb
http://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/partners/
I made Recovery in 1984 as a result of carefully coming off Long Acting Injection, and have remained well since.
“Psychosis” doesn’t help!
Psychosis means madness. But what is a psychosis symptom?
According to Dr Allen Frances if a person is okay with it, then it doesn’t matter about the symptoms.
If a person is not okay and they seek psychological help then their problem is the same as anyone else’s, surely.
Hi Someone Else,
I agree with you. “Schizophrenia” in todays terms is a homogeneous chemically induced disorder – anyone on strong psychiatric drugs 24 hours per day, will go Mad if they attempt to stop taking them. And this is the understanding of “Schizophrenia”.
But if a person gets suitable human based help when they run into crisis – then the “Schizophrenia” becomes transitory. But since theres no such thing as transitory “Schizophrenia” then it no longer exists.
Rachel,
I think everybody knows someone that wasn’t too bad to begin with and then got onto the slippery slope of “false mental illness”. “Bipolar” might be one way to describe the result, but it could equally pass for “schizophrenia” as the person develops lots of symptoms they never had before.
A friend of mine ended up like this recently. She got involved with the Borderline Personality “People” who were really nice to begin with, and got her on drugs. This triggered an eating problem and now she is morbidly obese with lots of connected health problems.
This friend of mine did have genuine issues and her struggle was painful, but she had been successfully dealing with life. She thought that the nice medical people might have something more to offer – but they nearly destroyed her.
Life is a series of pulls back and forth…
– A tension of opposites,
like a pull on a rubber band.
Most of us live somewhere in the middle.
A wrestling match…
Which side wins?
Love wins.
Love always wins…..
Oldhead,
I have made one serious allegation after another on this Website against named professionals. As far as I know, I have the reliable evidence to back up the allegations I have made.
Denmark is a country where everyone is more our less provided for from the Cradle to the Grave. It’s a very competitive country and a very ‘happy’ country.
But – the psychiatric abuse is supposed to be as brutal as anywhere else.
I can back my own experience (mentioned above) with factual evidence of “Extreme Diagnosis”; years of Disability; Recovery and return to normal life as a result of carefully coming of strong psychiatric drugs.
I can also describe the psychological process I used to deal with the “High Anxiety” of Psychiatric Drug withdrawal.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar creating his own Controversy
https://youtu.be/z2IWmyFhjOE
(Anyone can say the wrong thing)
I think money is earned through “arrangements” and not through “work”. The resources are divided up between interested parties and these would be maybe 15% of the population.
The other 85% of the population are being reduced down. The middle class are becoming the lower middle class; and most jobs are coming under the influence of mechanization.
The majority of the huge UK “mentally disabled” population would have had transitory problems to begin with, but are now trapped in longterm psychiatric disability – as a result of psychiatric treatment.
I dont think people trapped in long term psychiatric disability would just recover by coming off “medication” – they would need a lot of help as well.
In my own case there’s no reliable evidence of any original mental illness. I came from England to Ireland and the English doctors were extremely “noncommittal”. My recovery after a number of years of disability in Ireland was as a result of rejecting psychiatric treatment.
I’ve been well for 30 years in the UK but my GP Surgery Newton Medical, London W2 have been attempting to promote an “Unwellness” idea regarding me.
Its not for genuine reasons as my GP Dr Simons knows that my main work in the UK is on Building Sites. It’s about “bent” behaviour in “Mental Health”.
Dr Davies,
The Royal Colleges default behaviour reminds me more of “petty criminal” than Royal College.
I support the idea (from my own experience) that psychiatric drugs cause long term disability – and that its possible to recover completely through coming off them (with suitable help).
“Psychosis”, would depend on the “reliability” of the doctors providing the information:-
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
“..The patient was co-operative well orientated with intact memory. He had mildly agitated psychomotor behaviour. There was no evidence of any florid psychotic features…”
Admitting Doctor 1980 Dr Fadel
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
” ..Presented with aggressive behaviour, paranoid delusions, ideas of reference and auditory hallucinations…”
Dr Donlon Kenny 1986 – to the UK
DR WRAY NEWTON MEDICAL, CENTRAL LONDON OCTOBER 2012
“…Eye contact normal currently functioning, no sign of self neglect
mildly agitated but no sign of thought disorder…”
MY COMMENTARY
I have never had an eye contact problem, I have never neglected myself, and I have functioned completely normally in the 30 years I have been in the UK.
I was not mildly agitated, I was unhappy with the misuse of my personal information. I have not suffered from thought disorder in my 30 years in the UK.
(I have the background documentary evidence to support what I’ve written above).
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/psychopharmacology/better-without-antipsychotic-drugs
“..Some have even argued that the antipsychotic drugs themselves cause many of the psychotic symptoms..”
Hmmmm..
About 3% of the UK Population are now “Severely Mentally Disabled” and receiving Psychiatric Drug Treatments – so this is now, what Mental Disorder is.
Even if a person takes “medication” at the beginning, they can still make long term recovery but how many doctors would allow them to? Or how many doctors would know how to help them to do this?
According to my experience ALL people should be able to make Full Recovery without Psychiatric Drugs. It’s the medical system that’s blocking the process.
(Genuine Social Problem or Mental Health Issue would only apply to a very small fraction of todays “Severely Mentally Disabled”. Kidnapping might be the right description).
Schizophrenia is a Long term serious and chronic disorder more disabling than being blind or in a wheelchair – But can be proven not to exist with the right kind of non chemical help.
I have a friend with a “Diagnosis” and on a present day Long acting injection. His appearance and manner is well above average.
But when he tries to discontinue the “medication” he quickly runs into trouble – and the people around him are not very sympathetic.
If he doesn’t come off these drugs they will eventually destroy him. It is possible to come off a Long acting injection carefully with the help of practical psychotherapy but the “Mental Health System” is totally out of its depth in dealing with situations like this.
No other medicine that I know of in the UK has this type of dead end approach.
Dear Dr Joanna,
I initially refused drugs and requested the talking treatments but after being on long acting injection for a number of years it was extremely difficult to stop.
Coming off “medication” can be extremely difficult. A person might need several attempts and a lot of help in doing this.
There’s probably no reason other than policy, that most people can’t learn to cope at the start with non drug help.
I did Recover on Talking Therapies alone but you wouldn’t know this from my Records (historical or otherwise).
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
“..The patient was co-operative well orientated with intact memory. He had mildly agitated psychomotor behaviour. There was no evidence of any florid psychotic features…”
Admitting Doctor 1980 Dr Fadel
Galway, Ireland, November 1980:-
” ..Presented with aggressive behaviour, paranoid delusions, ideas of reference and auditory hallucinations…”
Dr Donlon Kenny 1986 – to the UK
DR WRAY NEWTON MEDICAL, CENTRAL LONDON OCTOBER 2012
“…Eye contact normal currently functioning, no sign of self neglect
mildly agitated but no sign of thought disorder…”
MY COMMENTARY
I have never had an eye contact problem, I have never neglected myself, and I have functioned completely normally in the 30 years I have been in the UK.
I was not mildly agitated, I was unhappy with the misuse of my personal information. I have not suffered from thought disorder in my 30 years in the UK.
Thank you Peter,
I was prescribed “antidepresssants” in the 1980 s. Emotionally:- going on them made no difference, being on them made no difference, and coming off them made no difference.
I wasn’t clinically depressed to begin with, but I did suffer “Melancholy”. My happiness levels improved a lot with the practice of Buddhist Breathing Meditation, and I suffer from very little melancholy now.
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/psychopharmacology/better-without-antipsychotic-drugs
“..Some have even argued that the antipsychotic drugs themselves cause many of the psychotic symptoms..”
I would argue this; and a lot of Experts now accept this.
“..So yes, it has been clearly established for many years that “some patients are better off without antipsychotic drugs.” However, in recent years, advocates have interpreted this to suggest that most individuals with schizophrenia are better off without antipsychotic drugs…”
When I stopped taking my “medication” (with care) my suicidal hospitalizations stopped and I made full recovery. This can be demonstrated from my records.
More psychiatric drugging means more suicide and more homicide. If you look at the suicide / homicide figures in Ireland in the last 25 years the connection can be seen.
In my own case my drug induced suicidal reactions were covered up by doctors at Galway Ireland in a fairly amateurish manner (and are still being covered up – today).
INTOXICATION (AKATHISIA)
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/psychopharmacology/better-without-antipsychotic-drugs
“…. a group of patients with schizophrenia were each given 20 mg of fluphenazine, the difference between the highest and lowest blood level of the drug was 40-fold…”
Thanks Jan,
I found TM can have dramatic results in the short term – I’m not sure about the longterm. With Buddhist Breathing meditation I found that the longterm results were consistent.
I don’t think meditation is supposed to numb feelings like drugs do – this can be dangerous. I think meditation is supposed to help someone to react to things in a calm manner.
I sent Attachment Documentary Evidence + My (above) Commentary to my MP. I did receive acknowledgement from her Office. But I doubt very much if she got to see the information.
From: ME
Sent: 01 March 2018 08:35
To: BUCK, Karen
Subject: For The Attention of MP Karen Buck (only): Concerning – Dangerous Mental Health Behaviour.
Dear Karen (Buck MP)
Please find Attached, documentary evidence supporting the (serious) allegations that I have made. Please let me know if you get the Attachments:-
1. Admitting Doctor Dr Fadels impression of me “on Presentation” at Galway 17 November 1980
2. Pgs 1, 8, 9 of the 8 November 1986 Adverse Drug Reaction WARNING Request Letter
3. The 24 November 1986 Irish Record Summary (2 pgs) deliberately OMITTING Adverse Drug Reaction Warning
4. The November 18 1986 Dr Donlon Kenny False Reassurance Letter
5. A copy of my January 13, 2012 Statement Of Psychiatric Experience to Galway University
6. A September 15 1986 Employment Reference
7. A September 15 1986 Character Reference
8. A Professional Interpretation of “Akathisia”
My GP Surgery has been promoting Present Day Severe Mental Illness with me on account of the 30 + year old, 1986 Irish Record Summary; with complete confidence (and full knowledge of the issues).
Yours Sincerely, (ME)
“New Study Proves it – Antidepressants Work”,
(Psychiatrist) Patricia Casey,
March 6 2018 2:30 AM,
(from The Irish Independent Newspaper)
https://m.independent.ie/life/health-wellbeing/new-study-proves-it-antidepressants-work-36661883.html
“..In tandem with their increased use, they generated controversy. The most significant of these was the possibility that these drugs could trigger suicidal thoughts and behaviour in some people. This led to expensive litigation particularly in the US. But a more fundamental one was the claim that these and older antidepressants had limited effect on depressive illness and that they were little better than placebos (dummy look-alike medicines). This was the opinion of a group of psychiatrists in Britain and Ireland who belonged to the Critical Psychiatry Network (CPN). In the US the Church of Scientology provided huge financial support to similar groups…”
I notice that people who explode publicly are often on SSRI s but the people that attempt suicide are often on neuroleptics. But even proportionately with millions of people on SSRI s there could be lots of people silently going mad.
I object to the term antipsychotic, as it labels the person consuming the drugs as psychotic. Where as the drugs are not antipsychotic, they are disabling.
At times these drugs can create explosive reactions and at times the drugs can create very risky indifference. I took these drugs voluntarily for many years at very low doses and eventually stopped taking them.
Hi Eric
I might sound a bit contradictory above – but I don’t mean to be.
Hi Eric
I’m sorry for butting in here but is this not normal social thought rather hearing voices.
Question No 2. Is voice hearing is a type of manifestation of social judgement in the form of voices outside the head? I’m curious.
(A friend of mine enjoys going to restaurants on his own on a Saturday night – he says the other people might think he’s a sad bastard but he isn’t bothered).
https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2018/0221/942510-irish-psychiatrist-suspended-over-death-of-teen-in-uk/
Connor Sparrohawks Clinician was suspended in England but re employed in Ireland. As a Mental Health insider this would not be too surprising.