I agree that it is shocking that some of these doctors are still allowed to practice medicine. The level of negligence is appalling, yet legally there is little to no repercussions for harm done.
There should be very strict guidelines concerning competency of medical professionals to safely de-prescribe the same medications that they are prescribing. How many iatrogenic induced disabilities or death must occur before there is real change?
I am very thankful for the critical clinicians brave enough to stand up to a profession in crisis. But, these professionals are still in the minority and are subject to a lot of the same gaslighting that harmed patients are.
I am optimistic for change, though it will come too late for many of those with irreversible damage. There needs to be more widespread recognition of harm and solutions for healing. Finally, physicians should educate patients wholly on treatment side effects and safe tapering protocols.
The pamphlets provided to schools by pharma companies with ADHD quizzes is especially horrifying. This was direct advertising to children. There have now been studies done showing psychostimulant use in adolescents producing an increased risk factor for cocaine abuse in adulthood.
Thank you for reading my article! Your response was eloquently stated and I the verbiage you used to describe prescribed harm victims as the “walking wounded” especially strikes me. It fills me with a lot of sadness that many who have not gone through this lack the capacity to fundamentally understand how much destruction is caused by these medications. It absolutely is akin to going through a war, with both your body and your mind. I love that your message ended up on a beautiful message for courage and victory. There is absolutely hope and eventually…victory!
Thank you for your comment. I also appreciate you sharing your successful approaches with alternative methods. We can never have enough information about non-conventional methods! I will check out all the videos you mentioned.. this all sounds really interesting!
The mind-numbing headaches are all too familiar for me. Sometimes getting fired as a patient is a secret blessing in disguise š I am happy for your new found freedom!
Thank you for reading my article! I agree that we are silenced and there is an inherent lack of desire to critically examine the safety and effectiveness of psychotropics. The paradigm is changing, and it will hopefully provide a push for conventional psychiatry to take notice. It is absolutely not the fault of the patient. If a provider is prescribing a patient a drug, they must be just as well-informed on how to describe said drug.
I am very sorry to hear about how iatrogenic injury has impacted your life. You should never have to accept that it is your fault, because it certainly is not. We were both victims of a broken system.
Thank you for your comment! I also believe that there are psychiatrists that have become so indoctrinated into believing that every symptom is a sign of mental illness, that they truly are unable to differentiate psychotropic withdrawal from a “relapse” of an individual’s original “mental illness”. This is slowly changing with an increased level of higher quality scientific research. This is not a defense for conventional psychiatry by any means, I just do believe we’ve seen some wonderful examples of those who are set on reforming the problem. I understand the push for abolition, but the reality is that millions are stuck on these pills… with no medical help. It is a Stockholm Syndrome of sorts, wanting to break free of psychiatry for so many, while still having to remain entrenched on multi-year psychotropic tapering schedules. We all were sold the same lie about the chemical imbalance theory, patients and doctors alike. The price everyone paid for the infamous chemical imbalance theory sales pitch has been purely catastrophic.
Hi,
I would like to clarify that the falsehood that I alluded to has been spread within conventional psychiatry, and it was not directed towards your intelligence in any manner. If your experience in support communities has been negative, that is completely valid and I do not suggest anywhere in my article that this is the only option for those abandoned by psychiatry. However, it has become one of the best options for many as evidenced by how many members have stayed in the groups over time. If you think that there any other alternative outlets for individuals who are unable to receive medical help in psychiatric medication withdrawal or protracted withdrawal, I am more than happy to hear about them. Please remember that these groups are run largely by unpaid volunteers, many of whom are still battling symptoms of withdrawal and injury themselves. As a final note, the presence of these online communities has resulted in a high level of invaluable research now being conducted concerning the urgent need for safe deprescribing protocols.
Thereās much more to life than pain. Itās not easy to find meaning in the suffering, but it exists in ways I couldnāt have conceptualized in the past. You inspire me too.
Yes, it is an extraordinarily insult to oneās intelligence. This form of denial not only lengthens the course of the suffering, but also inflicts significant doubt to an individualās competency. How is that conducive to better mental health outcomes?
The commercials make me cringe. Especially the ones that push the idea of āadding an antipsychotic to your existing medication regimen if your antidepressant isnāt working well enough aloneā. They call this augmentation but this is just a polypharmacy nightmare.
Yes, it is really is mind boggling, Steve. I remember trying to explain to one doctor about how injured I was from benzos. I went into a 15 year deep dive on various meds and how terribly they affected me. At the end of the convo, he told me that I should try Lamictal. It’s almost as if he thought my experiences were subjective and biased? I don’t even see the point of the patient consults if no one is actually LISTENING to the fundamental nature of what patients are trying so desperately to convey. Seems like they could save office space and hire an automated bot.
Great points, Sam. Thanks for your feedback. I think that a post-surgery complication would call for a more structured evaluation of events. However, the outcome and treatments could lead to a the same polypharmacy fate.
Thank you for reading! When withdrawal is not differentiated from pathology, the patientās livelihood can be drastically compromised. So sorry youāre still experiencing pain. I hope that it abates soon. I applaud you for sticking this out.
Thank you for your comment. The reality is that the injury from benzodiazepine medications can be so pervasive that even the slowest of tapers cannot promise a return to baseline. Heather Ashton was truly a pioneer and unfortunately doctors did not listen to her. I disagree that benzodiazepine forums commit the same defense as the one I described in my article. There are many more success stories than not, and these forums are truly saving the lives of countless individuals. Psychiatric drug medication withdrawal is still catastrophically understudied, so until more alternatives are researched, the Ashton Protocol is the best tool we have.
Thank you for your feedback! I think there is a falsehood that is spread that many psychiatric medication withdrawal support communities are only trying to be “anti-psychiatry” or engage in “pill-shaming”. That could not be further from the truth. There are many discussions revolving harm reduction approaches using sound protocols. It is completely up to the individual to make the best decision for themselves. I don’t think anyone is really put off by joining the communities, the vast majority end up there because they are completely desperate for help and their doctors have abandoned them. I obviously can not speak for every community out there but the well established ones that I mention in my article take a very balanced approach. These forums also suggest exponential tapering which is very slow and results in better outcomes. I do not believe in any type of dogmatic approaches when it comes to harm reduction, that would be dangerous and it wouldn’t serve any real purpose.
It is interesting that the harm is downplayed with psychiatric medication to such a large extent. Every medication or procedure has the potential to cause harm, but the data seems to be much more solid in risk vs. benefit ratios in other areas of medicine. There are also clear markers for hypertension, diabetes, liver function, etc. The markers for mental illness are extremely subjective and boil down a DSM vote.
James, thank you so much for sharing your experience. This was well written and I really appreciated the authenticity in your article. As expected, there will be some who wish to lessen or even deny your experience. It is 100% evident to me after reading to your story that TMS has caused you great harm and you were never warned by doctors that this could happen to you. The marketing of this treatment as āsafe and effectiveā is quite troubling, and my hope is that the real truth will be heard by medical professionals and the public. Individuals considering TMS should read stories such as yours before making an informed decision. Your story could save someone from irrevocable harm. Well done, James!
Thanks so much for your comment, James!
I agree that it is shocking that some of these doctors are still allowed to practice medicine. The level of negligence is appalling, yet legally there is little to no repercussions for harm done.
There should be very strict guidelines concerning competency of medical professionals to safely de-prescribe the same medications that they are prescribing. How many iatrogenic induced disabilities or death must occur before there is real change?
I am very thankful for the critical clinicians brave enough to stand up to a profession in crisis. But, these professionals are still in the minority and are subject to a lot of the same gaslighting that harmed patients are.
I am optimistic for change, though it will come too late for many of those with irreversible damage. There needs to be more widespread recognition of harm and solutions for healing. Finally, physicians should educate patients wholly on treatment side effects and safe tapering protocols.
-Rose
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The pamphlets provided to schools by pharma companies with ADHD quizzes is especially horrifying. This was direct advertising to children. There have now been studies done showing psychostimulant use in adolescents producing an increased risk factor for cocaine abuse in adulthood.
Report comment
Rebel,
Thank you for reading my article! Your response was eloquently stated and I the verbiage you used to describe prescribed harm victims as the “walking wounded” especially strikes me. It fills me with a lot of sadness that many who have not gone through this lack the capacity to fundamentally understand how much destruction is caused by these medications. It absolutely is akin to going through a war, with both your body and your mind. I love that your message ended up on a beautiful message for courage and victory. There is absolutely hope and eventually…victory!
-Rose
Report comment
Linda,
Thank you for your comment. I also appreciate you sharing your successful approaches with alternative methods. We can never have enough information about non-conventional methods! I will check out all the videos you mentioned.. this all sounds really interesting!
-Rose
Report comment
The mind-numbing headaches are all too familiar for me. Sometimes getting fired as a patient is a secret blessing in disguise š I am happy for your new found freedom!
Report comment
Thank you for reading my article! I agree that we are silenced and there is an inherent lack of desire to critically examine the safety and effectiveness of psychotropics. The paradigm is changing, and it will hopefully provide a push for conventional psychiatry to take notice. It is absolutely not the fault of the patient. If a provider is prescribing a patient a drug, they must be just as well-informed on how to describe said drug.
I am very sorry to hear about how iatrogenic injury has impacted your life. You should never have to accept that it is your fault, because it certainly is not. We were both victims of a broken system.
Report comment
Thank you for your comment! I also believe that there are psychiatrists that have become so indoctrinated into believing that every symptom is a sign of mental illness, that they truly are unable to differentiate psychotropic withdrawal from a “relapse” of an individual’s original “mental illness”. This is slowly changing with an increased level of higher quality scientific research. This is not a defense for conventional psychiatry by any means, I just do believe we’ve seen some wonderful examples of those who are set on reforming the problem. I understand the push for abolition, but the reality is that millions are stuck on these pills… with no medical help. It is a Stockholm Syndrome of sorts, wanting to break free of psychiatry for so many, while still having to remain entrenched on multi-year psychotropic tapering schedules. We all were sold the same lie about the chemical imbalance theory, patients and doctors alike. The price everyone paid for the infamous chemical imbalance theory sales pitch has been purely catastrophic.
Report comment
Hi,
I would like to clarify that the falsehood that I alluded to has been spread within conventional psychiatry, and it was not directed towards your intelligence in any manner. If your experience in support communities has been negative, that is completely valid and I do not suggest anywhere in my article that this is the only option for those abandoned by psychiatry. However, it has become one of the best options for many as evidenced by how many members have stayed in the groups over time. If you think that there any other alternative outlets for individuals who are unable to receive medical help in psychiatric medication withdrawal or protracted withdrawal, I am more than happy to hear about them. Please remember that these groups are run largely by unpaid volunteers, many of whom are still battling symptoms of withdrawal and injury themselves. As a final note, the presence of these online communities has resulted in a high level of invaluable research now being conducted concerning the urgent need for safe deprescribing protocols.
Report comment
Thereās much more to life than pain. Itās not easy to find meaning in the suffering, but it exists in ways I couldnāt have conceptualized in the past. You inspire me too.
Report comment
Yes, it is an extraordinarily insult to oneās intelligence. This form of denial not only lengthens the course of the suffering, but also inflicts significant doubt to an individualās competency. How is that conducive to better mental health outcomes?
The commercials make me cringe. Especially the ones that push the idea of āadding an antipsychotic to your existing medication regimen if your antidepressant isnāt working well enough aloneā. They call this augmentation but this is just a polypharmacy nightmare.
Report comment
Yes, it is really is mind boggling, Steve. I remember trying to explain to one doctor about how injured I was from benzos. I went into a 15 year deep dive on various meds and how terribly they affected me. At the end of the convo, he told me that I should try Lamictal. It’s almost as if he thought my experiences were subjective and biased? I don’t even see the point of the patient consults if no one is actually LISTENING to the fundamental nature of what patients are trying so desperately to convey. Seems like they could save office space and hire an automated bot.
Report comment
Great points, Sam. Thanks for your feedback. I think that a post-surgery complication would call for a more structured evaluation of events. However, the outcome and treatments could lead to a the same polypharmacy fate.
Report comment
Thank you for reading! When withdrawal is not differentiated from pathology, the patientās livelihood can be drastically compromised. So sorry youāre still experiencing pain. I hope that it abates soon. I applaud you for sticking this out.
Report comment
Hi Bananas,
Thank you for your comment. The reality is that the injury from benzodiazepine medications can be so pervasive that even the slowest of tapers cannot promise a return to baseline. Heather Ashton was truly a pioneer and unfortunately doctors did not listen to her. I disagree that benzodiazepine forums commit the same defense as the one I described in my article. There are many more success stories than not, and these forums are truly saving the lives of countless individuals. Psychiatric drug medication withdrawal is still catastrophically understudied, so until more alternatives are researched, the Ashton Protocol is the best tool we have.
Report comment
Thank you for your feedback! I think there is a falsehood that is spread that many psychiatric medication withdrawal support communities are only trying to be “anti-psychiatry” or engage in “pill-shaming”. That could not be further from the truth. There are many discussions revolving harm reduction approaches using sound protocols. It is completely up to the individual to make the best decision for themselves. I don’t think anyone is really put off by joining the communities, the vast majority end up there because they are completely desperate for help and their doctors have abandoned them. I obviously can not speak for every community out there but the well established ones that I mention in my article take a very balanced approach. These forums also suggest exponential tapering which is very slow and results in better outcomes. I do not believe in any type of dogmatic approaches when it comes to harm reduction, that would be dangerous and it wouldn’t serve any real purpose.
Report comment
It is interesting that the harm is downplayed with psychiatric medication to such a large extent. Every medication or procedure has the potential to cause harm, but the data seems to be much more solid in risk vs. benefit ratios in other areas of medicine. There are also clear markers for hypertension, diabetes, liver function, etc. The markers for mental illness are extremely subjective and boil down a DSM vote.
Report comment
-Rose
Report comment
James, thank you so much for sharing your experience. This was well written and I really appreciated the authenticity in your article. As expected, there will be some who wish to lessen or even deny your experience. It is 100% evident to me after reading to your story that TMS has caused you great harm and you were never warned by doctors that this could happen to you. The marketing of this treatment as āsafe and effectiveā is quite troubling, and my hope is that the real truth will be heard by medical professionals and the public. Individuals considering TMS should read stories such as yours before making an informed decision. Your story could save someone from irrevocable harm. Well done, James!
Report comment