Tag: adverse effects

Polypharmacy Associated with Cognitive Decline in Elderly Patients

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Study finds that elderly patients taking at least 5 medications were at increased risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Better Outcomes Off Medication for Those Recovered from First-Episode Schizophrenia

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A new study has found that of 10 people who were fully recovered from their first episode of schizophrenia (FES), those not taking antipsychotics did better in terms of cognitive, social, and role functioning—and reached full recovery more quickly.

Study Links Antidepressants and Decreased Coping Behaviors Across Generations

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Biologists found that exposure to antidepressants suppresses important survival behaviors in zebrafish, an effect that persisted across three generations and was found to be more severe for males.

Antipsychotics Associated with High Risk of Death in Children

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A new study has found that children and adolescents taking a high dose of antipsychotics are almost twice as likely to die of any cause than children on other types of medications.

About 1 in 100 Children Treated with Ritalin Experience a Serious...

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A recent Cochrane review has found that serious adverse events occur for about 1% of children and adolescents treated with Ritalin.

Systematic Review Finds Antidepressant Withdrawal Common and Potentially Long-lasting

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Prominent researchers conduct a review of antidepressant withdrawal incidence, duration, and severity. Results lead to call for new clinical guidelines.

Are Drug Side Effects Driving Depression Rates?

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A new study finds that more than a third of Americans are taking prescription drugs that can cause depressive symptoms as a side-effect.

Hallucinations Reported as Side Effect of ADHD Medication

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Hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms have been reported after methylphenidate (Ritalin) treatment for ADHD.

Valproate Linked to Decreased Brain Volume in Children Diagnosed with Bipolar...

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Researchers find that valproate decreases brain volume in a region associated with emotion processing across all participants.

Medicine Can Soothe a Troubled Mind, but Not Without Costs

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FromĀ The New York Times: In a new book,Ā Blue Dreams, psychologist and patient Lauren Slater critiques the drug-based model of psychiatric care, debunking the chemical...

CDC Reports Increased Psychostimulant Prescriptions in Women of Reproductive Age

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Psychostimulant prescriptions have increased by 344% (from 2003 to 2015) for women of reproductive age (15-44 years old).

Cognitive Impairment from Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use Remains Even After Drug Withdrawal

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Long-term benzodiazepine use shown to effect cognitive function during current use and for years after drug discontinuation.

When the Cure is the Cause

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FromĀ Undark Magazine: In late 1970, a pharmacologist discovered that an antibiotic drug designed to cureĀ a disease called SMON (subacute myelo-optic neuropathy) was actually causing...

Think You’re Seeing More Drug Ads on TV? You Are.

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FromĀ The New York Times: TV drug ads have dramatically increased in the past few years.Ā According to Kantar Media, a firm that tracks multimedia advertising,...

Mortality of People Using Mental Health Services and Medications

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153,451 deaths were registered in Australia in the period 10 August 2011 to 27 September 2012. 75,858 of these deaths were registered for persons who had accessed mental health-related treatments. These deaths accounted for 49.4% of all deaths in this period.

New Study Examines User Experience of Discontinuing Psychiatric Medications

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Researchers find that support and self-care were helpful for users during discontinuation, but that mental health professionals were not very helpful.

Over 1,000 Antidepressant Users Describe how Their Personal Life has Been...

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Survey examines adverse personal and interpersonal effects of antidepressants and the impact of polypharmacy

Benzodiazepine Use May Become Long-Term

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FromĀ Psychiatric News: According to a new study, patients who take antidepressants simultaneously with benzodiazepines are at an increased risk of becoming long-term benzodiazepine users. Article...

Coroner Warns of Deaths Involving Young People and Drugs

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FromĀ The Irish News: Steven Coyle, a 27-year-old father of two, recently died of complications resulting from a cocktail of prescription medications for depression, anxiety,...

Stories from the Psych Ward: Why Drugs Aren’t the Cure

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In this piece forĀ Elephant Journal, one man tells his story of being locked up and forcibly drugged in the psych ward, and how he...

Music Therapy Interventions Reduce Depression Symptoms in Dementia

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Therapists can use music to meet the emotional and social needs of individuals with dementia.

We Need Ecstasy and Cocaine in Place of Prozac and Xanax

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FromĀ Aeon: While psychiatric drugs are often ineffective and can have serious side effects, there are many psychedelics and other illicit substances that have proven...

The ‘Choosing Wisely’ Campaign is Five Years Old

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FromĀ MinnPost: TheĀ Choosing Wisely campaign, which was launched to promote informed consent among patients, is now five years old. The campaign has been very successful...

Our Health Care System Still Massively Overtreats Patients

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From theĀ Center for Health Journalism: It is a commonly held belief that more medical care is always better; however, overtreatment can be harmful to...

Training Nursing Home Staff in Understanding Needs Can Reduce Antipsychotic Use

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A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the largest study of its kind, has shown it is possible to reduce the use of antipsychotics in nursing homes, by engaging their staff in a training program designed to target residents’ strengths and their unmet needs.