Hi,

Thanks for posting that article. I wish information like this got more exposure in the media.

Not only does BEING on antidepressants cause an increased risk of suicide/violence/homicide, so does withdrawing from them.

Taking these drugs decreases/shuts down the brain’s own natural production of neurotransmitters and when the drugs are removed, the brain is dry of these needed neurotransmitters, resulting in a ton of horrific symptoms.

It can take years for the brain to upregulate (start making the neurotransmitters again) and for some of us, it never fully upregulates.

I was on the nastiest most dangerous antidepressant of all---Paxil. It actually has a black box warning on it saying it’s prohibited for people under 18 because of the risk of suicide.

Tons of law suits worldwide against the manufacturer, which you don’t hear much about because they require plaintiffs to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Thanks again for posting this. Really important article.

Regards,

Skye

I had always thought Prozac was the one that was so horrible, but hate to imagine anything worse than what I went through trying to get off Paxil. Withdrawal doesn't even seem like the right term for it. It was like there was another creature living inside my body and brain, and I could feel it thinking things I knew were not ME, it was terrifying and I could see how people be some suicidal or homicidal because it would even feel like it was real, or like it was you doing it. It's a different animal even than dissociating. I can't imagine how it is legal to still prescribe it if there are these lawsuits about it and the plaintiffs are winning.
I know I'm biased and know that talk therapy is not the whole answer for some people, but as a therapist, and a human being, I think it is unconscionable for MDs to prescribe these drugs before even recommending psychotherapy. I used to work in psychiatric hospitals and saw a dr prescribe shock therapy to an 18 year old without anyone bothering to just talk to her and find out what she was upset about. No trying medications either, just shock therapy that damages the brain. But shock therapy and medications make more money for big medical practices and corporations, unlike psychotherapy that is more likely controlled by individual therapists in private practice who aren't in the pockets of corporations and vise versa. OK..so that's my rant for the day.

I hate to hear that both of you have gone through this! How awful! Just glad you were able to come off of them. I've read that starting/stopping/and increasing the dosage can be incredibly dangerous.
Dr. Peter Breggin a Harvard educated psychiatrist has written some really good books on the subject. (https://breggin.com/)
I wish more people were aware of these side-effects. These drugs have been recommended so many times during the course of my illness..