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Dr. Peter Breggin's articles, books, podcasts, and interviews


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Dr. Peter Breggin's Radio Program http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-dr-peter-breggin-hour/I've copied and pasted just a few of the topics discussed. Psychiatrist Peter R. Breggin, MD believes you can make a marvelous life. Great guests, callers, and conversations to inspire you. _________________________________________________________________

Tuesday Aug232011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 08/22/11 August 23, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) A first in history! Listen to two very experienced psychiatrists spend a whole hour talking about how dangerous it is to take psychiatric drugs and how hazardous it can be to withdraw from them. My guest is psychiatrist Stuart Shipko, MD from Pasadena, California. My wife Ginger calls this show "spectacular." Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday Aug152011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 08/15/11 August 15, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) My guest Dr.Bonnie Burstow is a dedicated lifelong Canadian activist in the psychiatric reform movement. She is taking the campaign against electroshock "treatment" (ECT) to a new level--organizing professionals to stand up against this brain-damaging procedure. Dr. Burstow and I discuss ECT, including what the existence of this barbaric "therapy" says about psychiatry as an institution. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday Aug082011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 08/08/11 August 8, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) Today's show focuses on the most disturbing and enlightening events in the sordid history of psychiatry. Experts at the Nuremberg Trials agree with my conclusion that the Jewish Holocaust might never have occurred without German biological psychiatry blazing the way with the systematic murder of mental patients. With American and European complicity, German psychiatry developed the precedent and methodology for mass murder using "Euthanasia" Centers, gas chambers and cremation. Germany biological psychiatry showed Hitler how the unthinkable could be done without anyone in the Western world protesting. What are the implications for modern biological psychiatry? When you've listened, to read my scientific article with all the citations and documentation, please click here Video of my speech on same topic from early 1990s Gary Null | 1 Comment | Share Article

 

Monday Aug012011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 08/01/11 August 1, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) How do we live successfully in "This catastrophe called life?" Drawing inspiration from existential psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, as well as his own Greek background, Alex Pattakos PhD helps us struggle and triumph by finding meaning in life. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Tuesday Jul262011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 07/25/11 July 26, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) A psychiatrist convinces you to put your marvelously intelligent, delightful, artistic and athletic 11-year-old child on Zoloft to treat her test anxiety. In less than a year, she dies by suicide. Mathy Downing tells the unforgettable story of the death of her daughter, Candace. I provide commentary about antidepressants and about the Downing's malpractice case in which I was a medical expert. Play this hour for anyone who thinks that antidepressants are good for children. Gary Null | 1 Comment | Share Article

 

Tuesday Jul192011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 07/18/11 July 19, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) Could Paxil drive a young college student to commit 9 bizarre armed robberies—at local stores where people knew him and his family? Could 8 years in jail become an equally astonishing period of personal growth? I first met Kevin McShane as an expert in his criminal case and now he’s been out of jail for four months. It’s his first appearance as a psychiatric reformer. You will never forget what Kevin has to teach us. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Tuesday Jul122011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 07/11/11 July 12, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) Imagine that your life becomes so desperate that NYC doctors try to push you into a lobotomy. Imagine that you finally meet a therapist who confronts you with personal responsibility, that you get it, and that you go on to graduate school to become a self-determined and enlightened psychotherapist. That's Dr. Faye Snyder's story, and her honesty on my show influenced me to talk about my own childhood in a way I've never done before in public. Gary Null | 1 Comment | Share Article

 

Tuesday Jul052011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 07/04/11 July 5, 2011 REPEAT SHOW: Re-broadcast of the 05/23/11 program. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article Monday Jun272011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 06/27/11 June 27, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) Practical, straightforward advice on how to raise peaceful and respectful children with my very experienced and clear-thinking guest, Gary Unruh, LCSW. Any parent, as well as anyone who relates to or works with children, may benefit from this lively and passionate discussion. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday Jun202011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 06/20/11 June 20, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) If you come upon the unconscious victim of a car wreck who suddenly awakens in a panic, what should you do? If you're sitting beside a loved one or patient coming out of anesthesia and he or she becomes violent... or if your friend, parishioner or patient threatens suicide... how should you respond? What can any of us do if someone we care about starts acting very disturbed or "crazy" in our presence? My guest Doug Bower is well-qualified to talk about this with me. He's a PhD counselor, an ordained Methodist minister and a registered nurse. We focus on how to handle emergencies without resort to psychiatric drugs. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday Jun132011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 06/13/11 June 13, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) My guest is Dr. Gerald Porter, Dean of the School of Natural Arts and Sciences at the renowned Bastyr University. Dr. Porter is one of the most thoughtful persons I know. Join the two of us as we talk about "what helps us to heal ourselves and others," "embracing human spiritual diversity," and encouraging alternative or complementary health practices. As these radio discussions often do, we move easily from the theoretical to the practical in regard to living life to the fullest. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday Jun062011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 06/06/11 June 6, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) My guest Jon Rappoport and I start out talking about how psychiatric diagnoses and drugs suppress human beings, and then we look deeper into what’s essentially good and important about all of us—our spiritual nature, individuality, imagination, free will and personal freedom. These are not existential abstractions; they are the essential stuff of our lives, to be protected, nurtured and shared with others. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday May302011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 05/30/11 May 30, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) Descend into mental health hell with me and my companion psychologist Ty Colbert, PhD as he works under surrealistic conditions with violent and seemingly deranged prisoners locked in cages and wearing plexiglass masks for their therapy hour. This is empathic therapy at its most challenging--and potentially at its most rewarding. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday May232011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 05/23/11 May 23, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) If all of psychiatry's false and damaging assumptions about "schizophrenic" homeless people are discarded and a fresh start is made, what do you get? One of the most innovative programs in the history of our field! My guest is psychiatrist Alberto Fergusson from Columbia, South America, and his program or movement is called Accompanied Self-Rehabilitation. This hour is a major educational experience for anyone interested in offering genuine help to all people who are struggling with their lives. Gary Null | Post a Comment | Share Article

 

Monday May162011 The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour - 05/16/11 May 16, 2011 Podcast Powered By Podbean Download this episode (right click and save) Bob Brewin, investigative reporter, provides the data and I provide the outrage and the analysis on the extraordinarily abusive psychiatric drug practices involving our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as afterward in the VA. The drug companies found the ideal top-down market for their drugs: Get the army to give them to active duty combat soldiers--a mind-boggling 20% of them. Unsupervised young men and women carry into combat 90-120 day supplies of all the most dangerous drugs: benzos like Xanax, stimulants like amphetamine; antidepressants like Paxil and Prozac; and antipsychotic drugs like the old Trilafon and the new Seroquel. Hear an in depth expose and examination of the Psychopharmaceutical Complex at its worst and the irresponsible psychiatrists who so eagerly enforce it. A tour de force of psychiatry at its worst.

To Face My Trials with "The Grace of a Woman Rather Than the Grief of a Child". (quote section by Veronica A. Shoffstall)

 

Be Not Afraid of Growing Slowly. Be Afraid of Only Standing Still.

(Chinese Proverb)

 

I Create and Build Empowerment Within Each Time I Choose to Face A Fear, Sit with it and Ask Myself, "What Do I Need to Learn?"

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My sister and I have also found him very informative and helpful. I included al ink to his website in a list of sources of help, information and support that have helped me (see below).

 

 

 

Some Sources of Help, Support and Information That Have Helped Me

 

CymbaltaDrone

(almost) drug free since mid August 2011

Cymbalta 3 yrs in combo with Wellbutrin 2yrs, Seroquel "as needed"

Zoloft prescribed a couple of times during teens

 

You are your own best - and possibly only - health advocate. Nobody cares as much about your health and wellbeing as you do, no matter what they may tell you. You cannot sit back and just "trust" the experts, who may well not care about your health at all.

 

Psychiatry is a horrific fraud being perpetuated on our civilisation. One day, I'm sure it will be exposed. Until then, we've got to share our stories and help each other as we are able.

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I listened to his interview of Dr. Shipko. Great program.

 

All I can say is make sure you aren't near any throw-able objects as what they say about psych meds will greatly anger you. But then again, that shouldn't be a shock.

 

Dr. Breggin by the way is 75 and seems to thankfully show no sign of slowing down.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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After listening again to Dr. Breggin's interview with Dr. Shipko, I had some additional comments.

 

Dr. Shipko commented on how doctors in general are now blowing off complaints from patients about medication side effects. He commented that if you didn't have a problem prior to taking a med and develop it after starting on the drug, that is a side effect.

 

Also, Dr. Breggin mentioned that one of the biggest problems with people who have taken ADs is apathy and indifference. That is definitely true in my case.

 

I am stunned at the events that have occurred in my life in which I should be greatly concerned about and I am not.

 

Also, he asked people what their interests were and they would mention having some until going on SSRIs. When people ask me that question, I greatly struggle with it.

 

Additionally, Dr. Shipko mentioned that he had no clue how to get people off of antipsychotics and had had difficulty previously in helping patients. Dr. Breggin said his experiences varied from bad to great.

 

I look forward to listening to the other programs when I have time.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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I just listened to the broadcast with Dr. Shipko.

 

Dr. Shipko seems very frustrated, while Dr. Breggin is still in there punching away.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 3 weeks later...

"A psychiatrist convinces you to put your marvelously intelligent, delightful, artistic and athletic 11-year-old child on Zoloft to treat her test anxiety. In less than a year, she dies by suicide. Mathy Downing tells the unforgettable story of the death of her daughter, Candace. I provide commentary about antidepressants and about the Downing's malpractice case in which I was a medical expert. Play this hour for anyone who thinks that antidepressants are good for children."

 

I listened to this broadcast today and was greatly sickened. By the way, this happened in my backyard.

 

Anyway, Candace, at 11, is put on Zoloft due to severe test anxiety by a child psychiatrist who was later found to be on the payroll of Phizer. Interestingly, at the same time, the school to its credit had put in accomodations that made Candace alot more comfortable regarding taking tests. It is too bad that no one advised the family to speak with the school first about the accomodations before going the medical route.

 

Instead of looking to take Candace off the meds, the psychiatrist was concerned that Candace would feel even more stress going into the 7th grade and advised that her med dosage be doubled. The mother, Mathy Downing, expressed grave concerns about doing this to to psychiatrist who totally blew off her concerns by claiming the drug was completely safe. He incredulously said that kids took 100 to 200mg of Zoloft without any problems whatsoever.

 

This idiot also advised her to take extra Zoloft any night she felt extra anxious about taking a test. When she did that, she was taken to the hospital due to signs of Serotonin Syndrome. Her plight was about to worsen.

 

For some reason, she was given Versed and Ativan which caused her medical condition to worsen, including developing severe hallucinations. I would love to know why this happened but so far, haven't found anything.

 

So Candace ends up in the pediatric intensive care unit. Instead of being treated as someone who is toxic from the medication, she is treated as a psych patient and is given (your guessed it) more Zoloft. By the way, the mother was lied to about that as a nurse said the Zoloft was the Tylenol she had requested for a headache.

 

Finally, an adult psychiatrist visits Candace and discharges her. I am assuming she was cold turkeyed off of the meds as that wasn't clear.

 

So Candace goes home and while she is weak, shows no sign of suicidal ideation. In fact, about an hour before she hangs herself, she is laughing and joking with her father. I think she had also seen the child psychiatrist that day or the previous day.

 

Anyway, it is obviously quite an upsetting story.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • 4 months later...

As a tactic for falling back asleep, I have been listening to podcasts by Peter Breggin again. I have started to notice that he seems reluctant to give Bob Whitaker much credit for his work. I think he feels that Whitaker's book is based on the research that he did over several years and I am sensing he is feeling slighted in not being given recognition. I have nothing to base this on as it is just a gut feeling.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • 1 month later...

CS,

Got a chuckle out of Dr. putting you to sleep. :D

 

I don't know all of the history, but noticed yesterday that Robert W. is affiliayed with Healy's RXisk which could explain a conflict w/ Dr. B.

It's unfortunate that the leaders don't work together, but not unusual since they are very committed and passionate about their beliefs.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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""CS,

Got a chuckle out of Dr. putting you to sleep. ""

 

That is funny when you think about it. All jokes aside, I think Breggin has a soothing voice so of course, if I am sleepy, listening to his podcast will do the trick.

 

""I don't know all of the history, but noticed yesterday that Robert W. is affiliayed with Healy's RXisk which could explain a conflict w/ Dr. B.

It's unfortunate that the leaders don't work together, but not unusual since they are very committed and passionate about their beliefs.""

 

Good point. Yeah, it is unfortunate that people don't work together since so many people are greatly suffering.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • 4 months later...

ADMIN NOTE About Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal book by Peter Breggin, MD


 

I'm not thinking too clearly at the moment, so put this here for now as an FYI..

 

Have we discussed this withdrawal guide by Dr. Breggin?

 

http://breggin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=296&Itemid=129

Edited by Altostrata
Added admin note

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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It's not going to be published until 2013.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Administrator

I have been notified by Ginger Breggin that this book is now available.

 

Please post your reviews in this topic!

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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$50 with shipping.

 

Sorry, that really struck me..

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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From Amazon's Book Description http://www.amazon.com/Psychiatric-Drug-Withdrawal-Prescribers-Therapists/dp/0826108431

Publication Date: July 19, 2012 | ISBN-10: 0826108431 | ISBN-13: 978-0826108432 | Edition: 1

 

"As a physician who specializes in addiction medicine and drug withdrawal and written widely on them, I recommend Dr. Breggin's book to every health professional who deals with anyone taking psychiatric drugs. He gives highly useful information and reasons for stopping or avoiding them. It's an excellent one-stop source of information about psychiatric drug effects and withdrawal. Prescribers, therapists, patients, and families will benefit from this guidebook."

 

Charles L. Whitfield, MD

Bestselling author of Healing the Child Within and many other books

 

"Peter Breggin has more experience in safely withdrawing psychiatric patients from medication than any other psychiatrist. In this book he shares his lifetime of experience. All of our patients deserve the benefit of our obtaining that knowledge."

 

Bertram Karon, PhD

Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University

Author, The Psychotherapy of Schizophrenia

Former President of the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association

 

"This is such an important book. Describing the problem of withdrawal from psychiatric drugs in detail, and providing clear advice regarding how to deal with this problem as Peter has done so well in this book, is long overdue. For decades, the belief system that is mainstream psychiatry has denied the existence of withdrawal problems from the substances they prescribe so widely. In reality, withdrawal problems with psychiatric drugs is a common occurrence. Because of psychiatry's reckless denial of this real and common problem, millions of people worldwide have not had the support and care they desperately need when attempting to come off psychiatric drugs, often been erroneously advised that these problems are confirmation of the existence of their supposed original so-called 'psychiatric illness.' Dr. Breggin's book is therefore both timely and necessary."

 

Terry Lynch, MD

Physician and Psychotherapist

Author of Beyond Prozac: Healing Mental Suffering Without Drugs and Selfhood: A Key to the Recovering of

Emotional Well Being, Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental Health Problems

 

"Dr. Peter Breggin has written an invaluable reference for mental health professionals and lay-persons alike who are seeking a way out of dependency on psychiatric drugs. He describes the many dangers of psychiatric medication in straightforward research-based and contextually nuanced terms. Most helpfully, he articulates a method of empathic, person-centered psychotherapy as an alternative to the prevailing emotionally and system disengaged drug-centered approach. In this book, Dr. Breggin systematically outlines how to safely withdraw a patient from psychiatric medication with rich case examples drawn with the detail and sensitivity to individual and situational differences that reveal not only his extensive clinical experience, but his clear, knowledgeable, and compassionate vision of a more humane form of treatment. In this volume, Dr. Peter Breggin has again demonstrated that he is a model of what psychiatry can and should be. This is an indispensable text for both mental health trainees and experienced practitioners seeking a practical alternative to the dominant drug-centric paradigm."

 

Gerald Porter, PhD

Vice President for Academic Affairs

School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute

 

"This much needed book and guide to psychiatric medication withdrawal is clearly written and easy to understand. As people become more empowered and able to inform themselves about the effects of pharmaceuticals, practitioners will be called upon to wean their patients off of damaging medications. This book will provide that guidance. Thank you Dr. Breggin for having the courage to oppose conventional psychiatric thinking and the caring to improve the quality of life for individuals who are ready to experience their own innate healing instead of reaching for a pill to mask the symptoms."

 

Melanie Sears, RN, MBA

Author, Humanizing Health Care and Choose Your Words

 

"Today many psychologists, nurses, social workers, and counselors are struggling with how to help adults and the parents of children who are over-medicated or who wish to reduce or stop taking their psychiatric drugs. Dr. Breggin's book shows non-prescribing professionals, as well as prescribers, how to respond to their patient's needs in an informed, ethical, and empowering fashion."

 

Sarton Weinraub, PhD

Clinical Psychologist

Director, New York Person-Centered Resource Center, NYC

 

This is the first book to establish guidelines and to assist prescribers and therapists in withdrawing their patients from psychiatric drugs, including those patients with long-term exposure to antipsychotic drugs, benzodiazepines, stimulants, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers. It describes a method developed by the author throughout years of clinical experience, consultations with experienced colleagues, and scientific research. Based on a person-centered collaborative approach, with patients as partners, this method builds on a cooperative and empathic team effort involving prescribers, therapists, patients, and their families or support network.

 

The author, known for such books as Talking Back to Prozac, Toxic Psychiatry, and Medication Madness, is a lifelong reformer and scientist in mental health whose work has brought about significant change in psychiatric practice. This book provides critical information about when to consider psychiatric drug reduction or withdrawal, and how to accomplish it as safely, expeditiously, and comfortably as possible. It offers the theoretical framework underlying this approach along with extensive scientific information, practical advice, and illustrative case studies that will assist practitioners in multiple ways, including in how to:

  • Recognize common and sometimes overlooked adverse drug effects that may require withdrawal
  • Treat emergencies during drug therapy and during withdrawal
  • Determine the first drugs to withdraw during multi-drug therapy
  • Distinguish between withdrawal reactions, newly occurring emotional problems, and recurrence of premedication issues
  • Estimate the length of withdrawal

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 1 month later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

 

"You might be surprised to learn that the only biochemical imbalances in the brains of people who see psychiatrists are the ones put in there by the psychiatrists."

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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Excellent video!

 

This one

strikes a chord with me, as I suspect the drugs are what gave me problems at university.

2003-2011: Paroxetine,Citalopram,Effexor; Aug/Sept 2011: Effexor to Mirtazapine; Oct 2011: C/T Mirtazapine back to Effexor; Nov/Dec 2011: Fast Tapered Effexor - w/d hell; Feb 2012: Reinstated Effexor 37.5mg; June 2012: Dropped to 35.6mg; Jan 2016: Propranolol 2.5mg per day for general anxiety; Feb 2016: Finasteride 0.25mg per week to slow hair loss; 18th May - 8th June 2019: Started Vyvanse 7.5mg and increased by 7.5mg weekly to 30mg (lowest “therapeutic” dose for adults).; 21st June 2019 - 12th July: Cross tapered from venlafaxine brand Rodomel to Efexor (1/4 > 1/2 > 3/4 weekly before ditching Rodomel); 13th July 2019: Cut Vyvanse dose to 15mg; 15th July 2019: Akathisia returned after years of being free; 16th July 2019: Went back up to Vyvanse 30mg

Supplements: Omega-3, Vitamin D, Zinc, Phosphatidylserine 

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Wow. Really excellent description for anyone to understand. I'm very impressed.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 3 months later...

ADMIN NOTE From topic deleted at the request of the member.


 

But tonight I read on Dr. Breggin's website, that anti depressants can cause permanent damage.

I believe he said that they can cause long lasting depression, even once you successfully withdrawn.

I also just read reviews on Amazon about Dr. Grace Jackson's book called "Drug Induced Dementia," where she claims

that antidepressants, etc.. can cause dementia and alzheimers.

On another web page she says that they can cause cancer and leukemia.

This has really scared me and made me extremely hopeless.

 

Has anyone out there successfully withdrawn from long term ad use - with no "long lasting, permanent depression", or other permanent issues?

 

I'd appreciate any help.

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I'm sure alto and others will chime in here, but the brain is capable of healing. I believe what dr. Breggin was talking about was depression during recovery from the AD WD. I think the percentage that suffer permanent brain damage is very small.

 

I never heard about cancer or leukemia as problems down the line. Not once has something like that ever even been mentioned so I'd love to see the actual data and correlations between these drugs and cancer. I suspect it is not any more likely than in people who never take these drugs.

 

Since you are in protracted withdrawal from benzos, all of this information is probably adding a lot more to stress to your system. I personally avoid all data or information that can negatively impact my recovery or that can add stress as that is the last thing I need during recovery and WD (window or wane part of the cycle). Most of it will add more stress and anxiety and slow recovery particularly while dealing with protracted withdrawal from benzos due to the anxiety issues people often have with them. In that case, it will likely only make your recovery worse.

 

The rule I tend to follow is to not look at the future. We have no way of knowing what the outcome will be and it can cause endless worrying which will only slow or hamper our recovery. So I focus on the present and what I can do at this moment, this day to feel best. That is the surest way to minimize issues now and probably in the long term as I would imagine that stressing the system with fears of future possibilities can likely do more harm than good. I understand it's very difficult to do this, especially when you've been dealing with it for years (going off ADs then Benzos and now in protracted withdrawal) but from my experience, every time I look at long term stuff, I get very upset and trigger more problems now than when I don't simply because the unknown and my current fragile state tend to cause more stress which slows my recovery and makes it worse in the now than it needs to be. The best thing you can do for yourself is to not look beyond today regarding recovery. To do so tends to be very self defeating. Focusing on today, however, can help you make today much better, even if in only small ways, and the long term effect of those days that are better will help your recovery. That has been my experience at least.

 

I hope you do feel better soon.

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I am reading Dr. Breggin's new book Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal and I'm very unhappy with it. Despite the title, it's not about psychiatric drug withdrawal. Dr. Breggin does a poor job of describing withdrawal symptoms and apparently does not recognize post-discontinuation withdrawal syndrome at all.

 

If he doesn't recognize post-discontinuation withdrawal syndrome, anything he says about post-discontinuation psychiatric symptoms is questionable, including vulnerability to "relapse" -- it may be withdrawal syndrome.

 

Dr. Breggin has done a lot of great work bringing the dangers of psychiatric drugs to the attention of the public, but I do not have confidence in his understanding of withdrawal syndrome or post-discontinuation symptoms.

 

[FYI, this discussion originally started here]

 

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[deleted member name]

 

I've been reading excerpts from the book on Amazon and I think Breggin is referring to a chronic brain syndrome that occurs while a person is on antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs and as they withdraw. Chronic doesn't necessarily mean permanent, just long-term. I agree with starlitegirlx that the brain heals and I don't see any factual matter in Breggin's book or on his website that supports the idea of permanent brain damage. In fact, I can't find anywhere that he says something like this, except by implication that some older people who've taken the drugs for decades may have some residual problems, but an overall improvement in quality of life. I suspect this may be because they simply don't live long enough for full recovery.

 

There is very little factual matter at all on antidepressants' effect on the brain during or after use. The downside to antidepressants is a very recent hot topic in the psychiatric field and there's not a lot of research on the subject. The idea that these drugs do great harm is still being resisted by the majority of mental health practitioners.

 

Keep in mind that this forum was started in March of 2011, so it isn't quite two years old. For some folks, victory over withdrawal can take longer than that and many people here are still tapering off or they're at the very beginning of withdrawal symptoms following a cold turkey off (which is a bad idea). People do heal, though. See the discussion of 'Recovery success stories'.

 

And please note that no two stories are alike. Two people on the same meds for the same length of time get over withdrawal at entirely different rates. It's a very individual experience.

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Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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In Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal, Dr. Breggin goes on at length about his Chronic Brain Impairment (CBI) theory, which seems to me just a fancy, unnecessarily scary way to say psychiatric drugs have effects on the brain and body.

 

Like Jemima, I do not find it convincing. I think he's making the scariest case about psych drugs to encourage people to go off without giving proper instruction about tapering and withdrawal symptoms. I am very, very disappointed in him.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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Yes, it would seem highly likely that scare tactics would trigger more cold turkey quitters and more problems in the long run. Does he even know anything about WD? I've seen his warnings about using the meds, but I haven't seen anything where he addressed discontinuation syndrome, withdrawal or tapering off of the meds. It's like he leaves out the relevant part for those that are on them, heed his message and then choose to go off. Without that information, he's actually putting readers in danger, perhaps more danger than if they had stayed on the meds without even mentioning the issues of quitting cold turkey. Highly irresponsible and dangerous. Now he's falling into the camp of an alarmist who offers no solution for those who are already on the meds.

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...I think he's making the scariest case about psych drugs to encourage people to go off without giving proper instruction about tapering and withdrawal symptoms.

In$truction$ will be in Volume II, another fifty dollar paperback book. <_<

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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LOL!

 

Your Drug May Be Your Problem is much better, but still lacks specifics about tapering and withdrawal symptoms and does address post-discontinuation withdrawal syndrome at all.

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"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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Often the ego is in the ideas and not the practicalities

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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...I think he's making the scariest case about psych drugs to encourage people to go off without giving proper instruction about tapering and withdrawal symptoms.

In$truction$ will be in Volume II, another fifty dollar paperback book. <_<

 

Don't laugh, the Kindle version for Brain Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry: Drugs, Electroshock, and the Psychopharmaceutical Complex is $51.96. Dr. Breggin ought to be ashamed of himself for this highway robbery.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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so, in a way is he not just calling discontinuation syndrome this CBI?

damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement

 

akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily

 

severly disabled and lost everything

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He does not address post-discontinuation withdrawal symptoms.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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that is crazy! but the OP [see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3546-panamagal-dr-peter-breggin-re-permanent-brain-damage/ ] talks about him saying that he talks about long depressive episodes (chronic) after ssri use AFTER the w/d, now assuming he is calling w/d the period during the taper and for a few weeks after, then he must be refering to discontinuation in his own strange way?

 

some may call it permanent, but the issue seems to be chronic with many people recovering over long periods of time...please God

Edited by Altostrata
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damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement

 

akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily

 

severly disabled and lost everything

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[deleted member name]

 

It's a very good sign you have those windows. Have you read this topic http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-recovery/

 

I believe Peter Breggin's theories about chronic brain injury are highly questionable. If the future is unknown, it can be either good or bad. Since it's 50-50, choose to focus on a good outcome, it will help you heal, and stop worrying about a bad outcome.

 

I have moved the discussion of Peter Breggin's theories to http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3579-peter-breggin-avoids-addressing-post-discontinuation-symptoms/ , returning this topic to panamagal and her concerns.

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This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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Correct, not addressing post-discontinuation withdrawal symptoms is a glaring logical inconsistency in Dr. Breggin's work.

 

I've corresponded with Ginger Breggin, his spouse and assistant, and her response did not clarify the inconsistency. She repeated (several times) that Breggin's Chronic Brain Impairment theory explained post-discontinuation symptoms, even though the theory states the fix for CBI is going off the drugs.

 

I conferred with doctors who've read Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal and they agree, something very important is missing.

 

Nowhere does Dr. Breggin address post-discontinuation withdrawal symptoms. It's as though he's never seen them.

 

(In Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal, he mentions cold turkey only once, in a footnote.)

 

As I said up above, if he doesn't recognize post-discontinuation withdrawal syndrome, anything he says about post-discontinuation psychiatric symptoms is questionable, including vulnerability to "relapse" -- it may be withdrawal syndrome.

 

Also, Dr. Breggin refers to studies on "relapse" after discontinuation, which are supposed to show the effectiveness of antidepressants because people get worse when they go off them. None of these studies differentiate "relapse" from withdrawal syndrome. Dr. Breggin apparently is unaware the studies are confounded by misdiagnosed withdrawal syndrome.

 

This is shockingly unsophisticated thinking for someone who's been writing about adverse effects from psychiatric drugs for so long.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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I can't imagine how Dr. Breggin could be ignorant of a very fundamental fact of these medications. Everyone, even the dreaded manufacturers, agrees that "discontinuation" effects occur when the drugs are withdrawn (removed).

 

Of course, the mainstream argues the effects will last, at longest, a few weeks. But it's outside the mainstream to not consider the discontinuation as a possible cause of symptoms if symptoms develop immediately following the drug's removal.

 

I wonder, does Dr. Breggin practice? Or is his primary interest in testimony?

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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It has been a mystery for a very long time whether Dr. Breggin sees patients.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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It has been a mystery for a very long time whether Dr. Breggin sees patients.

 

For some reason, I was under the impression that he did. I thought he talked about present patients during his radio shows but I could be totally mistaken.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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On 1/12/2013 at 1:57 PM, 'Altostrata' said:

[deleted member name]

 

It's a very good sign you have those windows. Have you read this topic http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-recovery/

 

I believe Peter Breggin's theories about chronic brain injury are highly questionable. If the future is unknown, it can be either good or bad. Since it's 50-50, choose to focus on a good outcome, it will help you heal, and stop worrying about a bad outcome.

 

I have moved the discussion of Peter Breggin's theories to http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3579-peter-breggin-avoids-addressing-post-discontinuation-symptoms/ , returning this topic to panamagal and her concerns.

 

Alto,

 

That is the best response I have read yet on long term outcomes. It acknowledges the fact that it might be negative but rightfully encourages us to be positive to since our chances are 50/50.

 

I know some people would think this is nuts as you should be positive but since I believe in what I call "realistic" optimism, your response suits me perfectly.

 

CS

Edited by Altostrata
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Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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