Five years ago, the Croen et al article in the Figure above appeared suggesting that antidepressant use in pregnancy can cause Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Pharmaceutical companies rushed to manage the risks - to them. What you do is you convene your experts and you put them in boxes, a teratology box, an animal studies box, an epidemiology box, a psychology box, a … [Read more...] about Autistic Spectrum Disorder and SSRIs
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Bruce Springsteen: Born with an Inner Restlessness
Further excerpts from Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run. Bruce looks like he had a dependence syndrome and perhaps even organic damage or dysfunction linked to an antidepressant - See Born to Withdraw. Did he also have akathisia? Akathisia (restlessness, agitation & turmoil): A disorder characterized by an uncomfortable feeling of inner restlessness and inability to stay … [Read more...] about Bruce Springsteen: Born with an Inner Restlessness
Bruce Springsteen: Born to Withdraw?
Editorial Note: These excerpts from Bruce Springsteen's new book Born To Run were picked out for us by a colleague who is a lifetime Bruce fan. Zero to sixty in nothing flat The blues don’t jump right on you. They come creeping. Shortly after my sixtieth I slipped into a depression like I hadn’t experienced since that dusty night in Texas thirty years earlier. It lasted for a … [Read more...] about Bruce Springsteen: Born to Withdraw?
ADHD Nation
Editorial Note: This post is a review by Johanna Ryan of Alan Schwarz's just released ADHD NATION: Children, Doctors, Big Pharma, and the Making of an American Epidemic. Watching the triumphant final chapter of Michael Phelps’ Olympic swimming career last month, you couldn’t help admiring certain strengths that went beyond the merely muscular. The rigorous four-year training … [Read more...] about ADHD Nation
The Pill that Causes you to Steal Someone Else’s Life
Katinka Newman's The Pill that Steals Lives brings out the hazards of being put on a treatment that then becomes the problem that other treatments are used to treat. In her case she could have easily killed herself - or her children. The website 100Families.org lists 1250+ cases where mental health is linked to homicides. The thrust of the website is that mental illness is … [Read more...] about The Pill that Causes you to Steal Someone Else’s Life
Stopping Antidepressants: Kenny’s Dilemma
Editorial Note: This request came to RxISK through Contact Us, last week. It went out to several of the panel who contribute to our responses, some of whom have qualified in medicine and some who have qualified by going through the medical system. There was no consensus among us about how to respond. Beneath the dilemma there are some notes toward a response. The dilemma I'm … [Read more...] about Stopping Antidepressants: Kenny’s Dilemma
SSRIs & Loss of Identity
Editorial Note: This post reflects a probably not uncommon reality. There is no doubt people can be left with permanent dysfunction after a short course of SSRIs, or permanent depersonalization, so a permanent change of identity is possible and even likely for some - but features nowhere in the books. The author initially figured his problems were linked to memory but is now … [Read more...] about SSRIs & Loss of Identity
Sarah’s Tourette Syndrome Story
Editorial Note: This post by DG follows up on last week's Robbie's Tourette Syndrome Story and continues a series begun a year ago looking at the effects of aripiprazole on Tourette Syndrome Abilify, Tourette Syndrome and Me. As mentioned last week, the key point is not just drug induced adverse effects but the ability of someone who has the disorder and takes the treatment to … [Read more...] about Sarah’s Tourette Syndrome Story
Robbie’s Tourette Syndrome Story
Editorial Note: This post by DG continues a series begun a year ago looking at the effects of aripiprazole on Tourette Syndrome Abilify, Tourette Syndrome and Me. The key point here is not just the effect of a drug to trigger effects but the ability of someone who has the disorder and takes the treatment to be more expert on what is going on than the so-called experts. This is … [Read more...] about Robbie’s Tourette Syndrome Story
Olanzapine: Still Treading Water
Editorial Note: Ages back, Sally MacGregor wrote this piece to follow up to her Olanzapine experience - Olanzapine Withdrawal: Sally's Story. The original piece has routinely been among the top ten RxISK blog posts visited. This update slipped between the cracks. But here it is. Time for a progress report. I was in feisty mode last time – determined not to be beaten by the … [Read more...] about Olanzapine: Still Treading Water