Your Drug May Be Your Problem - How and Why to Stop taking Psychiatric Drugs

Contents......Page 13
A Warning Concerning the Use of Psychiatric Drugs......Page 15
our final resort......Page 16
seeking relief......Page 17
the new ultimate resource......Page 18
the science behind psychiatric drugs......Page 20
are there biochemical imbalances?......Page 21
what do we really know about psychiatric drugs and the brain?......Page 22
what if we treated our computers the way we treat the brain?......Page 24
what this viewpoint does to us......Page 25
herbal and \"natural\" remedies......Page 26
1. Psychiatric Drugs - Much Easier to Start Than to Stop......Page 29
reasons to stop taking psychiatric drugs......Page 30
how this book can help......Page 37
more reasons to stop taking drugs......Page 39
if someone you care about is taking psychiatric drugs......Page 41
an independent decision......Page 42
2. The Limits of Psychiatric Drugs......Page 44
how current drugs affect animals and people......Page 45
can we test for biochemical imbalances?......Page 46
more flaws in the myth of biochemical imbalances......Page 47
anesthesia of the soul......Page 48
what does \"improvement\" mean in the context of psychiatric drugs?......Page 49
the limits of psychiatric drugs in general......Page 50
the limits of drugs for helping in emotional crises......Page 51
people are better than pills - even for the most disturbed patients......Page 52
conclusion......Page 54
the variability of individual responses to drugs......Page 56
\"creeping\" adverse effects......Page 57
the risk of permanent brain dysfunction caused by psychiatric drugs......Page 59
physicians urge long term use without justification......Page 60
the special danger of psychiatric drugs......Page 62
drug-induced toxic psychoses......Page 63
trust your own perception of yourself - up to a point......Page 64
common adverse effects on your mind......Page 65
you may be the last to know......Page 70
growing recognition of the dangers of psychiatric drugs......Page 72
drug-induced mania......Page 74
children at grave risk for antidepressant-induced mania......Page 75
benzodiazepine tranquilizers: Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonopin, and Others......Page 76
adverse effects cause by specific psychiatric drugs......Page 77
stimulants......Page 78
antidepressants that especially stimulate serotonin......Page 80
tricyclic antidepressants......Page 81
atypical antidepressants......Page 82
monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressants......Page 83
benzodiazepines prescribed for anxiety and insomnia......Page 84
non-benzodiazepines prescribed for anxiety and insomnia......Page 86
Lithium, Depakote, and other \"mood stabilizers\"......Page 87
antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drugs......Page 89
tardive dyskinesia caused by neuroleptics......Page 91
neuroleptic malignant syndrome......Page 92
other harmful neuroleptic effects......Page 93
medications used to treat drug-induced abnormal movements......Page 95
psychiatric drugs during pregnancy and nursing......Page 96
a natural aversion to taking mood-altering drugs......Page 99
other common concerns about taking psychiatric drugs......Page 100
convincing you that you\'re \"mentally ill\"......Page 101
defining intense or painful emotions as illness......Page 103
how psychiatry takes advantage......Page 104
good therapy versus psychiatric diagnosis and medication......Page 105
maintaining your mental faculties......Page 106
being in touch with your feelings......Page 107
the placebo effect......Page 108
learning to live without drugs......Page 109
encouraged not to tell......Page 111
where was the FDA?......Page 112
FDA approval does not mean that a drug is safe or even highly effective......Page 114
whose risk and whose benefit?......Page 115
serious dangers can surface for the first time after years of use......Page 116
recognizing the limits of FDA approval......Page 117
how adverse effects go unreported......Page 118
no guarantee of long-term safety......Page 119
what do doctors know?......Page 120
doctors\' attitudes toward informing patients......Page 121
7. Plan Your Drug Withdrawal......Page 123
decide for yourself......Page 124
how may a doctor help?......Page 125
informing your doctor of your intentions......Page 126
stay in charge of the withdrawal......Page 128
the best and the worst to expect from your doctor......Page 129
set up a support network......Page 130
how a friend can help......Page 131
support networks on the world wide web......Page 132
anticipate withdrawal reactions......Page 135
understand what influences the ease of withdrawal......Page 136
anticipate the possibility of a long withdrawal period......Page 137
handling disrupted sleep......Page 138
dealing with strong reactions from friends and family......Page 139
be flexible about withdrawal......Page 140
set up an action plan......Page 141
facing the fear of withdrawal......Page 142
gradual withdrawal is its own protection......Page 144
why gradual withdrawal is better than sudden withdrawal......Page 145
remove drugs one at a time......Page 146
which drug should be stopped first?......Page 147
the 10 percent method......Page 148
how to divide dose reductions during the day......Page 149
how to fraction individual doses......Page 150
beware illicit use......Page 151
when am I having a withdrawal reaction?......Page 152
denial of withdrawal reactions......Page 154
defining physical dependence......Page 155
withdrawal reactions can cause \"significant distress\"......Page 156
\"withdrawal\" or \"discontinuation\"?......Page 157
the discontinuance syndrome......Page 158
the doctor\'s involvement in withdrawal......Page 159
antidepressant withdrawal reactions......Page 160
tricyclic antidepressant withdrawal reactions......Page 161
MAOI withdrawal reactions......Page 162
withdrawal reactions from antidepressants that stimulate serotonin......Page 163
atypical antidepressant withdrawal reactions......Page 166
stimulant withdrawal reactions......Page 167
Lithium and anticonvulsant withdrawal reactions......Page 169
neuroleptic or antipsychotic withdrawal reactions......Page 171
three types of neuroleptic withdrawal reactions......Page 172
withdrawal from Clozaril......Page 174
\"relapse\" or \"withdrawal\"?......Page 175
when to withdraw from neuroleptics?......Page 176
how long should neuroleptic withdrawal take?......Page 177
antiparkinsonian withdrawal reactions......Page 178
how gradual is \"gradual withdrawal\"?......Page 179
overview of psychiatric drug withdrawal reactions......Page 180
10. Withdrawing Your Child from Psychiatric Drugs......Page 183
your child\'s previous experience with withdrawal......Page 184
identifying the source of potential problems......Page 185
learning new parenting skills......Page 186
learning to give more attention......Page 187
paying attention to your child\'s feelings and wishes......Page 188
focusing on problems at school......Page 189
if your child is underachieving......Page 190
if the school insists......Page 191
when to start withdrawal......Page 192
when your therapist says you need drugs......Page 194
so many kinds of therapy......Page 195
what do we have faith in?......Page 197
the exaggerated fear of lawsuits......Page 199
faith in ourselves versus faith in medication......Page 200
understanding your therapist\'s fears......Page 201
psychotherapists......Page 203
12. Guidelines for Therapists Who Do Not Advocate the Use of Psychiatric Drugs......Page 206
suggested guidelines......Page 207
stand up and be counted......Page 210
13. Psychological Principles for Helping Yourself and Others Without Resort to Psychiatric Medications......Page 212
drug handbooks used by professionals......Page 221
books offering critical perspectives on drug treatments and biological psychiatry......Page 222
Peter R. Breggin, M.D.......Page 224
David Cohen, Ph.D.......Page 225
Appendix C: The International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology......Page 226
chapter 1......Page 228
chapter 2......Page 229
chapter 3......Page 231
chapter 4......Page 232
chapter 7......Page 236
chapter 8......Page 237
chapter 9......Page 238
chapter 10......Page 241
chapter 13......Page 242
Bibliography......Page 244
Index......Page 262
Ethical Human Sciences and Services: An International Journal of Critical Inquiry......Page 279