While the pharmaceutical companies would like the public to believe that SSRI and similar medications do not have serious side effects past the occasional upset stomach or mild headache, the internet has enabled the true scope of adverse effects and conditions caused by these drugs to become known. For many years doctors simply took as ‘verbatim’ that the side effect profile listed on the package insert was the “whole” story and that reports of extreme reactions, even suicidal and violent, were mere aberrations or ‘exaggerated accounts.
The Vioxx tragedy opened the public’s eyes…and some doctors…to the reality that many, if not most of the time, pharmaceutical companies do not reveal the whole truth about the drugs they submit for FDA approval. In fact, the FDA approval process itself is largely contaminated as board members and those in positions to evaluate drugs for approval are often on the payroll or promised positions in the pharmaceutical industry as long as they ‘play along’ and approve the billion dollar earning drugs that pharmaceutical companies want them to.
It was revealed in a landmark 1996 report that fully half of the initial research studies conducted for the preliminary approval of SSRI drugs had negative, even suicidal results. Patients that took SSRI drugs had a TWELVE TIMES risk of attempting suicide than other antidepressant drugs yet this data was buried and never mentioned during the FDA approval process. More recently, the most elaborate and sophisticated study completed yet found that SSRI and similar medications had no statistical improvement over placebo and in fact caused a number of adverse reactions that made the use of the drugs questionable at best.
There are many true stories about the kinds of bizarre and dangerous unintended reactions and side effects that antidepressants can cause. The most dangerous are the relatively frequent reports of suicidal ideation as well as unexpected rages and violence. Some patients have slipped into psychosis acting and behaving in ways totally unlike themselves and having no memory of it afterwards when removed from the drugs. Less violent, but perhaps no less important side effects of taking SSRI and similar drugs include changes in likes and dislikes. Numerous people have experienced effects such as a person that always loved chocolate that suddenly couldn’t stand it after being put on the drug. Another reported not caring that local teenagers were riding over her lawn with their cars and bikes when it used to always bother her. There are numerous reports of people ‘not caring’ about important things in their life, such as career duties or relationship boundaries after being placed on these drugs.
The impairment of judgement is a theme that runs through many reports of people that have had adverse reactions to SSRI, SNRI and similar drugs. There is the case of a doctor who for 25 years had always been conscientious, on time and a perfectionist running a successful medical practice. Shortly after beginning antidepressants he started coming into work late, making careless mistakes during work and ‘not caring’ or ‘not thinking it was important’. He eventually made medical mistakes that caused him to lose his practice and his medical license and the entire time he ‘didn’t really care’…because he was on SSRI drugs. When he finally was removed from the antidepressant, his ‘senses’ came back to him and he was ‘aware’ of how his personality had changed. If he had never been on the medication, would he have ever let himself do those things? Probably not. Therein lies the problem. Once you are on a drug that changes your mind, it is too late. Unless an outside observer notices the changes in you, it is too late. You don’t have another ‘brain’ to make sure the one that is on drugs is acting properly.
This story is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many other stories of lives ruined by antidepressant drugs. Make sure to go to www.sedatednation.com to read more about the dangers of SSRI’s and how to properly treat depression and anxiety without turning to dangerous medications.
With Degrees in Film, Real Estate Finance and Development as well as Psychology, Robert Levin writes expert articles covering a broad range of issues. Some of his websites include: www.toptenmba.com,
www.MBAonline.me, www.lawdegree.me, www.selfawareness101.com and www.tvwriter.me
How long do I have to stop my meds before Drugs will work for me?
I have been on heavy medications for a few years now. I was able to get high on weed and dxm before I was put into hospitals. Since, I have been on several medications and every drug I try doesn’t work. Weed does way too much but besides for that, none do. Like klonopon, CCCs, Cough Syrup, Shrooms, Ecstasy, drinking, speed and so much more. I have decided to stop taking my meds for 2 weeks and take a few drugs again. I know the dangers and everything about stopping cold turkey but I want to get a few fun experiences before I go back into recovery (AA/NA).
I plan to take E, CCCs, LSD and maybe a few more. I read the SSRIs take 2 weeks so I’m waiting the full time but I have school vacation next week and I’m home alone so I plan to do a few things like I said. I stopped 2 days ago and Im feeling the side effects already.
I am on
300mg wellbutrin (never effected drugs)(Antidepressant)
1200mg Lithium (Mood Stabilizer)
800mg Seroquel (anti Psychotic)
and 60mg Celexa (SSRI)
Will one and a half week to two weeks be enough to get high for a few times. It sucks that I cant on meds but it is also a good thing for my recovery. The best part is that once I’m done, I dont have to worry because they wont work. I wont do this again because I know how important my meds are for my mental health and Im willing to do this only once. It is just really hard to stay sober with the curiosity in my head.
Please help if anybody knows anything of what specific med is making something not work.
Answer
first up you have to know i am way against you stopping your meds and trying those drugs to fulfill your curiosity.
BUT me telling you that isn’t going to stop you. I’m pissed off that you are on so many meds at such a young age, especially when you need to be having experiences that you can learn from. We get through life learning form our mistakes and you are probably so doped up you cannot learn.
Here’s my info. Coming off any of them in two weeks is too fast, ok? Especially the SSRIs. Sorry. You need more time. Withdrawal effects can make you mentally ill. At a guess, the seroquel is making you sedated and less likely to get high. Do you think you could try taking less of that. Don’t stop it. Have some extra on hand so that you can use it if you feel yourself getting mentally unwell.
I could say lots more. But ideally one day you can medicate yourself, depending on what is happening in your life. Monitor your stress levels and medicate accordingly. Also ideally you wait until you are over 25 to try other drugs. Because of the trauma you have done to your brain with drugs, your brain needs a long time to to stabilise. It is very malleable when you are a teen and early 20′s.
The meds you are on arent the best solution, but they are part of the best solution. You gotta get that curiosity of yours and use it in other ways.
Best of luck.
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