Medicating Normal
The widespread use of psychiatric medications and their often-devastating impact on individuals warrant a serious and concerning examination. A "silent epidemic" of withdrawal and iatrogenic harm is often overlooked or mismanaged within the current mental healthcare system.
The experiences of individuals like Dave, Rebecca, and Angie compellingly illustrate the challenging journey of being prescribed medications for conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Many endure significant negative side effects, including emotional numbness, cognitive impairment, and even the terrifying onset of hallucinations, as Rebecca experienced.
The intense suffering associated with withdrawing from these drugs is profound, with a litany of severe symptoms and an arduous tapering process being the reality for many. The tragic reality of suicides among individuals struggling with withdrawal, a point underscored by the discussion of support groups losing members, further emphasizes the profound risks involved.
Systemic failures within the mental healthcare system are apparent. A pervasive lack of informed consent is a critical issue, often stemming from brief doctor's appointments that fail to adequately convey the potential for severe side effects and the long-term risks of these drugs. The prevailing "disease model" of mental illness is open to challenge, with arguments suggesting it over-medicalizes normal human suffering.
Furthermore, the significant influence of the pharmaceutical industry deserves scrutiny, given allegations of manipulated research, the suppression of negative study results, and the use of ghostwriters in medical publications, all contributing to the over-prescription of these medications.
Ultimately, there is an urgent need for a more cautious and informed approach to mental healthcare. Greater awareness is needed among both the public and medical professionals regarding the potential harms of psychiatric medications and the importance of exploring alternative or more holistic approaches to mental well-being.
I'm sorry there is this suffering. Excellent video and so much affirming truth. The only problem is the continuous interruptions from ADS. Waaay too many which made this onerous to watch.
I have schizophrenia and I'm on an anti-psychotic, it's very helpful. I would be psychotic without it. I was also addicted to valium one time though and it did a lot of damage to my brain. Some things can be really helpful, while other things can be super damaging.
My husband has been on Zoloft for 30 yrs Tried a number of times to gradually stop but couldn’t He didn’t help supervised help in stopping which I think could have been the key.
He is now 66 and numb and very depressed.
This is a one-sided and fear-mongering representation view of something very nuanced and complex. It's true that sometimes psychiatric medication is over-prescribed and especially Benzos, but medication saved my life. I did have Complex PTSD and it made me depressed and anxious, and I was suicidal by age 12 (before I took medication), and medication helped stabilize me temporarily so that I could focus on getting better in therapy. Also, my ADHD meds mean that I can shower and feed myself because otherwise, I struggle with executive functioning. By the way, in the USA, they started scanning brains for mental health and can detect things like bipolar and ADHD and so on...poorly made and sensationalist documentary....