Let's Talk Withdrawal

This week, we talk to Holly Higgins. Holly shares her own experiences of the psychiatric system and psychiatric drugs, how she approached withdrawal from the drugs and talks about how she became a nutritional therapy practitioner. Holly now supports others in managing their mental health using nutrition and her excellent website Pills to Paleo provides a wide range of helpful resources for those that want to improve their mental health without resorting to psychiatric drugs. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Stevie who describes her experiences taking antidepressant drugs and her severe and protracted reaction to trying to withdraw. She also tells us about the help and support she received and what approaches she took to support herself during the most difficult times. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we talk to Chaya Grossberg. Chaya shares her own experiences of the psychiatric system and psychiatric drugs and also tells us how she now helps and supports those struggling to withdraw from their psychiatric medications. Chaya promotes a naturopathic approach to supporting people with their health and wellbeing. Her website is https://chayagrossberg.com #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Elaine who has taken antidepressant and stimulant drugs for anxiety issues such as OCD. She describes her experiences with the drugs, how she approached her withdrawal and describes feeling humiliated and judged by her psychiatrists rather than helped. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Judy Meyer. Judy is a holistic mental health practitioner, mental health advocate and founder of the Alternative Health Revolution. We talk about Judy's experience of the psychiatric system, her excellent and informative website alternativementalhealthrevolution.com and her advice for those struggling with antidepressant withdrawal. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Sinead who has taken antidepressant drugs for the last 16 years. Sinead has attempted to withdraw on several occasions and describes the challenges that she faced. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, I interview Doctor Peter Groot from the User Research Center of the Maastricht University. As some of you may know, I have been running a petition for some time to raise awareness of something called ‘tapering kits'. Very simply, tapering kits are tablets in decreasing dosages that would help users who wanted to withdraw from their psychiatric drugs to do so safely and in a controlled way. Recently, I was contacted by Dr. Peter Groot from Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Dr. Groot and his colleagues in the Cinderella Therapeutics Foundation have invested considerable time in researching and creating exactly what my petition refers to. They have created Tapering Strips, which are a method by which users of many classes of psychiatric drug can safely withdraw. Dr. Groot and his colleagues have been able to provide tapering strips to more than 2,000 Dutch patients to help them withdraw from their medications safely. Needless to say, I was very excited to hear that this solution had been created and was actually helping and supporting users of antidepressant drugs. Dr. Groot kindly took time out of his busy schedule to talk to me about his own experiences with antidepressants, his approach when creating tapering strips and some of the difficulties encountered along the way. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview David who has taken antidepressant drugs on and off over the last few years. David talks about his experiences of the mental healthcare system, how he has been supported by his medications and how and why he went about stopping his drugs. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we talk to Meghann from the USA. Meghann describes starting antidepressant drugs for OCD at the age of 9, how she came to consider her withdrawal after 17 years and how she feels now, 2 years after finishing with the drugs. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Dr. Gary Sidley. Dr. Sidley worked within NHS mental health services for 33 years in a variety of nursing, psychological and managerial roles. In the 1980s he was employed as a psychiatric nurse at a large asylum in Manchester, commencing his clinical psychology training in 1987. Subsequently, he worked as a clinical psychologist in community mental health services, inpatient units and GP practices, as well as with Senior Management positions. Gary is now a freelance writer and trainer with an interest in promoting alternatives to bio-medical psychiatry as ways of responding to human suffering. In 2015, Gary published the Book Tales from the Madhouse, in which he clearly lays out the scientific evidence against current psychiatric practices, going on to illustrate key points with beautifully written, poignant, at times deeply shocking stories from his years of experience. His stories leave us in no doubt that medically lead practices impact negatively on those in the care of mental health services. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Gemma who talks about her experiences with both antidepressants and benzodiazepines and in particular the difficulties that parents of children with special needs encounter when they seek treatment for emotional or psychological distress. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Marion Brown. Marion is a psychotherapist who works with the Human Givens approach to supporting people in emotional or psychological distress. Through her work, Marion has become increasingly concerned about the effects of psychotropic medications on patients and on their ability to engage with therapy. In this informative interview, we talk about Marion's background, how Human Givens works as a therapeutic approach and also the effects of psychiatric drugs. We also discuss medically unexplained symptoms, sometimes given as an explanation for psychiatric drug adverse or withdrawal effects. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Simone who talks about her experiences of postnatal depression, fibromyalgia and her treatment with antidepressants. Simone describes how nutrition played a huge part in her recovery and how she now supports others with their health and wellbeing. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we interview Doctor Joanna Moncrieff. Dr. Moncrieff is a psychiatrist, academic and author. She has an interest in the history, philosophy and politics of psychiatry, and particularly in the use, misuse and misrepresentation of psychiatric drugs. She is one of the founding members and the co-chairperson the Critical Psychiatry Network. The Critical Psychiatry Network consists of psychiatrists from around the world who are sceptical of the idea that mental disorders are simply brain diseases and of the dominance of the pharmaceutical industry. We discuss Dr. Moncrieff's work to address the realities of psychiatric drugs and the groundbreaking RADAR study which focuses on antipsychotic drugs. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, Megan talks about her experience with anxiety and insomnia and how that led to her being prescribed an antidepressant. She also talks about her two failed attempts to withdraw and how that meant she approached her tapering more carefully to ensure that she could minimise the withdrawal effects. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week we talk to journalist and author Robert Whitaker. For many of us, Robert needs no introduction as he is well known for his award-winning book, Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America, which was released in 2010. Anatomy of an Epidemic is arguably the definitive account of the realities of psychiatric drugs and completely lays bare the astonishing rise in mental ill health despite the availability of psychiatric drugs. Robert has been a medical writer at the Albany Times Union newspaper, A journalism fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Director of publications at the Harvard Medical School. Besides many papers, journals and articles, Robert has written five books which include Mad In America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and The Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill in 2001, Anatomy of an Epidemic in 2010 and Psychiatry Under The Influence: Institutional Corruption, Social Injury, and Prescriptions for Reform published in 2015. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, Tina talks about her experience with depression, her use of antidepressant drugs and how a change in her medication led to her withdrawal problems. She also tells how her doctors failed to advise her about antidepressant withdrawal in advance or recognise it when it arose. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, Susie tells us about her experiences of stopping her antidepressant drug cold turkey after 2 years of taking it. She also tells how her doctors failed to identify antidepressant withdrawal and didn't listen when she tried to explain. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we talk with Doctor Lucy Johnstone who is a Clinical Psychologist, trainer, speaker and writer, and a long-standing critic of the biomedical model of psychiatry. She has worked in adult mental health settings for many years, alternating with academic posts. Lucy has authored a number of books, including ‘Users and Abusers of Psychiatry, and ‘A straight-talking introduction to psychiatric diagnosis' as well as a number of articles and chapters on topics such as psychiatric diagnosis, formulation, the psychological effects of ECT, and the role of trauma in breakdown. I was keen to talk to Dr. Johnstone about our reliance on the concept of diagnosis and how that doesn't fit well with psychological or emotional distress and how a predominantly biomedical view of tends to lead to a purely medication centred approach to mental healthcare. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we talk with Nora who relates how she was prescribed an antidepressant which caused immediate adverse effects. She tells us that even 2 years later she still struggles with physical, emotional and psychological effects. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

Kevin P. Miller is an international award winning Writer, Producer and Director whose films have won him numerous international Film and Television awards. Two-time Academy Award winner Paul Haggis called Miller's documentary Generation Rx “a powerful and often chilling eye-opener.” His film ‘Letters from Generation Rx,' narrated by Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton, was released in September 2015. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we have an interview with Christopher Jump. Christopher describes his transformational journey starting with a very difficult childhood which led him to be treated for many years with various psychiatric medications. After successfully withdrawing, he now works a Program Manager for Heart & Soul inc in California, an organisation which offers a variety of mental health recovery-oriented and wellness support opportunities for people in need of mental health support. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week on Let's Talk Withdrawal, we interview Dede Moore who shares her own powerful story of antidepressant treatment and withdrawal. Dede turned her experiences into a force for good and now uses the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to assist those in withdrawal from antidepressants or benzodiazepines. Dede tells us about EFT, how it helps in withdrawal and even gives a sample EFT session that you can join in with to experience how it works. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we interview Dr. David Healy, internationally respected psychiatrist, psychopharmacologist scientist and author. A professor of Psychiatry in Wales, David studied medicine in Dublin, and at Cambridge University. He is a former Secretary of the British Association for Psychopharmacology and has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and 20 books, including The Antidepressant Era and The Creation of Psychopharmacology. David's latest book, Pharmageddon, documents the riveting and terrifying story of how pharmaceutical companies have hijacked healthcare in America and the life-threatening results. David's main areas of research are clinical trials in psychopharmacology, the history of psychopharmacology, and the impact of both trials and psychotropic drugs on our culture. We talk prescribing practice, medicine safety and regulation. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we interview Dr. Terry Lynch who is a GP, psychotherapist, author and mental health educator. Ten years into his career as a GP, he became very concerned about the medical approach to emotional and mental suffering and was not prepared to remain silent. In 2001 he released the book Beyond Prozac: Healing Mental Distress, a best-seller in Ireland in 2001 and shortlisted for the MIND (UK) 2002 Book of the Year Award. Terry has worked tirelessly to expose the myth of the chemical imbalance and other psychiatric falsehoods. In 2015, he released The Depression Delusion: The Myth of the Brain Chemical Imbalance. Dr. Lynch spoke to me and helped me understand why modern psychiatry has pursued a purely medical approach to distress with terrible consequences. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we interview Daryl who was only 9 years old when he was taken into mental health services and medicated. He talks about being made to take both antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs and he describes the lies told to him to justify treatment. Daryl also talks very bravely about PSSD, Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we talk to Professor Peter Gøtzsche who is Director of the Nordic Cochrane Centre in Denmark. Professor Gøtzsche graduated as a master of science in biology and chemistry in 1974 and as a physician in 1984. He is a specialist in internal medicine; worked with clinical trials and regulatory affairs in the drug industry and at hospitals in Copenhagen. He co-founded The Cochrane Collaboration and established The Nordic Cochrane Centre in 1993. In 2010 he became a professor of Clinical Research Design and Analysis at the University of Copenhagen. Peter has published more than 70 papers in the mainstream medical journals and his scientific works have been cited more than 15,000 times. He is also an author and his books include Deadly medicines and organised crime: how big Pharma has corrupted healthcare published in 2013 and in 2015 he published Deadly Psychiatry and Organised Denial. I was keen to talk to Professor Gøtzsche about his background in research, his views on antidepressant prescribing and how pharmaceutical manufacturers have influenced mental healthcare. There are few with his knowledge and understanding of psychiatric medications. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we talk to Giovanna from Australia. Giovanna was prescribed an antidepressant aged 17 and tried many times to withdraw over the next 23 years. She shares her experiences with us including the advice and support that she received and her hopes for the future. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

This week, we talk to Claire who shares her powerful story of being prescribed antidepressants at the age of 16 and her experiences of trying to withdraw. She describes how she tapered gradually over 2 years but went on to experience SSRI discontinuation syndrome. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health

Welcome to the first episode of Let's Talk Withdrawal. In this episode, we chat with Professor John Read from the University of East London about the overuse of psychiatric medications and the alarming growth in the prescribing of antidepressants, benzodiazepines and other psychoactive medications. Professor Read worked for nearly 20 years as a Clinical Psychologist and manager of mental health services in the UK and the USA, before joining the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 1994, where he worked until 2013. He has served as Director of the Clinical Psychology professional graduate programmes at both Auckland and, more recently, the University of Liverpool. He has published over 120 papers in research journals, primarily on the relationship between adverse life events and psychosis. #antidepressants #antipsychotics #benzodiazepines #withdrawal #tapering #mental health