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Antidepressant Nightmares |
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This website is a collection of 2400+ news stories with the full media article available, mainly criminal in nature, that have appeared in the media (newspapers, TV, scientific journals) or that were part of FDA testimony in either 1991, 2004 or 2006, in which antidepressants are mentioned. Antidepressants have been recognized as potential inducers of mania and psychosis since their introduction in the 1950s. Klein and Fink1 described psychosis as an adverse effect of the older tricyclic antidepressant imipramine. Since the introduction of Prozac in December, 1987, there has been a massive increase in the number of people taking antidepressants. Preda and Bowers2 reported that over 200,000 people a year enter a hospital with antidepressant-associated mania and/or psychosis. The subsequent harm from this prescribing can be seen in these 2400+ stories.
This web site focuses on the Selective
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), of which Prozac was the first. Other SSRIs are Zoloft, Paxil (Seroxat), Celexa, Sarafem (Prozac in a pink
pill), Lexapro, and Luvox. Other newer antidepressants included in this list are Remeron, Anafranil and the SNRIs Effexor, Serzone and Cymbalta as well as the dopamine
reuptake inhibitor antidepressant Wellbutrin (also marketed as Zyban). The Physicians' Desk Reference lists the following adverse reactions (side effects) to antidepressants among a host of other physical and neuropsychiatric effects:
Adverse reactions are most likely to occur when
starting or discontinuing the drug, increasing or lowering the dose or when switching
from one SSRI to another. Adverse reactions are often diagnosed as
bipolar disorder when the symptoms may be entirely iatrogenic (treatment
induced).
Withdrawal, especially abrupt withdrawal, from
any of these medications can cause severe neuropsychiatric and physical
symptoms. It is important to withdraw extremely slowly from these drugs, often
over a period of a year or more, under the supervision of a qualified and
experienced specialist, if available.
Most of the stories on this site describe events that occurred after the year 2000. The increase in online news material and the efficiency of search engines has greatly increased the ability to track stories. Even these 2400+ documented stories only represent the tip of an iceberg since most stories do not make it into the media. There are 51 cases of bizarre behavior, 46 school shootings/incidents, 51 road rage tragedies, 11 air rage incidents, 36 postpartum depression cases, over 500 murders (homicides), over 180 murder-suicides and other acts of violence including workplace violence on this site. There is a grave concern among advocates that adverse reactions are greatly underestimated by the public, the medical profession, and the regulatory authorities. Each of these stories in our list can be interpreted as an adverse reaction and in most cases we have highlighted the portion of the article that refers to evidence of bizarre behavioral change consistent with drug reaction. In some stories causation is acknowledged and the juxtaposition of these stories with those where it goes unrecognized as well as the repetition of themes and circumstances is chilling. If indeed medications played a significant role in all these tragedies, then this is a public health problem of epidemic proportions on a global scale. To enter the site, click on the button below. This will bring up the site index. The index contains 5 columns, each with its own column header displayed in red. Clicking on the column header will re-sort the index according to that heading. A link to the complete media article or testimony, often with a summary heading, is available by clicking on the "What" column entry displayed in blue. There are 2 flags set in the index which have special meaning as follows:
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1 Klein DF, Fink M.
Psychiatric Reaction Patterns to Imipramine. Am Journal Psychiatry 1962; 119:
432-438  | ||||
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