28th March 2005
Actually, Dr. Breggin isn't alone. Dr. Fred Baughman, Dr. Ann Tracy, Dr. Joseph Glenmullin, Dr. David Healy, Prof. Heather Ashton are just a few who have spoken out against the ill effects of psych drugs.
I've known people who have become manic and suicidal on SSRi's with no previous history of such. The ones that stayed on the drugs got pegged with a new bi-polar diagnosis, the ones that discontinued the drugs had the mania and suicidal feelings dissapper! Gone. Finito. How about that?
I'm just pointing out that although there are extremist views on these drugs, some of it is actually quite valid and backed with studies and research. Many personal stories point to this as well.
Now, granted, some people do just fine on the drugs and so be it, but I think we should listen to those "extremists" because we need to know both the good side AND the bad side of these drugs. Anything is possible since they can't really test for serotonin or any other neurotransmitter level to determine the proper levels, unlike diabetes, where the levels have been well established and the diabetic can administer the right amount of insulin by testing his own sugar levels everyday.
Serotonin itself can also be a detrement to one's health . It is a powerful vasoconstictor. Vasoconstriction raises blood pressure, it also forces the heart to work harder to pump the blood through the constricted vessels. Serotonin also is the neurotransmitter affected by LSD; poor metabolism of SSRi's over time could lead to too much serotonin in the brain which could cause depersonalization or possibly hallucination, irrational thought, sometime euphoric/manic behaviors which now they feel could not only cause suicidal feelings but maybe homicidal as well.
That last one gets to me. Eric Harris of the Columbine shooting was on Luvox; it seems many of these young shooters are on some SSRI, now the latest one in the news was on Prozac. One could say they would have done what they did anyway, but the mania that SSRi's can certainly cause or exasperate such behaviors. This becomes then, not an issue of the individual on the drug, but an issue of society where innocent people may be harmed. I'm guessing if it continues we will start seeing more lawsuits over SSRi induced homicides in the future.
So I'm thinking most children are better off without SSRi's unless there is extreme, dire need. In those cases, voluntary, not mandatory, testing should be available to everyone even without insurance.
I've known people who have become manic and suicidal on SSRi's with no previous history of such. The ones that stayed on the drugs got pegged with a new bi-polar diagnosis, the ones that discontinued the drugs had the mania and suicidal feelings dissapper! Gone. Finito. How about that?
I'm just pointing out that although there are extremist views on these drugs, some of it is actually quite valid and backed with studies and research. Many personal stories point to this as well.
Now, granted, some people do just fine on the drugs and so be it, but I think we should listen to those "extremists" because we need to know both the good side AND the bad side of these drugs. Anything is possible since they can't really test for serotonin or any other neurotransmitter level to determine the proper levels, unlike diabetes, where the levels have been well established and the diabetic can administer the right amount of insulin by testing his own sugar levels everyday.
Serotonin itself can also be a detrement to one's health . It is a powerful vasoconstictor. Vasoconstriction raises blood pressure, it also forces the heart to work harder to pump the blood through the constricted vessels. Serotonin also is the neurotransmitter affected by LSD; poor metabolism of SSRi's over time could lead to too much serotonin in the brain which could cause depersonalization or possibly hallucination, irrational thought, sometime euphoric/manic behaviors which now they feel could not only cause suicidal feelings but maybe homicidal as well.
That last one gets to me. Eric Harris of the Columbine shooting was on Luvox; it seems many of these young shooters are on some SSRI, now the latest one in the news was on Prozac. One could say they would have done what they did anyway, but the mania that SSRi's can certainly cause or exasperate such behaviors. This becomes then, not an issue of the individual on the drug, but an issue of society where innocent people may be harmed. I'm guessing if it continues we will start seeing more lawsuits over SSRi induced homicides in the future.
So I'm thinking most children are better off without SSRi's unless there is extreme, dire need. In those cases, voluntary, not mandatory, testing should be available to everyone even without insurance.