PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS Destroying Lives

Anyone who has pushed their way through the �clinical pharmacology� section of drug information packaging to read the list of �adverse reactions,� knows that �informed consent� is something of a misnomer. In the case of the elderly it is a cruel charade. For ease of reference, the following is a partial list of the side effects of psychiatric drugs routinely prescribed for seniors:

Minor Tranquilizers

Minor tranquilizers or benzodiazepines can cause lethargy, lightheadedness, confusion, nervousness, sexual problems, hallucinations, nightmares, severe depression, extreme restless- ness, insomnia, nausea and muscle tremors. Epileptic seizures and death have resulted from suddenly stopping the use of minor tranquilizers. Thus, it is important to cease taking these drugs only under proper medical supervision, even if the drugs have only been taken for a couple of weeks.

Major Tranquilizers

Major tranquilizers, also called antipsychotics, or �neuroleptics� (nerve-seizing), frequently cause difficulty in thinking, poor concentration, nightmares, emotional dullness, depression, despair and sexual dysfunction. Physically, they can cause tardive dyskinesia�sudden, uncontrollable, painful muscle cramps and spasms, writhing, squirming, twisting and grimacing movements, especially of the legs, face, mouth and tongue, drawing the face into a hideous scowl. They also induce akathisia, a severe restlessness that studies show can cause agitation and psychosis. A potentially fatal effect is �Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome,� which includes muscle rigidity, altered mental states, irregular pulse or blood pressure and cardiac problems. Moreover, silent coronary death � � may be one of the most serious threats of prolonged drug use,� according to William H. Philpott, M.D. and Dwight K. Kalita, Ph.D., in Brain Allergies.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants (tricyclics) can cause sedation, drowsiness, lethargy, difficulty thinking, confusion, poor concentration, memory problems, nightmares, panic feelings and extreme restlessness; also delusions, manic reactions, delirium, seizures, fever, lowered white blood cell count (with risks of infection), liver damage, heart attacks, strokes, violence and suicidal ideation.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants can cause headaches, nausea, anxiety and agitation, insomnia and bizarre dreams, loss of appetite, impotence and confusion. It is estimated that between 10% and 25% of SSRI users experience akathisia, often in conjunction with suicidal thoughts, hostility and violent behavior. Withdrawal syndromes are estimated to affect up to 50% of patients, depending on the particular SSRI drug. In 1998, Japanese researchers also reported in Lancet, the journal of the British Medical Association, that substantial amounts of these antidepressants can accumulate in the lungs and may be released in toxic levels when a second antidepressant is prescribed.

Newer Antipsychotics

One in every 145 patients who entered clinical trials for four atypical (new) antipsychotic drugs died, yet those deaths were never mentioned in the scientific literature. Thirty-six patients involved in the clinical trials committed suicide. Eighty-four patients experienced a �serious adverse event� of some type, which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines as a life-threatening event, or one that requires hospitalization. Nine percent of the patients dropped out of the clinical trials because of adverse events, which was a similar rate to those treated with the older antipsychotics� therefore, there was no greater improvement over the older treatments, as originally touted.

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