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A link to the Akathisia Anthem is now live on the RxISK Akathisia page which includes more details on D.I.E.T. Pills. There is a parallel post on RxISK and will be follow up posts here and on RxISK over the next two weeks. AKATHISIA ANTHEM LYRICS: Akathisia, Akathisia You make me wanna Make me wanna Akathisia Thank you doctor for this little pill But the fact of the … [Read more...] about A.K.A.thisia: Drug Induced Emotional Turmoil – D.I.E.T.

The idea of managing lethal epidemics by imposing a quarantine flourished in Italy in the fourteenth century.  In their efforts to control the plague, Italian towns regularly put blocks on trade particularly maritime traffic from affected areas. This seemed sensible and may have worked to some extent. But if you don't know what is in fact going on it, it is rarely … [Read more...] about The Hot Zone: Quarantining Girls

A recent BBC File on Four program on Antidepressants in Children, presented by Paul Connolly, has drawn disparaging comments on posts here. Here is some background detail.  I was interviewed for the program.  My messages were as follows: That the trials of Prozac in children were identical to the trials of other SSRIs and other antidepressant drugs in this age group - … [Read more...] about In the Name of the BBC

Editorial: This post comes from a Belgian colleague. Belgium's best-selling pop singer Stromae has been talking about his drug-induced illness all over the media since last year. He claims the anti-malaria drug Lariam (mefloquine) made him instantly psychotic and caused long-term anxiety problems which have already persisted for 3 years after stopping the drug, and still … [Read more...] about Everyone is Equal?

Editorial Note:  This post from Leemon McHenry celebrates Marion Lilley and the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine.  It has a direct link to the issues in the last two posts on suicide in children and how and why we hide problems - The Spectre of Dissent. Most people trust that medical and scientific journals are reliable sources of knowledge.  In the age … [Read more...] about Villains and Heroes: Academic Thuggery

The last post The Greatest Failure of What Used to be called Medicine provoked a lot of comment - or at least the photographic images in it did.  There was little discussion about the content of the post and what to do about the spectre of bureaucrats in the guideline and the regulatory apparatus hanging together when it comes to something like children hanging after … [Read more...] about The Spectre of Dissent

A little over a year ago, the British Minister for Health, Jeremy Hunt, said children's mental health was the greatest failing of the NHS. Teenagers, primarily girls, are being seen by family doctors and referred to the secondary mental health services.  The waits are so long, they attempt suicide by the time they get seen.  A growing number succeed. This is happening … [Read more...] about The Greatest Failure in What used to be Called Medicine

Last week's post - 18 percent - raised questions about company sponsorship and seeming patient empowerment websites.  A comment by Johanna Ryan afterwards kicked off this follow-up post. Johnson & Johnson gave NAMI $340,000 last year, and $540,000 in … [Read more...] about Recovery from Psychosis

Listen my doctor and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.... You know the rest. In the books you have read How the British regulars fired and fled, — How the farmers gave them ball for ball, From behind each fence and farmyard-wall, Chasing the red-coats down the lane, Then crossing the fields to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And … [Read more...] about Listen doctor and you shall hear

Having previously completed a Masters in Psychology degree, a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and worked in the addiction fields for 8 years in the UK and Ireland, Martin worked as a ‘Peer Support Specialist’ for a year while in New Zealand.  Due to his criticism of approaches in mental health and the damage he saw being inflicted on people, he left this position … [Read more...] about Being the Right Peer