Stolen Lives Goes Global

This post is written by Katinka Newman.  It links to Prescribed Harm Awareness Day on RxISK.

Three years ago, on 29 July, a small group of us gathered together in Hyde Park, London. It was something we set up through Antidepressant Risks, the not-for-profit I founded to improve informed consent around antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs, raise awareness of their potential harms and adverse effects, and give voice to those whose experiences are overlooked or dismissed.

There was no stage, no formal programme, no infrastructure. Just people who had been affected, directly or indirectly, by prescribed medication and who feel something important is missing from public conversation.

What is missing was space to acknowledge harms that are often misunderstood, minimised, or overlooked altogether. Space to speak openly about experiences that do not fit neatly into prevailing narratives. Space to remember those who are no longer here.

That first picnic was simple, informal, and quietly powerful. People came with their own stories, their own losses, their own questions. Some spoke. Some listened. Some brought photos of those who had lost lives lost to prescribed drug harm.  Some simply sat in the presence of others who understood in a way that is hard to explain unless you have lived it.

What began as a small gathering has, over the past three years, grown steadily. Each year, more people have found their way to the Stolen Lives picnic. Some are individuals who have experienced adverse drug reactions or difficult withdrawal. Others are family members who have lost loved ones and are trying to make sense of what happened.

What connects them is not a single viewpoint or ideology. It is a shared recognition that the story of antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs is more complex than it is often presented, and that within that complexity, there are lives that have been profoundly affected.

Through Antidepressant Risks, we have tried to hold that space and open conversations.

This year marks a significant evolution.

For the first time, we are hosting a dedicated Stolen Lives London Talks event in collaboration with A Disorder 4 Everyone ahead of the picnic. There will be a number of guest speakers, both experts and those with lived experience and it will take place in a private venue, creating a more structured space for reflection, learning, and dialogue before we move to Hampstead Heath for the informal picnic gathering.

Alongside this, what started in Hyde Park has resonated far beyond one city. People in different parts of the world who have been following Stolen Lives are asking how they might take part.  In response, we have launched the first Stolen Lives Global Picnic through Antidepressant Risks.

On 29 July, Prescribed Harm Day, we are inviting individuals and communities around the world to host their own Stolen Lives gatherings. These can be as simple or as structured as people wish. A few people meeting in a local park. A small group gathering in a garden, a beach, a woodland, a public green space.

Picnics have been organised in Michigan, Corsica, Lyon, Vancouver, Australia, the Netherlands and the United States.

There is no requirement to replicate London. Quite the opposite. The global picnic is designed to be decentralised, flexible, and locally led. What matters is creating a space, however small, where people can come together to acknowledge harm that is often invisible and remember those who have died.

In a world where much of our discourse takes place online, gathering physically, even in small numbers allows for conversations that are harder to have in digital spaces. It creates a sense of shared reality that cannot be replicated through screens.

At the same time, the global nature of this initiative reflects a wider truth.

By inviting people to host their own picnics, we are not attempting to build a centralised movement with a single voice. We are creating a framework within which many voices can be heard, sharing stories and remembering lives.  In a culture that often moves quickly past discomfort, there is value in pausing and saying, collectively, that these experiences matter and that they deserve to be seen, heard, and understood.

Wherever you are, our invitation is simple – join us, mark the day and create a space. Behind every statistic is a life, and a story that deserves to be acknowledged.

For more information about Stolen Lives visit AntidepressantRisks.org.  Below is a precis.

For the third consecutive year, Antidepressant Risks will mark Prescribed Harm Day on 29 July by hosting its annual Stolen Lives Picnics. The picnic is a community gathering dedicated to remembering those harmed by prescribed medications and supporting those still living with the consequences.

Held each year on Prescribed Harm Day, the Stolen Lives Picnics provide a welcoming space where people can connect with others who understand their experiences. Attendees are invited to share their stories if they wish, remember loved ones, or simply spend time in the company of others who have been affected by prescribed drug harm.

The first Stolen Lives Picnic took place on 29 July 2024 in London’s Hyde Park. Organised by the charity Antidepressant Risks, it brought together families, individuals, and campaigners to honour those whose lives have been impacted by prescribed medications.

Since then, the event has continued to grow. This year, the London programme has expanded to include a morning of talks from leading voices in psychiatry, psychology, lived experience, and advocacy, followed by the much-loved Stolen Lives Picnic on Hampstead Heath. In addition, sister picnics will be held in several countries around the world, reflecting the growing international recognition of prescribed medication harm.

The London Talks will feature presentations from:

• Dr Anders Sørensen – Psychiatrist, researcher and author specialising in antidepressant tapering and withdrawal.
• Dr Sami Timimi –  Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and a recognised critic of the medicalisation of mental distress.
• Lucy Johnstone –  Clinical Psychologist and co-author of the Power Threat Meaning Framework.
• Catherine Heseltine – Campaigner, advocate and lived-experience speaker.
• Martin Kingston – Campaigner and advocate who shares his personal experience.
• Katinka Blackford Newman – Founder of Antidepressant Risks, journalist and the author of The Pill That Steals Lives
• Dr Simon Opher MP – General Practitioner and Member of Parliament, who will deliver a pre-recorded address.

The event will also feature live piano performances by acclaimed pianist and composer Rieko Makita, providing moments of reflection throughout the programme.

Tickets for the London Talks have sold out, but the talks will be live streamed via the Antidepressant Risks Facebook page, allowing everyone to take part remotely and you can still get into the picnic.

For more information on Stolen Lives Picnics Around the World 

• London Picnic: https://buytickets.at/antidepressantrisks/2117994
• Facebook Live (London Talks):
• https://www.facebook.com/people/Antidepressant-Risks/61559777120855/
• Michigan: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/antidepressantrisks1/2089702
• Bastia, Corsica:
• https://www.tickettailor.com/events/mannonigilles/2214340
• Lyon, France:
• https://www.tickettailor.com/events/antidepressantrisks2/2197823
• The Netherlands:
• https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeaJtr8cwxKr3HahyXBsQxWofswsduTM1wi76_ulK05VXA96w/viewform
• Vancouver: Contact Yassie at info@willowleafcounselling.ca
• or katie.r.collingwood@gmail.com
• Melbourne: https://events.humanitix.com/stolen-lives-global-picnic

While inexpensive, these events still cost money to organize and support,  Katinka would appreciate all donations to AntidepressantRisks.