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Medication Madness: The Role of Psychiatric Drugs in Cases of Violence, Suicide, and Crime |  | Author: Peter Breggin
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Category: Book
List Price: $17.95
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Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 46815
Media: Paperback
Pages: 400
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6 x 1.1
ISBN: 031256550X
Dewey Decimal Number: 616
EAN: 9780312565503
Publication Date: May 26, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In Medication Madness, psychiatrist Peter R. Breggin, M.D., describes how people taking psychiatric medication can experience abnormal behavioral reactions, including suicide, violence, emotional breakdowns, and criminal acts. Dr. Breggin explains his concept of ?medication spellbinding?: individuals taking psychiatric drugs may have no idea whatsoever that their mental conditions are deteriorating and that their actions are no longer under control. He proves his argument by documenting dozens of cases from his practice and his consultations in legal cases. Reading like a thriller, the book also examines how the FDA, the pharmaceutical industry, and the medical establishment continue to oversell the value of these drugs, and he provides information on how to safely stop taking psychiatric medications. Medication Madness is a compelling and frightening read as well as a cautionary tale about our reliance on medicine to fix what ails us.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 14
How can you not give it 5 stars? September 26, 2009
J. Gonzalez (USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Medication Madness as people before me have stated, is long overdue. Unfortunately its the FDA and other government agencies that have gone "private", and not protecting the needs of its own citizens. It is sad that You have this author battling drug companies in court. It should be the FDA that handles these matters, sadly, they do nothing when they are seduced by big pharma money. If people wonder why our economy is going out the window, this book helps explain one aspect of the curruption that is desatroying our nation. Nothing is inevitable, Breggin has been talking bout the dangers against psychiatric meds before popular prozac came out, and finally FDA in 20004 issued mandatory black box warnings on all newer antidepressants.
[...]. It is just plain immoral to think that this well researched book is a load of [...]. Because surely the judges thought differently case after case, giving each plaintiff modified sentences.
If you dont know anyone who is on pshychiatric meds, chances are you will run into one on the freeway, or at a bar. Our society is becoming medically numb. This debacle deserves 5 star attention
Eye opening July 18, 2009
Lucy (Lords Valley, PA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I picked this book up only because the title caught my eye on the bookshelf at the store. But I was hooked from that point on. I've known several people who have used psychiatric medications. Some had not had good results at all. One man commited suicide while on an anti depressant. Dr. Breggin believes in good psychology to help people, not in the theory that popping pills is the answer. I can't say I am totally against them. In a few cases maybe they are necessary but I really think that pills are far too easily prescribed. In my own experience I went to a doctor with fatigue and insomnia. The first suggestion given to me was sleeping pills and anti depressants. I was floored! Dr. Breggin writes about many people he has treated (most to get off the drugs that were not helping them). There are people being destroyed with these drugs, not helped. There are some very scary example of people's lives that have been ruined because pills have been the "easy way out". Doctors are even misinformed about what they prescribe and sometimes raise doses because people start feeling worse and their situation gets worse as they are prescribed even higher doses of meds. It's a great book. I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you're thinking about these meds and don't really know anything about them. Very interesting even if you don't know anyone involved with meds.
 A tough call November 17, 2008
John Andrew Moss (Barcelona, Spain)
11 out of 21 found this review helpful
In all of his books Breggin presents pretty good arguments that: 1) The research methods involved in many of these drugs is questionable and, 2) Psychiatric drugs are without a doubt over prescribed. I also think he makes a good argument about these drugs actually "disabling" the brain when used for long term treatment. Any doctor telling you that SSRI's are the way to "deal with every day life problems" is simply wrong.
I do not however buy into violence/suicide argument nor do I accept that these drugs serve no purpose at all. Drug intervention in cases of extreme depression has saved thousands of lives as is evidenced by the reduction in suicide rates in many Eastern European countries since the widespread introduction of SSRI's in the mid-late 1990's. The black box warning and subsequent fall of SSRI prescriptions in the United States in the early 2000's was followed by an increase in teenage suicide rates. Both of these examples could certainly make your question the "uselessness" of these drugs.
Is it possible that the unsupervised use of these drugs may have played a part in the violent and suicidal behavior in some of his cited cases? Yes, it is possible. But the argument that these drugs actually caused this behavior doesn't hold water. Any mental health expert will tell you that untreated extreme mental suffering creates the possibilty for horrific violence and suicide. It is now widely known that Columbine shooter Eric Harris was not a happy, well-adjusted kid who was suddenly turned into a homicidal maniac by taking an SSRI. He showed signs of being extremely depressed and full of anguish with a tendency for being violent well before seeing a psychiatrist.
To summarize, these drugs are not magic pills that make all your problems go away and "allow" you to live a happy life. They also are not the soul-stealing tools of the devil that people like Breggin make them out to be.
When used in the short term (6-8 months maximum), they can help people as a temporary crutch to help get out of an extreme depression and/or a crippling anxiety/panic disorder.
Beyond that, psychotherapy and lifestyle changes must take over as the primary treatment of mental and emotional problems.
Eye Opening! November 12, 2008
J. Hagg
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
"Medication Madness" is a must read book not only for those with loved ones taking psychiatric drugs or personally using them, but for all who want to discover the awful truth about these brain chemistry altering, most destructive substances. After reading this book, you will do everything you can to avoid ever having to take them. The book is full of true and extremely sad case hiarories of the destruction these drugs do to indiviuals and families.
Did you know the Eric Harris, who did the shootings at Colubine was on Luvox, which is
a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor? From what I have read, all of the school shootings, were committed by people on psychiatric medications. Dr. Bergen, a psychiatrist with a private practice, who also works as a medical examiner has testified in numerous court cases involving medication madness, including the one for Eric Harris.
Some of the side affects for Antidepressant medications, such as Luvox include:
1. Thoughts about suicide or dying
2. Attempts to commit suicide
3. New or worse depression
4. New or worse anxiety
5. Feeling very agitated or restless
6. Panic attacks
7. Acting aggressive, being angry or violent
8. Acting on dangerous impulses
9. An extreme increase in anxiety and talking
This is a list of the side affects for one type of psychiatric medication. You have varying toxic affects from different classes of psychiatric drugs. These classes of drugs include stimulants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and antipsychotic drugs (neuroleptics). Also, different people react to psychiatric medications differently. While some people kill themselves or other people, some people go through life in a fog; constantly tired, with failing memory, unable to make important decisions and live a productive, fulfillilng life. They may loose interest in devoloping and maintaining relationships. And as Dr. Breggin stresses, these drugs are not at all effective in treating the conditions they are presribed for.
The reason these drugs are used instead of counseling or other more effective treatment methods is they make big bucks for the drug companies. The drug manufacturers have their people working for the FDA and also do most of the testing for the effectiveness and side effects for new drugs. Any negative trial results are doctored to make the drugs appear effective and safe when this is rarely if ever the case. So the brunt of the blame for prescribing these toxic substances goes to the drug companies and not the doctors. My advice would be, if at all possible, stay away from both the drugs and the doctors. If you are already on psychiatric medications and dcide to quit them, Dr. Bergan says you need to seek professional help in doing so.
Medication Madness October 9, 2008
C. M. OKEEFE
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
It is a great read. This book opens your eyes to the danger
of psychiatric medication.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 14
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