Adults who start treatment with antidepressants for depression are 2.5 times more likely to attempt suicide when compared to placebo, according to new research published today in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. The study found that approximately 1 in every 200 people who start treatment will attempt suicide due to the pharmacologic effects of the […]
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Campaigning persuades Royal College of Psychiatrists to change its position on antidepressant withdrawal
Following campaigning by CEP, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence and numerous members of the #prescribedharm community, the Royal College of Psychiatrists has today changed its position on antidepressant withdrawal. It has issued a revised policy statement updating its guidance to doctors, and calls upon NICE to update its guidelines as well. […]
Don’t blame Brexit: doubling of antidepressant prescriptions in fact reflects longer-term use
The news that 70.9 million antidepressant prescriptions were dispensed in England last year – almost double the figure in 2008 – is an admission of failure. Some medical and mental health organisations have speculated that this rise reflects increased awareness of mental health problems and greater willingness to seek help, and others have even blamed […]
Tumbling Further Down the Rabbit Hole: the Disturbing World of Antidepressant Withdrawal Research
For those still interested in the recent antidepressant withdrawal debate, here is a new and important instalment. Before we get to the essential part, let us first recall that our systematic review in Addictive Behaviors (2018) showed, among other things, that around half of people who stop antidepressants experience withdrawal. This conclusion was critiqued in […]
Dr James Davies: Let’s be clear about pill shaming
Today the BBC published an article on ‘pill shaming‘, asking for us to put end to it. In short, it depicts a young woman talking about how certain people in her life (her family, friends and some strangers) have made her feel about taking antidepressants. Some implied that she should ‘try harder to make herself […]
CEP members response to recent complaints about PHE review
Dr James Davies, Prof John Read and Luke Montagu (members of CEP as well as the Expert Advisory Group for Public Health England’s review into prescribed drug dependence) would like to respond to criticisms of the PHE review raised by some campaigners. In our involvement with the PHE review to date we have encountered no evidence for what […]
Antidepressant withdrawal review: authors respond in detail to Mental Elf critique
In this response we will clearly evidence why Hayes and Jauhar’s blog critique of our systematic review was often factually incorrect and was replete with misrepresentations (and/or misunderstandings) that will lead some readers to conclude wrongly that our findings are not robust. The seven points we will make are that Hayes and Jauhar: 1) allege, without […]
Dr James Davies and Prof John Read respond to Mental Elf critique
We thank Hayes and Jauhar for blogging about our recently published systematic review about withdrawal from antidepressants thereby keeping the spotlight on a vitally important issue impacting millions of people around the world. After decades of silence and minimisation any discussion that maintains public attention is invaluable. We now invite them to do what is […]
CEP survey report shows that antidepressant withdrawal can devastate lives
The following is taken from the conclusion of a CEP survey report published today on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence entitled: ‘Antidepressant Withdrawal: A Survey of Patients’ Experience’: “The responses to this survey make clear the ruinous impact of antidepressant withdrawal on some individuals, as well as the failure of those […]
Research by CEP members reveals many doctors may be failing to warn patients about the risks of antidepressants
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence today publishes two new pieces of research, authored by members of CEP, which indicate that many doctors and psychiatrists may be failing to warn patients about the potential risks of antidepressants, and subsequently fail to recognise withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, sources of NHS support for patients, such […]