The Antidepressant Fact Book by Breggin, Peter -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page A Reader Alert Acknowledgments Introduction: Drug Facts You Cannot Get Anywhere Else

Too Little Skepticism Unique Sources of Information Getting Inside the Drug Companies Hiding the Facts Quietly Settling the Cases

One: The Meaning and Purpose of Depression

The Most Common Causes of Depressed Feelings Mired Down in Depressed Feelings The Special Vulnerability of Depressed Children When Nothing Helps … Not a Disease Even Whole Cultures Depression Occurs in a Context Selling “Depression” as a Disease The “official” Definition of Depression and Antidepressant Unanswered Questions From Bile to Biochemical Imbalances The Search for Biological Markers for Depression The Pet Scan Scam If the Drugs “Work,” It's Biological The Meaning and Purpose of Depression

Two: Damaging the Brain with Ssri Antidepressants

The Myth That Millions of Users Are Living Proof of a Drug's Safety Closely Related Drugs How Ssris Work The Nature of Serotonin Limits of the Serotonin Theory The Complexity of the Serotonin System Disrupting the Serotonin System The Brain Fights Back Evidence for Permanent Damage and Dysfunction from Ssris More Evidence for Ssri-Induced Brain Damage Drug Company Responses to the Danger of Permanent Damage Looking for the Critical Research Anticipating the Nature of Permanent Dysfunction We Know Enough to Be Concerned

Three: Dangerously Stimulating the Brain and Mind with Antidepressants1

No Scientific Doubt All of the Ssris The Stimulant Profile Causing Mania Burying the Mania Threat Hiding the Truth from the Beginning Deciding to Cover Up the Stimulating Effects Dissent Within the Fda Summing Up the Stimulant Pattern The Insidious Danger of Akathisia Variability in Patient Reactions

Four: Multiple Additional Risks When Taking Ssri Antidepressants

Lemonade out of Lemons Common Adverse Reactions in the Body1 Cardiovascular and Bleeding Problems More Prozac Problems Extrapyramidal Reactions and Tardive Dyskinesia Fertility, Pregnancy, and Nursing Pituitary Gland Dysfunction Throughout the Body

Five: How Ssri Antidepressants Can Ruin Love and Family Life

Impairing Our Self-Perception Love and the Brain The Mechanism of Ssri Sexual Dysfunction Ssri Indifference

Six: Depression and Suicide Caused by Antidepressants

The Fda Knew from the Beginning Learning from Science and Clinical Experience Many Drugs Cause Depression Antidepressants, Mania, and Depression Prozac-Induced Suicide More Evidence from Drug Company Data Confirming Antidepressant-Induced Suicide The “Smoking Gun” Driving Patients to Suicide with Akathisia Additional Reports Confirming Antidepressant-Induced Suicidality Seeking a Suicide-Free Prozac Making People More Depressed with Antidepressants The Mechanism of Causing Depression and Suicide Antidepressants Do Not Prevent Suicide

Seven: Criminal Behavior and Violence Caused by Antidepressants

Playing at Being “The Saint” Taking Care of the Dog Ending in Physical Violence A Natural Desire to Hold People Responsible Antidepressants, Mania, and Violence The Danger of Agitated Depression Fda Recognition of Drug-Induced Violence Drug Mechanisms for Causing Violence Epidemiological Evidence from the Fda

Eight: Dangerous Drug Interactions and a Genetic Vulnerability to Severe Ssri Toxicity

The Serotonin Syndrome: Much Too Much of a Supposedly Good Thing More than the Liver Can Handle A Missing Enzyme in the Liver More than the Plasma Proteins Can Contain

Nine: Special Dangers of Treating Children with Ssris

Growing Numbers of Children on Ssris Hazards to the Child's Brain The Vulnerability of Children to Adverse Reactions Confusing the Issue of Drug-Induced Mania in Children Ssris and School Shooters Scientific Reports Linking Ssris to School Shootings Allowing the Prescription of Unauthorized Drugs to Children Evidence for the Usefulness of Ssris for Children A Situation Entirely Out of Control Forcing Parents to Drug Their Children

Ten: Withdrawal Problems When Stopping Antidepressants

How Drugs Cause Withdrawal Reactions An Example from a Non-Prescription Drug Lack of Physician Awareness Rebound Versus Withdrawal Interdose Withdrawal Withdrawal from the Older “Tricyclic” Antidepressants Ssri Withdrawal Symptoms The Most Common Ssri Withdrawal Problems The Most Dangerous Ssri Withdrawal Reactions Differences in Withdrawal Reactions Among Ssris The Danger of Irreversible Withdrawal Reactions Anticipating How You Might React to Withdrawal How to Handle Withdrawal from Ssris Ten Principles for Withdrawing from Psychiatric Drugs

Eleven: Physical Conditions That Cause or Worsen Depression

The Elusive Biochemical Imbalance Physical Disorders that Can Cause Depression Medications as the Cause of Depressed Feelings Psychiatric Drugs Known to Cause or Worsen Depression Recreational Drugs That Can Cause Depression Medical Disorders That Commonly Cause Depression The Importance of a Good Medical Evaluation Diet and Depression

Twelve: No Such Thing As an Antidepressant

Reviewing All the Recent Fda Studies Drug Company Tricks More Evidence That Antidepressants Do Not Work Growing Recognition of Drug Company Influence The Myth That Drugs Are Tested on Thousands of People Before They Are Approved The Myth That Millions of Users Are Living Proof of a Drug's Efficacy Ssris as Panacea The Limits of Fda Approval

Thirteen: From Lobotomy to Electroshock and Brain Stimulation

Stopping Psychosurgery on Little Children Taking on the Harvard Surgeons Deep Brain Stimulation Causing Insanity Trying to Stop Shock Treatment Electrical Closed-Head Injury The Targets of Shock Treatment Failing to Tell the Truth Scientific Evidence for Brain Damage and Dysfunction from Shock The Promotional Campaign for Shock Treatment Ect for Suicide Prevention Committing Violence Under the Influence of Shock Treatment What Should Be Done About Shock Treatment? Transcranial Stimulation Light Therapy Your Doctor's Condition

Fourteen: The Safety and Efficacy of Natural Remedies

The Usefulness of Some “Alternative” Treatments St. John's Wort Other Remedies

Fifteen: How Drug Companies Can Deceive the Courts, the Medical Profession, and the Public

Caught in the Middle of a Fix Withholding Evidence from Their Own Expert The Testimony The Jury Verdict The Final Outcome My Own Reactions The Growing Impact of Drug Companies The Role of the Federal Government

Sixteen: How to Overcome Depression: Suggestions for Patients and Therapists Alike

The Moral Context of Therapy Drugs Versus Therapy and Life Psychotherapy for Depression What to Expect from the Therapy Relationship The Effect of Depressing Personal Relationships The Effect of Depressing Therapy Relationships Identifying Depressing Relationships Helping Very Depressed People Welcoming the Depressed Feelings Dealing with Emotional Emergencies Expressing My Views on Drugs to Patients A Few Words for Therapists The Importance of Limiting the Therapy Relationship Love Is Not Enough The Importance of Relationship The Challenge of Being an Ethical Person and Therapist Doctors: Who Practice Drug-Free Therapy

Appendix A Appendix B Notes

Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15

Bibliography Index About the Author

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