Your Drug May Be Your Problem: How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications

Breggin definitely has a strong and outspoken position against psychiatric drugs. He presents many insights on psychiatric that are difficult to find elsewhere. He has objection to the affect many psychiatric drugs have in slowing down, tranquilizing the mind, making individuals feel "not themselves", that lose part of your mind or use of it when on strong psychotropic drugs. He believes that it is more important to make changes in your life, fight your way through it rather than depend on psychiatric drugs.Breggin's wording is often politically incorrect, his facts are sometimes accurate, sometimes he makes sweeping statements based on his perspective that may not be entirely true in all cases. To the extent that the psychiatric world makes sweeping claims about the alleged effectiveness of medication, Breggin skews in the opposite direction. In the opinion of this review, Breggin's side is closer to the truth, but he would do well also to present both sides of the issue and promulgate his ideas more reasonably, substantiate claims with more documented proof, which there often is beyond anecdotal accounts. If he did that he would attract less enemies. Breggin also comes across egotistical referring to his explanations as "my" theory that others expounded on and got the credit. He would do better to stick to expounding his ideas than taking credit for himself.In any case, Your Drug May Be Your Problem presents strong reasons to reconsider taking psychiatric medications, and to cast a shadow of doubt on 21st century psychiatry with its emphasis on labeling and drugging. That one of the motivations for such an approach, when there are many other approaches that are more valid and effective, is economics, that is big money for Big Pharm, is, at this point, indisputable. That Big Pharm manipulates or hides data in order to get psychiatric drugs on the market or expand their markets is also well-proven, not only by Breggin, but by a larger body of evidence, since the time this book was written. While Breggin is dogmatic, he also raises many potent arguments.

All I can say is I was validated by this book as I watched in tears,fears and questions as my once almost perfect loving husband became everything he never was. Cold,cruel,forgetful,no empathy,no remorse,no conscience and even explaining and trying to point it out doesn't help. I have lost him. I fear he is gone forever. After 40 years of what was a blessed ( or should have been) life and children and now grandchildren the bizarre and out of character behavior destroyed our lives and that of the whole family. Took me years to figure it out and I had an aha moment that the nightmare started with the psyche drugs. I truly believe he has permanent brain damage. Impossible to have a heart to heart or a reasonable conversation . There is no reasoning nor rational discussion about ANY subject. It has ruined us and the family and our finances. EVERYTHING. SO sad. I blame ALL the shootings on these drugs. Horrible. Thank you for validating my years of reseach and aha moment Dr Breggin. I so which people realized this is a drugged nation ad it is all about BIG (multi-billions) money and BG business and they don't care that they have caused chemical lobotomies ( my term ) and family ruin not to mention the innocent victims in the path. They cause an "I don't give a S*&^" attitude and lack of enjoyment because as they numb your sad/bad feelings they also rob your joy and love of life and others. Must stop.Physician induced addictions with awful withdrawals the don't tell you. I know all my friends and there grown children are on them and didn't know but trusted there Dr. Hot flash medication turned out to be a psyche drug one my friends ended up in ER after not taking it and told she has to stay on it the rest of her life or have these awful withdrawals,even dangerous. :(

I take issue with Publisher's Weekly for saying the authors are dogmatic. Unfortunately, few people understand what is going on with the drug industry unless they've been caught up in the hell of drug discontinuation themselves.Many publications are afraid to speak out against the powerful drug companies. Some of these are supported by drug advertisements.Few doctors see what is happening because they are doublebooked, getting their patients in and out. Psychiatrists prescribe drugs all too easily. And many patients who take psych drugs are not supervised by their doctors to check for adverse affects.I salute Breggins and Cohen for taking risks to go against the powerful status quo. Because of them, people who have developed an accidental dependence on these drugs have somewhere to turn to figure out what to do.I tried the drug Effexor once, and I felt like jumping out the window. My doctor told me to keep taking it for two weeks to see if I adapted. I couldn't get through another day.I am also one of many who stumbled upon the drug Klonopin. I took it for a few months only, and it has taken me over two years to discontinue the drug. I'd previously taken tranquilizers with no problem stopping. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get violently ill while tapering off these drugs.I have met others in a similar situation who've been diagnosed "bi-polar" because the withdrawal symptoms from these drugs make people appear crazy. Consumers and their doctors need to learn the truth about these drugs. And Your Drug May Be Your Problem tells it like it is.After discussing symptoms caused by various psych drugs, the book explains how to taper with the 10 percent method and goes over symptoms of withdrawal. The authors give guidance to help therapists use other tools besides treating their patients with drugs. And finally, there are some great suggestions on how a depressed or anxious person may get back on track.Your Drug May Be Your Problem is a courageous book that will enlighten readers who have given control of their minds and bodies to their doctors, drug companies and the FDA.

I have read some of the books written by Dr Breggin, including the previous editions of this one and I am now reading his latest book "Brain Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry". In "Your drug may be your problem" both Breggin and Cohen explain what exactly these drugs do to the body and mind and give comprehensive information invaluable to start a meaningful collaboration with your psychiatrist if you are under treatment and wish to quit these drugs to recover your life. I have had the disgusting experience of witnessing psychiatric drug damage unfolding upon people - sometimes with fatal results - in various UK psychiatric hospitals over the last 12 years, thus I can identify well with the dangers Breggin points out. From this experience, I recommend the book to anyone - whether as a professional or patient - having a link with this profession. I very much like the unbiased and uncomplicated explanations. The only minus points in the book are that you get the impression it is written for americans whereas it has made the bookshelves in many parts of the world, plus the lack of professional points of contact and treatment in Europe and elsewhere from professionals who believe that there is a life without drugs and that drugs do not resolve emotional problems, they worsen them. Some patient readers would be glad to know where to go for help locally without having to travel to New York to find a sympathetic professional.

a great item sold at a reasonable price

Awesome book on "Big Pharma"!Peter Breggin is right on the money,yes,-(pun intended!!).

Read a few times, and helpful to me in my circumstances. Very biased. I did follow some guidelines in the book.

shows the dangers of psychological drugs a pattern that has been repeated throughout time