Traumatic brain injury/psych drug brain injury (protracted withdrawal) — very similar apparently

I came across an article that’s very extensive and actually quite helpful in terms of tips and validation about the vast myriad of possible manifestations of injury after an insult to the brain. It’s written about the more conventional traumatic brain injury, you know, car accidents and violent blows to the head. You will see that our pharmaceutical brain injuries are very similar in terms of “symptoms” and I think sometimes we have additional really horrible strange somatic stuff that defies articulation …

October 20, 2018

“Pseudo-Autism” as a result of psych drug injury (another consideration in protracted withdrawal syndrome from psych meds)

I found this article at Mad in America quite fascinating and on point. I hadn’t heard the term pseudo-autism but it’s exactly my experience too. I’m sharing the link to the article and my comment in response to the article here. …

April 10, 2017

The isolation and sense of abandonment many people deal with when sick with protracted withdrawal illness.

The isolation and sense of abandonment many people deal with when sick with protracted withdrawal illness. This is a collection of posts that were all very popular and broadly shared among people in protracted withdrawal illness on community boards. I also still get people writing to me and asking me to remind me where they… Continue Reading →

October 14, 2015

Psychiatric drug withdrawal and protracted withdrawal syndrome round-up

This is a copy of the original post that’s located in the drop-down menus at the top of this page. This page is regularly updated. Below the initial commentary is a collection of links with lots of information to better inform the reader on psychiatric drug withdrawal. Educating oneself and preparing for a safer taper… Continue Reading →

October 1, 2015

To those suffering acute and protracted withdrawal symptoms… (it gets better!)

When I was at the height of this illness (I had over 50 severe and disabling symptoms) I felt hateful, bitter and angry…and most of those emotions were caused by what some of us call “neuro-emotions” meaning they were grossly exaggerated because of the condition and the brain/neurological injury that so many of us are dealing with. Believe me I did not always deal with this iatrogenic injury with anything resembling grace.

So, yes, I have hope for everyone. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

May 11, 2013

When you’re ill: how can you ask for help? (chronic illness and protracted withdrawal syndromes)

I’m sharing another one of Toni Bernhard’s, author of How to Be Sick, helpful posts from Psychology Today. In this post she talks about how when one is ill and someone offers to help we often have to, in turn, help them out and let them know what we need. I have, indeed, found this to be true. (commentary and links to other posts on the subject)

February 7, 2012

Protracted withdrawal from SSRIs and SNRIs antidepressants

Antidepressant withdrawal syndrome itself has nothing to do with the mythical imbalance of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine that antidepressants are supposed to treat. It is autonomic damage: Disinhibition of the locus coeruleus and the glutamatergic system, which develops in the context of serotonin receptor downregulation, a recognized consequence of antidepressant use.

For some people, it takes a long time for the serotonin receptors to correct. Without adequate serotonergic participation, other systems take over and establish a dysfunctional homeostasis.

July 28, 2011

Some words written to someone in protracted psychiatric drug withdrawal…

I’ve added a “protracted withdrawal” link to the drop-down menus above. I wanted to call attention to it and so I’m also sharing a bit of correspondence I recently had with an injured comrade with protracted withdrawal syndrome below. …

November 3, 2018

Will these symptoms ever go away? (chronic illness and protracted psych drug withdrawal syndrome)

A question asked: (Withdrawing from psychiatric drugs) caused chronic fatigue, muscle pain, burning skin and brain fog. I NEVER had any of these symptoms prior to meds or during meds. I guess the thing I worry about is if your body can truly heal from these symptoms. Can they go away on their own? Can they go away with time?

my answer:

We need to learn to listen to and cooperate with our nervous systems…and heal…in the way that they dictate. This will be different for everyone and therein lies the challenge. …

November 22, 2016

The aftermath: polypharmacology — protracted psychiatric drug withdrawal syndrome

This was first published on David Healy’s site, RxIsk: Making Medicine’s Safer for All of Us, about 4 years ago. I’ve never published it on this site and thought I’d do so now so that it will be part of the archives here as well. It’s a memoir of sorts up to that point 4 years ago.

March 23, 2016

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