SSRIs and School Shootings, FDA Corruption, and Why Everyone on Anti-Depressants Is Totally Unhappy

The discussion delves into the widespread use and impact of SSRIs, highlighting a significant increase in prescriptions since the 1990s without corresponding improvements in mental health outcomes. Despite the intended purpose of reducing depression and suicide, the conversation suggests these drugs often lead to adverse effects, including emotional blunting, dependency, and severe withdrawal symptoms. The dialogue critiques the pharmaceutical industry's influence on psychiatry, emphasizing the need for addressing root causes of mental health issues rather than relying on medication. Concerns are raised about regulatory capture and the ethical implications of current psychiatric practices.

• Antidepressant use in the U.S. is significant, with 15-20% of the population currently taking these medications.
• There's been a dramatic increase in antidepressant use since the 1990s, with a 500% rise, yet mental health issues like suicide and disability have worsened.
• The intended effect of these drugs, to reduce suicide and improve mental health, appears to be failing.

"About 14% of the population total population of the total population is currently taking an anti-depressant medication currently. Yes. Yeah. And that was that's actually as of 2014 the numbers have gone up uh since co so I would say it's probably between 15 to 20% of the population is currently on those drugs are taking anti-depressants on a daily basis."

• This quote highlights the widespread use of antidepressants in the U.S., indicating a significant portion of the population relies on these medications.

"It's an enormous increase. It's it's likely you know last statistics I looked at I think it's about a 500% increase from where things were in the '90s in the early '90s."

• The quote underscores the massive rise in antidepressant prescriptions over the past few decades.

"No. there's actually more suicides, there's more disability from mental health uh problems and teen suicide is higher as well."

• Despite increased antidepressant use, mental health issues such as suicides and disabilities have not improved, suggesting the drugs may not be effective.

• SSRIs, developed in the 1950s and popularized by Prozac in 1987, work by modulating the serotonin system.
• They block serotonin re-uptake, increasing serotonin levels between neurons, which has a numbing effect on emotions.
• The chemical imbalance narrative was marketed to make patients comfortable with taking these drugs.

"SSRIs are uh kind of the latest iteration of anti depressants. They've been out since the '50s, but Prozac really changed history when when it came out in 1987."

• SSRIs have been around for decades, with Prozac marking a significant shift in their perception and use.

"This is was a drug that was designed to um modulate the serotonin system. This is by uh blocking serotonin re-uptake."

• The mechanism of SSRIs involves altering serotonin levels in the brain, which is central to their intended therapeutic effect.

"It's uh it's it's essentially just a a story that was sold the the chemical imbalance myth was a story that was sold to doctors and patients to make them feel better about taking drugs uh for their mood."

• The chemical imbalance theory was a marketing strategy rather than a scientifically proven fact, aimed at easing concerns about antidepressant use.

• The introduction of SSRIs shifted psychiatry from Freudian analysis to a focus on medication.
• Drug companies influenced this shift, promoting the idea of depression as a purely medical condition.
• The narrative discouraged exploring the social and psychological causes of depression.

"The idea it was Freudian psychiatry and the idea was we are going to treat the root causes now you would ever think of Freudian psychiatry or Freud or whatever but you know you'd sit on a couch and talk about your childhood like that would by addressing the root cause of your problems you would make it better."

• Freudian psychiatry focused on addressing root causes, which contrasts with the medication-centric approach that followed.

"All of a sudden you had a billion dollar war chest of marketing spend that was trying to seize control of the narrative about medications."

• Pharmaceutical companies invested heavily in promoting medication as the primary treatment for depression, changing public and professional perceptions.

"The message essentially came out that was this is a chemical imbalance. These are medical conditions, and if you say anything otherwise, you're stigmatizing the mentally ill."

• The chemical imbalance narrative was used to frame depression as a strictly medical issue, discouraging alternative perspectives.

• Despite claims, no biological markers distinguish depressed from non-depressed individuals.
• The chemical imbalance theory lacks empirical support, as studies show no serotonin level differences.
• Psychiatry has been influenced by pharmaceutical propaganda, prioritizing drug prescriptions over truth.

"Every time they've done this they have not found that there is any difference between depressed and undepressed people."

• Research has consistently failed to find biological differences in serotonin levels between depressed and non-depressed individuals.

"We don't use any biological markers in the diagnosis of any psychiatric conditions. No brain scans, no blood tests."

• The absence of biological markers in psychiatric diagnosis highlights the lack of scientific basis for the chemical imbalance theory.

"Our field has become so overrun with pharmaceutical uh propaganda that it's not really an issue of truth in a lot of places."

• The influence of pharmaceutical companies has shifted the focus from scientific truth to medication promotion in psychiatry.

• Antidepressants often lose effectiveness over time, leading to increased dosages and additional medications.
• Long-term use is not supported by clinical research, making it an ongoing experiment on a massive scale.
• The narrative of these drugs being "safe and effective" is misleading, as it only applies to short-term studies.

"You put someone on five of Lexapro, you know, a starting dose. 6 months later, the effect has usually worn off and they need a higher dose."

• The diminishing effectiveness of antidepressants over time necessitates higher dosages, complicating treatment.

"Half of the people that use anti-depressants are on them for over 5 years."

• Long-term use of antidepressants is common, despite the lack of evidence supporting their safety and efficacy beyond short-term trials.

"The whole idea that it makes sense to put someone on an SSRI for years at a time is not supported by the clinical research at all."

• The practice of prescribing SSRIs for extended periods lacks a scientific foundation, raising concerns about patient safety and treatment validity.

• Discussion on the long-term effectiveness of psychiatric drugs, highlighting concerns about their diminishing efficacy over time.
• Importance of conducting long-term studies to understand how these drugs perform over extended periods.

"Anyone who has their eyes open will see that these drugs clearly wear off over time. I mean, that's why you have to keep on going up on the dose."

• Emphasizes the necessity of increasing dosages over time, indicating a potential decline in drug effectiveness.

• Examination of the FDA's operations, particularly its funding and priorities influenced by pharmaceutical companies.
• The impact of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) on the FDA's focus, potentially prioritizing drug approval over safety monitoring.

"FDA receives a lot of funding from the pharmaceutical industry... What it does is it tilts the agency towards certain activities."

• Highlights the potential conflict of interest due to pharmaceutical funding, affecting the agency's focus on drug development over safety issues.

• Discussion on the influence of pharmaceutical companies on academic psychiatry and the reluctance to criticize medications.
• The internalization of industry-favorable narratives by academics and their subsequent roles in regulatory agencies.

"I think we're almost brainwashed when we go through our training to internalize these beliefs... they needed to protect the drugs."

• Describes the indoctrination within academic psychiatry that supports pharmaceutical interests and discourages critical evaluation.

• Concerns about clinicians' failure to recognize and address the negative impacts of psychiatric drugs on patients.
• The tendency to misdiagnose drug-induced symptoms as new psychiatric conditions.

"It's easier for doctors to look at worsening as the development of a new condition... I can just hand them another drug."

• Points out the convenience for doctors to attribute worsening symptoms to new conditions rather than addressing drug side effects.

• Examination of systemic issues within healthcare, including insurance incentives and the influence of pharmaceutical companies on medical education.
• The pressure on doctors to see more patients in less time, affecting the quality of care.

"We also have a health insurance system that incentivizes doctors to see patients in the shortest period of time."

• Critiques the healthcare system's focus on quantity over quality, driven by financial incentives.

• Discussion on the emotional numbing effect of SSRIs, which can suppress both negative and positive emotions.
• The risk of missing underlying causes of distress due to the numbing effects of these medications.

"These drugs work through emotional constriction... it'll also take out the positive things."

• Highlights the dual effect of SSRIs in reducing emotional responses, potentially masking root causes of emotional distress.

• Introduction to PSSD as a severe and often permanent side effect of SSRIs, affecting sexual and cognitive functions.
• The lack of awareness and discussion about PSSD among healthcare professionals and the public.

"PSSD is a listed side effect in the European Union... but doctors do not tell patients about it."

• Indicates the recognition of PSSD by international regulatory bodies, yet its underreporting in clinical practice.

• Exploration of the association between SSRIs and increased suicidal behavior, particularly in younger populations.
• The potential link between SSRIs and violent behaviors, including mass shootings.

"They're clearly implicated in mass shootings... and they castrate people and make them want to kill themselves."

• Raises concerns about the severe behavioral side effects of SSRIs, questioning their life-saving claims.

• The discussion concludes with a call for greater awareness and critical evaluation of psychiatric medications and their side effects.
• Emphasis on the need for transparency and informed consent in psychiatric treatment.

"The beauty of it... is that it's provable. We don't have to guess because we have the outcomes."

• Encourages reliance on empirical evidence to assess the true impact of psychiatric drugs on public health.

• Discussion on the lack of awareness and understanding among doctors about certain medical conditions, leading to misdiagnosis and mistreatment.
• Highlighted the severe consequences of being misdiagnosed, including unnecessary hospitalization and family discord.
• Mentioned the high suicide rates among those misdiagnosed or misunderstood by medical professionals.

"Doctors, they've never heard of this condition before, and it just seems like, you know, too crazy to be true."

• This quote highlights the ignorance and disbelief among doctors regarding certain medical conditions, which contributes to misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

• Polypharmacy refers to the use of multiple medications by a patient, often leading to adverse drug interactions and compounded side effects.
• Patients may be prescribed additional drugs to counteract the side effects of initial prescriptions, exacerbating the problem.
• This approach can lead to patients experiencing dulled emotions and worsened mental health conditions.

"You have someone who's highly distressed for legitimate reasons with a totally messed-up nervous system, and you've just thrown them on an antipsychotic."

• This quote illustrates the detrimental effects of polypharmacy, where additional drugs are prescribed without addressing the root cause of the patient's distress.

• Psychiatric medications, particularly SSRIs, can cause severe sexual side effects, including loss of sexual response and questioning of sexual identity.
• There is concern about the long-term impact of these drugs on sexual health and identity.
• Animal studies suggest potential developmental effects when these drugs are used during pregnancy.

"These were men who were having encounters with women that they were just saying, 'I would find this person very arousing and attractive, and that's not happening anymore.'"

• This quote exemplifies the profound impact psychiatric medications can have on sexual attraction and identity, leading individuals to question their sexuality.

• Discussion on the effects of psychiatric medications on developing fetuses and children, with studies showing structural and functional brain changes.
• Concerns about increased rates of autism-like behaviors and decreased sexual interest in animal studies.
• Human studies also show altered sensory processing and worse mental health outcomes in children exposed to these medications in utero.

"They've looked at the brains and they find that there's structural changes and functional changes in the brains of kids who are exposed versus those who are not exposed."

• This quote underscores the potential long-term developmental and neurological effects of prenatal exposure to psychiatric medications.

• The rise in prescription psychiatric medications is correlated with changes in sexual orientation and gender identity demographics.
• Concerns about the potential role of these medications in increasing rates of homosexuality and transgenderism.
• The need for further research into the societal impacts of widespread psychiatric medication use.

"There's been a massive increase in, uh, well, sexual changes of all kinds, in the way that people couple, in the way, you know, literally in the way they have sex."

• This quote highlights the observed societal shifts potentially linked to the widespread use of psychiatric medications.

• Criticism of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for focusing on drug development rather than side effect research.
• The absence of comparative studies on non-drug alternatives for treating mental health conditions.
• The need for greater transparency and accountability in the psychiatric medication industry.

"The NIMH has essentially been useless. They're not doing any research into side effects."

• This quote emphasizes the lack of attention and research into the adverse side effects of psychiatric medications by major health institutions.

• Discussion on the potential link between psychiatric medications and violent behaviors, including school shootings.
• Mention of legal cases where medications were implicated in violent incidents.
• The taboo nature of discussing these potential links in public discourse.

"The increase in school shootings coincides with almost precisely coincides with this massive increase in prescription of these drugs."

• This quote suggests a possible correlation between the rise in psychiatric medication prescriptions and the increase in school shootings, warranting further investigation.

• Benzodiazepines, commonly prescribed for anxiety and insomnia, can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms and dependency.
• Withdrawal can cause extreme anxiety, insomnia, and even protracted withdrawal symptoms that can last for years.
• The difficulty of discontinuing benzodiazepines often traps individuals in long-term use.

"They can be incredibly difficult to stop. Some people even die from coming off benzodiazepines."

• This quote highlights the severe withdrawal challenges and risks associated with discontinuing benzodiazepines.

• Critique of the flawed design of relapse prevention studies that justify long-term psychiatric medication use.
• These studies often fail to account for withdrawal symptoms, misleadingly attributing them to relapse.
• The persistence of these flawed practices reflects a broader issue in medical research and treatment approaches.

"The study is flawed. It's majorly flawed. It's embarrassing that the FDA even allows this."

• This quote criticizes the flawed methodology of studies used to justify prolonged psychiatric medication use, calling for a reevaluation of these practices.

• The medical community's view of humans as biological systems leads to a reductionist approach to mental health treatment.
• There is a lack of consideration for the spiritual or holistic aspects of human well-being in medical training.
• The societal emphasis on academic success and productivity influences the treatment and perception of mental health issues.

"We're biological systems, where you can sort of just tinker with it with the right chemical. That's what we are."

• This quote reflects the reductionist perspective prevalent in medical training, which often overlooks the holistic aspects of human health.

• ADHD is commonly treated with amphetamines, though lifestyle factors like diet and insulin resistance can significantly impact symptoms.
• Long-term use of amphetamines does not improve academic performance but may control behavior.
• Emphasizing lifestyle changes could provide effective alternatives to medication for managing ADHD symptoms.

"When you look at the results long term, they do not improve academics. What they find is that the medications are mostly effective for controlling behavior."

• This quote points out the limited long-term benefits of ADHD medications on academic performance, urging a focus on lifestyle interventions.

• Cannabis potency has increased significantly, leading to potential psychotic reactions.
• Doctors may misdiagnose cannabis-induced psychosis as schizophrenia, resulting in unnecessary long-term antipsychotic use.

"The potency has increased like 40 times since what it used to be. It triggers mania and psychosis."

• Increased cannabis potency is linked to triggering severe mental health issues.

"I've worked with patients who have smoked cannabis, they've had psychotic reactions, and even after they've come off the cannabis for a period of like a year or two, they've still experienced periodic episodes of psychosis before it fizzled out."

• Cannabis-induced psychosis can have lasting effects, sometimes persisting for years.

• The legalization of marijuana may inadvertently benefit pharmaceutical companies by creating long-term customers for antipsychotic medications.

"It's creating customers."

• Legal marijuana use may lead to increased demand for pharmaceutical interventions due to misdiagnosed conditions.

• There is a need for careful consideration before prescribing medications like SSRIs, ensuring non-drug strategies are exhausted first.

"If I've tried all of the non-drug strategies to help you and you're still suffering, I will give you informed consent about the medication."

• Medications should not be the first line of treatment; non-drug methods should be prioritized.

• Patients often struggle to discontinue long-term psychiatric medications, requiring gradual tapering.

"Most people are coming off at around 18 to 24 months."

• The process of tapering off medications is complex and varies widely among individuals.

• SSRIs can cause emotional blunting, affecting personal relationships and empathy.

"She felt like I didn't really care about her anymore."

• Emotional blunting can lead to significant interpersonal issues and a lack of emotional responsiveness.

• Telehealth has lowered the barriers to obtaining prescriptions, sometimes without adequate medical oversight.

"I filled out a questionnaire... They diagnosed me with depression and then they sent me Lexapro in the mail three days later."

• The ease of obtaining prescriptions through telehealth can lead to overprescription and inadequate patient care.

• Recent legislation mandates mental health screenings in schools, which may lead to increased diagnoses and medication without addressing systemic issues.

"It was a bill mandating mental health screening for children as young as third grade."

• Screening without a robust support system can funnel children into a dysfunctional mental health care system.

• Emphasizes the importance of addressing root causes of mental health issues through relationships, purpose, and physical health.

"A lot of mental health comes down to your relationships, your purpose, and your physical health."

• Encourages a holistic approach to mental health, focusing on lifestyle and environmental factors rather than solely medication.

• AI therapy may lack the necessary human element to effectively challenge and support patients.

"AI therapy is like... it just affirms what you put into it."

• AI lacks the ability to provide the critical, supportive push needed for personal growth and overcoming challenges.

• Advocates for non-drug approaches face criticism for challenging the prevailing chemical imbalance narrative.

"I'm scaring people away from life-saving drugs and I'm stigmatizing them."

• There is tension between promoting medication and exploring alternative, non-drug treatments for mental health.