Brain Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry Drugs,
Electroshock, and the Psychopharmaceutical Complex,
Second Edition - 2nd Edition
Visit the link below to download the full version of this book:
https://medipdf.com/product/brain-disabling-treatments-in-psychiatry-drugs-elect
roshock-and-the-psychopharmaceutical-complex-second-edition-2nd-edition/
Click Download Now
Peter R. Breggin, MD, has been called “the conscience of psychiatry” for
his efforts to reform the mental health field, including his promotion of
caring psychotherapeutic approaches and his opposition to the escalat-
ing overuse of psychiatric medications, the oppressive diagnosing and
drugging of children, electroshock, lobotomy, involuntary treatment, and
false biological theories.
Dr. Breggin has been in the private practice of psychiatry since 1968,
first in the Washington, D.C., area, and now in Ithaca, New York. In his
therapy practice, he treats individuals, couples, and children with their
families without resort to psychiatric drugs. As a clinical psychopharma-
cologist, he provides consultations and is active as a medical expert in
criminal, malpractice, and product liability lawsuits, often involving the
harmful effects of psychiatric drugs. He has been an expert in landmark
cases involving the rights of patients.
Since 1964, Dr. Breggin has written dozens of scientific articles and
approximately 20 books. Some of his many books include Toxic Psy-
chiatry, The Heart of Being Helpful, Talking Back to Ritalin, The Anti-
depressant Fact Book, and, with coauthor Ginger Breggin, Talking Back
to Prozac and The War Against Children of Color. His forthcoming book
in early 2008 is Medication Madness: True Stories About Mayhem, Mur-
der and Suicide Caused by Psychiatric Drugs.
At various stages of his career, he has been decades ahead of his time
in warning about the dangers of lobotomy, electroshock, and, more re-
cently, antidepressant-induced suicide and violence as well as many other
recently acknowledged risks associated with psychiatric drugs. His views
have been covered in major media throughout the world including The
New York Times and The Wall Street Journal to Time and Newsweek,
and from Larry King Live and Oprah to 60 Minutes and 20/20.
In 1972, Dr. Breggin founded the International Center for the Study of
Psychiatry and Psychology (ICSPP; http://www.icspp.org). Originally orga-
nized to support his successful campaign to stop the resurgence of lobotomy,
ICSPP has become a source of support and inspiration for reform-minded
professionals and laypersons who wish to raise ethical and scientific standards
in the field of mental health. In 1999, he and his wife, Ginger, founded ICSPP’s
peer-reviewed scientific journal Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry.
In 2002, they selected younger professionals to take over the center and the
journal, although Dr. Breggin continues to participate in ICSPP activities.
Dr. Breggin’s background includes Harvard College, Case Western Re-
serve Medical School, a teaching fellowship at Harvard Medical School,
3 years of residency training in psychiatry, a 2-year staff assignment at the
National Institute of Mental Health, and several teaching appointments, in-
cluding in the Johns Hopkins University Department of Counseling and the
George Mason University Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution.
Dr. Breggin’s Web site is http://www.breggin.com.
Brain-Disabling
Treatments in Psychiatry
Drugs, Electroshock, and the
Psychopharmaceutical Complex
Second Edition
Peter R. Breggin, MD
New York
The Publisher does not warrant or guarantee any of the procedures described
herein and has not performed any independent analysis in connection with
any of the information contained herein. The Publisher does not assume, and
expressly disclaims, any obligation to obtain and include information other than
provided by the author.
The reader is expressly warned to consider and adopt all safety precautions that
might be indicated by the activities described herein, and to avoid all potential
hazards.
The Publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or exemplary
damages resulting in whole or in part, from the readers’ use of, or reliance on,
the information contained in this book.
Copyright © 2008 Springer Publishing Company, LLC
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Springer Publishing
Company, LLC.
Springer Publishing Company, LLC
11 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
www.springerpub.com
Acquisitions Editor: Sheri W. Sussman
Project Manager: Julia Rosen
Cover design: Mimi Flow
Composition: Apex Publishing, LLC
08 09 10 11/ 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Breggin, Peter Roger, 1936–
Brain-disabling treatments in psychiatry : drugs, electroshock, and the
psychopharmaceutical complex / Peter R. Breggin. — 2nd ed.
p. ; cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978–0–8261–2934–5 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0–8261–2934–X (alk. paper)
1. Psychotropic drugs—Side effects. 2. Brain—Effect of drugs on.
3. Electroconvulsive therapy—Complications. 4. Iatrogenic diseases.
5. United States. Food and Drug Administration. I. Title.
[DNLM: 1. United States. Food and Drug Administration. 2. Mental
Disorders—therapy—United States. 3. Brain Damage, Chronic—etiology—
United States. 4. Drug Industry—United States. 5. Electroconvulsive
Therapy—adverse effects—United States. 6. Psychotropic Drugs—adverse
effects—United States. WM 400 B833b 2008]
RC483.B726 2008
616.89'122—dc22
2007029727
Printed in the United States of America by Edwards Brothers, Inc.
WARNING
Psychiatric Drugs Are Dangerous to Take and
Dangerous to Stop
The psychiatric drugs discussed in this book are far more dangerous to
take than many doctors and patients realize, but they can also become
hazardous during the withdrawal process. In short, it is dangerous to start
psychiatric drugs and dangerous to stop them.
Many are addictive, and most can produce withdrawal symptoms
that are emotionally and physically distressing and sometimes life threat-
ening. Tapering off psychiatric drugs should usually be done gradually
with the aid of experienced clinical supervision.
A book cannot substitute for individualized medical or psychologi-
cal care, and this book is not intended as a treatment guide. It provides
a critical analysis of biological treatments in psychiatry written from a
scientific, ethical, psychological, and social viewpoint.
Peter R. Breggin, MD
Professional Books by Peter R. Breggin, MD
College Students in a Mental Hospital: Contributions to the Social
Rehabilitation of the Mentally Ill (Jointly authored) (1962)
Electroshock: Its Brain-Disabling Effects (1979)
The Psychology of Freedom: Liberty and Love as a Way of Life (1980)
Psychiatric Drugs: Hazards to the Brain (1983)
Toxic Psychiatry: Why Therapy, Empathy and Love Must Replace the Drugs,
Electroshock and Biochemical Theories of the “New Psychiatry” (1991)
Beyond Conflict: From Self-Help and Psychotherapy to Peacemaking (1992)
Talking Back to Prozac (coauthor Ginger Breggin) (1994)
Psychosocial Approaches to Deeply Disturbed Persons (coeditor E. Mark Stern)
(1996)
Brain-Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry: Drugs, Electroshock, and the Role of
the FDA (1997)
The Heart of Being Helpful: Empathy and the Creation of a Healing Presence
(1997)
The War Against Children of Color: Psychiatry Targets Inner City Children,
Updated (coauthor Ginger Breggin) (1998)
Reclaiming Our Children: A Healing Solution to a Nation in Crisis (2000)
Talking Back to Ritalin, Revised Edition (2001)
The Antidepressant Fact Book (2001)
Dimensions of Empathic Therapy (coeditors Ginger Breggin and Fred Bemak)
(2002)
The Ritalin Fact Book (2002)
Your Drug May Be Your Problem: How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric
Medications, Revised and Updated Edition (coauthor David Cohen)
(2007)
Medication Madness: True Stories of Mayhem, Murder and Suicide Caused by
Psychiatric Drugs (2008)
For Ginger Breggin
My wife, best friend, partner in life, most trusted advisor,
last human resort in all crises, and playmate
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Preface: A Word About Words xxiii
Acknowledgments xxv
Introduction: Confirming the Science Behind the First Edition xxvii
A Thorough Update of the Science xxvii
Growing Confirmation of
the Previous Edition xxviii
Confirming the Longer View Starting in 1983 xxviii
The Situation in Psychiatry Worsens xxix
Chapter 1 The Brain-Disabling, Spellbinding Effects
of Psychiatric Drugs 1
The Basic Four Brain-Disabling Principles 2
Illustrative Research Confirming the Basic Four
Brain-Disabling Principles 4
Six Additional Brain-Disabling Principles 7
The Biological Basis of Medication
Spellbinding 12
Psychological Influences on Medication
Spellbinding 14
Iatrogenic Helplessness and Denial
in Authoritarian Psychiatry 14
Relationship Between Medication Spellbinding
and Iatrogenic Helplessness and Denial 15
Mental and Emotional Suffering Routinely
Treated With Biopsychiatric Interventions
Have No Known Genetic or Biological Cause 16
Conclusion 19
ix
x CONTENTS
Chapter 2 Deactivation Syndrome (Chemical Lobotomy)
Caused by Neuroleptics 21
The Myth That Atypical Antipsychotic
Drugs Are Weaker D2 Blockers 22
Examples of Differences Among
Atypical Neuroleptics 26
Clozapine (Clozaril) 26
Risperidone (Risperdal) 28
Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention
Effectiveness (CATIE) 29
Deactivation Syndrome 32
Deactivation and Medication Spellbinding 33
The Anatomy of Deactivation 34
Lobotomy-Like Neuroleptic Effects 34
Atypical Neuroleptics 37
Social Control With Antipsychotic Drugs 37
Suppression of Nursing Home Inmates 37
Deactivating People and Animals in
Varied Settings 38
The Unique Function of the Brain 40
Chapter 3 Neuroleptic-Induced Anguish, Including
Agitation, Despair, and Depression 43
Resistance to Treatment 44
Acute Dystonic Reactions 45
Despair in Neuroleptic-Induced Parkinsonism 46
Parkinsonism as an Aspect
of Brain-Disabling Therapy 48
Anguish in Akathisia 48
Neuroleptic-Induced Depression and Suicidality 51
Risks Associated With Atypical
Antipsychotic Drugs 52
The Issue of Coercion 53
Chapter 4 Severe and Potentially Irreversible Neurological
Syndromes (Tardive Dyskinesia and Neuroleptic
Malignant Syndrome) Caused by Neuroleptics 55
Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) 56
Clinical Manifestations of TD 56
TD Rates 57
Atypical Neuroleptics Cause TD in Adults 58
Atypical Neuroleptics Cause TD in Children 60
History of TD 61
CONTENTS xi
Masking the Symptoms of TD With
Continued Neuroleptic Treatment 61
Extrapyramidal Symptoms As Predictors
of Future TD 62
The Elderly and Other Vulnerable Populations 63
Relapse, Exacerbation, and Delayed
Onset After Termination 65
Reversibility Is Rare 66
Physician and Patient Denial of TD 67
The Size of the Epidemic 67
Tardive Dystonia 68
Tardive Akathisia 70
Complications of Tardive Disorders 71
Physical Exhaustion 72
Psychological Suffering 72
Neuroleptic Withdrawal Symptoms 73
Are Neuroleptics Addictive? 73
Other Adverse Reactions 74
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome 75
Biological Basis of Neuroleptic-Induced
Neurological Syndromes 78
Children and Neuroleptics 79
Treating Childhood Tourette’s
With Neuroleptics 80
The Food and Drug Administration Opens
the TD and NMS Floodgates for Children 81
Hurrying Death 82
Conclusion 84
Chapter 5 Neuroleptic-Induced Neurotoxicity, Brain
Damage, Persistent Cognitive Deficits,
Dementia, and Psychosis 85
Demonstrating Neuroleptic-Induced
Brain Damage and Cell Death 85
PET Scans 90
MRI 92
CT Scans and Neuropsychological Correlations 93
Correlating Tardive Dyskinesias (TD)
With Brain Damage and Dementia 94
Summary of Brain Study Data 94
Rates of Tardive Dementia Based on
Brain Scans 94
xii CONTENTS
Clinical Evidence 95
Early Correlations Between TD
and Cognitive Dysfunction 95
Tardive Dysmentia and Tardive Dementia 95
A Serendipitous Finding of
Neuroleptic-Induced Generalized
Cognitive Dysfunction 97
Neuroleptic-Induced Mental and Behavioral
Deterioration in Children 98
Denial of Symptoms in TD Patients
As a Symptom of Cognitive Dysfunction 98
Permanent Lobotomy or Deactivation 100
Tardive Psychosis in Neuroleptic-Treated
Patients 100
Psychiatry Avoids Facing Tardive Psychosis 101
Tardive Akathisia and Cognitive Deficits 103
Human and Animal Autopsy Studies 103
Animal Autopsy Studies of
Neuroleptic-Induced Brain Damage 103
Human Autopsy Evidence for
Neuroleptic-Induced Brain Damage 104
Lessons of Lethargic Encephalitis 104
Can Schizophrenia Cause Dementia? 107
Psychiatric Denial of Neuroleptic-Induced
Dementia 110
Drugs to Treat Acute Extrapyramidal Side
Effects 111
Withdrawal Problems and Informed Consent 111
Conclusion 112
Chapter 6 Recent Developments in Antidepressant
Label Changes 115
Warning Signs From the Beginning 116
The Class of SSRIs 117
FDA Finds Increased Suicidality in
Children Exposed to Antidepressants 118
Easy to Show Serious Adverse Effects;
Difficult to Show Efficacy 119
Recent FDA Admissions and Warnings 120
The Final Class Label on Suicidality
in Children and Adolescents 121
The Stimulant Syndrome 122
CONTENTS xiii
The New FDA Medication Guide 123
The FDA’s Final Word on
Antidepressant-Induced Suicidality
in Children 124
No Completed Suicides in the Clinical Trials 124
Canadian and British Regulatory Warnings 125
Expanding the Suicide Warning
to Young Adults 126
The FDA Helps Out the Drug Companies 128
Paxil Is the Most Dangerous for Adults 129
The Real-Life Risk Is Much Greater
Than Described 129
The Psychopharmaceutical Complex Responds 130
The American College of
Neuropsychopharmacology 130
The American Psychiatric Association 132
Antidepressants Lack Efficacy in Children 133
So-Called Alternative Treatments 135
Conclusion 135
Chapter 7 Antidepressant-Induced Mental, Behavioral,
and Cerebral Abnormalities 137
The Risk of Agitated Depression 139
Similarity of Adverse Drug Reaction
Patterns Among SSRIs 140
Studies Related to SSRI-Induced Depression
and Suicidality in Adults 141
Epidemiological Studies and Clinical
Trials of SSRI-Induced Depression
and Suicidality in Adults 141
Coroner Studies of Adult Suicidality 145
NIMH Confirms That SSRIs
Cause Suicidality 145
Case Reports of Mania, Violence,
and Suicide in Adults 145
Case Reports of SSRI-Induced Akathisia,
Suicidality, and Aggression in Adults 148
Case Reports of SSRI-Induced Obsessive
Suicidality and Aggression in Adults 151
SSRI-Induced Apathy Syndrome in Adults 152
Identifying Antidepressant-Induced Compulsive
Violence and Suicidality in Adults and Children 154
xiv CONTENTS
Epidemiological Studies and Clinical Trials of
SSRI-Induced Mania and Aggression in Adults 155
Studies of Antidepressant-Induced
Aggression in Adults 155
Antidepressant-Induced Mania
in Nonbipolar Adult Patients 157
Manic Conversion (Switching)
in Adult Bipolar Patients 160
Comparing Antidepressant-Induced Mania
and Spontaneous Mania 161
Antidepressant-Induced Mania Described
in Two Standard Sources 162
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders 162
Practice Guidelines for Major Depressive
Disorder in Adults 164
Studies Related to SSRI-Induced
Abnormal Behavior in Children 165
Clinical Case Studies Involving Children 165
Epidemiological Studies and
Clinical Trials Involving Children 167
Antidepressant-Induced Apathy in Children 170
Do Antidepressants Work at All? 172
The Elderly 173
Professional Reactions 174
Underlying Antidepressant-Induced
Brain Damage and Dysfunction 174
Permanent Neurological Adverse Effects 174
The Brain Resists the Impact of SSRIs 175
Causing Brain Dysfunction
and Shrinkage 178
Older Antidepressants 180
Tricyclic Antidepressants and the
Brain-Disabling Principle 182
Tricyclics: More Cause Than Cure
for Suicidality? 183
Other Antidepressants 183
Antidepressant Withdrawal Reactions,
Including Mania 184
My Clinical and Forensic Experience 186
Discussion: “The Drug Made Me Do It” 186
What Do the Specialists Know? 189
Conclusion 190
CONTENTS xv
Chapter 8 Lithium and Other Drugs for Bipolar Disorder 193
Claims of Lithium Specificity for Mania 193
Brain-Disabling Effects on Animals,
Infants, Patients, and Volunteers 194
Subduing Effects on Animals 194
Subduing Effects on Normal Infants 195
Disabling Effects on Normal Volunteers 196
Turning Down the Dial of Life 200
Crushing Creativity 201
Cade Supports the Brain-Disabling Hypothesis 202
Spellbinding and Iatrogenic Helplessness
and Denial 203
Toxicity to the Central Nervous System 203
The Production of Cognitive Deficits 203
Acute Organic Brain Syndromes 204
SILENT: Irreversible Lithium-Induced
Neurotoxicity 204
Neurotoxic Effects in Low-Dosage
Maintenance Therapy 205
Abnormal Brain Waves Produced
by Routine Lithium Therapy 205
Lithium Disruption of the Compromised Brain 206
Brain Damage As Treatment 206
General Toxicity to Neurons
and Other Cells 206
The “Protective” and Therapeutic Effects of
Poisoning Brain Cells 207
The Relative Ineffectiveness of Lithium
in Acute Mania 210
How Effective Is Lithium in Preventing
the Recurrence of Manic Episodes? 210
Mania and Depression As Lithium
Withdrawal Reactions 211
Other Adverse Reactions to Lithium Withdrawal 212
Lithium in Your Drinking Water 212
Other So-Called Mood Stabilizers 213
Why So Many “Bipolar” Patients? 214
Conclusion 215
Chapter 9 Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
for Depression 217
A Life Destroyed by ECT 218
