Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs Successful Withdrawal From
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Peter Lehmann (Ed.) Coming off Psychiatric Drugs Successful Withdrawal from Antipsychotics, Antidepressants, Mood Stabilizers, Ritalin and Tranquilizers With prefaces by Judi Chamberlin, Pirkko Lahti and Loren R. Mosher Fourth, expanded ebook edition With contributions by Karl Bach Jensen, Regina Bellion, Olga Besati, Wilma Boevink, Michael Chmela, Oryx Cohen, Susanne Cortez, Bert Gölden, Gábor Gombos, Katalin Gombos, Maths Jesperson, Klaus John, Bob Johnson, Manuela Kälin, Kerstin Kempker, Susan Kingsley-Smith, Leo P. Koehne, Elke Laskowski, Peter Lehmann, Ulrich Lindner, Jim Maddock, Mary Maddock, Constanze Meyer, Fiona Milne, Harald Müller, Eiko Nagano, Mary Nettle, Una M. Parker, Pino Pini, Nada Rath, Hannelore Reetz, Roland A. Richter, Marc Rufer, Lynne Setter, Martin Urban, Wolfgang Voelzke, David Webb, Josef Zehentbauer, and Katherine Zurcher Peter Lehmann Publishing 2020 This book was originally published in 1998 in Germany as print edition; 5th print edition in 2019, 1st ebook edition in 2013, 3rd ebook edition in 2020. English print edition in 2004, 1st ebook edition in 2013, 3rd ebook edition in 2020. Greek print edition in 2008 by Edition Nissides in Thessaloniki, 2nd print edition in 2014. Spanish ebook edition in 2016. French print edition in 2018 by Editions Résurgence (Marco Pietteur) in Embourg, Belgique. For information on all different editions see www.peter-lehmann- publishing.com/comingoff. The publisher/editor and the authors have no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of addresses as well as URLs for external or third-party Internet websites referred to in this publication and do not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. The reproduction of usage names, trade names, and product identifications in this publication—even without specific designation —does not justify the assumption that such names might be considered free according to trademark protection law and thus available for use by any person. The explanations in italic brackets are written by the editor. © This collection Peter Lehmann Publishing 2020. Individual chapters the authors. All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission from the publisher. The customers are only permitted to download the ebook for their exclusive non-commercial use. Published by Peter Lehmann Publishing · Berlin & Shrewsbury · www.peter-lehmann-publishing.com Cover design by Paula Kempker, Berlin British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-0-9545428-5-6 (ePUB) · ISBN 978-0-9545428-6-3 (MobiPocket) · ISBN 978-3-925931-55-0 (PDF) · ISBN 978-0- 9788399-0-1 (US print edition) · ISBN 978-0-9545428-0-1 (UK print edition) Table of Contents Note about Liability Prefaces Introduction The Decision to Withdraw Mary & Jim Maddock: A Couple’s Slow Awakening Peter Lehmann: Relapse into Life Withdrawal Without Pharmacogenic Problems Gábor Gombos: How to Deny a Psychiatric Family History Maths Jesperson: Between Lobotomy and Antidepressants Coming off Step by Step Wilma Boevink: Monsters from the Past Katharine Zurcher: Second Fear Michael Chmela: Escaped Bert Gölden: With Patience Susanne Cortez: And finally atypically careful Counterweights Una M. Parker: Talking, Crying, Laughing Nada Rath: To the Convent Instead of the Clinic Katalin Gombos: From Electroshock to the Voice of the Soul Harald Müller: Twenty Years Later Olga Besati: Adversities Ulrich Lindner: I Ran for my Life – How I Healed my Depression Oryx Cohen: Crash Course in Psychiatry To Withdraw with Professional Help Eiko Nagano: Nishi Therapy—A Japanese Way Manuela Kälin: Home Visit by the Homeopath Fiona Milne: Like a Rock David Webb: “Please Don’t Die” Hannelore Reetz: Addiction or Search for Self Better Sometimes than Forever Mary Nettle: Having Control Again Wolfgang Voelzke: Together with my Psychiatrist Lynne Setter: Return to Myself Professional Support Marc Rufer: Creating Fear / Removing Fear – When You Wish to Withdraw, the Opinion of Your Doctor is Dangerous Josef Zehentbauer: Who is Afraid of Withdrawal? Medical Advice and Psychotherapeutic Counseling During Withdrawal from Sedatives Pino Pini: Alberto, Intellectually Disabled and Without Psychiatric Drugs. A Neuroleptic Depot Injection as Kind of Mediation Martin Urban: “Am I Really Still Disabled?” Psychotherapeutic Support During Withdrawal from Psychiatric Drugs—A Case Report Roland A. Richter: Supporting Withdrawal with Orthomolecular Medicine. Phytotherapeutics and Nutrition Constanze Meyer: “Withdrawal from Dependence on Medication…” Thoughts About Withdrawal from Benzodiazepines and Analgesics Among Women Klaus John: Withdrawal and Detoxification from Psychiatric Drugs from a Naturopathic Point of View Kerstin Kempker: Withdrawing from Psychiatric Drugs in the Runaway-house Elke Laskowski: Biodynamic Body and Aura Work with Bach Flowers, Stones and Colours Bob Johnson: Pre-conditions for Withdrawal of Psychostimulants in Children Susan Kingsley-Smith: Support in Withdrawal by Internet The Time After Regina Bellion: After Withdrawal, the Difficulties Begin Leo P. Koehne: “Now I Give You Imap. This Will Also Help with Social Integration!” Closing Words Peter Lehmann: And Now, How to Proceed? A resume Karl Bach Jensen: Detoxification—in the Large and in the Small. Towards a Culture of Respect Appendix Psychiatric Drugs’ Active Ingredients and Trade Names About the Authors Index Books by Peter Lehmann Publishing Note about Liability Psychiatric drugs are more dangerous than many (ex-) users and survivors of psychiatry and even physicians realize. Psychiatric drugs can cause serious adverse effects. Psychiatric drugs can also produce powerful physical dependence. For example, their withdrawal can cause sleeplessness, rebound and withdrawal psychoses, withdrawal-emergent tardive syndromes, return of base line psychological and emotional problems and even life-threatening withdrawal reactions (see the chapter “Introduction”). Especially when psychiatric drugs have been taken for prolonged periods of time, experienced clinical supervision may be advisable or even necessary during the withdrawal process. The problems which led to administration of psychiatric drugs may return when you stop taking them. Decisions to withdraw from psychotropic drugs should be made in a critical and responsible way. It is important to have a safe and supportive environment in which to undertake withdrawal (see the article “Resume and Returning to the Special Aspects of the Withdrawal of Psychiatric Drugs”) and to consider the possibility that you may experience so-called relapse or worsening of your condition. Withdrawal may not work for everyone. Sometimes the difficulty of withdrawal or the base line psychological and emotional problems seem insurmountable, so people may decide to maintain on lower amounts of drugs or fewer drugs. Many psychiatrists do not support withdrawal and are convinced that people with psychiatric diagnoses like “schizophrenia,” “psychosis,” “manic depression” or “major depression” need psychiatric drugs or maintenance electroshock “therapy” for the rest of their lives. We do not provide medical advice. Although this is the first book to describe positive experiences of coming off psychiatric drugs, it is not intended as a substitute for professional help. Should you have any health care-related questions, please call or see your physician or other health care provider promptly. The publisher, editor, authors, and suppliers are not responsible if you decide against this advice. Nor are they responsible for any damage you may experience from a medical and, in particular, psychiatric treatment. If you choose to give weight to the various opinions expressed in this book, that is your choice, and is not based on any claims of special training or medical expertise by the publisher or editor (for professions and experiences of the authors see the chapter “About the Authors”). No alternative medicine, holistic remedy, or self-help method referenced in this book is being recommended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and no comparisons are being made between such alternative methods and treatment with electroshock or psychiatric drugs. Neither the publisher, editor, authors nor suppliers make any claim that their information in this book will “cure” or heal disease. All (ex-) users and survivors of psychiatry in this book report from ultimately positive experiences with drug withdrawal. This is no coincidence because the editor only asked for positive experiences. Since many individual factors (physical and psychological condition, social circumstances etc.) exert a remarkable influence on the withdrawal process, the authors’ individual statements should not be interpreted as transferable advice for all other readers. No responsibility is assumed by the publisher, editor, authors and suppliers for any injury and/or damage to persons or property from any use of any methods, products, instructions or ideas referenced in the material herein. Any unfinished course of treatment as well as any use of a referral and/or subsequent treatment regimen sought as a result of buying and/or reading this book is the sole responsibility of the reader. The publisher, editor, authors and suppliers