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Psychiatric medications

Books by Dr. Breggin on psychiatric drugs:

Nearly all of Dr. Breggin’s books deal with psychiatric medications.  They attempt to demonstrate that these psychoactive substances too often do more harm than good and that better alternatives are available.  At the same time, they provide critical evaluations of contemporary biological psychiatry and its dependence on the pharmaceutical industry. Brain-Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry (updated and revised edition, 2008) is by far the most current and comprehensive source of information.  It presents an overview of Dr. Breggin’s brain-disabling principles of psychiatry, including medication spellbinding. It looks in detail at the individual medications and their effects, as well as at electroshock and its hazards.  It criticizes the concept of ADHD and current psychiatric approaches to children. Finally, it continues his evaluation of the psychopharmaceutical complex — the FDA, NIMH, the American Psychiatric Association, NAMI, CHADD and other interest groups that promote psychiatric drugs on behalf of the multi-billion dollar drug industry.

In July 2008 Medication Madness will be published, presenting more than fifty true life stories of individuals whose lives were damaged and sometimes ruined by psychiatric drugs, including tragic examples of mayhem, murder and suicide under the influence of antidepressants, stimulants, tranquilizers, and other psychiatric medications.  These two books, Brain-Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry and Medication Madness, provide a perfect complement for each other.

Information on all of Dr. Breggin's books can be found here .

Psychiatric medications by class: Stimulants and ADHD (Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta and others) SSRIs and other antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Pxil, Celexa, Leaproa and others) Benzodiazepines or tranquilizers and sleeping pills  (Xanax, Valium, Librium, Halcio, Ativan, Klonopin & others) Neuroleptics or antipsychotic drugs (Thorazine, Geodon, Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel, Abilify) Selected scientific papers by Dr. Breggin dealing with psychiatric drugs: Below is a list of selected peer-reviewed scientific papers by Dr. Breggin dealing with psychopharmacology.  Many of them were well-ahead of their time and helped to influence the FDA to increase the required warnings for antidepressant and antipsychotic medications.  All of the scientific articles are available to read without charge on this website. Breggin, P.  “Intoxication Anosognosia: The Spellbinding Effect of Psychiatric Drugs”  (PDF) Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 201-215, 2006.  Simultaneously published in the International Journal of Risk and Safety and Medicine, 19, 3-15, 2007. Breggin, P.  “Recent Regulatory Changes in Antidepressant Labels: Implicatons of Activation (stimulation) in clinical practice.”  (PDF) Primary Psychiatry, 13, 57-60, 2006. Breggin, P.  “Court filing makes public my previously suppressed analysis of Paxil's effects.” (PDF) Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 77-84, 2006. Breggin, P.  “How GlaxoSmithKline suppressed data on Paxil-induced akathisia: Implications for suicide and violence .” (PDF)  Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 91-100, 2006. Breggin, P. “Drug Company Suppressed Data on Paroxetine-Induced Stimulation: Implications for violence and suicide.”  (PDF) Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 255-263, 2006. Breggin, P.  “Recent US, Canadian, and British regulatory agency actions concerning antidepressant-induced harm to self and others: A review and analysis.” (PDF)  Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 7, 7-22, 2005.   Simultaneously published in the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 16, 247-259, 2005. Breggin, P. “Psychopharmacology and Human Values.”  (PDF) Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 43: 34-49, 2003. Breggin, P. “Suicidality, violence and mania caused by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: A review and analysis.” (PDF) International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 16: 31-49, 2003/2004.  Simultaneously published in Ethical Human Sciences and Services Breggin, P. “Fluvoxamine as a cause of stimulation, mania and aggression with a critical analysis of the FDA-approved label.” (PDF) International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 14: 71-86, 2002.   Simultaneously published in Ethical Human Sciences and Services, 4, 211-227, 2002. Breggin, P. “What psychologists and therapists need to know about ADHD and stimulants.”  Changes: An International Journal of Psychology and Psychotherapy 18:13-23, Spring 2000 Breggin, P.  “The NIMH multimodal study of treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A critical analysis.” (PDF) International Journal of Risk and Safety in MedicineEthical Human Sciences and Services. Breggin, P. “Psychostimulants in the treatment of children diagnosed with ADHD.”  Ethical Human Sciences and Services 1:13-33, 1999. Breggin, P. “Psychostimulants in the treatment of children diagnosed with ADHD: Part II — Adverse effects on brain and behavior.”  Ethical Human Sciences and Services Breggin, P. “Psychostimulants in the treatment of children diagnosed with ADHD: Risks and mechanism of action.”  International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 12 (1), 3-35, 1999.  5:225-246, 2003.   13:15-22, 2000.  Also published in 1:213-241, 1999.

Breggin, P. “An analysis of the adverse behavioral effects of benzodiazepines with a discussion of drawing scientific conclusions from the FDA's spontaneous reporting system .” (PDF) Journal of Mind and Behavior 19:21-50, 1998.

Breggin, P. “The Hazards of Treating 'Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder' with Methylphenidate (Ritalin)Journal of College Student Psychotherapy Breggin, P. “Should the use of neuroleptics be severely limited?”  (PDF) Changes: An International Journal of Psychology and Psychotherapy  14:62-66  March 1996. Breggin, P. “Parallels between Neuroleptic Effects and Lethargic Encephalitis: The Production of Dyskinesia and Cognitive Disorders.”  Brain and Cognition 23:8-27, 1993. Breggin, P. “A Case of Fluoxetine-induced Stimulant Side Effects with Suicidal Ideation Associated with a Possible Withdrawal Syndrome (‘Crashing’).”  International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine 3:325-328, 1992 Breggin, P. “Psychotherapy in the Shadow of the Psycho-Pharmaceutical Complex,” Voices (journal of the American Academy of Psychotherapists) 27:15-21, 1991 Breggin, P. “Brain damage, dementia and persistent cognitive dysfunction associated with neuroleptic drugs: Evidence, Etiology, Implications.” (PDF) Journal of Mind Behavior 11:425-464, 1990.