Why I lost faith in antidepressants after working at FDA

[@adamb.9968]

Wish I had bought pharma stocks instead of getting started on antidepressants 25 years ago. I would then be able to say today that I had benefitted from antidepressants.

[@auchmalwassagen]

underrated comment!

[@Vancouver_1986]

LOL. This is phenomenal. The snark. *chef's kiss* & 100000000000000000000000000000000% accurate. This subject matter isn't funny whatsoever. People have chosen to die over this unethical healthcare. But this snark is outstanding. None of us have had ANY benefit from these Pharmaceuticals. All theyève managed to do is DECREASE our quality of life. Our brain chemistry, nervous system, digestive system, endocrine system, etc have all been quite-literally damaged.

[@freeheeler09]

Spot on!

[@ashatan4554]

Do you still take them? It’s been 20 years for me and I want to come off but I’ve tried a few times and my anxiety was in overdrive. I wonder if they permanently change your brain?

[@amypreston8400]

@@ashatan4554I believe they do. I’ve been on them for 30 years and from the research (term used minimally) I’ve done, it would take a long process to come off them safely and still may have side effects while my brain tries to reestablish the normal function of the synapses. 😮

[@RatedX29]

My psychiatrist said straight away, the medicine is to make me feel better, and therapy and lifestyle changes will make me better. The meds are supposed to aid me in getting there.

[@Sky10811]

exactly. what helped me a lot is psychologist therapy and also 1 week of Hoffman process

[@ADWebTV]

Exactly alone its just like someone taking blood pressure medicine and making zero life changes.

[@babygrill01]

Same bro. My psychiatrist explicitly said "these are a band-aid, not the root solution"

[@Sentientmatter8]

I can't make the lifestyle changes needed to feel better (having a job that pays me a living wage, having affordable healthcare, having my civil rights guaranteed)

[@PainCrashDaGPuff3000]

Y’all are brainwashed sheep

[@ritadnz]

It's true that SSRI haven't taken my C-PTSD away, but neither did years of therapy. If I stop taking them all the anxiety, self-hatred, and suicidal ideation return, but if I keep taking them, I can genuinely say I'm a happy person who's glad to be alive. I used to discard antidepressants as a big farm lie and think the real treatment for depression was a healthy lifestyle and psychotherapy, now I think antidepressants can be an essential part of the healing, though still not all of it.

[@erynlasgalen1949]

Thank you for saying that. I finally realized in my sixties that my chronic anxiety came from CPTSD. I mostly recall the stressful circumstances that caused my hypervigilance and floods of cortisol in response to stress. But knowing doesn't change things. The right medication helps what cannot be changed by any amount of talking about it.

[@corneliahanimann2173]

This really points to the issue I feel actually exists with SSRI's. The effect of the pill itself is small, but the most common story I hear for peoole that say they are on antidepressants, is that they told their doctor about how depressed they were, and the doctor prescribed the meds without doing any testing or anything. To contrast: I got my adhd meds upon a meeting with a psychiatrist(not the family doctor), then had to give 3 forms of close people that had to evaluate me, and the last doc did a neuro-feedback scan that took me an hour to do and a bloodtest to see if I havr any deficiency that would explain the symptoms. It's a bit wild to me how the process with SSRI's is about just trying different meds and hoping one will work forever. My opinion (unprofessional and anecdotally informed) is that SSRI's should be handed out when all other deficiencies have been ruled out for the cause of a mental illness, and when they are prescribed, they should come in combination with therapy that deals with actively retraining old thinking patterns (to start opting away from these doom-loops).

[@plainseed]

have you tried weaning off SSRI slowly? Like, not getting off cold turkey. As someone who got off SSRI, I could confirm that my mental health issue do not go away with both therapies and drug. But at least I learnt to live with it without additional burden from medication. I find tapering off slowly is the only safe way to quit SSRI

[@hellsbells5389]

Same!!! Keep it up 👍🏻

[@johnhogue9402]

You’ve hit upon some important points here. First, is that psychotherapy isn’t particularly effective for depression. It can be helpful, but it’s not going to be curative for most people. The second important point, is withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms make people feel like they need to stay on the medications. They falsely believe that the SSRI has actually been helping them, when the reality is that the worsening depression when trying to come off, is just withdrawal. They need to be weaned off VERY slowly to minimize this. Irvine Kirsh makes a very good argument that antidepressants are all placebo in his book The Emperors New Drugs. Now, I’m not telling you to stop the medication. Maybe it’s actually helping you, and maybe it’s better than the alternative, but maybe you’ve become dependent on it.

[@Glesga_lassie]

Just a P.S.A. to amyone reading these comments - DONT STOP THESE SUDDENLY, its better to wean off otherwise you might have symptoms from withdrawing.

[@infantryL0RD]

seriously, the side effects are not something you want happening in ur brain. youll feel them for a looong time

[@zencronimax7636]

Better yet, do not stop any medications without discussing it with your provider

[@cortanathelawless1848]

Even if they worked as promised. That reason alone is enough to be suspicious of them.

[@penitenttangent7346]

Get a job and stop being sensitive 😂

[@smartypants261]

@@cortanathelawless1848is it? many substances (drugs and others) shouldn’t be suddenly discontinued. habituation is a quality of human bodies, and withdrawal symptoms are the flip side of it. even food, even someone wants to successfully lose weight it’s typically the worst course of action for them to suddenly drastically reduce their calorie intake, these people will experience the worst cravings, exhaustion, and other negative health effects of rapid calorie restriction and are most likely to regain weight and suffer negative long term impacts to the metabolic system. whereas making gradual smaller lifestyle changes usually brings about the opposite. i don’t find the natural processes of habituation and withdrawal to raise suspicion, there’s plenty of other criticisms that are more compelling.

[@SirSithly]

This is exactly what i've been telling my family for years, licensed professional doctors are not always correct, they do what they are taught and very rarely do you find one who goes out of their way to change things up. Blind faith in someone you don't know despite their authority is something that should never be given.

[@stevekaylor5606]

Credentialed, status quo doctors!

[@Solscapes.]

Pretty sure narcissists are behind the "proof" for every "treatment" for diseases that are caused by them.

[@Padraigp]

That's what is regarded in the system so the most compliant people end up as doctors. Then they illiterate any intellegence they had with long hours of study and interning which neurologically imagines them. Creating very arrogant very uncurious very compliant army of dispensers of drugs.

[@Z1gguratVert1go]

Put a chimp in a long white coat and Boomers will believe literally anything they're told.

[@Hollyucinogen]

I had a doctor tell me once that I need to take anti-psychotics for 6-12 months every time I get even slighly upset lol. Dr. Somanathan Damodaran, Priya Medical Center, Ottawa Ontario Canada.

[@athenachristinemusic]

They really aren’t for everyone, but ssris have changed my life! Anxiety / panic disorder patient here

[@i_dont_want_a_handle]

Same, Zoloft took my panic attacks away completely, yeah my dick didn't work for a few months, but it's worth it, been off for 5+ years now

[@diydylana3151]

They have changed my life too! By permanently numbing my emotions to the point I actively need to kill myself. Without warning it could happen. No real support. Just gaslighting. Yet if I say that nobody cares. All that matters is the people who were helped

[@ritadnz]

Yes! So much happier and functional on them!

[@sashka222]

Same here! They were a game changer for my OCD anxiety brain! I don't get how this doctor could be against them when they are helping so many of us with anxiety disorders.

[@athenachristinemusic]

@ right!

[@alibaba4813]

I’ll be honest. I’m currently taking 20mg of Lexapro and I’m seeing a psychologist to help me with CBT. I guess I’m one of the lucky ones and I am experiencing no side effects from the medication, and since being on it I feel like a new person. I have been watching Dr Josef’s videos for some time, and it saddens me to hear the terrible reactions some people have to these medications. Truly, the degree of variance in how people respond is so big. Thankyou for providing such informative content and questioning the mainstream narrative.

[@michaelf3753]

Lexapro made my depression much worse. Glad it works for you.

[@lisamoag6548]

Wait for it…. Years later… Effects… No relief. More and more drugs More effects Labels Effects labeled as hypochondriac or uncooperative Think about it…

[@pbmc_]

If you vote blue, you know their is a problem.

[@moneytime1556]

Lexapro works for me tooo. Now I heard everyone brain chemistry is different so you have to keep try different ssri for the one that works for you.

[@AWSMcube]

Yup. SSRIs and SNRIs work for some people but doctors need to stop pushing them so much. Cymbalta saved my life but nearly killed my brother.

[@ellairax]

What I was given: - An antidepressant What I really needed: - ADHD medication - Hormonal control for my severe PMDD - 6,000 IU daily of Vitamin D to fix a severe Vitamin D deficiency It is dangerous to believe that antidepressants have solved a problem when their main effect is numbing. It’s like giving a person painkillers and having them walk on a broken leg. It doesn’t fix the issue and creates more issues long term. And the fact that you stop looking for an actual solution. Antidepressants shouldn’t be regarded as a “final destination” therapy unless absolutely needed, just as painkillers usually aren’t the final destination therapy for physical pain (unless no other options are viable).

[@stevekaylor5606]

A young woman from Germany said she gained 42 kilos from antidepressants - CCHR video.

[@Cantfindabettername]

​@@stevekaylor5606 Many SSRIs act more like anti bacs, completely wiping out the gut microbiome. Depending on diet and the make up of the gut microbiome, weight gain is common. It's why a common side effect is diarrhea or constipation, depending on the person.

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@Cantfindabettername Thus, a new version of 2nd Degree Assault!

[@Cantfindabettername]

@@stevekaylor5606 with the way they're presented and prescribed without proper caveats, yes. In my case, low dose for a month significantly improved my insane sugar cravings. Turns out certain ssris are extremely effective against biofilm forming bacteria like candida albicans and even streptococcus strains. Now that I know what I know, I'm tapering off the drugs and loading up on fermented foods.

[@katieandnick4113]

Why would you trust the medical industry when it comes to ADHD and its supposed treatment, when the industry has blatantly lied for decades about depression and SSRIs? It totally makes sense that a stimulant drug is going to have a stronger impact on how a person feels than an SSRI does. That doesn’t mean that ADHD is what we have been lead to believe it is.

[@oShinobu]

I've been on SSRIs for a little over 8 years. They completely numbed my emotions; it was pure apathy. I feel like they actually made my depression much worse. Just recently, I decided that I've had enough. It's been a week since my last dose and I'm finally starting to feel things again. I'm crying a lot, but I love it. It's such a beautiful feeling and I've been robbed of it for almost a decade. Dr. Josef, thank you so much for your work ❤️

[@TalRachman]

Robbed of it for more than 20 years myself...

[@clemenszetzsche]

Same here. They blocked my emotions, which is horrible when you wanna cope with something. Ssri's are not just not helping, they damaged me. I'm off of it now and felt immediatly better after i tapered off. Thanks dr. Josef

[@davidestabrook5367]

@oShinobu I'm glad you're feeling better after coming off SSRI's. The crying frequently thing is totally normal, it's your body processing the emotions that were blocked when taking the antidepressants. Your experience of them numbing your emotions, was what I experienced too. Something good happened and I wouldn't feel good, something bad happened and I wouldn't feel bad. I'd rather have the normal ups and downs of life, than to just feel soul-crushing grey numbness. I also felt my life is better without SSRI's. Here's hoping your enhanced emotional sensitivity thing settles down soon, so you don't need to cry as much.

[@janesouthon3991]

@@davidestabrook5367 I needed to numb my emotions, to go through a period of stabilising my psychological pain in order to process the mental health situation without struggling emotionally, to heal the imbalance and inability to effectively control the madly swinging mood reactions within my damaged psyche . Detach and find my way back to the happiness and normality I sought but couldn’t find behind the emotional blockage. Break free from the physical and mental torment shadowing my uncontrollable loss of sense of well being. Intellectual healing is able to be faced without fear clouding the understanding of the way back to the path you must walk to achieve that place of wellness again. Then try to hold it on still waters with a taper plan and rebalance when you feel ready.

[@gemini-vibes6118]

I'm so "jealous" of you. I've been off citalopram for a year and I'm still totally blunted and severely cognitively impaired. I don't understand why I can't heal.

[@musclehead1992]

My antidepressants help me so much! It was never severe at all. By that constant negative voice went away. I’m always for the most part in a great mood and focused.

[@ranjittyagi9354]

What antidepressants do you take? I don't believe exchanging names of our meds should be of any harm.

[@musclehead1992]

@@ranjittyagi9354 I don’t care, I take Wellbutrin. It’s great because it also helps with my ADHD.

[@Nanzrl]

what medicine do you take?

[@ranjittyagi9354]

@@Nanzrl Hello. Did you ask me or OP?

[@genesbeans570]

Honestly same, I take Effexor and it's been life changing. I had to go though a few others that made me feel terrible after I found the right one for me but now I feel great.

[@Asynca]

I'm one of the people Antidepressants has been super helpful for. I'm so glad I'm on them, and whenever I go off them, I always massively notice the difference as my emotions are a total roller coaster. On them, I feel sane, calm and capable. I feel like for many of the studies they simple studied people like me who they really help!

[@ensco7]

Modern studies actually conclude their ineffectiveness. The general world of medicine just doesn't want to talk about it because it would take away a simple answer and there would be less money to be made. Besides, there is no way they could know the study object's reactions beforehand. I know the thought might be bitter for you, but have you ever considered that you want to keep taking AD's because you're experiencing withdrawal symptoms? What if you could've been as calm without them, if only you had waited longer or had changed some changeable circumstamces in your life? It's highly likely that the AD's aren't even good for you, statistically speaking.

[@Asynca]

@@ensco7 ​I appreciate your care (genuinely), but the withdrawal symptoms were never that bad for me and they were very short-lived. Beyond a shadow of doubt SSRIs are helpful to manage mood swings and anxiety for me. Beyond something a placebo could do. I can say this with comfortable certainty as I'm a counsellor and required to do significant therapy myself to maintain my accreditation! I hear they may not be as effective as previously thought (I, too, have read the studies), but for some people they are. I'm one of those people.

[@AbdulBido]

Rebound symptoms are a thing.

[@dylanadams9465]

@@ensco7 If our lives were not in need of change prior to the medication, we would not have started taking the medication. It does not actually matter to me whether it is a withdrawal symptom if it makes my life more comfortable, fulfilling, and satisfying. There is no bitterness to that consideration.

[@dont_harsh_my_mellow]

@@ensco7 Can you send a link to the research showing their ineffectiveness? I looked it up and can’t find anything. So…🫤

[@AProbablyPostman]

SSRIs are the only thing that have allowed my brain to not panic at all times

[@rinjihalfelf1]

A beta blocker did the same for me with less side effects. I had sudden onset of chronic severe disequilibrium for a year before anyone tried to help me. Still not diagnosed but ENT thinks it's vestibular migraine. It has caused anxiety, panic attacks and PDST like symptoms anytime I felt a little off. It was so bad it's start a feedback loop I couldn't stop with conventional breathing or distraction. Part of the reason I wasn't treated was because my attacks were silent. I could calmy tell you I don't feel right but the only indication anyone would see is my left hand would start shaking and my vitals would go through the roof. Going into month 3 of using the medication. I almost felt normal when I hit the grocery store today. Getting a little better each day.

[@Beepinsqueekin]

My life has been greatly improved with Citalopram. I was an extremely anxious person due to 2 cardiac conditions. Addition of Citalopram (2007) greatly lowered my anxiety and I am able to go about my day normally. When doing 2 challenge tests to see what happens when I stop my dose the anxiety always returns. I'm doing fine on it and won't rock the boat anymore!

[@PixelstarWASD]

they won't listen, youtube algorithm recommends this video to people who already believe it because they had bad experiences with healthcare (which is likely) and those who are fine have nothing to complain about so you never hear from them

[@someguy2885]

I am happy it worked for you, citalopram gave me panic attacks!

[@AgentOffice]

​@@someguy2885 you need to get through the beginning they work later

[@Al_ate_my_soup]

I remember one of my professors (I’m a psych major) saying that one of the big problem in these drug studies is that medicines are rarely compared to each other so we can’t narrow it down to what works best for what patients. I’m really interested in you mentioning antidepressants having calming drug effects too, I’ve noticed the people I’ve talked to with sever anxiety actually like their antidepressants.

[@ajax700]

It is a pharma marketing term. There is no pill that is antidepressant, they are anxiolytics, sedatives. In the 1980s benzos anxiolytics had such a bad reputation that they had to sell the new generation with a new marketing name. You can watch the history of this in David Healy youtube videos. Not to mention that they can cause from mania to worse depression and even nothing depending on the person and other variables. Best wishes.

[@kmari9819]

Antidepressants are becoming the standard treatment for anxiety disorders because they have such a positive effect on them and are less problematic than benzos.

[@18puppies91]

I had a gene testing done, which helped show which antidepressants were most likely to be beneficial to me. And it showed medicine goes through my system fast, so I need a larger dose. Obviously, I still had to try a few before finding a good one, but it helped a lot. Medicines have such strange differences person to person.

[@kathleen5296]

SSRI’s very nearly killed me. When I woke up in the hospital, the doctor forced me to keep taking them, continuing the harm. I went through an absolute nightmare, which I still have PTSD from, all due to these dangerous “medications.” I was hospitalized twice while on SSRI’s because of the effects they had on me. While at one hospital, the doctor threatened me with jail if I refused to take SSRI’s (I never committed a crime in my life, this threat was just to keep me on them). I was taken to a state mental ward just because I wanted to stop taking SSRI’s, where they held me, and forced me to take even more SSRI’s. SSRI’s destroyed an entire decade of my life, while doctors insisted that I needed to be on them for life. I never had depression before SSRI’s, but I sure did while I was on them, plus psychosis. That was over 14 years ago. I haven’t touched an SSRI since, and had a much better life once I got off of them, though I’m still suffering the after effects, as they did a number on my body. If a doctor insists I take any type of SSRI again, I walk out. Some doctors have gotten angry, and it’s because they want to prescribe SSRI’s for everything from hot flashes to headaches, but I refuse.

[@EAEAAAEAEE]

Seems like you’re leaving something out of this story. Unless you live in some third world country, what this doctor did according to you would instantly have his license revoked and get the hospital sued into oblivion lol. Any patient has a right to refuse care, unless you’re planning on hurting yourself other others, in which case you can be put into a psych ward for exactly 1 week. If you did hurt yourself or others, its completely ethical for a medical provider to make a decision for you as youre absolutely not in the right mind to take care of yourself. How did you let SSRI’s destroy an entire decade of your life? You couldve stopped taking them at basically any point you decided to. Unless you were on some sort of medical watch due to you not being able to take care of yourself.

[@fkauthority]

How can you be 'forced' to take a drug? I just flat out told my doctor I'm done taking them. Either give me lorazapam or I'm gonna get it illegitimately. Didn't prescribe it, so I went and got it myself. On the hard days, I take one. 8hr half-life. I get through the day. I'm doing better.

[@jackass6257]

@@fkauthoritythey can’t, unless you are a danger to yourself or others , AND have a court order/ are hospitalized .

[@VicSaidThat]

My trauma made it so difficult to relax and constant fight /flight is exhausting. After three weeks i feel like i can breathe for the first time in years. If i only gave them a chance instead of selfmedicating with opiates.

[@GulfKat]

Which one helped you? I’m in a similar boat. 🙏🏻

[@VicSaidThat]

@@GulfKat I am on 60mg duloxetine, the generic version of Cymbalta.

[@nothingtoseeherelolkek]

@@GulfKatdifferent types works for different people. Go to psychiatrist. I found mine after switching like 4 or 5 times.

[@AwfullWaffle]

This is how I ended up on social security for 17 years. It wasn’t until I stopped listening to “mental health professionals” that I was able to overcome crippling depression and anxiety. That was 1.5 yrs ago, today I am back at work after almost 2 decades and functioning normally with very few symptoms that are easily regulated through behavior modification - something I had to learn on my own. The medical establishment exists for the same purpose as any other big business and that is not to benefit you.

[@ashatan4554]

Did you stop taking the medication? Was it difficult?

[@KekeeBlack]

I think in some cases it enables people to continue lifestyle choices that aren't serving their best interests. I'd rather a doctor tell me to change something I'm doing than prescribe me a pill, but they don't get time to comb through every detail of someone's habits to find tweaks that can be made. Some people don't take well to being told to stop behaviors that bring them pleasure, or to start doing things that are like a daily chore. We all have busy lives so I think a lot of doctors don't even bother to say it because it offends some people.

[@warbler1984]

I'm a doctor. I don't prescribe antidepressants as I work in the Emergency Department and when I was depressed I didn't take them as I understand the evidence to not be that strong. But I find your comment overly cynical. Sure pharmacy companies are there to help themselves and US healthcare is extortionate (I work in NZ) but the vast majority of my colleagues got into this job to help people

[@JavedAlam24]

​@@warbler1984I disagree with vast majority, I'd say it's 50 percent or so

[@rdaleyj1]

You are a beautiful example of hope for many who are trapped in this dead end life.

[@alexish8183]

Thank god for those who question the status quo.

[@JT0007]

Thank god for you! You’re beautiful

[@michelleespino9814]

I have been taking them for 20 years and I’m in a masters nursing program. They suck, have a ton of side effects, and they are prescribed for everything.

[@MyhumpsmylovelymanlumpsMyhumps]

10/10 best people ever created.

[@michaelcoletta4547]

​@@michelleespino9814 the only good thing I can say about SSRIs is that it's not as bad as being dependent on benzos

[@CaptivaLP]

You probably didnt watch the whole video lol

[@horstspreu6946]

Dr. Josef.. You're the GOAT with what you're doing. Just imagine how easy it would be for him now that he has come so far to be a doctor to just lock in and do it all for the money. Can't thank you enough, I'm glad there are honest people like you in this world.

[@stevekaylor5606]

Josef and a few others will not walk the lockstep !

[@therealjohndoe3862]

I worked in a psychiatric hospital environment for over 30 years. As a clinician, and as part of the clinical team, I worked hand in hand with prescribers and of course, have been very aware of various "holes in the game" of anti-depressant use. More specifically, over time, I observed and chronicled responses to these (and other) medications, primarily psychiatric, and just how poorly most people responded to anti-depressants. Yes, I would say most. In fact, I can safely say that for many, many people, their symptoms would be exacerbated by ADs, and additionally, that new symptoms that were seriously complicating the client's overall condition would arise. In fact, I have seen many people become suicidal while taking them, and have seen people actually, measurably, become more symptomatic while taking them. Even in private practice, where I dwell now, the vast majority of people I know that are taking AD medication cannot say whether or not they feel the medication is helping, hurting, or doing nothing at all. In the end, following the research, I have come to have little faith in many variants of psychiatric medications for real reasons, based on real clients taking them.

[@momtolittlebaby]

You should see the tortured souls in some of the help groups for those permanently injured by these meds. It's ghastly. It's a small percentage, but it doesn't matter if it's you.

[@gemini-vibes6118]

I'm one of those people. A commonly prescribed ssri destroyed me. Every breath I take is pure agony

[@reverie4632]

​@@gemini-vibes6118I'm very sorry to hear that. I pray your suffering is alleviated and that you will find solace.

[@janetmcguffey1394]

to quote one of the comments: "I got erased as a person." I only took an antidepressant for several weeks but within days, felt completely in a depersonalized state..it was similar to some mescaline I tried decades ago (baby boomer) and hated with a passion....I don't know how any mind can adjust to the loss of their sense of self.....

[@claireh.7605]

I also had the “emotions get washed out” from coffee. But the effect was temporary. I have this feeling like both coffee and Lexapro had a similar and synergic effect on me acting together in the same way. Coffee affects many things we don’t know about. But yeah.. before Lexapro I woke up and went to a hop coffeeshop going to meet an attractive girl. Now.. I barely care! I’d be too lazy if offered the opportunity. It’s like being two people - the shadow of the old self and the new numb self. But I can also switch into my social normal brain when I am with people though, but now I just avoid it and stay alone. It’s like my nervous and hormonal system got damaged and bifurcate, like two pathways formed - one old one and one numb one and I just go to my number one out of fear now.

[@TalRachman]

It can, since the drugs neutralize the very senses and ability that indicate to you that you are in fact losing your sense of self... That's how it worked with me.

[@claireh.7605]

@@TalRachman I don’t even care that I became numb I forgot what it was like before

[@MsAkiman]

Did you get back to normal?

[@claireh.7605]

@@MsAkiman I personally did not four years later but I abuse coffee and work night shifts so there are other factors but I do get old feelings back finally

[@tnot1000]

I am in school now, and I can't question my professors. Mainstream disease management is the gold standard. I am glad there is a platform like this! Thank you!!!

[@nami1540]

You always can if you are respectful

[@sal5811]

@@nami1540it’s not really that simple. I think what the commenter means is that they can’t question the status quo, which is being perpetuated by those in higher level positions such as professors, doctors, etc. They are paid to be complacent. Then, when someone with good intentions questions something, they are labeled as a conspiracy theorist or seen as just plain stupid. These people don’t accept challenges to the mainstream, because it threatens their comfort and livelihood. That is what the comment, I believe, was referring to.

[@chaemchoiaromdee2229]

Golden teachers mushrooms alleviated my depression and anxiety, I feel more balanced.

[@Tylerze]

I've been microdosing psilocybin for months, and my manic episodes decreased significantly.

[@Lorelei-z9h]

They've brought in back shock therapy for treating extreme depression, I would definitely take a mushroom before I did that

[@Demirci-g9]

looking at the good effects of psilocybin mushrooms on depression I had a test, the effects of just one dose of psilocybin mushroom gave me an encouraging result..

[@JagoSma-s3u]

How did you prepare for your mushroom experiences?

[@Demirci-g9]

I did a guided ceremony with a therapist, 3.5g of psilocybin. The experience was profound.

[@astrahcat1212]

They aren't getting to the heart of the problems, if a family members dies or you have a breakup or you feel small in the world, the solution isn't manipulating the brain, because the brain isn't in a sense the mind or soul or spirit. The spirit needs healing, and the brain changes accordingly.

[@Sarah-with-an-H]

They don't want to. That would be a holistic approach where a person gets outside, gets movement, gets decent sleep, eats a healthy diet full of real food. And to connect with people so they can get exposure to what kindness looks like.

[@astrahcat1212]

@@Sarah-with-an-H and that's just it, what we really need is to all be kinder and care about each other and the planet, I know I sound like a cliche hippie but it's true

[@Sarah-with-an-H]

@@astrahcat1212 I agree and getting outside eating real food getting moving and forming connection would do that.

[@inittiela4934]

you are totally wrong if you think that its about outside world, its your biochemistry that is fucked up not environement. The problem is that those drugs mask symptoms instead of resovling root cause. There is potential for environement impact which is called epigenetics but still resolution is much more about biochemistry which is different for different people, some may have heavy metals overload, others have low methylation, some people have too high methylation, some have condition like Pyroluria which make them deficent in nutrients crucial for mental health etc and talking like its about spirit is dumb af because your brain is not some magical thing thats dependent on god.

[@Sarah-with-an-H]

@@inittiela4934 its not biochemistry its the entire picture of your life and what you do. The biochemistry concept was made up by an ad agency to sell antidepressants.

[@samuelread5830]

They do work. Not for everyone, but for many. They have side effects but you have to weigh up the costs. Some people need these to function and stay alive.

[@ensco7]

They don't "work" the way most doctors will tell you. And the probability of them being advantageous for you is quite small. They're good for a tiny portion of the people consuming it, considering most psychiatrists prescribe them way too quickly and most patients don't do research. And when you realize that they just do harm to the majority of people, it really is the biggest scam in medicine.

[@Humphreedee]

My. loved one was devastated from years of taking these meds in addition to meds for another mental illness. The toxicity of theser drugs is astounding, and I now firmly believe it takes years off an individual's life. The lack of apppropriate studies is shocking, and prevents, as you say, patients from making informed choices.

[@jjk2one]

Safe is taken as prescribed by your doctor. Nothing back then about suicide.

[@adamstephens9043]

​@@jjk2oneNo, you're missing the point of the entire video. These drugs are NOT safe even if taken as prescribed. Your doctor's prescribing isn't a magical incantation. They are dangerous if you take them, whether a doctor is involved or not.

[@maurice5402]

Eh anecdotal. You are not a doctor or a medical professional. You don't know if this is true, you're just saying it.

[@prod.meanearo3179]

it doesnt provide a feeling opposite of depression, it initially provides you with a high that lasts a few months and then an overall detachment from negative emotions and overall flatness. Positives - Unbothered Negatives - Feeling the same all the time, becoming quite obnoxious

[@Sarah-with-an-H]

I didn't get I high I got numb so I quit

[@milktea-xb6gq]

Everyone should make of habit saying "I/me" instead of "you".

[@melginger3794]

Finally a kind and honest doctor❤

[@Tinadonn]

How do you know? You don't know this guy. Don't be so gullible.

[@MichaelCzajka]

We need more psychiatrists and industry insiders who speak out. The summary of what is wrong with the current drug testing methods was very useful... plus the suggestions on how to make them better. 🙂 P.S. I've always wondered why drug trials seem unfit for their intended purpose. Psych drugs are the worse... but the problem seems to permeate virtually all drug trials. The more I study the more I appreciate the myriad of ways that the system is being gamed. The love of money has corrupted the system.

[@stevekaylor5606]

'Psychiatry is sincerity, fraud, force and financialization!' - Thomas Szasz

[@hobgoblin9339]

As someone who went through years of therapy and anti depressants/ mood stabilizers/ and anti psychotics, I can 100% tell you that coming off the meds and taking my life habits more seriously helped way more than the meds. For alot of people who just have bad life habits and tendencies, these meds are just a short term fix that can make the problem worse long term.

[@smalljockeyken5016]

I agree with what you say but isn't this just what most drugs do? Seems to me that most don't fix/cure the problem they just make it so that the symptoms are reduced and therefore have less of an impact on your quality of life. If they don't fix the problem, what does? And if we don't have anything or know for sure, then isn't symptom management all we have?

[@astrahcat1212]

Well the problem and the reason he does what he does, is while typical drugs can take weeks to get off of, withdrawals of these meds can take years. They're incredibly dangerous sin that way.

[@pixality7902]

The more insidious thing is the withdrawal effects. That very few doctors seem to be forthcoming about (if they even know).

[@ensco7]

​@@pixality7902They also won't tell you that antidepressants can be highly addictive. Not as much as nicotine obviously, but my docs were still denying it. Did some research and who would've thought...

[@tumutapadre5845]

No, that's not true at all, most drugs have clear pharmacologic mechanism that directly counters the cause of illness. With psychiatric medications it's just theories and hypothesis.

[@erynlasgalen1949]

​@astrahcat1212 Years? I have weaned myself off SSRIs twice, very slowly by halving my dosage until withdrawal symptoms (I call them the head fizzy-pops) go away and then dropping down to half again. It took me four to six weeks. I mostly did this because of the expense of the meds. I would maintain for a while but then find myself fighting abulia again. At this point I'm back on and feeling no guilt over needing them. I hope videos like this don't cause a counterreaction in the medical industry that will make SSRIs difficult to get. Of course, we're all different. If you don't do well on antidepressants then don't take them. Decades ago, I once had a doctor fob me off with Elavil over an actual physical problem that was hard to diagnose. Doctors are not gods. They are as fallible as the rest of us.

[@MOAB-UT]

New study. Put patients on a good, free diet and nutrition and social program. Given them hope and purpose and some fun hobbies. They would never come back.

[@ajax700]

That's what happens on Soteria houses. But if the Soteria model gets adopted by the majority an "industry would die", the pill industry. And that would be "unamerican".

[@19374hklmaq]

It's unjewish, that's what it really would be. #Sackler family European countries would never do that kind of stuff, without America as a role model, or overlord.

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@ajax700 Along with the status quo - of the Mental Health Industry!

[@MOAB-UT]

@@ajax700 I like that. Is Soteria Houses here in the US? Docs are drug pushers- plain and simple.

[@MOAB-UT]

@@19374hklmaq It's ALL about the money- not healing. Not helping. Even good Docs are part of an evil, money hungry system that causes real harm to people. Desperate people seek out Doctors for help and they get harmed. They visit the devil and he gets them addicted to drugs. Shameful. I am not exaggerating either. I know many Doctors- the good one's will actually admit this to you over drinks. They don't like it but they are trapped in a system and trying to survive so they go along to get along. They graduate with massive student debt. Then their identity and marriage, and friends are conditional upon them being a well earning Doctor.

[@Kelseychixnjojo]

Right once I stopped taking mine I started remembering important memories from childhood I repressed and suppressed and quickly realized I never needed meds I was just traumatized

[@markwareing3845]

Thanks for your courage to let the evidence speak without bias.You are a breath of fresh air for the everyday person.

[@PriyanthaKula]

Starting a job in mental health and watching these videos are not the best, i feel so much resistance and no motivation to continue in the field but its what I always wanted and don't know what else

[@potatochalbro]

On the contrary, you can make more of a positive difference in patient's lives if you hear more opinions from educated people like Dr. Josef.

[@Waves353]

There’s no moral dilemma It’s a clear choice I was a nurse for 25 years Never questioned these meds, I would have questioned the validity of what I see in this channel maybe, get out while you can.They destroyed my brain and career in a short time. Once you’ve had access to the truth, you cannot unsee

[@PriyanthaKula]

I thought the same to be positive but how do you go against the system as a whole, where do i find the support within?

[@astrahcat1212]

You are coming into a powerful position to CHANGE things! Help the community!

[@katieandnick4113]

@@astrahcat1212the medical field doesn’t need more people with god complexes.

[@MOAB-UT]

Mistake #1, thinking your Doctor truly has your best interests in mind. Dr. J. however is a gem.

[@4GSLmusic]

My Dr has my best interest in mind. She has helped me taper and doesn’t want me on medications. Almost done.

[@chrismaxwell1624]

My doctor does have my best interests in mind but then I live in Canada where they just paid and there isn't profit motive. So different that the dentist that works on corporate owned and shady business practice to milk as much insurance money as they can.

[@MOAB-UT]

@@chrismaxwell1624 Exactly. Doctors are simply part of a healthcare system. In the US, they do as they are told. They are told to write scripts- many, many, many scripts. My Doc. visibly got upset when I lost weight and started running and eating KETO. She hates that I am low carb. She is losing a customer.

[@MOAB-UT]

@@4GSLmusic But who put you on those meds to begin with? IN the US most docs don't care about us, at all. I had a surgery, and called my general doc. to tell her it went well. She never even called me back. You sing pretty good- better than me. Your tone could use a little work. What kind of guitar is that? I run a Fishman Mini Loudbox- best tone there is. You can DI to a PA. I say this as I sit here and loop a nice progression of Am7, Em7, FMaj7, G. Try it! It's really beautiful- it's in C. I like to solo over it in C Maj. Penta. Cheers! 🎸🎸🎸

[@bianchaesson1441]

​@@MOAB-UT????🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Travluminatii]

SSRI’s are the silent epidemic

[@kismet-o6k]

I see psychiatric drugs as the next Opioid Crisis

[@kathryn7739]

Psych meds are being heavily prescribed. People don’t know that they will give people “some kind of effect” but not one of healing. People are being completely misled. It is an ethical problem.

[@celestepiccolo6586]

I agree! And Benzodiazepines and sleep drugs and blah blah blah etc

[@kismet-o6k]

@@celestepiccolo6586 Psychiatry’s whole kit & kaboodle needs to be seen for what it is: legalized drug pushing

[@potatochalbro]

That's not really true though. But it surely makes for a sensationalist comment that will get upvotes.

[@ValerieBell-h8w]

Everyone reacts differently to medications. I cannot tolerate any of them. This should be taken into account. I had gut infections, and instead of trying to get to the bottom of this, I was constantly offered anti depressants. I recently got a new doctor, and without me mentioning any symptoms I had, I was offered an antidepressants! I had to go to a naturopath to get treated.

[@JohnnStr1]

Whatever FDA says I try to avoid it. I found myself in this rabbit hole of so many industry lies when I read "The 23 Former Doctor Truths". Its no wonder why Doctor left her career.

[@Padraigp]

Nobody who retains their intellegence through the nueorlogically damaging lobotomy hours of study and internship could stay quiet unless they also have had their conscience burnt out.

[@daviddawson1718]

Which is larger, your age, or your IQ?

[@johnemanuele8695]

You charlatans with MD credentials should lose your license to practice medicine..you are making general statements with potential to harm millions of people Without knowing these patients...

[@SweetSassyBull]

Bot

[@joolz999]

Believing the opposite of everything can be worse than believing everything just look into things and come to your own conclusions

[@motionista]

I believe antidepressants are not necessary for everyone, but they helped me and I am glad I wasn’t afraid to try.

[@Deinochaos]

I believe there's a palatable difference between depression and distress; and the same logic follows anxiety. I think of distress as an emotional response that has a reasonable cause; A breakup/bullying/financial difficulties/unstable home life, etc. I think of Depression/Anxiety as having no active reasonable cause. "I feel eyes on me at the grocery store even though no one's looking at me." Our world is kind of failing us in a major way these days. It's expected to feel hopeless and lost when you're living paycheck to paycheck and the fridge is empty. I wish these medications weren't being taught and marketed as a blanket cure-all. What other choice do we have? Zoloft won't pay my bills, but it might keep me from crying during a 12 hour shift.

[@kismet-o6k]

Drug pushing does not solve people's problems with living. Writing prescriptions should only be done as a last resort. Ingesting powerful drugs as a coping mechanism is not a healthy choice.

[@kathryn7739]

Too much reliance on drugs, whether prescription/recreational, being used to cope with problems in society, Doctors should not be selling drug use to people, especially for monetary gain.

[@kismet-o6k]

@@kathryn7739 Greed is a powerful motivator

[@janebethshimon]

My life was unmanageable and I wasn't coping. They gave me a diagnosis, something about chemical imbalance, and prescribed pills for it, saying I needed to be sure to stay on medication or else something dire might become of me. Well, something dire did become of me. I stayed on the bloody medications, got worse, was told it was me, my "illness," couldn't relate well to people or organize my life or come up out of the brain fog to think or make choices, went on disability, didn't get to live my life as it should/could have been. Same old, by now, familiar, story. 38 years on that crap. It should have never happened. I was robbed.

[@kismet-o6k]

@@janebethshimon I was robbed too. can Psychiatry is quackery.

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@kathryn7739 Are doctors getting money for each prescription they write, and also when they increase the dosage? This financialization factor may be subconscious!

[@BeeTimesTwo]

You explain everything so well!! This was fascinating to listen to.

[@lhays117]

Took antidepressants for a year. All it did was numb me out and give me brain zaps. Awful crap. Also, my depression exists because life is depressing not because of a “chemical imbalance.” I am capable of experiencing joy and excitement in life, but I rarely do, because (again) life is depressing.

[@astrahcat1212]

It's better to be sober and live a more real life. Dedicate your life to doing good for yourself and others in a dark world it's the only real reason to live.

[@stevekaylor5606]

"Show me the Chemical Balance Tests!" - Jeffrey A. Schaler

[@raisin4406]

Life is depressing because you have turned away from the rememberance of your Lord. Allah Almighty has said in the Quran: 20:124 وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ مَعِيشَةًۭ ضَنكًۭا وَنَحْشُرُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ أَعْمَىٰ ١٢٤ "And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind." What you really need is to return to your true purpose, which is to worship your Lord, alone, without any partners. Allah almighty has said (interpretation of meaning): 51:56 "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. 51:57 I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me. 51:58 Indeed, it is Allāh who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength. 51:59 And indeed, for those who have wronged is a portion [of punishment] like the portion of their companions [i.e., predecessors], so let them not impatiently urge Me. 51:60 And woe to those who have disbelieved from their Day which they are promised." However, when you truly fulfill this purpose, that is when you achieve true happiness. 16:97 مَنْ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًۭا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌۭ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُۥ حَيَوٰةًۭ طَيِّبَةًۭ ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ٩٧ "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do."

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@astrahcat1212 Agape love is mental health - why isn't this being coached by Mental Health personnel, instead of Labeling + neurotoxic drugs?!

[@incognito595]

@@lhays117 Strive for a better life.

[@OttoLindstam]

Amazing. Finally a clear and balanced description of what’s going on. Great nuance! Wish this was around before I started down the track of trial and error with medications that led nowhere.

[@FireOElijahMC]

Thanks for sharing this. I recommend reading “Health and Beauty Mastery” by Julian Bannet, that book is a real eye opener! I completely changed my habits

[@AnnaLorris]

I got it, truly a good book

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@AnnaLorris "Produce yourself!" - Marianne Williamson

[@hellsbells5389]

Love that you went the extra miles to truly understand these drugs!!! 🎉🎉 sigh sadly I’ve been on anti depressants for a decade 😢

[@pf100andahalf]

First. You're an inspiration Dr. Josef.

[@astrahcat1212]

Absolutely he's becoming a hero of our time, I'm sure the bigger he gets the more the bigger sellout KZbinrs will come down hard on him, because he'd be taking on pharma.

[@pf100andahalf]

@@astrahcat1212 I have a feeling that there won't be that much of that thing. Not this time. Not with him. He's got too many experienced people backing him up like us. This isn't a bunch of conspiracy theorists. It can all be proven. People are losing months and years of their lives and we're done with the BS. I had to taper for 2 years and then it took me several more years to get my life back.I'll go anywhere to stand up for this guy and I'm sure there are others like me. He's helping people get their lives back and helping others to avoid the dangers awaiting them.

[@pf100andahalf]

@@astrahcat1212 I don't think that will happen. There are too many of us who'll back him up. I know I will.

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@astrahcat1212 Dr. Josef will not become a neurotoxic drug dispenser !

[@skippergin2695]

I do remember getting laughed at at one point after I described some pretty intense adverse effects. Neither ADHD meds, nor antidepressants were at all tolerable for me. What helped me was reframing. I needed to change how I viewed the world and look at things more objectively. I haven't hated myself for years. I do still get anxiety, but it's nowhere near as debilitating. I still get sad, but, even if I feed the sadness, I no longer have the capacity to be nearly as miserable as I used to be.

[@DestinyR7]

I’m so happy someone’s finally talking about this

[@ericdickhaus7367]

As a colleague, and someone with years of experience in clinical trials, I enjoyed your video and found it informative and straightforward. You could make an entire other video on the unreliability of endpoint determinations and compliance in these trials! In clinical practice I find that these medications are overprescribed and poorly monitored, and that responders react relatively quickly with respect to non responders. Keep shining a light on these topics!

[@bryannaliebsack6187]

I'm on 4 different antidepressants and the last 2 years that I've been on them has been the MOST STABLE and emotionally bearable time of my life.

[@Dowlphin]

How and how much has your life changed in those years? Are you confident you can live without the drugs now?

[@HGhellbentALAN]

I think the insight portion of the HAMD-17 scale really got me. So acknowledging you can be depressed due to societal alienation, or economic status, being overworked/poor work life balance, scores you higher than just saying you're depressed and that's it? How does that even make sense when there's plenty of science showing that these things 100% contributes to depressed feelings and mood?

[@tudorandor1412]

It might seem so, but insight should differentiate between acknowledging external factors for your depression and just blaming things beyond your control for the way that you feel. A person who has insight into their depression should acknowledge that while their mood is affected due to outside circumstances, their inner thought processes amplify their feelings of guilt or hoplesness and they should work on fixing that.

[@ensco7]

​@@tudorandor1412 If possible, one should change the external factors first. Extreme, unrealistic example, but just to show the thought process: Imagine you're being held in a torture chamber and there are keys that you could get to to escape if you tried hard enough. But you also know that the pain would be a little less severe if you tried to resist feeling it, if you were thinking of good things etc. Would you go for the keys? I think so. Now, where the comparison fails is that we can't know everybody's situation; whether the external factors are bad enough to be causing the pain. That's to be looked at individually. I'd bet that changing your perception and "accept" things is usually not the right way to go about it.

[@Dowlphin]

@@tudorandor1412 I would say you both have a point.

[@midwestchem368]

Ive had a theory for awhile and please do correct me if im wrong. a specific serotonin receptor or subtype could provide antidepressant effects. The problem is that serotonin receptors can do a wide range of things. So modern antidepressants are like taking a fully automatic serotonin pew pew and blasting a range of receptors. So in a sense you did stimulate the correct receptor to provide antidepressant effects but you also just "hit" many other serotonin receptors which can provide a plethora of other effects including worsening of depression. Sort of like what is seen in psychedelics where mentally there can be a wide range of effects from euphoria and giddiness to dispair and fear.

[@SuperSurreal]

Very informative video! Clearly presented and well explained, thank you!!

[@AliceR27]

I got on venlafaxine for menopause. Nobody tells you about side effects. If I missed a dose I got so dizzy I couldn't walk. It took years to get off. I eventually got to an every other day dose & was able to stop. I have rarely, if ever, had a doctor discuss side effects. Statins are the most recent. Now that I've educated myself, it is shocking what I've never been told, including that lowering LDL cholesterol has practically no effect on reducing your risk of heart attacks and strokes, that it interferes with vitamin D and hormone synthesis, and increases my chance of diabetes and dementia.

[@netscrooge]

Anyone with Internet access can find the truth about antidepressants. How frightening that so many physicians can't be bothered.

[@erynlasgalen1949]

The truth about antidepressants is that they help some people but not all. They definitely help me. Medicine is not a one size fits all science. It would not like to lose access to a therapy that works for me and improves my quality of life because of this one size fits all approach to medicine.

[@EAEAAAEAEE]

@@erynlasgalen1949 yeah people in this comment section are clearly stuck in black or white thinking patterns. Medicine is often a series of gray zones where an individual and their medical team need to make a careful decision tailored to that individual. It seems some here just want to label the entire pharmaceutical industry as bad.

[@ToyotaTom04]

@@erynlasgalen1949there is no basis for drug treatment of depression or any mental illness. There is no proof of a medical problem

[@Idrinklight44]

How much medicine revolves around $$ is a crime!!!!!

[@kathryn7739]

Nobody is watching over the patients! It’s all corrupt and a crazy scam.

[@i_dont_want_a_handle]

not everywhere, here in eastern europe a pack of zoloft is just $6, north americans are fucked tho

[@Opethfeldt]

A patient cured is a customer lost.

[@isthatyoujohhwayne]

​@@i_dont_want_a_handleto say the truth psychiatry in post-soviet countries is far worse than in the USA.

[@EAEAAAEAEE]

@@i_dont_want_a_handle it’s more expensive in North America but our treatments and overall medical care is more advanced. We pay more money for a reason. The state that i live in has the richest people in Europe fly to it just for the advanced care technologies our hospital has.

[@MaddyPup19450]

Please consider writing an article of this info in a respected publication.

[@potatochalbro]

These issues are talked about constantly in publications. Dr. Josef is merely bringing it to public attention as well, which is great so patients can demand better treatment from their often not so great doctors.

[@eyeCubish]

Yoga, meditation, prayer, connecting with friends, family, loved ones. Hobbies, reading, exercise, novelty, nature, nutrition. Love, love, love. The only things that matter

[@goldibee]

I was on various antidepressants most of my adult life… they never really helped. I went from overly medicated with severe mental health issues with several hospitalizations to off all the medication and happy and healthy. I worked on my lifestyle - healthy whole foods, weight training, 8k+ steps a day, keeping stress down and getting adequate sleep. It wasn’t easy, but it’s possible.

[@ajax700]

And what about PSSD and persistent damage? No mention at all. At least you were on the end that gets no damage, we deeply regret being prescribed to. We were promised help and ended ruining our lives. Best wishes.

[@user-um2uf9zq4c]

Take responsibility for yourself. People like you are why I never became a doctor. Entitled, whiney and obtuse. I bet taxpayers or family members pay for your care too.

[@gemini-vibes6118]

I'd give anything to go back in time and stop myself from taking citalopram. PSSD has destroyed me on an incomprehensible level.

[@diydylana3151]

Nobody cares about us

[@EAEAAAEAEE]

Like with almost any medicine, theres rare side effects. You made the decision to take a medication and you’re always advised to read a list of all the side effects. The medicine didn’t play out well and it sucks that it happened to you but just because you got a rare side effect doesnt mean the medicines entirely bad. Tylenol can cause kidney failure in people with weak kidneys yet is safe and effective for 90% of people. Should we then never prescribe Tylenol to people?

[@diydylana3151]

@EAEAAAEAEE It ruins your entire life and they literally say its impossible. I literally asked them if symptoms could persist after stopping. They said no. I stupidly believed them. Never did I know they could be this bad.

[@ralsharp6013]

Thank you for you very interesting and important opinions and knowledge on your experiences 🙏🏽

[@fadingdimension]

For me personally, SSRIs worked very well in the very short term, say around 6 months. After 6 months on escitalopram I started experiencing emotional numbness and apathy. It was useful as a stop gap to get myself into therapy and start working with a psychologist for a more tailored diagnosis and treatment protocol including non-SSRI psychiatric medication. I do believe SSRIs have a place as a temporary life preserving emergency floatation device, however, you can't toss it to someone and not continue trying to pull them out of the raging ocean, back onto the raft, and eventually back to land.

[@ash7324]

Safe to say sertraline saved my life. I don’t think I’d have been able to take much more of the hell I was in when I was depressed. It was truly horrible and the medication gave me enough respite from the symptoms to be able to the things that helped me tackle the underlying problems. They are not a cure within themselves, you still have to work on yourself. But my personal experience has been very positive.

[@celestepiccolo6586]

Thank you for all this info. Your ideas for the needed research is so needed. I hope people listen to you. Please keep up all your important work. You have helped me so much. ❤

[@englandcolors]

Just some thoughts. Not only is there a placebo effect but there is also a nocebo effect, when you look at trials the % of patients taking placebo and having side effects is sometimes similar to the % actually having side effects. Also this concept of treating symptoms vs the cause is not exclusive to psychiatry. This is how the vast majority of medications work. Withdrawal CAN be avoided in most patients with proper slow taper. You speak about it like it’s inevitable. In practice we see many patients vastly improve with these medications and some who don’t. The goal for me would be to improve enough for the patient to be able to make life style changes that will make their life better and hopefully taper them off (depending on number of depressive episodes). Thanks for the video!

[@TheFirstManticore]

Nobody suffers from a deficiency of Prosac. Deficiency of Vitamin D can cause depression. Deficiency of physical exercise and sunlight too. But apparently these beliefs mean that I am depressed.

[@seashelify362]

Definitely Vit D is a real issue & many physicians never test their patients levels.

[@dianemcmahan5159]

Thank you. It takes a courageous honest man. to back track. God bless you . 🙏🏼

[@BethanySchwarz5678]

I was on SNRI’s for 2 or 3 years and felt it numbed me and I was ready to get off. My doctors advice was to taper over 2 weeks, I chose to do it slower over 3 or 4 months. I continued having withdrawal symptoms for 6 months after I was fully off of the medication

[@Glesga_lassie]

2 weeks is horrendous, it took me 4 years (after being on them over 20). Im glad you done it slower.

[@EAEAAAEAEE]

Keep in mind this completely depends on the individual and which SSRI theyre taking. I took a bunch of SSRI’s and one specific SSRI for years with supposedly the worst withdrawl symptoms: tapered over 1.5 months and was completely fine. Everyones brain is different.

[@jordanhabibi332]

This is why I’m grateful my psychiatrists listen to me and give me agency. I’ve actually been doing well enough I’ve been able to decrease my dosage.

[@Zyphera]

Downloading this video. So sad, but good video.

[@staceyklj]

Thank you for getting the truth out here!

[@attheranch873]

This was very helpful. Thank you so much.🌷 subscribed

[@franny5295]

I think it's probably a good idea to avoid anything that can mess with your mind or perception of reality in unpredictable ways. They clearly do have effects and with them being that varied, I personally would pass.

[@Rene-uz3eb]

Recap: 1. the drugs make you high which covers over the depression symptoms 2. The hamilton questionnaire was designed by the mad hatter himself 3. Relapse studies show you get withdrawal symptoms therefore you should keep prescribing. Also relapse studies relieve the drug maker from having to show long term side effects, because hey nothing's worse than withdrawal.

[@Sarah-with-an-H]

I was on an antidepressant for a short time. I didn't feel high I felt numb and being autistic meant I wasn't feeling anything enough to do the work needed to reduce depression.

[@astrahcat1212]

It's hard NOT to score on autism or ADHD or add or whatever when you take their questionnaires it's designed for you to have a condition.

[@stevekaylor5606]

"Psych drugs cause mass shootings!" - Allen Francis, 2012

[@stephen7715]

@@astrahcat1212 truuuuuuue

[@hellogornto]

I can relate to the sickness from long term applications. Thanks for the support

[@Solscapes.]

Love how he went from saying they don't address the issue to saying they work in the summary. Doc needs to do more research.

[@crimestoppers1877]

I agree with your ideas about the flaws of research with antidepressants. A friend decided to go to Medical school and he later received training in psychiatry. We had many discussions about two of his treatments: Drugs including antidepressives and ECT. When I simply said the words "pseudo-Parkinsonism" or "Extra pyramidal effects" (Phenothiazine side effects) he gave a knee jerk reaction. He was always rational in discussing any topic but since I only have a BS degree, I was not qualified to discuss the issues. He told me that many physicians would treat Depression with ECT where anti depressives did not provide relief. I am revisiting my thoughts on this and I learn that ECT use today is still common and little is known about the actual chemical, biological, physical, and psychiatric reasons why these ECT treatments allegedly "work". In past, physicians used "Old Sparky" for their "ECT machine" ( an AC transformer plugged into a mains outlet) and the ECT devices of today. Where are the objective scientific studies? How about TMS? In line with the Ouija board as a scientific instrument?

[@HeatherWP]

Yes these are the discussions to be had as opposed to silly things like “is a Reuptake inhibitor really better than an agonist medication for a first line treatment?” or “how long should it be before you discontinue the use of an antagonist medication before there are serious adverse effects?”. Nah, let’s just get out the ice pick🤦🏻‍♀️ To laugh or to cry… idk 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Romans_8.38-39]

I had suffered from serotonin syndrome years ago, then horrible brain zaps even with slow antidepressant withdrawal. No medication helped for long. My faith in Jesus, lifting weights, walking and sunshine have been my biggest helpers in depression. I am disabled, now, so I no longer lift weights, but I walk when able. My faith is stronger than ever. Praise, glory and deep gratitude to God!🙏

[@sweetsummerrain8086]

Your faith in Jesus is delusional.

[@Romans_8.38-39]

@@sweetsummerrain8086 Praying for you to be led to repentance and accepting Lord Jesus' saving grace.🙏 Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@sweetsummerrain8086 Whether someone is religious or just a fan of Andre Rieu - he can become exalted!

[@ashatan4554]

Christ is King ❤️

[@stevekaylor5606]

@@ashatan4554 Ash, you are a Christ like figure!

[@Gsp_in_NYC]

SSRIs were a God send to my general anxiety disorder. Incredible--I felt the impact immediately (within 2 hours)

[@Labn3rd]

Thanks for your insight very interesting I am working towards getting off 5mg lexapro (from 10mg)I gained over 30 lbs and have other "wonderful" side effects I can't stand any longer

[@bwinkle2915]

Can I ask if you dropped 5mg in one go and how it was for you?

[@ClaireCopeland-n6y]

Ive always been small at 5 foot 3. Lexapro in my early 30s made me gain up to 160. I quit and now weigh 117 but covid vax injury last year made me lose down to 77lbs. It's a long story. Quit if you can. Prayers

[@jacobrourk3667]

I really appreciate the amount of work and thought you put into this. Thank you

[@stacysolitude]

I've had probably 20 different SSRIs/mood stabilizers/antipsychotics/etc that failed to help alleviate my depression without worsening or making me numb. The brain zaps and rubber band sensation squeezing my brain side effects were awful. I took magic mushrooms at a New Year's party when I was 18 and didn't struggle with depression or anxiety for about a year. The risk of going to jail isn't worth trying magic mushrooms again to combat my chronic depression and anxiety, but recall how impactful that was and look forward to the day psilocybin being prescribed to treat depression and anxiety becomes legal and the norm.

[@terrashae5300]

I highly doubt anyone would send you to jail for trying shrooms a few times. But I suppose it depends on where you live.

[@kuroenekodemon]

What I was given a few years ago: - An SSRI (Cipralex in my country) What I actually needed: - ADHD Medication (Strattera) - Insomnia Medication (Seroquel) - Therapy - 5000IU of Vitamin D3 (I am deficient by this much during winter) I am grateful to have a psychiatrist that actually listens to me and works with me and I feel a lot better after addressing the root cause, sleeping way better and staying asleep and I can function day to day as well

[@dianemcmahan5159]

Grief, over an “imperfect life” cannot, and should not require drugs. Life will never be like the fantasy world on Television. Reach out for trusted friendships. None of us are mentally ill. Just on a journey, not all good, not all bad. Love your life. 👣🕊

[@ruthanneluvsvacuuming6653]

Its so easy to ignore the bad things on television and only appreciate the happy moments because it’s not happening to you. I started paying more attention and realized television family have lots of hard times too😮❣️

[@stevekaylor5606]

"Take my Hand" - by Elvis Presley is a song about agapeic love. It is fun to sing with others, and is a good promoter for mental health!

[@davidestabrook5367]

Everyone will need "chemical comfort" at some point in their life, as it reduces stress, stops pain, and aids healing. But it's just chemical comfort, not real comfort from being hugged by a friend or partner. Real comfort is better, but both are needed, especially when the pain gets too much, or real comfort isn't available.

[@milktea-xb6gq]

"None of us are mentally ill"??? Wanting to di3, seeing you in the mirror, or hearing voices, hallucinating, mood swings... none of that is mental illness. There's more to it than whatever you're observing in your personal life.

[@coolnormalandwelladjusted]

Mental illness is absolutely real. You can’t think your way out of it.

[@phe.mp3]

I feel so much for the people in the comments who have had bad experiences. I’ve been on Zoloft for 8 years and I’m very fortunate to have benefitted heavily from it. I did have averse side affects on prozac, though, which goes to show that there is no one-size-fits-all.

[@ElBow-h9q]

Gaining weight would depress me. That is why i refused prozak when it was pushed on me for absolutely no good reason when i was 14. Thank God I did. People i know on these pills are miserable.

[@gillifish]

So fascinating!!! Antidepressants never vibed well with me. Stimulants on the other hand? Life changing! But I’d rather not take them. The drug industry is intriguing as all hell.

[@philippearvisais5455]

Woke up to the cycle of horror these medications were causing on me. Took it upon myself, against my doctor's wishes, to cease using them, tapering down the doses until now, where I no longer take any at all. Now I am suffering from constant brain zaps, vertigo and head spins, and I don't know how long I need to tough these out until they cease driving me nuts.

[@sabrinusglaucomys]

Did you do the tapering method where you go down very slowly taking only a fraction of the minimum dose of a pill?

[@philippearvisais5455]

@@sabrinusglaucomys Yep! to half dose over 4 weeks, to a quarter of the initial full dose for another 4, to none. Symptoms barely gone for me still.

[@maggieknight7913]

Took about another two months before my tapering symptoms (brain zaps/irritability/headaches )subsided. I tapered in a similar way-just over a bit more time. Stick it out, they do subside

[@paulthomas281]

You are an outstanding speaker and explicator.

[@Nishmcbay]

I remember few years back after my wife died, I was left alone with 3 kids. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Got diagnosed with bipolar. Not until a friend recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment changed my life for better. I can proudly say i'm totally clean for 6 years and still counting. Always look to nature for solution to tough problems, Shrooms are phenomenal.

[@Micnesia-c1l]

I love hearing great life changing stories like this. I want to become a mycologist because honestly mushrooms are the best form of medicine (most especially the psychedelic ones) There are so many people today used magic mushrooms to ween off of SSRI medication- its amazing! Years back i wrote an entire essay about psychedelics. they saved you from death buddy, lets be honest here.

[@ErnestoHorner88]

Hey mates! Can you help with the source? I suffer severe anxiety, panic and depression and I usually take prescription medicine, but they don't always help. Where can I find those psilocybin mushrooms? I'm really interested in treating my mental health without Rxs. I live in Australia don't know much about these. I'm so glad they helped you. I can't wait to get them too. Really need a reliable source 🙏

[@DonnDenisse]

YES sure of mycologist Pedroshrooms. Mushrooms literally got me off my feet and turned my whole life around. I am currently a housing manager for a recovery program. I wouldn't have been able to do that shit without psilocybin.

[@canerbakar-jv2si]

I'm so very happy for you mate, Psilocybin is absolutely amazing, the way it shows you things, the way it teaches you things. I can not believe our world and our people shows less interest about it's helpfulness to humanity. It's love. The mushrooms heals people by showing the truth, it would be so beneficial for so many people, especially politicians and the rich who have lost their way and every other persons out there.

[@ElizabethMicheal-fu8xn]

Where do I reach this dude? If possible can I find him on Google

[@oglatnik]

This video has all the answers I’ve been trying to find for 3 years

[@Divergent333]

I told a 'psychiatrist' that the zoloft wasnt working and she just upped it. Absolutely careless and dangerous. Truth is, i never started taking them. I wanted to see what she would do

[@incognito595]

@@Divergent333 SMART MOVE.

[@olympiaelda1121]

facepalm moment

[@gnomebanta2297]

Thats... not how this works, dude.

[@Daniel-Q.-Phantom-esq.]

@@gnomebanta2297how does it work then

[@eatplastic9133]

My mum was like that with her doctors. First with xanax then with three different ssris at once. She always said they didn't work and they would say: then tale some more. I guess that is the practice. She Almonte ended her life because of that stuff. And she only neede to change her job!

[@austindobbins8957]

my theory behind AD's: when we have an environment that reminds us of being depressed, we feel it more. when we are in our natural brain chemistry state, we remember our negative patterns. when you chemically change the brain, it can act as though it feels completely different. because it does feel different. then some people go and do what is necessary to rewire that brain to not react to life with depression so often. seems like we have cannabinoids that can do the same without all of the negative effects. Step 1. Chemically change the brain state Step 2. Change the mental habits Step 3. Change the lifestyle habits AD's are not necessary for those 3 steps yet we sell so many in america

[@HeatherWP]

What’s worse it’s there is even more than the one alternative you’ve named. There are a ton of things aside from antidepressants!

[@kathryn7739]

I have always been wary of the antidepressant class of drugs. I believe they might be worse than placebo. They just don’t take into account of these other negative drug effects, especially when depression is such a fuzzy diagnosis to begin with. At the end of the day, these drugs are numbing agents only, not a neurotransmitter balancing pill. The narrative needs to change on the depression diagnosis and trying to use pills to fix it. It’s a myth how one can think these drugs work this way.

[@c.albertbardi318]

I have been teaching about antidepressants to undergraduates for years, assigning meta-analyses and the Kirsch studies (along with the 60 minutes exposé) for students to grapple with. Your video is such a succinct yet careful summary of all that work. Your thoughtful position on their efficacy (they do have positive effects, but not for the root causes and not necessarily apparent in HAM-D totals) is brilliant. My research focuses on scale development, so if you are interested in pursuing the development of measures for the true effects of drugs, I'd be interested in a collaboration.

[@marksmadhousemetaphysicalm2938]

They have their place, but as a psychiatric nurse…subspecialty in acquired brain injury…honestly, therapy is essential, if not more so… frankly there are no magic pills or easy pills to avoid the hard emotional work of dealing with depression. I’m a survivor of traumatic brain injury…I use SSRIs like glasses to help replace neurotransmitter insufficiency but to address emotional problems I see a cognitive behavioral therapist regularly. It’s that which helps most. Evidence suggests serotonin isn’t the right neurotransmitter or necessarily right neurotransmitter only…NMDA or GABA need modulation too perhaps…and many early pharmaceutical studies showed only mild correlation with depression and effectiveness. I tell patients with brain injury that medications help you fell stable, but they’ll never make you feel “happy” only you can do that…

[@ancabostinariu6550]

Correct . This is why I did not want to prescribe without any form of psychotherapy.