The Realistic Medicine conference held at Dunblane on the 9th October 2018 was entitled:
Unfortunately I was unable to be at this conference.
One of my concerns relates to the potential of antidepressants to cause dependence and withdrawal. I am also concerned about over-medicalisation. Recently released Scottish Government figures have revealed that nearly 1 in 5 of Scotland’s population are taking an antidepressant.
In what follows I share the language of academics and professionals on this matter.
These publicly made statements are all by healthcare professionals. Most are by Members and Fellows of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, some very senior.
“Under-treated depression is a huge problem and we need to be aware of that. We tend to focus on over-treatment but we need to focus on this” 22 February 2018
“This meta-analysis finally puts to bed the controversy on antidepressants” 22 February 2018
“Why are some people carrying out a moral crusade against effective medication?” 23 February 2018
“You can’t hide behind the ‘patient’ label when outside the ‘patient’ role. Not fair. Patients who are involved in lobbying are no more nor less valid than man on Clapham omnibus” 18 October 2018
“Stop vilifying antidepressants – mental health is more complex than the ‘insteaders’ think” 23 February 2018
“Demonising medical treatment risks stigmatising mental disorders” 6 September 2017
“Depression is under-recognised across all age groups” 26 April 2017
“There is good evidence that maintenance treatment has a good risk-benefit ratio” 26 April 2017
“The myth that psychiatrists are paid off by Big Pharma” 4 October 2018
“Helmets on (or should that be corsets) . . . another anti-psychiatry attack” 21 August 2018
“All in all its been a bad few says for the ‘anti-medication’ cult and their followers” 1 March 2018
“This petition includes many hysterical and baseless claims” 22 October 2018
“The petition is littered with hysterical hyperbole” 23 October 2018
“The petition states nothing but exaggerated hyperbole and accusations” 23 October 2018
“Why is it sometimes the most ill-informed seem the most vocal?” 26 July 2018
“an argument from a moral vacuum” 28 July 2018
“. . . so many people like to pretend/think/protest otherwise” 22 February 2018
“the real villains” [the public view on antidepressants] 2009
“Oh dear. Time for another round of pill shaming” 9 March 2018
“No, its called relapse. Often having been off medication for years” 18 October 2018
Note: I have done my best to archive the full context of all these publicly made statements. Please get in touch for any clarifications. I am happy to share all that I have recorded.
The following 100 word summary was published in The British Journal of Psychiatry (2015):
Perhaps, my College finds me no longer:
Perhaps, the Evidence Based Medicine [EBM] that I follow, has lost sight of:
I am not:
I try to be:
Like Albert Camus, I am:
