PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION
In our experience, it is often very difficult to find clear and simple information on the medication we take. Health professionals often don't have the time to properly explain their short and long term effects. To be able to make a free and informed decision on taking, reducing or coming off medication, we believe that it is essential to be well informed on the subject. Also, having a better understanding of the language associated with medication can facilitate interactions with our doctors or pharmacists.
Each drug family page has information about their effects (including their side effects and specific withdrawal effects), indications and contraindications. This information was taken from the Other Side of the Pill training, developed by the AGIDD-SMQ (Association of Mental Health Rights Groups in Québec), together with pharmacists. The subpages in this section were automatically translated by Google.
" For me, discovering information about my medications brought up a lot of reactions and emotions, especially anger and sadness. It was unsettling to realize the potential effects and possible consequences of what I had been taking for years. Also, I realized that I did not have all the information necessary to exercise my right to free and informed consent. "
Linda, member of the Vécu GAM committee
EXPLORING FURTHER
Websites
Benzodiazepine Information Coalition
AnitDepAware
Principes actifs et dénominations commerciales (Psychotropes, Réussir son Sevrage, Peter Lehmann)
Items
What You May Not Know About Antidepressants and Anti-Anxiety Medications
'I don't know who I am without it': the truth about long-term antidepressant use
Videos
Will Hall in Conversation About Psychiatric Medication, Manchester, 4th February 2021
Books
Psychiatric drugs demystified . David Healey
Critical Guide to Soul Medicines. Suzanne Cailloux-Cohen and David Cohen.
The Myth of the Chemical Cure: A Critique of Psychiatric Drug Treatment . Joanna Moncrieff
A Straight Talking Introduction To Psychiatric Drugs (Second Edition): The Truth About How They Work And How To Come Off Them . Joanna Moncrieff
The Emperor's New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth . Irving Kirsch (medicine)
Antidepressed: A Breakthrough Examination of Epidemic Antidepressant Harm and Dependence . Beverley Thomson
Les dérives de l’industrie pharmaceutique. Petit abécédaire. Claude Saint-Onge