Ideas For Taking Action - the Brainstorming Thread

[Luc]

If you had any ideas for advancing our cause; spreading the word about SSRIs, helping the suffering, educating the people in medical field about the dangers of the drugs, please post them here. Do not limit yourselves to the "standard" approach, maybe you will be the first one to come up with an idea extraordinaire, something that will change the present state of "SSRIs affairs" forever.

[grandmaD]

It probably doesn't need to be spoken that WE can spread the word to those we already know. I did not tell people I was on A/D as I was put on for pain and didn't want people to think badly about me - stigma, etc. Eventually I began telling others and was astounded to discover many others also on AD's! My aunt, for one! I shared with her as much as I could and next time I saw her, she told me she had come off them. Months later when I saw her again, she told me she is better off on them! I tried to stress the necessity of coming off slowly, but I am not sure people actuallyh get it unless they crash and experience it firsthand.

just recently another friend has lost his job, going bankrupt, is depressed - and so I talked to him to discover not taking tablets regularly.

Another person collapsed and hospitalized. Taken off all meds (including SSRI). This person for years now a zombie, not cooking, not cleaning house or herself, is incontinent and Dr. declared she has alzeimers. In hospital, after 3 days put back on a lower dose of SSRI. A different person, not incontinent, not a zombie, definitely not got alzeimers!

So, we can get the word out as individuals. Doesn't seem much, but evry bit helps.

We can write to the Drs. I worte that n another thread.

[Luc]

Great post, GrandmaD! The grass-root effort is always the most powerful and most real of weapons. That's the most important element of it all indeed, I think. People do not share their experience enough, and only if they knew that others are going through the exact same, all would be different. In the last 4-5 years I have been able to talk quite many folks out of starting SSRIs (in real life and on forums) - it's mind-boggling that doctors would want to put them on SSRIs, when so many other better avenues haven't been even explored. Of course, we should also remember, as you rightly said, how much they're stigmatized by the doctors, who believe the Big Pharma more than us. But more and more am I convinced that, thanks to the Internet, we're starting to build this alternative and competing system of support for the suffering, and it's beyond any doubt that quite soon the old system of affairs will become obsolete. After all we know the truth, and the truth can't be supressed these days any more - no matter how much of whack-a-mole "they" will play.

[m&m]

Please report your adverse reaction or withdraw (SS) to the FDA. These drugs are ruining people's lives! And I agree with Luc... the doctor's aren't listening to the people who are experiencing trauma in their lives BECAUSE OF THE SSRI's... people who should have never even been on the meds in the first place, who were normal and functioning quiet well before the drug, but unfortunately believed the lies that SSRI's are safe. Well they are not.

Each voice counts. There are some voices that will never be heard because they were damaged by SSRI's and didn't live to tell how the med destroyed them both emotionally and physically. When a person has a severe adverse reaction to these types of meds they cannot not win the battle, only try to survive the turmoil it has left them in.

Here is the link:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/H...rt/default.htm

[Sheila]

Thanks for posting this, m&m. I reported my catastrophe years ago.

[Luc]

Each voice counts.

Absolutely. And it not only *makes* a difference on a systemic level, but may also help many in their healing.

[Luc]

To all IAWP-ers reading this thread, if you only have enough energy, you may help our common cause by linking to our forum, telling others about the IAWP Youtube videos (adding links). Also, when discussing antidepressants, WD, symptoms on the Internet forums, Youtube videos, etc., let people know about our website, forum and videos. This saves people's lives. Literally. Poor folks don't even know that their unspeakable suffering is caused by the drugs they take.

The more links there are to our place, the more people we are able to help.

[Niks]

i am new to the forum and my tought are simple, i was able to get better when i took the meds but thats a blurry truth, i was not better, i became zombified with the "go away" of original symptoms!

My question is easy, ive been on meds and at the time i had no information as a lot of people dont have...now im out short time ago "4months" and the question is for those who have past the storm!! can we get better?? would we have another chance to live normally without this symptoms that we all have to manage now??

[Sheila]

Niks -- Yes, we can get better and we can live normally. But this thread is for activism -- for example, contacting journalists. Your question would be better placed in the "Coping with withdrawal" sub-forum. Thank you! :)

[Niks]

ups sorry ;) thanks