Week 3 | Discussion - Prescription for Violence

Week 3 | Discussion - Prescription for Violence Prescription for Violence is a short video that informs its viewers about the deadly side effects associated with psychiatric medications; more specifically, how antidepressants have been linked to violence. This is demonstrated through multiple testimonies of the unfortunate and sometimes devastating results from these medications, which also coincides with the critiques in the readings by Peter Breggin and Irving Kirsch. One of the more compelling testimonies in the video is the mother who explains how her nonviolent son turned violent and unpredictable after starting his antidepressants. As already indicated, Breggin and Fisher (2010) argued in Talking Back to Prozac that psychiatric drugs could lead to extreme emotional distress featuring violent outburst. He also says they can "disrupt normal brain function, leading to mood swings, suicidal thoughts, and aggression" (p.62). This is in full view in the video when families said their loved ones had drastic personality changes, thus supporting the warnings voiced by Breggin regarding the neurological results of these drugs. Moreover, the video corroborates Kirsch's critical review in the book entitled The Emperor's New Drugs. Kirsch, 2010 argues that while the benefits of antidepressants are exaggerated at the same time minimizing its risks, which further include increased aggression and violence. Experts in the video report how pharmaceutical companies promote such medications despite the danger just as Kirsch would postulate that minimal benefits of antidepressants cannot justify the sever risks. This is well exemplified by the young man in the video who acted out of character in a most violent manner while on an SSRI; he is thus a prime example to support Kirsch's point that minimal clinical effects are superfluous against the significant harm these drugs can bring about. In conclusion, the testimonies in Prescription of Violence reinforce some of the main arguments presented by both Breggin and Kirsch. The personal experiences from those affected by psychiatric medications expose the dangerous consequences that both authors warn against, showing the disconnection between promoted benefits of the drugs and actual risks they pose. Prescription for Violence is a short video that informs its viewers about the deadly side effects associated with psychiatric medications; more specifically, how antidepressants have been linked to violence. This is demonstrated through multiple testimonies of the unfortunate and sometimes devastating results from these medications, which also coincides with the critiques in the readings by Peter Breggin and Irving Kirsch. One of the more compelling testimonies in the video is the mother who explains how her nonviolent son turned violent and unpredictable after starting his antidepressants. As already indicated, Breggin and Fisher (2010) argued in Talking Back to Prozac that psychiatric drugs could lead to extreme emotional distress featuring violent outburst. He also says they can "disrupt normal brain function, leading to mood swings, suicidal thoughts, and aggression" (p.62). This is in full view in the video when families said their loved ones had drastic personality changes, thus supporting the warnings voiced by Breggin regarding the neurological results of these drugs. Moreover, the video corroborates Kirsch's critical review in the book entitled The Emperor's New Drugs. Kirsch, 2010 argues that while the benefits of antidepressants are exaggerated at the same time minimizing its risks, which further include increased aggression and violence. Experts in the video report how pharmaceutical companies promote such medications despite the danger just as Kirsch would postulate that minimal benefits of antidepressants cannot justify the sever risks. This is well exemplified by the young man in the video who acted out of character in a most violent manner while on an SSRI; he is thus a prime example to support Kirsch's point that minimal clinical effects are superfluous against the significant harm these drugs can bring about. In conclusion, the testimonies in Prescription of Violence reinforce some of the main arguments presented by both Breggin and Kirsch. The personal experiences from those affected by psychiatric medications expose the dangerous consequences that both authors warn against, showing the disconnection between promoted benefits of the drugs and actual risks they pose. Prescription for Violence is a short video that informs its viewers about the deadly side effects associated with psychiatric medications; more specifically, how antidepressants have been linked to violence. This is demonstrated through multiple testimonies of the unfortunate and sometimes devastating results from these medications, which also coincides with the critiques in the readings by Peter Breggin and Irving Kirsch. One of the more compelling testimonies in the video is the mother who explains how her nonviolent son turned violent and unpredictable after starting his antidepressants. As already indicated, Breggin and Fisher (2010) argued in Talking Back to Prozac that psychiatric drugs could lead to extreme emotional distress featuring violent outburst. He also says they can "disrupt normal brain function, leading to mood swings, suicidal thoughts, and aggression" (p.62). This is in full view in the video when families said their loved ones had drastic personality changes, thus supporting the warnings voiced by Breggin regarding the neurological results of these drugs. Moreover, the video corroborates Kirsch's critical review in the book entitled The Emperor's New Drugs. Kirsch, 2010 argues that while the benefits of antidepressants are exaggerated at the same time minimizing its risks, which further include increased aggression and violence. Experts in the video report how pharmaceutical companies promote such medications despite the danger just as Kirsch would postulate that minimal benefits of antidepressants cannot justify the sever risks. This is well exemplified by the young man in the video who acted out of character in a most violent manner while on an SSRI; he is thus a prime example to support Kirsch's point that minimal clinical effects are superfluous against the significant harm these drugs can bring about. In conclusion, the testimonies in Prescription of Violence reinforce some of the main arguments presented by both Breggin and Kirsch. The personal experiences from those affected by psychiatric medications expose the dangerous consequences that both authors warn against, showing the disconnection between promoted benefits of the drugs and actual risks they pose.