Ariel Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Thank you to @Artifor bringing up this documentary film. At the time of posting I have watched excerpts and it is indeed powerful and compelling material. I will watch the rest when I feel strong enough. This is clearly potentially triggering territory. Please take care. * Cause of Death: Unknown - Big Pharma and the Selling of Mental Illness a documentary film by Anniken Hoel After her sister died suddenly and unexpectedly while being treated with prescription antipsychotics, director Anniken Hoel begins a global investigation into the crimes of the pharmaceutical industry, the unheralded growth of psychiatric diagnoses and medication, and the corruption of the government regulatory agencies that have failed, repeatedly, to protect us. Made over a ten-year period, the film is simultaneously personal and investigative as it follows Anniken as she seeks answers regarding not only the death of her sister, but of the tens of thousands worldwide who have also met a similar fate. Deaths and damages that until now have been all but ignored. Beginning in a small town in Norway, and journeying through Scandinavia, the EU and the US, the chilling documentary-thriller CAUSE OF DEATH: UNKNOWN exposes the inner workings and motivations of a powerful industry that continually puts profits before people, and has been far too influential in defining who is normal and who is “ill”. Text quoted from https://www.psychosisnet.com/cause-of-death-unknown-anniken-hoel/ Award winning doc exposing the inner workings of the pharmaceutical industry and how it created an epidemic of mental illness. After her sister died suddenly and unexpectedly while being treated with prescription antipsychotics (Zyprexa and Risperdal amongst others), director Anniken Hoel begins a global investigation into the pharmaceutical industry, the unheralded growth of psychiatric diagnoses and medication, and the corruption of the government regulatory agencies (FDA and EMA) that are supposed to protect us citizens. She interviews Peter Gøtzsche, Robert Whitaker, Joanna Moncreiff, former DSM editor Allen Frances, an FDA whistleblower, pharma lobbyists, sales reps and others. Made over a ten-year period, the film is both personal and investigative as it follows Anniken seeking answers regarding not only the death of her sister, but of the tens of thousands worldwide who have met a similar fate. How many more will have to die? Text quoted from youtube, where the film is available to watch in its entirety: About director Anniken Hoel, from Anniken Hoel's imdb account: Anniken Hoel is a Norwegian writer, director and camerawoman. She studied film in Denmark and at FAMU (the Film Academy in Prague), and since 2003 she shot and directed films in the Middle East, India, USA and Europe. Anniken also runs the Norwegian production company Manifestofilm. In 2017 she released her feature film debut CAUSE OF DEATH:UNKNOWN. The film took 11 years to finish, received numerous awards, and sparked a debate on the use of psychiatric medications and the pharmaceutical industry's influence on society. 5 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vega Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 I'm putting this on my to youtube watch list. Looks interesting and well-researched. 1 PAST: Quetiapine (quit 2022), Bupropion (quit 2020) CURRENT: Currently taking lamotrigine and tapering lithium (went from 600mg to 300mg in june 2022) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariel Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 So I couldn't wait and watched the whole film yesterday. I'm glad I did. It's very well made. Powerful. Clear. Undeniable. I didn't find it triggering, quite the contrary. Empowering and vindicating. Just makes me feel grateful that the writer/director Anniken Hoel worked so hard on this project and did such a great job. "Cause of Death: Unknown" is a very important documentary. 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted August 9, 2022 Mentor Share Posted August 9, 2022 got this on my list to watch as well Today on the news I heard a statement about "groundbreaking research" that suggests that depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance and that serotonin is just one factor among many of the possible causes of depression Wut?!?!?! 1 PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content PRESENT DAYS: Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariel Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 @Happy2Heal Will be curious to hear what you think of the documentary. 2 hours ago, Happy2Heal said: Today on the news I heard a statement about "groundbreaking research" that suggests that depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance and that serotonin is just one factor among many of the possible causes of depression Yes! Joanna Moncrieff, Mark Horowitz, and others have collaborated on this paper. Excerpt from the abstract: The main areas of serotonin research provide no consistent evidence of there being an association between serotonin and depression, and no support for the hypothesis that depression is caused by lowered serotonin activity or concentrations. There has been much discussion on SA, here are just a few examples: 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bp1961 Posted August 21, 2022 Share Posted August 21, 2022 Just watched the documentary, so sad. At the end there was one sentence that made it sadder, it said: "Always consult with a healthcare professional before stopping any medication, and never attempt to do so on your own". They should have switched "healthcare professional" with "Surviving Antidepressants". 2 2000 -2013: various antidepressants. 2013 - 2019: Lexapro 20 mg 2019 - April 2021: Lexapro 10 mg (No withdrawal) April 2021 - March 2022: Lexapro 5 mg (No withdrawal) 2013 - April 2022: Vyvanse 50 mg Feb. 23 - April 3, 2022: Finasteride 1mg. March/April 2022 - Stopped Cold Turkey March 5, 2022 - Quit smoking CT after 30+ years July 20, 2022 - Quit coffee. Reinstatement: Escitalopram - July 5-10, 2022: 5mg; July 11-15: 10mg; July 16-31: 20mg; Aug 1-14: 15mg; Aug 15-22: 12.5mg; Aug 23-Sept 2: 12mg; Sept 3-8: 11.5mg; Sept 9-10: 11.4mg; Sept 11-18: 11mg; Sept 19-24: 10.5mg; Sept. 25-January 2024: 10mg; February - March 2024 - : 9mg; April 2024 - 8mg. Vyvanse - July 5-10, 2022: 40mg; July 11, 2022- June 12, 2023: 50mg; June 13, 2023 - December 2023: 40mg; January 2024 - Present: 30mg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlehermione Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 😱 This sent a shiver down my spine… I could very easily have been one of the 200,000. In 2017 I started tapering off Effexor. My psychiatrist had no valid tapering advice to offer only to “not go too quickly”. After sevens months I was completely off Effexor and started experiencing heart arrhythmias. Over the phone I was told to reinstate Effexor but to quadruple the dose I had been taking (37.5mg to 150mg). To cut a long story short, I had a sudden cardiac arrest and miraculously survived. If it hadn’t been for one of our rescue dogs waking my husband at 2am and then he and our daughter performing CPR until the ambulance arrived, I would no longer be here. Hats off to Anniken Hoel for her dedication and perseverance in making this film. I will be sharing the link with many 😉 2 Effexor XR 75mg 1997-2012 Effexor XR 37.5mg 2012-2017 (tapered off over six months - finished taper July 2017) SCA Aug 12th, 2017 Cymbalta 30mg Aug 2017 - Nov 2017 (CT Nov. 17th for medical reasons) Metoprolol 50mg Aug 2017 - Feb 2019 tapered down to 25mg June 2019 then tapered down to zero. Off Metoprolol as of Jan 2020 Amiodarone (anti-arrhythmic med) 200mg Nov 2017- May 2018 Supplements: Omega 3, vitamin D3, magnesium What helps me: Manual lymphatic drainage massage, acupressure, meditation, homeopathy (my psychiatrist is also a certified homeopath), a healthy diet when possible organic, yoga, walking my dogs every day and gardening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus arbor Posted August 25, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 25, 2022 Thank you for sharing this and thank heavens you made it- Thinking of you, Arbor 2 Zoloft: 1995 - 2015 Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on December 15, 2018 Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019 (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019 Enalapril: 2010 - 2019 Lipitor: 2017 -2017 Metformin: 2000 - 2020 Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019 Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariel Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 @gentlehermione 1 hour ago, gentlehermione said: I could very easily have been one of the 200,000. In 2017 I started tapering off Effexor. My psychiatrist had no valid tapering advice to offer only to “not go too quickly”. After sevens months I was completely off Effexor and started experiencing heart arrhythmias. Over the phone I was told to reinstate Effexor but to quadruple the dose I had been taking (37.5mg to 150mg). To cut a long story short, I had a sudden cardiac arrest and miraculously survived. If it hadn’t been for one of our rescue dogs waking my husband at 2am and then he and our daughter performing CPR until the ambulance arrived, I would no longer be here. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. How brave you are! It must have been so scary for your whole family. Very glad you survived and are here with us today. Thank you for sharing your story. Wishing you well on your continuous healing journey, A. 2 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlehermione Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 @arbor @Ariel Thank you for your kind words and good wishes 🥰 1 Effexor XR 75mg 1997-2012 Effexor XR 37.5mg 2012-2017 (tapered off over six months - finished taper July 2017) SCA Aug 12th, 2017 Cymbalta 30mg Aug 2017 - Nov 2017 (CT Nov. 17th for medical reasons) Metoprolol 50mg Aug 2017 - Feb 2019 tapered down to 25mg June 2019 then tapered down to zero. Off Metoprolol as of Jan 2020 Amiodarone (anti-arrhythmic med) 200mg Nov 2017- May 2018 Supplements: Omega 3, vitamin D3, magnesium What helps me: Manual lymphatic drainage massage, acupressure, meditation, homeopathy (my psychiatrist is also a certified homeopath), a healthy diet when possible organic, yoga, walking my dogs every day and gardening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crepe Posted September 12, 2022 Share Posted September 12, 2022 Incredibly poignant film. Fabulously done. I too had cardiac issues from 2 separate psych drugs. Hats off to all those like Anniken who raise awareness and question the system. 1994-present many varied (30+ always going back to fluoxetine) 2016 -2021 fluoxetine 60mg, quetiapine 25mg as needed, diazepam 5-10mg as needed. 2021 tapered off fluoxetine as follows: January: Reduced to 40mg; March: Reduced to 20mg; May: Reduced to 20mg every second day; August: Back up to 20mg daily; October: 20mg every second day; November: 10mg every second day; End December: Ceased July 2022: Gabapentin 300mg 18 August 2022: Reinstated fluoxetine approx. 1mg daily 1 September 2022 increased fluoxetine to 2mg, reduced gabapentin to 100mg 10 September 2022 increased fluoxetine to 2.5mg Currently: quetiapine 12.5 mg as needed for sleep, diazepam 5-10mg as needed, gabapentin 100mg, fluoxetine 2.5mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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