Ann Blake-Tracy’s September 13, 2004 to the FDA
I am Ann Blake-Tracy, head of the International Coalition for Drug Awareness. I am the author of Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? – Our Serotonin Nightmare and have testified in court cases involving antidepressants for 12 1/2 years. The last 15 years of my life have been devoted full time to researching and writing about SSRI antidepressants.
Research on serotonin has been clear from the very beginning that the most damaging thing that could be done to the serotonin system would be to impair one?s ability to metabolize serotonin. Yet that is exactly how SSRI antidepressants exert their effects.
For decades research has shown that impairing serotonin metabolism will produce migraines, hot flashes, pains around the heart, difficulty breathing, a worsening of bronchial complaints, tension and anxiety which appear from out of nowhere, depression, suicide – especially very violent suicide, hostility, violent crime, arson, substance abuse, psychosis, mania, organic brain disease, autism, anorexia, reckless driving, Alzheimer?s, impulsive behavior with no concern for punishment, and argumentative behavior.
How anyone ever thought it would be “therapeutic” to chemically induce these reactions is beyond me. Yet, these reactions are exactly what we have witnessed in our society over the past decade and a half as a result of the widespread use of these drugs.
In fact we even have a whole new vocabulary as a result with terms such as “road rage,” “suicide by cop,” “murder/suicide,” “going postal,” “false memory syndrome,” “school shooting,” “bi-polar” – every third person you meet anymore – along with the skyrocketing rates of antidepressant-induced diabetes and hypoglycemia.
Can you remember two decades ago when depressed people used to slip away quietly to kill themselves rather than killing everyone around them and then themselves as they do while taking SSRI antidepressants?
A study out of the University of Southern California in 1996 looked at a group of mutant mice in an experiment that had gone terribly wrong. These genetically engineered mice were the most violent creatures they had ever witnessed. They were born lacking the MAO-A enzyme which metabolizes serotonin. As a result their brains were awash in serotonin. This excess serotonin is what the researchers determined was the cause for this extreme violence. Antidepressants produce the same end result as they inhibit the metabolism of serotonin.
These are extremely dangerous drugs that should be banned as similar drugs have been banned in the past.
As a society we once thought LSD and PCP to be miracle medications with large margins of safety in humans. We have never seen drugs so similar to LSD and PCP as these SSRI antidepressants. All of these drugs produce dreaming during periods of wakefulness. It is believed that the high serotonin levels over stimulate the brain stem leading to a lack of muscle paralysis during sleep thus allowing the patient to act out the dreams or nightmares they are having. The world witnessed that clearly in the Zoloft-induced murder-suicide of comedian Phil Hartman and his wife, Brynn.
Connecticut witnessed the Prozac-induced case of Kelly Silk several years ago. This young mother attacked her family with a knife, then set the house on fire killing all but her 8 year old daughter who ran to the neighbors. As she stood bleeding and screaming for help she explained, “Help! My mommy is having a nightmare!”
Out of the mouths of babes we will understand these nightmares for what they are. She understood that this was something her mother would do ONLY in a nightmare, never in reality.
This is known as a REM Sleep Behavior Disorder. In the past it was known mainly as a drug withdrawal state, but the largest sleep facility in the country has reported that 86% of the cases they are diagnosing are patients on antidepressants.
Because this was known in the past as a condition manifesting mainly in drug withdrawal you should see how dangerous the withdrawal state from these drugs will prove to be. That is why it is so critical to make sure patients are weaned EXTREMELY slowly so as to avoid ANY chance of going into a withdrawal state. (568)
![[Valid RSS]](images/valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")
[...] one researcher testified to the FDA about drugs of this type: “We have never seen drugs so similar to LSD and PCP as these SSRI [...]
Tamara,
I was unaware until now that people could comment here & have just read your comment. In responding the first thing you should know is that doctors should NEVER prescribe two antidepressants together – especially two as strong as Paxil & Celexa! Doing so can produce a toxic reaction known as “Serotonin Syndrome” which can be fatal or produce psychosis.
To answer your question about treating depression you first need to understand the cause of the depression. With you it was obviously a case of Post Partum. In understanding Post Partum you need to ask how frequently women go into gestational diabetes while pregnant? Seems it is far too common, but the beginng stage of pancreatic breakdown leading to diabetes is hypoglycema. Clearly there would be a much higher rate of hypoglycemia and one of the first symptoms of hypogycemia is depression. That can be treated by avoiding sugar & dairy products and then eating something every couple hours or so throughout the day. Antidepressants list both hypoglycemia & diabetes is reported side effects. So they would make the initial problem worse. So the aboce mentioned diet changes should help. Also keep in mind that research demonstrates that exercize for 3 times per week is 8 times more effective than an antidepressant. So that would also be a great way to avoid taking antidepressants with so many serious side effects.
While taking paxil and celexa I had obsessive thoughts, impulsive behaviour, and was more agressive towards people. I was taking antidepressents after having both my children to help lift my spirits and get me out of a dark place but it only made everything worse. My children were the only thing that I could look at and feel an ounce of happiness but I had none to give them, I was only existing, doing my job as a mother and wife. Taking the antidepressents made me feel more alive but they came with a whole new world of problems. I am just wondering what the suggestion is on how to fix depression. To get back the energy and excitment for life!