The fact that drug ads soared from $12 million to $1.58 billion in a decade indicates that the direct-to-consumer ads are working. Many patients ask their doctor for a drug by name or self diagnose their symptoms based on what they see on television. When did this dangerous trend turn on us as a society?
The recent murders by Jeff Weise, a sixteen year old a resident of the Red Lake Indian Reservation who killed nine people before killing himself has left the country in shock and wondering whether Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Zoloft, Xanax, Valium or any drug for ADHD is safe for our children.
We have heard many theories as to the cause trauma, guns, poverty, goth culture, even video games. And yet, the question many parents are quietly asking is whether the drugs so readily prescribed to our children are increasing the risk of school shootings. Could such a tragedy have been avoided?
These are the questions that are addressed by Label Me Sane, a California organization dedicated to raising awareness regarding the dangers of prescription psychoactive drugs. Since the shootings in Minnesota they have been inundated with requests from parents seeking safe solutions to withdraw their children safely off behavioral drugs. Multitudes of adults have also requested assistance to withdraw from anti-depressants, sleeping pills or anti-anxiety drugs safely and without the withdrawal symptoms so many have suffered.
Recent statistics show that 40-50% of the American public is on anti-depressants. This does not include the use of anti-psychotics, stimulants and anti-anxiety drugs, such as sleeping pills making the total number of drugged Americans into the tens of millions. What happens when someone tries to withdraw off a behavioral drug?
Many describe the withdrawals as excruciating, terrifying and worse than the depression or anxiety they were trying to treat. This is certainly nothing we want our children to suffer through.
Alesandra Rain, co-founder of Label Me Sane suffered terrifying withdrawals when she tried to stop her antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. It forced their organization to seek safe alternatives to withdraw off drugs without the crippling symptoms she suffered. I dont want anyone to suffer as I did. There is a solution available to withdraw safely and I encourage everyone to contact us for the information, states Rain.