International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine 22 (2010) 195–207
DOI 10.3233/JRS-2010-0508
IOS Press
1
Psychiatric drugs as agents of Trauma
Charles L. Whitfield
Private Practice of Trauma Psychology, Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine ; Consultant and Research
Collaborator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3462 Hallcrest Dr., Atlanta,
GA 30319-1910, USA and Board of Directors of the Leadership Council on Child Abuse
& Interpersonal Violence, Baltimore, MD, USA
Tel.: +404 843 3585; E-mail: c-bwhit@mindspring.com
Abstract. Drawing on the work of numerous psychiatrists and psychopharmacologists and my own observations, I describe how
most common psychiatric drugs are not only toxic but can be chronically traumatic, which I define in some detail throughout
this paper. In addition to observing this occurrence among numerous of my patients over the past 20 years, I surveyed 9 mental
health clinicians who had taken antidepressant drugs long-term. Of these 9, 7 (77%) experienced bothersome toxic drug effects
and 2 (22%) had become clearly worse than they were before they had started the drugs. Based on others’ and my observations
I describe the genesis of this worsened condition which I call the Drug Stress Trauma Syndrome.
These drug effects can be and are often so detrimental to the quality of life among a distinct but significant minority of patients
that they can no longer be considered trivial or unimportant. Instead, they are so disruptive to many patients’ quality of life that
their effect becomes traumatic, and are thereby agents of trauma. These observations and preliminary data may encourage others
to look into this matter in more depth… (full paper available. bhw11@me.com or
wwwbarbara-whitfield.com)
Conclusion
These effects of psychiatric drugs are so common and detrimental to the patient that they can no
longer safely or accurately be called “side effects”. Instead, they are more appropriately called toxic
effects. To recognize and make the diagnosis of DSTS when it exists will take an open minded and aware12 C.L. Whitfield / Psychiatric drugs as agents of Trauma
clinician who has a high index of suspicion for the possibility of its presence. It will take a clinician
who can transcend their indoctrination by the drug industry and its influences that psychiatric drugs are
as safe and effective as they have advertised and promoted. These drugs’ effects can be and are often
so detrimental to the quality of life of so many patients that they can no longer be considered trivial or
unimportant [1, 6, 7, 19, 25, 26, 33–35, 37, 47–51]. Instead, they are so disruptive to many patients’
quality of life that their effect becomes traumatic, and are thereby agents of trauma.
I hope that this article and its observations and preliminary data will encourage others to look into this
matter in more depth.
References