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Psychiatrist Dr. Peter Breggin argues over-prescription of anti-depressant and stimulant drugs by the psychiatric community is the major contributing ...
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-- Tucson Arizona -- Colorado -- Newtown Connecticut.
Presenter a bomb and gun control advocates call -- ban on assault weapons.
But is there really big guns that are -- the problem mental health professionals have said that in all these cases the shooters were on some kind of prescription medication.
My next guest says it just might be the pills.
That are the problem joining -- now psychiatrist and author of medication madness.
The role of psychiatric drugs in cases of violence suicide crime doctor Peter -- in the end.
Doctor -- I love your message and that's why -- asked you to come on the show because I think you've touched on something that is fascinating to be.
Is -- there are these psychotic drugs out there and in.
We'll give the audience your opinion about that offered to talk about this before.
-- there's no doubt that psychiatric drugs can cause violence.
And the -- most widely used ones including -- particularly.
The anti depressants the newer ones like prozac and -- -- and selects.
And also the -- so that as -- -- the tranquilizers.
Like xanax and climb up and and then also the stimulant drugs we -- -- children all of them have a significant association with violence.
If you take a look at all of the reports to the FDA.
About drug violence.
All of the drugs that we use.
Most of them the vast majority have no association with -- violence and then those three groups I just mentioned the psychiatric.
Drugs.
Have many many more times.
The number.
Reports of violence -- it's it's are really established.
But but you have somebody -- view in the end that today are mentally ill.
What do you do because -- a lot of doctors will just you know get out deal prescription pad right out write a prescription.
I've heard you talk about the fact that you've been doing this for decades -- that you have.
Cured a lot of mental illnesses with zero growth.
Well I don't think in terms of curing mental illnesses -- as much as I think of helping people overcome their problems.
Helping people overcome their anguish that -- their anger this suffering.
And in my experience and I think this is the absolute truth -- really helps people is a good solid caring relationship with somebody.
And a therapist -- psychiatrist -- a psychiatrist.
Who says in effect you can take charge of your life you can be responsible for your life.
You can learn how to handle your emotions you can learn to live by better values.
But that's not for the current approach -- psychiatry you'll hear nothing in psychiatry.
About taken charge your life taking responsibility of living by values.
Instead psychiatry turns people -- machines and says that you have that biochemical imbalance which is untrue.
We've got a drug that can cure the biochemical imbalance which is -- true.
And those things make people feel more helpless and more attic control.
So I think we need to get back to good solid human relationship as a way of helping the -- -- are you up persona non Grata set -- psychiatric association meetings.
How I suppose -- -- -- subject of violence.
I'm talking -- -- that.
Yes psychiatry is just that hand maiden now of the pharmaceutical industry.
If you go to one of the big psychiatric meetings it's going to drug company Carnival they pay for everything psychiatry.
They journals are journals are paid for by the drug companies are meetings have paid for by the drug companies.
And we make a lot of money by doing ten minute med checks.
You do a lot more room and financially that way than by sitting and talking with somebody psychiatry is lost its way.
And I do think that the shootings.
Really.
Very much involved psychiatric drugs I was an expert in cases surrounding.
Eric Harris from column by and I got to really look at -- medical records and and you can see him.
While taking an anti depressant little -- and he had it in his bloodstream when he committed the violence.
Well beyond -- that the common thread of that a lot people say it will all the shooting is the guns have been the common thread you're talking about yeah -- -- There's also -- psychotic drugs are a common thread I have a man I used to work with sadly I mean father of the year great guy Smart guy.
But I I -- know we suffer from depression.
They changed a medication on him he went home and he stabbed to death his two little daughters.
And he says to this day he's imprisoned in North Carolina.
He says it was because of the fact that the drugs made him do it.
I'd never heard they are actually what was that seem to be yours.
-- there's no question about it I've been involved in next.
A case where a man on his second day of -- packs of drowned just two children in a bathtub and drowned himself.
There's a lot of cases like this a woman who murdered one of her children tried to murder another one.
On -- Zoloft so that this which is an anti depressants of this.
There's no lack of of cases about this and I've looked that the men -- and medication -- -- I have fifty cases where I've seen the medical records.
And interviewed people if there were alive interviewed families.
That where -- suicide and violence was a major theme you -- these are very serious problems.
Well I'd I'd just like -- -- -- he's out.
-- -- you're speaking out about this I wanted to give me the form here to do it on this program to because I think your message is is.
Worth listening to and a lot of people.
Don't hear -- so doctor -- doctor Peter Bergen.
Thank you so much appreciate your time.
Thank you Tom thank you.
