Promoting awareness of the dangers of antidepressants
“There was no history of violence and no other warning markers” Last week, the two-day inquest of 60-year-old Geraint Hughes (left) was held in Truro, Cornwall, almost six years after his death. On November 15th 2013, Geraint, a local GP, Continue reading Warning Markers
“If a patient taking an antidepressant complains of worsening depression and suicidal thoughts, a prescriber is likely to increase the patient’s dose to continue treating depression, which only exacerbates the akathisia.” The article that follows was written by Continue reading “When Side Effects Turn Deadly”
On November 20th last year, 58-year-old Brian Long (top) was found by his wife Julie in the bathroom of their home in Gillingham. He had hanged himself. This week’s inquest in Maidstone heard that, earlier in the month, Brian Continue reading The GP, the Coroner & the Ombudsman
During the evening of December 9th last year, 17-year-old Quinn Beadle (top) walked out of her family’s home in Shildon, County Durham, and hanged herself on a tree at the end of the street. Her father came across the Continue reading Quinn’s Garden
In April, I received an email from the producer of a documentary which was being made for Dispatches and was to be screened by Channel 4. We then had a detailed phone conversation and exchanged a couple of emails over Continue reading “Young, British and Depressed”
Yesterday, I came across a letter in syracuse.com, an online newspaper primarily for the residents of Syracuse in New York State. The letter was posted on July 17th this year. To the Editor: Regarding your editorial, “Break the silence surrounding Continue reading Letter from a Grieving Father
A few years ago, Susy Parker and her husband moved from the UK to Perth in Western Australia, along with their three children. In an interview for the Australian Daily Mail, Susy revealed that, shortly afterwards, their oldest child Continue reading Saving Sarah
In August 2003, 33-year-old Maxine Carr (top) jumped from the seventh-floor of a block of flats in Maidstone, Kent. In her arms she held her 3-year-old daughter Yazmina. Maxine died, but her daughter survived with multiple injuries, from which Continue reading Mother and Daughter
Beneath the headline “I wish someone had warned me of side effects”, Today’s Daily Mail included an interview with 27-year-old Steph Williams (top), who lives in Featherstone, West Yorkshire. Shortly after starting college at the age of 16, Steph began Continue reading Steph’s Story
“This drug is poisoning me. It’s giving me problems I never had before.” On July 29th 2016, 48-year-old Stephen O’Neill (top) was found hanged at his home in the village of Brackaville in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Stephen was Continue reading “The System is Not Listening”
This page contains an article written by Julie and a letter written by Elizabeth. They were written, quite independently of each other, by mothers of sons who were receiving “treatment” from psychiatrists. I came across Julie’s article earlier this month, Continue reading Mothers Know Best
At about 4pm on August 24th 2017, 16-year-old student Jasmine Bush (top) died when she was struck by a train at Haslemere Station (right) in Surrey. Shortly after her death, Clare Talbot, head teacher of Woolmer Hill School, paid Continue reading Jasmine, aged 16
The Inquest of Natasha Abrahart Following a number of inquests held after the self-inflicted deaths at the University of Bristol, I published an article in January 2018, entitled Bristol University: the Antidepressant Connection. My research found that Miranda Williams, Continue reading Bristol University Revisited
Early in the morning of October 29th last year, 60-year-old self-employed plumber John Collins went for a walk with his wife Denise (top) and their dogs near their home in Tiptree, Essex. Some time later, John drove his car to Continue reading No Prior Intention
On February 22nd 2018, just days after her 16th birthday, schoolgirl Aeryn Bond (top) took her life by hanging in her bedroom at home in Ryde, on the Isle of Wight. Yesterday, on the first day of the inquest Continue reading Aeryn, aged 16
“Maria’s mental state had been altered by changes to her medication“ On January 19th last year, 49-year-old Maria Duarte (top), known to her family as Joey, was found hanged in her room at Antelope House (right), a psychiatric Continue reading Maria and Missed Opportunities
Afrika Yearwood (top), a popular and high-achieving sixth-form student, hanged herself at her home in Rothwell, West Yorkshire, on May 25th last year, and died four days later in Leeds General Infirmary. Afrika was described by her mother Beverley Continue reading Afrika, aged 18
On November 16th last year, 32-year-old Anna McLeod (top) was found dead at her home. Anna had been head of year at Our Lady’s Catholic College (right) in Lancaster. After her death, headteacher Helen Seddon described Anna as “an Continue reading Citalopram and the Inspirational Teacher
Last week, the inquest of 17-year-old Aryan Akhgar (top) was held in Sheffield. Aryan was found hanged at home on February 18th last year. He was taken to a local hospital, but sadly died on March 8th. Aryan was Continue reading Aryan, aged 17
“A decision was made to double her dosage of Fluoxetine“ On December 10th 2017, 15-year-old schoolgirl Ellie Long was found hanged in her bedroom at home in Wymondham in Norfolk. She was taken to the hospital at Norwich, but died Continue reading Ellie, aged 15
In the course of my research, I have come across many inquest reports in which there appeared to be all the hallmarks of an antidepressant-related death, but where there was no mention of medication. However, in several reports, treatment by Continue reading “Suffering from Depression” – 2019
For the five years since I began researching self-inflicted deaths in England and Wales linked to antidepressants, the drug featured most often has been Citalopram. Until this year, that is, when this dubious accolade passed to Mirtazapine, which was mentioned Continue reading Why Mirtazapine?
This is the fifth in the annual series of Lost Children posts, in which I recall the children who lost their lives after being prescribed antidepressants, and whose inquests have been reported during the past year. I also include links Continue reading The Lost Children (2018)
Last month, Blackpool Safeguarding published a Serious Case Review (SCR) following the death of an unnamed 17-year-old boy, who suffered fatal injuries after jumping from the roof of a building in the early hours of December 22nd 2017. In Continue reading Child CB, aged 17
17-year-old Morgan Murray (top) was described by her family as “a quiet and shy girl with a heart of pure gold.” On July 17th this year, she took an overdose of prescribed drugs Fluoxetine and Propranolol at her home in Continue reading Morgan, aged 17
On Christmas Eve last year, 17-year-old Tiegan O’Rourke (top) took her life in the room she occupied in a children’s home in Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire. This week, an inquest in Preston heard that, although she was looking forward to the festive Continue reading Tiegan, aged 17
“At every point she was given drugs rather than treatment and care” Several of today’s newspapers, including the Daily Mail and the Croydon Advertiser, reported that the family of a woman who jumped to her death from the roof of Continue reading “Care is a Magic Medicine”
“She overdosed on antidepressants, because she couldn’t afford to pay the prescription charges” On June 14th this year, 54-year-old Penny Oliver (top) was found in her flat in Whitstable, Kent. She had died after taking an overdose of Continue reading Antidepressants and Austerity (Penny)
On June 14th 2017, 39-year-old Rebecca Kruza (top) took her 7-month-old son Henry with her to visit her mother at her home in Alkham, near Dover. She arrived around noon, ahead of an appointment to discuss her medication later that Continue reading The New Mother and the Psychiatrist
“Jane struggled to obtain support and assistance in her care of her elder daughter” 33-year-old Jane Kavanagh (top) was a full-time carer for her 15-year-old wheelchair-bound daughter. But despite living on her own with her two daughters, Jane had Continue reading Antidepressants and Austerity (Jane)
An inquest at Preston Coroner’s Court (right) heard last week that 17-year-old Ellie-Jaye Sumner (top) died at Buckshaw House, a private care facility located in Buckshaw Village, near Chorley. On the morning of November 30th last year, Ellie was Continue reading Ellie-Jaye, aged 17
An article by Jonathan Gornall (right) in today’s Daily Mail featured a study carried out on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence, and published in the journal Addictive Behaviors. The review, one of the largest Continue reading Hooked
In October 2008, ten years ago this month, the inquest of 65-year-old Ian Fox, an ex-postal worker, was held at St Pancras Coroner’s Court. Ian had jumped in front of a train at Finchley Road tube station (right). An Continue reading Citalopram: Ten Years of Denial
An in-depth investigation into the links between antidepressants and self-inflicted deaths in England between 2004 and 2016 The website of the Prisons & Probations Ombudsman contains an archive of reports of investigations carried out by the PPO into “Fatal Continue reading Suicide in Women’s Prisons
On the morning of Wednesday November 29th last year, Diane Brown (top) arrived at her home in Royton, Greater Manchester, following a night-shift at Rochdale Infirmary where she worked as a nurse. After taking the children to school, Diane took Continue reading Diane: Death by Polypharmacy
In April this year, 17-year-old Charlie Harris (top) took his life. On Wednesday, an inquest at Avon Coroner’s Court heard that Charlie had grown up in a stable family home and was close to his parents and brother. He loved Continue reading Charlie, aged 17
On February 18th this year, 16-year-old schoolgirl Sian Waterhouse (top) was found by her stepfather Phillip at their home in Morecambe, Lancashire. She had hanged herself after “bouts of anxiety”, due to her being bullied online. Phillip told her inquest Continue reading Sian, aged 16
On December 14th last year, 14-year-old schoolboy Matthew Humphreys (top) lost his life when he was struck by a train at Leighton Buzzard Station (right). Matthew had been a pupil at Cedars Upper School, where he was described by an Continue reading Matthew, aged 14
Margaret River is a small town, situated in Western Australia, about 250 km south of Perth and about 10 km from the Indian Ocean. It is known for its craft breweries, boutiques and surrounding wineries. But, from now on, Continue reading Margaret River Massacre
On September 23rd 2014, 43-year-old Rubina Khan held her 10-year-old son Amaar as they clambered down from the platform on to the tracks at Slough Station (top), and lay down with him before they were struck by a London-bound train. Continue reading Rubina and her Son