NYPCRC Psychiatric Medication Philosophy
At the New York Person-Centered Resource Center we believe our nation's psychiatric medication practices are based on poor science and we cannot trust the research, advice, and expertise of most mental health professionals. The reasons for this national crisis are complex, yet stated briefly, to think that so called "mental illness" is biologically based and to think that a pill will cure so called "mental illness," are two huge manipulations of the truth. There is a significant body of research supporting our philosophy and we refer you to the web site of Dr. Peter Breggin as well as the informational site www.toxicpsychiatry.com to further your understanding of this crisis.
So, what do people do who have been prescribed psychiatric medication and do not want to go on it or want to find a way to get off it? Unfortunately the medical support to oversee tapering and/or withdrawal from psychiatric medications is seriously limited because there are very few psychiatrists or other licensed mental health professionals who are willing to help their clients come off psychiatric medications. This fact often deters individuals and families who are seeking support in tapering from psychiatric medications. However, this lack of medical support does not mean that you cannot taper and withdrawal from the psychiatric medications.
Instead, a new approach is necessary, one that involves: building a strong egalitarian therapeutic alliance with all involved health professionals, becoming more educated about the wide variety of treatment options and clinical perspectives available, creating a long-term plan for treatment and recovery, creating a unified family and community support system, as well as accepting a renewed focus on the actual underlying social and psychological issues that have originated the trauma.
Additionally, many individuals who have been prescribed psychiatric medication for an extended period without a full description of the varieties of treatment options available as well as an honest assessment of the short and long term side effects of the medications become "medically disempowered." Often medical disempowerment leads to a destructive belief that the oversight from a directive medical expert is necessary for recovery. In response to medical disempowerment clients need mental health professionals who offer psychiatric advocacy instead of psychiatric dictation. At the New York Person Centered Resource Center we strive to act as true advocates for all our clients, educating and empowering them to make progressive decisions about their health.
Getting off of psychiatric medication
If you are interested in learning more about how we can help you come off your psychiatric medication contact us for an initial consultation.
Additionally, we offer a psychiatric medication support group. This group is inspired by Dr. Peter Breggin and is designed for people who are:
- thinking about starting psychiatric medication
- thinking about getting off their medications
- on psychiatric medication
- completely off psychiatric medication, or
- seeking support and education with their psychiatric medication.
Contact us for more information about this group.
Dr. Peter R. Breggin
Peter R. Breggin, MD, has been called "the conscience of psychiatry" for his efforts to reform the mental health field, including his promotion of caring psychotherapeutic approaches and his opposition to the escalating overuse of psychiatric medications, the oppressive diagnosing and drugging of children, electroshock, lobotomy, involuntary treatment, and false biological theories.
We encourage you to get to know the work of Dr. Peter Breggin through his web site, breggin.com, books, and live talk radio program:
The Dr. Peter Breggin Hour.
Listen on www.progressiveradionetwork.com
5-6 PM EST on Mondays
Call In Live: 1-888-874-4888
Tune into Dr. Breggin to learn how to improve your mental and spiritual life without resort to psychiatric drugs. Dr. Breggin can empower you each step of the way every Monday afternoon at 5 PM. Your calls and his outstanding guests make this the most enlightening show in the field of psychotherapy, psychiatry and psychological well-being.
Dr. Breggin has created a new reform organization that brings together professionals and laypersons concerned with a critical analysis of biopsychiatry but with additional special emphasis on effective empathic approaches in mental health and education.