5.6 Dark Side of SSRIs: Decreased Life Expectancy from OverMedication

Renegade Psych

Dr. Healy talks about trends in falling life expectancy (worst in the US of developed nations) and relates it to being over-medicated, or poly-pharmacy. He emphasizes the importance of listening to your patients, educating them on the untoward effects of being on too many medications, and involving them in the decision-making process. This clinical practice has led him to learn so much from his patients, including that Nicotine has been studied in and has some utility in treating OCD, as do SSRIs. He uses this example to compare the ill effects of a lifetime of exposure to nicotine TO the ill effects of a lifetime of exposure to SSRIs, antipsychotics, and other psychotropic medications. Dr. Healy is NOT anti-medication; he simply wants to ensure that patients understand every substance has a poison-like quality to it and we need to ensure that they are benefitting and getting what they desire out of medications more than they are detrimental to their well-being. Ultimately, WE, as patients, need to limit our reliance on medications to treat all of our ills, and WE, as providers, need to strongly consider reducing medication burden when patients present to us with problems as opposed to reaching for another new medication every time.

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