Coming off Psychiatric Drugs

"I think it is safe to say that a great number of attempts to quit would have been more successful if those wishing to quit and those around them had been better informed ... As the editor of this book, it was important to me that "my" authors, with the exception of the contributing professionals, openly describe the personal path they took as well as the wishes and fears that accompanied them. They were told that there was only one thing they should not do, namely, to tell others what they should do or to offer surefire prescriptions for how to withdraw. Every reader must be aware of the potential problems and the possibilities, of their own personal strengths and weaknesses, and of their individual limitations and desires such that they can find their own means and their own way of reaching their goal. These reports by individuals who have successfully withdrawn are intended to show that it is possible to reach this goal and to live free of psychiatric drugs ..."

Summary of the contents:
Introduction - The Decision to Withdraw - Withdrawal Without Pharmacogenic Problems - Coming down Step by Step - Counterweights - To Withdraw with Professional Help - Better Sometimes than Forever - Professional Acting - Marc Rufer (Physician and therapist): Creating Fear/Removing Fear: When You Wish to Withdraw, the Opinion of Your Doctor is Dangerous - Josef Zehentbauer (Physician and therapist): Who is Afraid of Withdrawal? Medical Advice and Psychotherapeutic Counseling During Withdrawal from Sedatives - Martin Urban (Psychologist): Psychotherapeutic Support During Withdrawal - Roland A. Richter: Supporting Withdrawal with Orthomolecular Medicine - Constanze Meyer (Psychologist): Thoughts About Withdrawal from Benzodiazepines and Analgesics Among Women - Klaus John (Natural healer): Withdrawal and Detoxification from a Naturopathic Point of View - Kerstin Kempker (Runaway-House, Berlin): Withdrawing from Psychiatric Drugs in the Runaway-House - The Time After - Closing Words

Peter Lehmann: Education as social-pedagogist. Living in Berlin. Author and publisher since 1986. 1980 co-founder of a selfhelp-group of (ex-)users and survivors of psychiatry and advising in psychiatric drugs and withdrawal until 1989. Since 1990 board-member of PSYCHEX (Switzerland) and co-editor of the Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (United Kingdom). From January 2002 to July 2004 ENUSP Secretary of the European Network of (ex-)Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, since 2004 board-member for the region of North-East Europe (Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Russia). Designated representative from MindFreedom to the United Nations, Geneva and Vienna, since 2002.

"Das leichtverständlich geschriebene und preislich erschwingliche Medizinbuch befasst sich ausführlich mit den Wirkungen und vor allem gefährlichen Nebenwirkungen der Pillen für die Seele ... gibt Aufschluss über alternative Behandlungsmöglichkeiten .... Was den Ratgeber so lesenswert macht, ist seine deutliche Sprache. Immer wieder weisen die Schreiber auf den nicht vorhandenen Heileffekt der Pillen hin." (Neue Westfälische / Bielefeld)

" Viele schaden mehr als sie nützen, machen süchtig, haben manchmal fürchterliche Nebenwirkungen. Das Buch Chemie für die Seele von Josef Zehentbauer erklärt die einzelnen Medikamentengruppen erstmals leicht verständlich, zeigt ihre Wirkungen, ihre Gefahren und die Alternativen. Der Autor stellt auch pflanzliche, homöopathische und andere psychisch wirksame Arzneien vor." (Zweitausendeins)

" Ein wertvolles, auch für Nichtmediziner verständliches Buch." (Publik-Forum)

" Dieses Buch war dringend notwendig." (Die Deutsche Krankenpflegerzeitschrift)

" Eine Attacke gegen die Gefahren des Halbwissens. Wer Psychopharmaka nimmt (oder verschreibt), hat jetzt mehr Klarheit." (Athenäum)

" Ein längst fälliger Ratgeber, der Licht in den Wust der Seelen-Pillen bringt." (Bayerisches Sonntagsblatt)

" Die Pharma-Industrie beherrscht die Forschung und damit auch die wissenschaftliche Diskussion, so Zehentbauer und Steck in ihrem Buch. Die Universitätskliniken als Vollzugsgehilfen der Multis, wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse werden so gesponsert, indirekt oder direkt gekauft. "(Ernst Klee, Hessischer Rundfunk)

"This book is a must read for anyone who might consider taking or no longer taking these mind altering legal drugs and perhaps even more so for those able to prescribe them." (Loren R. Mosher MD, Soteria Associates, San Diego)
"The book has a provocative message; life-experiences sometimes differ from scientific agreements. The book is based on the personal experiences of (ex-)users and survivors of psychiatry and the few professionals helping people come off psychiatric drugs. So it is a good place to begin the discussion. The book should be available in each medical practice, in each therapeutic ward, and in each patient's library." (Pirkko Lahti, President of the World Federation for Mental Health)