Author Archives: cchrstl

Citizens Commission on Human Rights Calls for Congressional Investigation into Psychiatric In-Patient Treatment

Study Finds Suicide Risk High after Hospitalization for Depression or Attempted Suicide. Continue reading

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Take Action – Missouri Legislature – Please contact your state legislators

Psychiatry’s Continued Attacks on Missouri Citizens Continue reading

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Mental Health Watchdog Protests U.S. Psychiatrists’ Use of Electroshock; Procedure Violates International Human Rights Standards When Forcibly Administered

Psychiatrists perform electroshock on patients, especially women and older people, despite risks of brain damage and permanent memory loss and no conclusive proof of effectiveness, experts say.  Even young children are electroshocked in the U.S. Continue reading

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Human Rights Group Renews Call for Laws to Ban Electroshock – A Procedure Never Proven Safe or Effective, Experts Say

Psychiatrists perform electroshock on depressed patients despite serious risks of brain damage and permanent memory loss. Continue reading

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CCHR’s Warnings of Potential Harms from ADHD Diagnosing and Treatment Supported by New Research

Evidence of benefit from ADHD diagnosis and treatment is uncertain, but the ADHD label itself, as well as the stimulant drugs that may be prescribed as treatment, can harm children, researchers find. Addressing behavior instead of diagnosing is advised. Continue reading

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Black History Month: African Americans Warned of Long History of Psychiatrists and Psychologists’ Racism and Its Legacy in Today’s Mental Health System

Scientific research shows Blacks are more likely than Whites to be labeled with a mental disorder related to disruptive, defiant, or psychotic behavior, to be involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility, and to be physically, mechanically, or chemically restrained, and for a longer time. Continue reading

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CCHR Renews Call for Ban on Restraint and Seclusion After New Report of School Districts Ignoring Reporting Requirements

The number of schoolchildren subjected to restraint or seclusion is unknown.  No federal law bans the practices, which are disproportionately used on disabled students and students of color and have resulted in children’s broken bones and death. Continue reading

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CCHR Says FDA Must Correct Widespread Misinformation: Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms Are Not Short and Mild for Many Patients

Recent research and antidepressant users’ lived experience show that antidepressant withdrawal symptoms may be severe and long-lasting. Patients and their prescribers need accurate information on withdrawal risks and tapering guidance from the FDA. Continue reading

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CCHR Calls Out Psychiatric Association’s Nondisclosure of Conflicts of Interest Among Psychiatrists Who Revised “Psychiatric Bible”

Citizens Commission on Human Rights says American Psychiatric Association’s unwillingness to provide full disclosure of pharmaceutical companies’ payments to psychiatrists involved in developing the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders prevented public scrutiny of industry influence. Continue reading

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Benzodiazepine Use Linked to Miscarriage; Stopping the Drugs After Long-Term Use Increased Risk of Fatality, New Research Finds

Mental health watchdog CCHR presses for DEA reclassification of benzodiazepines due to risks of physical dependency and addiction. Continue reading

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