Peter Roger Breggin (born May 11, 1936) is an American

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...

and critic of

shock treatment ''Shock Treatment'' is a 1981 American musical comedy film directed by Jim Sharman, and co-written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien. It is a follow-up to the 1975 film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show''. While not an outright sequel, the film does ...

and

psychiatric medication A psychiatric or psychotropic medication is a psychoactive drug taken to exert an effect on the chemical makeup of the brain and nervous system. Thus, these medications are used to treat mental illnesses. These medications are typically made of ...

and COVID-19 response. In his books, he advocates replacing psychiatry's use of drugs and

electroconvulsive therapy Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatry, psychiatric treatment that causes a generalized seizure by passing electrical current through the brain. ECT is often used as an intervention for mental disorders when other treatments are inadequ ...

with

psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

empathy Empathy is generally described as the ability to take on another person's perspective, to understand, feel, and possibly share and respond to their experience. There are more (sometimes conflicting) definitions of empathy that include but are ...

love Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...

, and broader human services. Breggin is the author of many books critical of psychiatric medication, including ''Toxic Psychiatry'', ''Talking Back to Prozac'' and ''Talking Back to Ritalin.'' His most recent book, ''Brain-Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry'', discusses his theory of medication spellbinding (in which patients are said to do worse after treatment but fail to see this or recognize why), the adverse effects of drugs and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), the hazards of diagnosing and medicating children, Breggin's theory of a "psychopharmaceutical complex", and guidelines for psychotherapy and counseling. Breggin's latest book is ''Covid-19 and the Global Predators: We are the Prey'' which is critical of the global COVID-19 response and explores who profits from the pandemic. Breggin now lives in the

Finger Lakes The Finger Lakes are a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north–south lakes located directly south of Lake Ontario in an area called the ''Finger Lakes region'' in New York (state), New York, in the United States. This region straddles th ...

Central New York The central region of New York state includes: * Auburn in Cayuga County * Cortland in Cortland County * Oneida in Madison County * Syracuse, the largest city of Central New York, in Onondaga County * Fulton and Oswego in Oswego County ...

and practices psychiatry in

Ithaca, New York Ithaca () is a city in and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metrop ...

Education and early career

He graduated from George W. Hewlett High School in 1954 and was inducted to their Hall of Fame in 2001. Breggin graduated from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...

in 1958 then attended Case Western Reserve Medical School. His postgraduate training in psychiatry began with an internship year of mixed medicine and psychiatry at the

State University of New York Upstate Medical University The State University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) is a public medical school in Syracuse, New York. Founded in 1834, Upstate is the 15th oldest medical school in the United States and is the only medical school in Centr ...

Syracuse Syracuse most commonly refers to: * Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse * Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area Syracuse may also refer to: Places * Syracuse railway station (disambiguation) Italy * Provi ...

. Breggin completed a first year of psychiatric residency at Harvard's Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston, where he was a teaching fellow at

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

, and finished his final two years of psychiatric residency at SUNY. This was followed by a two-year staff appointment to the

National Institute of Mental Health The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH, in turn, is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is the primar ...

(NIMH), where he worked to build and staff mental health centers and education. Breggin has taught at several universities, obtaining faculty appointments to the Washington School of Psychiatry, the

Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...

Department of Counseling, and the

George Mason University George Mason University (GMU) is a Public university, public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George Mason, a Founding Father ...

Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. Breggin has worked in a private practice since 1968. As an undergraduate Breggin had volunteered at the state mental hospital, leading the volunteer program and co-authoring a book "''College students in a mental hospital''". He recalls at the age of 18 witnessing

being practiced then in the 'shock room' and finding it barbaric. After becoming a psychiatrist in the early 70s, he also campaigned against any return of the crude brain procedure known as

lobotomy A lobotomy () or leucotomy is a discredited form of Neurosurgery, neurosurgical treatment for mental disorder, psychiatric disorder or neurological disorder (e.g. epilepsy, Depression in childhood and adolescence, depression) that involves sev ...

. Breggin reports that he was threatened and insulted with psychiatric terms at a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in 1972, by leading ECT advocate

Leo Alexander Leo Alexander (October 11, 1905 – July 20, 1985) was an American psychiatrist, neurologist, educator, and author, of Austrian-Jewish origin. He was a key medical advisor during the Nuremberg Trials. Alexander wrote part of the Nuremberg Code, ...

, and won damages for libel and slander.

Career and distinctions

Breggin practiced psychiatry in Washington, DC and Bethesda, Maryland for nearly thirty-five years. In 1972, he founded the ''Center for the Study of Psychiatry'', which was known as the ''International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology'' until 2011, when it was renamed the ''International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry''. In 1979 ''"Electroshock: Its Brain-Disabling Effects"'' was published. Breggin is a life member of the

American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. It has more than 39,200 members who are in ...

and an editor for several scientific journals. His opinions have been portrayed both favorably and unfavorably in the media, including ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine and ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''. He has appeared as a guest on shows including ''

Oprah Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', broadcast from Chic ...

'', ''

60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...

'', '' 20/20'', and ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...

''.About Peter R. Breggin, MD
Retrieved on 7 Mar 2018 Breggin was invited many times "to testify before federal agencies and the U.S. Congress, and he has been an expert on psychiatry drug adverse effects for the

Federal Aviation Agency The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...

(FAA). He has also testified many times at

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

hearings". He later ran The Center for the Study of Empathic Therapy, Education and Living, a

501(c) organization A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the Law of the United States#Federal law, federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)). Such organizations are exempt from some Taxation in the Un ...

. In 2002 he moved to Ithaca. In 2010, he and his wife Ginger formed a new organization devoted to speaking out against "the hazards of contemporary biological psychiatry" and promoting more "caring and empathic approaches to personal conflict and suffering". A documentary about his life, "''The Conscience of Psychiatry''", was released in 2009.

Research

Breggin studied mainly clinical psychopharmacology. He wrote dozens of other articles, several book chapters, and more than twenty books. He also co-founded a journal with David Cohen and Steven Baldwin, '' Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', where he published many of his own papers. Many of his articles discuss psychiatric medication, the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

(FDA) drug approval process, the evaluation of clinical trials, and the ethics of psychiatric practice. Breggin published one science fiction novel, ''After The Good War: A Love Story'', in 1972. It has a strong proportion of psychiatric subject matter.

Conventional psychiatry

His work focused on the negative side effects of

s, arguing that the harmful side effects typically outweigh any benefit. Breggin also argues that psychosocial interventions are almost always superior in treating mental illness. He has argued against

psychoactive drug A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, mind-altering drug, consciousness-altering drug, psychoactive substance, or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that alters psychological functioning by modulating central nervous system acti ...

s, electroshock (ECT),

psychosurgery Psychosurgery, also called neurosurgery for mental disorder (NMD), is the neurosurgical treatment of mental disorders. Psychosurgery has always been a controversial medical field. The modern history of psychosurgery begins in the 1880s under ...

, coercive

involuntary treatment Involuntary treatment or mandatory treatment refers to medical treatment undertaken without the consent of the person being treated. Involuntary treatment is permitted by law in some countries when overseen by the judiciary through court orders; ...

, and biological theories of psychiatry. According to Breggin, the

pharmaceutical industry The pharmaceutical industry is a medical industry that discovers, develops, produces, and markets pharmaceutical goods such as medications and medical devices. Medications are then administered to (or self-administered by) patients for curing ...

propagates

disinformation Disinformation is misleading content deliberately spread to deceive people, or to secure economic or political gain and which may cause public harm. Disinformation is an orchestrated adversarial activity in which actors employ strategic dece ...

that is accepted by unsuspecting doctors, saying "the psychiatrist accepts the bad science that establishes the existence of all these mental diseases in the first place. From there it's just a walk down the street to all the drugs as remedies." He points out problems with conflicts-of-interest (such as the financial relationships between drug companies, researchers, and the

). Breggin states psychiatric drugs, "... are all, every class of them, highly dangerous". He asserts: "If neuroleptics were used to treat anyone other than mental patients, they would have been banned a long time ago. If their use wasn't supported by powerful interest groups, such as the pharmaceutical industry and organized psychiatry, they would be rarely used at all. Meanwhile, the neuroleptics have produced the worst epidemic of

neurological disease Neurological disorders represent a complex array of medical conditions that fundamentally disrupt the functioning of the nervous system. These disorders affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerve networks, presenting unique diagnosis, treatment, and ...

in history. At the least, their use should be severely curtailed." In his book, ''Reclaiming Our Children'', he calls for the ethical treatment of children. Breggin argues that the mistreatment of children is a national (U.S.) tragedy, including psychiatric diagnoses and prescription of drugs for children whose needs were not otherwise met. He especially objects to prescribing psychiatric medications to children, arguing that it distracts from their real needs in the family and schools, and is potentially harmful to their developing

brain The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...

s and

nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the complex system, highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its behavior, actions and sense, sensory information by transmitting action potential, signals to and from different parts of its body. Th ...

ADHD and Ritalin

'' has labeled Breggin as the nation's best-known

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple con ...

(ADHD) critic. As early as 1991 he sardonically coined the acronym DADD, stating, "... most so-called ADHD children are not receiving sufficient attention from their fathers who are separated from the family, too preoccupied with work and other things, or otherwise impaired in their ability to parent. In many cases the appropriate diagnosis is Dad Attention Deficit Disorder (DADD)". Breggin has written two books specifically on the topic entitled, ''Talking Back to Ritalin'' and ''The Ritalin Factbook''. In these books he has made controversial claims, such as "Ritalin 'works' by producing malfunctions in the brain rather than by improving brain function. This is the only way it works". Together with Fred Baughman, Breggin testified about ADHD to the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

. In Congress Breggin claimed "that there were no scientific studies validating ADHD", that children diagnosed with ADHD needed "discipline and better instruction" rather than psychiatric drugs, and that therapeutic stimulants "are the most addictive drugs known in medicine today." Baughman and Breggin were also the major critics in a

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

'' Frontline'' TV series about ADHD entitled 'Medicating Kids'. Breggin has been very critical of psychologist

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's work on ADHD, claiming that he exaggerates the benefits of stimulants and minimizes their hazards.

SSRI antidepressants

In the early 1990s Breggin suggested there were problems with the methodology in the research of

SSRI Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drugs that are typically used as antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and other psychological conditions. SSRIs primarily work by ...

antidepressants Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction. Common side effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, headaches, akathisia, sexu ...

. As early as 1994 in ''Talking Back to Prozac'', he warned that Prozac was causing violence, suicide and mania. Breggin elaborated on this theme in many subsequent books and articles about newer antidepressants. In 2005, the FDA began requiring

black box warning In the United States, a boxed warning (sometimes "black box warning", colloquially) is a type of warning that appears near the beginning of the package insert for certain prescription drugs, so called because the U.S. Food and Drug Administratio ...

s on

s, warning of an association between SSRI use and suicidal behavior in children, and later extended it to young adults. New general warnings were added along with the aforementioned black box warnings. These warnings confirmed many of the adverse effects first emphasized by Breggin in ''Toxic Psychiatry'' with specific mentions by the FDA of drug-induced "hostility", "irritability", and "mania". In 2006, the FDA expanded the warnings to include adults taking

Paxil Paroxetine ( ), sold under the brand name Paxil among others, is an antidepressant medication of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), panic di ...

, which is associated with a higher risk of suicidal behavior as compared to a

placebo A placebo ( ) can be roughly defined as a sham medical treatment. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. Placebos are used in randomized clinical trials ...

. In 1994, Breggin said that

Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company, Trade name, doing business as Lilly, is an American multinational Medication, pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 count ...

(maker of the

antidepressant Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction. Common side effects of antidepressants include Xerostomia, dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, headaches, akathi ...

Prozac Fluoxetine, sold under the brand name Prozac, among others, is an antidepressant medication of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class used for the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disor ...

) attempted to discredit him and his book ''Talking Back to Prozac'' by falsely linking him to the

Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religiou ...

and labeling his views as "Neo-Scientology".

Electroconvulsive therapy

Breggin has written several books and scientific articles critical of

(ECT). He claims "... the damage produces

delirium Delirium (formerly acute confusional state, an ambiguous term that is now discouraged) is a specific state of acute confusion attributable to the direct physiological consequence of a medical condition, effects of a psychoactive substance, or ...

so severe that patients can't fully experience depression or other higher mental functions during the several weeks after electroshock." He was one of nineteen speakers at the 1985 NIH Consensus Development Conference on ECT. The Consensus panel (of which Breggin was not a member) found that ECT could be a useful therapy in some carefully defined cases.

Expert witness

Breggin testified as an

expert witness An expert witness, particularly in common law countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, is a person whose opinion by virtue of education, training, certification, skills or experience, is accepted by the judge as ...

in the Wesbecker case (Fentress et al., 1994), a lawsuit against Eli Lilly, makers of Prozac. Ultimately, the jury found for Eli Lilly. According to Breggin, this was because the plaintiffs and defendants had secretly settled behind closed doors. The Supreme Court of Kentucky concluded that the Wesbecker trial had been secretly settled by Eli Lilly before going to the jury in return for plaintiffs presenting a weakened case that was bound to lose. Trial Judge Potter was empowered by the Kentucky Supreme Court to change the verdict from a jury verdict in favor of Eli Lilly to "settled with prejudice" by Eli Lilly. In

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

, Breggin testified on behalf of Peggy S. Salters, a

psychiatric nurse Psychiatric nursing or mental health nursing is the appointed position of a nurse that specialises in mental health, and cares for people of all ages experiencing mental illnesses or distress. These include: neurodevelopmental disorders, schizophr ...

who sued her doctors and Palmetto Baptist Hospital in Columbia after ECT left her incapacitated in 2000. A jury found in favor of her and awarded her $635,177 in actual damages. In 2002, Breggin was hired as an expert witness by a survivor of the

Columbine High School massacre A school shooting and attempted bombing occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. The perpetrators, twelfth-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 13 students and one teach ...

in a case against the makers of an anti-depressant drug. In his report, Breggin noted that "...

Eric Harris Eric David Harris (April 9, 1981 – April 20, 1999) and Dylan Bennet Klebold ( ; September 11, 1981 – April 20, 1999) were American high school seniors and mass murderers who perpetrated the Columbine High School massacre at Columbine H ...

was suffering from a substance induced ( Luvox-induced) mood disorder with depressive and manic features that had reached a psychotic level of violence and suicide. Absent persistent exposure to Luvox, Eric Harris probably would not have committed violence and suicide." However, the argument was rejected by the judge, and the lawsuit was eventually dropped with the stipulation that the makers of Luvox donate $10,000 to the American Cancer Society. In 2005, he testified as the medical expert in a trial in which a jury "returned a malpractice verdict against a shock doctor in favor of the injured patient". His testimony as a witness helped to win against the adherents of shock treatment and psychosurgery and it was announced as harmful. On September 16, 2011, in Winnipeg, Canada, a provincial judge cited Breggin's testimony in concluding that Prozac caused a sixteen-year-old boy to knife a friend to death, noting that, "Dr. Breggin's explanation of the effect Prozac was having on C.J.P.'s behavior both before that day and in committing an impulsive, inexplicable violent act that day corresponds with the evidence." About the boy, Judge Robert Heinrichs determined, "His basic normalcy now further confirms he no longer poses a risk of violence to anyone and that his mental deterioration and resulting violence would not have taken place without exposure to Prozac." On November 20, 2012, a New York State Supreme Court jury awarded $1.5 million malpractice verdict to the family of a man who committed suicide while taking psychiatric drugs, including antidepressants. Dr. Breggin was the expert witness for the family.

Criticism

In 1987, the

National Alliance on Mental Illness The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a United States–based nonprofit organization originally founded as a grassroots group by family members of people diagnosed with mental illness. NAMI identifies its mission as "providing advoca ...

(NAMI) brought a complaint against Breggin with the board of the State of Maryland. NAMI was upset about remarks he made on ''

The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...

'' on April 2, 1987. On the TV show, Breggin stated that mental health clients should judge their clinicians in terms of their empathy and support; if they failed to show interest in them and tried to prescribe drugs during the first session, he advised such clients to seek assistance elsewhere. He also pointed out the

iatrogenic Iatrogenesis is the causation of a disease, a harmful complication, or other ill effect by any medical activity, including diagnosis, intervention, error, or negligence." Iatrogenic", ''Merriam-Webster.com'', Merriam-Webster, Inc., accessed 27 ...

effects of

neuroleptic Antipsychotics, previously known as neuroleptics and major tranquilizers, are a class of psychotropic medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizoph ...

drugs. He was defended by a diverse group of psychiatrists and others who defended his right to publicly state his critical opinion. Breggin was cleared of any wrongdoing by the

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

medical board.

Publications

Books

Books with co-authors

* Breggin, P. R. Breggin, G. R., and Bemak, F. (Editors) (2002). ''Dimensions of Empathic Therapy''. New York: Springer Publishing Company. . * Breggin, P. R. and Cohen, D. (1999) ''Your Drug May Be Your Problem: How and Why To Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications''. Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus Books. * Breggin, P. R. and Breggin, G. R. (1998). ''The war against children of color. Psychiatry Targets Inner City Youth''. Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press. * Breggin, P. R. (senior editor) ''Psychosocial Approaches to Deeply Disturbed Persons''. (1996) New York: Haworth Press. * Breggin, P. R. and Breggin, G. R. (1994). ''The War Against Children: How the Drugs, Programs, and Theories of the Psychiatric Establishment Are Threatening America's Children with a Medical 'Cure' for Violence''. New York: St. Martin's Press. * Breggin, P. R. and Breggin, G. R. (1994). ''Talking Back To Prozac: What Doctors Aren't Telling You About Today's Most Controversial Drug''. New York: St. Martin's Press. * Breggin, Peter R., with co-authors Carter Umbarger, James Dalsimer, Andrew Morrison (1962). ''College Students in a Mental Hospital: Contribution to the Social Rehabilitation of the Mentally Ill'' New York: Grune & Stratton.

Articles

Scientific PapersDr. Peter Breggin's Scientific Papers
Retrieved 12 March 2018 * Breggin, PR (2021). "Making psychiatric drug withdrawal as safe as possible"''. In Peter Lehmann & Craig Newnes (Eds.), ''Withdrawal from Prescribed Psychotropic Drugs. Berlin / Lancaster: Peter Lehmann Publishing, pp. 439–455. * Breggin, PR. (2016). "Rational Principles of Psychopharmacology for Therapists, Healthcare Providers and Clients". ''Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy'' 46:1–13. * "Understanding and Overcoming Guilt, Shame, and Anxiety: Based on Theory of Negative Legacy Emotions" (2015). Chapter 5 of ''Promoting Psychological Well-Being in Children and Families''. Edited by Bruce Kirkcaldy. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. * Breggin, PR. (2015). "The biological evolution of guilt, shame and anxiety: A new theory of negative legacy emotions". ''Medical Hypotheses'' 85, 17–24 * Breggin, PR. (2015)."Understanding and Helping People with Hallucinations Based on the Theory of Negative Legacy Emotions". ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', 43: 70–87 * Breggin, PR. "TBI, PTSD, and psychiatric drugs. A perfect storm for causing abnormal mental states and aberrant behavior". In Brock, H. and Else, R.C. (Eds). ''The Attorney's Guide to Defending Veterans in Criminal Court''. Minneapolis: Veterans Defense Project. Chapter 10, pp. 251–264, 2014. Psychology, Life, and Overcoming Negative Emotions * Breggin (2016). "Rational Principles of Psychopharmacology for Therapists, Healthcare Providers and Clients". ''Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy'' * Breggin, PR. Chapter 5 of ''Promoting Psychological Well-Being in Children and Families''. Edited by Bruce Kirkcaldy. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. * Breggin, PR. (2015). "The biological evolution of guilt, shame and anxiety: A new theory of negative legacy emotions". ''Medical Hypotheses'' 85, 17–24 * Breggin, PR. (2015). "Understanding and Helping People with Hallucinations Based on the Theory of Negative Legacy Emotions". ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', 43: 70–87. * Breggin, PR (2008). "Practical Applications: 22 Guidelines for Counseling and Psychotherapy". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 10, 43–57, 2008. Peer-reviewed publications 1. Breggin, Peter. "The Psychophysiology of Anxiety". ''

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease ''The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease'' is a peer-reviewed medical journal on psychopathology. It was established in 1874 as the ''Chicago Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease''. "Chicago" was dropped from the title beginning in 1876. Articl ...

'', 139, 558–568, 1964. 2. Breggin, Peter. "Coercion of Voluntary Patients in an Open Hospital". ''

Archives of General Psychiatry ''JAMA Psychiatry'' (until 2013: ''Archives of General Psychiatry'') is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association. It covers research in psychiatry, mental health, behavioral sciences, and related fields. ...

'', 10:173–181, 1964. Reprinted with a new introduction in Edwards, R.B. (ed):Psychiatry and Ethics. Buffalo, Prometheus Books, 1982, and in Edwards, R.B. (ed): Ethics of Psychiatry. Amherst, New York, Prometheus Books, 1997. 3. Breggin, Peter. "The Sedative-like Effect of Epinephrine". ''

'',12, 255–259, 1965. 4. Malev, J.S.; Breggin, P.R. et al. "For Better or for Worse: A Problem in Ethics". ''International Psychiatric Clinics'', 2(3), 603–24, 1965. 5. Breggin, Peter. "Psychotherapy as Applied Ethics". ''Psychiatry'', 34:59–75, 1971. 6. Breggin, Peter. "Lobotomy: An Alert". '' The American Journal of Psychiatry'', 129:97, 1972. 7. Breggin, Peter. "Psychosurgery". ''

JAMA ''JAMA'' (''The Journal of the American Medical Association'') is a peer-reviewed medical journal published 48 times a year by the American Medical Association. It publishes original research, reviews, and editorials covering all aspects of b ...

'', 226:1121, 1973. 8. Breggin, Peter. "The Second Wave of Psychosurgery". ''M/H (Mental Health)'', 57:10–13, 1973. 9. Breggin, Peter. "Therapy as Applied Utopian Politics". ''Mental Health and Society'', 1:129–146, 1974. 10. Lundy PJ and Breggin, Peter. "Psychiatric oppression of prisoners". ''Psychiatric Opinion''. 11(3):30–7, 1974. 11. Breggin, Peter. "Psychosurgery for Political Purposes". ''Duquesne Law Review'', 13:841–862, 1975. 12. Breggin, Peter. "Psychiatry and Psychotherapy as Political Processes". ''

American Journal of Psychotherapy The ''American Journal of Psychotherapy'' is the official psychotherapy journal of the American Psychiatric Association. It began publishing in 1947. The Journal is published 4 times a year. Since 2001, it incorporates the ''Journal of Psychother ...

'', 29:369–382, 1975. 13. Breggin, Peter. "Madness is a Failure of Free Will; Therapy Too Often Encourages It". '' Psychiatric Quarterly'', 53:61–68, 1981. Originally published (in French) in ''Verdiglione A'' (ed): "La Folie Dans La Psychoanalyse". Paris, Payot, 1977. 14. Breggin, Peter. "Electroconvulsive therapy for depression". ''

The New England Journal of Medicine ''The New England Journal of Medicine'' (''NEJM'') is a weekly medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. Founded in 1812, the journal is among the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. Its 2023 impact factor w ...

'', 27;303(22):1305–6, 1980. 15. Breggin, Peter. "Electroshock Therapy and Brain Damage: The Acute Organic Brain Syndrome as Treatment". ''Behavior and Brain Sciences'', 7:24–25, 1984. 16. Breggin, Peter. "Neuropathology and Cognitive Dysfunction from ECT". Electroconvulsive Consensus Development Conference Programs and Abstracts, pp. 59–64, 1985. Sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health and the NIH Office of Medical Applications Research. Bethesda, Maryland, June 10–12, 1985 at the National Institutes of Health. 17. Breggin, Peter. "Neuropathology and Cognitive Dysfunction from ECT". ''Psychopharmacology Bulletin'', 22:476–479, 1986. 18. Breggin, Peter. "Brain damage from nondominant ECT". '' The American Journal of Psychiatry'', 143(10):1320–1, 1986. 19. Breggin, Peter and de Girolamo, G. "Ellettroshock: Tra Rischioiatrogeno e Mito Terapeutico". ''Quaderni Italiani di Psychiatrica'', 6:497–540, 1987. 20. Breggin, Peter. "Precious the Crow". ''Voices'' (journal of the American Academy of Psychotherapists), 23:32–42, Summer 1987. 21. Breggin, Peter. "The Three Dynamics of Human Progress: A Unified Theory Applicable to Individuals, Institutions and Society". ''Review of Existential Psychology and Psychiatry'', 21(1–3):97–123, 1988–89. 22. Breggin, Peter. "Addiction to Neuroleptics?" '' The American Journal of Psychiatry'', 146(4):560, 1989. 23. Breggin, Peter. "Dr. Breggin replies". '' The American Journal of Psychiatry'', 146(9):1240, 1989. 24. Breggin, Peter. "Brain Damage, Dementia and Persistent Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Neuroleptic Drugs: Evidence, Etiology, Implications". ''Journal of Mind Behavior'', 11:425–464, 1990. 25. Breggin, Peter. "Psychotherapy in the Shadow of the Psycho-Pharmaceutical Complex". ''Voices'' (journal of the American Academy of Psychotherapists), 27:15–21, 1991 26. Weinberg MH and Breggin, Peter. "The homeless mentally ill". '' The American Journal of Psychiatry'', 148(5):690–1, 1991. 27. Breggin, Peter. "A Case of Fluoxetine-induced Stimulant Side Effects with Suicidal Ideation Associated with a Possible Withdrawal Syndrome ('Crashing')". ''International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine'', 3:325–328, 1992 28. Breggin, Peter. "Parallels Between Neuroleptic Effects and Lethargic Encephalitis: The Production of Dyskinesias and Cognitive disorders". ''

Brain and Cognition ''Brain and Cognition'' is an American scientific journal founded in 1982. It covers the fields of cognitive neuroscience and psychophysiology. According to the ''Journal Citation Reports'', the journal has a 2016 impact factor The impact fac ...

'', 23:8–27, 1993. 29. Breggin, Peter and Breggin, Ginger Ross. "A Biomedical Programme for Urban Violence Control in the US: The Dangers of Psychiatric Social Control". ''Changes: An International Journal of Psychology and Psychotherapy'', 11(1) (March):59–71, 1993. 30. Breggin, Peter. "Psychiatry's Role in the Holocaust". ''International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine'', 4:133–148, 1993. Adapted from a paper delivered at "Medical Science Without Compassion" in Cologne, Germany and published in the conference proceedings. 31. Breggin PR. "Genetics and crime". ''

Science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

'', 262(5139):1498, 1993. 32. Breggin, Peter. "Encephalitis lethargica". '' The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences'', 7(3), 387, 1995.` 33. Breggin, Peter. "Campaigns Against Racist Federal Programs by the Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology". ''Journal of African American Men'', 1(3), 3–22, Winter 1995/96. 34. Breggin, Peter. "Should the Use of Neuroleptics Be Severely Limited?" ''Changes: An International Journal of Psychology and Psychotherapy'', 14:62–66 March 1996. 35. Breggin, Peter and Breggin, Ginger Ross. "The Hazards of Treating 'Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder' with Methylphenidate (Ritalin)" ''Journal of College Student Psychotherapy'', 10:55–72, 1996. 36. Breggin, Peter. "Psychotherapy in Emotional Crises without Resort to Psychiatric Medication". ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', 25:2–14, 1998. 37. Breggin, Peter. "Analysis of Adverse Behavioral Effects of Benzodiazepines with a Discussion of Drawing Scientific Conclusions from the FDA's Spontaneous Reporting System". ''

Journal of Mind and Behavior ''The Journal of Mind and Behavior'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal in psychology published by the University of Maine Department of Psychology on behalf of The Institute of Mind and Behavior. The journal publishes theoretical articles and ...

'', 19:21–50, 1998. 38. Breggin, Peter. "Electroshock: Scientific, ethical, and political issues". ''International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine'', 11:5–40, 1998. 39. Breggin, Peter. "Does clozapine treatment cause brain disease?" ''

'', 55(9):845, 1998. 40. Breggin, Peter. "Psychostimulants in the treatment of children diagnosed with ADHD: Part I—Acute risks and psychological effects". ''Ethical Human Sciences and Services'', 1:13–33, 1999. 41. Breggin, Peter. "Psychostimulants in the treatment of children diagnosed with ADHD: Part II—Adverse effects on brain and behavior". ''Ethical Human Sciences and Services'', 1:213–241, 1999. 42. Breggin, Peter. "Psychostimulants in the treatment of children diagnosed with ADHD: Risks and mechanism of action". ''International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine'', 12 (1), 3–35, 1999. (Simultaneously published version of #24 and 25) 43. Breggin, Peter. "Empathic self-transformation and love in individual and family therapy". ''Humanistic Psychologist'', 27:267–282, 1999. 44. Breggin, Peter. "Treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder". ''JAMA'', 281(16):1490–1, 1999. 45. Breggin, Peter. "What psychologists and psychotherapists need to know about ADHDand stimulants". ''Changes: An International Journal of Psychology and Psychotherapy'', 18:13–23, Spring 2000 46. Breggin, Peter. "The NIMH multimodal study of treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A critical analysis". ''International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine'', 13:15–22, 2000. Also published in ''Ethical Human Sciences and Services''. 47. Breggin, Peter. "MTA study has flaws". ''

'', 58:1184, 2001. 48. Breggin, Peter. "Empowering social work in the era of biological psychiatry". The annual Ephraim Lisansky lecture of the University of Maryland School of Social Work. ''Ethical Human Sciences and Services'', 3:197–206, 2001. 49. Breggin, Peter. "Questioning the treatment for ADHD". ''

'', 291(5504):595, 2001. 50. Breggin, Peter. "Fluvoxamine as a cause of stimulation, mania, and aggression with a critical analysis of the FDA-approved label". ''International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine'', 14: 71–86, 2002. Simultaneously published in ''Ethical Human Sciences and Services'', 4, 211–227, 2002. 51. Breggin, Peter. "Psychopharmacology and human values". ''Journal of Humanistic Psychology'', 43: 34–49, 2003. 52. Breggin, Peter. "Suicidality, violence and mania caused by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): A review and analysis". ''International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine'', 16: 31–49, 2003/2004. Simultaneously published in ''Ethical Human Sciences and Services'', 5:225–246, 2003. 53. Breggin, Peter. "Re: Mud Splatters". ''

British Medical Journal ''The BMJ'' is a fortnightly peer-reviewed medical journal, published by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, which in turn is wholly-owned by the British Medical Association (BMA). ''The BMJ'' has editorial freedom from the BMA. It is one of the world ...

'', October 14, 2004. 54. Breggin, Peter. "Recent U.S., Canadian and British regulatory agency actions concerning antidepressant-induced harm to self and others: A review and analysis". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 7, 7–22, 2005. Simultaneously published in the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 16, 247–259, 2005. 55. Breggin, Peter. "Recent regulatory changes in antidepressant labels: Implications for activation (stimulation) in clinical practice". ''Primary Psychiatry'', 13, 57–60, 2006. 56. Breggin, Peter. "Court filing makes public my previously suppressed analysis of Paxil's effects". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 8, 77–84, 2006. 57. Breggin, Peter. "How GlaxoSmithKline suppressed data on Paxil-induced akathisia: Implications for suicide and violence". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 8, 91–100, 2006.14 58. Breggin, Peter. "Drug company suppressed data on paroxetine-induced stimulation: Implications for violence and suicide". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 8, 255–263, 2006. 59. Breggin, Peter. "Intoxication anosognosia: The spellbinding effect of psychiatric drugs". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 8, 201–215, 2006. Simultaneously published in the International Journal of Risk and Safety and Medicine, 19, 3–15, 2007. 60. Breggin, Peter. "ECT damages the brain: Disturbing news for patients and shock doctors alike". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 9, 83–86, 2007. 61. Breggin, Peter and Breggin, Ginger Ross. "Exposure to SSRI antidepressants in utero causes birth defects, neonatal withdrawal symptoms and brain damage". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 10, 5–9, 2008. 62. Donald Marks; Breggin, Peter; and Braslow, Derek. "Homicidal ideation causally related to therapeutic medications". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 10, 134–145, 2008. 63. Breggin, Peter "Practical Applications: 22 Guidelines for Counseling and Psychotherapy". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 10, 43–57, 2008. 64. Breggin, Peter. "Antidepressant-induced suicide, violence, and mania: Risks for military personnel". ''Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry'', 12, 111–121, 2010. 65. Breggin, Peter. "The FDA should test the safety of ECT machines". ''International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine'', 22, 89–92, 2010. 66. Breggin, Peter. "Psychiatric drug-induced Chronic Brain Impairment (CBI): Implications for longterm treatment with psychiatric medication". ''International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine'', 23: 193–200, 2011. 67. Breggin, Peter. "The Rights of Children and Parents in Regard to Children Receiving Psychiatric Drugs". ''Children & Society'', 28, 231–241, 2014. 68. van Daalen-Smith, Cheryl; Adam, Simon; Breggin, Peter; and LeFrançois, Brenda A. "The Utmost Discretion: How Presumed Prudence Leaves Children Susceptible to Electroshock". ''Children & Society'', 28, 205–217, 2014. 69. Breggin, Peter. "The biological evolution of guilt, shame and anxiety: A new theory of negative legacy emotions". ''Medical Hypotheses'', 85, 17–24, 2015. 70. Breggin, Peter. "Understanding and helping people with hallucinations based on the theory of negative legacy emotions". ''Humanistic Psychologist'', 43, 70–87, 2015.15 71. Breggin, Peter. "Rational Principles of Psychopharmacology for Therapists, Healthcare Providers and Clients". ''Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy'', 46, 1–13, 2016. 72. Breggin, Peter. "Extreme psychospiritual states versus organic brain disease: Bringing together science and the human factor". ''Journal of Humanistic Psychology'', 59, 686–696, 2019. 73. Breggin, P. and Stolzer, J. "Psychological Helplessness and Feeling Undeserving of Love: Windows into Suffering and Healing". ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', June 2020, 48 (2). InPress. 74. Breggin, Peter. "Moving past the vaccine/autism controversy – to examine potential vaccine neurological harms". ''International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine'', 1 (2020) 1–15 1 DOI 10.3233/JRS-200052 IOS

References

External links

*
ICSPP.org
– International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology, founded by Dr. Breggin
Center for the Study of Empathic Therapy, Education & Living
*
Dr. Peter Breggin Hour
' – Dr. Breggin's weekly internet radio broadcast on the Progressive Radio Network
Archived Radio Podcasts of the ''Dr. Peter Breggin Hour''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Breggin, Peter 1936 births Living people American activists American psychiatrists Anti-psychiatry activists Harvard College alumni Case Western Reserve University alumni Place of birth missing (living people) George W. Hewlett High School alumni People from The Five Towns, New York State University of New York Upstate Medical University alumni American anti-vaccination activists