There are many alternatives to psychiatric diagnoses and harmful psychiatric drugs and treatments. These include standard medical care that does not require a subjective psychiatric label or mind-altering psychiatric drugs.
CCHR does not provide medical or legal advice, nor do we condone or promote any specific practitioner, medical organization, practice or group. We have found the resources below to be helpful for individuals looking for more information on these topics:
- Informed Consent
- Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal Programs
- Alternative Medical Non-Drug Treatment Programs
- Non-drug alternatives for children
- Alternative non-drug treatments for those diagnosed “schizophrenicâ€
- Legal resources and more.
Informed Consent
In general medicine the standard for informed consent includes
- Communicating the nature of the diagnoses,
- Purpose of a proposed treatment or procedure,
- Risks and benefits of the proposed treatment,
- Informing the patient of alternative treatments so he can make an informed, educated choice.
Psychiatrists routinely do not inform patients of non-drug treatments, nor do they conduct thorough medical examinations to ensure that a person’s problem does not stem from an untreated medical condition that is manifesting as a “psychiatric†symptom. They do not accurately inform patients of the nature of the diagnoses, which would require informing the patient that psychiatric diagnoses are completely subjective (based on behaviors only) and have no scientific/medical validity (no X-rays, brain scans, chemical imbalance tests to prove anyone has a mental disorder).
Differential Diagnosis
All patients should have what is called a “differential diagnosis.†The doctor obtains a thorough history and conducts a complete physical exam, rules out all the possible problems that might cause a set of symptoms and explains any possible side effects of the recommended treatments.
Psychiatric drug withdrawal programs
If you want to stop taking a psychiatric drug, do so under the close supervision of a licensed physician who has experience in successfully taking patients off of your type of drug. Get informed on what you can expect to experience during the process, and what to watch out for.
Nothing on this website should be relied on as medical advice. It is provided for general background information only.
Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs  The Icarus Project and Freedom Center’s 40-page guide gathers the best information we’ve come across and the most valuable lessons we’ve learned about reducing and coming off psychiatric medication. Includes info on mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs, risks, benefits, wellness tools, psychiatric drug withdrawal, information for people staying on their medications, detailed Resource section, and much more. A ‘harm reduction’ approach means not being pro- or anti-medication, but supporting people to make their own decisions balancing the risks and benefits involved. Written by Will Hall, with a 53-member health professional Advisory Board providing research assistance and many other collaborators involved in developing and editing.
Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal: A Guide for Prescribers, Therapists, Patients and their Families, by Dr. Peter R. Breggin MD. Â This is the first book to establish guidelines and to assist prescribers and therapists in withdrawing their patients from psychiatric drugs, including those patients with long-term exposure to antipsychotic drugs, benzodiazepines, stimulants, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers. Â It describes a method developed by the author throughout years of clinical experience, consultations with experienced colleagues, and scientific research. Â Based on a person-centered collaborative approach, with patients as partners, this method builds on a cooperative and empathic team effort involving prescribers, therapists, patients, and their families or support network.
Alternative to Meds Center— Residential psychiatric medication withdrawal with medical and naturopathic oversight in Sedona, Arizona.  https://www.alternativetomeds.com/
The Road Back— How to get off psychiatric drugs safely.  The most widely used outpatient drug withdrawal program in the world since 1999.
http://www.theroadbackprogram.org
The Biosanctuary— A unique integrative medicine health retreat providing a unique detox & healing environment using the best of today’s most effective, evidence-based, biological medicine treatments.
Located in Los Angeles, and Mexico.
http://thebiosanctuary.com/
Recovery International– Recovery International offers meetings to men and women of all ages that ease the suffering from mental health issues by gaining skills to lead more peaceful and productive lives. In the last 80 years RI has equipped over 1 million people with tools to control behavior and change attitudes.The mission of Recovery International is to use the cognitive-behavioral, peer-to-peer, self-help training system developed by Abraham Low, MD, to help individuals gain skills to lead more peaceful and productive lives.
https://recoveryinternational.org/
Soteria House— Alternative and non-drug solutions for people diagnosed schizophrenic.
http://www.moshersoteria.com
Alternatives to psychotropic drugs for children
The Block Center— Find and treat underlying health problems in children and information on how children can safely get off of psychiatric drugs
http://www.blockcenter.com
AbleChild— Parents for a label and drug-free education
http://www.ablechild.org
Psychiatric survivors groups
Mind Freedom International — is a nonprofit organization that unites 100 sponsor and affiliate grassroots groups with thousands of individual members to win human rights and alternatives for people labeled with psychiatric disabilities. In a spirit of mutual cooperation, MindFreedom leads a nonviolent revolution of freedom, equality, truth and human rights that unites people affected by the mental health system with movements for justice everywhere.
http://www.mindfreedom.org/about-us
Environmental issues & mental health
American Academy of Environmental Medicine — The AAEM provides research and education in the recognition, treatment and prevention of illnesses induced by exposures to biological and chemical agents encountered in air, food and water.Â
Drug information
MedlinePlus— Information on drugs, supplements and herbal information
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html
Psych Drug Dangers— CCHR International’s psychiatric drug side effects search engine includes reported side effects of psychiatric drugs to the US FDA
http://www.cchrint.org/psychdrugdangers
Reporting side effects of drugs
Medwatch— The FDA safety information and adverse event reporting program
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch
Health options & information
Naturalnews.com— Independent news on natural health, nutrition and more
http://www.naturalnews.com
Natural Solutions — Natural remedies and healthy solutions
http://www.naturalsolutionsmag.com
Natural Health Education
http://www.thepeopleschemist.com
Legal resources
Bailey Perrin Bailey— Large civil litigation firm specializing in personal injury litigation
http://www.bpblaw.com
Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman— Wrongful death and personal injury lawyers
http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com
Vickery Waldner & Mallia LLP— Wrongful death and medical negligence lawyers
http://www.justiceseekers.com
The Peterson Firm, LLP— Legal options for mothers who took antidepressants while pregnant