Publicity
New Zealander loses legal fight over crippling med addiction
― Japan resident seeks to spread word about the dangers of benzodiazepines ―
By SIMON SCOTT
(This article gives an excellent overview of my case)
Read Here Download PDF See Japan Times
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The Dark Side of Mental Health
By Mitsunobu Sato
Published by: Kodansha Publishing Company
WARNING
This is not fiction
Some alarming truths about the dark side of psychiatrists
NB: Although my complaint was not related to mental health, my story was included in this book highlighting an increase in off-label prescribing to the unsuspecting general public.
Read My Coverage Purchase Book
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Continuous Slapdash Prescribing Leads to Dependency
(This article introduces the launching of my website “Benzo Case Japan”)
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Episode 60: Dave talks with Wayne Douglas about benzodiazepine drugs.
By Dave Carlson
Listener Feedback:
Subject: episode 60 - Powerful.
Dave,
Good interview with Wayne. One of my co-workers back in America had to cope with those drugs too. It's really good to get the awareness out there in the world. If Joe Rogan found this episode, I think he would say, “Powerful.”
Thanks for all you do.
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Be Careful of Hypnotic / Anxiolytic Drug Dependency – Even on Prescribed Doses
By Editorial Board Member: Fumikazu Asai
(Japanese only)
NB: The survey referred to in this article consists of many shortfalls, failing to expose the true scale of the situation.
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Dr. Peter Breggin on the left and me wearing my World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day shirt in Tokyo on July 11.
Following the initial interview, with a keen interest in W-BAD, talks around 11 July became a regular instalment on the show.
The 1st show – 21 Sep 2016
This first show is about how I went through benzo hell and lived to tell the tale, my experiences in the Japanese court system, and surviving the Fukushima earthquake and subsequent nuclear meltdown.
The 2nd show – 25 Oct 2017
Focusses on organising World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day
The 3rd show – 11 Jul 2018
Focusses on getting W-BAD recognition, events, participation etc.
The 4th show – 19 Jun 2019
Focusses on the power of victims, doctors and officials collaborating, W-BAD objectives
The 5th show – 10 Jun 2020
Focusses on BZ harms, developing W-BAD (vision for the people’s day), participation etc.
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For an article that gives an excellent overview of my case, I recommend reading the Japan Times feature article.
THE WRITING IS
ON THE WALL
for benzodiazepine use
Dr Andrew Byrne
Redfern NSW Australia
Benzodiazepine Dependence, 1997
“If any drug over time is going to just rob you of your identity [leading to] long, long term disaster, it has to be benzodiazepines.”
Dr John Marsden,
Institute of Psychiatry, London
November 1, 2007
“Benzos are responsible for more pain, unhappiness and damage than anything else in our society.”
Phil Woolas MP,
Deputy Leader of the House of Commons,
Oldham Chronicle, February 12, 2004
“The benzodiazepines are probably the most addictive drugs ever created and the vast army of enthusiastic doctors who prescribed these drugs by the tonne have created the world's largest drug addiction problem.”
The Drugs Myth, 1992
“If there's a pill, then pharmaceutical companies will find a disease for it.”
Jeremy Laurance,
The Independent, April 17, 2002.
“To rely on the drug companies for unbiased evaluations of their products makes about as much sense as relying on beer companies to teach us about alcoholism.”
Marcia Angell MD
(Former) Executive Editor New England Journal of Medicine
“It is more difficult to withdraw people from benzodiazepines than it is from heroin.”
Professor Malcolm H Lader
Institute of Psychiatry London
BBC Radio 4, Face The Facts
March 16, 1999
“Withdrawal symptoms can last months or years in 15% of long-term users. In some people, chronic use has resulted in long-term, possibly permanent disability.”
Professor C Heather Ashton
DM, FRCP,
Good Housekeeping, 2003
“Clearly, the aim of all involved in this sorry affair is the provision of justice for the victims of tranquillisers.”
This section focuses on some of the apparent injustices of the Japanese courts in my case. To help highlight these, some parts of this section include cross-referencing between the High Court Verdict and the Dependency Reports which were all based on the official evidence and the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for dependency.