Remember the names, folks.
On the left, we have Tyler Black, MD, Suicidologist and expert in emergency psychiatry. On the right, George Dawson, Psychiatrist, addiction psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist, physician.
These two professionals have opened a can of worms on Twitter after claiming that they have both suffered akathisia. Miraculously, they claim, the akathisia was brought on by strenuous exercising!
This is a first, folks as every medical book or piece of literature regarding akathisia may have to now be re-written.
Up until their claims (Fig1), it was thought that akathisia was a condition caused by the adverse effects of treatment with many prescribed and over-the-counter drugs. To develop akathisia one can only ingest a drug, there is no other way of developing it. Dawson and Black's claims change all that.
Fig1
Dawson and Black's comments caused outrage amongst Twitter users, a selection of which are below.
Am I reading this correctly? Comparing physical stress to a drug induced Armageddon that lasts for months or years is like comparing a scratch on your finger to an arm amputation. Planet denial has been visited by these so called professionals. Unbelievable!— Dr Ed White (@Reduxreloaded) February 3, 2020
They are trolling harmed patients. It is offensive and inappropriate for professions to do.— 🤦🏻♀️ Dogs Know Better (@dianamswancutt) February 3, 2020
Professionals know perfectly well what akathisia is and know it is nothing like post-exercise restless legs.
Good grief. A great example of why (as I have mentioned) the name akathisia itself is a euphemism; needs to be changed. I’ve done massive amounts of workout in my life. Whatever stupidity those two were on about has ZERO comparison with the internal nightmare of EVERY cell at war— Michele Buring-Honeychild🍀🦋🌸🌿✌️ (@MicheleBuring1) February 3, 2020
Not only they’re ignorant but this is super offensive for people who have experienced actual akathisia— Ms Carnivore 🏁🥩 (@mscarnivore) February 3, 2020
One concerned patient advocate, Kristina Gehrki, whose daughter, Natalie, died an iatrogenic death brought on by akathisia, felt compelled to tweet The Royal College of Psychiatrists President, Wendy Burn, whose response did nothing but fan the flames.As psychiatrists they certainly have vested interests in confusion and ignorance about akathisia. That’s their push. Or maybe they really don’t know what they’re talking about. Anyway, it’s offensive as hell.— S Randolph Kretchmar (@MentalHealthLaw) February 2, 2020
Burn, as per usual, completely missing the point.
Shortly after the critiques of Dawson and Black's assertions that akathisia can be caused by exercise, Black somewhat retracted his statement with:
Shortly after the critiques of Dawson and Black's assertions that akathisia can be caused by exercise, Black somewhat retracted his statement with:
The Medication-Induced Suicide Prevention and Education Foundation in Memory of Stewart Dolin (MISSD) reached out to Dawson, their tweet and his reply can be seen here.
Dawson's claim of being an expert in diagnosing akathisia and movement disorders is deeply worrying given his earlier claims that he developed 'acute akathisia' after strenuous exercise. How can one claim to be an expert in diagnosing akathisia when one falsely claims akathisia can be brought on through exercise?
It really is a wrong message to send out, particularly as exercise is often used to combat depressive episodes. By Dawson and Black claiming exercise can cause akathisia, they may be scaring people who want to use this route rather than a medicalised one. Quite why they have done this is anyone's guess.
Dawson and Black seem to be fully supported by the President of RCPsych, who, back in November endorsed Black's account to her followers, this too is deeply concerning. Burn's advice to Black, well, mute people, "You don't have to hear what they are saying about you."
What a wonderful legacy she is leaving behind!
It really is a wrong message to send out, particularly as exercise is often used to combat depressive episodes. By Dawson and Black claiming exercise can cause akathisia, they may be scaring people who want to use this route rather than a medicalised one. Quite why they have done this is anyone's guess.
Dawson and Black seem to be fully supported by the President of RCPsych, who, back in November endorsed Black's account to her followers, this too is deeply concerning. Burn's advice to Black, well, mute people, "You don't have to hear what they are saying about you."
What a wonderful legacy she is leaving behind!
There's nothing like a psychiatrist who ignores voices of those harmed by the very same drugs they've prescribed.
For more information on the **REAL** causes of akathisia please take the free, accredited Akathisia101 Course here.
Bob Fiddaman
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