Awareness Campaign Aims to Help People Recognize Adverse Drug Effects

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, December 19, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Recent akathisia awareness ads in New York City subways may save lives and reduce suffering. Sponsored by the Medication-Induced Suicide Prevention and Education Foundation in Memory of Stewart Dolin (MISSD), the ads are in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

“Akathisia is a disorder, induced as a side effect of medications, which can cause a person to experience such intense inner restlessness that the sufferer is driven to violence, self-harm and/or suicide,” said Wendy Dolin, Founder of MISSD. “It can occur when stopping, starting or changing the dosage or type of certain medications.”

MISSD states the public has largely been left in the dark about akathisia despite that decades of medical research has found that hundreds of different drugs can cause akathisia and akathisia can lead to iatrogenic suicide. Iatrogenic means caused by medication or medical treatment.

“Akathisia is a global health and safety concern. MISSD frequently receives inquiries and factual experiences from people all over the world,” Dolin said.

The New York City subway ads were strategically chosen to run in December to reach residents and international travelers during the peak tourism season. MISSD is also running mobile akathisia ads linked to zip codes near major hospitals.

“People experiencing akathisia may be unaware they are exhibiting symptoms of adverse drug effects. Some medical experts refer to this as ‘medication spellbinding,’” said Dolin.

The foundation hopes that people who may be suffering from akathisia, or have a relative or friend showing akathisia symptoms, will see the ads and specifically mention the possibility of akathisia upon hospital admission.

After Chicago trains rolled out their first akathisia ads a few years ago, MISSD learned that in addition to increasing akathisia awareness, many bereaved families were helped by understanding that adverse drug effects may have precipitated a loved one’s demise.

MISSD, a 501c3 non-profit organization, honors the memory of akathisia victims through awareness and education and aims to ensure people suffering from akathisia's symptoms are accurately diagnosed so that needless deaths are prevented. The foundation accepts no funding from the pharmaceutical industry. All MISSD resources are free, including an accredited, one-hour, e-learning course open to all.

Wendy Dolin
MISSD
+1 847-910-2346
email us here

What is Akathisia?