Human Rights Group Says Psychiatrist May Have Been Taking One Of His Own Drugs

Nov. 28, 2009 - PRLog -- The Army psychiatrist who has been charged for the Nov 5 rampage that killed 12 people and left 38 wounded,  in the worst mass shooting ever at a military base in the United States,  may have been treating himself with psychotropic medications according to The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a psychiatric abuse watchdog group. Psychiatrists in general have a history of “self-medication” because of the easy access they have to psychotropic drugs

It is possible that the psychiatrist was taking one of these drugs that carry warnings of increased risk of violence, suicide and even homicidal tendencies regarding their use. It is important for those investigating this crime to find out if he was taking or withdrawing from any psychiatric drugs, or if he was receiving any other form of psychiatric treatment.

The psychiatrist was identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a 39-year-old, eight-year veteran from Virginia. The shooting occurred at the Soldier Readiness Center where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening.

This is not the first such incident of violence or suicide in the U.S. military.

A sizable and growing number of U.S. combat troops are taking daily doses of antidepressants, according to a June, 2008 report in Time Magazine. The psychiatric drugs prescribed to soldiers are known to have side effects that include violence and suicide.

According to the army, in 2007 17% of combat troops in Afghanistan were taking prescription antidepressants or sleeping pills. In the past year one-third of marines in combat zones were taking psychiatric drugs. The army confirms that since 2002 the number of suicide attempts has increased six-fold. And more than 128 soldiers killed themselves last year.

Brian Beaumont, President of the Vancouver Chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights stated, “The use of psychiatric drugs escalates when, and only when, the psychiatric-pharmaceutical industry targets new markets to increase profits.

Last year the rate of suicide in the military exceeded that of the general population, and was the highest since the Army began tracking it in the 1980s. In May, 2009 a U.S. soldier allegedly killed five other military personnel and wounded three at Camp Liberty, a U.S. base just outside Baghdad. The shooting took place at a stress clinic, where soldiers suffering mental problems can go for treatment or counseling.

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights was established by the Church of Scientology to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights.

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The Citizens Commission on Human Rights was established by the Church of Scientology to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights