© The Road Back. All rights reserved.
AFTER TWENTYTHREE YEARS of research, assisting
tens of thousands of people to get off their
psychoactive medication, this book is the final and
closing chapter of the development of The Road
Back Program. Not to say there will not be future
advancements in this program, but the needed
foundation for a psychoactive drug withdrawal
program and health program is now firmly in place.
The success rate of people now using this program
is higher than ever imagined, the basic causes of
drug withdrawal symptoms and the human health
decline have now been discovered, and the solution
is backed by scientific evidence.
This book is written mainly for the patient, or
individual wanting to get off their drug or to simply
rebuild or maintain good health. The last chapter of
this book details the science behind this program
and is written for the health-care provider.
If you have tried to get off your medication in the
past and suffered, have found this book in the
middle of your withdrawal or quit the drug cold
turkey, you may have a little more work to do than
most, but the success will still be there. With the
advancements in The Road Back Program your
route to recovery and feeling well again or maybe
feeling well for the first time in years can now be
accomplished in a rather short amount of time.
If you are seeking to improve your overall health,
there is usually no need to be patient when you use
the program, it works rather quickly. Many of us are
just accustomed to feeling how we feel and we may
have lost track of how good we can feel when the
body and mind work as a unique team. By doing a
few basic things, we can reverse much of what is
happening inside of our body and that reversal
usually equates to a better attitude in life and a
major quality of life improvement.
I want to acknowledge the many people, from the
four corners of Earth and all walks of life, who have
successfully changed their life while using this
program. Their perseverance and feedback have
helped advance this program to today’s high degree
of success.
And I applaud you, opening this book for the first
time, for your courage and resolve to change your
life and get yourself back as your reward.
I understand the apprehension you may feel about
deciding to come off the drug, especially if you have
tried to do so before and failed, or if you have heard
horror stories of others who have tried to come off
psychoactive medication. Further, I understand the
questions you might be asking at this point:
Will I experience mental or physical pain while on
this program?
Will I have other side effects while on this program?
Will the drug side effects get worse before they get
better?
Will my depression get worse during this program?
Will my anxiety levels increase?
You may have many other questions in addition to
those above, but most importantly you should know
that The Road Back Program is virtually side effect
free. The testament to this, as you will see
throughout the book, is that people just like you
start to feel better, mentally and physically,
sometimes from day one. The program is setup so
that you usually only start reducing the drug after
you feel a major positive change and all or nearly
all-existing side effects from the drug are
eliminated. Thus, you know from the very beginning,
change is possible; that this time there is a chance
for you, and that you can do this and feel well once
again.
The program is simple, effective, and extremely
powerful when applied correctly. You too can have
resounding success in getting off the medication
and getting your life back.
Based on extensive research, specific “nutrients”
have been formulated for this program. Their use, in
conjunction with the full and complete program,
have resulted in a high success rate of people
getting off psychoactive medication, while also
enormously reducing the potential and feared side
effects from withdrawal.
What unwanted feelings come from you and what
feelings does the medication generate? The
program separates these confusing symptoms, and
once this separation occurs, the real you will
emerge.
One major change most people experience during
the program; their reach for life returns or truly
begins for the first time. Reach is defined as: to
extend out; to touch or to seize; to communicate
with.
Life is defined as: the quality that distinguishes a
vital and functional being from a dead body or
inanimate matter (Webster’s Dictionary). Per the
definition of life, you are vital. We need you and
humankind needs you. The positive changes you
can bring to others are beyond imagining. Life can
be grand, life can be fulfilling; you, changing your life
and having “reach” return will absolutely affect
others in your environment.
Reach can return with your children, spouse, work
or activities you have been putting off for years that
you have always wanted to do, or to do once again.
Remember and hold the following close to your
heart as you travel this journey:
You Can Change.
You Can Change How You Feel
You Can Be a Positive Influence for Others.
You Can Make It.
Antidepressants are often prescribed for post-
menopausal symptoms without full knowledge of
the risk/benefit equation. During 2009, two studies
were published that still stick in my mind and need
sharing.
It is acknowledged by the medical community that
there is an increased risk for heart disease and
stroke for post-menopausal women taking
antidepressants. Antidepressants do work
somewhat like aspirin, helps thin the blood, helps
stop clotting, and with a few percentage points
above a placebo in clinical trials, will work for
depression or anxiety.
That is the benefit of antidepressants. What are the
risk factors? In December 2009, a troubling
antidepressant study was published in Archives of
Internal Medicine.
136,000 women participants enrolled in the
Women’s Health Initiative study. None were taking
an antidepressant at the time of enrollment. The
women had their first follow-up visit between year 1
and 3.
During their follow-up visit, 5,500 women had
started taking an antidepressant. The researchers
found that the women taking an antidepressant had
a 45% increase in the risk of stroke.
There was a 32% increase risk of dying from any
cause during the follow-up period with the women
taking an antidepressant.
The older tricyclic antidepressants were not linked
to stroke, but they did increase the risk of dying by
67% during follow-up. Jordan W. Smoller, M.D., ScD,
of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)
Department of Psychiatry, was the study’s lead
author.
Earlier in 2009, the American Medical Association’s,
American Medical News* (vol. 59, #9) includes an
article: “The long goodbye: The challenge of
discontinuing antidepressants; Tapering slowly is
the mantra for pruning these regimens, but some
patients may still experience withdrawal symptoms.”
“For various reasons, patients often are eager to
discontinue antidepressants.” “Some stop or reduce
dosages on their own because of side effects, the
expense, a desire not to take pills anymore or as a
response to perceived stigma.” The labels of
antidepressants warn of symptoms that can occur
with sudden discontinuation, and physicians often
use this as a motivator for adherence. Studies
suggest about 20% of patients on these medications
will experience symptoms of what’s been coined
“the antidepressant discontinuation syndrome”
when they try to stop.
Only a fraction of antidepressant side effects are
reported to the FDA. The 20% experiencing
withdrawal may actually be quite higher. Some
patients may be traumatized by the discontinuation
attempt.
Dr. Charles Whitfield M.D. describes in detail the
trauma caused by psychoactive medications in his
new book, Not Crazy: You May Not Be Mentally Ill.
Many times we spend more time assisting a person
through the trauma caused by these medications
than the actual withdrawal of the drug. This is also
the part where the real you begins to come out and
shine again. The Road Back Program does handle
the body and the drug now with ease and this can
be quite shocking for some individuals. If you were
to take a person who has never spoken one word
and have them speak overnight, if you were to take
any person addicted to a drug and create such a
sweeping positive change in a matter of hours, they
need time to adjust and get accustom to how they
now feel. This feeling has been described to me as
near overwhelming and has been instrumental in
helping overcome the drug-induced trauma.
I have included information from these two articles
in this section of the book for a few reasons:
1. I want you to know you are not alone with how
you may feel now and that your experience with
attempting to get off an antidepressant in the past
was not you being mentally ill.
2. There are risks with antidepressants that may be
downplayed by your physician. Your physician may
not even be aware of the two studies I have
mentioned.
Educate yourself. Review the chapter, Medication
Side Effects Defined for a complete list of published
side effects of psychoactive medication. My intent is
not to worry you, but to inform. Each physician,
before prescribing any medication is required to use
what is called Informed Consent. Explaining the risk
and benefits in a manner that the patient can fully
understand, is Informed Consent. This list of side
effects includes the risks associated with stopping
any medication. In other words, the side effects that
are possible while taking the medication can also
happen during withdrawal from the drug. All too
often, a person was able to use an antidepressant
for years and never gain weight, but the moment
they began to reduce the antidepressant weight
gain started. This weight gain was a withdrawal side
effect.
The Final Stages of The Road Back Program
While I start to write this part of the book I am
overwhelmed with emotion. This has been a
fourteen-year journey so far and most of my original
goals with this program have now reached their
conclusion. I almost wish I could now sit back and
relax and put my attention elsewhere, but it is time
to set the next goals for this program and ensure
they are as far reaching as they were in 1999. It is
equally as important for you to begin setting your
next goals as you read this book. You will get off the
medication and you will feel good once again and
there will be a reach for life.
Getting off the medication is a major decision and
will feel like a major accomplishment and having
your next goal ready to launch is vital. Don’t let any
person tell you that you can’t attain your new goal.
What have you dreamt of doing for years? Start
planning now!
In June 2010, I found a clinical study detailing the
cause of antidepressant weight gain.
We have a gene in our body that is called JNK, and
the JNK gene becomes over activated by
antidepressants and that phenomenon is the cause
of antidepressant induced weight gain. On further
research I found the activation of the JNK gene is not
only the cause of antidepressant induced weight
gain, but virtually all side effects caused by a
psychoactive medication can be directly linked to
the over activation of the JNK gene. Reducing the
JNK gene expression can be accomplished naturally
and that technique is now a major part of this
program. The role of the JNK gene in our health is a
basic starting point. Most disease cannot begin or at
the least cause harm inside the body unless this JNK
gene becomes overly activated. The poliovirus must
first activate the JNK gene, Parkinson’s does not
begin until the JNK gene is stimulated, cancer and
tumors cannot exist as long as the JNK gene remains
in a normal state. An autistic begins to lose their
symptoms of autism when this JNK gene expression
is reduced. Diabetes requires an activated JNK gene,
just the same as weight gain and liver conditions.
Asian’s have a problem when consuming alcohol
due to a missing gene. When an Asian drinks
alcohol, the alcohol creates an immediate and
prolonged activation of the JNK gene and this is
what causes the near immediate intoxication, liver
problems and more. The answer is to reduce the
JNK gene activation naturally and quickly. This is
what The Road Back Program now accomplishes.
This may seem like this program is treating,
preventing or curing disease with these statements,
we are not. We are just reducing the activation of
the JNK gene and letting the body do what it
naturally does when this gene is regulated
effectively. Drugs create a metabolic disorder. The
metabolic disorder occurs while taking the drug as
well as when you begin reducing the drug. An
example of one would be the depletion of the B
vitamin biotin if a person has a prolonged use of a
benzodiazepine, anti-anxiety drug. The individual
may experience a reaction to bright light, a reaction
to loud noise and more. This is a symptom of low
biotin in the body and when you take biotin the
symptom goes away as long as it was coming from
low biotin levels. This approach is not treating,
preventing or curing an illness or disease.
In closing, as you read this book, perhaps you might
be thinking “...this sounds good for others...” or
“...others can make it, but not me...” Believe me; I am
referring directly to you. My best to you in your
journey,
Jim Harper