Joanna Moncrieff
@joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
Critical psychiatrist, professor at University College London and author. Views are my own.
Pinned
Good to be up on bsky. Following the storm of interest provoked by our 2022 review, I am pleased to announce the publication of my book telling the story of the serotonin theory of depression from the beginning to recent challenges. Due out Jan 2025. To pre-order lnk.to/chemicallyim...
In mental health diagnoses are not explanations. 'Sometimes that can be a distraction, because people often try to fit themselves into boxes ..and don't necessarily communicate, or become aware of, what their actual problems are' camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
Controversial mental health voice Joanna Moncrieff speaks out
The final guest editor in our current series on why the drugs don't work, plus new cultural projects for Camden Town & loads to do this week
camdenist.beehiiv.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:32 PM
In mental health diagnoses are not explanations. 'Sometimes that can be a distraction, because people often try to fit themselves into boxes ..and don't necessarily communicate, or become aware of, what their actual problems are' camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
I am delighted to announce that the Spanish translation of Chemically Imbalanced is out now - its called "El mito de los antidepresivos" published by Arcopress almuzaralibros.com/fichalibro.p...
El mito de los antidepresivos - La tienda de libros
¿CÓMO LLEGAMOS A CREER QUE LAS EMOCIONES HUMANAS SE REDUCEN A FLUCTUACIONES QUÍMICAS? ¿QUÉ PAPEL JUGARON LA INDUSTRIA FARMACÉUTICA, LOS MEDIOS DE COMU...
almuzaralibros.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:28 PM
I am delighted to announce that the Spanish translation of Chemically Imbalanced is out now - its called "El mito de los antidepresivos" published by Arcopress almuzaralibros.com/fichalibro.p...
My interview in the Camdenist. We have come to think what we 'need is ever more neuroscience, and that that is somehow going to uncover the answer to everything and tell us who we really are. It is not.' camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
Controversial mental health voice Joanna Moncrieff speaks out
The final guest editor in our current series on why the drugs don't work, plus new cultural projects for Camden Town & loads to do this week
camdenist.beehiiv.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
My interview in the Camdenist. We have come to think what we 'need is ever more neuroscience, and that that is somehow going to uncover the answer to everything and tell us who we really are. It is not.' camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
@joannamoncrieff.bsky.social Found you! now following having left X.
camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
Controversial mental health voice Joanna Moncrieff speaks out
The final guest editor in our current series on why the drugs don't work, plus new cultural projects for Camden Town & loads to do this week
camdenist.beehiiv.com
September 30, 2025 at 11:43 AM
@joannamoncrieff.bsky.social Found you! now following having left X.
camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
camdenist.beehiiv.com/p/controvers...
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
No significant effect for ketamine (vs midazolam) in this trial. This contrasts previous research. Functional unblinding and reduced expectancy effects due to the enrolment algorithm likely explain this finding (implying that older research is biased).
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Serial Ketamine Infusions for Depression
This randomized clinical trial evaluates outcomes following adjunctive ketamine infusions vs midazolam for depression.
jamanetwork.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:45 PM
No significant effect for ketamine (vs midazolam) in this trial. This contrasts previous research. Functional unblinding and reduced expectancy effects due to the enrolment algorithm likely explain this finding (implying that older research is biased).
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
🍃 #NatureMatters➡️#EmotionalWellbeing➡️#HousingMatters
🚨Recent studies show that living near #parks or natural #GreenSpace reduces anxiety and depression by about 20 per cent🚨
@housingtoday.bsky.social @heathernstaff.bsky.social @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...
🚨Recent studies show that living near #parks or natural #GreenSpace reduces anxiety and depression by about 20 per cent🚨
@housingtoday.bsky.social @heathernstaff.bsky.social @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...
Young first-time buyers forced into ‘nature deserts’, UK data shows
Exclusive: High cost of homes near green spaces may be deepening health inequalities, says wildlife coalition
www.theguardian.com
October 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM
🍃 #NatureMatters➡️#EmotionalWellbeing➡️#HousingMatters
🚨Recent studies show that living near #parks or natural #GreenSpace reduces anxiety and depression by about 20 per cent🚨
@housingtoday.bsky.social @heathernstaff.bsky.social @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...
🚨Recent studies show that living near #parks or natural #GreenSpace reduces anxiety and depression by about 20 per cent🚨
@housingtoday.bsky.social @heathernstaff.bsky.social @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
Universal School Mental Health Lessons Can Backfire, Review Warns
A new review finds that universal, school mental health programs can worsen symptoms for some students and urges trials that measure harm as well as benefit.
By Ally Riddle
www.madinamerica.com/2025/10/univ...
A new review finds that universal, school mental health programs can worsen symptoms for some students and urges trials that measure harm as well as benefit.
By Ally Riddle
www.madinamerica.com/2025/10/univ...
Universal School Mental Health Lessons Can Backfire, Review Warns
Oxford researchers say classroom-wide mental health interventions can backfire and call for designs that identify who benefits and who is put at risk.
www.madinamerica.com
October 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Universal School Mental Health Lessons Can Backfire, Review Warns
A new review finds that universal, school mental health programs can worsen symptoms for some students and urges trials that measure harm as well as benefit.
By Ally Riddle
www.madinamerica.com/2025/10/univ...
A new review finds that universal, school mental health programs can worsen symptoms for some students and urges trials that measure harm as well as benefit.
By Ally Riddle
www.madinamerica.com/2025/10/univ...
Looking forward to taking part in the HTLGI festival in Kenwood House, London, Sept 20-21st. The line up of amazing scientists, thinkers & political figures including Brain Cox, Roger Penrose, Alastair Campbell, Diane Abbott etc. Tickets howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/lo...
August 20, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Looking forward to taking part in the HTLGI festival in Kenwood House, London, Sept 20-21st. The line up of amazing scientists, thinkers & political figures including Brain Cox, Roger Penrose, Alastair Campbell, Diane Abbott etc. Tickets howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/lo...
Blog on the longstanding tendency to play down the dependence-inducing effects of psychiatric drugs, now playing out in two reviews that minimise antidepressant withdrawal effects based on flawed studies of short-term users www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/chem...
Antidepressant Withdrawal: Nothing to Worry About?
Recent reviews claim antidepressant withdrawal is clinically insignificant, but they are based on flawed and short-term studies. Minimizing withdrawal problems is worrying.
www.psychologytoday.com
August 20, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Blog on the longstanding tendency to play down the dependence-inducing effects of psychiatric drugs, now playing out in two reviews that minimise antidepressant withdrawal effects based on flawed studies of short-term users www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/chem...
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
When Dr. Roussos-Ross pointed out the dangers of untreated depression, she left out the fact that antidepressants (ADs) have modest efficacy (as later pointed out by @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social ). Bc of the side effects, ADs are associated with a problematic harm-benefit ratio for the majority.
July 28, 2025 at 2:56 PM
When Dr. Roussos-Ross pointed out the dangers of untreated depression, she left out the fact that antidepressants (ADs) have modest efficacy (as later pointed out by @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social ). Bc of the side effects, ADs are associated with a problematic harm-benefit ratio for the majority.
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
Excellent summary of the ongoing controversy about antidepressant withdrawal issues by @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/chem...
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/chem...
Antidepressant Withdrawal: Nothing to Worry About?
Recent reviews claim antidepressant withdrawal is clinically insignificant, but they are based on flawed and short-term studies. Minimizing withdrawal problems is worrying.
www.psychologytoday.com
August 2, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Excellent summary of the ongoing controversy about antidepressant withdrawal issues by @joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/chem...
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/chem...
I was honoured to take part in the FDA's panel on the risks of SSRIs in pregnancy yesterday along with other experts @fda.gov. This is a huge issue with so many young women taking these drugs. I hope the UK and other countries will listen to the evidence presented www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nha...
FDA Expert Panel on Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Pregnancy
YouTube video by U.S. Food and Drug Administration
www.youtube.com
July 22, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I was honoured to take part in the FDA's panel on the risks of SSRIs in pregnancy yesterday along with other experts @fda.gov. This is a huge issue with so many young women taking these drugs. I hope the UK and other countries will listen to the evidence presented www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nha...
It is worrying that leading psychiatrists have quoted the Henssler review regardless of these limitations (and the more recent Kalfas review) to reassure the public and called on the Royal College of Psychiatrists to weaken its advice on stopping antidepressants 4/n
July 22, 2025 at 8:20 PM
It is worrying that leading psychiatrists have quoted the Henssler review regardless of these limitations (and the more recent Kalfas review) to reassure the public and called on the Royal College of Psychiatrists to weaken its advice on stopping antidepressants 4/n
Only 5 studies in the Henssler AD withdrawal review (not 18 as claimed) used a relevant measure of withdrawal. These find 55% of people reported withdrawal symptoms after stopping antidepressant 3/n
July 22, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Only 5 studies in the Henssler AD withdrawal review (not 18 as claimed) used a relevant measure of withdrawal. These find 55% of people reported withdrawal symptoms after stopping antidepressant 3/n
The vast majority of included studies in the Henssler AD withdrawal review were not designed to measure withdrawal and only recorded it incidentally among spontaneously reported ‘adverse events’. This is no basis for estimating prevalence 2/n
July 22, 2025 at 8:18 PM
The vast majority of included studies in the Henssler AD withdrawal review were not designed to measure withdrawal and only recorded it incidentally among spontaneously reported ‘adverse events’. This is no basis for estimating prevalence 2/n
Remember the 2024 Henssler review claiming only 1 in 6 have antidepressant withdrawal symptoms & 1 in 30 severe symptoms? Here we show it was based on highly unreliable data & can't be used to assess withdrawal effects @ploederl.bsky.social @markhoro.bsky.social 1/n www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Evidence on antidepressant withdrawal: an appraisal and reanalysis of a recent systematic review | Psychological Medicine | Cambridge Core
Evidence on antidepressant withdrawal: an appraisal and reanalysis of a recent systematic review - Volume 55
www.cambridge.org
July 22, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Remember the 2024 Henssler review claiming only 1 in 6 have antidepressant withdrawal symptoms & 1 in 30 severe symptoms? Here we show it was based on highly unreliable data & can't be used to assess withdrawal effects @ploederl.bsky.social @markhoro.bsky.social 1/n www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
'Psychiatrists have been accused of downplaying the risks of antidepressant withdrawal in a new study' www.thecanary.co/global/world...
Big pharma-funded psychiatrists 'cosplaying science' in misleading antidepressant withdrawal study
The paper claims, with confidence, that withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants are minimal and easily managed. Not true.
www.thecanary.co
July 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
'Psychiatrists have been accused of downplaying the risks of antidepressant withdrawal in a new study' www.thecanary.co/global/world...
Our rapid response in the BMJ highlights how the recent antidepressant withdrawal review confirms withdrawal effects with SSRIs and SNRIs but underestimates their significance due to relying on short-term trials and other methodological problems @ploederl.bsky.social www.bmj.com/content/390/...
Review underestimates antidepressant withdrawal effects
www.bmj.com
July 15, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Our rapid response in the BMJ highlights how the recent antidepressant withdrawal review confirms withdrawal effects with SSRIs and SNRIs but underestimates their significance due to relying on short-term trials and other methodological problems @ploederl.bsky.social www.bmj.com/content/390/...
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
Our rapid response to a summary of the new problematic antidepressant withdrawal study has been published, together with other interesting and important ones (e.g., by @markhoro.bsky.social ).
@joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
@joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
www.bmj.com
July 14, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Our rapid response to a summary of the new problematic antidepressant withdrawal study has been published, together with other interesting and important ones (e.g., by @markhoro.bsky.social ).
@joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
@joannamoncrieff.bsky.social
Useful thread on this study
1. The important study by Rosenbaum et al.'s used a sample of pts who were on antidepressants for 4-12 months. Pts were randomized to placebo vs. continuation for 5-8 days. They did not report the diffs for SMD and MD bc the continuation sample was very small. So I calculated the results
July 14, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Useful thread on this study
Useful thread critiquing the recent review of antidepressant withdrawal
1. This new systematic review on withdrawal problems after stopping antidepressants (AD) already caused a lot of discussion. According to aggregated studies, stopping ADs caused about 1-2 additional withdrawal symptoms compared to continuation (or before stopping or a placebo control)
However ->
However ->
Incidence and Nature of Antidepressant Discontinuation Symptoms
This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the presence and incidence of discontinuation symptoms in individuals who stop taking antidepressants.
jamanetwork.com
July 13, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Useful thread critiquing the recent review of antidepressant withdrawal
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
Occurrence of a discontinuation syndrome in the 5-8 day discontinuation period, defined by Rosenbaum et al. as 4+ withdrawal symptoms: 60% sertraline, 66%paroxetine, and 14% fluoxetine (which can serve as control group).
This conforms the ca. 50% occurrence, which was dismissed by Hayes 🤔
This conforms the ca. 50% occurrence, which was dismissed by Hayes 🤔
July 13, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Occurrence of a discontinuation syndrome in the 5-8 day discontinuation period, defined by Rosenbaum et al. as 4+ withdrawal symptoms: 60% sertraline, 66%paroxetine, and 14% fluoxetine (which can serve as control group).
This conforms the ca. 50% occurrence, which was dismissed by Hayes 🤔
This conforms the ca. 50% occurrence, which was dismissed by Hayes 🤔
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
Also note that the SMD's for individual SSRI/SNRI's ranged between 0.39 and 0.68.
In the study of Rosenbaum, where patients were on antidepressants much longer (average ca. 11 months), the increase in DESS symptoms after stopping meds was 6 and 8 for sertraline and paroxetine, respectively.
In the study of Rosenbaum, where patients were on antidepressants much longer (average ca. 11 months), the increase in DESS symptoms after stopping meds was 6 and 8 for sertraline and paroxetine, respectively.
July 13, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Also note that the SMD's for individual SSRI/SNRI's ranged between 0.39 and 0.68.
In the study of Rosenbaum, where patients were on antidepressants much longer (average ca. 11 months), the increase in DESS symptoms after stopping meds was 6 and 8 for sertraline and paroxetine, respectively.
In the study of Rosenbaum, where patients were on antidepressants much longer (average ca. 11 months), the increase in DESS symptoms after stopping meds was 6 and 8 for sertraline and paroxetine, respectively.
Reposted by Joanna Moncrieff
Besides the double standards, the main problem is that the result from the main analysis is based on short-term trials (ca 8w) except one 26w agomelatine trial. Not much withdrawal can be expected but was nonetheless observed - concerning! Most are on ADs much longer. Absurd conclusions!
July 13, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Besides the double standards, the main problem is that the result from the main analysis is based on short-term trials (ca 8w) except one 26w agomelatine trial. Not much withdrawal can be expected but was nonetheless observed - concerning! Most are on ADs much longer. Absurd conclusions!