191. Heated Debate with Columbia University Professor of Psychiatry

In this explosive and highly anticipated episode, Dr. Roger McFillin hosts Dr. Ragy Girgis, a Columbia University Professor of Psychiatry and researcher, for a no-holds-barred confrontation that exposes the shocking divisions tearing apart the mental health field. What begins as a conversation about mass violence research rapidly explodes into a devastating examination of psychiatric medicine's crumbling foundations, questionable effectiveness, and devastating potential harms. The two clash in fierce, unrelenting disagreements over fundamental issues including the validity of DSM diagnoses, the debunked "chemical imbalance" theory of depression, dangerous SSRI safety cover-ups and black box warnings, corrupted research quality and pharmaceutical industry manipulation, and the catastrophic crisis of psychiatric drug overprescription poisoning 1 in 4-5 Americans. Dr. Girgis desperately defends traditional academic psychiatry and current treatment approaches, while Dr. McFillin ruthlessly dismantles the entire paradigm, arguing that the current system is systematically creating chronic mental illness rather than healing it. Buckle up for this brutal intellectual warfare.
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Throughout the interview, Dr. Girgis repeatedly stated that "the data is clear" while dismissing contradictory evidence that challenges his conclusions. For our listeners' benefit, I have compiled research and documentation that directly disputes several of Dr. Girgis's key claims.

Serotonin Hypothesis of Depression

1. The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence (Moncrieff et al.)

Conclusions: "This review suggests that the huge research effort based on the serotonin hypothesis has NOT produced convincing evidence of a biochemical basis to depression. This is consistent with research on many other biological markers . We suggest it is time to acknowledge that the serotonin theory of depression is NOT empirically substantiated."
2.What has serotonin to do with depression?
Conclusions: "Simple biochemical theories that link low levels of serotonin with depressed mood are no longer tenable."
3. Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression in the scientific literature

Violence & Suicide Associated with SSRI's
1. Precursors to suicidality and violence on antidepressants: systematic review of trials in adult healthy volunteers
2. Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others

3. Antidepressant-induced akathisia-related homicides associated with diminishing mutations in metabolizing genes of the CYP450 family
4. Lexapro Approved for Pediatric Use Despite the 6-Fold Increase in Suicide Risk
5. McFillin Substack Review on Lexapro approved despite Suicide Risk
6. Suicidality and aggression during antidepressant treatment: systematic review and meta-analyses based on clinical study reports
7. Antidepressants Increase Suicide Attempts in Youth; No Preventative Effect
8. Effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment following diagnosis of depression on suicidal behaviour risk:
9.  FDA Warning: Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children and adolescents
10.  Suicide Mortality in the United States, 2001–2021 CDC documentation
11. US suicide rate reaches highest point in more than 80 years: See what latest data shows

12.  CNN article reporting Eli Lilly Internal Documents
"An internal document purportedly from Eli Lilly and Co. made public Monday appears to show that the drug maker had data more than 15 years ago showing that patients on its antidepressant Prozac were far more likely to attempt suicide and show hostility than were patients on other antidepressants and that the company attempted to minimize public awareness of the side effects. The 1988 document indicated that 3.7 percent of patients attempted suicide while on the blockbuster drug, a rate more than 12 times that cited for any of four other commonly used antidepressants.In addition, the paper said that 1.6 percent of patients reported incidents of hostility -- more than double the rate reported by patients on any of four other commonly used antidepressants."

Examples of Violence after Prescription in legal system (Sample)
January 24, 2020 – Newcastle, South Dublin, Ireland: Deirdre Morley, 44, smothered and killed her two sons Conor, 9, and Darragh, 7, and her three-year-old daughter Carla McGinley in their family home. She had been taking antidepressants since October 2018 and was admitted to St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services on July 6, 2019, but was discharged after a short period, but was put on a combination of two antidepressants and a sedative

May 11, 2018 – Osmington, Western Australia: Peter Miles, 61, shot his 35-year-old daughter and four grandchildren, aged 8 through 13, while they slept in their beds, in a shed that had been converted to a second house on the property. He then turned the gun on his 58-year-old wife in the living room of their house, before placing a call to police alerting them to his crimes. When they arrived, Miles was also found dead from a gunshot wound. Miles had started taking antidepressant medication just weeks before.

April 6, 2018 – Wadsworth, Ohio: Gavon Ramsay, 17, strangled his neighbor, 98-year-old Margaret Douglas in her own home. His parents blame his actions on his having been misprescribed Zoloft. After a report by his school principal that the teen was depressed and might harm himself, he “returned to therapy,” and after a recommendation by a psychologist, the family’s pediatrician prescribed the antidepressant Zoloft. From January through March leading up to the incident, the dosages were increased. During this time, his mother said she observed her son’s behavior change—becoming increasingly irritable and hostile and saying bizarre things.

October 21, 2013 – Sparks, Nevada: 12-year-old Jose Reyes opened fire at Sparks Middle School, killing a teacher and wounding two classmates be...