Mass shooter Elliot Rodger was, according to his parents, taking anti-anxiety drug Xanax in the days that led up to his bloody rampage and suicide in Isla Vista California on May 23.
Elliot murdered six people and injured thirteen others before taking his life.
Although recognized as a drug that can cause hostility, Xanax is still prescribed by psychiatrists and even family doctors (as in Elliot’s case)
The dangerous side effects of Xanax are well documented and include:
- Depression or a worsening of the patient’s condition
- Reduced inhibitions (or no fear of risky situations)
- Feeling hostile or agitated
- Having hallucinations
- Addiction
Elliot Rodger began psychiatric care at the age of eight. Just before his killing spree and death, he was being treated by two psychologists.
Typical of mental health patients, this young man did not improve over time with their treatment, but became bitter, withdrawn and finally dangerously aggressive. Prescribing him an addictive, unpredictable drug like Xanax was unconscionable.
Xanax belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. Psychiatrist Dr. Peter Breggin, has reported in his book Brain-Disabling Effects of Benzodiazepines that these drugs unleash aggression. He states:
“More than a dozen papers in the literature speak of irritability, defiance, hostility, aggression, rage or a progressive development of hates and dislikes in certain patients treated with benzodiazepine tranquilizers; all those products which are widespread have been incriminated at one time or another…Unlike the experienced alcohol user, the trusting benzodizepine user has little reason to anticipate losing control. Expecting to be helped, and not harmed, by the drug, the patient is less able to understand or manage potentially overwhelming feelings of anger or violence, or other untoward emotional responses…”
Dr. Breggin also states that this type of drug can create a wide variety of abnormal behaviors, such as insomnia, psychosis, paranoia, violence, depression, antisocial acts and suicide.
While the knee-jerk reaction to Elliott Rodger’s slaughter of innocents may be to step up gun control, this short sighted viewpoint would not have prevented Rodger murdering his roommates with a knife, or running down helpless people in his car.
It may be difficult to absorb the fact that psychiatrists and pharmaceutical giants aggressively develop and prescribe drugs that have side effects such as “defiance, hostility, aggression, rage or a progressive development of hates and dislikes,” but that is the undeniable truth.
These industries unleash disastrous psychiatric drugs on the public under the guise of help, despite increasing numbers of incidents of mass murder by individuals operating under the influence of these same drugs.
It is long past time to question the “authorities” who promote their mind-altering and dangerous drugs. If politicians will not stand up and demand answers, it is up to the public to demand justice for those who die at the hands of psychiatric drug victims on violent and uncontrollable rampages.
The true perpetrators of these atrocities are the developers and peddlers of the drugs that lead to violent behavior. Psychiatrists prescribing psychotropic drugs such as Xanax and the pharmaceutical companies who develop them have much to answer for.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/71032-xanax-side-effects/
http://www.benzo.org.uk/violence.htm
http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2014/05/elliot-rodger-xanax-shooting-2/
Destroyed family members life. Brain damaged zombie with violent outbursts/tendacies. Doctors in US could care less $$$$$$$$
I just read your comments on Xanax , my husband abused it before his tragic death, then our teen son got involved with the drug and the hell it has put myself and son through has been horrible. .
btw i am way better since i started taking vit d
i am not what you would call a violent person , you should have met me on xanax, i live in uk, they said it was the sunshine drug , actually , it made me more depressed and having thoughts of either killing me or killing others if i was even slightly annoyed , i should have sued , i was suffering enough before that monstrous drug got me
My husband was on Xanax for anxiety and when he stopped taking it cold turkey…..we got into an argument to the point where he screamed from the top of his lungs slammed doors and was going crazy….I had to leave the house and took our son. Horrible meds……this changes his mood. He’s never hit me before but he came pretty close to it…..ugh
I would like to use this as a source for a research project I am conducting. Who is the author? Thank you.
I looked in our records and it appears that the former Executive Director for CCHR Florida, Laurie Anspach, was the author of this article.
Me and my wife just had a violent argument while she has been abusing xanax well she had no true memory of it all but I got a he blame for her injuries hit head on chair corner and bruised ribs while stubling over bruised arm where I had to jerk her out of the space between the couch and chair etc so the main supplier “her mom” has told the town and her I hear her so now I’m facing a legal mess well I’m using her blood test and results as well as numerous picture’s and video out of it. I pray the jury has info on xanax and sees the other side of the story unfold in court . Do you think I have a defense??
Little late but, YES! I’m currently prescribed Xanax among a couple other things and it helps me with very little side effects. Previous to this I was prescribed 10mg x 3 tablets a day of Valium and it had a negative effect on me, similar to your wife. I never hurt anyone physically (except myself) but emotionally I was able to hurt everyone. I was extremely reckless and cared about nothing at all. Didn’t care if I died and all I cared about before I no longer cared about anymore. Almost three years later I’m still dealing with the emotional fallout in my marriage and friends bringing up past behaviors I had engaged in while on the Valium. Valium to me is what Xanax is to your wife. These Benzos effect each person differently. Me, I was clumsy, reckless, irrational, careless and the list goes on. Most importantly I only remember doing half of the things people tell me I did. Blackout, temporary amnesia… Call it what you want, but I had no idea or recollection of a lot of that year in my life. I was a jerk! Full of hate and rage! The people who knew me before being prescribed this know that those aren’t behaviors I would engage in and actually it could be said that I avoid people like that. I lost my mind completely until given a different treatment method of three different medications (Much smaller doses), which has brought me back to my normal self. I almost lost everything and didn’t care… My life, My wife, friends, family… It was the worst place I’ve ever been. Never was addicted or abused them either. I took them exactly as prescribed. More to your situation My best friend was given Xanax and he ended up using his truck as a battering ram (property only) luckily nobody was hurt, but since he was switched off of the Xanax to something else, he’s able to think logically again. There is much literature out there on it, Just Google Xanax Tragedy and Xanax test trials, you’ll get a ton of testimonies and instances where these drugs make people go off the deep end. No two people and what they are given to treat their ailments react exactly the same. Since my treatment changed, its been a little but not excessive weight gain and on occasion, my forehead/scalp will have a spasm while wearing a hat only. I can relate to your wife’s reaction and think she needs to revisit her prescriber and get on something else. Just keep in mind, if she tries to stop taking these cold turkey there are way more adverse effects and that goes for any drug in this class. Wean off slowly and carefully. I don’t know why but just my opinion (I’m no doctor and far from qualified to legally suggest anything surrounding treatment) but I’ve never seen anyone flip out when prescribed Ativan, just a thought. Anyways, sorry to go off and ramble on but I wrote this hoping that it would help you and others see how something like this could happen. Its not quite excusable behavior and definitely not appropriate behavior but unless you have experienced it for yourself, I could see why it would be hard to believe. Just don’t hold it against her and get her help. Addiction is common in drugs such as this but it takes a controlled environment, structure in day to day activities, rationing of medicine and support from someone she trusts and is comfortable opening up to. If you plan on making this right. I hope this helps your case and I hope the jury can see your/her side of the story and understand what she may have gone through. Its no secret but nobody wants to hear about it either so it just gets ignored and deemed not credible so they can just move on. (Like the ending scene of The Bourne Identity) Trying to address both of you Todd and Michael in the same blurb, so sorry if it seems a little back and forth. I hope this sounds familiar to you in what they’ve told you guys and it helps you realize that maybe it isn’t the true them causing the problem, and look at what’s being given to them. Same as alcohol… Whiskey and Tequila… moderation=everyone is safe and well, Either in excess=bad situation but the tequila might make one person violent, while the other person just wants to be everyone’s obnoxious buddy and reverse with the whiskey. Again, good luck and I wish you all the best.
My wife went into a Xanax rage last weekend. Assaulted me and tore up a Sheetz before the manager called the cops. Now she’s facing charges of simple domestic assault, DUI, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance. Her family expects me to pay her bail, pay for her criminal defense and medical bills. Meanwhile I was given the option to file a protective services order against her by social services. I suppose insanity doesn’t fall far from the tree. They need to get Xanax off the market as I’ve leaned it has little practical medical use in true psychiatric treatment. Meanwhile lush housewives are trading them like candy at the community swimming pool along with Adderall, Colatipin other stimulants.
Hi Todd I can relate so well to your post. My husband abused it for years until his tragic death , then our teenage son started abusing it and it has messed up his life, I’ve spent a lot of money for his legal issues, and several automobiles I’ve had to replace due to this drug. It has made our lives horrible for the. Last 14 years or so, wish I could sue the company who invented this terrible drug.