Prescribed Harm Day​​
On Prescribed Harm Day we will be bringing our community together in London for a day of depth and connection: the Stolen Lives London Talks, followed by our annual Stolen Lives Picnic on Hampstead Heath.
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This year’s confirmed speakers are Dr Sami Timimi, Lucy Johnstone, Anders Sørensen and Martin Kingston, alongside a pre-recorded address from Dr Simon Opher MP with other speakers to be confirmed.
Stolen Lives London Talks
29 July 2026 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
​The talks will take place at Burgh House, Hampstead and will bring together people for a series of conversations that aim to deepen understanding of prescribed harm, informed consent, and the real human stories behind these issues.​
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Stolen Lives London Picnic
29 July 2026 1:15 PM - 4:00 PM
After the talks, we will gather on Hampstead Heath for the Stolen Lives Picnic. It is a space to meet others, to share stories if you wish, or simply to sit among people who understand.​
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The picnic will take place immediately after the Stolen Lives London Talks at Burgh House in Hampstead. You are welcome to join us for the talks, the picnic, or both. Please note that there are separate tickets for the London Talks, so be sure to book if you would like to attend.
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The picnic itself is free to join, but spaces are limited due to restrictions on large gatherings on Hampstead Heath. We kindly ask that you reserve your place in advance to help us manage numbers.
29 July 2026​​
We are a team of experts with the goal of helping people understand the risks of taking antidepressants.
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While antidepressants have helped many people, they can also have dangerous and life-changing side effects.
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We want to make sure people are given enough information to make an informed choice before they begin taking antidepressants.​
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​​If you're thinking about starting (or stopping) antidepressants, please explore the rest of our site, especially:
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Our list of What To Know Before You Start
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Our Stolen Lives section
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Our list of organisations offering support
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Our virtual library
And remember - you are not alone, and you deserve to know all the facts.
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As well as informing you, we are also committed to creating campaigns that will help prevent antidepressant induced suicides and reduce the impact on people's lives when an adverse drug reaction goes unrecognised.
We are a non-profit organisation and rely on your donations.
That’s why we created Antidepressant Risks - to give you access to evidence-based information, support from others who’ve been there, and real stories from those who’ve experienced both the ups and the downs.​
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Monthly Stolen Lives Recovery Support Group
Next meeting: Monday 6th April 2026
​​Our Stolen Lives Recovery Support Group runs on the first Monday of each month from 5pm - 6pm UK time on Zoom.
Each month there will be a guest speaker who will share their powerful recovery journey, followed by a chance for Q&A and open discussion. This group is a space for those tapering off and withdrawing from psychiatric medication to talk about their experiences and give each other hope. These groups are led by the founder of Antidepressant Risks, Katinka Blackford Newman.
We welcome participants from anywhere in the world, at any stage of their prescription harm healing journey, and ask for a minimum donation of £10 to Antidepressant Risks per session.​​
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Join us for the next Stolen Lives Support group where we will hear from Tomasz Starczewski on Monday 6th April, 5pm-6pm (GMT).
Tomasz Starczewski is from Wrocław, Poland. In 2008, after a brief diagnosis of social phobia, he was prescribed paroxetine. Over the next ten years, he was given more than a dozen psychiatric medications including paroxetine, venlafaxine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, bupropion and alprazolam and experienced severe side effects such as emotional blunting, cognitive impairment, sexual dysfunction and suicidal thoughts. When he raised concerns, he was told he had depression and needed higher doses or different drugs. After stopping the medication in 2018, he developed protracted withdrawal syndrome and PSSD, leading to years of intense psychological and physical suffering.
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Recovery was slow and non-linear, with setbacks along the way. Around eight years after discontinuing the drugs, he fully regained himself. He has since transformed his traumatic experience into meaningful advocacy, running a website, YouTube channel and social media platforms to support others tapering off antidepressants and to raise awareness of the risks. He is not the same person who once reached for medication, he is a stronger, wiser version shaped by hardship and healing.
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Join us to hear his story.
Petition: The Question That Will Save Lives
​We have started a petition to get suicide prevention services to ask callers if they are taking medication that can cause suicidal ideation (thoughts about killing yourself). We believe that many lives could be saved if callers are made aware that their medication may be contributing to their distress.
The Clearing - Weekly Support Group
Every Tuesday 9:30am Pacific / 5:30pm UK via Zoom
The Clearing is a weekly Zoom support group for people who have been harmed by medication, are tapering or withdrawing, or have been through other health or life disruptions, and who want to explore medication-free ways of recovery.
It is a steady, non-judgemental space to talk openly about what you are experiencing and to explore practical, day-to-day options. Topics include how stress, trauma responses, and nervous system dysregulation can show up during withdrawal and illness, and what has helped.
No one in the group is positioned as an expert, clinician, or medical authority. What we share is peer support and lived experience. Sessions may include tools that some people find helpful, such as grounding techniques, pacing, sleep and stress support, and gentle practices for settling the body. You are welcome whether you want to share, listen, ask questions, or simply feel less alone.
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Meeting ID: 811 8858 6232
Passcode: 181018
This is not therapy and it is not medical advice. It is a community space where people can be understood, compare notes safely, and leave with a bit more steadiness and self-trust.
Host a Stolen Lives Picnic on Prescribed Harm Day​​
On 29 July, Antidepressant Risks is inviting communities around the world to host their own Stolen Lives Picnic to mark Prescribed Harm Day, a global day of remembrance for those harmed or lost due to prescribed psychiatric medication.
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The Stolen Lives Picnic began in London as a small gathering organised by Antidepressant Risks, bringing together families, survivors, and supporters affected by prescription harm. It created a space to remember loved ones, share experiences, and stand together in solidarity.
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​This year, for the first time, we hope to see communities across the world gathering on the same day.
Your picnic does not need to be large or formal. It could be just a few people meeting in a garden, a park, or on a beach. What matters is taking a moment to mark the day, remember those affected, and stand together in awareness and compassion.
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Help mark Prescribed Harm Day around the world. Download the organiser’s kit and organise a Stolen Lives Picnic in your community.