BY JAMES HARPER

AFTER ELEVEN 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 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 of 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, usually from day one.

The program is set-up 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 an estimated 98% 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 year 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, Drug 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 an eleven-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 happened on 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, and 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 with 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.    

Dr. Anatoly Antoshechkin M.D., Ph.D. formulated a product called Admax that is the most recent addition to this program. If you were around in the 1950’s and 1960’s during the space race between Russia and America, you may recall the short duration the American’s could remain in space, while the Russians were keeping their cosmonauts in space far longer. My thoughts were, the Russians do not care about the health of their cosmonauts, and of course they would allow them to remain in space beyond the safe time.

Then the Russian Olympic team begins winning nearly every gold medal in the Olympics. My feeling as well as most of the world was, they are using steroids and have not been caught.

I found out the true story this year and the truth is the cosmonauts and the Olympic team from Russia was using a natural supplement called Admax. Admax is a blend of four herbs that are called adaptogens. Adaptogens, to be classified as one, must bring a body back to balance. Whether a condition is too high or too low, an adaptogens must bring the condition back to a normal balance again to qualify as an adaptogen. I uncovered many of the clinical trials that were run in Russia with this formula. The Russians were treating antidepressant side effects, Parkinson’s, psychosis and more with this formula for years and with astounding success.  

Dr. Anatoly Antoshechkin now lives in the United States and has continued his research here with Admax and has released the Admax formula to a company for broad use for the first time ever.

With the JNK and Admax data, The Road Back Program is now complete. I do not know of one condition that will not respond to this combination favorably.

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.

You will need to take a few specific supplements with this program. The Road Back does not manufacture or sell the supplements nor do I. The Road Back Program is a non-profit Public Charity (501C3) and approved by the Internal Revenue Service as such. Finding the cause and implementing the solution for mental health is our goal.

The supplements used in this program are manufactured and distributed by TRB Health exclusively. If you want the results this program has to offer, you will use the TRB Health supplements, other supplements are just not the same. As you read through this book, it should become very clear to you why the TRB Health supplements are the only supplements used in this program. 

My best to you in your journey,

James Harper

INTRODUCTION
BY JAYSON AUSTIN

A VERY DEAR friend of mine once told me “You can be mad in the same boots you can be glad in.” I have taken that to heart in various situations since then and found it to be quite an invaluable concept. It is along the line of that same concept of self empowerment that inspired me to write this chapter. Controlling how life affects us starts with how much power we allow life to have over our feelings.

The importance of that cannot be understated. Many a doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, priest, mother, father, friend, loved one ad infinitum have been faced with the challenge of lessening another’s pain or comforting their feelings in times of loss or desperation. Unfortunately all too often the tale has been told when drugs and alcohol were resorted to by an individual in an effort to drown out whatever the troubles were that one had. Today’s “modern medicine” follows along in that same effort, to eradicate the immediate problem but not find and resolve it at the source. However, sweeping something under the rug or numbing out the pain doesn’t magically make it disappear but merely puts it out of sight for the time being. The masterminds behind these various temporary, at best, “solutions” know full well what they are doing when they provided sugar coated false information in hopes their potential patients will overlook side effects such as adverse reactions in pregnancy, immediate and protracted withdrawal symptoms, depression, anxiety, insomnia and suicide, to name a few.   

It is my opinion that the answer to a problem should be simple and the more complicated the solution is the farther from an actual remedy to the problem it is.

With this introduction I hope to share some things with you, to lead you in a promising direction back towards some basics that we as mankind have established over generations of living life, but have over looked in our belief in modern medicine it seems.

Luckily we have the tendency as a race to record our discoveries through the ages so they can be looked over once again in times of need.

Through my work as a Nutritional Consultant, Life Coach and Personal Counselor I have lived what seems like a hundred lives. One of my most rewarding jobs is working with The Road Back Program giving guidance on the specific steps of how to taper off psychiatric medications. Though I may never have traveled down that road myself, the road of taking psychotropic medication, I have held the hand of many friends on the way back out again. This has been a rewarding path for me as I have had the opportunity of seeing thousands of people successfully taper off their medications and return to living their lives with a renewed hope and enthusiasm for life. I was honored when the founder of The Road Back program, Mr. James Harper asked me to coauthor this book with him. 

In my time with The Road Back, helping people through the program, I have heard personal stories of people from all walks of life. It was a sad day when I realized how many people had been prescribed a medication and told that it was harmless and easy to get off of only to find out they were lied to.  Unfortunately there is some disconnection between the information given at the start of a prescription and the reality of facts once on a medication.

I would like to remind others of simple actions and principles that have been lost sight of in today’s medication age of chemical imbalances. You may read this and find some comfort in knowing that you are not alone in your dealings with the difficulties of life. You may also find many things of which you share an understanding and if that is the case I hope I can at least provide some enjoyable reading for you while reiterating some of the things “everyone knows” but that seem to be lost sight of daily.

In desperate times it takes a trusted friend to help us see what we already know. Have you ever found yourself in the heat of an argument and though you have heard the other’s side of the story and would assume that you and the other parties involved should have come to an understanding already, yet the argument continues?

Have you ever been so immersed in a situation that there seemed to be no end to the confusion in site? To your amazement, have you then had a new person take a go at the problem with a fresh pair of eyes and somehow miraculously be able to hurdle this insurmountable barrier which had perplexed you to no end?

It is this conundrum that has baffled man for years and filled history books with times when desperate measures were taken, when anything that appeared to be a solution was reached for, in hopes to calm rough waters and return to a peace of mind one once had. 

When engulfed by a problem it is necessary, by whatever means, to step outside the ring where one’s battle is being fought and clear one’s head. In the book “The Depression CURE” by Dr. Stephen S. Ilardi PhD, he states:

“Depression is closely linked to a toxic thought process called – rumination – the habit of dwelling on negative thoughts, turning them over and over in your mind. We’ve probably all ruminated at some point. It’s a perfectly natural response to upsetting events. And when rumination lasts for only a short while, it can even be useful, helping us figure out what went wrong and how we might work to correct things in the future. The problem comes when people start ruminating for long stretches of time, going over the same thoughts again and again and again. Such chronic rumination actually cranks up the intensity of our negative mood, making it unbearably painful.” 

When everything is happening at once in a person’s mind it is easy to overlook some of the simplest of solutions. When we have let ourselves fester and brew over some misfortune in life, we can be engulfed in the emotion of it all and blind to any path out. Much like an American football game played horribly the first half but then taking on a completely new look in the second half – it is necessary to step outside the confusion to collect ones thoughts and re-evaluate the game plan. A football team has the luxury of taking a break at half time and hearing from the coach or from the strategic eyes of those up in the owner’s box who have watched every move during the game from an exterior view.

I point this out as I know there is a infinity of confusions one can get into in life and it is important to ensure your solution is not a drastic one. Drastic solutions may work some of the time but when it comes to living life and how to overcome personal and social situations the modern day remedy comes in the form of a pill all too often. I like to call this approach a “brush off” or giving the problem “a lick and a promise.” 

For example; Let us take a look at our modern day child growing up in school and trying to find his place in the world. This child is surrounded by breakfast cereals loaded to the brim with sugar and vending machines that seem to serve only Cola or fruit punch. By the time this child gets to school he  has more energy than can be contained. After a few hours the sugar wares off and the child is hard pressed to keep his eyes open, not to mention actually study and retain the information he is learning. The modern day teacher is lead to believe this is due to a chemical imbalance in the child’s brain and the child is soon after labeled with any one of a number of psychiatric acronyms such as ADHD or ADD. In the book “THE TRUTH ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS, CHOICES FOR HEALING” by Charles L. Whitfield, M.D. he states:

“Whether called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children or attention deficit disorder (ADD) in adults, this increasingly identified condition of children by teachers, parents and       health- care workers has three main diagnostic criteria, any two of which are said to suffice for making the diagnosis: poor attention skills, decreased impulse control and hyperactivity.”

Reading that paragraph I couldn’t help but wonder if a teacher overwhelmed with energetic young students might have reached for a drastic solution to calm down the classroom.  

There may be times and instances when a child did in fact need a medication of some sort but my point here is to think outside the status quo of today and have a look at the situation with a clear head. That child could have changed completely by simply improving his diet.     

So the big question becomes HOW DO WE CLEAR OUR HEAD? Numbing one’s self into a social and intellectual coma is not on this list however here are some helpful practices that can give a surprisingly therapeutic result:

When the going gets tough, hit the road and get going. Wars are not won in the first battle. In other words, step outside or away from the problem and get some fresh air. Put some distance between you and your enemies and take a good look at your surroundings. If you have the luxury of walking through a park or down the beach on a beautiful day then you are well on your way to a calmer mind and over all well being. Make a concerted effort to stop thinking about the troubled scenario you find yourself in and try and appreciate the things around you that put a smile on your face. Once you have had enough and feel rejuvenated and ready to jump back into the battle – Go for it! Now would be the time to put your mind back to work on resolving the barrier ahead of you.     

Find something you like to do that raises your spirits whether its painting, gardening, watching a movie, cooking, building a birdhouse or whatever does it for you. Let a little sunshine in between the storms every now and then. As long as your activity raises your spirits it is valid therapy. Giving yourself a dosage of this regularly is highly beneficial to your overall well being – both mental and physical. We all need a recharge every now and then, so do yourself a favor and reward your hard work and time spent on the job with a little time spent on YOU. Set goals for yourself and push towards reaching them. Once you’ve attained a goal you set then allow yourself to take a moment to bask in the sunlight of your own accomplishment.

A car needs gas to get down the road just like your body needs energy to get where it’s going. That energy comes from a proper diet and sufficient sleep. This is something often overlooked by the busy man or woman of today. Though it might be convenient to live off of energy drinks and fast food it is not a path to happiness and wellbeing. Eventually what once served as a crutch to get ahead becomes a set of shackles, hindering every step forward.  A good friend and supporter of The Road Back program, Named Dr. Hyla Cass M.D., authored the book “NATURAL HIGHS. Feel Good All The Time” in which she wrote:

“If you want to be naturally high, you must begin with the best possible raw materials to feed both    your body and mind. Many people in North America fail this basic first step because our Standard     American Diet (SAD for Short!) is anything but nourishing. Ironically, we are overfed and            undernourished. With a diet consisting of processed food that is nearly devoid of nutrient value, high in chemicals, salt, and, above all, sugar, it’s amazing that our bodies can eke out the basic    minimum requirements. Often, they don’t. We need a steady supply of high-quality fuel (food) for our engines (bodies and brains) in order to function on all cylinders.”

Keep yourself busy with productive activities of your choosing. There is a great feeling of accomplishment that comes with a job well done. This might seem diametrically opposed to the tip earlier in which I suggested that you take a little free time for yourself every now and then but these principles go hand in hand. Setting a goal for yourself, whether its meeting a deadline at work, completing a project at home, running an extra 5 minutes at the gym or burning the candle at both ends to get ahead in class, it feels good to reach the targets you’ve set for yourself. The state of your morale is totally in your control with this practice alone.

Take for example a run of the mill working class man named Bob who has come home after a long day of work, sat on the couch with the TV on, and channel surfed until the early hours of the morning. Luckily for him he comes out of the trance he found himself in and realizes the item on the Home Shopping Network, which he has been mindlessly taking an interest in, is in fact something he will never buy. Bob notices that the whole evening is gone and he hurries off to bed to get what sleep he still can before he has to get up again and head to work. The next morning he finds himself a little more overwhelmed with life as he contemplates all the things he could have gotten done the night before which he’s been meaning to get to. This would not contribute to his mood for that day in a positive manner nor would he have made any progress toward any personal goals he may have.

Now let us say Bob has an epiphany at work and decides he’s making a change starting today! He gets home and cooks himself a real meal, rekindling his purpose to learn to cook after starting that online cooking class so long ago. He enjoys the feast he prepared and then cleans up the kitchen and throws in a load of laundry before taking the dog for a run, finally answering all the emails he’s been avoiding and while he’s at the computer, and in a good mood, he finishes another chapter of his on-line cooking class. Then to his surprise he sees the night is still young so he dusts off the book on his night stand and reads a bit before getting ready for bed – hours earlier than the normal time his head would have hit his pillow. The next morning he awakes well rested and rejuvenated by his renewed sense of purpose to achieve those goals he set out on once upon a time.

This is a classic clear cut dichotomy in which it is not hard to see that Bob can be the master of his own fate, at least as far as his emotional tone and spiritual wellbeing goes.

I hope this story of Bob has helped shed light on why it is important to “Keep yourself busy with productive activities of your choosing.”

If each and every one of us decided to change our own activities as Bob did, we would all be influencing our own lives for the better and improving our overall wellbeing. Life should be a journey not a prison sentence and each new day is filled with endless possibilities to achieve ones goals. If you are reading this book in search for hope that you can get your life back, a life free from the side effects of medications, than you are on the right track, you are on THE ROAD BACK.

I wish you the best of luck in your travels.

Jayson Austin