Stewart Dolin had the perfect life. He was married to his high school sweetheart for 36 years. He was the father of two grown children with whom he had a very close and meaningful relationship. He was a senior partner of a large international law firm, managing hundreds of corporate lawyers. He enjoyed his work and derived satisfaction from cultivating relationships with his clients, as well as helping them achieve the results they desired. He enjoyed travel, skiing, dining, joking around with his family and friends and an occasional cigar. He was 57 years old and high on life.
In the summer of 2010, Stewart developed some anxiety regarding work. He was prescribed paroxetine. Within days, Stewart’s anxiety became worse. He felt restless, had trouble sleeping and kept saying, “I still feel so anxious.”
Six days after beginning the medication, following a regular lunch with a business associate, Stewart left his office and walked to a nearby train platform. A registered nurse later reported seeing Stewart pacing back and forth and looking very agitated. As a train approached, Stewart took his own life. This happy, funny, loving, wealthy, dedicated husband and father who loved life left no note and no logical reason why he would suddenly want to end it all. The package insert for paroxetine did not list suicidal behaviour as a potential side effect for men of Stewart’s age.
Stewart’s wife did not know it then, but Stewart was suffering from akathisia. She started MISSD (The Medication-Induced Suicide Education Foundation in Memory of Stewart Dolin), which is a non-profit organisation dedicated to honouring the memory of Stewart and other victims of akathisia by raising awareness and educating the public about the dangers of akathisia so that needless deaths are prevented.
(First published in my book, Deadly Psychiatry and Organised Denial)