Recognizing Medication-Related Distress: MISSD Presents at International Suicide Prevention Forum

Costa Rica presentation urges clinicians and crisis responders to consider adverse drug effects in suicide prevention

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Medication-Induced Suicide Prevention and Education Foundation in Memory of Stewart Dolin (MISSD) urged greater attention to medication-related distress at the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s (IASP) recent Pan-America Regional Forum, held in San José, Costa Rica.

Psychological distress and unusual changes in thinking or behavior can sometimes signal psychiatric adverse effects of medication rather than—or in addition to—an underlying condition. Such adverse effects have been associated with self-harm, violence and suicide. One medication-induced disorder relevant to suicide prevention is akathisia, which can involve intense inner restlessness, an overwhelming need to move and severe agitation.

Kristina Kaiser, MISSD’s director of communication and education, presented “Recognizing Akathisia in Suicide Prevention Across the Americas: Training for Clinicians, Suicidologists, and Crisis Responders.” The presentation encouraged professionals to ask whether distress began or intensified after a medication was started, stopped or changed.

“We routinely ask what someone is experiencing. We should also ask what changed before the distress began,” said Kaiser. “A medication history can reveal information that might otherwise be missed when distress is attributed solely to a psychiatric condition.”

Akathisia can be mistaken for anxiety, behavioral disturbance or worsening illness. It has been reported with psychiatric medications and some medications prescribed for other conditions. Recognizing a possible medication-related cause matters because it may require a different clinical response.

MISSD outlined practical questions for clinical assessments and crisis conversations: Has a medication recently been started, stopped or changed? Did distress begin or worsen afterward? Is the person experiencing intense inner restlessness?

These questions supplement established suicide-risk assessments; they do not replace them. Crisis responders are not expected to diagnose akathisia, but they can recognize when symptoms warrant prompt clinical evaluation and medication review.

Following the presentation, a Canadian psychiatrist told MISSD it was the first presentation on akathisia he had seen and welcomed attention to this important topic.

“Medication safety belongs in suicide prevention,” said Wendy Dolin, MISSD founder. “When someone experiences sudden or severe distress, possible adverse drug effects deserve consideration. Patients and families need to be heard and their concerns taken seriously.”

MISSD urged crisis hotlines to make questions about medications a routine part of their assessment protocols. The foundation also encouraged organizations to include akathisia recognition in professional training and collaborate on accessible English- and Spanish-language educational resources.

The foundation offers free online akathisia courses, public health videos, podcasts and lived-experience resources for healthcare professionals, patients, families and crisis responders.

About MISSD
The Medication-Induced Suicide Prevention and Education Foundation in Memory of Stewart Dolin (MISSD) is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit dedicated to preventing medication-induced suicide through education and awareness. MISSD provides free courses, videos, podcasts and other resources to help healthcare professionals, patients and families recognize akathisia and other medication-related harms.

Kristina Kaiser
MISSD
kristina@missd.co
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