Psych Meds Took My Son's Life: A Mother's Tribute to Tre | The Gaslit Truth Podcast with Dr. Teralyn Sell & Therapist Jenn Schmitz

Send us Fan MailThe moment you think you’re doing the right thing for your child’s mental health can be the moment everything turns. Sheila joins us to tell Tre’s story—a 25‑year‑old nurse, athlete, and gentle soul whose life unraveled in a matter of months after a cascade of psychiatric prescriptions, missed medical workups, and a system that documented his suicidality yet never built a safety plan.We start where too few clinicians do: the biology. Tre’s persistently low testosterone never received proper endocrine evaluation. Instead, treatment pivoted to antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Rage appeared within days of the first medication, then the list grew: Cymbalta, Effexor, lamotrigine, Ativan, buspirone, Vyvanse—paired with a doubling of testosterone. The result was a storm of side effects: personality changes, violent outbursts he couldn’t recall, intense restlessness that looked like akathisia, and sexual dysfunction consistent with PSSD. Records show he repeatedly reported feeling suicidal. What’s missing is even louder: no safety planning, no calls to the person he lived with, and telehealth check-ins so short they could never capture the risk.We pull back to the wider picture—why diagnoses assigned during active drug effects often mislead, how black box warnings for young adults are routinely minimized, and where scope of practice and supervision fail patients. Sheila walks through her paper trail: retroactive physician sign-offs months after Trey died, single-hour multi-diagnoses, and the absence of informed consent about withdrawal and risk. Her grief now fuels action: pushing for tighter controls on high-risk psych meds, mandatory safety plans when suicidality is disclosed, better endocrine screening, and boards that respond with transparency and urgency.This is a tough listen, but it’s a necessary one for parents, clinicians, and anyone navigating mental health care. If you’ve ever wondered how “standard care” can go so wrong, or how to protect someone you love, this conversation offers guardrails, questions to ask, and steps to take before medications multiply. If the story resonates, share it with someone who needs it, subscribe for future episodes, and leave a review to help this message reach more families.We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. EUse promo code GASLIT at checkout! https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds?Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff.Support the showAre you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.  Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes! Thanks for listening!Follow Us individually atDr. Teralyn:Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn: Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz