From 9/11 Anxiety to Restless Leg Syndrome caused by psych med injury | The Gaslit Truth Podcast with Dr Teralyn Sell and Therapist Jenn Schmitz

What if we've been asking the wrong questions all along?

I ask that because I've lived it. Psychiatric medication harmed me in ways I never saw coming, and like so many people, I kept looking for answers in a system that wasn't asking whether the medication itself could be part of the problem. That's one of the biggest reasons I started The Gaslit Truth Podcast. I want to have the conversations that too often get dismissed or labeled as "controversial" simply because they challenge the status quo.

Martin Cranford's story is one I think so many people will recognize. After 9/11, life became incredibly stressful. His career was uncertain, he had a baby on the way, and anxiety showed up. An SSRI seemed like a reasonable solution. But years later, he developed Restless Leg Syndrome, and instead of anyone asking why, the answer became more medication. Then more medication. Then hospital stays, rapid medication changes, and a body that no longer seemed to make sense.

Here's what I couldn't stop thinking about while we talked: How often are we treating the symptom instead of treating the person?

Martin shares what Restless Leg Syndrome actually feels like, and it's nothing like the simple description most people imagine. We also talk about how it can overlap with akathisia, why rapid tapers can throw the nervous system into chaos, and how easy it is for withdrawal to be mistaken for a new psychiatric condition. These are conversations that should be happening every single day in mental health care—but too often, they aren't.

One detail especially stood out to me. Martin had stomach surgery years ago, yet no one had ever connected that history to possible nutrient deficiencies or absorption issues. Instead, the focus stayed on medications. It made me wonder: how many people are being prescribed another drug before anyone checks for the basics?

We also dive into something that deserves far more attention—dopamine. Most people have no idea that certain medications affecting dopamine can trigger compulsive gambling, excessive shopping, binge eating, or increased alcohol use. That's not fearmongering. That's informed consent. People deserve to know what they're agreeing to before they take a medication.

If you've ever been told to stop researching, to "just trust the process," or made to feel like you're imagining what your body is telling you, I hope this episode reminds you that curiosity isn't the problem. Asking questions isn't dangerous. In fact, it may be one of the most important things you can do.

Because sometimes the most controversial question is also the most obvious one:

What if the medication is part of the story?