Join us in Iceland for our Conference, ‘Withdrawal from Psychiatric Drugs’

This is the first conference to be held by the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal and will bring together international experts to discuss the need for alternatives to psychiatric drugs, the problems that they can cause, and safe ways for people to withdraw from them.

Dates:

Friday 6th and Saturday 7th May 2022

Location:

The conference will be held in The Grand Hotel, Sigtún 38, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland https://www.islandshotel.is.

Tickets:

Information about tickets will be uploaded onto this webpage very soon. To be kept updated with conference news, sign up to our mailing list.

Tickets will cover the two days’ conference including lunch and refreshments, but dinner is not included. Travel and accommodation is not included.

We will be operating a ‘buddy system’ to allow delegates to support others who might not otherwise be able to afford their ticket. If you’d like to contribute towards the cost of a ticket for another person, let us know at info@iipdw.org

What to expect:

The conference will be a space to gather and reflect on what we know about psychiatric drug withdrawal and what there is still to learn, and do. We want to connect people across the world to create new ideas, new connections and renewed energy for the future.

We welcome those with personal experience of psychiatric drug withdrawal and those who’ve supported them, including family supporters, clinicians, therapists, researchers and academics working on this issue, and other allies.

The conference will address three themes: Changing the narrative around psychiatric drugs, alternatives to psychiatric drugs, and the practical details of withdrawal.

As well as our speakers, there will be space for delegates to share their own work or experiences – including lived experience – of psychiatric drug withdrawal. If you’d like to share something at the conference, get in touch at info@iipdw.org

Lastly but not least, we hope to make a difference to this issue in Iceland.

Main Speakers:

  • Laura Delano, USA
  • Magnus Hald, Norway
  • Joanna Moncrieff, UK
  • Bob Whitaker, USA

Other Speakers:

  • Carina Håkansson, Sweden
  • Auður Axelsdóttir, Iceland
  • Helga Vala Helgadóttir, Iceland
  • Svava Arnardóttir, Iceland
  • Mette Elingsdalen, Norway
  • Adele Framer, USA
  • Alex Krokidas, Greece
  • Mark Horowitz, UK
  • Olga Runciman, Denmark
  • Grétar Björnsson, Iceland
  • Sigrún Ólafsdóttir, Iceland

Programme:

The conference programme can be downloaded here.

Submissions:

We invite submissions in the form of a poster or short talk. Submissions are welcome from researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience.

To find out more or talk with us about your idea for a submission, please get in touch at info@iipdw.org

Optional extras:

There will be a screening of Medicating Normal on the evening of Friday 6th May at a cinema in Reykjavik. Tickets will be on sale during the day at the conference.

We will also be organising optional social and cultural activities on the Sunday for those who want to stay for the weekend.

Accommodation:

You will need to book your own accommodation. The conference hotel is The Grand Hotel, Sigtún 38, 105 Reykjavík, https://www.islandshotel.is, and we hope that as many of us as possible will be able to stay there. If you want information about other places to stay nearby, please get in touch.

Accessibility:

The conference venue is wheelchair accessible. All talks will be in English.

If you have accessibility needs or there is something we can do to support you to attend the conference, please get in touch at info@iipdw.org

Covid situation:

Due to the covid situation globally, we’re advising all international delegates to book fully refundable flights and accommodation.

Currently, only ‘fully vaccinated’ persons are permitted to enter Iceland, however we expect the situation to change before May 2022.

Organisers:

  • Auður Axelsdóttir, Iceland
  • Rex Haigh, UK
  • Carina Håkansson, Sweden
  • Kleonike Yannakopoulou, Greece
  • Raffaella Pocobello, Italy

Questions?

To find out more, please email info@iipdw.org

To be kept updated with conference news, sign up to our mailing list.

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Download our flyer here and share it with your networks!