Dr. Benjamin Seidel

"For a long time, I regarded Dr. Seidel as a highly educated professional who genuinely prioritized the well-being of his patients. I placed immense trust in him, entrusting him with my health and my life by following the treatment he prescribed. I still believe Dr. Seidel acted with the best of intentions; however, as we all know, sometimes the best intentions fall tragically short. Under Dr. Seidel's care, I suffered devastating consequences, including serotonin poisoning, heart failure, psychosis, POTS, OCD, and more--all stemming from the SSRI and SNRI medications he prescribed. While he projects confidence in his understanding of these drugs, the reality suggests otherwise. I later developed protracted withdrawal syndrome from these medications, which went undiagnosed. This oversight ultimately led to benzodiazepine treatment under his care--a decision that irreparably damaged my life. The effects of benzodiazepines were catastrophic. I endured kindling, interdose tolerance, paradoxical reactions, and eventually BIND (Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction), a condition that results in synthetic brain injury and takes years to heal. Despite these risks being highlighted by the FDA in black-box warnings, I was never informed about the potential for dependence or long-term disability. The distinction between dependence and addiction--a critical point--is outlined in the drug insert itself. Dependence arises from neuroadaptation, not behavior, and its effects are far more harrowing than addiction, yet this information was withheld from me. Throughout my treatment, Dr. Seidel consistently dismissed and gaslit my concerns, attributing my symptoms to anything but the medications he prescribed. I recall fainting in the shower due to serotonin poisoning, only for him to dismiss it as a "pre-existing condition" because I had fainted once a decade earlier while inserting a nose piercing. Such a tenuous connection was documented as fact, and no further consideration was given to the true cause. I trusted Dr. Seidel to guide me, but instead, I was misled and denied the informed consent I was entitled to. I entered his care with a concussion, believing it to be the most challenging experience of my life, only to leave with a functional brain injury far more severe than the structural one I initially sought help for. As I told him, *"I came into your office with a structural brain injury, and now I'm leaving with a functional brain injury a thousand times worse."* Dr. Seidel has no business prescribing psychiatric medications. While he may have some knowledge of brain injuries, he fails to adequately educate patients on their conditions or the potential risks of the drugs he prescribes. Nearly all the harm I suffered could have been prevented had I been properly informed and guided. Instead, I was gaslit, misled, and left to navigate the devastating aftermath of his decisions. I share my experience to urge patients to reclaim authority over their lives and health. Do not place blind faith in any doctor as a beacon of truth or care. Many physicians lack the comprehensive understanding needed to responsibly prescribe these medications and fail to properly educate their patients about the risks involved. Dr. Seidel, you have violated the Hippocratic Oath to *do no harm*. By failing to provide me with informed consent, you committed medical malpractice. Without proper education, I was incapable of truly consenting to the treatments you prescribed. I hope you take this review to heart and reflect deeply on your practices. Patients are not ignorant--they know their own bodies and recognize when something is wrong. Stop dismissing and gaslighting them. Listen, educate, and act responsibly, because the cost of your negligence is far too great."