Concerns Rise Over Widespread Stigma Against Psychiatric Medication Users
As broadcaster Lee Kyunggyu (65) faces allegations of drug-impaired driving, a psychiatrist has expressed concern that extensive media coverage of such incidents could lead to widespread social stigma and unnecessary misunderstandings about all psychiatric medication users.
Comedian Lee Kyunggyu stands in front of reporters after completing an investigation related to drug driving at the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul on the 24th. Photo by Yonhap News
On June 25, psychiatrist Oh Jinseung wrote on a social networking service (SNS) thread, "The perception that 'taking psychiatric medication is always dangerous' could make people even more hesitant to seek treatment in our society, where prejudice against psychiatry is already high," adding, "This could result in more people not receiving appropriate treatment."
Lee is accused of driving under the influence of medication at around 2 p.m. on June 8 in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. At the time, he was driving another person's vehicle of the same make and model as his own, and was reported on suspicion of theft.
Responding to the report, police conducted alcohol and drug tests on Lee, and a preliminary drug reagent test returned a positive result. The National Forensic Service also reported a positive result to the police, and Lee was subsequently designated as a suspect.
During the police investigation, Lee admitted his charges, stating that driving after taking medication for panic disorder was due to his own carelessness.
Oh commented, "It is said that (Lee) ended up driving a vehicle of the same make and color as his own due to a parking attendant's mistake," adding, "Even for someone like me who does not take medication for panic disorder, I think it would have been easy to mistake it for my own car and drive away in that situation."
In response to a netizen's question, "Should people never drive if they take medication for panic disorder?" Oh answered, "For most people, there is no problem, but for those who experience severe drowsiness, we explain that they should avoid driving or operating complex machinery after taking the medication."
He added, "There are many medications in other fields that also cause drowsiness. It is unfortunate that only psychiatric medications are held to such strict standards," emphasizing, "If a person does not receive treatment and has a panic attack while driving, the risk of an accident could actually be higher."
Through a series of follow-up posts, Oh noted, "The number of patients in Korea receiving treatment for panic disorder increased from 7,848 in 2014 to 247,061 in 2023, a surge of over 3,000% in nine years," and suggested, "This sharp increase is more likely due to people who previously did not seek treatment now visiting hospitals, rather than an actual rise in the number of panic disorder cases."
He emphasized, "The courage of celebrities who have openly discussed their panic disorder, along with positive and professional media coverage, have played a major role in changing social perceptions," and added, "I hope that going forward, society will create an environment where more people can seek treatment without suffering or hiding alone."
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