Framer, 2021, What I have learnt from helping thousands of people taper off antidepressants and other psychotropic medications

[anacleta]

What I have learnt from helping thousands of people taper off antidepressants and other psychotropic medications

****** Framer, SurvivingAntidepressants.org, San Francisco, California, USA

First Published March 16, 2021 Review Article

https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125321991274

Abstract

Although psychiatric drug withdrawal syndromes have been recognized since the 1950s – recent studies confirm antidepressant withdrawal syndrome incidence upwards of 40% – medical information about how to safely go off the drugs has been lacking. To fill this gap, over the last 25 years, patients have developed a robust Internet-based subculture of peer support for tapering off psychiatric drugs and recovering from withdrawal syndrome. This account from the founder of such an online community covers lessons learned from thousands of patients regarding common experiences with medical providers, identification of adverse drug reactions, risk factors for withdrawal, tapering techniques, withdrawal symptoms, protracted withdrawal syndrome, and strategies to cope with symptoms, in the context of the existing scientific literature.

 

Full text: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2045125321991274

[Altostrata]

Thank you. The paper, which I wrote, may be read, downloaded, or shared from the above link.

[Edmunds]

Thanks so much for your article, which I’ve just read. Immediately thereafter, I sent it to my primary care doctor. Just three days ago I saw her and lectured her gently about AD withdrawal, though she was not the one who prescribed me. 

[AlanC]

For those of us that live in the UK this paper has probably arrived at the perfect time.

 

ChessieCat linked to a Mad In America interview with Sherry Julo, Ed White and John Read:

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24439-mad-in-america-online-support-groups-for-psychiatric-drug-withdrawal/

 

In the interview, at approximately 31:58, Prof. Read mentions that the NHS is in the process of setting up support services, and that they will be looking to survey the various internet forums and Facebook groups to obtain information on the processes that have been proven to help. Altostrata has just handed them that information on a plate; they need to take advantage of it, and acknowledge that it represents the current best practice.