Coming off psychiatric medication

Coming off medication can be risky. At time of diagnosis and prescription there needs be a plan for how withdrawal can be achieved. Without such a plan patients may believe they have to take the medication for the rest of their lives even when doctors are not thinking this way. Patients need to know what is realistically possible by way of recovery and coming off medication.

Withdrawal tends to work with tiny steps. It helps to find a doctor who knows about the medication, the likely withdrawal side-effects, believes you can do it and has time to work with you. It can take a lot of looking to find such a doctor in your neighbourhood.