ICFDA Warning on Drug Discontinuation

The most dangerous and most common mistake someone coming off the SSRI antidepressants makes is coming off these drugs too rapidly. Tapering off very, very, VERY SLOWLY–OVER MONTHS (and for long-term users—a year or more), NOT JUST WEEKS!—has proven the safest and most effective method of withdrawal from this type of medication.

Taper off very, very slowly.

Dropping “cold turkey” off any medication, most especially mind altering medications, can often be MORE DANGEROUS than staying on the drugs.

The most dangerous and most common mistake someone coming off the SSRI antidepressants makes is coming off these drugs too rapidly. Tapering off very, very, VERY SLOWLY–OVER MONTHS (and for long-term users—a year or more), NOT JUST WEEKS!—has proven the safest and most effective method of withdrawal from this type of medication. Thus the body is given the time it needs to readjust its own chemical levels. Patients must be warned to come very slowly off these drugs by shaving minuscule amounts off their pills each day, as opposed to cutting them in half or taking a pill every other day.  READ THE FULL STORY:  http://www.drugawareness.org/articles/icfda-warning

1 thought on “ICFDA Warning on Drug Discontinuation

  1. My husband began taking SSRI’s in 1996. He took Paxil, then Lexipro, and was most recently taking citalopram. He had side effects of jerking and emotional blunting while taking these SSRI medications. In 2012 he doubled his dose from 20 mg to 40 mg. We found his daily medicine holder with Friday and Saturday’s doses still in there, so he went from a doubled dose earlier to skipping two days’ doses. He committed suicide on that Sunday.

    My son called my husband’s doctor, and didn’t get very far with finding out how to report the incident. Not only did this drug precipitate his suicide, but the earlier destruction to his personality, to his fine motor skills, and to his relationships were also devastating.

    We hope the truth about this class of drugs will be published and taken seriously.

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