An alternative way to avoid antidepressants and some thoughts on tapering off.
In July of 2025, I received a call from a man in his 40s who wanted to explore the possibility of regaining his life after decades of antidepressant use.
Here is an excerpt from the intake conversation: “I tapered off 30+ years of pharma in one month, ending in January 2024, under medical supervision based on common tapering guidelines (which are not based in actual evidence). This is dangerously quick and likely caused severe injury to my nervous system, not to mention my brain. I suffer from physical ailments front his as well, not limited to skin issues, hair loss and graying, nerve issues, brain fog and fatigue, TMJ, and general neurological issues. I was unaware of the fact that I was still actively withdrawing until about 18 months into being off the pharma.”
As a strong believer in the power of the mind and how emotions and one’s imagination can transform reality, I was eager to help. However, I had no idea of the havoc that SSRI usage had wreaked on him.
From the outside, his life looked wonderful. He had a great job and always achieved any goal he had set for himself. Even one to release 100# which he did and kept it off. Yet, he was terribly unhappy due to the fact that he was unable to maintain any long-term intimate relationships. Upon digging deeper into his story, the reason became clear. He had been prescribed several SSRI medications beginning at the age of 9 and had continued taking them well into his late thirties. As a result, he had never experienced a normal life, one in which he learned healthy ways to feel and process his emotions.
Sadly, this is not uncommon among those who have relied on SSRIs long-term.
When SSRIs first entered the U.S. market in the late 1980s, only about 2.3% of American adults were taking antidepressants. By 1999–2002, that number had jumped to 8%, and by 2017–2018, nearly 14% of American adults were taking an antidepressant.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus13.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db377.htm
Since the client was prescribed these medications as a child (age 9), he had never been fully informed of the possible negative side effects. (No one probably even knew). He only knew that they were a part of what he had to do, his parents and doctor said so (a very powerful way the subconscious learns) so he stayed on them for decades beyond what may have been necessary.
SSRI drugs were never intended for long-term use, especially since there is little data about the adverse effects of prolonged use. While they have been studied in clinical trials, those trials have not lasted for only a few months or just beyond a year. It’s hard to make a critical determination about their efficacy without those vitally important findings.
The client’s main complaint was the inability to control emotion, which made it impossible to be in a long-term intimate relationship. He was desperate to remedy this as he very much wanted to be married and have children.
After five hypnosis sessions, the client said while it helped him a little, we was interested in exploring other methods. ” I agreed and we continued to talk by phone and email for months after the sessions ended. I found myself wanting to be his friend, but ultimately decided that the best way I could really help was to help others before they find themselves decades down the SSRI road.
What is interesting to me is that the side effects of these drugs, and possible withdrawal symptoms, are often worse than the anxiety and depression in most cases. Luckily, there are many natural ways to gain happiness of which most doctors are unaware. We cover that in the next article.
What are side effects of SSRIs?
On a recent episode of The Tony Freda Show podcast, Tony spoke with psychologist, Dr. Christine Marra, about the dangers of SSRIs. Dr. Marra reported that 40-60% of users prescribed have these side effects. Some of the side effects of SSRIs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, and Celexa are:
- Emotional blunting (the inability to experience both positive and negative emotions fully; may involve feelings of detachment)
- Reduced joy
- Lack of empathy
- Flattened emotions
- Lack of grief
- Decreased libido
- Erectile dysfunction
- Anorgasmia
- Genital numbness
What are symptoms of SSRI withdrawal?
When someone is looking to get off SSRI medications, withdrawal symptoms can be extremely challenging. While estimates of how commonly withdrawal occurs vary considerably, a 2019 systematic review estimated that 56% of people attempting to discontinue antidepressants experienced withdrawal symptoms, with 46% of those describing their symptoms as severe.
Here is a list of physical symptoms associated with SSRI withdrawal:
On the mental/emotional side:
- mania
- racing thoughts
- impulse spending
- psychosis
On the physical side:
- nausea
- headaches
- fatigue
- weight gain
- sexual dysfunction
On the podcast referenced above, Dr. Marra also stated that 60-70 % who try to get off have experienced severe withdrawal symptoms such as:
- dizziness
- anxiety
- insomnia
- crying
- sensory distributions
- de-personalization
- suicidal and homicidal thoughts
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Klonopin, Valium and Ativan can be severe. Recognized withdrawal symptoms include panic attacks, agitation, aggression and akathisia—an intensely distressing state of inner restlessness and an overwhelming need to move. In severe cases, benzodiazepine withdrawal can also involve psychosis and suicidal thoughts or behavior.
Support for SSRI withdrawal symptom during tapering off
If you are taking SSRIs and want to get off these drugs, you must talk to your doctor. The medical community is still coming to terms with learning how to guide and support those looking to taper off of SSRIs. Even so, you MUST be under a doctor’s supervision if you want to slowly reduce your dosage and eventually be off of them completely.
While it’s best not to rush the process of tapering off of SSRIs, here are two links to organizations that can help:
TAPER CLINIC:
It’s worth noting that just because you are getting off the drug doesn’t mean the reason you needed to be on them went away. Seeking treatment for the depression and anxiety in a non-drug way is essential. Through hypnosis sessions, we can do that and help you get back to a happy and healthy state for your mind and body.
More about that in the next article (link)
DISCLAIMER: The Flow Center
None of the information and resources at The Flow Center web constitutes or should be seen as medical, mental health, counseling, clinical or professional advice of any kind. Hypnosis does not treat depression or anxiety. It supports the person by finding a calm space within, teaches how to relax, increases confidence in the future and improves one’s self esteem, and helps develop new healthy habits for movement and nutrition. In addition, hypnosis sessions connect to the creative part of them that can help with finding purpose, making new friends or getting a new hobby. All that which makes live more meaningful.
DISCLAIMER: The Inner Compass
The process of reducing or tapering off psychiatric medication is inherently risky and can be especially dangerous and potentially life-threatening if done faster than one’s body can handle. Inner Compass Initiative’s website sets forth information which relates to this process. Inner Compass Initiative shares such information for the sole purpose of making it available for general educational purposes to those who are interested in it. The information does not constitute Inner Compass Initiative’s advice, encouragement, or recommendation that any individual reduce or taper off of his or her intake of psychiatric medication.
Sources:
1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30292574
2 https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/treatments-and-wellbeing/stopping-antidepressants