She Stopped Lithium, Lexapro, Abilify and More at Once. This Is What Happened
In a Nutshell
After 13 years on five psychiatric drugs, the individual quit all at once over six months with no knowledge of withdrawal risks. The first year brought severe impairment in daily functioning, followed by gradual recovery that continued past 16 years. Removing gluten, dairy, and soy around year two produced major improvements, while emotional symptoms fluctuated with stress and cognitive function improved steadily over time.
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The individual was prescribed psychiatric medications starting at age 14 and discontinued them at age 27, totaling 13 years on medication with 10 years of consistent use. By the time of discontinuation, they were taking five medications simultaneously: lithium, Lamictal, Abilify, Effexor, and Ativan. This combination was described as a "sophisticated regimen" at the time, with each medication viewed as addressing a specific issue.
In 2010, at age 27, exposure to Robert Whitaker's book Anatomy of an Epidemic prompted reconsideration of long-term medication use. The book's thesis states that long-term evidence on psychiatric medications reveals worsening disability and poorer outcomes than commonly presented. Reading the book while heavily medicated led to the realization that symptoms might stem from the treatment itself rather than treatment-resistant mental illness.
At the time of discontinuation, there was no awareness of medication dependence or withdrawal risks. No information was available about tapering protocols. Resources such as Benzo Buddies and SurvivingAntidepressants were not known or did not yet exist. The decision was made to stop all five medications at once over approximately six months, which was considered slow at the time but later recognized as essentially cold turkey discontinuation.
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