Is it Relapse or Withdrawal: The Truth About Protracted Withdrawal from Psychiatric Medication | The Gaslit Truth Podcast with Dr Teralyn Sell and Therapist Jenn Schmitz

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Your doctor says withdrawal should be short because the drug “leaves your body.” Then you stop an SSRI and months later your sleep collapses, anxiety spikes, your body hurts, and you’re told it must be your “condition” coming back. That gap between what you were promised and what you’re living is exactly where protracted withdrawal hides. 

We walk through what protracted withdrawal and PAWS can look like after antidepressant tapering and other psychiatric medication tapering, including delayed symptoms that hit long after the final dose. We get into the why: neuroadaptation, receptor changes, nervous system hypersensitivity, and why “windows and waves” make recovery feel unpredictable. We also name the symptoms people often get dismissed for, from panic and intrusive thoughts to brain zaps, sensory overload, GI issues, and surprising pain sensitivity that can send you back to the prescriber looking for relief. 

Then we shift to what actually helps. We talk risk factors like rapid tapering, polypharmacy, and stop-start cycles that can contribute to kindling. We share practical ways to manage withdrawal by lowering nervous system load, tracking patter

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💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds?

Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health

🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff.

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