Withdrawal Effects and Psychiatric Drugs

Even if you have used psychiatric drugs for only a short time, your withdrawal can be both physically and emotionally very stressful, especially if you try to come off the medication abruptly. Many are not aware of the full side effects that are possible (ask your pharmacist or search online). Stopping these drugs can cause agonizing symptoms, sometimes even life-threatening suicidal and homicidal impulses.

Person appearing stressed or worried

Many side effects kick in when you begin to come off the drug. It is a common mistake to assume that these reactions are a relapse into symptoms from before starting the medication. You are then more likely to give up and go back to taking the full drug dose. You should instead recognize that these are associated with withdrawing from the drug.

One reason for the side effects has to do with the metabolic adjustments your body has had to make to compensate for the drug. If you stop taking the drug abruptly, your body does not have enough time to readjust. It also often does not have enough of the necessary nutrients to normalize neurotransmission and to detoxify itself.

Psychiatric drugs are toxic to brain cells and so interfere with normal brain and nerve function. The toxic effects are often masked when you take the drug but become apparent when you stop. Your body needs both time and the nutrition to detoxify itself.

The solution to a safe withdrawal from psychiatric medication is to come off the drugs slowly and gradually while you give the body full nutritional support.

Emotional Withdrawal Effects

Anxiety: Nervousness • Fear • Panic
Mood: Sadness • Crying • Despair • Apathy • Suicidal thoughts or attempts
Aggression: Irritability • Anger • Self harm • Homicidal thoughts or actions
Cognitive: Poor concentration • Confusion • Forgetfulness • Disorientation
Sleep: Insomnia • Nightmares
Hyperactivity: Restlessness • Agitation • Excitability • Hysteria
Hallucination: Auditory or visual
Sexual: Decreased libido

Physical Withdrawal Effects

Energy: Fatigue • Lethargy 
Nervous System: Brain or body zaps 
Muscular: Twitching • Tremor • Cramps 
Digestive: Diarrhea • Constipation • Nausea • Abdominal bloating or pain 
Cardiovascular: Abnormal heartbeat • Hypertension 
Other: Fever (chills/sweats) • Headache • Joint or muscle pains • Hot flashes • Dizziness • Fainting • Seizures • Numbness • Vision and speech problems • Taste or smell abnormalities • Drooling