Many people wonder if they really need to stay on mental health medication long term—or if it’s possible to stop taking psych meds safely. How long should you take mental health meds? That’s between you and your medical provider; however, not everyone needs to take them for life. Although medications like antidepressants and anti-anxiety prescriptions can be helpful, there may come a time when you feel that you no longer want or need to take them. Some common reasons include side effects, fear of dependence, feeling stable without them, and the stigma surrounding psychiatric prescriptions.
Side effects like weight gain, fatigue or sexual dysfunction can also drive this decision. Please note that side effects vary widely, and individuals experience and tolerate side effects differently.
What happens if you stop psychiatric meds cold turkey? Stopping antidepressants and similar medications without medical supervision can lead to withdrawal symptoms or relapse. Medication withdrawal effects can be a serious threat if you stop taking these types of medications cold turkey. Some people may also experience relapses in symptoms of a mental health condition when they stop taking medications suddenly.
Why Can’t You Just Stop Taking Mental Health Medications?
Antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics are all examples of mental health meds that require tapering. A big part of the reason for this is that mental health medications work with your body and brain chemistry to affect neurotransmitters. Specifically, the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine are affected.
In a sense, these medications change how your brain, and therefore your body, reacts to stimuli. Over time, your brain and body adapt to these medications and come to expect them. Stopping a medication suddenly can be a shock to the system and may cause your brain chemistry to experience shifts that result in negative outcomes.
For example, side effects of stopping anxiety medication suddenly can include increased anxiety as well as seizures. In some cases, outcomes can be fatal.
What Happens If You Stop Mental Health Medication Too Quickly?
Some people may think that medications like antidepressants can’t produce harmful effects if stopped cold turkey. After all, why do you need to taper off antidepressants if they aren’t addictive?
The truth is that, while many mental health medications don’t cause addiction in the strictest sense, they can produce dependence, which results in withdrawal when these medications are stopped.
Common Medication Withdrawal Symptoms in the Face of Dependence
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Confusion
- Sweating and tremors
Rebound Effects
Another example of why tapering off meds is important is the potential for the rebound effect. This is where anxiety, depression or psychotic symptoms can not only return but can also be worse than before. Depression and medication changes are closely linked as depression often worsens after stopping psychiatric prescriptions suddenly.
The Right Way to Wean Off Mental Health Medications
Weaning off of these medications can be a safer option for stopping, but always consult a provider first as different meds require different tapering schedules. Many people find success in tapering, which is a method of gradual reduction of a medication over time.
Gradual Reduction Over Time
Tapering or weaning off of mental health medications can be a safer alternative to stopping cold turkey. This method involves gradually reducing your dose or the frequency of your medication over time.
You should work with your provider to develop a safe tapering schedule. It’s also a good idea to monitor your mind and body to gauge how you feel during a taper. Some discomfort may be expected, but if you begin to feel sick, confused, depressed or experience extreme anxiety or seizures, you need to seek medical help right away.
Some tapers may last a few days to a few weeks while others may require months. Your provider can help you find the right schedule based on the medication you’re stopping and other factors that are unique to your healthcare needs.
Tapering Off of Medications Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult
While tapering can come with some challenges, not every taper has to be difficult. Below are some tips to make a taper safer and more effective and comfortable.
Monitoring Symptoms
You’re encouraged to practice mindfulness and monitor your physical health as well as your emotional and mental health during your taper. Consider keeping a journal to document how you feel each day.
Therapeutic Support
Working with a therapist can help you ease the symptoms of withdrawal by allowing you to talk about your feelings and receive supportive, objective guidance from a trained medical professional.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can have a positive impact on your taper. Ensure that you’re getting good nutrition and plenty of safe exercise. You may also look into stress management techniques like breathing exercises.
How Long Does It Take to Taper Off Psychiatric Medication?
In terms of the time it takes to safely and successfully wean off of psychiatric medications, there are a number of factors that can influence your timeline. The specific medication you’re taking and its dose, the length of time you’ve taken the medication and any other health conditions you experience can all impact your schedule for tapering.
As an example, tapering off of SSRIs might take between four to 12 weeks, but tapering off of benzodiazepines could require months. This is because benzodiazepines may cause seizures or fatal outcomes when stopped cold turkey.
Dependence Can Be a Factor
As mentioned above, weaning off bipolar meds and other psychiatric prescriptions becomes a bit more challenging when dependence is a factor. Because the body and brain get used to the effects of these medications, a dependence can build.
Signs of dependence can include:
- Feeling sick or uneasy when you haven’t taken your medication
- Your medication is no longer as effective
- You have to up your dosage to get the same effect
When it comes to antidepressants specifically, SSRI withdrawal syndrome is a concern. Mood stabilizers and withdrawal can produce similar negative outcomes. SSRI withdrawal syndrome is a syndrome that can produce difficult effects that include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Changes in sensory perception
- Flu-like symptoms
Psychiatric drug dependence can compound these symptoms. Because antidepressant brain chemistry effects are believed to affect serotonin, removing the effects of antidepressants without tapering can lead to dysregulation of your brain chemistry.
What to Do If You Experience Withdrawal Symptoms
One of the challenges that comes along with stopping any type of psychiatric medication is trying to figure out the difference between withdrawal symptoms and a relapse of your mental health condition. For some people, the two can be similar, such as in the case of someone stopping anti-anxiety medications or antidepressant medications.
Because depression and anxiety can be both relapse symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders as well as symptoms of withdrawal, it can be tough to tell the difference. This is where working directly with a healthcare provider can help.
Knowing When to Adjust Your Tapering Schedule
If you do experience true withdrawal symptoms, this may be a sign that you need to adjust your tapering schedule. Slowing your taper or changing the frequency with which you take your medication may help.
Medications and Supplements That May Help Withdrawal Symptoms
Although solutions like therapy can help deal with mental health meds withdrawal, there are other medications as well as supplements that may help. Never begin taking a medication or supplement without first discussing it with your healthcare provider. Dangerous interactions are possible when mixing medications, and even supplements that are touted as “natural” can cause dangerous interactions.
Below are some common medications and supplements that you can discuss with your healthcare provider to help ease withdrawal symptoms when tapering off of mental health medications:
- Gabapentin – Prescription medication that can reduce anxiety by calming the nervous system
- Hydroxyzine – Prescription antihistamine that can produce calming effects and promote sleep
- Propranolol – Prescription beta-blocker that can reduce heart palpitations and blood pressure
The following are some supplements that may help with managing withdrawal symptoms naturally:
- Magnesium – Supplement that may reduce muscle tension
- Melatonin – Supplement that can help regulate sleep cycles
- Valerian Root – Herbal supplement that can promote calm and better sleep
When to Seek Emergency Medical Help
The side effects of stopping meds too fast should not be taken lightly, and it’s important to know when to call for help in a medical emergency. Medication-assisted therapy may be required in an emergency, especially if you experience withdrawal symptoms from medications like benzodiazepines, which can produce life-threatening effects. Seek help immediately for seizures, severe confusion or suicidal thoughts.
How to Wean Off Mental Health Medication Safely
Working with a medical provider to taper off meds is always a good idea. Your provider’s guidance and supervision can help you make healthy choices and know how to recognize signs of danger. Always discuss your taper with your provider and if you make any changes to your tapering schedule or begin to experience changes in symptoms or side effects, contact your healthcare provider at once.
While tapering can be a safe way to reduce or avoid antidepressant withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal symptoms from similar mental health prescriptions, safety is the key. Your medical provider can help you create a safe tapering schedule that’s adjusted for your unique healthcare needs. Your provider can also provide guidance in seeking additional mental health treatment options that may not involve the use of medications.
To learn more about how to stop psych meds safely as well as learn about therapies available to treat mental health concerns without the use of medications, contact the specialized mental health providers at Mahajan Therapeutics.
