NO ONE Coming to the Project is pressurised into starting withdrawal until they really want to. Nor do we insist that people make reductions at a speed they are not happy with. We believe that a slow steady reduction, with reasonable pauses between cuts, is the best long-term way to come off your medication.
If you have been taking the medication for any length of time, you may be suffering some side effects, and possibly also withdrawal symptoms. You will probably experience some problems as you come off the medication. However, it is important to remember that all these withdrawal symptoms will pass in time.
It is possible to come off any prescribed psychotropic medication however long you have been taking it. People who manage withdrawal can live life to the full again.
New medication during withdrawal
Whilst withdrawing from, or after withdrawal from prescribed psychotropic medication, we do not advice any new additional psychotropic medication be taken. This is because - although other drugs may subdue your withdrawal symptoms for a while - the symptoms will only recur when you come off the additional medication.
However, if you are already taking additional psychotropic medication when you come to see us we advise you to keep taking it at that level during withdrawal.
Activity during withdrawal
Your best method of coping with the withdrawal is to keep busy with small manageable tasks, but do not try to pressurise yourself too much. If you are employed in an undemanding job it may actually help you to keep working.
However, if you are doing a stressful job it may be necessary for you to take some time off during withdrawal. If you wish, we can send a letter to this effect to your doctor for you, in order to help you obtain a sickness certificate for a while.
Diet during withdrawal
Diet can also be important. It is sensible not to drink too much coffee or tea (unless decaffeinated) and to abstain from drinking alcohol. To eat as much fresh food as possible, especially fruit and vegetables. If you are not eating properly, then consider taking a daily multivitamin tablet. Relaxation tapes and exercise are often helpful to people, as is yoga breathing.
Coping with the symptoms of withdrawal
We find it will help you if you can accept you symptoms for what they are: the sign of the chemical coming out of your body and your body readjusting accordingly. If you worry and analyse the symptoms too much you are really not helping yourself.
You may be concerned that you have underlying problems. In our experience such problems cannot be assessed or addressed fully until people have been off psychotropic medication for many months. Many people who have imagined themselves to have this or that illness often find that these illnesses gradually disappear once they are off the tablets!