🤝 WORK WITH MIKE
Ready to take the next step with your health? Book a $1 discovery call with Mike Vera, MS, NBC-HWC.
→ https://bit.ly/3QDnWg7
Antidepressant withdrawal raises a question that can get lost when a prescription is written: who helps you when you want to stop? Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring joins Mike Vera to explain why he argues psychiatric care needs a plan beyond prescribing, drawing on his experience in drug safety and deprescribing. They discuss informed consent, long-term treatment, the benefits patients report, and what he considers when helping someone prepare to taper.
A note before you listen: this conversation covers antidepressants, SSRIs, psychiatric medication withdrawal, and mental health. It is shared for educational purposes only and is not medical advice; it is not a recommendation to start, stop, or change any medication (make medication decisions with your prescribing clinician). If you are struggling or in crisis, support is available 24/7: in the US, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). Outside the US, contact your local emergency services or crisis line.
🔎 ABOUT THE GUEST — DR. JOSEF WITT-DOERRING
Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring is a board-certified psychiatrist, co-founder, CEO, and Medical Director of TaperClinic. A former Medical Officer in the FDA's Division of Psychiatry, he works with patients navigating psychiatric medication side effects and withdrawal. He also hosts Side Effects with Dr. Josef.
- TaperClinic: https://taperclinic.com/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@taperclinic
- Side Effects with Dr. Josef: https://taperclinic.podbean.com/
📖 FREE — THE ANTIDEPRESSANT SIDE EFFECT THEY BURIED
Read Mike's earlier conversation with Dr. David Healy on medication harms, informed consent, and withdrawal:
→ https://mikevera.substack.com/p/the-antidepressant-side-effect-they
🕒 HEALTHY & AWAKE® TIME MANAGEMENT
Mike's $47 two-course bundle for protecting what matters and applying the system to one health routine. Includes Health Routine Head Start, lifetime access, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
→ https://healthyandawake.com/time-management
DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.
⏱ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 The Missing Exit Plan
0:25 Why This Conversation Matters
2:24 Questioning the Chemical-Imbalance Explanation
6:49 Informed Consent and Long-Term Evidence
8:54 From Psychiatry to the FDA to Deprescribing
12:10 Healthy & Awake Time Management
13:27 The Pushback Against Deprescribing
16:06 Can Psychiatry Change?
19:50 Labels, Marketing, and Mental Health
23:57 What to Consider Before Coming Off Medication
28:19 Individualized Tapering and Withdrawal
31:27 Supplements, Cannabis, and Quick Fixes
34:34 Psychedelics, Therapy, and Integration
38:11 The Ketamine Clinic Question
38:42 Where to Find Josef's Work
39:11 Closing and Newsletter
