Welcome to Surviving SSRIs' first newsletter. Each month you will receive updates on blog posts, news, and special offers. Our website Surviving SSRIs exists to encourage anyone currently taking an antidepressant but who is thinking about quitting them; anyone who is already trying to discontinue but who is struggling; and anyone who knows a friend or loved one who is struggling with this often-difficult effort.
Early posts recounted my own struggle trying to taper and get off my antidepressant (first, citalopram and later Zoloft, also known as sertraline). I included these posts to help readers understand that I have been through this difficult process and have successfully gotten off these meds and am reclaiming my health and wholeness. All these biographical posts are listed under the category "Wendy's Story." Here are a few samples:
"My Second Attempt to Quit Antidepressants, Part 3: FAIL"
"The Troubling Matter of Medical NonCompliance"
"My Third Attempt to Get Off Antidepressants: Stepping Off the Plank"
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In the News:
Author & Editor Sally Brampton commits suicide at 60
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 Sally Brampton, founding editor of Elle magazine and author of Shoot the Damn Dog! A Memoir of Depression, died by suicide last month, on May 10. She had suffered with depression for many years, but her symptoms deteriorated notably after her psychiatrist increased her medication. She wrote an article several years ago recounting the reckless escalation of her medication “….Before I was admitted to hospital, I was taking a small dose of anti-depressants, prescribed by my GP. I had been to see her when my early morning waking began. My psychiatrist quadrupled the dose. Then doubled it. And doubled it again.” She concluded, “We had tried five medications, and two combinations of others. I felt like I was in a sweet shop. Let’s try some of the blue ones. No good? Well, how about some blue with some pink? Or how about a few of the yellow? At one point, I was taking 1,300 milligrams of anti-depressants a day, on top of tranquillisers and sleeping pills. Somebody diagnosed with mild depression by their GP will probably be taking 20 to 50 mg a day.
As one writer noted, Brampton "remained unaware that the dog that needed to be shot [referring to the title of her book] was not depression, but the medication reactions she was led to believe were [symptoms of] depression."
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Coming soon! Wendy's new book offers compassionate and practical guidance for navigating the difficult process of discontinuing antidepressants. After two years and three tries, Wendy discovered the multi-faceted strategies that, when applied in concert, set the stage for her successful taper and ultimate freedom from SSRIs. She has consolidated her insights in this short book which is both workable and encouraging.
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