Explains what psychiatric drugs are, what to know before taking them, and information on side effects and coming off medication.
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Before coming off any drug, it's important to make sure you have all the information and support you need to do it safely. If you decide you want to stop taking your medication, you should:
The longer you have been taking a drug, the more likely it is that you will experience withdrawal effects and find it harder to stop. You may need to reduce the dose very gradually in order to minimise these effects.
The main risks are:
Having said this, some people find they can stop taking a drug suddenly, even after they have taken it for a long time, with no adverse effects.
For more information on coming off psychiatric drugs, see our pages on making the decision to come off, planning withdrawal and getting support.
If you want to support someone else to come off their medication, you can read our information for friends and family.
This information was published in 2016.
This page is currently under review. All content was accurate when published.
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