Hi, I'm AC

October 14, 2026

Hi I'm new and have been taking hydroxyzine for a very long time… 7 or 8 years? I’m not 100% sure on the years but quite a while. I found this community when I was getting ready to start tapering and didn’t want to feel like I was alone with this scary journey. I’m looking for support and encouragement and ideas to help

Vistaril / Atarax — I started with 50 mg (25 mg each pill) now I’m down to 1 pill of 25mg — 7 or 8 years? A very long time — actively tapering | without clinician

3 Replies

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Catina9h ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @AC, glad to have you here...welcome! Not sure if you've seen this yet, but here is some information about tapering this drug: https://taper.community/resources/blog/hydroxyzine-vistaril-withdrawal-guide We look forward to supporting you with your taper! 🩷

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.28 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Synthroid - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

HopeNeverFails8h ago

WelcomerZyprexa · active

Hi AC! Welcome to the community! I used a little Hydroxyzine off and on for a few months - for me it did nothing - but I was in extreme anxiety, panic mode 24/7, no sleep. So they used stronger drugs 😮‍💨 Anyway, my $0.02.... Catina linked a great resource - I'd sure trust it more than a Dr telling you it has no dependency. Tapering is a good idea and I found it pretty easy to chop my Hydroxyzine pills down to little pieces. I suspect you'll have some anxiety feelings increase, and of course insomnia. Just remember it's temporary, it'll make you a better person when you get through it, and you are not alone by a long shot - seems most of us battle the frustrating insomnia! Just don't be afraid of it. You can go a long time with no sleep and be sustainable with just an average of a few hours daily - as long as you don't let it scare you. I know a guy on no drugs, no WD, no psychosis, etc, sleeps 3h a night for decades, and works and functions fine. Just ignore the anxiety etc feelings, remember it's just what the WD is doing to your brain. Be patient with it and try and ignore it, it gets better pretty quick. Blessings on your taper 🙏

Zyprexa — 0.8mg — 5.25 months — actively tapering | Silenor / Sinequan — 0.8mg — 3 months — actively tapering

anne noni moss5h ago

NavigatorPaxil · holding

"looking for support and encouragement and ideas to help"

— @AC

you are in the right place! I'm on different drugs, but most of the symptoms share similarities both in their pain and remedies. Glad you are here!

atypical in presentation of side effects, super sensitive to small doses and general delayed responder. never took a psych med that didn't' make me sick immediately with infections and restless legs. have never been able to tolerate being on them, but have never had support to get off so I've been bouncing back and forth. i don't like capital letters. sorry.

Paxil — 1 mg — 2 yrs — holding until Oct. 7 doc appt.
Seroquel — 50 — planning taper |
trileptal -75 planning taper
prasozin 1 mg planning taper

started my psych med saga in 2001 and wish I never had. I had some difficulties with sleep and anxiety, but NOTHING like what was in store for me after trying every med out there. My last treatment center promised to "get me totally off" in 2022 but it was a lie. They just switched drugs and added more and more in a desperate attempt to help me "stabilize," so they could call me a "success story" once insurance stopped paying. I agree with those who state that this industry needs to change. AND I'm working on not being resentful about my suffering because it doesn't help anyone.

been on an off cocktails since 2001. Most recent mixture, prescribed in 2024: 20 mg Paxil, 150 Trileptal, 50 Seroquel, 2 mg prasozin, (for PTSD/nightmares.)

immediately went to 1 mg prasozin, and after 3 months cut to 10 mg paxil. No felt effects. Then went to 5 about 3 months later, (though I didnt' keep track so I'm rusty.) No felt effects. So, I've roughly been on 5 mg for a year and a half.

Side effects always force to to start tapering RIGHT AWAY.

I didn't start keeping track of my Paxil taper until this year. I went from 3mg to 1 in 10 months, using a liquid Maudsley-ish slow taper. Again, no felt effects until now.

October 2026...sleeping less and feeling more sedated during the day. Having trouble managing my social life without getting over-stimulated. Must set boundaries according to my body and not my heart.

Holding 1 mg paxil until blood work done and evaluated, and to see if build a social life that doesn't make me lose sleep. Sounds silly as I type it, but actually, nothing is "silly" on this ride! Everything is WILD!!!! LOL

Keeping all other meds the same. Sorry so long.

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