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1 posts

Hi I'm Bridget

February 27, 2026··
Currently tapering off Ativan, had no idea it was so addictive, I'm down from 1mg to .75, on a poly pharmacy of psych meds due to psychotic break 4 years ago. Hoping to taper off antipsychotic med next. My nervous system is very fragile. I went along with all the prescribing as I was terrified of ever being psychotic again, it left me traumatised and humiliated. Now I see the side effects of meds and the numbing effect not to mention a whole host of other neg consequences.

2 Replies

Based
BasedStaff6mo ago
Community AnchorEffexor
Hi Bridget, welcome to the community! Many people have a similar story as you, lots of money went into those propaganda campaigns, so its not surprising its so common. You seem to be on a great path! Since you said your nervous system is fragile I would suggest checking out the tracking features under My Taper. You can visualize the windows and waves a lot easier like this and have more info on when to taper. Youre on the right path and should be proud of the courage you posses. It takes a lot to muster up the energy to do a proper taper. If you have any questions, about deprescribing or the platform in general, im here to help

Creator of Taper Community, here to help you.

Catina
Catina6mo ago
Community AnchorEffexor
"Currently tapering off Ativan, had no idea it was so addictive," — @Bridget
Hi Bridget! I was put on Ativan for years, and no doctor ever told me about the dangers of it. Fortunately, I was able to taper off without any difficulty, but for many people benzo withdrawal is extremely difficult. How has your taper been going so far?
"Now I see the side effects of meds and the numbing effect not to mention a whole host of other neg consequences." — @Bridget
I'm glad you've realized that these drugs are not as "safe and effective" as we are led to believe. Congratulations for taking your health into your own hands and tapering off. We have to become our own health-care advocate! Since your CNS is very fragile, handle yourself with great care. It's better to go slow than go faster and then experience a crash. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I'm glad you've made your way here, and I hope we can all be an encouragement for each other. ❤️

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.92 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Levothyroxine - 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.

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