Hi, I'm BrightBreeze

Hi @BrightBreeze, welcome to Taper Community! What led you to psychiatric drugs in the first place? Many people get put on these drugs due to stress, grief, or trauma and get told they have a "chemical imbalance" that only drugs can "correct." This is false and leads to unnecessary polydrugging that can last for decades with no clear off-ramp or discussion of whether they are even beneficial anymore. And doctors are not properly trained in how to safely get people off the drugs they prescribe. Yes, Paxil can be a difficult drug to withdraw from, but going very slowly is key. Things can get a bit tricky once you get below 5 mg. The greatest changes in receptor occupancy happen at very small doses, so that's why it can challenging the closer you get to 0. When dealing with multiple drugs, it's best to taper only one at a time. We recommend Hyperbolic tapering here at Taper Community - monthly reductions of no more than 10% of the previous month's dose. The reductions will therefore get smaller and smaller as time goes on. If you go to the Tapering Protocols, Symptoms & Self-Care, and I Need Support sections of the forum and click on the Guides tab, you'll find lots of helpful advice and tips. The Resources section also has lots of helpful information. We look forward to supporting you on your tapering and healing journey! Catina 💜 https://taper.community/drugs/paxil https://taper.community/resources/blog/how-to-taper-off-paxil

I was diagnosed in the early 90’s with Major Depression with Anxiety (older DSM) because of a loss of functioning; sleeplessness, poor concentration, crying, your typical depression symptoms - you could say I had a breakdown as some would call it.

"I was diagnosed in the early 90’s with Major Depression with Anxiety (older DSM) because of a loss of functioning; sleeplessness, poor concentration, crying, your typical depression symptoms" — @BrightBreeze

Thanks for sharing this. Were you under a lot of stress at the time? What was going on in your life? I don't mean to pry, but it can be helpful to consider the circumstances. At any rate, you're on a good path now with trying to at least reduce your drug burden a bit! 😊