#11: Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring | Deprescribe Podcast Show Notes, References, Links to Relevant Research Papers and Key Takeaways.
Show Notes | Deprescribe with Shawn | Episode 11
Listen To The Episode On:
Substack | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring is a board-certified psychiatrist, former FDA medical officer, and renowned authority on psychiatric drug safety and tapering. As the co-founder of TaperClinic, the largest psychiatric deprescribing practice in the United States, Dr. Witt-Doerring has dedicated his career to helping individuals safely discontinue psychiatric medications, particularly after experiencing significant adverse reactions or protracted withdrawal. His mission is to empower patients to reclaim their mental clarity, physical health, and independence from medications that were often prescribed as quick fixes for complex problems. His YouTube channel, Dr. Josef, has over 80,000 subscribers and provides videos and insights on how to safely stop psychiatric medications and recover from side effects.
Connect with Josef:
Instagram | Twitter/X | TikTok | YouTube | Website | Facebook
Tapering Resources for Individuals and Clinicians
Click here to access Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring’s free taper guide.
If you’d like to sign up for Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring’s Drug Tapering Mentorship Program, please click here. The program is available for free and available to anyone and all interested in deprescribing and tapering psychiatric medicines.
Podcast Summary
In this conversation, Shawn and Josef delve into the complexities of psychiatry, the challenges of deprescribing antidepressants, and the importance of understanding the root causes of mental health issues. Josef shares his journey from psychiatry to the FDA, revealing insights about how the FDA reviews the efficacy and safety of psychiatric medications.
They discuss the long-term effects of SSRIs, the harsh realities of oppositional tolerance and tardive dysphoria, the importance of informed consent, and the challenges of tapering off medications. The conversation also touches on the influence of social media on mental health perceptions and the need for a more holistic approach to treatment.
Show Notes
Below, you can find specific show notes, research articles highlighted during the conversation, and other relevant takeaways from the episode.
Inspirational Mentors and Self-Help Resources
Josef’s mentors and influences in the self-help genre:
How To Build Self-Esteem — The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden: Book Summary and Animated Video on YouTube
Shawn’s mentors and tools for self-help:
Favourite book: Tools of Titans
Podcast: The Tim Ferriss Show
The Obstacle Is The Way — Shawn’s favorite book on Stoicism and building mental resilience.
Tardive Dysphoria (TDp)
Also known as oppositional tolerance, TDp is a chronic treatment-resistant depressive state. It occurs in the setting of ongoing, persistent antidepressant treatment in subjects with a history of recurrent major depressive disorder. Most individuals who develop TDp historically experience an initial positive response to antidepressant medication (generally with their first exposure).
The following signs and symptoms are consistent with TDp:
Anhedonia
Blunted and reduced emotions or desires
Reduced energy and motivation
Unresponsive to pharmacological agents and risk of being diagnosed with “treat-resistant” depression
Relevant Research Papers
Can Long-Term Treatment With Antidepressant Drugs Worsen the Course of Depression? | Author: GA Fava | Link to study.
Tardive dysphoria: the role of long-term antidepressant use in-induced chronic depression | Author: RS El-Mallakh | Link to study.
Tardive Dysphoria With Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Treated Successfully With Atypical Antidepressants: A Case Series From Tertiary Hospital Setting | Author: D Bhattacharjee | Link to study.
Highlighting The Flawed Efficacy of Antidepressants
In the conversation, Dr. Josef highlighted a landmark paper by Dr. Irving Kirsch titled “Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration."
The major findings from the study indicate:
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to B.U.D.S to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.