In this episode, we welcome Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a board-certified psychiatrist and former FDA medical officer who has dedicated his career to helping patients safely discontinue psychiatric medications. In this information-packed deep-dive, Dr. Josef and I discuss adverse reactions during and following psychiatric medication use, especially regarding benzodiazepines and antidepressants. Dr. Josef believes that taking a more holistic approach to understanding the effects of psychiatric medication enables better therapeutic use of the drugs. He argues against the notion of merely correcting a chemical imbalance and advocates for a more fulfilling approach to psychiatry. Additionally, he suggests that family medicine doctors should refrain from prescribing these medications unless they have sufficient time to thoroughly assess the medication's impact on various aspects of a person's life. Initially, Dr. Josef pursued a career in psychiatry with the hope of combining personal development and medicine. However, upon studying and practicing psychiatry, he discovered that the field's approach to helping individuals has little to do with personal development. Instead, in Dr. Josef’s view, the field often focuses on prescribing medications, likening it to a production line that simply dispenses medications, masquerading as scientific treatment for neurological deficits. He expresses disappointment in the field's lack of emphasis on personal development within psychiatry.
Dr. Josef Witt-During is a board certified psychiatrist and former FDA medical officer. He specializes in adverse drug reactions of psychiatric medications and is the co-founder of Witt-During Psychiatry, along with his wife, Dr. Marissa Witt-Doerring. Together, they provide comprehensive drug taper programs, conservative medication management, and supportive coaching for those withdrawing from psychiatric drugs.
For more resources related to Dr. Josef’s work, please take a listen to his podcast,
Life on Less Meds, his
Twitter, or you can find him and others where I did,
@PSSDNetwork on Twitter.
This conversation builds on a previous episode where we explored mental health in the age of misinformation with Dr. Roger McFillin, which can be found
here.
Finally, in this episode, I mentioned a couple of great books, "Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health--and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More” by Chris Palmer which can be found on
amazon or in my
bookshop!
Episode Topics:
- Post SSRI sexual dysfunction.
- The problem with psychiatry.
- Psychiatric medication and untangling.
- Medication and time-limited conditions.
- Treatment based on informed consent.
- Chemical imbalances and mental health.
- Impact of medication on relationships.
- Sexual dysfunction and emotional blunting.
- Medications and metabolic disruption.
- Withdrawal symptoms and support.
- Lifestyle interventions for withdrawal.
- Gluten allergy and psychosis.
- Quitting caffeine and its importance.
- Increased energy levels and relaxation.
- Tapering off stimulants and sedatives.
- Benzos prescribed for daily use.
- Benzodiazepine withdrawal and neurotoxicity.
- Benzo and antidepressant withdrawal.
- Oral contraceptive pill side effects.
- Birth control's impact on mental health.
- Increase in asexual and trans identities.
- Long-term effects of cross-sex hormones.
- Sexual problems in transgender individuals.
- Drug research and side effects.
- Increased suicidal ideation.
- Using medication for psychosis.
- Adverse drug reactions
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What is You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist?
A podcast at the intersection of psychology and culture that intimately explores the human experience and critiques the counseling profession. Your host, Stephanie Winn, distills wisdom gained from her practice as a family therapist and coach while pivoting towards questions of how to apply a practical understanding of psychology to the novel dilemmas of the 21st century, from political polarization to medical malpractice.
What does ethical mental health care look like in a normless age, as our moral compasses spin in search of true north? How can therapists treat patients under pressure to affirm everything from the notion of "gender identity" to assisted suicide?
Primarily a long-form interview podcast, Stephanie invites unorthodox, free-thinking guests from many walks of life, including counselors, social workers, medical professionals, writers, researchers, and people with unique lived experience, such as detransitioners.
Curious about many things, Stephanie’s interdisciplinary psychological lens investigates challenging social issues and inspires transformation in the self, relationships, and society. She is known for bringing calm warmth to painful subjects, and astute perceptiveness to ethically complex issues. Pick up a torch to illuminate the dark night and join us on this journey through the inner wilderness.
You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist ranks in the top 1% globally according to ListenNotes. New episodes are released every Monday. Three and a half years after the show's inception in May of 2022, Stephanie became a Christian, representing the crystallization of moral, spiritual, and existential views she had been openly grappling with along with her audience and guests. Newer episodes (#188 forward) may sometimes reflect a Christian understanding, interwoven with and applied to the same issues the podcast has always addressed. The podcast remains diverse and continues to feature guests from all viewpoints.