We’re Still Getting This Wrong: It’s Not Addiction vs Dependence—It’s Mechanism

We’re Still Getting This Wrong: It’s Not Addiction vs Dependence—It’s Mechanism

Medically reviewed by Dr. Teralyn Sell, PhD Let’s be precise. Treatment is not built on whether something is called “addiction” or “dependence.” It is built on what the drug does during withdrawal. Mechanism of action drives risk. Mechanism drives pacing. Mechanism...
When an Online Tapering Group Stops Being Home: How to Protect Your Agency and Know When It’s Time to Leave

When an Online Tapering Group Stops Being Home: How to Protect Your Agency and Know When It’s Time to Leave

Online tapering support groups can feel like home. At first, they often give people what the medical system did not. They offer validation, shared language, community, and the priceless moment of being believed. If you have ever tried to taper psychiatric medication,...
How to Talk to Your Prescriber About Safely Tapering Medication

How to Talk to Your Prescriber About Safely Tapering Medication

Understanding Prescriber Dynamics: Defensiveness, Ego, and Resistance Tapering psychiatric medication can feel daunting, especially because some prescribers may be defensive, ego-driven, or have their own rigid plans. They might refuse to budge or collaborate, making...
The Chemical Imbalance Myth: A Story We All Bought

The Chemical Imbalance Myth: A Story We All Bought

The Chemical Imbalance Myth: A Story We All Bought Here’s the truth: the idea that depression, anxiety, or ADHD is caused by “low serotonin” or “broken dopamine” is a story we all bought into. In the 1980s and 1990s, pharmaceutical companies needed a simple,...