Going through withdrawal alone is hard. You don't have to.
Here's a rundown of every group I know of for people tapering or healing from psychiatric drugs. Some are free, but most have a cost. None of them are a substitute for wise counsel from people who know and love you in person. Engage with discernment, and please involve someone you trust before making any big decisions.
Life After Meds Groups
- Group calls with Elissa and me, for tapering and PAWS. Currently meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2PM EST
Other Live Support Calls
- ACE peer support calls, free and weekly, from the Antidepressant Coalition for Education
- Heartcore Collective, support circles with Angie Peacock and others
- Wildflower Alliance, free calls specifically for people having thoughts of suicide
Forums
- Surviving Antidepressants, the oldest forum on this topic. It's closed to new registrations now, but the archives are deep and still worth reading.
- antidepressantrecovery.org, a newer forum that's still taking members
- Benzo Buddies, for benzo withdrawal specifically
Facebook Groups
There are a lot of them, and they vary widely in helpfulness. You never know if you're going to get helpful encouragment or panic pile-ons. I used to pore over past posts looking for success stories and trying to avoid horror stories. Meta's terms of service also prohibit people from saying certain words and medication names.
Taper Programs with Built-In Group Support
These aren't peer groups exactly, they're structured programs, but each one includes group or community support as part of what you get.
- Outro Health, directed by Mark Horowitz, with psychiatrists, therapists, coaches, and support calls. Takes insurance in some US states and internationally.
- Inner Compass Initiative, Laura Delano's program
If you're in crisis right now, my free Crisis and Survival Plan can help you build a plan before you need it.
And if you want the fuller list of people and resources I recommend in this space, here's my resources page.
❤️🩹 Joanna