Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring

You know, what if because you went on these medications long term, you never experienced the impulses to fix your relationships or to go and find that job that you should actually be doing? You know, you did quit the one that you're doing now. But what if it means you neglect a health issue that was making you anxious and that's just festering in the background?

You know, what if because you went on these medications long term, you never experienced the impulses to fix your relationships or to go and find that job that you should actually be doing? You know, you did quit the one that you're doing now. But what if it means you neglect a health issue that was making you anxious and that's just festering in the background?

I mean, if you don't fix these problems at their root, they get worse. And so I worry about all of the long-term problems with these medications long-term. And let me tell you this, this is the exact same with dogs because before I got on this podcast, I did some research. I couldn't find a single clinical trial in dogs that went longer than six weeks. And so these vets out there-

I mean, if you don't fix these problems at their root, they get worse. And so I worry about all of the long-term problems with these medications long-term. And let me tell you this, this is the exact same with dogs because before I got on this podcast, I did some research. I couldn't find a single clinical trial in dogs that went longer than six weeks. And so these vets out there-

So, yeah, so coming off psychiatric meds, especially the antidepressants for humans, can be really challenging. So... there's a huge variation in what people experience coming off these meds. I talk to some people and they've been on the meds for three, four years. They can come off in two months, no problem. They go back to their life. In fact, I actually think that's the majority of people.

So, yeah, so coming off psychiatric meds, especially the antidepressants for humans, can be really challenging. So... there's a huge variation in what people experience coming off these meds. I talk to some people and they've been on the meds for three, four years. They can come off in two months, no problem. They go back to their life. In fact, I actually think that's the majority of people.

But there are some people that when they try and come off, For reasons we don't understand, their brains are just not very elastic. They have a very hard time adapting to the drug being removed. And then they can develop really severe withdrawal problems. And sometimes these can go on for years. It's a condition called protracted withdrawal. And it can make the person very unwell.

But there are some people that when they try and come off, For reasons we don't understand, their brains are just not very elastic. They have a very hard time adapting to the drug being removed. And then they can develop really severe withdrawal problems. And sometimes these can go on for years. It's a condition called protracted withdrawal. And it can make the person very unwell.

It's not the most common outcome, but it can happen. And because of that, I mean, that's what I do now. I find these people who are having a really hard time coming off the drugs, and then I do these very gradual, slow tapers to help them come off, typically after they've failed to come off quickly. Yeah.

It's not the most common outcome, but it can happen. And because of that, I mean, that's what I do now. I find these people who are having a really hard time coming off the drugs, and then I do these very gradual, slow tapers to help them come off, typically after they've failed to come off quickly. Yeah.

Ivan, do you have any difficulty getting the dogs off medications when you take over their care?

Ivan, do you have any difficulty getting the dogs off medications when you take over their care?

Yeah. Yeah, a lot of these dogs haven't really been given the opportunity to find a non-drug ways of coping. And instead of doing that, you're putting them on drugs that flatten their emotions and... And the same thing happens with humans. A lot of the people that I speak to at the taper clinic, they'll come to me and they'll say, I just want to feel like myself again.

Yeah. Yeah, a lot of these dogs haven't really been given the opportunity to find a non-drug ways of coping. And instead of doing that, you're putting them on drugs that flatten their emotions and... And the same thing happens with humans. A lot of the people that I speak to at the taper clinic, they'll come to me and they'll say, I just want to feel like myself again.

Yes, I don't really feel bad emotions, but I don't really feel good emotions either. I have pretty low motivation. I'm not that excited about anything or doing things like I used to be. I feel like I'm just...

Yes, I don't really feel bad emotions, but I don't really feel good emotions either. I have pretty low motivation. I'm not that excited about anything or doing things like I used to be. I feel like I'm just...

um you know um sort of like you know passive you know just just living but not really alive and and they hate that feeling and and i guess i mean it saddens me to think yeah and i mean it saddens me to think that you know you have this lovely dog um and um um you know it's having some separation anxiety or that or there's some issue going on and then The way we treat that is by blunting them.

um you know um sort of like you know passive you know just just living but not really alive and and they hate that feeling and and i guess i mean it saddens me to think yeah and i mean it saddens me to think that you know you have this lovely dog um and um um you know it's having some separation anxiety or that or there's some issue going on and then The way we treat that is by blunting them.

I think you might have said this, Ivan, because I've been on your social media. It's like if you left a child alone in a house for like 12 hours and the child became unhappy, would you drug that child? That's essentially what I feel like a lot of people do to dogs.

I think you might have said this, Ivan, because I've been on your social media. It's like if you left a child alone in a house for like 12 hours and the child became unhappy, would you drug that child? That's essentially what I feel like a lot of people do to dogs.