A new article, published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, is the first-ever scientific paper to highlight a gradual approach to antipsychotic medication discontinuation that shows promise in reducing negative withdrawal symptoms and relapse. Lead author, Mark Horowitz of UCL Psychiatry, explained the impetus for the publication:
“Surprisingly, there are no published guidelines on how to come off antipsychotics. From my own experience, I know how hard it can be to wean off psychiatric medications – so we set out to write guidance on how to withdraw safely from antipsychotics. Stopping medications is an important part of the job of a psychiatrist, yet it has received relatively little attention.”