Better Understanding Side Effects

Why Side Effects Are Often Underestimated

Many people are told about “mild” side effects.

But in reality, side effects can be:

  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Cognitive
  • Neurological

And sometimes difficult to recognize as medication-related.
What this can look like

You may have been told your symptoms are:

  • “Your condition returning”
  • “A new diagnosis”
  • Or something unrelated

In some cases, they may be medication side effects or withdrawal symptoms.
Understanding Withdrawal (Often Misunderstood)

When medications are reduced or stopped, the nervous system can react.

This is called withdrawal.

It can include:

  • Anxiety, insomnia, agitation
  • Sensory changes
  • Digestive issues
  • Emotional instability

This is not always a “relapse.”

It may be your nervous system trying to rebalance after adapting to the medication.

This is why slow, careful tapering is so important.

Please refer to the Tapering page to read more on this topic.

Visual Guide: Medication Effects on the Body

Never suddenly stop taking or cut your psychiatric medications in half or quarters. This can lead to severe and disabling withdrawal symptoms. Please see the Tapering page on this website for harm-reduction methods that honour your nervous system.

I created the images below to help make sense of the very wide range of effects psychiatric medications can have on the body.

References for these images are from Mind.org, CCHR, NIH & my own Patient Information Leaflets.
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