Dr. Josef Profile Banner
Dr. Josef Profile
Dr. Josef

@taperclinic

5,161
Followers
72
Following
585
Media
889
Statuses

MD (Psychiatrist) turned Drug Tapering Educator | Former FDA Medical Officer and Pharma Doc | We teach people how to come off meds in the safest way possible!

Saint George, Utah
Joined January 2023
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Pinned Tweet
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Dear Psychiatric and Family Medicine Colleagues It's time to acknowledge we've let good mental health care become completely derailed by industry/commercial influence. We all wanted to do good initially, but much like the frog in boiling water, we've slowly come to accept a
99
286
828
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
14 days
What if everything you know about depression is wrong? I’m a psychiatrist with almost a decade of experience, and I’ve seen how misunderstood the cause of depression really is. Many people think depression is a well-defined medical condition caused by a chemical imbalance or
Tweet media one
Tweet media two
Tweet media three
Tweet media four
67
130
445
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Never trust a doctor who prescribes antidepressants in 25 minutes... There is a serious flaw in our healthcare system – the reckless practice of prescribing antidepressants during brief, inadequate doctor's visits. Imagine this: You step into a doctor's office, possibly for the
68
103
418
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Ways psych meds make temporary problems chronic;1) make you believe your temporary problem is actually an illness 2) give you side effects you think are a mental illness 3) cause quick tolerance so you get worse when you try to stop, reinforcing that you have a mental Illness
22
116
385
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
For a growing number of people going to a psychiatrist for help was the worst decision they ever made
50
90
343
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
14 days
What if I told you the pill you take for anxiety might be making it worse? And not just a little—a lot. Benzodiazepines like Xanax and Klonopin are prescribed to millions, but the real risks of long-term use are often hidden. Yes, they ease panic at first, but over time, they
Tweet media one
43
117
359
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
If Doctors were honest about antidepressants they would tell all patients: 1) Can cause permanent sexual and cognitive problems 2) Can take years to come off safely 3) Can make you suicidal 4) Can result in a manic conversion, and an incorrect bipolar dx #antidepressants #PSSD
35
176
326
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Everyday I work with patients severely neurological damage from benzos/antidepressants. When I ask them how they got started on medications this is what I hear: "My boyfriend broke up with me", "I was lonely and living in a new town", " I started college and was having anxiety
30
72
287
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Most readers here will already be aware that no biological marker has ever mapped onto any mental illness- hence the complete absence of any objective tests/scans used to diagnose conditions in psychiatry Despite this however, the dominant discourse in psychiatry is typically
43
88
280
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
I used to give people a false sense of security about the psychiatric medications I would prescribe. I now look back sadly realizing the many years I didn't tell people as much as they should have known. #InformedConsent
25
63
272
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Much of psychiatric practice is a farce…. A 15 minute shuffling around of medications with limited attention to what the drugs are doing or what’s going on in the patients life
20
67
243
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
People keep saying I'm dangerous for raising awareness about drug risks and misdiagnoses... Not sure why they think the lives of those saved by psychiatric drugs are worth more than the lives of those lost from drug injuries... Unfortunately decades of pharma marketing and
46
65
245
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
11 months
People often ask me what is the main reason psychiatry is failing the public My answer: We have given up on diagnosing people. Not fake diagnoses like the DSM.... Believe me we do plenty of that But real diagnoses where you actually listen to patients and use your
39
73
243
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
My psychiatric colleagues make me cringe.... Yesterday, I came across a podcast where an attending psychiatrist was asked whether depression is "curable." He estimated that a little over 50 percent of cases could be cured. Every time I hear this stuff I'm embarrassed for my
34
58
245
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
A few days ago I said having a mental illness was increasingly trendy. Rather than engaging with an argument many said they were upset I was stigmatizing their condition. Here's my argument (Have at it, I'd prefer more counter points than different variations of i'm
90
50
241
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Helping people with emotional problems is too painful for many healthcare professionals - antidepressants help therapist and psychiatrist avoid the discomfort of having to talk to patients about terrible and inescapable life events which wear them down. Rather than making the
38
62
231
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
When pills are prescribed as a first line treatment, doctors are unintentionally teaching patients that healing is a passive thing. “Take the pill. You’ll feel better.”
35
62
213
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
I suspect 50% of people who are psychiatrically involuntarily hospitalized are due to a therapists/physicians fear of being sued, rather than them actually believing the hospitalization would help them
34
34
217
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Are you suspicious of psychiatrists? If so, you wouldn't be alone. Few disciplines in medicine seem to be under as much public scrutiny as psychiatry. Yet, is it for good reason? Today, I'm going to talk about the top three criticisms of psychiatry and why I believe the
63
60
217
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Seeing lots of patients getting rapidly tapered from benzos due to family docs being concerned with the risks of dependence all of a sudden (after pt on these meds for 20+years) most of them are then placed on antipsychotics w. risks of TD and metabolic s/e. this makes zero sense
26
55
217
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Here is a list of the most underpublicized problems with antidepressants . Essentially the ones that pharma wouldn't want doctors thinking about when prescribing: 1) Antidepressants can cause permanent sexual dysfunction and brain damage in some cases, and it is impossible to
18
78
200
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
14 days
What if the psychiatric medication you take to feel better came with a side effect so embarrassing, it could make you avoid looking in the mirror altogether? Imagine waking up one day, putting on your shirt, and noticing… something feels different. At first, you think you’ve
Tweet media one
24
68
208
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
6 months
How the DSM really works... #satire #psychiatry
22
74
198
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Should mental health professionals fess up that we don't really know how to help people with the majority of problems that make them depressed?
53
27
193
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Modern psychiatric practice has massively stretch diagnostic boundaries. Medications like antidepressants can have such serious risks, I'm convinced that only 5% of the people currently on them, should actually be taking them
17
53
185
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
In my deprescribing clinic, I hear a heartbreaking refrain: 'My life was stolen from me.' It's a constant reminder of the unfairness and malpractice in our current system, and the harm it has caused to so many.
20
54
182
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
As a society we are more comfortable believing that the majority of depression is a treatment resistant "mood disorder", rather than seeing the reality... That our mental health services really aren't built to help people with the majority of things that make them depressed.
16
44
179
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
The chemical imbalance theory has been debunked for over a decade… but here’s why it persists.
10
69
176
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
People say I’m dangerous for speaking too much about drug risks and side effects. Do you agree?
66
45
172
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
No one wanted us to ask questions 🫢 in our residency. #psychiatrist #psychiatristsoftiktok #psychiatrists
32
83
169
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
lots of people depressed due to feeling like they are in inescapable problems.... 1) working in a job they hate 2) stuck in a difficult relationship 3) unable to find a romantic partner 4) not able to see a path to a more hopeful future. Instead of teaching doctors how to
22
34
168
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
I'm Sorry.... [Reflections from 4 months on Twitter] So it has been about 4 months of posting on twitter so far and I have a few reflections First, a very big thank you for the engagement on all the content. My wish was to get people talking about problems with psychiatric
30
29
167
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
7 months
Christy worked tirelessly for the benzo community. She helped and supported me when I was still a resident introducing me to many of my colleagues in the benzo recovery space and encouraging me to speak at conferences and to news outlets about the benzo disaster when I was still
Tweet media one
@BZInfoCoalition
Benzodiazepine Information Coalition
7 months
We are devastated to share that on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, we were informed of the passing of our friend, colleague, and Medical Director, Christy Huff, M.D.
Tweet media one
66
54
171
6
42
170
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
14 days
What the hell is akathisia? You may have seen it on billboards across America, but what is this mysterious side effect. Akathisia is a severe side effect caused by medications like antipsychotics or antidepressants. It creates an unbearable sense of restlessness—like you
Tweet media one
18
78
172
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Would you have taken antidepressants if you knew... 1) They could cause permanent sexual dysfunction 2) The could cause severe brain damage (Protracted withdrawal) 3) That stopping them could be one of the hardest things you ever did in your entire life And that it was
40
63
155
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
8 months
Have you heard “antidepressants save lives?” This is NOT accurate. In fact, the opposite might be true.
20
75
163
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Be careful what you say the doctors... I’ve heard too many horror stories of people who did not need or want involuntary commitment being locked away and forced on meds. 
24
62
154
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Do you think there is a market for a psych facility that would just allow behaviorally stable people to come and sit out their crisis in a safe facility without being pressured onto meds?
53
19
154
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
11 months
Taking psych meds is much different than taking insulin for diabetes. This is a message that needs to stop.
27
47
151
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
8 months
The psychiatric system in the US is trash. How should we do things different?
27
47
146
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Common culprits of psychiatric misdiagnosis: 1) Withdrawal reactions from psychiatric medications are misdiagnosed as other psychiatric conditions. Oftentimes resulting in the unnecessary continuance of the medications 2) Adverse reactions to psychiatric medications such as
35
38
148
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
10 months
Would you trust a psychiatrist with your loved one? I’m not sure I would anymore.
32
38
145
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
11 months
Many of my patients coming off medications are feeling completely betrayed... Why? Because they realized they didn't really need the medications to begin with. Their original doctor who prescribed their medications never worked with them to find non-pharmacologic ways to help.
16
37
146
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Deprescribing is really really great work. Is anyone else wanting to do this? I can't help many people in different states and would like to start a referral network in the US, UK and Canada Who's interested?
31
29
144
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Please help me on this. We hear a lot about depression being a "mood disorder" Can we make a list of the most common actual things that make people depressed? 1) Financial problems 2) Hating your job 3) Going through a break up 4)......
100
23
143
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Those who believe the mental health system is working effectively have truly deluded themselves.
13
42
147
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Does psychiatry cause more harm than other medical specialties? I think so. Here's why: We try to cure the MOST complex problems humans have with overly simple solutions. We treat poverty, relationship stressors, career distress and dietary/substance use problems with drugs.
17
32
141
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Psychiatrists study the DSM to learn how to diagnose psychological symptoms. In the nearly 1000 page book, there is a whopping 5 pages on drug side effects. To make matters worse most doctors don't even know how to look up a drugs side effects from the most recent drug label.
17
45
136
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
I have another hot take that will surely piss people off: I’m worried about the effects of antidepressants taken during pregnancy on the sexual development of the children- we already know they increase the risk of autism- who knows how they might alter sexual maturation for
@_PSSD
Antidepressants are wrecking lives
1 year
Could the rise in people identifying as #asexual have something to do with the fact that we're the most medicated adolescent generation there has ever been? So many people are on #SSRIs that can, in some cases permanently destroy your sexual function. #PSSD Watch full
22
100
249
20
30
134
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
"Its just like taking insulin for diabetes"... probably one of the most misleading and dangerous lies about taking psychiatric medications. It implicitly suggests there is some kind of biological abnormality being righted. Its just drugs people... its a drug effect... thats all
24
29
133
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Overprescribing is the top problem in mental healthcare today. What exactly do I mean? Medications are being prescribed to people who should not be on them, especially those dealing with: 1) Chronic stress (from poverty, dysfunctional relationships, career anxieties, PTSD,
25
49
134
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
10 months
Antidepressant users, would you have taken these medications if you knew all the risks?
34
48
128
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Sometime soon thousands of people will wake up and realize that they were needless medicated for years with antidepressants, because pharma had convinced a whole profession that everyone complaining of depression had a "mood disorders" . I suspect this will happen when
16
33
127
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
What does the head of Harvard Psychiatry have in common with Kylie Jenner? We've all seen influencers on social media: beautiful models using skincare products and extolling their benefits. This marketing strategy is effective because influencers have a large audience that
34
56
128
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
So nice of Pfizer to help with the under diagnoses of depression….- definitely just wanting to help patients and doctors A good article below covering the history of psychiatry most famous depression scale
16
51
123
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
When large groups of people broadcast their mental illness and medication use on social media it makes it seem like taking psychiatric medication is so ubiquitous and normal. To me, a BIG CONSEQUENCE of this is growing an impression that taking psychiatric medication is safe and
19
36
124
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
In the US we have the illusion of a public mental health care system. Most low income groups who encounter the HIGHEST stressors are only offered medications. And There is no access / VERY sparse access to therapy. Giving out meds, makes it look like we are helping when we arent
22
40
126
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
General psychiatry should be one of the most challenging a rewarding careers. Think about it.... A specialty where you need the versatility and wisdom to help people from all walks of life with universal human suffering. Instead we've turned it in a indiscriminating pill
16
26
124
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
7 months
I'm a psychiatrist, but I don't prescribe medications every day... Instead, I help people taper off medications they don't want to be on anymore. #medicationtaper
15
32
127
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
What doctors are told by mainstream journals about antidepressants: 1) well tolerated 2) safe and effective 3) minor side effects 4) promote improvements in depression through improvements in brain chemistry like BDNF Most doctors think this is the most accurate information
38
34
122
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Do you have bipolar disorder? Are you sure? Did you doctor investigate the following before giving you a diagnosis? 1) the possibility of an adverse reaction to an antidepressant 2) the role recreational drug use might have played in your symptoms 3) the role of stimulants
29
30
117
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Many think it is impossible to develop PSSD after a short time on antidepressants. NOT TRUE. People forget It is already accepted knowledge that other psych meds(eg. antipsychotics) can cause permanent neuroproblems(Tardive Dyskinesia) after "brief periods at low doses". #PSSD
4
52
120
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
6 months
Here are 5 reasons you might want to avoid long-term use of antidepressants that your doctor never discussed with you. Before I launch into this, I want to emphasize that this post specifically addresses reasons to consider avoiding long-term antidepressant use. I say that
18
45
117
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
5 months
You may be wondering why I quit, so here it is. #pharmaceutical
16
43
121
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
The work that I am doing may be different than what you were used to hearing. I believe in #informedconsent
19
36
118
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Unfortunately many patients - having been misled by doctors- still believe their depression is like diabetes. And that antidepressant are like insulin, correcting an underlying physical issue. This analogy lulls them into a complacent state where they think the drug is restoring
16
33
118
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
10 months
Here’s some things to look out for with Klonopin.
47
40
114
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Lots of doctors think they have a well informed an unbiased view of the safety and effectiveness psychiatric drugs… they live in a world where they think all the information they hear about meds at conferences and journals is just the “fair handed truth “ about these
14
44
116
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
It’s sad the online forums have been the only place where people can find answers for their drug withdrawal symptoms. #withdrawalsymptoms #benzodiazepinewithdrawal #benzowithdrawal #antidepressantwithdrawal #antidepressantwithdrawalsyndrome
14
43
116
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Persistent sexual dysfunction following antidepressant use has been recognized in the medical literature by a diverse range of independent researchers since 2006. Why has it taken so long to warn patients about this risk!? See here for 48 articles! #PSSD
7
64
117
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
From the WHO "Countries should adopt a higher standard for the free and informed consent to psychotropic drugs given their potential risks of harm in the short and long term (217, 218). Countries, for example, can require written or documented informed consent (e.g. expressed
14
46
115
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Lots of hate yesterday from a tweet suggesting people with bipolar disorder don't just lean on meds for mood stabilization but consider... 1) Stopping ADs (which cause mood instability) 2) Stopping stimulants (clearly) 3) and Addressing life stressors Pretty sure this is the
41
14
110
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
How “voluntary” commitment often works.
26
30
112
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
11 months
People Coming off Years/Decades of Psychiatric Medication: Does anyone relate to feeling like your recovering from amnesia once your off.... because you can't really remember much from your medicated life? I hear this from a lot of my patients and find it shocking. Does this
40
22
109
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Today I'm going to share what I have learned supporting hundreds of patients through the protracted withdrawal over the last four years. This condition scared me to my core when I first encountered it due to the severe pain and distress in this patient population. Now it
25
30
110
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
11 months
Harvard Lawyer (Dr. Jim Gottstein) shares his psych ward horror story, as well as his recovery from bipolar disorder. Full interview:
17
49
111
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
11 months
I talk to lots of people who are coming off decades of medications Here are some of the psychological struggles at the end... 1) Confronting the original problems leading to starting the medications 2) The perplexing state where they feel disconnected from the live of their
21
25
109
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Emotional suffering is a special kind of pain that makes people feel inherently flawed. When society makes people feel like this they are primed to latch onto a "psychiatric diagnosis" so they don't feel like failures. While the diagnosis may help people blame themselves less
11
25
109
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Lots of people want to taper their psychiatric medications without worsen their: 1) anxiety, 2) insomnia, or 3) pain. I hate to say this but the only way off these things is through these things. I just wish the original docs told them this before they started them....
12
23
108
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Too many doctors casually prescribe antidepressants, thinking it’s a harmless approach. They've been convinced that this is a safe treatment path however it isn’t for many. Why this misguided belief in safety? It boils down to falling victim to marketing tactics. Their
13
34
103
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Every day I work with people who have been severely damaged from psych meds that they didn’t need to take in the first place. Stop medicating everything.
8
39
102
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
I’ve tried about 5 different psych meds- probably the worst was xanax Gave me super obsessive ruminative thoughts about a few weeks . What’s the worst one you ever took?
122
15
102
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Interestingly 4 years of psychiatry residency serves more to indoctrinate interns with bad ideas from Commerical medicine rather than teach them to help patients. While many intuitively would naturally to come to ideas such as …. These drugs work through drug effects which can
10
27
104
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
A large proportion of college kids with ADHD don't have a "brain disorder" Frequently its a failure to meet what they believe society expects of them.... Be doctor Be a lawyer Be a banker Be an engineer Honestly, this stuff is boring and not interesting for most kids... Yet
20
29
107
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
14 days
What made a man kill himself, his wife, his daughter, and his granddaughter in Wyoming in 1998? The answer is Paxil—a common antidepressant. But how do these drugs cause suicide and homicide? Antidepressants work by altering neurotransmitters in your brain, which control mood
Tweet media one
14
32
109
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
7 months
People worry when I speak openly about the risks of antidepressants. What do you think about this?
27
33
105
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Tapering from psych meds can take years. Withdrawal symptoms can last years. This isn’t something two weeks in rehab can fix. It takes time.
16
44
107
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
problem is psychiatric meds are sold as if they cure anxiety/depression rather than being a chemical mask for symptoms... if we were honest with patients most would not want to take something to mask symptoms because they intuitively know there really aren't shortcuts out of
13
21
103
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
Should you trust your psychiatrist/family doc with your mental health? I'd be wary if they do the following: 1) Spend less than 15 minutes with you 2) Spend 50% of the time looking at their computer screen 3) Only ever talks to you about medication I can't think of a single
13
23
101
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
7 months
It's time PSSD got some real awareness... My team and I have spent weeks making a video about PSSD that will come out on Monday. Watch the preview here.
Tweet media one
17
43
103
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
The way we classify mental health issues today doesn't fully account for problems that can be caused by the treatments themselves. It's becoming more common to see people's mental health being negatively impacted by the very drugs meant to help them. They might experience
17
34
102
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Tweet media one
8
17
100
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
When it comes to adverse reactions, what should a psychiatrist value more? What they hear from patients? Or what they read in textbooks?
43
27
102
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
The worse polypharmacy happens to patients with Autism and Dementia. Anytime a patient can't provide a good history most docs don't make any effort to look for a clinical timeline that might show that their current symptoms were due to an adverse drug reaction. These vulnerable
13
34
103
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
8 months
Antidepressant users, listen up. Don’t stop abruptly.
12
33
94
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
1 year
The Truth about Antidepressants (coming from a psychiatrist who has worked at the FDA, Pharma, and private practice).
4
37
93
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
5 months
If you were harmed by a psychiatric medication, your story is VERY important. I've created a way that you can share your story to build awareness.
17
47
98
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
9 months
Disgraceful antidepressants prescribing soon to be addressed... Last month, a significant number of psychiatric leaders and politicians voiced their concerns in the BMJ (a highly regarded medical journal.) They urged the government to address the escalating trend of
8
35
94
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
6 months
11
42
96
@taperclinic
Dr. Josef
11 months
Examples of the emails I receive everyday.... Not warning people about PSSD is the ultimate betrayal Dear Dr Witt-Doerring, Could you please explain why I had absolutely no sexual problems with Sertraline after taking it for 10 years whilst just 8 months exposure to
8
29
93