The Hidden Dangers of SSRI’s with Dr. Josef Wittdoerring | #295

·1 hr 3 min·5 clips

A former FDA insider explains how a $700,000 industry paycheck dangles as a 'juicy carrot' to regulators.

Kelsi Sheren introduces Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a board-certified psychiatrist and leading expert in psychiatric drug side effects and withdrawal. Dr. Witt-Doerring describes his background, starting as a traditional psychiatrist before becoming disillusioned with the ineffectiveness of long-term medication use. He worked for Johnson & Johnson's Janssen pharmaceutical branch and the FDA, gaining insight into industry practices. He explains the financial incentives and revolving door between regulators and pharmaceutical companies, where salaries can jump from $160,000 at the FDA to $700,000 in industry. The discussion turns to SSRIs, with Dr. Witt-Doerring noting they are approved based on only 3-month clinical trials that measure symptom reduction but not real-world outcomes like employment or relationships. He states that no placebo-controlled studies exist beyond a year, yet many people take these drugs for five years or longer. Kelsi shares her personal experience being on Zoloft during pregnancy without being informed of risks. Dr. Witt-Doerring cites 12 MRI studies showing structural brain changes in newborns exposed to SSRIs in utero and mouse studies linking exposure to autistic-like behaviors. He addresses withdrawal, explaining that 80% of long-term users experience it, with 45% reporting severe symptoms. Rapid tapering can lead to protracted withdrawal, causing brain damage, akathisia, and enduring sexual dysfunction, sometimes driving patients to seek physician-assisted suicide. Dr. Witt-Doerring describes his clinic's approach to supporting patients through slow, safe tapers and the emotional toll of working with severely injured individuals. He advises listeners to educate themselves via his YouTube channel and seek doctors from directories specializing in tapering. Kelsi and Dr. Witt-Doerring discuss the broken state of modern psychiatry, emphasizing the need to address root causes like relationships, meaningful work, and health rather than relying on pills. The episode concludes with Dr. Witt-Doerring sharing resources and expressing regret over past prescriptions, highlighting his commitment to helping people recover.

As heard by us

A skeptical, focused review of SSRI safety, pregnancy concerns, and psychiatric drug withdrawal.

SSRI safety and withdrawal shape this episode as the host questions Dr. Yosef Witt-During about suicidal behavior among people under 25, metabolic problems, pregnancy concerns, and the challenge of tapering psychiatric medication.

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Why you'd press play

You are weighing an SSRI, a taper, or the hard questions around side effects, withdrawal, and pregnancy risk.

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