The form my disability manifested in was more than just the usual ADHD symptoms, and was a root cause of severe depression, anxiety, and an intense feeling of 'there's something wrong with me' for most of my adult life. Before I had a name for it and knew how to manage it, I was self-medicating and supplementing my self-worth with the bicycle, which, honestly, saved my life.
One of my earliest cognitive therapy patients asked if we'd spend time exploring his past. He thought we might find patterns that would explain his depression. I was taken aback. I had just discovered a set of powerful, active techniques that helped people change how they felt in the here-and-now. As a psychiatric resident, I had seen that endless venting without specific techniques for change led to little or no relief.
After an extensive review of the literature, the research team included data from 50 randomized controlled trials that included assessment of symptoms following discontinuation of antidepressant medications. Most of the 17,828 individuals in these studies were taking antidepressants for depressive or anxiety disorders. To evaluate withdrawal symptoms, the studies either utilized the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms scale (DESS) or recorded specific adverse events following discontinuation. Of the 50 studies, 19 utilized the DESS and 45 recorded individual symptoms following discontinuation.