Advertise on podcast: The Gaslit Truth Podcast

Send us Fan Mail A psychiatrist with 37 years in the field and more than 30,000 patients sits down with us and says something most professionals won’t say out loud: he knew from day one that parts of what he was taught were wrong. Dr. Fred Moss joins the Gaslit Truth Podcast to unpack how the mental health system can turn normal human struggle into pathology, why DSM diagnosis often becomes “alphabet soup,” and how quickly a label can shift from helpful language to a lifelong identity. If you’ve ever felt reduced to ADHD, bipolar, ODD, or any other code, you’ll recognize the tension we’re naming.  We also dig into the uncomfortable side of “expert culture.” Clients often arrive furious when we don’t hand them a neat answer, especially after spending years chasing lettered therapies and quick fixes. Fred talks about living a split reality: staying competent in traditional psychiatry and medication management while believing that connection and communication matter more than protocols. We get specific about how risk assessment can be driven by fear of litigation, and how “informed consent” can quietly become a legal shield instead of a human conversation.  Then we go to the turning point Fred describes in 2006, when he began taking patients off psychiatric medications and saw many improve in ways he didn’t expect. It raises big questions about overmedication, tapering, withdrawal education, and whether parts of the system are built to perpetuate the very problems they claim to treat. We close with the core takeaway we can’t stop thinking about: there may be nothing wrong with you, and human connection is the heart of healing.  If this resonates, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s tired of being labeled, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail A brutal headache sounds simple until it becomes the doorway to years of antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids, and a procedure that can erase memories. We’re joined by writer and poetry therapist Ann Bracken, whose life mirrors a painful family pattern: she watches her mother get treated for depression and anxiety through heavy medication and dozens of ECT treatments, vows it won’t happen to her, then finds herself pulled into the same current.  We talk through how emotional distress can show up as physical pain, how the chemical imbalance narrative can shut down curiosity, and how “help” can turn into overmedication when informed consent is missing. Ann shares what it’s like to be offered MS Contin and OxyContin for chronic headache, to be told not to cut a pill in half without being told why, and to feel “psychic numbing” that makes life feel unreachable. We also unpack ECT from the patient’s seat: the fear, the sales pitch, the confusion, and the memory black holes that follow.  Then the conversation turns toward agency and recovery. Ann explains how poetry therapy, journaling, self-compassion, spiritual support, and paying attention to what pain is communicating help her step off the medical merry-go-round, taper medications, and make hard choices about the relationships around her. If you’re searching for real-talk mental health stories about antidepressants, SSRIs, tapering, opioid prescribing, ECT side effects, chronic migraine, and trauma, this one will stay with you.  Subscribe for more, share this with someone navigating meds or chronic pain, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail One medication switch shouldn’t be able to rewrite your whole life, but that’s exactly what a prescribing cascade can do. We sit down with Senthil, who traces a startling path from long-term blood pressure treatment to an ER visit, an “anxiety” label, and a rapid pileup of prescriptions that includes benzodiazepines, SSRIs, sleep meds, and an antipsychotic. The most chilling part is how quickly the experience changes his mind and body: insomnia, racing thoughts, GI distress, and suicidal intrusive thoughts that feel alien to who he’s always been.  We talk candidly about informed consent and what happens when clinicians treat the crisis version of a person without zooming out to ask what caused the crisis. Sendel describes being told not to Google medications, being given diagnoses after the fact, and being bounced through “doctor shopping” that’s really a search for someone to listen. The conversation also gets real about the hidden costs: fear of being near his newborn twins because of harm thoughts, strain at home, brain fog at work, and sexual dysfunction that he links to antidepressant effects.  Then we shift to what helped: learning from patient-led education, documentaries like Medicating Normal, and peer communities, plus a long, careful taper using the Ashton Manual. We also highlight overlooked basics that can intensify nervous system symptoms, including vitamin D and vitamin B12 deficiency, nutrition, and stress load. If you’ve been searching for answers about benzodiazepine withdrawal, antidepressant withdrawal, polypharmacy, and safe tapering, Sendel’s story offers hard-won clarity and practical hope. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail You keep hearing that longevity is about pricey supplements, constant lab tests, and the latest biohacking gadget. We don’t buy it, and neither does our guest, Ron Russell, author of Longevity Visa and founder of LongevityVisa.com. Ron is also a longtime vegan chef who has cooked for clinical cardiology patients and taught hundreds of plant-based cooking classes, so he lives at the intersection of real-world food and longevity science. We start with a question most of us are quietly asking: if you want to eat for the health you want 20 years from now, what should be on your plate today? Ron makes the case for whole natural foods over ultra-processed convenience meals, then gets specific about high-impact staples like dark leafy greens, legumes, berries, and other anti-inflammatory foods. We also break down what “Blue Zones” actually are, what their diets have in common, and why the goal is health span, not just a longer life. Then we map out a practical longevity framework you can apply immediately: nutrition, fasting (including intermittent fasting), movement plus strength, and mind-body habits like stress management and gratitude. We talk sleep hygiene basics, why “genetics made me do it” is often a story we’ve been taught, and how budget-friendly foods like beans and lentils can make healthy eating more accessible than people think. If you want a simple, repeatable longevity plan that fits real life, this conversation is your starting line. Subscribe for more grounded health conversations, share this with a friend who’s overwhelmed by wellness advice, and leave a review so more people can find the show. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail “Bone on bone.” “You’re just getting older.” “PT didn’t work.” Those phrases can trap people in fear, passivity, and expensive next steps. We sit down with Dr. Clayton Durr, PT, DPT, host of Heal Without Harm, to break down what effective physical therapy should look like when the goal is real recovery, not cookie-cutter visits and endless appointments. We talk about why strength training is one of the most underprescribed tools in healthcare, and how building muscle over time can change pain, mobility, and quality of life. We also get specific about expectations: strength and tissue capacity don’t transform in two weeks, and when we chase instant relief we often mistake a normal process for failure. Along the way, we draw a sharp line between soreness and pain, and explain why language matters so much for both physical rehab and mental health. Then we zoom out to the big levers that decide whether your body can actually heal: protein intake and total calories, sleep, hydration, and stress management. Dr. Durr shares a simple “house rebuild” metaphor that makes the rehab process click, plus what he’s seen with surgery cascades, neurogenic inhibition, and even sham surgery research that highlights the power of belief. If you’ve ever been told a scary story about your MRI, knee arthritis, or back pain, this conversation will help you ask better questions and choose smarter next steps. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s stuck, and leave a review telling us the most unhelpful line you’ve heard about pain. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Peter Breggin has spent more than 50 years challenging psychiatry. But this is the story behind the man who challenged it. In this rare and deeply personal conversation, Dr. Peter Breggin and Ginger Breggin take us beyond psychiatric drugs, diagnoses, and controversy—and into the experiences that shaped his life. Peter shares stories he says he has never publicly told before. He talks about growing up without the love he needed from his mother and the 16-year-old Black girl who cared for him and showed him what love could feel like. He describes learning about the Nazi concentration camps as a child and the vow that helped shape his lifelong commitment to protecting vulnerable people. He takes us inside his early experiences in psychiatry: what he witnessed in state mental hospitals, racism toward Black children, institutional power, and the moments that made him begin questioning the profession he had entered. We also explore memory, emotional deprivation, psychiatric drug effects, emotional blunting, SSRIs, withdrawal, informed consent, and Peter’s belief that psychiatric medications can interfere with the human capacity for connection, empathy, and love. And then there is Ginger. Peter tells us why he believes Ginger saved his life and what finding his lifelong love meant after a childhood spent searching for it. You may know Dr. Peter Breggin’s books. You may know his battles with psychiatry. You may even strongly agree—or disagree—with his work. But you probably don't know this story. Dr. Peter Breggin: The Story He’s Never Told. ▶️ Watch the full conversation, subscribe to The Gaslit Truth Podcast, and tell us in the comments: Did anything you learned about Peter Breggin change how you understand the man behind his work? We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail Normal labs. Normal CT scan. Abnormal suffering. That gap is where millions of people live with chronic nausea, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and pain, then get brushed off as “just anxiety.” We sit down with Dr. Rick, an ER doctor and founder of Belly MD, to unpack why “mystery belly pain” has become a huge slice of emergency medicine and why the old hardware-only mindset fails people when the real problem is nervous system signaling.  We dig into the gut-brain connection and the enteric nervous system, including how the vagus nerve acts like a two-way superhighway between stress, inflammation, and digestion. Dr. Rick uses GLP-1 medications as a clear example of brain-driven gut change, then talks through why side effects like nausea and SIBO can hit some people hard while others feel fine. From there, we connect the dots to psychiatric medications, especially SSRIs and SNRIs, and why tapering off can trigger intense IBS-like symptoms for some people.  A big “wait, what?” moment is thiamine (vitamin B1). Dr. Rick explains how functional B1 issues can show up as fatigue, tingling, nausea, vomiting, and pain, why common food fortification may not solve absorption and mitochondrial needs, and why magnesium matters as a key partner. We also preview his upcoming Me Gnome app (launching August 12) built around phenomic intelligence to personalize gut-brain patterns without the usual one-size-fits-all advice.  If this helps you, subscribe, share it with someone who keeps getting dismissed, and leave a review so more people can find real answers. What gut symptom do you want us to tackle next? We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail A case like this doesn’t just raise questions about one family, it forces us to confront what happens when postpartum mental health care becomes a series of disconnected appointments and escalating prescriptions. We dig into the civil lawsuit tied to the Lindsay Clancy case and lay out the documented timeline: worsening insomnia, severe anxiety, dissociation, emotional numbing, intrusive thoughts, and ultimately command hallucinations, all while medications are started, stopped, increased, and switched across multiple classes. We talk plainly about psychiatric polypharmacy, adverse drug reactions, and how quickly “side effects” can be reframed as a new diagnosis that drives even more medication. We also wrestle with the real-world courtroom problem of labels, including the pressure to anchor everything to a bipolar disorder narrative versus taking seriously the possibility of pharmacologically induced deterioration. Along the way, we highlight the repeated moments where Lindsay and her family reach out for help, only to face dismissal, short visits, siloed providers, and care that doesn’t fully integrate postpartum risk, sleep collapse, and women’s health realities. We also critique gaps in the standard of care: limited coordination between inpatient and outpatient teams, the quality of suicide hotline triage, and the lack of curiosity about hormones, thyroid issues, and other postpartum biological factors that can amplify psychiatric symptoms. If you care about postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, patient safety, and medical negligence, this conversation is heavy but necessary. Subscribe, share the episode with someone who cares about maternal mental health, and leave a review so more people can find it. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail “Once a cheater, always a cheater” is one of the stickiest relationship clichés on the internet, and it shapes how people judge themselves and their partners after betrayal. We sit down with psychologist Dr. Kathy Nickerson to put real data next to the hot takes, including findings from her large infidelity survey and her work alongside Dr. John Gottman. What emerges is a more complex, more human picture of cheating, regret, and why many couples choose reconciliation after infidelity. We talk about the myths that do the most damage: that cheaters only feel remorse when they’re caught, that most are narcissists who never change, and that love can’t exist if someone cheats. We also name the lived reality for the betrayed partner: betrayal trauma can feel like a psychological blast radius where safety, identity, and even your memories get questioned. From there we get practical about healing without self-blame, especially when mental health labels like anxiety or depression get twisted into “reasons” that a partner strayed. Then we dig into limerence and the affair fog, the obsessive fantasy bond that can make an affair feel like destiny. Dr. Nickerson explains what limerence is, why it can hit hard, and what helps people step back into reality: ending contact, stopping the fantasy loop, getting individual support, and rebuilding connection in the primary relationship. We also explore morality under pain, how people rationalize the irrational, and why a terrible choice doesn’t have to become someone’s permanent identity. If you’re navigating affair recovery, couples therapy after infidelity, or the brutal question of whether to stay or go, this conversation gives you language, research, and grounded hope. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the myth you want us to tackle next. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail Feeling “better” on an SSRI is real and so is the moment it stops feeling like you. We talk with Mark, known as The Health Files, about his citalopram (Celexa) experience: a first year of relief followed by a slow slide into emotional blunting, lost sleep, memory problems, irritability, and sexual side effects that shook his identity and his relationship. As he tells it, the most destabilizing part wasn’t only the symptoms, it was being repeatedly dismissed by clinicians and told the medication couldn’t possibly be involved. If you’ve searched for SSRI side effects, antidepressant numbness, or why you don’t feel like yourself anymore, this conversation puts language to what that can look like day to day.  We also get practical about antidepressant withdrawal and tapering. Mark describes what happened when he tried to come off too quickly and got hit with brain zaps, neuropathy, extreme sensitivity, and worsening autoimmune flares alongside lupus and Sjogren’s. We unpack why protecting the nervous system matters, why healing is nonlinear, and how slow reductions, precise dosing, and compounded liquid can be part of a safer plan. This is not medical advice, but it is a grounded look at what patients are often forced to learn on their own.  Finally, we zoom out to the community piece. Mark opens up about grief, regret, and self-forgiveness, and we address the online fights that erupt over wording like “addiction” versus “dependence” when someone is in pain. Our goal is honesty without cruelty and support without gatekeeping. If this resonates, subscribe to Gaslit Truth Podcast, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail A single hospital IV can change the next 27 years of your life, especially when the system decides your body’s alarm is “just anxiety.” We sit down with Kathy Toll, a relentless advocate whose TikTok accounts get shut down again and again, and she tells the story behind the bans: akathisia, medication injury, and the kind of medical gaslighting that turns a clear adverse drug reaction into a lifelong psychiatric label. Kathy walks us through the moment it started, how an anti-nausea medication (Stemetil/Compazine) triggered that terrifying “jumping out of my skin” state, and how quickly clinicians reframed it as panic disorder. From there we unpack the long trail of SSRI switches, benzos, and symptom flare-ups that kept getting dismissed as “mental health.” We also talk about what happened when an ADHD diagnosis entered the picture, why “you can just switch” can be dangerous advice, and how labels in your records can ripple into everything from treatment decisions to disability determinations. We don’t leave it in the dark, though. Kathy shares what healing looks like in real time: windows and waves, sensory “wakefulness,” and learning to build boundaries while carrying other people’s stories. We also get practical about nervous system support, including morning light for circadian rhythm regulation and simple body-based tools that help her ride out surges without another prescription. If you’ve ever wondered whether your “anxiety” could be a medication side effect or antidepressant withdrawal, this conversation will give you language, questions to ask, and a lot of validation. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find Gaslit Truth. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail “Safe and effective” sounds like a promise, but what if it’s just a marketing stamp pasted over weak benefit and loud safety signals? We sit down with psych nurse David Wayne (Describe Health on X) to dissect the Strawn et al. clinical trial that helped push Lexapro (escitalopram) for pediatric anxiety and to ask the question parents deserve answered: what does “works” mean if the child doesn’t actually feel better? We dig into how anxiety outcomes are measured using tools like the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS), why conflicts of interest should be a first-stop red flag, and how an eight-week SSRI study can claim success on a 1.4-point difference even when a 4-point change is what’s considered clinically noticeable. We also translate the stats tricks that confuse the public, including number needed to treat and the way relative risk versus absolute risk can completely change how a headline sounds. Then we get into the harms that don’t fit on the glossy label: suicidality signals (9.5% on Lexapro vs 1.5% on placebo, including a suicide attempt), “activation syndrome” that can resemble akathisia, and why sexual side effects and Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD) are too often omitted, minimized, or blamed on the patient. David also shares real advocacy wins, including pushing UpToDate to add PSSD as a class warning for SSRI and SNRI antidepressants, plus a jaw-dropping tapering problem where discontinuation claims don’t match what actually happened. Subscribe, share this with a parent or clinician, and leave a review with the question you want answered next. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail Schools are getting sued, teachers are burning out, and parents keep hearing the same slippery phrases: “reasonable accommodations,” “board policy,” and “trust the process.” We’re not buying it. We sit down with family law attorney Jason Wright to explain why special education support so often turns into delay, confusion, and conflict, especially when districts treat every request like a threat to their limited resources. We get specific about how the system works in real life: why parents are labeled as “biased” the moment they push back, why having an advocate can change the tone in the room, and how grievance procedures can quietly become a trap. Jason breaks down what “exhausting administrative remedies” looks like, how districts can steer families away from the correct process, and why paperwork and timelines matter more than most parents are ever told. We also tackle the most sensitive part head-on: mental health labels in schools, including ADHD. We talk about the pressure some families feel to pursue diagnosis or medication just to unlock services, and why informed consent should include the long-term risks. Those labels can show up later in military eligibility, federal job applications, and insurance, even if the child outgrows the issue. We close with clear explanations of 504 plans vs IEPs, what ARD meetings really feel like, and a myth we want gone for good: IEPs do not automatically follow students into college. If this hit home, subscribe, share this with another parent or teacher, and leave us a review so more families can find it. What’s the most confusing or infuriating thing you’ve been told about an IEP, a 504 plan, or “reasonable accommodations”? We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail Nobody tells you that one “helpful” prescription can echo for decades, but that’s exactly what Martin Cranford lived. After 9-11, with aviation layoffs looming and a first baby on the way, anxiety shows up fast and an SSRI seems like the obvious answer. Years later, a new problem appears: Restless Leg Syndrome. What follows is a real-world look at how SSRI side effects, dopamine agonists like pramipexole, and the nightmare of augmentation can collide with a too-fast taper and turn a treatable symptom into a full-body crisis. We walk through what restless legs actually feels like, how it can mimic or overlap with akathisia, and why rapid medication changes can destabilize mood, sleep, and identity. Martin shares the hard parts that don’t fit neatly into a chart note: gabapentin making him feel mentally absent, repeated short hospital stays with constant med swapping, and the gut-punch of being dismissed when he asks whether withdrawal could be driving the symptoms. If you’ve ever searched “psychiatric medication withdrawal,” “gabapentin withdrawal,” “benzo taper,” or “polypharmacy,” this conversation puts lived experience to those keywords. The most hopeful part is also the most practical: what helped when the medical system stopped connecting the dots. We talk lifestyle triggers like alcohol and sugar, the role of iron and other nutrient deficiencies, and a huge missing clue from Martin’s history: prior stomach surgery and possible nutrient absorption issues that no one thought to check for decades. We also dig into dopamine’s role in reward and impulse control, including the uncomfortable truth that certain meds can spark urges like gambling or heavier drinking. If you’ve been told to “stop researching and trust us,” you’re not alone. Subscribe, share this with someone navigating medication side effects, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz

Send us Fan Mail The recovery world loves simple rules, but real people are complicated. We’re joined by Michael Gonzales, a veteran interventionist known for challenging the one size fits all approach to addiction treatment. Michael gets brutally honest about the years he spent presenting an abstinence-only story while privately using cannabis to manage PTSD, function in daily life, and keep moving forward. We talk about the hidden shame that comes with “purity tests” in recovery culture, and what it costs when professionals and communities punish honesty instead of supporting stability. We also get practical and specific about harm reduction. Michael breaks down medical cannabis versus recreational cannabis, why sourcing and grow standards matter, and what RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) is in plain language. We connect those ideas to what we see in mental health every day: misdiagnosis, overmedication, and the need for careful deprescribing that respects neuroadaptation rather than pushing cold-turkey solutions. We make room for nuance too, including when cannabis may be risky, why screening for psychosis vulnerability matters, and why “two truths” can exist at once. Then we pull back the curtain on the business side of recovery: questionable credentialing, pay-to-play certifications, and what can go wrong when treatment decisions get tangled with money, reputation, and media. Michael shares what he witnessed on reality TV and why exploitation can replace true client-centered care, plus what he believes actually works: family systems work, non-shaming conversations, and interventions built on trust instead of surprise ambushes. If you care about ethical addiction treatment, trauma-informed recovery, and real-world mental health solutions, listen through to the end. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a new framework, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. We're recruiting for a first-of-its-kind psychiatric medication withdrawal research study. If you've experienced psychiatric medication withdrawal, you may be eligible to participate.  Email [email protected] to learn more.  Savorista Coffee is offering our listeners 25% off their premium craft decaf and half caf blends with bold flavors, ethically sourced beans, and natural decaffeination. Small-batch roasted for exceptional taste. E Use promo code GASLIT at checkout!  https://savorista.com/discount/GASLIT 💊 Ready to Deprescribe Your Psych Meds? Psych meds have harmed us—and we’re not just survivors, we’re deeply educated in psychopharmacology, psychology, and nutrition. As hosts of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, we guide people safely off psychiatric medications with strategies grounded in science and brain health 🔥 You’ve been harmed. You’ve been dismissed. It’s time to take your brain back—with guidance from people who’ve been there and know their stuff. Support the show Are you tired of being gaslit and want to DEEP THROAT some more truth? We want to hear from you!  Message us your gaslit stories at [email protected] While you are at it, Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube @thegaslittruthpodcast.   Be sure to Hit that subscribe button and get alerts for more episodes!  Thanks for listening! Follow Us individually at Dr. Teralyn: Instagram @Dr_TeralynFacebook  @DrTeralynTik Tok @Dr_TeralynTherapist Jenn:  Instagram @TherapistJenTikTok @Jenn.Schmitz