RFK’s Deprescribing SSRIs Plan Encourages Healing for USA

Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Diane Ridaeus

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by ATMC Clinical Review Team

Simple-but-Powerful Information About Deprescribing Medications

What are SSRIs?

SSRIs are drugs that affect brain chemistry with the aim of relieving specific mental health symptoms. The mechanism of action is unknown according to section 12 of the drug’s label.¹

The longstanding theory proposes that these drugs cause serotonin (a natural and very complex chemical) to be blocked from reuptake. Thus it can build up in brain and other tissues, theorized to lead to an enhanced effect on mood regulation. What is known about serotonin is that it is responsible for thousands of regulatory effects throughout the body. Some effects are excitatory, as in overstimulation in the digestive tract which can lead to diarrhea. Predominantly however, serotonin acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. For example, serotonin can have a dampening effect on outside sources of stimulation, similar to how earplugs dampen bothersome noise.

Serotonin also regulates body temperature, neural activity, appetite, the immune system, cell growth, sleep, energy metabolism, cardiac health, and countless other tasks.^5,6

Why is Gut Health Key to Mental Wellness?

The promotion of antidepressant drugs has been tightly associated with the manipulation of certain natural hormones and neurotransmitters in the human body. The aim has been to chemically correct “errors” in neurotransmission. This treatment method has undergone scrutiny, leading to new horizons of treatment that don’t involve prescription medications, but more holistic ways forward.

Very little serotonin is produced inside the brain tissue, about 5-10%. The remaining 90-95% is produced in the gut. Therefore it is a fundamental of great importance to maintain a healthy gut so the natural neurochemical “factory” that is inbuilt can actually function as it was intended to do.

For more information on the importance of diet, and methods of healing and supporting a healthy gut microbiome, please review these articles:

• The Microbiome and Mental Health
• Your Microbiome Matters for Mental Wellness
• Holistic Detox and Diet: Reliable Foundations of Recovery

What are SSRIs Prescribed to Treat?

SSRIs are prescribed to alleviate depression, but this is not described as an instant fix. It takes between 4 and 6 weeks for SSRIs to “kick in”. Accordingly, clinical trials on antidepressants would have to last longer than 4-6 weeks to show direct causation for such improvements. Interestingly, 88% of clinical pre-marketing trials lasted no longer than 8 weeks.⁷

SSRIs commonly prescribed to treat depression include these:

• Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Paroxetine (Paxil)
• Escitalopram (Lexapro)
• Sertraline (Zoloft)
• Citalopram (Celexa)

The SSRIs above are also prescribed for other issues, some FDA-approved, and some off-label uses. Some examples of FDA-approved use include to alleviate social and general anxiety disorders, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, premenstrual dysphoria disorders, menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, premature ejaculation, and panic attacks.

Off-label Uses of SSRIs

Off-label uses of SSRIs include to prevent or lessen migraine headaches, body dysphoria, diabetic neuropathy, frequent fainting (syncope), to limit inappropriate sexual behaviors in psychiatric or geriatric settings, and fibromyalgia.²

A physician can prescribe a medication without FDA approval or conclusive evidence from clinical research, for many conditions, as in the off-label uses discussed above. For example, the prescribing of SSRIs to quash inappropriate sexual behaviors or to address premature ejaculation comes not from clinical trials, but from observing a common SSRI side effect called PSSD. PSSD means post-SSRI-sexual dysfunction where the sexual organs become unresponsive. PSSD can linger even after discontinuation. Research from Cambridge University warns that serious risks to patients can occur in off-label prescribing.^3,4

What are the Concerns with Overprescribing Psychiatric Medications?

Both on-label and off-label prescribed SSRIs are associated with a very long list of side effects, which are listed out in detail by going to, for example, “Zoloft Side Effects”. Adverse events after SSRI use was tabulated at 80% or higher in a large clinical research trial.⁹ Research shows that for some, these risks can outweigh the benefits, causing a person to decide to stop taking the drug. However, cessation can be a difficult goal as SSRI withdrawal is a complex and sometimes arduous task especially without medical assistance.

Overprescribing SSRIs or other psychiatric medications can stem from various reasons. One drug is prescribed and causes side effects, so another drug is prescribed to suppress those reactions. Another common scenario is lack of efficacy, where additional drugs are prescribed to raise the level of effect. Also a drug may interfere with another prescribed drug causing interactions that complicate matters. And often, these treatment pathways cross over one another, causing a potential cascade of unintended drug side effects.

There can be many reasons why overprescribing can occur, as in the following examples:

• To limit side effect profiles
• Polypharmacy
• Drug-drug interactions
• No or waning efficacy
• Developed tolerance
• Acquired dependence
• Liabilities in long-term use
• Difficulties in SSRI withdrawal being misdiagnosed as relapse, leading to more prescription drugs being administered ¹⁰

What is Deprescribing?

Deprescribing is a relatively new term, that many doctors and pharmacists are beginning to learn more about. Deprescribing means reducing or eliminating medications which have proved unnecessary, or that have led to unwanted adverse side effects or harm, instead of attaining adequate relief of symptoms. Deprescribing involves actions such as tapering, withdrawing, stopping, and discontinuing medications under the care and assistance of a medical doctor.

Historically there has been little in the way of guidelines directed at physicians trying to help their patients reduce or eliminate medications that have not proved successful. As mentioned earlier, doctors have been prone to misdiagnosing drug withdrawals as returning or even newly emerging signs of mental illness. And where drug withdrawal was attempted, little guidance was available to discern the best rate at which to step down. Thankfully, new guidelines are being developed and more widely promoted to provide a safe pathway to drug-free wellness.¹¹

When is Deprescribing Appropriate?

Deprescribing SSRIs or other psychotropic medications is deemed appropriate when the medication’s adverse effects of lack of efficacy outweigh benefits. This is particularly important in cases of polypharmacy, in aging populations, or in other populations where there is a liability attached to continuing the prescription drug or drugs.

Success Stores on Safely Tapering Antidepressants

Here are 4 client testimonials about safely tapering off SSRI meds:

More Information on Coming Off Prescribed Antidepressants Safely

If you or a loved one would like to learn more about safe methods of deprescribing SSRIs or other medications, and holistic pathways for mental wellness that work, please reach out to us. ATMC has been a leader in this field for almost 2 decades now.

for Help with Coming Off SSRIs Safely

Deprescribing SSRIs FAQs

Sources:

1. FDA Drug label Paxil (paroxetine) oral tablets/oral suspension, approval 1992 [cited 2026 May 6]

2. Shaw J, Lai C, Bota P, Le A, Andricioaei A, Tran T, Allee T. The Off-Label Use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors for Sexual Behavior Management: Risks and Considerations. Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Sep 25;13(19):2433. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13192433. PMID: 41095519; PMCID: PMC12524134. [cited 2026 May 6]

3. Alharithi R, Pacifici E. 45 Off-label prescription of common antidepressants: Examination of evidence available to clinicians. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science. 2025;9(s1):15-15. doi:10.1017/cts.2024.730 [cited 2026 May 6]

4. Ben-Sheetrit J, Aizenberg D, Csoka AB, Weizman A, Hermesh H. Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction: Clinical Characterization and Preliminary Assessment of Contributory Factors and Dose-Response Relationship. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2015 Jun;35(3):273-8. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000000300. PMID: 25815755. [cited 2026 May 6]

5. Kanova M, Kohout P. Serotonin-Its Synthesis and Roles in the Healthy and the Critically Ill. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 3;22(9):4837. doi: 10.3390/ijms22094837. PMID: 34063611; PMCID: PMC8124334. [cited 2026 May 6]

6. Martin AM, Young RL, Leong L, Rogers GB, Spencer NJ, Jessup CF, Keating DJ. The Diverse Metabolic Roles of Peripheral Serotonin. Endocrinology. 2017 May 1;158(5):1049-1063. doi: 10.1210/en.2016-1839. PMID: 28323941. [cited 2026 May 6]

7. Ward W, Haslam A, Prasad V Antidepressant Trial Duration Versus Duration of Real-World Use: A Systematic Analysis The American Journal of Medicine, 2025; 138, 1400-1407.e10 [cited 2026 May 6]

8. HHS authors, HHS Launches MHA Action Plan to Curb Psychiatric Overprescribing 05/04/2026 [cited 2026 May 6]

9. Gosmann NP, Costa M de A, Jaeger M de B, et al. Incidence of adverse events and comparative tolerability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and stress disorders: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine. 2023;53(9):3783-3792. doi:10.1017/S0033291723001630 [cited 2026 May 6]

10. Horowitz MA, Davies J. Hidden Costs: The Clinical and Research Pitfalls of Mistaking Antidepressant Withdrawal for Relapse. Psychother Psychosom. 2025;94(1):3-7. doi: 10.1159/000542437. Epub 2024 Nov 28. PMID: 39608324; PMCID: PMC11797942. [cited 2026 May 6]

11. Thompson W, Farrell B. Deprescribing: what is it and what does the evidence tell us? Can J Hosp Pharm. 2013 May;66(3):201-2. doi: 10.4212/cjhp.v66i3.1261. PMID: 23814291; PMCID: PMC3694945. [cited 2026 May 6]

12. Langford A V, et al., What do clinical practice guidelines say about deprescribing?  A scoping review. published in BMJ Quality Safety Briefing: first published as 10.1136/bmjqs-2024-017101 on 24 May 2024. [cited 2026 May 6]

13. Reeve E, Shakib S, Hendrix I, Roberts MS, Wiese MD. Review of deprescribing processes and development of an evidence-based, patient-centred deprescribing process. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2014 Oct;78(4):738-47. doi: 10.1111/bcp.12386. PMID: 24661192; PMCID: PMC4239968. [cited 2026 May 6]

Originally Published May __, 2026 by Diane Ridaeus

This content has been reviewed and approved by:

ATMC Clinical Review Team

The ATMC Clinical Review Team includes licensed physicians and experienced healthcare professionals dedicated to ensuring the accuracy, quality, and integrity of our medical content. The team reviews articles for clinical accuracy, evidence-based guidance, and relevance while supporting Alternative to Meds Center’s whole-person approach to mental health, recovery, and long-term wellness.

Diane Ridaeus

Diane is an avid supporter and researcher of natural mental health strategies. Diane received her medical writing and science communication certification through Stanford University and has published over 3 million words on the topics of holistic health, addiction, recovery, and alternative medicine. She has proudly worked with the Alternative to Meds Center since its inception and is grateful for the opportunity to help the founding members develop this world-class center that has helped so many thousands regain natural mental health.