Lived Experiences

When her teenage daughter was diagnosed with an eating disorder, Ashley became something she never expected to be: a parent navigating – and at times challenging – the mental health system. Along the way, she was dismissed as 'anxious,' watched new diagnoses and medications accumulate, and had to relearn to trust her own instincts about her child. This is her account of what it means to advocate fiercely, listen carefully, and know when something 'doesn't feel right' – even when the professionals say otherwise.

After being prescribed sertraline during a period of acute stress and anxiety, Sarah says the drug initially gave her relief — but also led to years of fatigue, gut issues, emotional blunting and, later, a frightening withdrawal experience. Now slowly tapering and searching for stability, she shares the physical and emotional toll of coming off the medication, the hope she has found in peer support, and why she believes patients deserve clearer warnings about psychiatric drug withdrawal.

At 19, Jess was prescribed an antidepressant for panic attacks. The pills quieted the fear. They also quieted her. She spent a decade numb to her own feelings and disconnected from who she was. Breaking free has come at a brutal price.

When Jenny started antidepressants they gave her her life back – until they started taking it away. This is her story of adverse effects, withdrawal, and the long road to reclaiming herself.

Barbara thought coming off her antidepressant would be simple. Instead, she was hospitalised twice, and became so unwell that she thought she was dying. This is her story of survival – and of a medical system that never warned her what withdrawal could do.

For years Ivan was told his pain was purely biological – a life sentence of medication. Only through talking therapy did he discover the truth: healing meant understanding his story, not just treating his brain.