Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring

After 10 years as a psychiatrist, I’ve realized there are 10 key lessons I wish I had known from the very beginning. These insights could have made me a far better doctor—and they might help you understand why our current mental health system is failing so many people.

In this video I talk about what really happens if you stop an antidepressant cold turkey. At first it can feel easy, but once the drug leaves your system the withdrawal often hits hard, with symptoms that are commonly mistaken for relapse. For some people things improve after a few months, while for others the process can drag on much longer. I also share the approach I recommend for tapering safely and reducing the risk of these complications.

In this video, I explain the four biggest mistakes doctors make with antidepressants. They rarely take the time to understand the real causes of depression, many still believe the long-debunked chemical imbalance theory, most ignore their patients once they’ve started the drug, and few recognize the serious long-term risks that come with continued use.

If you’ve ever been handed a prescription after a seven-minute visit, you need to hear this. These drugs are not benign, and blind trust in rushed, undertrained prescribers can have life-altering consequences. Stay to the end as I share why informed, careful deprescribing is often the safest path forward.

Probably a fifth of the entire American population is on SSRIs. Psychiatrist Josef Witt-Doerring explains why that’s terrifying and dangerous.

What’s better for depression—: antidepressants or psychedelics?

In this video, I walk you through the five biggest differences so you can see how they compare.

Antidepressants work by creating a daily drug effect, while psychedelics like psilocybin or MDMA are used in therapy to shift perspective and sometimes bring lasting change. I’ll cover effectiveness, side effects, convenience, and cost—including what a major trial found when psilocybin was compared to Lexapro.

TikTok is shaping how millions think about psychiatric meds—but are these viral videos telling the truth? From “Live, Laugh, Lexapro” to celebrity endorsements and even dogs on Prozac, I react to the most popular psychiatry TikToks and break down what they get right, what they get wrong, and why the chemical imbalance story refuses to die.

Illinois just became the first state in the U.S. to roll out universal mental health screenings for students in grades 3–12. Supporters say it will help kids get the support they need. But in reality, it will fast-track thousands of children into a broken mental health system that too often defaults to psychiatric drugs.

In this video, I break down why these screenings are far riskier than they seem, and why parents should think twice before letting the state decide their child’s mental health needs.

Most people assume doctors have the training to prescribe psychiatric medications safely. The truth is, many are unintentionally creating a generation of chronically medicated- and often disabled- patients.

In this video, I walk you through the seven-step process that turns essentially normal people into lifelong psychiatric patients. From the moment you step into your doctor’s office with a real-life problem, to being labeled “treatment resistant” years later, I’ll show you exactly how this system traps people- and why so few ever make it out.

In this video, I explain what happens when a baby who has been exposed to SSRIs in the womb is suddenly cut off at birth, along with the symptoms which could occur.

Sperm counts have dropped over 50% since the 1970s- and SSRIs might be making it worse.
In this video, I break down the overlooked research showing how antidepressants like Prozac, Paxil, and Lexapro may damage sperm quality, reduce testosterone, and even cause lasting testicular harm- especially when taken long term.

Most people think antidepressants are either life-saving or dangerous, but the truth is that both can be true. I’ve seen that almost everyone on long-term antidepressants passes through three distinct stages.

In this video, I discuss what the research shows about how SSRIs can affect a baby’s brain development and why so few doctors are talking about it.

In this video, I explain why doctors at prestigious institutions like Harvard and Stanford often have huge blind spots regarding the harms of the meds they prescribe. I reveal how academic medical centers became deeply entangled with pharmaceutical companies, how ghostwritten articles distort the medical literature, and how media organizations funded by pharma shape public perception.

This is about how prestige and careerism quietly corrupt the institutions we’re told to trust most. If you've ever wondered why your doctor seems unaware of medication withdrawal, or why harmful drugs keep getting pushed, this video will make things a lot clearer.

After helping over 500 patients taper off psychiatric meds, I’ve developed strong opinions about which drugs are worth it—and which ones do more harm than good. In this video, I rank the best and worst psychiatric medications based on their effects, side effects, and withdrawal risks.
From SSRIs and antipsychotics to stimulants and older drugs like tricyclics, I break down what I’ve seen work in real-world practice—and what I’d avoid for myself or a loved one.

One of the most dangerous effects of psychiatric medication isn't a side effect - it's how these drugs can change the way you see yourself.

After working with over 500 patients over the last five years, I've seen which medications are relatively easy to come off, and which ones can lead to severe, even long-lasting, withdrawal symptoms. In this video, I rank the most common psychiatric drugs from easiest to hardest to discontinue, based on real-world clinical experience.

In this gripping interview, former FDA medical officer and psychiatrist Dr. Josef Witt-Doering joins Moral Medicine to reveal how the regulatory system is failing the very people it's meant to protect. Drawing from his insider experience, Dr. Witt-Doering explains how pharmaceutical companies influence medical research, dominate academic psychiatry, and distort informed consent - leaving millions of patients vulnerable to life-altering harm.

The Top 5 Scandals that have shattered public trust in psychiatrists and the institutions that back them. From the chemical imbalance myth to the cover-up of long-term drug harms, you'll learn what's really been happening behind closed doors - and why so many patients come out of the system worse than when they went in.

In this video you'll learn how antidepressants increase suicidal behavior in people, how they can trigger dangerous emotional states like akathisia and mania, and how withdrawal can lead to devastating outcomes.

Today, I'm diving into antidepressant TikTok. Let's see what's good and what's dangerous here.

Psychiatry often offers labels instead of solutions and prescriptions instead of healing. This video breaks down the top 20 truths about psychiatric drugs, diagnoses, withdrawal, and the hidden risks rarely discussed by mainstream medicine.

I'm sharing the 10 most buried risks of these medications - risks that most doctors don't talk about, and that I wasn't taught either.

In this video we dive deep into a chilling controversy that many are afraid to talk about. This video uncovers real-life incidents, medical research, and hidden FDA warnings that may link antidepressant use to acts of violence.

​

RFK Jr. called for an investigation into the overprescribing of psychiatric meds and now the pharma-aligned media is panicking. In this video, I respond to a carousel by Impact that claims to 'debunk SSRI misinformation.'

A wake-up call about the hidden relationship side effects of antidepressants. Doctors rarely mention the effect medications can have on relationships - often because they've never been trained to look for them.

Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a board-certified psychiatrist, former FDA medical officer, and co-founder of TaperClinic, is here to shatter the myths around psychiatric meds and withdrawal. With years of experience in drug safety and mental health, he's on a mission to help you safely taper off and take control of your mental health - without the brain zaps and emotional chaos.

Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring is a board certified psychiatrist, former FDA medical officer, and director of the Taper Clinic. He treats patients suffering from post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), and protracted withdrawal - two conditions becoming more common, and in some cases permanent, in people who have stopped taking antidepressants.

Right now, 1 in 5 Americans is taking a psychiatric medication - but should they be? In this video, I break down what's really driving the overuse; pharmaceutical industry, biased research, and media manipulation have shaped public perception, making these drugs seem far safer and more effective than they actually are.

Zyprexa, marketed as a safer antipsychotic, earned Eli Lilly billions. However, it caused severe side effects like massive weight gain, diabetes, and lasting metabolic damage for many patients. Eli Lilly was aware of this harm yet concealed the truth while aggressively marketing the drug for unapproved uses. This isn't just one drug's story; it highlights a larger issue of pharmaceutical companies prioritizing profits over patient safety.

In this video, I break down the research on antidepressant withdrawal and reveal how long withdrawal can last. I cover the difference between normal and protracted withdrawal, and why some people suffer for years after stopping these medications.

Here I outline the things people should consider before they start their tapering journey.

In this video, I react to a recent video posted by ?@MattWalsh?

The mental health care system in the US is broken - and in this video, I'm explaining why you should think twice before telling your doctor you're depressed.

Thomas Kingston had it all - a successful career, a loving family, and a bright future. But after experiencing sleep issues due to stress, he was prescribed SSRI antidepressants. Within days, his life took a devastating turn.

RFK Jr. faced the Senate confirmation hearing and had a heated discussion with Senator Tina Smith about a possible link between SSRIs and school shootings. Are these medications as safe as we're told?

Dr. Bret Scher interviews Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in tapering and deprescribing psychiatric medications. Dr. Josef combines his expertise in pharmaceutical safety, clinical psychiatry, and metabolic therapies to help patients safely transition off long-term medications.

In this video, Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a board-certified psychiatrist and former FDA medical officer, dives deep into how antidepressant trials are conducted and exposes the hidden flaws in the research.

​

Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring dives deep into the drug label for Effexor XR or venlafaxine XR. With a rich background from his roles at the FDA and in clinical research, Dr. Witt-Doerring highlights crucial information you need to know before starting this treatment.

Have you ever craved alcohol more after starting an antidepressant? You are not alone. Join Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a board-certified psychiatrist and drug safety expert to learn more about this phenomenon.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​