Antidepressant Withdrawal:
Supporting Patients with Integrative Therapies for Holistic Care
with Diana Boot, Pharmacist and Naturopath
Overview
In this webinar, Diana Boot will discuss the principles of safely deprescribing antidepressant medications using a gradual, individualized tapering plan. She will highlight the evidence supporting hyperbolic tapering and slower dose reductions to reduce withdrawal effects. She will also clarify the difference between withdrawal symptoms and relapse, highlighting the importance of controlled discontinuation, patient education and close follow-up. Practical strategies for tapering and co-prescribing will be discussed, including the use of evidenced informed nutritional and herbal medicines to help ease withdrawal and support whole-person care.
Objectives
- Understand the key principles of safe antidepressant deprescribing, including gradual and individualized tapering approaches.
- Differentiate between antidepressant withdrawal symptoms and relapse of the underlying condition.
- Apply evidence-informed tapering strategies, including hyperbolic dose reductions based on current research.
- Identify appropriate herbal and nutritional medicines that may support patients during antidepressant withdrawal.
- Integrate shared decision-making and holistic care principles into clinical practice when supporting patients through prescribing.
Bio - Diana Boot, Pharmacist and Naturopath
Diana is a compounding pharmacist and naturopath, with a focus on personalised medicines and appropriate deprescribing of prescription medicines.
Diana and her husband founded Natural Script, a bespoke dispensary service empowering practitioners to create personalised medicines tailored to the specific needs of their patients. She supports practitioners to confidently prescribe high-quality bespoke compounds, including nutritional and pharmaceutical compounds, liquid herbs, herbal creams and pessaries, and practitioner only supplements.
Her clinical practice is focussed on helping patients reduce their reliance on pharmaceutical medicines for mood, gut and cardiometabolic conditions which can be managed effectively with more integrative approaches.
