Blind Tapering Vs. Informed Consent | The Gaslit Truth Podcast with Dr. Teralyn Sell & Therapist Jenn Schmitz

The Gaslit Truth Podcast is hosted by Dr. Teralyn Sell and Therapist Jenn Schmitz, where they examine mental health myths, psychiatric medication harm, and informed consent.

In this episode, Dr. Teralyn Sell and Therapist Jenn Schmitz explain blind tapering, the psychology of psychiatric medication withdrawal, and the role of therapy in tapering safely.

What if knowing your dose cut is coming makes you feel worse? These mental mavericks dig into blind tapering—masking dose reductions during psychiatric medication withdrawal—to explore how anticipation, nocebo, and hypervigilance can drive symptoms. Drawing on research from benzodiazepines, hypnotics, and even methadone programs, we unpack why combining taper protocols with behavioral therapy often improves short‑term discontinuation and reduces withdrawal complaints. More importantly, we translate those findings into practical strategies for antidepressants and antipsychotics, where data are thinner but psychology still matters.