Episode 351: Protracted Withdrawal, Deprescribing, and Metabolic Psychiatry with Keisha Marsolan

Did you know that psychiatric medication withdrawal can sometimes show up months after you've already stopped taking it, and can last for years? In this episode, host Erin Kerry sits down with Keisha Marsolan, a psychiatric nurse practitioner whose life and career changed after a severe antidepressant withdrawal injury. Together, they discuss the difference between acute and protracted withdrawal, why so many prescribers are never trained to recognize either one, informed consent in psychiatric medicine, hyperbolic tapering, and the emerging fields of deprescribing and metabolic psychiatry, including how a ketogenic approach helped Keisha find real relief after nearly a year of debilitating symptoms. You'll also learn why coming off certain antidepressants is nothing like coming off a stimulant like Adderall, how birth control may compound the picture for women who start it before starting an SSRI, and what informed consent should actually look like before starting (or stopping) a psychiatric medication. Whether you're currently on a psychiatric medication, considering coming off one, supporting someone else through withdrawal, or simply want to understand what your prescriber may not have told you, this conversation pairs lived experience with the research behind it. Key Topics * Acute vs. protracted withdrawal — what's the difference, and why it matters * What akathisia feels like and why it's often missed or misdiagnosed * Hyperbolic tapering explained * Deprescribing psychiatric medication safely * Informed consent in psychiatric prescribing * Metabolic psychiatry and how a ketogenic diet affects mental health * The gut microbiome and long-term SSRI use * Birth control's potential role in anxiety and depression * Why some antidepressants are harder to taper than others * Building a support team before attempting a taper * Anchored Metabolic Psychiatry — deprescribing and metabolic health coaching Links Mentioned: * Keisha Marsolan's website: anchored-mp.com * Dr. Georgia Ede (metabolic psychiatry / ketogenic research) * Dr. Mark Horowitz (deprescribing research) * Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring * Angie Peacock (deprescribing advocate) * Dr. James Greenblatt (nutrient cofactors, lithium orotate) * Outro Health * Cold Plunge Cam (on Instagram, deprescribing/withdrawal advocate) * Erin’s mailing list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list