How I Overcame "Treatment-Resistant" Mental Illness: Laura Delano’s Journey

Listen to this episode from Metabolic Mind on Spotify. Can you safely taper off psychiatric medications? And what are the potential harms of long-term psychiatric care?Laura Delano spent years as a professional patient, navigating psychiatric diagnoses, multiple medications, and a life defined by treatment.In this interview, Laura discusses her 13-year experience as a psychiatric patient, the impact of long-term medication use, and how she took control of her health to successfully taper off multiple psychiatric drugs.Now, as the founder of Inner Compass Initiative and author of Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance (available March 18, 2025), she’s dedicated to helping others navigate informed choices about psychiatric medications, diagnoses, and withdrawal.💡 In this episode, we cover:✅ Laura’s personal story of polypharmacy and its effects✅ The impact of long-term psychiatric medication✅ The challenges of tapering and withdrawal✅ How Laura has rebuilt her life beyond medications✅ How Laura built a nonprofit to support others on the same path✅ The role of diet, lifestyle, and community in mental health recovery✅ Why informed consent is crucial for psychiatric treatment decisions✅ The mission of Inner Compass InitiativeLaura’s new book Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance is available March 18, 2025.⚠️ Trigger Warning: This conversation includes discussion of suicidality and a suicide attempt. Please take care when watching.#MentalHealth #Psychiatry #Deprescribing #PsychiatricMedication #Tapering #MetabolicPsychiatryExpert Featured:Laura DelanoResources Mentioned:Inner Compass Initiativehttps://www.theinnercompass.org/Laura’a New Book: Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistancehttps://www.amazon.com/Unshrunk-Story-Psychiatric-Treatment-Resistance/dp/1984880489The Challenges of Going off Psychiatric Drugshttps://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/08/the-challenge-of-going-off-psychiatric-drugsCMEs Mentioned:Managing Major Mental Illness with Dietary Change: The New Science of Hopehttps://www.mycme.com/courses/managing-major-mental-illness-with-dietary-change-9616Brain Energy: The Metabolic Theory of Mental Illnesshttps://www.mycme.com/courses/brain-energy-the-metabolic-theory-of-mental-illness-9615Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/About us:Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or...