Deprescribing in Psychiatry

The current state of medicine has witnessed the long-term adverse effects of certain medications, an increased rate of polypharmacy, and a cultural shift that emphasizes patient-centered practice. The term deprescribing refers to the optimization of the pharmacological regimen by reducing or cessing medications that incur more risks than benefits. Many people consider stopping their psychiatric medications, but prescribers may not know how to do this in a collaborative, systematic way. Deprescribing in Psychiatry presents a framework for deprescribing to guide the prescriber-patient dyad through the process of deciding if and when to reduce psychiatric medication, how to go about doing it, and at the same time, acknowledge the inherent risks in such an endeavour. As the first book on the subject, Deprescribing in Psychiatry stands to serve as a definitive text in this burgeoning field and as a ‘rallying call’ to raise crucial and topical questions in psychiatric practice, promote innovation, and act as a resource on the current state-of-the-art care. It describes the ins and outs of how clinicians can work closely with their patients to consider whether or not to try decreasing medications. It also discusses the anticipated future research directions, considerations for the field, and emphasizes collaboration with the patient, transparency, and the acknowledgement of uncertainty in psychiatric practice.