Recovery and Renewal

Baylissa Frederick pursued post graduate studies in Integrative Counselling at the University of South Wales and is a BACP registered counsellor. She is the founder of Recovery Road, a project supporting individuals affected by antidepressant and tranquilliser withdrawal. She delivers motivational speeches and workshops on recovery, hope and empowerment and has been interviewed and quoted by newspapers and journals including 'The London Times', 'The Independent' and 'British Medical Association News'. She is the author of 'With Hope in My Heart: A Memoir,' and lives in Cardiff, UK.

Preface. Introduction.1. A Faded Memory: My Success Story. 2. How They Work. About Antidepressants. About Sleeping Pills and other Benzodiazepines. Down-regulation. Tolerance. Half-Life. Paradoxical Reaction. Dependency or Addiction? 3. The Basics. “Cold Turkey”. Tapering. Recovery Timeline. 4. Symptoms. Withdrawal or Underlying Issue? Acceptance. 5. Managing Psychological Symptoms. Brain Fog. Depersonalisation and Derealisation. Depressive Thoughts or Low Moods. Paranoid Ideation. Obsessive, Unwanted Thoughts. 'Rational' Mind. 6. Acute Withdrawal. Journal Logs. 7. Post-Acute and Protracted Withdrawal. Journal Logs. Progress Reports. 8. Coping Tools. 9. Stimulants, Supplements and Diet.10. Supporting Someone in Withdrawal. Tips. 11. Suicidal Ideation. What to do if Someone is Suicidal. 12. Counsellors. What Every Counsellor Should Know. 13. Doctors. What Patients Wish Their Doctors Knew. 14. Employment and Debt. 15. Recovery. Journal Logs. The Aftermath. 16. Closure. Letting Go. 17. Your New Chapter. 18. Success Stories. Protracted Duration. Normal Duration. Resources Guide. List of Common Antidepressants. List of Common Benzodiazepines. Equivalence Table. Symptoms A to Z. Bibliography. Index.