Some people see a psychiatric provider on a regular basis, while others only seek short-term support.
Stopping psychiatric care should always be done under the guidance of your psychiatric provider and other providers — especially if you’re taking medication.
You can return to psychiatric care at any point, so stepping away doesn’t have to be permanent.
Seeing a psychiatrist or a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an effective way to manage your mental health — especially if you live with a mental health condition. Some people receive psychiatric care their entire lives.
There are many reasons why you may want to step away from psychiatric care. Some reasons may be tied to the progress you’ve made with psychiatry. Other reasons may be more connected to your personal preferences. Deciding to stop seeing a psychiatrist is a personal decision. But it’s important to understand how to stop psychiatry in a safe way that protects your mental health.
Why some people step away from psychiatry
Some people choose to receive psychiatric services and/or take psychiatric medication their entire lives. Others may choose to see a psychiatric provider temporarily. Both decisions are valid, as long as you’re consulting with other medical providers to make sure you’re making the safest choices for your well-being.
Some safe and responsible reasons to stop seeing a psychiatrist include:
You’ve tapered off of your psychiatric medication safely.
Your symptoms have improved to the point where you’ve been able to stop medication and maintain your progress.
You’re receiving another type of mental healthcare, like therapy, that’s been more effective for you than psychiatric medication.
You’ve talked to your psychiatric provider, and you both agree that you’re ready to step away from care.
You’ve been taking your medication for a long time, your symptoms are stable, and you don’t have any side effects (you may no longer need follow-up appointments and can continue to get your medication prescribed by a GP).
Other times, you may want to reconsider whether stepping away from psychiatric care is truly the right decision for you. It could be cause for concern if you want to step away from psychiatry for these reasons:
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You don’t like the side effects of medication
Your psychiatric provider can adjust your dosage or switch your medication altogether. If side effects are so uncomfortable that you don’t want to keep taking your medication, you have other options.
You feel better on the medication and feel you no longer need it
Sometimes, symptoms go away thanks to medication. But they may come back once you stop. You should always receive psychiatric care while you taper off medication.
You don’t believe it will help
If you have doubts about the benefits of psychiatry, talk to your provider. They can explain how this field of medicine works and how it could benefit your quality of life.
Your psychiatric provider isn’t the right fit
Having a strong patient-provider relationship with your psychiatric provider definitely matters. But you don’t need to walk away from psychiatry altogether because one provider isn’t the right fit. It’s OK to switch psychiatrists to one who you connect with better.
You can’t afford it
Financial barriers are absolutely valid and sometimes can’t be avoided. If possible, try to consider other psychiatric care options. Not getting the care you need could result in worse symptoms and more healthcare expenses over time.
You feel pressure from others
Sometimes, family, friends, or even cultural stigma around psychiatry may influence your decision to stop psychiatric care. What matters most is whether psychiatric care is helpful for you, not what others think.
What happens when you stop seeing your psychiatrist
If you’re ready to stop seeing your psychiatrist, it’s important to continue showing up to appointments. Stopping psychiatric treatment suddenly could be risky and even dangerous. Many psychiatric medications come with severe withdrawal symptoms. It’s possible to taper off them safely, but you’ll need your psychiatric provider’s guidance while you do so.
If you think that you might be ready to stop seeing your psychiatrist, consider taking the following steps when possible.
1. Tell your psychiatric provider
The first step when you think you might be ready to stop psychiatric care is to talk to your psychiatric provider. Let them know the reasons why you think you no longer need psychiatry. Your psychiatric provider can help you reflect on the progress you’ve made and how your symptoms have changed over time.
They can also give you their honest medical opinion about whether they think you’re ready to step away and what that could mean for your mental health. If you want to stop taking medication altogether, it’s important to talk to your psychiatric provider about how to do so safely. You should continue seeing your psychiatric provider until all withdrawal symptoms have passed.
2. Talk to other professionals
It may also be important to talk to other medical professionals who are part of your care team. For example, if you’re also in therapy, you can talk to your therapist about the possibility of stepping away from psychiatric care. Your therapist may be able to give you more insight into what next steps might look like without psychiatry and help you make a plan for coping with your mental health.
3. Find a new prescriber, if necessary
No longer seeing your psychiatrist doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll need to stop taking your medication. It’s always best to get your initial assessment, diagnosis, and prescription completed by a psychiatric provider rather than a general practitioner (GP). But if you’ve been stable on your medication for many years, it’s OK to stop seeing your psychiatrist for follow-up appointments and get your prescription refilled by your GP instead.
If this is the route you’re going to take, it’s important to talk to both your psychiatric provider and your GP about how to transfer the medication over. There may be steps you need to take and medical release forms you need to sign.
4. Adjust your treatment plan
If you’ve decided that medication is no longer going to be part of your mental health treatment, it’s critical to make a plan to support your mental health. This could include things like therapy as well as other self-help methods. Surround yourself with a strong support system.
You may want to explore lifestyle habits like exercise, sleep routines, or stress-management techniques that can help you maintain your progress over time. Having a clear plan can make the transition away from psychiatry feel more stable and less overwhelming.
5. Allow yourself to return
Remember that you can always return to psychiatric care if you need to. For example, maybe another difficult situation comes up in your life, and you feel like your mental health could use extra support again. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a psychiatrist, whether it’s your current one or a new one.
One important factor to be aware of is that there’s currently a nationwide shortage of psychiatrists. This means you might face additional challenges when returning to psychiatric care and have to wait a long time for an appointment.
A common mistake that some patients make when ending psychiatric care is that they don’t have another provider lined up to continue to prescribe their medication. If you’re ready to safely step away from psychiatric care, it’s important to have a general practitioner who can continue to prescribe your medication.
Halee Fullerton, PMHNP-BC
Clinical reviewer
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If you feel ready to stop receiving psychiatric care, it’s important to do so safely. You should never stop seeing your psychiatrist or taking your medication suddenly. Always talk to your psychiatrist, as well as other medical providers, to make a plan. You can always return to psychiatric care when and if you need it.
At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best.
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Saya Des Marais
Saya graduated with her Master in Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in mental health from the University of Southern California in 2010. She formerly worked as a therapist and motivational interviewing trainer in community clinics, public schools, mental health startups, and more.
Her writing has been featured in FORTUNE, GoodRX, PsychCentral, and dozens of mental health apps and therapy websites. Through both her clinical work and her personal OCD diagnosis, she’s learned the importance of making empathetic and accurate mental health content available online.
She lives in Portland, Oregon but you can find her almost just as often in Mexico or in her birthplace, Tokyo.
Halee Fullerton, PMHNP-BC
Halee is a psychiatric nurse practitioner with experience treating children, adolescents, and adults. She has worked in outpatient community health with children/adolescents as well as inpatient substance use disorder treatment. She currently sees patients via outpatient telehealth. Before becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner, she worked in emergency rooms, medical-surgical units, long-term care facilities (including Alzheimer/dementia units) and the intensive care unit.
She chose a career in mental health because she wanted to help people and to contribute to breaking down stigma around mental health. She is especially passionate about working with people who are navigating substance use disorders, depressive disorders, and anxiety/trauma-related disorders. She has three labradoodles that she adores.
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