The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines

The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines
A comprehensive, evidence-based resource for safely reducing or discontinuing antidepressants, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and z-drugs. This handbook provides step-by-step guidance for all commonly used medications, including fast, moderate, and slow tapering schedules, techniques for hyperbolic dose reduction, and practical advice on liquid formulations and other methods to support individualized deprescribing.

The guidelines cover critical considerations such as distinguishing withdrawal symptoms (e.g., anxiety, insomnia, akathisia) from recurrence of the underlying disorder, addressing physical dependence versus addiction, and identifying barriers and enablers to safe deprescribing, including social circumstances and patient knowledge. It also provides troubleshooting strategies for complex cases, ensuring clinicians can manage adverse effects and optimize patient outcomes.

Grounded in scientific principles, the latest research, and insights from clinical practice, including patient perspectives, this resource fills a significant gap in psychiatric guidance. Designed for psychiatrists, GPs, pharmacists, nurses, medical trainees, and other healthcare professionals, it equips clinicians with the knowledge and practical tools to implement safe, individualized deprescribing and enhance patient care.