
She Was on 5 Psychiatric Drugs at 27. The Pills Were the Problem All Along | Laura Delano
From The Mikhaila Peterson Podcast by Mikhaila Peterson
May 27, 2026 · 1h 34m
About this episode
Laura Delano discusses her experience with psychiatric medications and the journey to recovery after questioning their impact on her mental health.
Laura Delano was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 14 and spent the next 13 years on psychiatric medications including lithium, Lamictal, Abilify, Effexor, and Ativan.After being labeled “treatment resistant” and nearly ending her life, she started questioning whether the medications themselves were part of the problem.In this conversation, Laura walks through what happened when she came off five psychiatric drugs, the years-long withdrawal process that followed, and how she rebuilt her health afterward. She also explains why she founded the Inner Compass Initiative, a nonprofit helping people taper off psychiatric medications safely.We discuss:• Psychiatric drug dependence and withdrawal• Withdrawal vs. relapse• Hyperbolic tapering• The chemical imbalance theory• Akathisia and neurological symptoms• Diet and recovery• Birth control and psychiatric medication• RFK Jr. and psychiatric drug policy• TikTok censorship• Why 1 in 4 Americans are now on psych medsFind Laura:lauradelano.cominnercompass.orgX: @LauraDeLanoBook: Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance - unshrunkthebook.comSubmit your experience at: prescribed-harm.comResources for tapering/studies…
People in this episode
Host: Mikhaila Peterson
Guest: Laura Delano
Topics covered
- psychiatric medication
- mental health
- withdrawal
- tapering
- bipolar disorder
- recovery
- nonprofit initiatives
Keywords
- psychiatric drugs
- bipolar disorder
- withdrawal process
- tapering off medication
- mental health recovery
- chemical imbalance theory
- Akathisia
- diet and recovery
- psych meds
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Inner Compass Initiative, TikTok, prescribed-harm.com, lauradelano.com, innercompass.org, unshrunkthebook.com
Books & works: Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance
More episodes of The Mikhaila Peterson Podcast
- A Harvard Neuroscientist Says We’re Medicating Normal Human Behavior | Dr. Adam Omary EP 237 · June 11, 2026 · 1h 22m
- Ben Greenfield Breaks Down Every Peptide, Patch and Protocol He Uses When He Travels | Ben Greenfield EP 237 · June 3, 2026 · 1h 26m
- Mitochondrial Transplants Heal Cells | Tom Benson Ep 234 · May 20, 2026 · 1h 14m
- Top Integrative Doctor Explains “Cortisol Addiction” | Jaban Moore Ep 233 · May 14, 2026 · 1h 18m
- Best Historical Argument for the Resurrection and Why Scholars Can't Dismiss It | Wesley Huff Ep 232 · May 7, 2026 · 1h 26m
- You’re Treating the Wrong Problem | Dr. Chris Masterjohn EP 231 · April 30, 2026 · 1h 15m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Mikhaila Peterson Podcast podcast page.