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Background: Our knowledge of the broader impacts of antidepressant withdrawal, beyond physical side effects, is limited. Further research is needed to investigate the lived experiences of withdrawal, to aid clinicians on how to guide patients through the process. Aim: To explore antidepressant users' experiences and views on the withdrawal process and how it affected their quality of life across multiple life domains. Design and Setting: We conducted in‐depth qualitative interviews with 20 individuals from the community who had attempted to withdraw from Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor antidepressants in the past year. Method: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted online. A topic guide was used to ensure consistency across interviews. The interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Five themes were generated. The first highlighted the challenges of managing the release from emotional blunting and cognitive suppression following antidepressant discontinuation. The second related to the negative impact of withdrawal on close relationships and social interactions. The third showed that concurrent with negative physical symptoms, there was a positive impact on health (exercise was reported by some as a coping mechanism). The fourth theme focused on support from GPs and families, emphasising the importance of mental health literacy in others. The final theme underscored the importance of gradual and flexible tapering in enabling a manageable withdrawal experience, and the consideration of timing. Conclusion: The lived experience of withdrawal significantly impacts individuals' well‐being. Participants emphasised that withdrawal is not just about physical side effects but also affects their emotional, cognitive, and social functioning. Patient and Public Involvement (PPI): Eight people attended individual online meetings to share their experiences of antidepressant withdrawal to help inform the study design and recruitment strategy. Insights from these meetings informed the development of the topic guide. Questions about GP involvement, family relationships, and mood and thinking changes were included based on this PPI work. This ensured the inclusion of topics important to antidepressant users and facilitated the researcher's questioning during the interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Experimental Approach Key Results Conclusions and Implications Demand for new antidepressants has resulted in a re‐evaluation of the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs. Several tryptamines found in psilocybin‐containing “magic” mushrooms share chemical similarities with psilocybin. Early work suggests they may share biological targets. However, few studies have explored their pharmacological and behavioural effects.We compared baeocystin, norbaeocystin and aeruginascin with psilocybin to determine if they are metabolized by the same enzymes, similarly penetrate the blood–brain barrier, serve as ligands for similar receptors and modulate behaviour in rodents similarly. We also assessed the stability and optimal storage and handling conditions for each compound.In vitro enzyme kinetics assays found that all compounds had nearly identical rates of dephosphorylation via alkaline phosphatase and metabolism by monoamine oxidase. Further, we found that only the dephosphorylated products of baeocystin and norbaeocystin crossed a blood–brain barrier mimetic to a similar degree as the dephosphorylated form of psilocybin, psilocin. The dephosphorylated form of norbaeocystin was found to activate the 5‐HT2A receptor with similar efficacy to psilocin and norpsilocin in in vitro cell imaging assays. Behaviourally, only psilocybin induced head twitch responses in rats, a marker of 5‐HT2A‐mediated psychedelic effects and hallucinogenic potential. However, like psilocybin, norbaeocystin improved outcomes in the forced swim test. All compounds caused minimal changes to metrics of renal and hepatic health, suggesting innocuous safety profiles.Collectively, this work suggests that other naturally occurring tryptamines, especially norbaeocystin, may share overlapping therapeutic potential with psilocybin, but without causing hallucinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]