I have recurrent severe depression and I credit serotonin-modulating antidepressants with saving my life several times.
I generally found withdrawal from high dose SSRIs to be painful without tapering, but tapering made the withdrawal symptoms negligible.
SNRIs (Venlafaxine specifically), by contrast, were a horror; I spent eight months with a microgram scale 'tailoring' capsules by tiny increments every week, and I still got well-nigh intolerable withdrawal symptoms.
I generally found withdrawal from high dose SSRIs to be painful without tapering, but tapering made the withdrawal symptoms negligible.
SNRIs (Venlafaxine specifically), by contrast, were a horror; I spent eight months with a microgram scale 'tailoring' capsules by tiny increments every week, and I still got well-nigh intolerable withdrawal symptoms.