About Us

What is ACE?

Antidepressant Coalition for Education is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the risks, limitations, and long-term impacts of antidepressant medications.

While antidepressants are widely prescribed, there is a critical gap in both public understanding and medical education about the range of potential side effects, withdrawal challenges, and the limited research on long-term safety. ACE exists to bridge that gap.

We believe that individuals deserve informed consent, accurate information, and safer treatment options. Our work centers around three pillars: Education, Advocacy, and Research.

Education

We share evidence-based information and real patient experiences to help individuals and providers better understand antidepressants, withdrawal, and informed care.

Advocacy

We work towards safer prescribing, informed consent, and recognition of serious adverse effects through public awareness and policy change.

Research

We support and promote research into the adverse effects and long-term outcomes of antidepressants.

Our Mission & Goals

Our Mission

To educate the public and healthcare providers, advocate for change, and support research on the risks and realities of antidepressant use and discontinuation.

We are committed to promoting informed consent by ensuring individuals have access to complete and transparent information before starting or stopping antidepressants. We seek to challenge certain assumptions in mental health care and foster honest, evidence-based conversations about antidepressant medications.

Our Goals

Our Immediate Priorities

Tapering Guidelines

Supporting the development of evidence-based, harm-reduction tapering guidelines to help clinicians safely deprescribe antidepressants. Learn more about hyperbolic tapering and why it matters.

Public & Prescriber Education

Launching education campaigns aimed at the public, patients and healthcare professionals, including public service announcements, prescriber outreach programs, and educational resources.

Updating Warning Labels

Advocating for more accurate FDA labeling that clearly reflects the risks of dependence, withdrawal, and protracted withdrawal associated with antidepressants. Read ACE’s citizen petition to the FDA calling for these updates.

Our Long-Term Vision

Antidepressant Coalition for Education is working toward a healthcare system where patients and prescribers have accurate information about antidepressants, where safe deprescribing is supported, and where medication harms are recognized and addressed through evidence-based policy, education, and clinical practice.

Our long-term goals include improving informed consent, ensuring safe tapering practices are widely adopted, and advancing research and policy that protects patients experiencing antidepressant withdrawal and related harms.

Our Work

Citizen Petition to the FDA

Submitted a petition calling for updated antidepressant labeling that clearly reflects the risks of severe, protracted withdrawal (to include a boxed warning) and evidence-based tapering guidelines.

Global Reporting Drive

Our reporting drive gathered hundreds of patient experiences documenting the severity of withdrawal, submitted to the FDA and other global regulatory bodies, providing critical real-world evidence to inform policy change.

Proposal to CDC for Diagnostic Codes

Proposed new diagnostic codes to better track and recognize antidepressant withdrawal in research, clinical practice, epidemiological surveillance, and insurance billing.

Evidence Review Proposal to AHRQ

Proposed an evidence review of best practices for tapering long-term users, supporting the development of authoritative, evidence-based tapering guidelines.

Media Collaboration

Partnered with multiple news outlets to raise public awareness about antidepressant withdrawal and educate prescribers on safe deprescribing practices.

Peer Support

ACE offers multiple peer-support meetings each week for individuals who are tapering off their medication or experiencing adverse effects from psychiatric drugs, including withdrawal.

We are strong proponents of mutual aid and believe community support should never be gatekept by subscription fees or financial barriers. While donations are always welcome, our peer-support meetings will always remain free and accessible to anyone who needs them.

Learn more about our peer-support meetings here.

Why This Matters

Tens of millions of Americans take antidepressants and many face severe withdrawal symptoms with little guidance or support when trying to stop. These experiences are often misunderstood or dismissed, leaving patients to struggle on their own. ACE is dedicated to changing that, raising awareness about the risks and advocating for the resources and support people need to safely taper off their medications.

Our work goes beyond individual support. We aim to transform the way antidepressant withdrawal is understood and managed. ACE is making sure that future patients are protected, prescribers are informed, and everyone has access to a safe, supported way off their medication.