Danielle Gansky remembers being seven and full of spark. She talked fast. She fidgeted. She struggled with handwriting. So adults labeled her “a problem to fix,” not a child to understand.

First, a doctor diagnosed ADHD and prescribed a stimulant. Next, new side effects appeared. Then more labels followed. Anxiety. Depression. Obsessive thoughts. With each new diagnosis, another pill joined the routine.

By the time she left Philadelphia for college, she swallowed a daily stack that reached 14 medications. She tried to trust the plan. However, she also felt a growing question: Who am I beneath all of this?

After graduation, she decided to come off the drugs. Her doctor tapered her quickly. Her body rebelled. She developed akathisia, a severe condition that can cause intense inner restlessness and distress. She couldn’t sit still. She couldn’t sleep. She felt trapped inside her own nervous system.

Worse, she says some clinicians dismissed her symptoms and told her withdrawal “couldn’t” happen. So she fought for answers while she fought to survive.

Eventually, she restarted one medication at a lower dose and stabilized slowly. Now she works with a compounding pharmacy to make tiny reductions. She also advocates for clearer tapering guidance and better patient care.

Her message lands softly but firmly: listen to your body. And if you ever change psychiatric medication, do it with careful, informed medical support.