Latest news with #GeneralisedAnxietyDisorder
IOL News
4 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Author Jane Kotze reveals a compassionate approach to tapering off psychiatric medications safely
In writing her book and fostering connections with other individuals battling similar issues, Jane Kotze has shifted her self-perception from that of a 'broken' individual to an empowered person capable of advocacy. Image: Supplied The discourse surrounding psychiatric medications is often fraught with tension and differing viewpoints. While some advocate for their necessity in treating mental health disorders, others assert that these medications can be overprescribed and potentially harmful. Enter Jane Kotze, a voice emerging from personal experience, whose insightful book, 'The Tapering Journal: A Practical Guide to Safely Tapering Off Psychiatric Medications', offers a beacon of hope for those seeking to reclaim their mental wellness without the crutch of medication. Kotze's path is not merely one of clinical understanding; it is enriched by her tumultuous journey. Having been rapidly tapered off psychiatric medication by a trusted healthcare professional, Kotze found herself grappling with severe withdrawal symptoms. Many in her situation would have faced the suggestion to return to the very medications that had previously proven ineffective. However, armed with resilience and a newfound mission, she sought to create a resource that acknowledges the often-overlooked challenges patients face during the tapering process. Since embarking on her tapering journey in November 2020, Kotze has gained profound insight into both the difficulties and triumphs associated with safely reducing medication. In writing her book and fostering connections with other individuals battling similar issues, Jane Kotze has shifted her self-perception from that of a 'broken' individual to an empowered person capable of advocacy. Image: Supplied Born and raised in Johannesburg, her early years were marked by profound grief. By the time she turned 18 years old, she had lost nine loved ones, experiences that would profoundly influence her relationship with mental health. Originally aspiring to become a psychologist, Kotze's path took an unexpected turn as she became captured in a web of psychiatric medications, diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1999 and later subjected to a myriad of additional diagnoses, including Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). 'The label of bipolar, I questioned - my struggles seemed more about unresolved trauma than a biological condition,' Kotze reflected in an interview with "Independent Media Lifestyle". 'My journey was flooded with prescriptions that came without adequate warnings about withdrawal risks or side effects.' The consequences were harrowing; what seemed like relief initially turned into suffering as medications were changed abruptly, leaving her unrecognisable to herself and causing crippling mental breakdowns. In a dramatic twist of fate, a particularly traumatic experience in a mental health facility in 2016 opened her eyes to the systemic flaws within the psychiatric community. 'After my medications were quadrupled, I was left confused, overmedicated and decimated,' she recounted. This experience ignited a fire within Kotze to question and ultimately challenge the norms of psychiatric care. Her investigation led her to psychiatrist Dr Peter Breggin, whose findings confirmed her fears: the medications she had been taking were neurotoxic. Upon realising two decades of medication had worsened rather than eased her despair, she embarked on a healing journey. Attempting to taper off her medications became a harrowing experience, filled with debilitating withdrawal symptoms and alarming setbacks. Determined to truthfully document her journey, she began journaling her experiences with tapering. 'The Tapering Journal' contains essential strategies for safe tapering, adverse reactions, potential withdrawals and valuable insights drawn from her painful experiences. Image: Supplied This led to the creation of her book, 'The Tapering Journal', which contains essential strategies for safe tapering, adverse reactions, potential withdrawals and valuable insights drawn from her painful experiences. The book became a comprehensive resource in 2024, aiming to equip others with the knowledge to safely navigate their tapering journeys. 'The idea came to me during six months of severe withdrawal symptoms,' Kotze explained. 'I wanted to share my knowledge on safe tapering methods while raising awareness about the dangers of overprescription and abrupt medication changes.' With that aim, she harnessed the power of social media platforms to connect with others who have faced similar struggles, empowering patients to make informed decisions regarding their treatment. 'What frustrates me immensely is how little is taught about safe tapering methods,' she lamented. Many patients unwittingly suffer devastating repercussions due to a lack of information and support. 'There's a vital need to address withdrawal expectations and educate patients about the risks associated with abrupt discontinuation of psychiatric medications.' She expressed her urgency in advocating for patient-centred care and informed consent, seeking to prevent future harm and offering hope for recovery. Kotze's experiences have led her to profound self-discoveries. In writing her book and fostering connections with other individuals battling similar issues, she has shifted her self-perception from that of a 'broken' individual to an empowered person capable of advocacy. 'I am fearfully and wonderfully made,' she emphasised, embracing her identity beyond psychiatric diagnoses.
Economic Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Man uses ChatGPT to get ₹2 lakh refund from airline and hotel after sudden trip cancellation
Denied refund for cancelled trip Using ChatGPT as legal support Partial success and a second try Live Events Airline reverses decision (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A man who had to cancel his trip to Colombia due to a medical emergency recovered his flight and hotel costs by using ChatGPT to write legal letters on his behalf. He shared the full account of his experience on Reddit, where he said that both the airline and hotel initially refused to refund the $2,500 (Rs 2 lakh) he had spent. But after using ChatGPT to draft appeals based on medical grounds, he succeeded in getting a refund from man had planned a visit to Medellín, Colombia, but had to cancel his travel at the last minute because of a medical emergency. When he approached the hotel and airline to request a refund, both refused. 'The hotel had a no-cancellation policy. They absolutely said no,' he explained. The airline's 'response was that there was no cancellation policy.'With no refund and faced with losing $2,500, he turned to ChatGPT for help. 'I asked ChatGPT to act as my lawyer and advocate for me,' he said. He told the AI that he had Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and also had a doctor's note to support this. Using the details provided, ChatGPT drafted a letter requesting a refund based on medical reasons.'ChatGPT researched Expedia policies, the hotel's policies, and the airline policies. It then wrote a letter for me advocating,' he hotel responded positively and agreed to issue a refund. However, the airline still refused. According to the airline, 'a refund is only possible due to death or terminal illness.' Instead of giving up, the man shared the airline's response with ChatGPT and asked it to prepare a second AI assistant responded with a new letter that questioned how the airline treated mental health conditions and explained how the man's medical issue affected his ability to travel. 'It described reasons why and how my medical condition can affect the flight, and that they were being biased based on a mental illness. This thing wrote this letter to the core,' he receiving the second letter, the airline changed its position within an hour. 'The airline responded that my refund will be honoured,' the man on the experience, he added, 'Had I not used ChatGPT, I would have had to hire a paralegal. And that would've cost me more money. Don't take no for an answer… ChatGPT-4.0 saved me from losing $2,500.'Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on Reddit. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of Reader discretion is advised.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Man uses ChatGPT to get ₹2 lakh refund from airline and hotel after sudden trip cancellation
Denied refund for cancelled trip Using ChatGPT as legal support Partial success and a second try Live Events Airline reverses decision (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A man who had to cancel his trip to Colombia due to a medical emergency recovered his flight and hotel costs by using ChatGPT to write legal letters on his behalf. He shared the full account of his experience on Reddit, where he said that both the airline and hotel initially refused to refund the $2,500 (Rs 2 lakh) he had spent. But after using ChatGPT to draft appeals based on medical grounds, he succeeded in getting a refund from man had planned a visit to Medellín, Colombia, but had to cancel his travel at the last minute because of a medical emergency. When he approached the hotel and airline to request a refund, both refused. 'The hotel had a no-cancellation policy. They absolutely said no,' he explained. The airline's 'response was that there was no cancellation policy.'With no refund and faced with losing $2,500, he turned to ChatGPT for help. 'I asked ChatGPT to act as my lawyer and advocate for me,' he said. He told the AI that he had Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and also had a doctor's note to support this. Using the details provided, ChatGPT drafted a letter requesting a refund based on medical reasons.'ChatGPT researched Expedia policies, the hotel's policies, and the airline policies. It then wrote a letter for me advocating,' he hotel responded positively and agreed to issue a refund. However, the airline still refused. According to the airline, 'a refund is only possible due to death or terminal illness.' Instead of giving up, the man shared the airline's response with ChatGPT and asked it to prepare a second AI assistant responded with a new letter that questioned how the airline treated mental health conditions and explained how the man's medical issue affected his ability to travel. 'It described reasons why and how my medical condition can affect the flight, and that they were being biased based on a mental illness. This thing wrote this letter to the core,' he receiving the second letter, the airline changed its position within an hour. 'The airline responded that my refund will be honoured,' the man on the experience, he added, 'Had I not used ChatGPT, I would have had to hire a paralegal. And that would've cost me more money. Don't take no for an answer… ChatGPT-4.0 saved me from losing $2,500.'Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on Reddit. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of Reader discretion is advised.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Man uses ChatGPT as ‘lawyer' to get Rs 2 lakh refund from hotel, airline; netizen says ‘you make the world a worse place'
AI is quickly becoming the go-to partner for everything, from emotional support and medical queries to serious legal and professional help. In a recent example that caught the Internet's attention, a man actually turned to ChatGPT as his legal representative, and surprisingly, it worked. Sharing his story on Reddit, the man explained how he had planned a trip to Medellín, Colombia, but a sudden medical emergency forced him to cancel everything last minute. When he reached out to the hotel and airline to request a refund, both refused. 'The hotel had a no-cancellation policy. They absolutely said no,' he wrote, adding that the airline told him outright there was 'no cancellation policy.' Staring at a $2,500 loss (Rs 2 lakh, approximately), he decided to try taking the help of AI a shot. He asked ChatGPT to step in as his 'lawyer' and help him fight back. He explained to the AI that he suffers from Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and had a doctor's note to back it up. ChatGPT responded by digging into the policies of the airline, the hotel, and even Expedia, and then drafted a detailed letter arguing for a refund based on his medical condition. The result was rewarding. The hotel agreed to issue a refund. The airline, however, remained firm, saying they only grant refunds 'due to death or terminal illness.' Refusing to back down, he returned to ChatGPT and asked it to write another response, this time specifically addressing the airline's stance and the implications of brushing off mental health issues. 'It described reasons why and how my medical condition can affect the flight, and that they were being biased based on a mental illness. This thing wrote this letter to the core,' he said. Just an hour after sending the second letter, the airline changed its mind and agreed to the refund. Looking back, he said, 'Had I not used ChatGPT, I would have had to hire a paralegal. And that would've cost me more money. Don't take no for an answer… ChatGPT-4.0 saved me from losing $2,500.' The Reddit post quickly went viral, sparking a wave of reactions in the comments section, but not all of them were supportive. In fact, many users were critical of the man's approach, with some expressing strong disapproval of using AI to navigate what they saw as a personal responsibility. A user wrote, 'Congratulations. It's because of people like you that cause companies to treat customers poorly. So you lie to get something you're not entitled to receive. You're probably the same type of person to wear a new piece of clothing once to an event and return it. I guess honesty and integrity and are out of date character traits.' Another user said, 'Well don't ruin it for all of us… the info is enough, let the people think for themselves from now and after… dont let the dogs adjust policies and nerf our tools.' A third person commented, 'People like you make the world a worse place. Everyone lacks personal responsibility these days.'
NDTV
22-05-2025
- NDTV
Man Claims ChatGPT Helped Him Get Over Rs 2 Lakh Travel Refund, Internet Demands Proof
A Reddit user has gone viral for sharing how ChatGPT helped him recover over $2,500 from a non-refundable trip, a story that's sparked both admiration and scepticism online. In a post titled "Never take no for an answer", the Redditor explained how he had booked a flight and hotel package to Medellin, Colombia via Expedia, but had to cancel last minute due to a medical condition. The catch? Neither the airline nor the hotel allowed cancellations, and he hadn't opted for travel insurance. Faced with losing thousands of dollars, he turned to ChatGPT-4o for help. He described his condition, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and even obtained a doctor's note. Then, using ChatGPT, he drafted a persuasive letter to Expedia and the hotel, explaining his situation. According to the post, while Expedia initially cited a strict no-refund policy and the hotel refused to make an exception, the AI-generated letter changed things. "The hotel granted me my refund due to a medical condition," he wrote. The airline, however, was less cooperative. Its policy allowed refunds only in the event of death or terminal illness. The Redditor shared this response with ChatGPT, which then composed another letter highlighting how mental health conditions can significantly impact travel. Within an hour, the airline allegedly agreed to issue a refund as well. Posts from the chatgpt community on Reddit His takeaway? "Had I not used ChatGPT, I would have had to hire a paralegal... It saved me from losing $2,500." The story quickly made the rounds on social media and Reddit, with many users praising the creative use of AI to navigate rigid corporate policies. "This is actually genius," one user commented. "Using AI as your personal advocate is the future." But not everyone was convinced. Some users called for proof of the refunds, expressing doubt about the timeline and the airline's swift reversal. "Impressive if true - but screenshots would make it more believable," another commenter wrote. Others debated the ethics of using a medical condition, especially a mental health diagnosis, as grounds for a refund when the policies were clear. "Redact the personal info and post screenshots of the emails. We're all curious to learn ourselves, and verify the authenticity of the post," another user commented. "I think the commenters are missing the takeaway on this post. It's a good reminder that Chatgpt can be such a strong advocate for people who may not have the ability, knowledge, or assertiveness to stand up for themselves. Although I agree, in this situation, lying was unethical and OP took advantage," a user wrote.
