Millie Mackintosh quits anxiety medication after libido loss, cites withdrawal symptoms

Millie Mackintosh says she has stopped taking her anxiety medication, blaming the treatment for killing her libido and saying the change has affected her marriage. The Made in Chelsea star, 36, has been on the medication for more than a year to help manage her mental health and revealed the decision on Instagram on Friday. She is married to fellow MIC star Hugo Taylor, 39, with whom she shares two daughters, Sienna, four, and Aurelia, three.

One of the hardest parts for me while on meds was losing my libido completely. It left me feeling disconnected with myself and in my relationship and was a big part of my decision to try life without them. 'I’m grateful for the support they gave me, but I’ve reached a place, where I want to see who I am without meds.’

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Since quitting the meds, Mackintosh has reported a range of withdrawal symptoms. She described a real mix of emotions—relief, fear and everything in between—and listed brain zaps, dizziness, blurry vision, aches and pains, and emotional volatility as part of the experience. 'There have been tears I couldn’t hold back, days of rage and moments where I’ve questioned whether I am doing the right thing.’

The reality star has been open about her mental-health journey, speaking publicly about anxiety that has accompanied her for most of her life. She and Hugo Taylor have two daughters, and the couple has navigated parenting alongside her mental-health challenges. Mackintosh has previously discussed how her condition worsened after childbirth and led her to begin medication, and she has been sober since 2022 after recognizing that alcohol triggers her anxiety. She later wrote Bad Drunk, published earlier this year, which reflects on her relationship with alcohol.

Mackintosh emphasized that her aim in sharing the decision to come off medication is to raise a conversation that she believes is rarely explored but has a significant impact on wellbeing. 'The best way I can describe it is like having an injured leg and needing crutches. The crutches help you move through the world while you heal and do therapy and over time you get stronger. It hasn’t been easy, but I keep reminding myself that I can do hard things and that this phase will pass.’

Beyond her own disclosures, Mackintosh has discussed her lifelong battle with anxiety, including instances of panic attacks and daily crying as she juggled life as a working mother. In remarks she shared with The Sun, she described a breakdown moment spurred by fatigue and stress, noting that she was ‘over-tired’ and needed to slow down as her nervous system was in crisis. She has also described choosing sobriety in 2022 after recognizing how alcohol worsened her anxiety, a journey that influenced her decision to speak openly about medication and its effects on her sense of self and relationship.