Always had the sneaking suspicion he was on our side, despite the fuckery he has caused.
I was on effexor for about 10 years. Weaned off it early this year, took about 2 months. Still dealing with rebound side effects of stopping. Glad to be feeling again though.
I withdrawled once (only by skipping 2 doses) and double dosed once. I don't recommend either. At $1200 for a 3 month supply, it's all about the money.