I can understand your frustrations. I have experienced withdrawals and side effects of medications as well. Not just psychiatric medications but other medications as well. I have learned from those experiences to read the package inserts and study up on the medications that have been prescribed for me. I also ask my doctor a lot of questions and am an active participant in my healthcare. When my doctor talks about putting me on a new med I ask about side effects, I ask about alternative medications, I ask about withdrawals, I ask about our options if that medication does not work, and I ask many other questions.
What I have also learned is that medications can be extremely helpful in dealing with some medical and psychiatric conditions and I can not discount their therapeutic use just because there are risks involved. For me the risks of not being on medication are much higher as I would be dead from suicide.