I have been on seroxat for 16 years.. is there any hope in coming off the drug? i hear the withdrawal is horrendous and dangerous?

Not in my experience: or for that matter in the literature. Paroxetine is an antidepressant, and many people have a single episode of major depression and do not need to be treated life-long. If you have had 3 discrete episodes of major depression however, the odds are it WILL be lifelong and long-term treatment is indicated. It should be tapered off by 10 mg every 1-2 weeks and that is usually well tolerated.