mdror527: After the Meds: Coping with Emotional Incontinence

[mdror527]

I am a new user to this site, and i've joined because I've been having trouble coping with life after the antidepressants, and I desperately need to find other people who understand my difficulties.

 

From the end of 8th grade to the end of my freshman year in college, I was put on antidepressants. That's 5 years which are supposed to be incredibly important developmentally, thrown away on mood suppressants that aren't even supposed to be taken by children.

 

When I finally became of age to legally dictate what goes into my body, I got off the medications. Now, it's been almost a year, and although I no longer feel like a zombie after so many years of feeling dead inside, I cannot control the intensity of my emotions, and often have difficulty controlling my filter. I don't know how to explain it and i've searched far and wide for answers, but when I got off the antidepressants, after a month of horrible withdrawal symptoms, the flood gates opened.

 

Now, my emotions are enhanced 10 fold, and people keep telling me that I'm overreacting about everything and I don't know how to control it. How do I explain to people that I can't calm down? That all my emotions feel intense and I can't turn them off? I'm becoming scared of going out around other people, simply because i'm not sure if I will alienate them with my over-emotional behavior.

 

Can anyone here relate to this?

Edited January 30, 2017 by ChessieCat
added paragraphs

[scallywag]

mdror - -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)

 

Many people have emotional symptoms during withdrawal extending to well after their last dose. Someone coined the term, "neuro-emotions" for these emotions that are chemical/neurological. Have a look at the discussion at this link:

Neuro-emotions.

 

This topic may have some helpful ideas:

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms.

 

What medications were you taking last year? When was your last dose of each? We'll probably have a few more questions for you about that.

 

A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly?

• Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago)
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016.
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses.
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs.
• You can find instructions in this topic: Please put your withdrawal history in signature
• If you are using a phone or mobile device, you need to switch to the "full" or desktop version of the site. Instructions are in Post 9 and Post 10
• I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us.

[RachelE]

I am a new user to this site, and i've joined because I've been having trouble coping with life after the antidepressants, and I desperately need to find other people who understand my difficulties.

 

From the end of 8th grade to the end of my freshman year in college, I was put on antidepressants. That's 5 years which are supposed to be incredibly important developmentally, thrown away on mood suppressants that aren't even supposed to be taken by children.

 

When I finally became of age to legally dictate what goes into my body, I got off the medications. Now, it's been almost a year, and although I no longer feel like a zombie after so many years of feeling dead inside, I cannot control the intensity of my emotions, and often have difficulty controlling my filter. I don't know how to explain it and i've searched far and wide for answers, but when I got off the antidepressants, after a month of horrible withdrawal symptoms, the flood gates opened.

 

Now, my emotions are enhanced 10 fold, and people keep telling me that I'm overreacting about everything and I don't know how to control it. How do I explain to people that I can't calm down? That all my emotions feel intense and I can't turn them off? I'm becoming scared of going out around other people, simply because i'm not sure if I will alienate them with my over-emotional behavior.

 

Can anyone here relate to this?

I can. I got blown out of the water because my mom said I was acting "weird" last night. Didn't show her how upset/mad I got. Part of it was, that comment brought back bad memories. Always being told how weird I was as a kid and how this embarrassed her.

Like drinking to forget problems, drugging your brain doesn't solve anything. Finally you have to deal with your problems and the emotions accompanying them. Then things are worse than ever. 

[KarenB]

Welcome mdror,

 

It's really common for people in w/d to have these emotions.  When you've answered Scallywag's questions then we'll be able to see how fast you tapered, and make a plan for how to help you.  Things do get better, but during this intense time you could make allowances for yourself.  It's okay to stay at home for a while and give yourself some good care until things settle.  

 

Karen

Edited January 31, 2017 by ChessieCat
changed name from mine to scallywag's

[PoetJester]

Hey mdror

 

I can relate to what you are going through with the emotions thing.  the best analogy I can come up with is that the personality is like a spring and being on the drugs is like two hands pushing the spring inward and it compresses and confines the spring into a tight coil and when you remove the drugs it releases the tension and goes flying or something.  Sorry, I hope the metaphor is understandable.  immediately after wd began, my emotions began to revive again after years on the pills and I became much more creative.   I was laughing and crying constantly.  a lot of the tears were tears of happiness and a lot were tears of sorrow as it seemed there was no end in sight for this wd with insomnia and fatigue and memory issues getting progressively worse.  what I wanted a fairly normal, healthy, happy life that went on for a long time, instead of this short intense burst of living.   after 3 years of poor sleep I am not quite as emotional as before.  feels like wd can cause us to burn hard and fast and leave us pretty spent.

 

poetjester