How did you manage your depression after you had successfully withdrawn?

[aviator2018]

Hi All,

 

I have question for those who have successfully withdrawn from antidepressants after years on these drugs.

 

We have been on these drugs and it did made our anxiety and depression manageable despite the side effects. And for me it feels like these drugs masked the anxiety and depression symptoms. 

 

My question is how did you manage your depression and anxiety once you have withdrawn? Did your depression got cured and the returning of the symptoms were just withdrawals? Did your depression returned and you tried a non drug approach?

 

 

[JenJen]

This is such a good question.  The drugs certainly didn't cure the depression and I doubt it went away on its own.  Last year I almost added a drug due to my depressive state.  That would have made 3 drugs which would have been a terrible mistake.  I was severely depressed before I started the drugs and have experienced depressed periods while on the drugs.  I feel like all I have left is working on my brain with meditation and hopes that neuro-plasticity is a real thing.  I am in therapy and go about twice a month.  I have been in therapy more on than off for the last 22 years so that has helped but it hasn't cured my depression either.

 

I feel so hopeless sometimes.  Of course feeling hopeless is part of my depressive thinking.  I look forward to hearing what people have to say.  

[Ryder]

I try to take my focus off what I am doing or feeling. Like doing some gardening. I know I might be in some 'unbearable pain', and my mind will come out an excuse to do it later. But I always feel good after doing it, so I tell myself Ill just do it for 5-minutes and away I go forgetting about it. 

[kangamangus]

For me I never really felt like the drugs helped my depression much. They just made me indifferent to it. It also seemed like my depression got much worse over the years that I was medicated. While I am still on my AD and going through withdrawal, I am experiencing some deep deep depression some days. I find that going on a long walk helps me quite a bit (I know this is cliche advice but its true). I am also using this opportunity to start CBT to change some of my thinking patterns and to be more mindful of my thoughts. Im using the withdrawal experience to strengthen my tools and learn new coping mechanisms so that when I eventually am off my medication I have some valuable skills to handle my depression.