Arte: About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

[Arte]

On 2/6/2020 at 8:27 PM, Altostrata said:

Feeling a bit better is a good sign. It may take a while for your nervous system to settle down, it's gotten a big shock

And you, what do you think? 

[Altostrata]

Arte, are you asking about this?

 

4 hours ago, Arte said:

If I felt good with the treatment at only 0.5 mg, a small dose, would my withdrawal syndrome be less potent? 

 

Are you still taking 0.5mg?

 

If you're feelng better, that little bit is helping.

[Arte]

I stopped taking the medication but I can't affirm that I'm experiencing the withdrawal syndrome because I have an obvious tendancy to imagine bad things (hypocondria). 

This is the reason of my question. I hope you'll be able to answer. 

[Arte]

5 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

If I felt good with the treatment at only 0.5 mg, a small dose, would my withdrawal syndrome be less potent? 

Yes, that is what I'm asking. 

[Altostrata]

On 2/6/2020 at 10:44 AM, Arte said:

I feel better mentally, a bit better intellectually, but I complex about my mood which isn't natural, I am scared for my sleeping and the state induced by the medication prevents me to work (too much pleasure to find the motivation). 

 

I know that it is a difficult situation. 

 

At the time you posted this, February 6, you said you felt better. Were you also taking 0.5mg at that time? That's what your signature says.

 

If you were feeling better when you took 0.5mg, I would continue to take it, at the same time each day for at least a week. We need to know how it affects you. We can't tell if you go on and off the drug.

 

It could take the edge off your withdrawal syndrome, which will give you some time to let it settle down before you go off completely.

[Arte]

31 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

If you were feeling better when you took 0.5mg, I would continue to take it, at the same time each day for at least a week. We need to know how it affects you. We can't tell if you go on and off the drug.

If I understand correctly, I risk an awful withdrawal if I stop, even if a small dose is well-tolerated ? 

I don't find any interest to continue taking 0.5 mg one/two day, knowing that my organism accepts it. If I feel good with, there isn't any utility to let myself be dependant to it. 

For me, a taper off is supposed to use the body to new doses. If one is well-tolerated, keeping the organism with it isn't a solution, especially in my case ; I don't want to be addict. 

[Altostrata]

No, it's not likely you will have a bad withdrawal when you decide to go off 0.5mg. You would be careful.

 

If you feel well without reinstatement, stop worrying about it and stop asking questions about it.

 

Many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see
https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

[Arte]

8 hours ago, Altostrata said:

If you feel well without reinstatement, stop worrying about it and stop asking questions about it

I don't know why you are hostile... yes, I worry about it. One of my major problems is hypocondria : that means that I can imagine symptoms and completely block my healing, ruminating pessimistic thinkings, desesperately, because I feel that all is lost.

I've read so many things on antidepressants, that I have the feeling that my brain is atrophied. 

I refuse myself any thinking, scared by the fails which would show me what I am weakened, maybe for lifelong... 

By convincing myself that I am not what I was, I prevent myself to recover. I need to see facts to convince myself that I'm not, or numbers. 

That's why I try to reassure myself by discussing with you. 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Arte,

This may be helpful:

Health anxiety, hypochondria, and obsession with symptoms

 

As well as this ;Non-drug techniques to cope

Take a look at the whole indexed list, and pick one to read more about, and see how others have coped with the same.  Towards the bottom of the list are some online CBT and DBT self help programs you could check out.

 

This one is good too:  Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD;Repetitive intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviors

 

We strongly encourage members to learn and use non drug coping techniques to help get through tough times.

And so here is even more for you to look over and possibly try Arte.

 

Understanding what is happening helps us to not get caught up with the second fear, or fear of the fear.  This happens when we experience sensations in our body and because we don't understand them we are scared of them and then start to panic.

 

This document has a diagram of the body explaining what happens in the body when we become anxious:

 

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/AnxietySelfHelp.pdf

 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

Audio FEMALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

Audio MALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

 

 

*dealing-with-emotional-spirals

 

Dr Claire Weekes suffered from anxiety and learned and taught ways of coping.  There are videos available on YouTube.

 

Claire Weekes' Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System

 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes

 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

 

Resources:  Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg:  Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying)

 

On 4/27/2017 at 12:03 PM, brassmonkey said:

 

AAF: Acknowledge, Accept, Float.  It's what you have to do when nothing else works, and can be a very powerful tool in coping with anxiety.  The neuroemotional anxiety many of us feel during WD is directly caused by the drugs and their chemical reactions in the brain.  Making it so there is nothing we can do about them.  They won't respond to other drugs, relaxation techniques and the like.  They do, however, react very well to being ignored.  That's the concept behind AAF.  Acknowledge, get to know the feeling involved, explore them.  Accept, These feelings are a part of you and they aren't going anywhere fast. Float, let the feeling float off as you get on with your life as best as you can.  It's a well documented fact that the more you feed in to anxiety the worse it gets.  What starts as generalized neuroemotinal anxiety can be easily blown into a full fledged panic attack just by thinking about it.

 

I often liken it to an unwanted house guest.  At first you talk to them, have conversations, communicate with them.  After a while you figure out that they aren't leaving and there is nothing you can do to get rid of them.  So you go on about your day, working around them until they get bored and leave.

 

It can take some practice, but AAF really does work.  I hope you give it a try.

 

Let us know if any of the ^ helps. 

 

How are you going now?  Back to some classes?

 

On 2/12/2020 at 3:24 AM, Arte said:

I've read so many things on antidepressants, that I have the feeling that my brain is atrophied. 

I refuse myself any thinking, scared by the fails which would show me what I am weakened, maybe for lifelong... 

By convincing myself that I am not what I was, I prevent myself to recover. I need to see facts to convince myself that I'm not, or numbers.

 

You've got to have some faith now Arte, in your own healing potential and full recovery.  I recovered.  Most do. 

 

Best,

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[Arte]

On 2/12/2020 at 2:15 AM, Altostrata said:

 

 

On 2/14/2020 at 4:50 AM, manymoretodays said:

 

Are speaking difficulties a common symptom of withdrawal ? 

[nipsu]

6 hours ago, Arte said:

 

Are speaking difficulties a common symptom of withdrawal ? 

From my experience i can say definetely.  Anti-depressants affects every part of your brain even the parts which are used for generating speech.

 

Withdrawing affects almost every part of your brain because it has less neurotransmitters to work with because it has adjusted to work with anti-depressants. When you are withdrawing your brain needs to reverse changes anti-depressants have made to it before it can function normally without antidepressants. 

 

I have withdrawed from tobacco and many drugs and i have noticed that every time i start withdrawing i have problems with my speech. Maybe because of lack of concertration.

 

 

[Arte]

7 hours ago, nipsu said:

From my experience i can say definetely.  Anti-depressants affects every part of your brain even the parts which are used for generating speech.

 

Withdrawing affects almost every part of your brain because it has less neurotransmitters to work with because it has adjusted to work with anti-depressants. When you are withdrawing your brain needs to reverse changes anti-depressants have made to it before it can function normally without antidepressants. 

 

I have withdrawed from tobacco and many drugs and i have noticed that every time i start withdrawing i have problems with my speech. Maybe because of lack of concertration.

Thank you... I was starting to consider asking for a MRI... my debilitating is awful, and it seems that a part of my brain is atrophied. 

Moreover, I have headaches and extreme difficulties reasoning.