Rae123: Is it the right time to stop!

[Rae123]

Hi, I have been on and off antidepressants for 17 years . I have had times where I have been ok without them; however I have reverted to them when life has got tough . Tbh I don’t really suffer massively with depression, more with coping with life struggles and getting low , they have helped me hugely over the years , but I don’t want to live my life depending on medication. My children are older and life is becoming less stressful. I have weaned myself off very very slowly, which hasn’t been as bad as I thought . I now wake up most days with a bad headache and  I am now feeling very emotional, crying a lot and feeling short tempered, and often feeling like maybe I should go back to the tablets. I’ve been single for 8 years and I’ve not met someone , he is noticing changes in me, which I have not disclosed . This relationship is important to me and I’m scared that I have chosen the wrong time to come off them ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, 

Edited July 2, 2021 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA.Rae123.

 

To start:

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

We are a site for going off psychiatric drugs and helping members deal with withdrawal from these drugs.  Congratulation on being drug-free.    That is a very big accomplishment and it sounds like you're doing well.   Regarding going back on the drugs, we have a saying we use here: you can't step into the same river twice.  That means that the nervous system you have now is not the same nervous system you had before you tapered off.  It has been sensitized by the taper and is getting used to functioning without the drug, and there is no way to predict how your brain and nervous system will react to reintroducing the drug.   These drugs are very powerful and change the brain--physically change the way it works--and you are now in the process of letting your brain recover its natural functions.  This link gives a good explanation of what is happening.

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

The symptoms you're experiencing are very normal and typical withdrawal symptoms.  They will pass in time.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

When we take psychiatric medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

When antidepressants were introduced , theywere never intended to be taken long-term nor were they tested for long-term effects.  The book Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker come highly recommended on this site.  His research found that across the board with all types of psychiatric drugs, including antidepressants, people did better off the drugs than on.

 

Anatomy of an Epidemic

 

Here's a video book trailer by the author, Robert Whitaker:

 

Robert Whitaker, author Anatomy of an Epidemic video (11 minutes)

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

For coping with life and with withdrawal, we recommend non-drug methods rather than drugs.  Take a look at the links in the following link and see which you think might be helpful to you.

 

Non-drug techniques to cope

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can complete your drug signature, ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2021 by Gridley