06-12-2024, 10:22 PM
I'm 45, diagnosed with PTSD that went unchecked for a while, generalized anxiety disorder.
I was on SSRI/SNRI meds - MANY different ones, constantly switching to the next "better" one. The side effects were bad to begin with, but after being on them for the better part of 7 years, I had no idea how bad the withdrawals (which they call "serotonin syndrome") would be.
I had no other frame of reference at the time to deal with PTSD. Never really knew what it was or what to look for until I had to. One night I decided my life was lacking direction and meaning. I felt I lacked the world-changing experiences of my youth. I thought a good way to remedy this would be to take psillocybin mushrooms - a quarter ounce of them. I had taken them maybe 3 other times in the 90's before, so I knew what to expect, what to look for.
Ate the whole zip. It had no effect on me. No colors or visuals, no laughter, no ego death. None. So I read up on it, and sure enough, SSRI meds do indeed block the effects of psillocybin. Apparently they work on the same receptors. I cannot say whether this is by coincidence or design, maybe both.
So naturally, I decided to stop taking the SSRIs for a while. The doctor had completely left out how bad SSRI withdrawal is after 7 years - it feels like volts of electricity being uncomfortably pulsed in your head every time you move your eyes. Not sure where I saw the name, but "brain zaps" is a pretty good descriptor. I swear this effect lasted 6 months minimum. I've cold-turkeyed pain meds (specifically hydrocodone) after an over-extended surgical recovery period (as was the "opioid epidemic" then) 3 days max of cold chills and sweats, another 3 days of low energy/lethargy.
To me this was alarming, and the psychiatrists I've spoken with either downplay the withdrawal or are completely unaware that such an experience takes place. They may likely say, "well of course you went through some discomfort, protocol is to wean slowly". Point taken, but again, why even put a patient through that, if it is comparable to or just as bad for a patient to suddenly quit taking an opiate? Why isn't this more common knowledge, as there are millions of people in this country prescribed anti-depressants?
I also learned that since I quit taking them and dove headlong into meditation and spirituality, I am able to do things like remote viewing (RV) and having lucid dreams. I had tried RV before while on the SSRIs, with no success. Had several lucid dreams over 10 years ago. Difference was the SSRIs. There are YouTube RV classes where they have also mentioned that prescription antidepressants will block people from their abilities as far as RV goes. VulcanWerks mentioned the muted / foggy feeling, and if that's in our normal perception, it could be reasoned that it may affect our higher sensory perceptions as well. Intuition is a good example.
I've been off all antidepressants for about 5 years now, but not without help. Spirituality (not to be confused with religion) was the main motivator that filled in the void and along with talking to a therapist, this was the combo that worked for me. To be clear, I'm not suggesting everyone should cold turkey their meds and go trip balls in hopes of a solution. I'm not a doctor and I can't advise others what to do, but I certainly don't want to keep this experience to myself in case it can help someone in some way.
I was on SSRI/SNRI meds - MANY different ones, constantly switching to the next "better" one. The side effects were bad to begin with, but after being on them for the better part of 7 years, I had no idea how bad the withdrawals (which they call "serotonin syndrome") would be.
I had no other frame of reference at the time to deal with PTSD. Never really knew what it was or what to look for until I had to. One night I decided my life was lacking direction and meaning. I felt I lacked the world-changing experiences of my youth. I thought a good way to remedy this would be to take psillocybin mushrooms - a quarter ounce of them. I had taken them maybe 3 other times in the 90's before, so I knew what to expect, what to look for.
Ate the whole zip. It had no effect on me. No colors or visuals, no laughter, no ego death. None. So I read up on it, and sure enough, SSRI meds do indeed block the effects of psillocybin. Apparently they work on the same receptors. I cannot say whether this is by coincidence or design, maybe both.
So naturally, I decided to stop taking the SSRIs for a while. The doctor had completely left out how bad SSRI withdrawal is after 7 years - it feels like volts of electricity being uncomfortably pulsed in your head every time you move your eyes. Not sure where I saw the name, but "brain zaps" is a pretty good descriptor. I swear this effect lasted 6 months minimum. I've cold-turkeyed pain meds (specifically hydrocodone) after an over-extended surgical recovery period (as was the "opioid epidemic" then) 3 days max of cold chills and sweats, another 3 days of low energy/lethargy.
To me this was alarming, and the psychiatrists I've spoken with either downplay the withdrawal or are completely unaware that such an experience takes place. They may likely say, "well of course you went through some discomfort, protocol is to wean slowly". Point taken, but again, why even put a patient through that, if it is comparable to or just as bad for a patient to suddenly quit taking an opiate? Why isn't this more common knowledge, as there are millions of people in this country prescribed anti-depressants?
I also learned that since I quit taking them and dove headlong into meditation and spirituality, I am able to do things like remote viewing (RV) and having lucid dreams. I had tried RV before while on the SSRIs, with no success. Had several lucid dreams over 10 years ago. Difference was the SSRIs. There are YouTube RV classes where they have also mentioned that prescription antidepressants will block people from their abilities as far as RV goes. VulcanWerks mentioned the muted / foggy feeling, and if that's in our normal perception, it could be reasoned that it may affect our higher sensory perceptions as well. Intuition is a good example.
I've been off all antidepressants for about 5 years now, but not without help. Spirituality (not to be confused with religion) was the main motivator that filled in the void and along with talking to a therapist, this was the combo that worked for me. To be clear, I'm not suggesting everyone should cold turkey their meds and go trip balls in hopes of a solution. I'm not a doctor and I can't advise others what to do, but I certainly don't want to keep this experience to myself in case it can help someone in some way.
