Ever quit antidepressants? The media is telling stories...

[Maxmars]

There are those who maintain that such things as depression are spiritual, or distinctly non-physical.  Perhaps that is partially true.  I know that aside from increasing physical health and vitality, prayer and meditation are the only 'sure fire' answers to coping with depression.  That's has to mean something... At least I think it does.

But there's no denying that pills can help for a time... as many things can help... for a time.  That's the rub.  Depression for me is something that comes over me, always unwanted, often unexpected, and once its with me it seems an eternity in withdrawing. 

I remember one day last year, I woke up to an unusual sensation... I wasn't depressed.  It was glorious.  It was all too brief, lasting only a few days.  I keep waiting for that to happen again.  Maybe it will.  But I'm not counting on it.

I had hoped to discuss this pretty much as we have.  I won't deny that I am still wincing internally about what my personal experience relating to this whole subject.  In a manner of speaking, I wish more would join the conversation... just to drown out my noise... this is not precisely how I like to be alone.

[Tecate]

Max, I am truly sorry that you are having to deal with this issue and that you feel alone and in the wilderness.

You are not. I have felt everything that you have mentioned, but realized that the medication was just keeping me in a middle ground with no highs and no lows, whereas I had been more of a manic-depressive person.

When I did finally wean myself off, I found that I could enjoy things again without any lasting or devastating lows.

I truly hope the same for you. Keep going outside and enjoying the sunshine and whatever hobbies that you have!! Exercise and eat well and try to enjoy the company of friends and family.

I try to limit doom and gloom news and politics as much as possible and it seems to help me. Not saying I stick my head in the sand and ignore the outside world, but I don’t watch TV anymore and limit myself on the internet news.

Hang in there.

Peace and love.

Tecate

[VulcanWerks]

I had some pretty bad anxiety at one point. Acute. Never had the issue before. Never had it since.

My doc prescribed me something to “help your anxiety” but it turned out to be an anti-depressant. Took it for about 3 months. Felt better at first but then started to feel odd, gain weight and felt very muted. Foggy.

Quit it cold turkey and feel 100000% better today than before.

The meds weren’t necessary. I pivoted to healthy self-care, started doing yoga, changed my diet and engaged my hobbies.

No more meds for me and I’ll never take it again.

[argentus]

https://i.imgur.com/AG4sY6m.jpeg

dammit!   Guess I still don't have this image thang down yet.

[Aspen_Davis]

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.

[Maxmars]

I'm 45, diagnosed with PTSD that went unchecked for a while, generalized anxiety disorder.
...

I am sorry you had to endure that.  I feel terrible for those of us who went through this and were utterly unprepared and not able to endure the maddening symptoms, I came  close.

I too am angry at the pill-mill which just kept producing more and more "different' formulations which did nothing to serve the condition, but made bank for the pharmaceutical authorities who indoctrinated physicians that this was the only way to treat problems like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.  It is so much easier than human-to-human intervention and support (and so much more profitable.)  Just place patients on the 'carousel of prescriptions' and watch them go round and round... all the while redeeming your "points" for better "rewards."

My withdrawal episodes came courtesy of the COVID "event" which literally shut down my local VA clinic, and summarily halted my 'mental health' medication (can you imagine?)  I went cold turkey courtesy of the VA.  Once they re-engaged, they wanted to put me back on them... I refused outright... I'm NEVER going to voluntarily risk reliving that experience again.  

I never experienced the 'mind-zap'... so I count myself lucky in that regard.  What I did experience was arguably as bad... but I won't belabor the details here... it was a nightmare of a different order.  I still don't sleep.

As I said before, keeping fit, and disciplining your mind through prayer and/or meditation seems to help... the medicine seems a trap. And what you lose is just too valuable to ignore.

I am NOT a doctor, so anything I say can be tuned out... but I think you and I both know that a doctors' advice doesn't necessarily guarantee well-being either.