Life without antidepressants

jc_0324
jc_0324 Posts: 54
in Chit-Chat
Is there such a thing? Every time I have my Psychiatrist ween me off, I feel like a wreck and need to go back to full dose. Is it psychological? Does this happen to anyone else?

In 2008, I weened off of Prozac and stayed off of antidepressants for two whole years, then, well things happened and I needed to go back on them.

I have an appointment to see him Wednesday to go back on Wellbutrin.

Is it just me?

Replies

  • wjstoj
    wjstoj Posts: 884 Member
    not just you
  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member
    Been on Wellbutrin since 2005; continuously. Lithium too. Lots of people need this sort of brain chemistry therapy. Sometimes diet and exercise can take care of it, but mostly diet and exercise is a second set of tools as well as the pills to manage the overall condition. Talk therapy is a third tool. You are definitely not alone.
  • DoctahJenn
    DoctahJenn Posts: 616 Member
    Been on Wellbutrin since 2005; continuously. Lithium too. Lots of people need this sort of brain chemistry therapy. Sometimes diet and exercise can take care of it, but mostly diet and exercise is a second set of tools as well as the pills to manage the overall condition. Talk therapy is a third tool. You are definitely not alone.

    This. I've been on and off every antidepressant in existence over the past ten years. Diet and exercise definitely makes it much better - I've been off for almost a year now after one of them made me suicidal and my doctor wanted me to try some natural options for a bit - but I've always been fairly active and know that it's just a matter of time before I need a little extra help. And that's ok! It's not about whether or not we need medication, but about feeling alright. Do what's best for you.
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    As I tell my husband all the time, the antidepressants help balance a chemical imbalance within the brain. Often times due to the misunderstanding of mental illness when someone hears that an individual is on a antidepressant that they are less than or weak, however if we hear a person has a thyroid problem, we don't think this. This kind of thinking makes a stigma around mental health and it saddens my heart. I explain to my husband (often) that being on these medications does not mean that he is less than or that there is something wrong with him, it is just an illness that needs to be treated just like hypothyroidism is an illness that needs to be treated for me and that both illness cause imbalance that if not treated can lead to more serious complications and issues.
  • NK1112
    NK1112 Posts: 781 Member
    antidepressants help balance a chemical imbalance within the brain. Often times due to the misunderstanding of mental illness when someone hears that an individual is on a antidepressant that they are less than or weak, however if we hear a person has a thyroid problem, we don't think this. This kind of thinking makes a stigma around mental health and it saddens my heart.

    this
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    As I tell my husband all the time, the antidepressants help balance a chemical imbalance within the brain. Often times due to the misunderstanding of mental illness when someone hears that an individual is on a antidepressant that they are less than or weak, however if we hear a person has a thyroid problem, we don't think this. This kind of thinking makes a stigma around mental health and it saddens my heart. I explain to my husband (often) that being on these medications does not mean that he is less than or that there is something wrong with him, it is just an illness that needs to be treated just like hypothyroidism is an illness that needs to be treated for me and that both illness cause imbalance that if not treated can lead to more serious complications and issues.

    So true. My mother was diabetic and she (of course) had the good sense not to try to go off her insulin. I have major, chronic depression. I treat it with an anti-depressant.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    As I tell my husband all the time, the antidepressants help balance a chemical imbalance within the brain. Often times due to the misunderstanding of mental illness when someone hears that an individual is on a antidepressant that they are less than or weak, however if we hear a person has a thyroid problem, we don't think this. This kind of thinking makes a stigma around mental health and it saddens my heart. I explain to my husband (often) that being on these medications does not mean that he is less than or that there is something wrong with him, it is just an illness that needs to be treated just like hypothyroidism is an illness that needs to be treated for me and that both illness cause imbalance that if not treated can lead to more serious complications and issues.

    Truth! And more truth - as much progress as we've made understanding mental illnesses, we're still basically in the dark ages poking at tiny ants with big fat sticks. So just because nobody can explain exactly why your brain's chemistry might change from one week to the next doesn't mean it isn't real and doesn't mean it isn't a physical problem just like shin splints or asthma.
  • Libertysfate
    Libertysfate Posts: 452 Member
    As I tell my husband all the time, the antidepressants help balance a chemical imbalance within the brain. Often times due to the misunderstanding of mental illness when someone hears that an individual is on a antidepressant that they are less than or weak, however if we hear a person has a thyroid problem, we don't think this. This kind of thinking makes a stigma around mental health and it saddens my heart. I explain to my husband (often) that being on these medications does not mean that he is less than or that there is something wrong with him, it is just an illness that needs to be treated just like hypothyroidism is an illness that needs to be treated for me and that both illness cause imbalance that if not treated can lead to more serious complications and issues.

    Ditto.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Some people can go off them after a while. I have a couple of friends who were able to stop their antidepressants after the issues were dealt with and have been fine.

    But for some of us ... no, I don't think it will be possible. I have just finished weaning off of Lexapro because I want to avoid withdrawal symptoms for my little one when he is born. But I am really having a hard time with it. I was on Paxil before getting pregnant, was switched to Lexapro in the first trimester, and am just now down to nothing (I was at a mere 10mg at the highest, not a huge dose, but definitely significant for me). I can't wait until I can get back on my Paxil!!

    And, as truddy6647 said, the medication is treating a chemical imbalance in the brain. It's no less a medical condition than thyroid disorder or diabetes or something else. Does it sometimes suck? YES!!!!! But it doesn't mean we are any less strong because we need the medication. I'm just grateful that I live in a time when these interventions are effective and available, and that I have been able to afford them (Paxil is available on $4 generics from Target, yay!!)
  • jc_0324
    jc_0324 Posts: 54
    Thank you for your responses. I guess it's good to know that I'm not alone but for some reason, I just don't classify it as an illness like a thyroid disorder, asthma, etc... I don't feel like I am mentally ill. I don't want to hurt myself, never have. I would like to hurt some coworkers but that's a different story.

    I just feel like there is no life to me without them. There used to be, not that long ago, what the hell happened?
  • shutch2112
    shutch2112 Posts: 236 Member
    Thank god for this thread. I'm on the lowest dose I can manage, but I know that the days I forget to take it, I'll be miserable. I used to be ashamed to tell people about my antidepressants, but now I'm so glad for them, I don't care. I have wacky brain chemistry, it's okay to take meds for it. :)
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I tried to go off mine for almost a year and it just did not work. I have major depression and I need the antidepressants. Some people will be able to go off them, others cannot. I am resigned to the fact that they will be a part of my life for the rest of my life.

    The good thing that happened when I went off them is that I found one that works better for me than the others. Having tried a number of different ones, we ended up with a cocktail of zoloft and wellbutrin. I could not pay for them which is why I went off but when I went back to my PsyD she gave me samples of a new one called Viibryd and I was able to get it for free from the company. It turns out that I feel better on that than I ever did on the others and now that I have insurance, I can get it at cheap prescription prices.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    Never taken an antidreppressant. I think a lot of people take them rather than addressing the real source of their depression. We are too quick to prescribe pills in America.
  • justinitsul
    justinitsul Posts: 1,018 Member
    I take them for really bad anxiety/panic disorder. Causes me to gain weight.
  • May_Rose
    May_Rose Posts: 119 Member
    I've never taken them, but exercise has the same effect for me. If I stop working out for more than three days in a row, the depression creeps back in. I lose the lust for life pretty quickly and my thoughts turn negative. For this reason, I will have to remain active my entire life... which isn't a bad thing, just something I have to be constantly aware of. Hopefully I'll be able to manage my imnbalance this way forever.

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