Long term use of antidepressants equals severe withdrawal symptoms

[Mary Anne]

I want to post this extremely important article about the long term consequences of taking antidepressants. All drugs were never studied for more then short term use, yet, people are prescribed them for years, if not a life time. There are extreme withdrawal effects lasting months and years after, stopping. Some people cannot stop and are forced to go back on these drugs. Doctors are not even aware, as the research is so new.

I am one that stopped Paxil and Seroquil after 2 decades of continual use, and it’s 8 months and I still experience withdrawal! Please read this astounding latest research.

Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit

Also, this is a several years long thread from previous Seroquil users who experience intensive withdrawal symptoms. I have also posted my withdrawal issues. It’s an enormous thread: Seroquel (Quetiapine) Withdrawal Symptoms: How Long Do They Last? - Mental Health Daily

 

[Thinx]

Very interesting article Mary Ann thanks. Lots of interesting links to sources aswell. It's always tricky to assess the checks and balances of such medication I guess, but some of the people quoted didn't seem to have been on the antidepressants for a good enough reason in any case. I do think there should be far more thought and caution about prescribing. There's an idea called social prescribing growing now in UK, where the prescription isn't drugs but is for a therapeutic activity of some kind. This seems an important change of perspective.

 

[Fitzo]

I have taken various drugs over the years to treat anxiety, depression and insomnia. I stopped taking all of them and did suffer many withdrawal symptoms of varying intensity. Three years ago I was prescribed Seroquel on the understanding it was NON habit forming! Now I'm too scared to quit, especially after reading that article as most of those withdrawal symptoms are already problems for me. I'm furious with the psych who prescribed it!

 

[pax]

Not really news. It's been found they are no better than a placebo in many cases, cause horrible side effects, (including making one MORE likely to suicide). There was a PHd study in 2004 on antidepressant addiction, so it's been known for quite a while and suspected for much longer.

 

[Fitzo]

Not really news. It's been found they are no better than a placebo in many cases, cause horrible side effects, (including making one MORE likely to suicide). There was a PHd study in 2004 on antidepressant addiction, so it's been known for quite a while and suspected for much longer.

And yet nearly every doctor I've ever had wanted me to take anti depressants for life! I was the one who refused to.

 

[Bolletje]

I’m glad that my country isn’t as medicalized as some western countries. In my country the concensus is that antidepressants should not be prescribed without a person receiving therapy. It’s standard to try therapy plus lifestyle advice (sleep hygiene, physical activity, daily routine and proper nutrition) at first and only add antidepressants if therapy is insufficient to treat the depression. Going off antidepressants is something that’s planned with the therapist and usually requires a gradual decrease in dosage to prevent withdrawal.

 

[Fitzo]

I’m glad that my country isn’t as medicalized as some western countries. In my country the concensus is that antidepressants should not be prescribed without a person receiving therapy. It’s standard to try therapy plus lifestyle advice (sleep hygiene, physical activity, daily routine and proper nutrition) at first and only add antidepressants if therapy is insufficient to treat the depression. Going off antidepressants is something that’s planned with the therapist and usually requires a gradual decrease in dosage to prevent withdrawal.

Clearly the Netherlands are far more enlightened than Australian doctors. I'm constantly fighting with doctors because they want me to take things I don't want to take, without even suggesting lifestyle options first.

Sometimes you would think they were getting commissions from the drug companies!

 

[Shamar]

I'm a bit confused. Seroquel is listed as an anti-psychotic, and is secondarily used to treat depression. Paxil is listed as an antidepressant, but is also an anti-psychotic. If you have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, fine. If you are only being treated for depression, I suggest you find another doctor, because he (or she) is either lying to you or incompetent.

As a matter of personal policy, I never take a prescribed drug unless the doctor explains clearly what it is supposed to do, how effective it is, and what the side effects are. Then I check the literature to make sure the explanation matches. If not, I ask the doctor a series of very pointed questions. This comes from having been prescribed Something years ago, with no explanation and only that I needed to take it. To this day I have no idea what it was.

A few years ago I took Sertraline for depression. It worked, but if I forgot to take it I suffered from anxiety attacks. I stopped taking it by tapering off over two months. As I tapered off, I started taking St John's Wort in gradually increasing doses. It seems to work as well but without the side effects. It appears the substitution prevented the withdrawal effects.

 

[Fitzo]

I'm a bit confused. Seroquel is listed as an anti-psychotic, and is secondarily used to treat depression. Paxil is listed as an antidepressant, but is also an anti-psychotic. If you have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, fine. If you are only being treated for depression, I suggest you find another doctor, because he (or she) is either lying to you or incompetent.

As a matter of personal policy, I never take a prescribed drug unless the doctor explains clearly what it is supposed to do, how effective it is, and what the side effects are. Then I check the literature to make sure the explanation matches. If not, I ask the doctor a series of very pointed questions. This comes from having been prescribed Something years ago, with no explanation and only that I needed to take it. To this day I have no idea what it was.

A few years ago I took Sertraline for depression. It worked, but if I forgot to take it I suffered from anxiety attacks. I stopped taking it by tapering off over two months. As I tapered off, I started taking St John's Wort in gradually increasing doses. It seems to work as well but without the side effects. It appears the substitution prevented the withdrawal effects.

I was prescribed Seroquil as a mood stabilizer, but I continued to take it primarily because it helped me to sleep. After 45 years of chronic severe insomnia I was having almost normal sleep for the first time. That was like manna from heaven.

 

[Progster]

I took Sertraline for about 15 months, then came off it myself. I had side effects which lasted for about two months.

St. John's wort sounds like a good idea. It grows in abundance here and can easily be made into tea.

 

[xudo]

Why does the poll not have a "yes and I have not experienced negative reactions"? Bit presumptuous that every single person will have had negative reactions when stopping them. I have just recently stopped antidepressants for anxiety as they are increasing my weight, and no negative reactions at all. I have stopped many different antidepressants previously (doctors trying to find one that both worked for anxiety and didn't have side effects) and I've rarely had an issue stopping them.

 

[WittyAspie]

The propensity of psychiatrists to prescribe medication is why I don't trust them. I was given a prescription the first day I ever saw a psychiatrist. Without having a firm diagnosis I was already being treated.

Another psychiatrist I was seeing prescribed me medication without ever looking at my file. I had been transferred to her care and found out after a couple of visits that she didn't even have access to my file. She had no idea what my diagnosis was or any of my issues, but she was willing to offer me new medications, one of which made things much worse instead of better.

Psychiatrists, at least the ones I have seen, are nothing more than gatekeepers to pharmaceuticals. I've never had one actually address my symptoms and offer treatment other than more drugs. Maybe I'm just asking too much.

 

[Gracey]

I pretty much gave up going to the professionals for help at one point.

Each visit would see a prescription for yet another pill.

I didn’t want a ‘put-up and shut-up’ answer in the form of a daily dose.

I wanted help with “why?” and some re learning.
I’ve tried it their way for the best part of twenty five years on and off.

For the past four years I’ve been trying it my way,
‘Regrets? I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention’

One Psychiatrist told me I’d be on a high dose of venlafaxine for the rest of my life.
I said “you think ?!!”
I saw that as a challenge, laying down the gauntlet rather than sound, professional opinion.

I personally think changing habits changes neural pathways.
For me, heading depression off at the pass involves understanding what’s going on and knowing how to change it.
But that’s just me.

 

[WittyAspie]

I pretty much gave up going to the professionals for help at one point.

Each visit would see a prescription for yet another pill.

I didn’t want a ‘put-up and shut-up’ answer in the form of a daily dose.

I wanted help with “why?” and some re learning.
I’ve tried it their way for the best part of twenty five years on and off.

For the past four years I’ve been trying it my way,
‘Regrets? I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention’

One Psychiatrist told me I’d be on a high dose of venlafaxine for the rest of my life.
I said “you think ?!!”
I saw that as a challenge, laying down the gauntlet rather than sound, professional opinion.

I personally think changing habits changes neural pathways.
For me, heading depression off at the pass involves understanding what’s going on and knowing how to change it.
But that’s just me.

This is exactly how I feel. Treating symptoms won't work if there isn't an effort to find the root of the problem. Twenty-five years seems like a long time to try it their way. I gave them 2-3 years, then stopped taking all my medications cold-turkey (including Rx NSAIDs). I feel better than I have in years. I can actually fight depression instead of being enslaved to a mind altering drug.

 

[Gracey]

25 years meant I trusted what they were telling me and it fit in with everything else.
Job, children, husband.

I could drift along as someone else and for the most part cope.

It was a circular pattern.
Cope, start struggling, dip, docs, meds, time off work, recover, cope, start struggling, dip, docs, meds, time off work, recover, cope...
And so on and so on and so on.

I accepted what I was told as truth.
These were highly qualified medical professionals who knew far more than I did.

Looking at the pattern, time away from work/social chaos helped balance me out.
Could say ‘yes, but you were taking meds, the meds must have helped?’
(I didn’t take meds and still get up to go to work)

Like I say, but this is just me.

 

[Iamnotarabot]

My mother always warned me about things like anti depressant because she work in a retierement house and most of the people that lived on antidepressant most of their life had big issues when they get 80 's ( on a behavioral level, she and I dont have hte knowledge to not more than that).

Antidepressant should be used on short term just to get out of dangerous situation, then we need therapy in order to learn how to deal with our darkness naturally.

 

[Butterfly88]

None of the above in your poll apply to me. I was on various antidepressants for about five years including Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft (not all at the same time) but didn't have any major issues going off them. It can equal severe withdrawal symptoms but doesn't for everyone.

 

[ksheehan88]

I'm actually making an appointment to see the doctor today to get antidepressants. I've tried coping by myself, been having CBT since October and I am still spiralling. Its either this, drink or worse...

 

[Major Tom]

I was on Paxil for a few years. Even if I would forget to take just one dose I would get severe dizziness/vertigo and headaches. When I quit completely it was like 6 months of hell. I'll never try anything like that again.

 

[Fitzo]

I'm actually making an appointment to see the doctor today to get antidepressants. I've tried coping by myself, been having CBT since October and I am still spiralling. Its either this, drink or worse...

As much as I am opposed to gratuitous medication I do think anti depressants do have a place in the short term. I've been emotionally stable for the last few years, but if I found myself at the bottom of the dark hole again, I would not hesitate to take them until I felt better. At least I now know which ones work for me and what the side effects are. I also know how to wean myself off them. (Unfortunately I now realise Seroquel is a different ball game)
I hope you find them helpful.