Antidepressent side effects and withdrawl!

There is some truth to all of your comments but there is tons of shit too. I’ve been taking effexor for over two years and my life has improved 10 fold since I’ve been on them for a panic disorder triggered by an extremely traumatic event. I resisted the drug therapy for over a year, doing what many of you suggest: excersize, diet, reading a book, etc. Nothing worked. The fits came on when I least expected. Usually when I was at rest. I was becoming a shut in recluse. I had lost my life. Despite the side effects, my life is back.

[quote=“P.LAO”]
There is some truth to all of your comments but there is tons of shit too.[/quote]

This should be framed or something as it has to be the most all-purpose, universal post ever in HTMF! You could plug it in any thread, anywhere. :smiley:

I am glad to hear you have your life back and I do know that these drugs can help some people.  The problem is with long term users sooner or later they “poop out”.  They stop working!  It may take 2 years or 10, everybody is different.  Then the withdrawl is way more severe than your original symptoms.  You can continue taking the pills and they don’t work. Taking another brand does not prevent the withdrawl.  Please be informed through books, news articles, internet, documentrys etc.  Remember Prozac?  The wonder drug?  Turned out it wasn’t but it took years for the truth to come out.  The truth is starting to come out on these new antidep. now that they have been on the market for 10 years plus.

There is no doubt that medical intervention has some impact. Antipsychotics, antidepressants, antianxiolitics, etc…do have their benefits, and if they are working for you, perfect, I wouldn’t suggest you change your treatment regimen, and would in fact applaud you for seeking treatment, which is without question the hardest step. That being said, I am of the belief that the pharmaceutical approach is too often the only approach considered.  This is increasingly common amongst family doctors who (and no fault to them), believe that a medical approach is effective…indeed if you listen to many pharmaceutical companies, it is the only approach you need. 

Most mental health professionals on the other hand, are reluctant to confine treatment to simply one approach.  Generally, the effectiveness of medications is drastically improved through other forms of intervention such as cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy…too often we seek the quick fix and medicate, while the underlying root problem remains unresolved.  Yes we may be depressed, or full of anxiety, etc, but simply resolving the symptoms will not entirely eradicate the problem; the root problems are not necessarily simple explanations like chemical imbalances.  This is like blowing your nose when you have a cold…sure your nose is clear, but you still have the cold, and as we all know it’s not long before your nose plugs again and you’re reaching for more and more kleenex.

Interestingly enough there is a qualitative socially constructed aspect to our psyches (versus a quantitative biological aspect) as well. Cultural perception plays a significant role in how we define mental disorder within a society.  Often, an objective truth is simply implausible, because by its very nature, a so-called “objective truth” cannot exist without some form of norms, mores and truths, and these are all sociological constructions, they are created and learned, not inherent.  We wear clothes (aside from the need to stay warm) because society wants us to cover up and there are societal penalties if we don’t.  At birth we could care less if we paraded around the mall naked, though to do this in adulthood would certainly be deemed “odd” if not “abnormal”. The definition of what is “different” in society, or “abnormal” is created by those with an ability to create the definition, a fact that extends deeply into psychology.  Our socialization often affects how we define the bad in our lives, how we cope with this perceived bad, or how we fail to cope with it.  For example, women are typically perceived as having higher rates of depression, but how much of this is cultural, and how much of this is objective fact?  Culturally, in North America it has generally been much more acceptable for women, rather than men, to talk about their emotions, and indeed report any mood disorders…men are often too ashamed (because of cultural penalties ie ‘weakness’) to report periods of psychological distress; there may very well be no biological reason behind a difference in reporting rates.  This societal aspect is something medication cannot solve.

I thought this might be important to pass on. Recently, a study came out that found a lot of people are overdosing on effexor. I’m on the stuff myself but I didn’t see this one coming. If you are on more than 150 mg and accidentally take it twice in one day, you could end up in the hospital. (Given how it can fog your memory, that’s entirely possible.) Anything over 300 can be toxic.

Secondly, I attended Northern Health’s public forum on mental health and addictions and was only one of two people there to speak as someone who has used the system in town. It was an interesting experience to stand up in a room full of people and talk about how when I was in crisis, it took three weeks to get a councilling appointment and this happened multiple times. Drugs were the only immediate solution I was offering.

Each time I went in to crisis either my family doctor or partner had to cause a huge scene before anything happened at Mental Health and Addictions, not due to the fault of the staff, but simply because Prince Rupert does not have the staffing levels to respond to anything but a crisis. You literally have to stand on the edge and have someone notice before anything happens. If you don’t have an advocate, you are invisible.

I suggested to Northern Health that this was unacceptable because people are falling through the cracks and that perhaps some kind of group program that brings together a counsellor to address behavioural issues while linking people so they can provide each other support, while allowing people access to the exercise equipment for the healthy heart program, might be a beneficial way to maximize the use of existing resources while providing behaviour modification in addition to medication.

Since then Northern Health has advertised for proposals for mental health programs, I guess the problem isn’t the money but the people with the expertise to run that kind of program.

Anyways, it was rather humbling to admit that I chronically struggle with depression, especially to a group of people I know professionally. I felt like I needed to make excuses for something that is a disease. I was embarassed and ashamed at the time because of the social stigma. I have no reason to be depressed, I have a good career, a good partner and a good life — it’s purely medical. It was a powerfully moving experience to stand up and feel the full weight of that social stigma. You should try it some time.

I was a firm believer in antidepressents for over 4 years. I was on a normal dosage and increased with time. I became numb to reality and had suicidal tendencies when things weren’t going my way. Never in my life did I ever want to die before. I weened myself of of them in January (and went through bloody hell I might add) And now I am myself again. I feel great, I never want to die(and feel like an ass for ever being so selfish and thinking about it.)

I realize that the governments of North America have a lot to do with prescription drugs and sometimes wonder if they are conducting experimental ways of population control, etc. You just never know…

To all those who are suffering from chronic depression and winning … keep it up, but if you plan to stop using the meds, please, please don’t quit “cold turkey”… taper off. And be sure there is someone who knows you are doing this, and that can interceed if you experience any of the contraindicators too strongly. You, literally, may not be in your right mind and might make inappropriate choices for yourself at this time.

If you are still in that deep, dark place … don’t give up, there is hope. Those of us who have been on this path are living proof. We’re rooting for you.

Tapering off is very important, no matter how long you have been on them, the recommended tapering is 5% every two weeks. Some of the anti. depressents are availible in a liquid form while others they say to break the capsules and literally count the beads.  Further information is availible on “paxilprogress” and " The Road Back" web sites.theroadback.org/workbook.htm

Having someone watching out for you is also very important.  Like Soggy said “you may not be in your right mind”. 

Just a thought … no one need wonder about my choice of avatars now. :sunglasses:

I have few words for you all

  1. Church of scientology.
  2. DIANETICS.
  3. Tom Cruise
  4. John Travolta.

Through the teaching of L. Ron Hubbard’s you can beat mental illness.

A paranoid-schizophrenic patient who is off his medication is very dangerous.  Therapy alone is not adequate for all people suffering from mental illness.  Cruise is an idiot. 
I do realize you’re being sarcastic:-)

Before there was medication’s. well before there was medicine, these were the shamans and witch doctors, because really who else could talk to the gods and spirit animals  and hear what they were saying.

Shamans, witch doctors are an important part of some cultures.  No argument from me there.  You are missing my point and ignoring my previous example of the truly delusional, dangerous patient.  Shamans don’t have the habit of killing their followers.  A person during a psychotic break with reality can be very dangerous.
Dianetics is a slap in the face for any person suffering with mental illnesses.

Hehe, I actually read dianetics back in the early 80’s, its hard to believe all those famous people buy into that bullshit, all that engram crap. What gets me is hubbard was a science fiction writer for years before he came up with that jazz. Thats like steven king or dean koontz suddenly inventing a religion with all sorts of hokey shit masquerading as some sort of science and publishing it as non fiction, nobody would take it seriously, we would just assume they had lost their sanity. Having all those movie stars and celebrities falling for it just shows us how much luck those idiots have had to get to where they are, cause it sure isnt from intelligence, they are dumber than the average citizen.

Agreed. 

Dianetics was originally a religion from one of his novels.

Through the teaching of L. Ron Hubbard’s you can be mental illness

Watch me oscillate wildly!  :smiley:

For anyone interested , Cornerstones Wellness Centre has a great team oth therapists including an incredible new technology in Quantum Bio-feedback . If you know anyone suffering from depression , chronic fatigue etc. it is a great new option to explore .

funinthesun, do you eat foods that are way past the expiry date?