Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

This is how the moon was before it started.

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@haleysmom I can understand being nervous. This is all new territory for me, I have never personally been on any of these drugs, I am interested in learning more though because a dear friend has some of these problems.
I have heard many people have weight gain problems on anti-depressants. It's difficult for me to understand why this happens if they are have not changed their eating habits, and their exercise habits. Perhaps their bodies are simply more low-key and thus burning less energy? Just a haphazard guess.
JK

@contentandwell

Hi JK,
Hope all is well with you.
I don't claim to be an expert.. My statements are nothing more than than my own opinins which we are all entitled.
I believe everyone wants to be happy.. I truly feel some people don't know how to be happy or are not willing to put forth the effort to be happy. No pill will solve that issue.
I said some people need alternative therapy, meaning Psychological help, Psychiatric care, Medication, Family Introvention etc.
Go to a good Endocrinologist or better yet a Neuroendocrinologist to chech for hormonal and chemical imbalances, don't just assume that's the problem.How many have been to one, few if any is my guess.Although I do believe strongly that at some point you have to make a choice, that's not to say someone doesn't need help for awhile. But a lot of people try to take the easy way out and just take a pill. Ultimately your going to have to solve your problems. Everyone has to make decisions in their live starting when quite young, some directly relate to a persons mood and I feel they depict being happy, loving, amused, optimistic or sad, mad, frustrated, depressed or whatever. But people have to take responsibility for their lives and that means in my opinion they need to recognise they have a problem and get appropriate treatment. However I don't believe it is reasonable for someone to be Depressed on Antidepressants for decades. Ive read story after story of people being on these meds for decades.. What do they all say "If I stop taking them for a couple days I'll be back where I don't want to be.Getting well doesn't always "Just Happen" sometimes it takes hard work.
It's not always easy to make choices and it's not always easy happy to be happy. Your only going to get out of life what your willing to put into it.
Jake

Leonard, did the eciplse photos .make you speechless? Playing...Bright wings

Yes, I’m waiting for it here!!!!

@jakedduck1 great post. I do wish my friend would take alternative action but knowing so little I hesitate to push that. Obviously the last thing I would want to do is to encourage something that could then put a person in a worse position than they already are. It certainly is a dilemma.
We are all different and it is impossible to know what one person needs that another person may not need. I have that experience with weight loss. Now that I have managed to lose a very significant amount of weight I want to really encourage other people to do that too but we all have to be to a point where we really WANT it, and have a true incentive. The same is true I suspect with depression.
Then I wonder, if a person is diagnosed as bipolar can they really get off of medications successfully? I have read that over 60% of bipolar diagnoses are inaccurate, so I would definitely think a person should seek more than one opinion.
I think I got off on a tangent here, sorry.
JK

@contentandwell
I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS about them. Its not what you are saying as much as what other people said to me that your words remind me of.
Things like..."why can't you get off the drugs...just be happy....oh you really don't want to hurt yourself, do you? Why can't you just get better?????????
The truth is: this is not for you to decide if your friend needs the drugs or not. This is their recovery and life...NOT YOURS.
I can feel you care about this person. That's why I am addressing this with you.
You can encourage them but that is it. Oh if I had a dollar for every time some one wanted me to change FOR THEM, NOT ME...I WOULD BE A RICH WOMAN...VERY VERY RICH.
THE truth is you can offer help but they have to decide. You can pray and ask others for prayers for them but they are the only one to make these decisions.
I purposely held back from responding to these posts. I would have ROARED at you before. Now I can say these things with out my personal feelings involved.
I am not upset with you now. Please respect that your friend is doing what is right for them even if you want things different. This is their life. They get to chose how they live it even if you don't approve.
How many times I felt I was not doing it right from people. Even if I wanted to be with them the unspoken disapproval drove me away. Just because some think us crazy we can still feel! It only hurt me, it never helped. I was peddling as fast as I could.
So many folks disapproved of my decisions. It made me feel not good about myself. I couldn't ever do anything right.
I hope you can hear me. Bright Wings
.
I know your desire is to help but you are NOT. Please just accept your friend. That is the greatest gift you can give.
I am doing my best to say this lovingly. I know you love your friend. No hard feelings?

@contentandwell
I think you are one of the kindest folks here. You are Consistantly kind and caring. I love reading your comments cuz you honestly care.
There are 2 mental health issues I thanked God I did not have........Skitsophrenia and bi-polar. I don't know if I could have beaten them or not. You know how strong I am. I am glad I didn't have to try.
The best thing you can do for your friend is study this extremely difficult to control
dis-ease. Your friend hates it more than you do. I ask you to study not so you can change your friend, but so YOU CAN ACCEPT this illness AND your friend. That is the greatest thing you can do for both of you.
I am sharing this with love. Bright Wings

@jakedduck1
Ok buddy the next eclipse is Aug 11...in China
Next American eclipse is jan 20 and 21st in the US. A lunar eclipse. Oh its going to be cold for that one at the Ceremony Grounds. I wouldn't miss it for the world. It will be my 7th eclipse I have made it a point to see.
So Jake, if you are waiting here...ah, I think you better order in. Hahaha, Bright Wings