One thing I know loud and clear from my own experience -- and it's not from Effexor, it's from being a sober alcoholic -- is that not eating, which will mean low blood sugar, is a major stressor and contributor to rage/anger/short temper. When I haven't eaten, there's no way my thinking can be even remotely rational. In AA we have a saying ``HALT -- don't get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired'' because we know that any one of those can make it easier to decide to drink again. In fact, I was in a meeting this past week where that was the topic. (Just watch a little kid have a meltdown when she/he is hungry or tired, and you'll see how it works.) I've always had trouble eating because I'm single so I don't have to prepare meals for others and I seldom get really hungry. My psychiatrist told me to eat small but consistently -- string cheese or other decent cheeses, good wheat crackers, sliced turkey, apples or oranges (the fructose is absorbed more slowly). I can't stand Ensure or similar drinks, but I sometimes can motivate myself to make smoothies, which help a lot. My guess -- from my own experience -- is that it's the low blood sugar which is making you question getting off the drug. Your brain is telling you to take the easy way out -- i.e., get back on the dragon.

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