My experience sounds very similar to yours. I break the tablets up within the capsules to lower the dose extremely slowly. I’m down to a smidgeon but still get side effects if I am late with the dose. (nausea, vertigo and brain zaps) I’m limited to the doctors I can access and the ones I see just treat me as neurotic and show no interest in researching side effects other than saying you shouldn’t go cold turkey. They offer other drugs. I was put on it for hot flushes. It is a bad drug and being dished out without the proper research being conducted into the significant life changing withdrawal symptoms.
I suggest that doctors take it for a month during their training and try coming off it. It would soon disappear off the prescribed drugs list. It may save some lives by turning you into a zombie, but I bet it has taken many more. My husband said he could have told me the house burnt down and I would have replied “Oh well", and smiled. Inside I was just waiting to die. It should not be legal, especially to the young whose whole lives could be ruined. If I was going out to work at the moment I don’t know how I would cope....and all because I sort help for menopausal hot flushes.
Depression is part of life and being with family or friends and getting out of the house is the best treatment in my experience. All the very best to everyone and let’s hope this discussion and others like it prompt researchers to look more closely at the terrible withdrawal experience of many venlafaxine users.