Struggling with Antidepressants

@brian17340

Welcome to Mayo Connect, members can share their experience and advice. I also have been on anti-depressions for a long time and have come to realization I will probably need to take for life.

Sometimes my provider will switched them around, increase or decrease dosages, etc… depending how I am doing. Would I like to be able to stop all medications, yes, but realize I need them. I look at antidepressions like any other medication I take for a medical condition. I take blood pressure meds and would not consider stopping them. I need to control my blood pressure. Just like I need antidepression medications to control my depression and anxiety.

Try to stop looking at anti-depressions as a bad thing.

Why do you think anti-depressions will have a long term effect on your brain?

Hi Laurie! Thank you so much for the welcome and for sharing with me! I like the comparison you used with antidepressants and blood pressure medication! A couple of providers and counselors had mentioned that analogy to me in the past and it's true. I think it's been hard for me to take that analogy to heart sometimes because I think I could somehow correct my issues by either getting on a right diet or exercising and somehow not having to rely on medication.

I am scared of the long-term effects on the brain because of some studies I read that connected antidepressant use with an increased risk for Alzheimer's. I know sometimes I experience brain fog when I am on medication and it feels like it dampens my mental ability or feel like it will effect my job performance. I have read articles that also mentioned how the serotonin imbalance hypothesis with antidepressants wasn't really proven. I also keep wondering if the medication is providing a benefit or if it's more of a placebo effect. I probably do too much research and shouldn't rely on googling things.

I appreciate you sharing with me and it helps to hear how they have helped you!

@brian17340 Hello, and I'd like to add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Like Laurie @roch I have taken antidepressant medication for many years. Well, like you too, Brian. I did take Paxil at one time and while I found it helpful for anxiety and depression I felt that it flattened my emotions and gave me such an "I don't care" attitude that I decided to come off of it. I also thought I didn't need it anymore but I was incorrect about that. Anyway, I did taper off Paxil over 3 months and did not experience the flu-like symptoms you describe. That's why I usually tell others that if they plan to go off a medication they should discuss it first with their prescribing physician.

When I was first on antidepressants my psychiatrist said something similar to what @roch reported. My psychiatrist used the analogy of diabetes saying that with my history he figured depression and anxiety for me was like diabetes which needs to be carefully monitored and medication taken daily. Would I like to wake up one morning and the anxiety and depression has disappeared forever? Of course I would. But after all these years I have come to realize the cost/benefits of the medication that I take (Cymbalta) works for me, I continue to take it as prescribed, and I have learned about my own symptoms and how to cope with them. Think about what you didn't know about yourself at age 15 and how much you know now.

Have you read any scientific evidence about the long-term effects of anti-depressants on the brain?

@brian17340

Hello Brain, not sure I can give you advice on when to withdraw from antidepressants. I have been using them for about two years myself. I applaud you for taking the time to make this decision and you are seeking advice and input.

The one thing I would say (or advise) is to be cautious with the medical literature. Often, there are many qualifiers in the publications like "might be" or "significantly associated" will be some buzz words. This is even true for reputable studies because of sampling and the study may not have taken into account all potential variables like race, gender, and other medical conditions.

So you might find multiple answers to same question because the study had different conditions. There is the "best" answer based on the proponderance of research and then there is an answer. Most providers typically (noticed I used that qualifier typically) use the "best" answer. But it is good on your part of keep up with the current research because it changes so quickly.

As a person who tapered benzodiazepines and an antidepressant with liquid versions, I cannot understand your doctor’s logic. Many people do this and would be extremely helpful to you. These doctors have absolutely no idea and no clue about these meds. All they know is to whip out the prescription pad and blindly start writing out very harmful prescriptions if not taken and tapered properly.

Dear @brian17340
I’m sorry Brian G for the welling depressants of drugs of the depression feeling. Part of my family’s use depression problems and use:

xxx REASONS OF DEPRESSION xxx
1. Buy another new one and get rid of the other new one
2. Eat the big taste rather the hunger
3. Move something rather than the other, even if doesn’t help or it hurts more
4. Felling hits the worse thing, even its worse than before
5. The WORSE place is “ I’m so sick if this human life, so…”

xxx FOR ME… xxx
Our human life is short… as we get older, His time is faster… who has doggies or cats? I really miss my doggies over the last 42 years ago… but this human-life fells shorter every-day.

Some of us, forces meds of different problems like:
1. Depression - like you and part of my close family, too
2. Brain-Injury Problems- falling down, vehicle accident, hitting when working outside, bitten from a child that hit on its face or head, and on & on…
3. And more sickness of physically & mentally problems

For me, I had an accident 12 years ago and - I hate this - having anti-seizure meds, 3 times a day.. that keeps me lay-down 10+ hours-a-day.

I wish the best way, Brian G.
Greg D.