Is anyone on antidepressants long-term/for life?

[Ladiesleaveyourmenathome]

I've suffered with depression, anxiety and obsessive intrusive thoughts so spoke to my GP after struggling for a while.
I was prescribed setraline 50mg which I'm familiar with due to working in healthcare. The doctor suggested that coming off it after around 6 months would be recommended..
The first day was frightening, I was slurring my speech, couldn't get words out properly and felt in a trance, but other than some nausea I'm now having no side effects.
That feeling of dread I had in my chest every day has gone. I'm managing the obsessive thoughts a bit better, and I generally feel a bit more hopeful about life and sleeping better.
It's changed me for the better, it's the best decision I ever made.
I'm worried this would stop if I were to come off the medication. Just interested to know if anyone has found this after stopping antidepressants, or whether anybody has continued them long-term? Can doctors refuse prescriptions?

I’ve been on them for nearly two decades.
I will definitely be on them for life, no GP has ever suggested they would need to be stopped at some point.
I did come off them for a couple of years around 14 years ago, I ended up actively suicidal. I have been on my current ones (Lofepramine) for around 12 years, I won’t be coming off them.

I’m glad you are feeling better on them

I have been on and off a few different antidepressants (sertraline, citalopram) and have come to the conclusion I need to be on a long term low dose (20mg ish) to stop my anxiety ramping up. So far the gp is fine with that.

Thank you so much.
I'm glad to hear they've helped you and you've had no issue in continuing.
I wonder why my GP suggested 6 months..
On one hand I do understand but on the other hand somebody wouldn't suggest stopping medication for a lifelong physical ailment after several months so I don't see why mental illness should be treated differently.

My son has been on now for 10 years. At the beginning I was horrified at the prospect but they are life changing for him, so I can’t imagine why he’d ever want to go back to the way he was!

My daughter was on something for a year. She went off slowly (you have to step down very carefully) and has been fine since.

So it really depends on your situation.

My son started on sertraline and it turned into a nightmare for him, so just remember that if it stops working for you, you can try something else.

(His dose became too big, he was barely functioning etc)

I went on them first 16 years ago with bad PND and PTSD and I think long term childhood abusive issues. I came off them after 7 years and was in a very very healthy place.
I then got pregnant and again suffered with PND and went through an abusive divorce. 3 years after that whilst still on antidepressants on a low amount, I went through another trauma and then lockdown hit. 3 years after that and after heavy therapy from investigating the serious childhood abuse I’m on 10 mg of citraopram and I aim to get down to 5 mg over the course of a year or more. I actively am different - I have friends and I’m away from abusers and single and have good friends, great job and great animals etc but I know that triggers are common. I’m currently NC with my family but I know that some mean behaviour from them or my ex husband could trigger a response. For me the biggest potential is either of my parents dying and potentially seeing them or contact from them. I have a stressful job but a new round of Covid or back in isolation would be a huge spiral so I’m careful and kind to myself.

I know how I want to respond if a parent dies but I know that the reality could be different.

I’d rather be on antidepressants for 20 years More than I would want to be suicidal. So frankly I don’t feel I need it - but it balances me so if a wave hits me I don’t feel like drowning I just feel like I have to swim harder and get someone around me to take over when it feels too tired to do it on my own. I realise it properly doesn’t help - you!

I feel my trauma chemically changed and conditioned me to a response and the anti dep just helps make any potential hole shallower to get out of.

I’ve been on antidepressants for about 17years, I’ve been on three different ones over that period of time but no had a break from taking the medication. I honestly believe I wouldn’t be alive today if I’d stopped taking it. So glad to hear you are feeling more yourself.

I’m on 10mg of escitalopram for GAD and don’t plan to come off it. I was started on 20mg , had counselling and was reduced to 10 mg, which is considered a “maintenance dose.”

I did come off completely two year ago but the anxiety began returning within a couple of months so my doctor restarted it. I’m not the slightest bit concerned about being on a low dose long term, my life is so much happier and I’m able to do what I want to now, instead of being held back by anxiety.

So I’d consider asking for a maintenance dose instead of coming right off, to see whether you’re still OK on that. Glad you’re feeling so much better. 💐

Yep, on them since I was 16 and now 40

I'm probably on citalopram for life. I've been on highest dose of 40mg for a few years and struggle anytime I try to reduce. Psychiatrist advised gp that if need be I can safely stay on for life.

My mum has been on them for many many years. Every time she tries to reduce her dosage the depression starts to spiral again. Don't let anyone force you into stopping, only do it if it's right for you.

Are you sure the GP didn't mean it might take 6 months to work? I've been on 3 years but hoping to wean off soon as they've killed my sex drive plus have me a fun symptom of sweating out my head 😂

I think probably gp said 6 mths to see how you go in with them, I don’t think they like to to stay on them as there very hard to come off the longer you stay on them
having said that if you need them then you stay on them no problem.

GPs are under some pressure to get people of ADs in general. I have been on various ADs for about 6 years now. I come off from time to time and it's always a disaster.

My DH has been on sertraline for at least 20 years, possibly longer. A couple of times he's tried to wean himself off, but it's obvious within days that he's slipping back again. He's accepted he'll be on them for life - he has no side effects and is a completely different person when he takes them.

I've been on the highest dose of mirtazapine for many, many years.
I become very anxious without them and cannot sleep either.
Some people do need them all the time. My doctor has never tried to take me off them.

I have a 40 year old friend who has been on antidepressants since she was 14. DH has been on them for 13 years. Both describe their medication as bringing them ‘up to normal’ and so wouldn’t be without them.

I have been on ADs for 30 years and suspect I will be on them for life. Currently on Venlafaxine which is often a total nightmare to come off anyway. I tried very slowly reducing my dose some years ago. I didn't have any physical withdrawal symptoms as I reduced it so slowly but got very anxious after about 4 weeks. Not keen to relive that experience!

I’ve been on Sertraline for many years. Currently on 150mg. I don’t have any side effects, and don’t think I ever had trouble with it, even at the start. I’m pretty much on it until I decide I want to come off. But tbh, I’m in a good place with it, and have no plans to change.

I’ve been on them a couple of years, my psychiatrist has never suggested coming off them.

But I’ve decide myself I want to come off them as my whole sleep pattern has been ruined by them. So so so tired all the time on them.

I have major depression and severe anxiety and I'm on them for life.

I've been mostly on them for 15/20 yrs. I too was worried about cutting down and after a recent crisis, my doctor put me up to 150. After some thought, I realised that Sertraline had been great because it calmed me enough to learn perspective and be a little more philosophical; so now I've cut down to 50, it's been a few months and so far so good. It could also be my HRT helping with anxiety too however.

So glad to hear it's helping you so much. I tried a few different ones before I found Trazadone which was the perfect drug for me. I said at the time that I'd never come off it and couldn't bare the idea. A few years later I decided to try and it went really well. I've now been off it for 5 years and honestly feel as good as I did on them. I think the key is to not rush it, if you're not ready then you're not ready and this can be reviewed and discussed with the doctor. They'll want to keep reviewing it but that doesn't automatically mean taking you off it.
There may come a time where things have leveled out and you're feeling ready to give it a go.
I always figured because my anxiety and depression wasn't situational, and it had been present for so long, that things wouldn't change. They did though and eventually I felt it was time to give it a go. Equally I know the second I felt that way again I'd be back asking for more!

I was on 150mg, built up from lower dose within a year, for almost 10 years. I occasionally had periods where I didn't take them and would shit myself (actually shit myself, not just a phrase!) when I went back onto 150mg.
I came off through choice during pregnancy with HG as I wasn't keeping them down anyway. I haven't taken them since. Admittedly, I could probably do with a lower dose to improve my quality of life.

I've been on Seroxat 20mg for years. It allows me to live a pretty normal life now after suffering from Agoraphobia .