To stop taking antidepressants

[Patheticfallacy]

I have been taking 50 mg of sertraline for the past year or so. I've come off them cold turkey (I know you are not supposed to) mainly because I kept forgetting to take them/pick up new prescription and because I can't orgasm on them sorry for TMI. I now feel tense and on the verge of tears all the time. I really don't think I'm depressed but I'm very very anxious. I've booked a session with my private counsellor and am going to go every week. Then I thought I'd try mindfulness and exercise. AIBU in thinking I can do this by myself?

Unfortunately long term antidepressants don't work for many many people and the research pretty much bears this out. They're best used as a crutch until you've got through a crisis and have established depression-busting ways of life (be it exercise, mindfulness, therapy, nutrition, behavioural activation - whatever works for you). They don't reduce long-term disability in the absence of these lifestyle changes which is why so many people end up constantly tinkering with medication types and styles only to find themselves back at square one. They can be really useful but they do have terrible side effects for some people. Maybe you are just one of those people.

I weaned off sertraline veeeeeery slowly (think it was over 2 months, my GP gave me a plan for cutting down) and still had the odd weebly day/head zap when I dropped down the dose, I think stopping it cold turkey can really do a number on you. It's nothing to do with whether you "should be able to do it", it really isn't! Def talk to your doctor about a plan to come off them or change to another AD that might have fewer side effects.

Beta blockers will just stop the physical symptoms of anxiety (I've been on them for pregnancy blood pressure stuff) like racing heart, adrenaline kicking in, nervous tummy, etc., though I think for a lot of people that makes them feel less anxious. They won't really affect your mood, or didn't mine, though if you take too high a dose they will make you fall over if you stand up suddenly....

I'm on antidepressants and have been for years. Sertraline affected my sex drive but so does depression which will hit hard if you go cold turkey.

I have attempted to wean off ADs twice... But then as soon as there is a drama in my life I end up in a state of severe anxiety again. So I'm sticking with them.
I do however now only take a low dose, plus have beta blockers for emergencies. I also supplement with ashwagandha, which I find works brilliantly.

Petal will look for that article. I haven't taken them for a few weeks now so wondering if I might be able to ride this out. Although I did slip into old bulimic habits today when I felt I'd eaten too much, so that could be a sign that all is not, in fact, well.

A friend's quite cynical view is that her GP gives her betablockers when she says she needs them to get through presentations at work. That it's the mention of paid work and not being able to do this properly that makes them prescribe. i wondered if I could just invent a high-flying career and maybe I'd be taken more seriously by the entire medical profession. My friend's views just made me feel more depressed by my intractable situation. I tend to be more depressed than anxious. Can you tell?!

There are some people - and apparently I am one of them - who benefits from a low-dose long-term AD. But, yes, a lot of people need help with strategies for coping better. From a resource POV it must be quicker, easier, cheaper to write a prescription. Everyone is different.

I turn in to a zombie when I'm on them,,a doormat in the family,unable to shout cry feel emotion,and I just eat and eat....no they are not for me

I think that for anxiety you are better with psychological treatments like CBT and doing mindfulness/ yoga gradually doing the things you find stressful/ reducing unnecessary stress/ lifestyle changes rather than antidepressants which don't cure anxiety just take the edge off it.
beta blockers are good short term for things like exams/ presentations but if you have to take them every day then you need to learn to manage your anxiety and stop caring what people think as much and get some confidence. Tablets can't help that.
They're good for all pervading misery and hopelessness.

Op,,,,you mentioned bulimia ,anti depressants are often given to help with that.so it's no surprise yr bulimia is back if you are of the tabs....I'm in the same boat sadly.....it's mind over matter I'm finding....you never manage to throw up all you eat...the body is fantastic at quickly digesting anything as it knows it won't be in the stomach for long...and worst of all I've never lost any weight doing that..in fact I always put on weight if I fall back in to those habits...think of yr teeth ,yr dentist can tell ,I was throwing up a lot of blood before I managed to stop....sometimes we have to reach rock bottom before we can move forward

Op,if you want to message me privately I'd be happy to chat...

am weaning citalopram at the moment and I am having the worst time.

I wouldn't class myself as bulimic anymore petal really, but I was for a long time (ten years maybe). I never really lost or gained weight - I've always stayed the same size, normal bmi. Pointless really. I don't ever binge anymore but I do v v occasionally purge (maybe twice a year) so it's really not a problem anymore. I don't think it ever completely goes away though.
I do actually feel a bit brighter today, weirdly so might keep up the cold turkey as I might have turned a corner.

Weirdly my teeth are fine as well. They shouldn't be.