Rage after stopping antidepressants

[Keeptrying2]

I was on sertraline for about 4 years due to OCD, anxiety and PND. I decided to stop taking them last august as I kept getting constant hot flushes and it was honestly driving me mad. To be honest I didn't feel much different coming off them, I expected to feel teary or anxious but luckily that didn't happen so I thought everything was ok. I should mention that I didn't taper of them or speak to a Gp first. I know it was stupid but I just stopped taking them one morning and threw them away.

After a few weeks off them though I started to get such an intense rage. Literally the smallest things would make me so angry, my poor DH gets shouted at on a daily basis over basically nothing, I have a short temper with the kids and work is a nightmare as I can feel myself being such a bitch. I was hoping it would disappear once the medication got out of my system but if anything it's got worse and it's now been almost 6 months of this!

Is this still a side effect of coming off the medication or is this basically who I am and the medication was just hiding it? I've never had rage like this before but I really need it to stop and get back to my normal self! Please help!

It sounds like you should go back to the doctor

This x 100

@Shoxfordian thanks, I'm going to try and get an appt this week. I've just realised I've actually still got nearly a whole pack left in the cupboard and now I'm wondering wether to just start taking it tomorrow or wait until I've spoken to someone

You need to go back to the dr.
Also speak to some mental health charities in the meantime see if you can get some immediate help for yourself.
You've acknowledged your temper is tested all the time,it cannot be very good for you to live like this,physically or mentally,plus it's possibly damaging your career and home life.
there's no shame in mental health problems op,none at all.🌈
week that help that's out there asap.good luck.

constant hot flushes

Maybe it isn't depression/OCD?

Or maybe there's a situation where your needs are constantly being ignored?

Why did you go in the antidepressant in the first place? I ask because I had CPTSD induced rage from trauma and it was only by dealing with the trauma and the rage directly that it subsided.

Maybe the antidepressant suppressed genuine rage you had and now you need an outlet to manage that.

Mine was processed via journaling in the end and once I got it out the rage subsided completely.

After taking similar meds for a few years, I tapered off over 6 months. Even after that I felt intense rage over things I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid at previously. Quite frighteningly so. The intensity didn’t last long, although I was fairly grumpy for a few months. I’ve remained off them and everything is nice and even again. But the rage!!

@KarmaStar thanks you, I will try and contact one of the charities tomorrow.

@Thepurplelantern I was put on them for OCD, which was caused by trauma. I was given counselling at the same time which helped a bit but the sertraline helped to stop my compulsions and intrusive thoughts.

@Keeptrying2 Sertraline gave me horrendous night sweats but I'm fine on Fluoxetine. Might be worth trying another medication?

That's interesting, I'll ask my dr about swapping as the sweats it gave me were horrible!

I've been on sertraline for about 12 years, every time I try and come off it I get the same
I'm absolutely crazy!!!

So now I'm just staying on it for life and I couldn't give two hoots