Antidepressant withdrawal

[Snowtigerss]

I stopped taking my antidepressant a few weeks ago due to some unwanted side effects and felt better almost as soon as I stopped taking them.
A few days ago I started to think about going back to some old bad habits. I haven't thought about doing any of these things since before I went on the antidepressants. I've read some things about antidepressant discontinuation syndrome that can come back a few months after stopping antidepressants and I was wondering if anyone had had a similar experience but managed to get over it without going back to the antidepressants?

I have tried a range of antidepressants over the space of a few years and recently found that I had a vitamin deficiency which I am taking supplements for. I was hoping this was going to be it and I would finally be free of the antidepressants but now I'm not so sure.

Hello, I came off ADs after 10 years & about 3 months later suffered a relapse & had a complete meltdown. I endured a month of chronic anxiety & panic attacks before ending up signed off work & back on the ADs. It took another month+ for them to kick in & several months to get back to where I was. I was gutted as I'd spent s year gradually earning myself off & had some CBT to help & felt like I'd really 'failed'. However I'm now resigned to the fact that I'm probably a 'lifer' and am just so relieved to feel human again after being to hell and back. Hope you're feeling okay x

Hi KaroB, glad you're feeling better. I'm starting to think that I may be a 'lifer' too as the effects when I'm not taking them are potentially worse than the side effects when I am taking them.
Thanks for your input, it really helps as it feels like trying to find the right solution is a bit hit and miss x