Feeling detached on ADs

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I do feel citalopram has really helped me. I went on ADs for depression rather than anxiety but it has helped remove a sort of layer of anxiety too. But now wondering if I’m too removed from my emotions, both positive and negative? I feel slightly detached from everything and wondering if it’s making me feel worse. Has anyone had this and what did you do?

Isnt the detached feeling nice? Im hoping to try citalopram to get this detached feeling.

Yes so I changed to escitalopram and have been fine since. Escitalopram I think is more for anxiety and obviously every ad works different for different people. But my point is, it just means it's not the right one for you. But I totally get what you mean with citalopram it felt like I didn't feel anything and I hated it, I still wanna feel emotions.

It was initially, in that I felt overwhelmed by emotion before taking it so it evened me out. But now I just sort of feel removed from life and I don’t think that’s a good way to be, for me anyway.

Thanks, it’s really helpful to know someone else has experienced the same.

Are escitalopram and citalopram different?

What dose are you on OP? It might be an option to reduce it slightly now you are feeling better but make sure you do it very slowly so you reduce the chance of withdrawal symptoms. You can always go back to your current dose if you find that the detached feeling is the lesser of two evils for you.

Yes completely different

I'm on hefty doses of antidepressants long-term. You're right, and I do miss the 'transports of joy' I used to get, even with small things sometimes. I even miss crying!

But this is what I take them for - to rub the spikes off my emotional experience. I've been VERY gradually reducing mine but don't think I can get any further, as I'm getting a little bit more joy but also long periods of sadness. There's no bloody way I'm going back to the black depths I was in when I started the meds.

Everyone has to find their least-worst prescription. You can discuss switching and tweaking them with your prescriber. Wishing you luck!

I’m actually only on 10mg already.

Crikey, I’m surprised that is even having an effect on you OP. Is 10mg even a therapeutic dose of citalopram?

You seem to be on a very low dose I was on much higher. But yes I did feel detached, I cried a lot less which was great but also I laughed less and just felt less emotion, no libido etc. It did however get me out of a very dark hole so I could put up with the numbness for a while as it was a lot better than feeling totally hopeless and depressed.

I had this experience on paroxetene. I was so laid back I was almost horizontal and didn't care about anything really. Fluoxetene was great except I had a panic attack at 5.00 every morning.

Since switching to escitalopram I feel like I think a rational non-depressed person should feel.

10mg is the starter dose. Sometimes it's a bit trial and error op. I honestly didn't feel detached on AD but I will say that I realised after years of AD use, when I stopped taking them, you do start to feel things more when you stop. And that can be overwhelming.

I guess it's good to do a cost benefit exercise. When at my worst I struggled to get out of bed. With ADs I could function. It is likely if you come off them too soon you will slip back. Or you could ask to try a different brand and see if you get on better?

This is after gradually reducing the dose. I don’t know but even starting at 10mg I noticed a difference - no crying, rage or utter despair.

Medication doses work different for different people usually based on different things like weight, age, metabolism.