Wanting to taper off your antidepressants? Start here

[Guest_10305]

I’m seeing a lot of posts on this forum from people who have attempted to taper off their antidepressants only to go through horrible discontinuation syndrome, and/or have to go back on their medication. 

If you’ve been on an antidepressant for a number of years you can’t just taper off over a couple of weeks or months because your brain has now become dependent on that antidepressant and it needs time to learn to function without it. You should be thinking in terms of years.

The vast majority of doctors are not aware of this and will tell you to taper off way too fast. If you go too fast, you are very likely to get discontinuation syndrome which is basically hell on earth. You want to try and avoid that at all costs.

It is entirely possible to get off antidepressants and stay off them, and it is well worth doing, but you must do it slowly. I have been antidepressant free for nearly 3 years now and my life is better in so many ways, but it is not a quick or easy journey. If you can go into it realising that, and set yourself up for success with a proper tapering protocol, you’ll have an easier time of it. I wish I’d known these forums existed before I started to taper off my antidepressants.
 

I hope this can help others. Please take care of yourselves

[Croix]

Dear New Member and All~

Thanks for your thoughts and experiences with anti-depressants. I would not argue with the approach you recommend for tailing off under medical supervision.

There are a couple of other matters to consider. The first is many people reach the stage of feeling fine, and then after a while see the medication as unnecessary and cease it (often with medical supervision).

As time does on the original or new symptoms emerge and a return to medication becomes necessary. If it is not possible to return to the same meds, then different meds have to be selected instead. Sometimes it may not have been worth stopping the original ones as that feeling good may in fact be sustained by them.

 It took me many years to be given the right medication, and that was after numerous trials of others. The combination I'm on now has minimal side effects and most often does the job. I, like many, expect to remain on medication permanently and am not opposed to the idea.

Every peron is unique, has differing reactions and differing requirements, all one can do is take the time to find if removing medication works long term, or else the right medication that suits. Of course all this should be done in conjunction with your doctor

Croix

[Guest_10305]

Thanks Croix, you’re correct that depression symptoms can return during tapering as depression is a side effect (ironically) of antidepressant withdrawal. It doesn’t always mean the original depression is returning or that a return to medication is necessary. In my own journey I found it important to learn the difference between genuine depression symptoms and antidepressant withdrawal symptoms.

I’m glad you’ve found a combination that works well for you with minimal side effects that’s great, and yes everyone is unique and you have to find the right solution that works for you.