anti-depressant withdrawal?

[IRON37]

So long story short, I have been using lexapro for about 4-5 months. I switched to cymbalta and have been on that at 60mgs for about 6 months. The last few months I have been considering just coming off cold turkey. I ran out and havent had any for 4-5 days. I dont remember the clinical term for it but I have began feeling withdrawal symptoms since the 2nd day off.

First the brain zaps and vivid nightmares, and now everything from sweating, fever symptoms, aches, nausea, the shits, and just overall feeling spaced out and I have a hard time talking sometimes.. it comes out very slowly. I am considering just never going back on as to avoid worse side effects from more prolonged use.

It seems all that really changed when I used it was help with anxiety within an hour or two of using. But it definately has changed me into someone else. Its hard to explain how to someone that hasnt experienced something similar. I dont know I just seem more distanced and boring almost than before I started. I wonder if the actual depression can even be affected by chemicals and just needs to be "fixed" through therapy of some kind.

But who all has come off successfully? I am in the process of finding a new job and dont want this to mess with my performance. But Im just tired of using this crutch I guess. but at the same time.. I dont want random crazy emotions and anger to sprout up when Im trying to work. An advice?

 

[iprimate]

So long story short, I have been using lexapro for about 4-5 months. I switched to cymbalta and have been on that at 60mgs for about 6 months. The last few months I have been considering just coming off cold turkey. I ran out and havent had any for 4-5 days. I dont remember the clinical term for it but I have began feeling withdrawal symptoms since the 2nd day off.

First the brain zaps and vivid nightmares, and now everything from sweating, fever symptoms, aches, nausea, the shits, and just overall feeling spaced out and I have a hard time talking sometimes.. it comes out very slowly. I am considering just never going back on as to avoid worse side effects from more prolonged use.

It seems all that really changed when I used it was help with anxiety within an hour or two of using. But it definately has changed me into someone else. Its hard to explain how to someone that hasnt experienced something similar. I dont know I just seem more distanced and boring almost than before I started. I wonder if the actual depression can even be affected by chemicals and just needs to be "fixed" through therapy of some kind.

But who all has come off successfully? I am in the process of finding a new job and dont want this to mess with my performance. But Im just tired of using this crutch I guess. but at the same time.. I dont want random crazy emotions and anger to sprout up when Im trying to work. An advice?

Abrupt cessation from SSRI/SNRI is a bad idea. It will take about 3-4 weeks for the withdrawal symptoms to clear. It would have been better for you if you tapered downwards, reducing your dosage by a small fraction every two weeks.

Being depressed will change you "into someone else" and it will also interfere with your work performance. If you are mentally ill then medication isn't a "crutch" any more so than a diabetic using insulin is a "crutch".

Whether your depression can be remedied through some form of psychotherapy ("talking therapy") -- as opposed to drug therapy -- depends on its cause. If your depression is due to some external factor (eg. loneliness, divorce, financial problems etc) then psychotherapy can be helpful. But if your depression is due to no external cause or the external cause can not be altered then drugs will tend to be more effective than psychotherapy. Also, drugs can be used together with some form of psychotherapy.