what happens if i stop taking anit-depressants?

Question

i feel no difference when i don't take them and i don't like being drugged.

Answer 1

then do not take them. i was addicted to anti anxiety medicine for 7 yrs. i tried getting off of them but would get bad withdrawls. one day i went to a church and excepted jesus as my lord and savour. i prayed that God would help me get off the drugs. i quit and had no withdrawls thanks to God.

Answer 2

You may not notice any difference when you miss a dose for a day or two but, the symptoms of depression could attack you with a vengeance when you least expect it. That's why it's important to take your medications. If you don't like the feeling of being drugged, you might mention this to your doctor. It could be that the dosage of your medication needs adjusted or maybe needs to be changed to something altogether different. But to avoid feeling depressed in a major way, stay on your meds and talk to your doctor. This is a much better way to live life than the alternative.

Answer 3

Anti-depressants do their thing by changing your mind's chemical balance. The theory is that when you are depressed, your mind's chemical balance is wrong and, by taking an anti-depressant, the chemical balance will hopefully be restored to "normal". Unfortunately, there are many different anti-depressants, each of which change the chemical balance in different ways, which is why you quite often hear of doctors trying out different anti-depressants on a patient to find one that is effective.

Another unfortunate thing is that, merely by taking an anti-depressant, your mind's chemical balance has been changed. If you stop taking one, you now have to wait for the residue of it to clear your system (which in some cases can be months or longer), and for your mind's chemical balance to restore itself. There are ways to speed up the "detoxifying" process - some people I know swear by Essiac Tea, for example.

Best thing to do, if you really want to get off of anti-depressants, is to speak with a doctor or professional whom you trust to come up with a plan on how to go about doing it. At the very least, try to make sure that you have supportive people around you who know that you are going off of anti-depressants and who will be able to help you through any rough periods you might experience. Don't assume that it will be an instantaneous thing - as I said above, some anti-depressants remain in your system for long periods of time, and you could potentially experience withdrawal symptoms many months after you stop taking them.

Don't try to do this on your own.

Good luck.

Answer 4

You should never just quit taking an anti-depressant. I am currently on Efffexor 75mg. and the doctor told me to ween myself off. Like cut the 75 mg. in half and take half of it for a week or so, then go to 1/2 every other day, until it is completely out of your system. But don't quit taking them all at once.

Answer 5

well, first of all, talk to your doctor about it, because if they are not having any effect on you, it doesn't mean the won't cause side effects. also if you still have the package insert, read it and see what it says about stopping them because you may need to taper off, especially with drugs like effexor. if you had any side effects when you started the drugs, it is likely that those are the same you will have when you stop.

Answer 6

do no longer end taking Prednisone. you want to proceed, as you may have some extreme issues in case you end. certain, Prednisone will create those issues, as i'm on it too. it receives more advantageous powerful, and may help the bronchial asthma. 5mgs 6 x an afternoon is a similar as 30 mgs. I presume that you're on a taper? strong success, and dangle in there.

Answer 7

What you feel is a very common thing that people with depression report. Their meds make them feel "drugged out" or "zombie like." They don't like the altered state. But I implore you to not stop taking your medication without the express approval of your doctor. Anti-depressants stay in your system for a time, even after you stop taking them. The reason why you feel "no difference" is because there are still traces of the drug(s) in your system. But if you stay off of them for more than a day, you will start to regain your symptoms of depression. And if you let THAT go too long, well, let me share three stories of people who went off of their depression medication.

1) A young man I went to high-school with was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He hated taking his medication because of the altered state it put him in. He went off his medication without his doctor's knowledge or permission. His symptoms became so bad that he snapped one night. He began having paranoid delusions and was convinced his parents meant to do him harm. So he grabbed a butcher knife from the kitchen and killed them both. He's been in a mental institution since the mid 80s. Very tragic.

2) Another young man I went to highschool with (a good friend of mine), was diagnosed with clinical depression. He went off his meds because they made him feel lethargic and uncreative. His parents didn't know, his siblings didn't know, and his doctor didn't know. One day, his parents came home from work to find him hanging in the garage. He was dead on arrival.

3) My sister was diagnosed with clinical depression. She also suffered from anorexia and bulimia for more than 1/2 her life. She hated taking meds, as well, and for the same reason you do. She often went off her meds, and the consequences were disastrous. She attempted suicide too many times to count. But always managed to call someone before she went under completely (her method was overdosing). The numerous attempts over the course of 15 years, along with the ravaging effects of her eating disorders, weakened her body to such a state that the last time she went off her meds, she wound up swallowing a couple bottles of other medication and her heart finally gave out. She died at the age of 32.

I could tell you several more stories of people I've known who have gone off their medication with the same horrible results. It's not something to play around with. I understand you don't like the "drugged" feeling it gives you. But consider the potential alternative and what that could mean to your loved ones. It's devastating. Stick to your regimine. If you have serious concerns, talk to your doctor and see if you can try a different medication.

God bless you.

Answer 8

you'll be involved i a high speed chase with alot of flashing lights in your rearview mirror.