anger after going off anti-depressants?

Question

i've been on anti-depressants for the better part of 14 years, age 17 to 31. for the most part, they keep my head above water, calm my panic disorder and help with my depression. that being said, i'm not so sure people should be on these drugs year after year and many sources i read say that it's ok to go off if you're feeling better. i tried going off a few years ago and didn't last because of anger issues. i am trying to go off again (actually, i AM off now - of celexa) and i'm having the same problem: anger! the anger is for no real reason and i am not having any problems with depression or anxiety/panic. i've not hurt anyone or myself, but i find myself angry/irritable at just about everything. i don't want to go back on the medication, but i don't know why i'm so angry. has anyone else had this problem going off anti-depressants? is there a light at the end of the tunnel? please share your experiences or advice. thanks in advance.

to answer a few questions, i was initially given anti-deps years go by my family doctor. i have also been in therapy off and on for years. i've been on many different medications and have had two psychological evaluations and i've always been told the same thing: panic disorder/anxiety and depression. i've never been able to figure out if my problems were chemical or from an incident where i got lost on the interstate when i was 17. that's when i had my first panic attack. i've been "fine" for months now and i'm just tired of being on the medication. i also have issues with depersonalization at times and have often wondered if that's from the meds; i just wonder if this stuff just zones you out after taking it for so many years. i just don't think they were meant to take year after year.

Answer 1

People do not realize this: there are two types of mental disorders--- psychological and psychiatric. Psychological disorders are disorders that are caused by underlying issues within your life. Psychiatric disorders are disorders that are caused by chemical imbalances. Those commercials on TV for Zoloft with the happy bouncing round blobs? Those aren't for everyone, because not all disorders are psychiatric. You haven't given us much information about your depression, but it is either psychological or psychiatric. Just ask yourself this question: were there things in your past or in your life that were bothering you that you've now resolved? Or were you depressed for no clear reason? If you answered the latter, then your issues are due to a chemical imbalance. This means you need your medications for your brain to function normally. However, this is a severe severe minority of people, and most people are simply having issues. Maybe they're having a hard time in life, or they had a rough childhood. But, for whatever the reason, they have issues they need to work out, they do not have a chemical imblanace within the brain.

People tend to believe that all disorderes are chemical, and they are not. More and more psychiatrists are perscribing medications, though, but they only do this as a percaution. When a depressed person comes in, many (very bad) psychiatrists will simply perscribe them medications without even listening to what their problems are. The only time medications should be used, in actuality, is when a person is a danger to themselves or others or when it becomes clear that their disorder is not psychological, it's psychiatric. Then, and only then, but unfortunately not all psychiatrists follow the rules.

I'm wondering where you got these antidepressants from. Antidepressants should not be used to treat Panic Disorder- ever. They're only for depression, yet you seem to indicate they're for your panic disorder as well. I'm also wondering where you recieved the diagnosis of Depression and Panic Disorder from. I'm inclined to believe that you recieved your antidepressants and your diagnosis from a general practitioner doctor, because you mention nothing about a psychologist or a psychologist helping you lessen your dosage to get off antidepressants. If this is the case, this is very bad. I GP should never, EVER diagnosis and should never ever perscribe medications. They almost always misdiagnose and mistreat people, because they aren't psychiatrists. They're completely uneducated about psychology and about psychiatric medications. It's like going to the dentist for a broken ankle. You should never, EVER go on psychiatrist medications without seeing a psychiatrist. It's dangerous, and GPs often perscribe medications that are dangerous, addictive, and incorrect. In addition, you should never, EVER be on medications without being in therapy regularly also. It's a rule of thumb, no matter what disorder.

Over time, the chemicals in your body will adjust to antidepressants. If your depression was not psychiatric, but psychological, then you never should have been on them in the first place. Over time, your brain will adjust to the chemical levels. Meaning, if you are getting these chemicals that you didn't need in the first place from another source, your brain will adjust and make less of those chemicals. This is why it's hard to get off certain psychiatric medications you've been on for a long time. I hope you were perscribed your antidepressants by a GP, because no reputable psychiatrist would perscribe antidepressants for fourteen years unless you were suicidal. They know that it can alter the chemical patterns in your brain, making the antidepressants addictive in the end. It should only be done if you're a danger to yourself or others. This is why you're experiencing issues after coming off antidepressants. Your brain is so used to these extra chemicals, that it's sort of spazzing out in the process or re-learning to create those chemicals itself. It takes time. There's only two ways to do it: wean off the medications, or to do it cold turkey. If you're seeing a psychologist (which you should be if you're on medication... you should NEVER get psychiatric medications from a general practitioner doctor because they aren't experienced with psychiatric diagnosis and medication), tell your doctor you'd like to get off the antidepressants and he or she will lessen your dosage over time, so the shock isn't so drastic to your brain, and your brain learns to create these chemicals again slowly. The other way is to do it cold turkey. This is often a ver frustrating experience, because your brain takes a while to adjust and it can make you angry, irritable, and violent in the meantime.

Certain people do not need to be on medication forever. With certain serious disorders, like bipolar disorder and schizephrenia, there is no remission. These people have that disorder and they have that disorder for life. However, for people like you, with depression or anxiety issues, there is remission. You can eventually get better and lead a normal life again. There is a tendency to medicalize mental healthy, and people assume that once you have a disorder, you will always have it. They also assume that if you have a disorder, you must be on medications for it, and that once you are on medications you will always be on them. That's not true. Some people have a disorder and need to see a psychologist to sort it out. Some people have a disorder and that is so severe they need to be on medications while a psychologist helps them sort it out. Then there is a tiny fraction of people who have a very poor prognosis, and they need to be on medications because they are chemically imbalanced, and they need to have a psychiatrist monitor their behavior so they don't become further unbalanced. People really need to educate themselves more on psychology, because I see you're getting a whole lot of misinformation on here from very uneducated people.

If your issues were psychological, then you can go off the medications. If your issues where psychiatric, then you should speak to a psychiatrist for more information. If your antidepressants were perscribed by a GP, you should tell your GP to stop perscribing drugs he doesn't know anything about, because he's beeing perscribing you incorrectly. You should also speak to a psychiatrist in this case, because he can help you by lessening your dosages to get off these drugs without these nasty withdrawal symptoms (because that is what they are, really).

People often go off their medications and experience withdrawal symptoms and mistake them for a psychiatric disorder. This is almost always NOT the case, and I have witnessed it many times with patients. Patients have come to me after horrible experienced with others, and they basically need to detox. I either set them up so they can wean off or continue to let them go cold turkey (depending on how long they've been off and how well they're doing). After this time period, they're amazed at how much better they feel, and often convey to me that they felt they were given medications hastily and unnecessarily. This is often the case, as psychologists often want medications to do their job instead of them. People need to learn to deal with the real issues, not try to cover them up with addictive, dangerous, unnecessary medications.

Answer 2

Depression can make you irritable, and that can make you angry. You may have to get back on your medication. Depression and anger are closely related in what is called the sympathetic nervous system--it's what makes people fearful, depressed or angry ("fight or flight"). If the neurotransmitters are off enough to cause depression, they could also cause anger. Anger is sometimes the most obvious symptom of depression, especially in men.

I stopped taking my Paxil last summer and I had an anger outburst at work when an email from my boss just hit me a certain way. I busted my mouse and slammed my keyboard on the desk. What she said wasn't really that big of a deal--she just got on my last nerve, I guess.

I hope you talked to your doctor. If you didn't like what you were taking, maybe your doctor can switch you to something else. I'd just have to say it's probably not the right time for you to get off your meds. You may not feel overtly depressed or anxious right now, but anger is a common way of covering depression. You will probably start having more obvious depression/anxiety symptoms sooner or later.

Answer 3

After a 7-year stint on Paxil, I can tell you your body misses it's fix, and it's pissed. They say these drugs have a half-life of some days or weeks, but I don't believe it. See what you feel like after 8 weeks, then 16 weeks without the stuff. I had the same problem but the anger slowly cleared over about 6 months. That and I aged 7 years while taking it. It is good that you got off them. The paradox of taking antidepressants is that you don't know when you're well untill you stop.

Answer 4

Citalopram (Celexa) belongs to a group of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medicines are thought to work by increasing the activity of the chemical serotonin in the brain.

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor to benefit your condition as much as possible. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

If your doctor tells you to take it a certain way, follow your doctor's instructions.

You may have to take citalopram for 4 weeks before you begin to feel better. Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits during this time. Also, you may need to keep taking citalopram for 6 months or longer to help prevent the return of the depression.

Do not stop taking this medication without checking first with your doctor, but with the right advice from your Doctor, you should be able to stop the drugs and be depression free. Citalopram may cause some people to be agitated, irritable or display other abnormal behaviors, so check with your Doctor to see how long before the drug is completely out of your system.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Coming Off Antidepressants

Answer 6

Yes, In general the symptoms may come back when you stop the medication. You must learn to deal with your anger -like in a cognitive way. Do you have realistic expectations? Is it logical for you to put so much energy in it? Are you balancing the actual event with your amount of anger? Analyse the situation in details- which parts really should make you angry- which would make anybody angry?

Not everyone will need meds their whole life.

Answer 7

something is making you angry. If you could just get to the bottom of it. I have felt exactly as you describe. But I never have taken anything to help it. i need help too. Don't stop taking the med. I think you need to keep taking them.

Answer 8

40000 Cured Social Anxiety : http://SocialAnxiety.uzaev.com/?KHWN

Answer 9

Please, remember this: People who really need medication to make it through life as a 'regular' person, so often take themselves off the drug that is helping them, because WITH the drug, they ARE fine. Because they feel fine WITH the drug, they decide they don't need it any more. I am not FOR people taking more or any meds than they need. But, I understand how I need certain meds in my life to function well. Be certain that your dr. is helping you, if the dr. believes it to be fine, for you to stop taking your meds.

Answer 10

Tried Online Shop ==> http://shop2.w3org.pw/mad56