Get off antidepressants.

I am going to try and get off the anti depressants soon, as I think they are actually making me worse. I have been on them now for a total of three years. Does any one have any tips as I am still experiencing all the symptons of depression and am still feeling extremely low.

I is a conceptual artist living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Currently I am creating a sculpture which requires a large number in antidepressants. Once completed “BANG” will be installed in a gallery hanging from the ceiling. Attached are images of the work in progress.

If you have any antidepressants (Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Wellbutrin Effexor, Celexa, Luvox, Lexapro. Cymbalta, Nardil, Parnate, etc.) that are not being used or that you do not want to use, please donate them to help realize “BANG”. Leftover pills from a prescription switch and/or expired pills are welcome, as are donations from people who have decided to go off of medication.

I would be happy to pick them up at a location convenient for you or, if you prefer they can be mailed anonymously. Please email studio.johndelk@gmail.com for my address.

If you are interested you can see examples of my work at www.johndelk.com. Also, please feel free to ask us any questions you may have about the project.

I’ve been on and off (mostly on) AD’s since I was 27. I am 39 now. I recently went through a divorce that was caused by my depression. Even on the meds I felt tired, dull and dimwitted. I know that ADs are supposed to help you regain your zest for life. My experience with them is that they do help some of the time, but the underlying problems of self doubt, self criticism and self loathing are going to be there whether or not you are taking meds. I am actually very pro AD. My entire family is on them (mom, dad, sister) and they have had real success with them. I think my self esteem and confidence issues need to be dealt with and the meds just make it easier to forget about or ignore. I’m on 60mg Celexa, 450 Wellbutron and 25 Effexor. I’ve been on this regiment for a year. I was on the same dose Wellbutron and Celexa for several years before I added Effexor. The divorce really shook me up. I checked out of life, ignored friends, stayed home, I basically did everything you were not supposed to do. I drank too much and drank alone at least 4 days a week. I can tell you that if you are serious about being happy with or without ADs drinking is not for you. Smoking pot isn’t either. They both put me in a foul mood the next day (although pot less so). This year (Feb 2009) was the 1 year anniversary of the divorce. I pulled my ass up off of the couch, went to the gym, stopped drinking so much and reached out to friends. Since then I made other changes such as giving up meat, most grains and dairy. Exercise has once again become a focal point in my life (I was an athlete in HS and College). I am also dating again. So yes, I am feeling better than I was a year ago, even better now than I was married (bad marriages tend to put you in a bad place). I never liked the side effects of these drugs. I think they make me tired. I know they kill my sex drive and ability to perform. I don’t feel the same energy in life that I felt off of them. I felt more “raw” before I started taking the meds. On them my interactions with the world are dull by comparison. I look back on my life growing up, in HS and in College and I realize that I was depressed most of the time back then. Well, maybe not depressed because I think that term is too broad. To be specific I was hyper critical of myself. I felt like I didn’t fit in and I had difficulty maintaining relationships. Mostly because I was so self absorbed with my perceived problems that I neglected others. I was quite self centered back then and probably I still am. Now that I am older and wiser (I hope) and after years of therapy I know what I should do to combat these self defeating thoughts (realize that I do have worth, do not allow negative thoughts to consume my rational thinking, be rational). My main reason for wanting to get off of them is to enjoy sex again. I’m 39, in great shape, attractive and have trouble getting and keeping it up. WTF? There was several days a month ago that I forgot to take the meds. I didn’t realize that I was off them. During that time my libido spiked. It was great to actually enjoy spontaneous sexual pleasure again. A day or two after realizing that I had not taken them in some time I went back on. Two days later, libido gone. So my plan is to get off of them slowly and with my Dr’s supervision. I don’t see the shrink any longer but I do have a GP that I like and has been prescribing the meds for two years now. I’ll let you know what he says after I see him next week.

I have been on all kinds of different antidepressants at one point or another since I was in my early 20’s (about 17 years). After knowing more about this illness, I realize that I have struggled with Depression since I was a child. I resent how much this illness has taken from my life. Currently, since 2002, I have been on Celexa. I have gained 40 lbs and have felt utterly out of control with it. I have tried every diet, diet pill (even prescription), hypnosis, excerice and am currently doing Weight Watchers, hypnosis and excerice together. In 7 weeks I haven’t even lost my first 5lbs. This is so frustrating! I am super self concious of this and the excess weight has consumed me (no pun intended). Every time I ask my doctor if it’s possible for me to get off of these, he says “no, not with your history”. I just cannot accept that anymore. I HAVE to get off of these. There has got to be a better way. I’m terrified of who I will become off of these meds. My family is supportive, but nervous also. I have done the cold turkey withdrawl, which is not recommended, and it has sent me into rages and terribly ill. I am desperate, but determined to gain control over my life. These things just mask the symptoms. They do not treat the disease. The weight gain causes me depression and I’m afraid possibly Diabeties. I still feel I have low grade depression and I definitely still suffer with anxiety even with the pills. My doctor tells me that every couple of years the meds need to be changed as they lose their effect after a while. I’m done messing about with this. I just want off. I know I need to taper off and I will find a system for that. I don’t feel that I can go to my doctor about this as he does not support my decision. However, I feel that I need his guidance and I’m sure he would rather be involved since I’m going to do it anyway. Maybe he will have some suggestions. One thing I have learned with a doubt is that doctors do not either know or admit that all of these pills cause weight gain (job security?).

I think I’ve done this. I’ve not taken them for about 3 months now as I ran out and didn’t get round to make a new doctors appointment. I’m doing alright really…I think!

It’s been forever since I’ve been on 43 things.

I’m still off of antidepressants (about 15 months now), which I’m proud of. And I still sometimes wonder if I shouldn’t go back on them, which is mildly troubling.

It’s funny, I think it’s better to be off them, but life does feel more painful. I’m probably one of those people who’s had a low grade depression and feeling of emptiness, off and on, for much of life, especially starting in my teens. I’ve been in therapy several times, done prozac and wellbutrin, currently use exercise, yoga, vitamins and Saint John’s Wort. I get by and yet am often quietly miserable.

Sometimes the prozac seems like it would be worth it, other times I’m happy to still be off it. I’ll continue searching for the way forward.

Two months ago (December 20th) I took my last antidepressants. I’m happy that I did, but only because I was on them for quite a while and I believe that my brain has somewhat healed and that recovery will heal it fully and restore me to sanity. I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and if I had a disease like (what I believe to be incurable) bipolar disorder or schizophrenia I would have never gone off of antidepressants. I have a disease of addiction, though, so I know that some things are totally incurable and need management, and I don’t consider addiction or any other mental diseases to be any different from diabetes; however, I know that for me, depression, anxiety, and PTSD are manageable through my program, honesty, insight, and carefully keeping track of my emotions and more importantly how I cope with them.

So far, I think getting off of my antidepressants has been a good choice. Going off of them, I made a stupid decision, but I probably would have made that decision while on them. I really will never know, but I do know that I enjoy not having to get my medication refilled and I’m starting to understand my emotions much better, and I’m learning new ways of coping with stress, sadness, and anger.

I will do with just therapy and in addition to that I will make changes like giving up coffe, sleep and eat better, work out and meditate.

Things are still weird, but my life off of them (at least the past two weeks) have been a lot better than my life on them.

So I’ll mark this as done.

I’ve been on and off anti depressants since I was 14 and started having panic attacks in school, then i got diagnosed with depression but for some reason my doctor didn’t want to do any tests to see what type I had. Although that guy put me on Seroxat and swiftly got fired once the surgery found out.
Anyway, my plan is to go back to my doctor at some point, see if she can diagnose what type of depression I have and get it treated properly. I hate being dependant on them, but hate the inside of my head when I’m not on them.