MIA: "The Real “Mental Illness” Epidemic: Withdrawal from Antidepressants"

"Unfortunately, the long-term withdrawal effects of SSRIs are not recognized by organized psychiatry."

Does that ring a bell with anyone?

https://www.madinamerica.com/2016/12/real-mental-illness-epidemic-withdrawal-from-antidepressants/

Oh most definitely yes, I do recognise this scenario very well because had the huge misfortunate to experience the lack of recognition by the psychiatric profession of long-term withdrawal from SSRIs.

I stopped taking Effexor in early 2011 after a taper that I admit was probably too fast given I had been on a variety of different antidepressants over a 30 year period. The longer my withdrawal went on the less sympathy I got for the protracted withdrawal explanation - it had to be me and not the drugs. Meantime psychiatry was doing me a lot of damage, plying me with more and more psychiatric drugs (like benzodiazepines) and offering terrible treatments like ECT which thankfully I refused. It beggars belief that many of us on here find ourselves on a cocktail of poisonous psychiatric drugs all because psychiatry doesn't feel able to acknowledge antidepressant withdrawal or indeed any other kind of psychotropic withdrawal. I was in such a desperate state back then, I was prepared to acquiesce to much of what they suggested. My psychiatrist finally took the view that I needed to take antidepressants full time or face my suicidal feelings in the raw. I no longer feel suicidal but I do feel a strong sense of injustice.

Ah, pris, I'm so sorry to hear about your experiences.

I've had some pretty intense withdrawal symptoms from both benzos and an SSRI -- Prozac -- and I can't be sure if it's one of the two or the combination of the two that continues to plague me to this day. I'm still brutally dizzy, and I've been off the benzos for 3.5 years and off the Prozac for 2.5 years. It feels like a nightmare, and I really regret that I took Prozac at all. It was supposed to help me with dizziness -- until, that is, we discovered that the benzo was likely a major cause of that symptom. But guess what? Dizziness is a major symptom of both benzo- and SSRI-withdrawal! And one must also consider the interaction of the two drugs.

I have no doubt that there's a huge genetic role as well. Some people can tolerate these meds, while others cannot.

Suffice to say, there are likely way more people suffering from SSRI withdrawal than is ever acknowledged.

As a fellow poly-drugged survivor Lapis you have my sympathies.

I believe that the antidepressant withdrawal set me up to be particularly sensitive to further psychiatric drugs and to the ultimate horrors of withdrawal from diazepam. Throw in kindling from trying to reinstate antidepressants and it's a wonder I have a brain left! Your right benzos and antidepressants share similar withdrawal symptoms and I'm truly sorry to hear about your continued dizziness. It's a symptom that has lessened for me but I do still have balance issues and I crash into things on a regular basis.

I suspect that like you the combination of antidepressants and the benzo has led to protracted withdrawal symptoms. Looking back on these long years trying to get off these God awful drugs I have a number of regrets myself. I hope the nightmare ends for you soon Lapis. I don't know if it is any comfort to you but you are not alone and I wish you lots of healing in 2017.

Thanks so much, pris. I wish you the same.

I do think of the many others who are likely afflicted with similar issues, and it really upsets me. I hate to think of the wasted potential of everyone who has lost precious time just trying to get through a day rather than reaching for the heights. I know I'm not alone in being in survival mode, but it saddens me so much.

Yes, let's hope 2017 is better for all!