If you want to quit antidepressants, remember:
- Never come off antidepressants cold turkey
- Never come off antidepressants on your own
- Always use a Taper Schedule provided by your doctor
SSRI antidepressants (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) robbed me of most of my adult life. When I complained to my doctors that something was terribly wrong, they’d either increase the dose of what I was taking or switch me to a another SSRI. All I could ever tell them was, “I can’t cope with anything, I feel completely overwhelmed all the time.”
I wasn’t describing specific symptoms, so my doctors couldn’t make informed decisions about what to do for me.
That’s why I’ve developed the PERSONAL ASSESSMENT CHART (PAC) so that you can write down the mental and physical ways that antidepressants are affecting you.
Here’s a template for your PERSONAL ASSESSMENT CHART. (Click on the name, save it to your computer and print it off.)
Fill Out Your PAC:
- At the top, fill in your name, DOB, the medication name, daily dose and your start date.
- Under PROS, list the positive changes you’ve experienced since you started taking antidepressants.
- Under CONS, list the negative changes you’ve noticed since you started taking antidepressants.
Here are some of the negative reactions I experienced when I took antidepressants. Use this list only as a guide. Jot down the symptoms that you are personally experiencing.
Mental:
- Confusion – impaired thinking and talking
- Can’t concentrate – flit from one thing to another in your head and physically
- Anxiety – hyperventilating, panic attacks, irritability, constant fear
- Depression, suicidal thoughts
- Horrific dreams
Physical:
- Trouble sleeping
- Tired all the time
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Blurry vision
- Sweating/flushing
- Weight gain
- Lack of coordination
Once you’ve filled out your PERSONAL ASSESSMENT CHART, you’re ready to talk to your doctor. Pick up the phone and MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
If you have any questions about how I coped with quitting antidepressants, let me know.