Hey guys. I've been on medication for a long time for depression and anxiety and I've been wondering if these pills are even helping me because I get some sort of side effect and then I'm switched again. Has anybody had an good/bad experience with Celexa and Vistaril and has anybody gone off of medication and been better off with all of that pumping through your body? I just don't know if I'm depressed because of the side effects of the medication or if I am truly depressed and anxious and if I am. Is it possible to change my way of thinking. I mean the mind is a powerful tool if used the right way. Mind you, I know that none of you are doctors (or may be if I get lucky!) but I'm just generally looking for opinions. Thanks!
Citalopram (Celexa) 9 months for me for the treatment of emotional dysregulation (extreme emotional outbursts) It's saved my life. I'm honestly a changed person on this drug. It's done exactly as promised- given me the headspace needed to sort myself out and try to fix a more long term solution. Positives: No more negativity constantly nagging at my brain Anxiety about being left/not being good enough/whatever near completely vanished Resulting mind space to focus on what matters More rational generally Suicidal thoughts gone Given me the beginnings of control over my own mental health Some side effects actually feel pleasurable on occasion, such as short bursts of heightened awareness of touch/physical feeling Negatives: Sexual dysfunction as a side effect. This sucks The first week was a living nightmare. Stomach gurgles were so loud I was kept awake all night and during the day I was so spaced out I couldn't talk to anybody and had no desire to do anything. The prospect of withdrawal. It frightens me because I know I face a reversal and possibly facing all the startup symptoms and more. The occasional sharp pain in my head, especially if I miss a pill. I suspect the side effects are a bit of a lottery. My advice: Go into this is you're willing to accept a long term commitment AND some side effects for good measure. Accept that SSRI side effects can vary greatly from person to person and drug to drug. Be willing to make occasional switches/dose changes. And absolutely set aside at least a few months for the withdrawal process. As for you, how bad were your side effects? How long did you try each drug for before switching? Are you involved in any personal therapy? And what did you seek treatment for in the first place?
This! It's helped me so much. Depression can still hit if the outward situation is strong enough (job loss, death) but I can pull myself out of an understandable depression and turn it around and I couldn't do that before. It's been a life saver for me. SSRI's are not a cure for anxiety. There are no medical cures for anxiety. Benzo's can be a tool but addiction is a bitch. You want to control your anxiety you need to WORK at it. Diet. Exercise. Talk therapy. CBT. NLP. I'm really fond of the NLP stuff but you need to practise it and keep at it. I think the big thing to remember about medication is that it isn't meant to be the cure, it's just a part of the solution. You gotta keep working on the cure within yourself.
For each pill I've tried, I've given it at least a few months to a few years unless the doctor changed it. But what worries me is that withdrawal symptoms and some side effects are the same symptoms that made you go on the medication in the first place. That's why I'm wondering if I should just keep the medication that's filled and if things aren't going well, then start taking it. I'm calling my psychiatrist tomorrow to talk it out with him. I mean I took the Vistaril last night and I'm still groggy from it and it's been most of the day. I want to feel things, not numb them. I won't have a problem taking medication if I need it but I would like to know if my body really does need them anymore. Plus I can't be pregnant while on these meds and I'm planning on starting a family within 5 years. I also see a therapist once a week who works with CBT and gave me a link to white noise which I haven't tried yet. The only problem is, they say exercising helps depression immensely and that is the only thing I haven't pushed myself to do.
I absolutely agree with you. You can't just take a pill and expect it to do all the work for you. Healing is very hard work and I feel that I want to do it, it's just getting started that is the hardest for me. I have been addicted to Benzos and didn't experience too bad of a withdrawal. Have you been off of Celexa? And what kind of withdrawals do/did you have?
