Coming off anti-depressants?!


Question: Is it really necessary to "taper" off them? I've been on atleast 5 or 6 drugs for anxiety/OCD, and the most recent combination was cipralex and mirtazapine. I've decided to go off both of them. Everytime Ive gone off these medications I do it cold turkey. And I always read online how you aren't supposed to do this... now is that a suggestion just to avoid short term withdrawal symptons? Or does quitting them cold turkey actually have a long term effect on you? Because I look at it as .. I'd rather just quit quickly and feel shitty for a couple weeks and then be done with it, rather than come off them slowly and feel kinda shitty for months.
Every med Ive been on Ive done it this way. I quit cipralex cold turkey a month ago, and I had some withdrawals like the shocking sensation, headaches etc... but it wasn't anything I couldnt handle. And now I'm going off mirtazapine cold turkey. So is anything actually wrong with doing it, or is it just personal preference?


Answers: Is it really necessary to "taper" off them? I've been on atleast 5 or 6 drugs for anxiety/OCD, and the most recent combination was cipralex and mirtazapine. I've decided to go off both of them. Everytime Ive gone off these medications I do it cold turkey. And I always read online how you aren't supposed to do this... now is that a suggestion just to avoid short term withdrawal symptons? Or does quitting them cold turkey actually have a long term effect on you? Because I look at it as .. I'd rather just quit quickly and feel shitty for a couple weeks and then be done with it, rather than come off them slowly and feel kinda shitty for months.
Every med Ive been on Ive done it this way. I quit cipralex cold turkey a month ago, and I had some withdrawals like the shocking sensation, headaches etc... but it wasn't anything I couldnt handle. And now I'm going off mirtazapine cold turkey. So is anything actually wrong with doing it, or is it just personal preference?

I think it is different for everyone and doctors just suggest tapering off to be on the safe side. If it works for you and you can handle the withdrawal effects then go for it.

Every drug is different though and since these are psych drugs there can be dangerous consequences (but probably nothing long-term)

I have found that going off these types of drugs is often easier than starting them. The side effects and suicide risks were too much for me and I quit cold turkey because that was the only option for me. (I wasn't on cipralex or mirtazapine, but some antidepressants, xanax and lithium)

Every time I was ever on an anti-depressant, I was "weaned" off of it. You should never stop taking an a.d. without consulting with your doctor first.

.There is no long term medical effects by just stopping But by doing this you could freak out and start killing people or your self doing things you normally wouldn't do. that is why they say trapper off.

I stopped taking Effexor XR cold turkey and had awful side effects. I was dizzy, very emotional, couldn't control my temper, etc. It was terrible. I had to go back on. So I would taper if you want off of them and personally, I would do it with a doctor's advice.

Good luck!

taper off of them or you will have severe withdrawl symptoms, especially from Effexor

I think it's personal preference. The symptoms that occur are distressing enough so that most people don't want to go through a "cold turkey" withdrawal. One important thing that you mentioned is that you were being treated for OCD, and not for depression. With depression, there is a definite risk of stopping your anti-depressant medication without a doctor's supervision and guidance.

i agree with cupcake.. i actually went cold turkey off a few of my meds before and wound up in the hospital.. please.. if you want to go off your meds.. talk to your doctor first and let him/her know and let him help taper you off them.. if thats what your wanting to do..

I think you should see a doctor about this and be gradually taken off the medication. I am currently taking an anti-depressant and I needed to be gradually put on them with the dosage added to every week.

If you just immediately stop taking them, your body will not be used to this and you could have mood adjustments and get even more depressed. You really need to see an expert though to see how you can come off your medication safely without any side effects affecting you.

Good luck and I hope you'll be ok.

Because anti-depressants deal with brain chemicals, I wouldn't mess with the doctors instructions too much. It is much better to taper off, your body and mind can adjust easier to life without the meds.

It's to do with the many changes the drug(s) have made to the body, including structural ones.

Cold turkey stresses the system enormously, the body has adapted to function at a certain dose of the drug, and now the drug is gone (or going very fast), knocking the physiological processes for six. Without the drug, the functioning balance no longer holds true. Brain and body get knocked into physiological upheaval. Not the greatest of news on a cellular level.

A mild stressor (tapering according to individual tolerance levels) allows time for the system to try and adapt to new conditions; a major stressor (cold turkey) allows no time for adaptation.

Quitting cold turkey, or very abruptly, appears to lead to numbers of people being represcribed within a few months. Whether that's a return of the original problem, new/enhanced susceptibility due to the body being stressed by abrupt withdrawal, or protracted withdrawal problems is something for the individual to consider after having researched the matter.

Those who do taper more gently appear to have a higher chance of functioning throughout the process, and a milder post-drug experience.

Anecdotally (i.e. through patient reports), withdrawal waves seem to come and go over time e.g. the three month point post-drug seems to be a time when many notice their first difficult patch.

Perhaps the on-line opening chapter of this book may contain relevant information (linked below).





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