[Janette666]

I have recently gone through divorce, which is the choice I made due to a very controlling ex husband. I suffered severe depression and was taking medication which I stopped due to no longer having to live in a stressful environment, but recently found myself feeling very weepy, shaky I feel like I am on the outside looking in, I feel cold, I can't sleep some days I am not hungry and then there is days where I can't stop eating. I am trying so hard to control my feelings I can't let my children see that I feel weak I am trying to stay strong for them but am finding it so hard, I just don't know what to do anymore.

Did your doctor slowly take you off the meds?? Or did you just quit?

For many drugs it takes 6-8 weeks for drugs to work out of your system (and then your body may take more time to readjust to not having them).

Hang in there.

[Frankbtl]

Hi Janette, did you stop the medication recently enough or quickly enough to be experiencing some withdrawal symptoms? Depending on the medication some withdrawal periods needn't start immediately and can stretch out. If it's a possibility maybe check with your doctor?
Otherwise maybe the stress, strain, distress of everything catching up on you? Sometimes we can keep some defenses up when we're in a stressful situation but once we know we can really let go, things we've held in may hit us.
Perhaps it's worth considering restarting the medication though? It needn't necessarily be a longer term thing either, maybe just to see you through this period of readjustment. I'm guessing a lot of things have been changing for you both practically and emotionally relatively recently.
And perhaps talking to either others with similar experiences as you had with your husband (support groups/online forums?) or a therapist?? Because "controlling" can equate to just the same as abusive and obviously an abusive relationship can have big effects on someone in it/on you.
BUT really well done on getting out of the marriage, that must have taken a lot of strength and courage!! Now maybe slowly you can move more towards really enjoying time with your children and the freedom to be more of yourself. It can take time to recover from experiences like you've gone through but with the right help and support...........
Alison

[kaliope]

those symptoms you describe still sound like depression. even though you are out of that environment your body and mind still haven't had time to adjust. perhaps you should think about getting back on medication until you are better. take care.

[SeekerOfLife]

I have found that when I make a cut in drug dosage it takes at least 8 weeks for my body to adjust.

I left my husband over four years ago, and I still have depression. Though of course I cannot say it was all due to a bad relationship.