Would appreciate some input pleae...

After 20 years of being on an antideperssant, with the dr's advice on the proper weaning procedure, I am off meds for about one month. My emotions seem to be magnified, sometimes can't control the tears, other times, just crabby and mad! This does not seem like depression. What is this?

Hi, are you a guy or girl?
If you're a girl, it may be hormones. Are you on a birth control pill?
If you're a guy, it also might be hormones. Some men are more sensitive than others. What sorts of things bring up the intense emotions? Is it little things that don't seem to matter when you look back at them?

Hi Centsless: Well, I can't relate directly to your situation. I've never been on anti-depressants for very long. Currently I'm on Cymbalta. I've been on that for a bit over a year now & that's the longest I've been on any one SSRI. But I've been a several individually & in combination with other psych meds. I'd be on them for a few months. They wouldn't do any good, so I'd wean myself off of them.

But one thing I do know is that it takes time for meds to work & it takes time to come off of them & readjust. One thing that occurs to me is the possibility that, after 20 years, you came off of them too quickly. Is that a possibility? I would think that, after 20 years, one would need a fairly long gradual process. Otherwise, it may be that you're just expecting too much too soon in terms of emotional stability. Here again, after 20 years I would guess it's going to take some time to adjust to your "new" brain.

If possible I would suggest contacting your doctor & having a chat regarding how you're adjusting to the new you. My best wishes to you!

One thing that comes to mind to me is that for 20 years, the emotions have pretty much been "controlled" by the antidepressant. Now, without the antidepressants, they're coming back "full force." They haven't had time to stabilize.

I would think that after a little more time, the emotions will get more in balance and things will even out. They've just got to get used to not being "controlled" anymore.

I would give it more time, perhaps at least another month. If things aren't ANY better in that time, then I'd talk to the doctor.

I wish you the very best. Take care & let us know what happens. God bless. Hugs, Lee

Thank you all so much. It makes sense that for so long my emotions have been "controlled" and now they are not. I will continue on and see how it goes. I wish I could blame it on hormones, but surgery took care of that awhile ago. The last few months have been stressful, maybe not such a good time to come off meds. I will continue to come to this forum to read and learn.

Good for you for trying to get off the meds after 20 years!!I've been on them for over 20 years, will also be a lifer on them as they are a must for me with my condition.i wonder what made you want to get off of them in the first place?

Centsless, this is avlady, i replied to your e-mail, but I don't know if i did it right. I'll just write here what I said. I consider myself a lifer on my meds because i tried soo many times to get off of them. I can't live without them because every time i tried to get off of them, I ended up having either a seizure or episode. I finally realized after a 21 day hospital stay to stabelize my meds , I felt so good and "normal". I compare that feeling to the awful feelings like anxiety and anger, and I never want to feel that way again. I'll end with just sayng be careful, and do it under a doctors watch. I hope you have a great day.

What your experiencing is perfectly Normal! What is wrong with having feelings?

I agree with Bedobones. After being on meds for 20 years you probably needed more than a month of withdrawing from them. Be aware that your withdrawal symptoms could last a very long time or just a few more weeks. Only time will tell. Hang in there and just ride the ways. Be sure to continue to talk with your dr. Peace

Thunderbow, do you not know that it is socially deplorable to show any emotion?

There is nothing wrong with feeling these emotions but sometimes I don't treat others as I should. I don't like being crabby with people that don't deserve it. It feels like such a struggle to be nice. I am just not happy

No, I don't know that. Maybe I be out in the desert just a little to long. I just have the joy of showing my emotions with out any worry.

I was being a smart alec thunderbow. I happen to believe that emotions are a wonderful thing but society has become afraid of anyone that actually have them. We are all supposed to be emotionless drones or we are "sick"

It takes some time to adjust to emotions having been freed from their comatose state . It will keep getting better. I did the same thing, only quitting cold turkey (to anyone reading - don't do that!!) because one day I experienced something that touched me deeply and make me feel like crying, and even that crying would be relieving, but I could not cry. I kept noticing that, and soon I wondered just what I was like, unmedicated. What was beneath? What could I learn? Was I now more able to cope on my own, being a bit older and (hopefully) wiser?

I struggled on my own with no meds or therapist for a few years, then found a therapist (psychodynamic analyst) who has helped me tremendously!! When I first started therapy with her, all I could do was cry - for months. And she was fine with that, reassuringly telling me that was okay, it was what I needed, and I might need to do it for a long time. I did, and then I started to feel better through therapy.

Wishing you the best!

Our culture is mostly Mental rather than Heart! They don't see with their Hearts.