Anyone experienced brain "healing" after long-term SSRI use?

New member here -- howdy, everyone.

Wondering if anyone has seen improvement/healing over time after quitting SSRIs. Does the brain heal itself from dependence on meds? The docs tell me neurotransmitters can regenerate but it can take 9-12 months. That's a long time to endure depression, but it's a familiar battle (I've taken SSRIs, mostly Paxil, for half my life -- now 45).

I got off Paxil 5 months ago, gradually and under careful supervision (made it through the brain zaps and all that crap). Initially I was doing fine but after about 3 months the depression returned. I am trying to be tough (I come from a family of stoics) but also do lots of self-care (exercise, time in nature, support from friends, etc.) and see my psychiatrist regularly (he usually just agrees with whatever I want to do). I'm trying to stick it out another few months (summer weather should help) but it's hard.

I long bought into the mentality that "you just have to accept lifelong medication, it's a chemical imbalance like diabetes." But I've never been comfortable with the medicalized model of what is at least in part an existential/spiritual issue (who wouldn't be depressed in today's world?!). It freaks me out how many people take these heavily-advertised meds. Plus I'm tired of the side effects, and never intended a temporary support to become permanent. And (like everyone here) I'm concerned about the unknown long-term effects.

Does anyone who's "been there, done that" have some perspective on life after antidepressants?

I gave answers. You ignore them. How many times I need to repeat "eat well, mood foods, bach essense (worked marvelously for me...), herbal supplements (I posted a lot on them), getting spirituality right, getting life right, dealing with past traumas and issues, organizing your life to suit your needs, even if it means disappointing parents who wanted you to have white collar job..." I earlier on posted advice on coming off safely. Point is... you can do lot for yourself if the mainstream fails... and I speak for those for whom it fails

You can check where I post the most. I am bipolar, have various anxiety issues, unresolved grief issues, general problems with life, suspected borderline traits..., I suspect some trauma issues... Pretty much more issues National Geographic.

my beef with meds is that people expect universal answer from them... when it's just a mind altering substances... which is fine if you don't see it as anything more. My beef is when somebody posts "how to come off, **** don't work" and get "meds are wonderful" as reply. My beef is scare mongering with suicide if you don't do them.

And I am not giving up... since it's working for me. No idea about Jane Fonda.

Gonna address just what I could comprehend in your rant.

Spirituality is very complex thing. If it's scares you, eh.

coming off meds safely is an issue. Withdrawal call kill you... or make you feel "i really need these meds, even if they make me worse, i went off and was horrible".

I use stronger **** than green too to get out of bed. Guarana is a dope And again, centuries proven. Caffeine too. And don't underestimate green tea. Is hella healthy.

my life is not wonderful at the moment, but I rather need possibility to move, a fullfilling job... not a pill that will make me feel happy being unemployed and not using my skills.

and you are pro-med and tell people how meds are wonderful even they are coming off or feeling horrible and how they should love meds and be on them or they are not "truly ill". It's distressing and not supportive. At least I offer alternatives. And I don't love gothic spirits, gah.

And I may be angry... but at least I can spell my anger well.

You are not the educated or would have spotted i was dyslexic, that was a cheap shot i new would come, just took a little more time the expected, you proved me right goodbye.

dear, I am a dysletic too. Learned to speak in two languages. I went to cheap shot after multiple insults thrown at me.

Problem with understanding you is, you often simply do not make sense, are too self-focused and going in circles and don't adress what was actually said.

Even in dyslexia you have to go one better , I taught myself to read and write, not very well and still dont do gramma , you see i have been ill since childhood and regular school was not an option. CAN I JUST SAY COFFEE ????? you say you drink alot, mmmm bipolar /coffee is one of the worst things to bring on mania , thats in the bipolar hand book. Give the pot a stir a bat fell out

Eh, coffee is not as bad for mania as SSRIs Not proud of my caffeine addiction, but seems the least harmful things around. And I am a person with this quirk, not a damn handbook.

I also wonder what is the illness that didn't allow you to go to school but let you work later on the life and live so long. Any isn't school attendance compulsary in UK? Can't you just let a kid not go to school and teach themselves how to read and write? Maybe you are right, but as it stands, something doesn't add up.

Btw, did you have to teach yourself how to insult others? Because your witch insults don't work that well. I recently came from White Carpathians... and people do respect witches majorly there. I guess it's cause they don't think in 16th century terms. Shamans and witches are the hot thing in some circles. Good you see me in the terms, I wouldn't quite classify myself so highly

Yes, it does. And you come of humane actually, if you don't use cheap witch jabs at me.

But I don't think your family is held together by medication. There's gotta be something in you. Many are in medication and their marriages fail still. Give yourself some damn credit

and as for pernament mania... doesn't sound so bad, eh... but it's kinda not happening. I guess my natural downers are kinda moodstabilizers for me... or something. I had used it for very long so I have bit of tolerance. Not everybody with BP reacts horribly to caffeine though. It's kinda scare of some of the blogs (I'd be pernamently in hospital if all these scary stories were true).

Does anyone who's "been there, done that" have some perspective on life after antidepressants?

New member here -- howdy, everyone.

Wondering if anyone has seen improvement/healing over time after quitting SSRIs. Does the brain heal itself from dependence on meds? The docs tell me neurotransmitters can regenerate but it can take 9-12 months. That's a long time to endure depression, but it's a familiar battle (I've taken SSRIs, mostly Paxil, for half my life -- now 45).

I got off Paxil 5 months ago, gradually and under careful supervision (made it through the brain zaps and all that crap). Initially I was doing fine but after about 3 months the depression returned. I am trying to be tough (I come from a family of stoics) but also do lots of self-care (exercise, time in nature, support from friends, etc.) and see my psychiatrist regularly (he usually just agrees with whatever I want to do). I'm trying to stick it out another few months (summer weather should help) but it's hard.

I long bought into the mentality that "you just have to accept lifelong medication, it's a chemical imbalance like diabetes." But I've never been comfortable with the medicalized model of what is at least in part an existential/spiritual issue (who wouldn't be depressed in today's world?!). It freaks me out how many people take these heavily-advertised meds. Plus I'm tired of the side effects, and never intended a temporary support to become permanent. And (like everyone here) I'm concerned about the unknown long-term effects.

Does anyone who's "been there, done that" have some perspective on life after antidepressants?

Thanks, Elana. I guess I was hoping that I would have experienced some healing during all these years of antidepressant use so that I could gradually get off them. I feel worse now than before I ever took them, and am about to conclude I have no choice but to resume. Apparently if you take them looking for short-term relief, you are frequently signing on for life. It seems like kind of a devil's bargain.