I stopped taking citalopram because I ran out of them. But the reason is I was feeling bad and I took about 5 tablets of my medication and after I felt bad but luckily nothing serious. I suppose it's my fault ha. I am going to have more on monday. However I have been without them for a week or two and I have been experiencing sickness and brain zaps. But I am feeling better It has changed my mind kind of. I don't know if I should take citalopram. I don't suffer any bad effects from it. Actually it helps me a lot! I know for some people they have suffered worse when they were on a anti-depressant. It stops my mood swings and I feel happy when I'm on it too. So should I continue to take it? Sometimes I think of dealing with anixety and low moods naturally. I hate the thought of being on them forever. It would mean I would have to ask my parents to repeat the prescription and it might be annoying. Also what about if I go off them? I won't but the thoughts worry me kinda. I don't think I have depression but I do suffer with low moods, mood swings and anger. I do think they help me. Any advice thank you

[Rohag]

Hello, Happycheeks!

Without going into a lot of details from years of trial and error, here are my priorities in dealing with depression:

1. Therapy
2. Lifestyle adjustment(s)
3. Minimal therapeutic doses of antidepressant medication(s)

If Citalopram is working for you, great! As much as possible work with your doctor to find the lowest dose of Citalopram that helps you while at the same time seeking some kind or kinds of therapy (including self-help) to hopefully grow to a better place where meds are unnecessary.

You can be a success story

Originally Posted by Rohag

Hello, Happycheeks!

Without going into a lot of details from years of trial and error, here are my priorities in dealing with depression:

1. Therapy
2. Lifestyle adjustment(s)
3. Minimal therapeutic doses of antidepressant medication(s)

If Citalopram is working for you, great! As much as possible work with your doctor to find the lowest dose of Citalopram that helps you while at the same time seeking some kind or kinds of therapy (including self-help) to hopefully grow to a better place where meds are unnecessary.

You can be a success story

Thank you for your reply I have been going to a therapist and he's helping me. I will continue taking citalopram, I won't go off them yet. I don't want to go through withdrawal hell again

[Rohag]

Hello again! I should add I'm one of those people who has been on antidepressants long-term, and it looks like I'm going to need some medication support permanently. I don't want to give the impression that everyone's goal "should" be to eliminate antidepressants. Everyone is unique.

Originally Posted by Rohag

Hello again! I should add I'm one of those people who has been on antidepressants long-term, and it looks like I'm going to need some medication support permanently. I don't want to give the impression that everyone's goal "should" be to eliminate antidepressants. Everyone is unique.

You're right Anti- depressants are there to help lift someone's mood I suppose I will keep on taking on when I get them.

[Miss Laura]

Hey HappyCheeks,

I use to take Citalopram when I was depressed. It helped me so much especially in the dark of it all. I understand your view of not wanting to take it forever. Maybe as Rohag has said talk to your GP and see about getting a dosage that is right where you feel comfortable at. Coming off of Citalopram for me was a nightmare.... I came off cold turkey- my own fault and I was really ill. Just watch out for side effects if you do decide to come off cold turkey ok!!

Originally Posted by Miss Laura

Hey HappyCheeks,

I use to take Citalopram when I was depressed. It helped me so much especially in the dark of it all. I understand your view of not wanting to take it forever. Maybe as Rohag has said talk to your GP and see about getting a dosage that is right where you feel comfortable at. Coming off of Citalopram for me was a nightmare.... I came off cold turkey- my own fault and I was really ill. Just watch out for side effects if you do decide to come off cold turkey ok!!

I will be careful I won't go off it cold turkey.

[Miss Laura]

Good HappyCheeks, as I will tell you now I felt like my head was gonna explode with all the "clutter" I seemed to have gathered. My GP had to put me on a high dose to then bring me down to then take me off full time. Trust me to do this just as Psych was putting me on Mood Stabliser lol now that was fun

Originally Posted by Miss Laura

Good HappyCheeks, as I will tell you now I felt like my head was gonna explode with all the "clutter" I seemed to have gathered. My GP had to put me on a high dose to then bring me down to then take me off full time. Trust me to do this just as Psych was putting me on Mood Stabliser lol now that was fun

What's a mood stabliser like? Is it bad?

[Miss Laura]

A mood stabliser isn't bad at all..... side effects vary though lol!!

It helps stablise your mood similar to an anti-depressant. I take it 3 times a day and it does so the job!! I only started on mines when I got my diagnosis of Bipolar before that I was just depressed. The anti-depressant actually made me have several manic episodes it fuels my mood so I can't actually go on anti-depressants anymore.

Originally Posted by Miss Laura

A mood stabliser isn't bad at all..... side effects vary though lol!!

It helps stablise your mood similar to an anti-depressant. I take it 3 times a day and it does so the job!! I only started on mines when I got my diagnosis of Bipolar before that I was just depressed. The anti-depressant actually made me have several manic episodes it fuels my mood so I can't actually go on anti-depressants anymore.

Oh that's good. For some strange reason I wish I was bipolar

[Miss Laura]

Lol!! HappyCheeks its no picnic like Depression. It does suck unfortunately I wish I didn't have it. But then it all made sense piecing the pieces together of my behaviour and attitude since I was a teenager.

I think we all have it rough no matter what your disorder/illness is. All I can say is look to getting better. Depression will come and go and you will feel better than you have had to feel like with meds and therapy and also self soothing techniques.

-_- I won't bother...... I might as well stay off the anti - depressants.

I will suffer on my own. I don't need doctors or therapists. **** it

[eskielover]

I don't know if I should take citalopram. I don't suffer any bad effects from it. Actually it helps me a lot! I know for some people they have suffered worse when they were on a anti-depressant. It stops my mood swings and I feel happy when I'm on it too. So should I continue to take it? Sometimes I think of dealing with anixety and low moods naturally. I hate the thought of being on them forever.

First off, you state specifically that you feel better when you are on it.....there is NOTHING wrong with feeling better. The thing with the meds is that they help you get through the time that you are LEARNING the skills necessary to deal with it. Right now with your posts, you are all over the place & at your young age, I doubt that you have learned any of the skills necessary to deal with the anxiety or the depression yet. Therapy & I have found especially DBT is wonderful to learn awareness & how to observe yourself & the world around you so that you can learn to better react in situations & to deal with your emotions & how to react to people in your interpersonal relations. If your T hasn't suggested DBT, maybe you should ask them about it.....

& in the meantime....stay on your meds & look at it as helping you in the interim while you are learning the life skills you need to deal with what your meds are helping you with at this time.

I will suffer on my own. I don't need doctors or therapists. **** it

Somehow, I am sure that you don't really agree with what you are saying. I know it gets frustrating at times, but we need to learn how to deal with the things that life throws us & most of us CAN'T learn it ON OUR OWN. Practice your patience & keep sticking it out.....it will really make a difference in the future & you have a lot of your future ahead that can have a difference made in it if you are willing to keep working on it.

Originally Posted by eskielover

First off, you state specifically that you feel better when you are on it.....there is NOTHING wrong with feeling better. The thing with the meds is that they help you get through the time that you are LEARNING the skills necessary to deal with it. Right now with your posts, you are all over the place & at your young age, I doubt that you have learned any of the skills necessary to deal with the anxiety or the depression yet. Therapy & I have found especially DBT is wonderful to learn awareness & how to observe yourself & the world around you so that you can learn to better react in situations & to deal with your emotions & how to react to people in your interpersonal relations. If your T hasn't suggested DBT, maybe you should ask them about it.....

& in the meantime....stay on your meds & look at it as helping you in the interim while you are learning the life skills you need to deal with what your meds are helping you with at this time.

Somehow, I am sure that you don't really agree with what you are saying. I know it gets frustrating at times, but we need to learn how to deal with the things that life throws us & most of us CAN'T learn it ON OUR OWN. Practice your patience & keep sticking it out.....it will really make a difference in the future & you have a lot of your future ahead that can have a difference made in it if you are willing to keep working on it.

Thanks for your reply. What is DBT? I am currently on this cognitive behaviour therapy thing and it's helping.

[eskielover]

DBT is Dialectical Behavior Therapy....this is one of the best descriptions:

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/dbt/20...s-an-overview/

Cognitive T has some good points, but from my experience with all the T's I had with CBT, it never provided the skills it was more talk therapy than anything else......I found this the best to shake my mind into really observing myself & my world around me.

Originally Posted by eskielover

DBT is Dialectical Behavior Therapy....this is one of the best descriptions:

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/dbt/20...s-an-overview/

Cognitive T has some good points, but from my experience with all the T's I had with CBT, it never provided the skills it was more talk therapy than anything else......I found this the best to shake my mind into really observing myself & my world around me.

Thank you, I will have a look

Update: I got more citalopram and I feel better I have to wait if I feel any better