Antidepressants and Withdrawal: Readers Tell Their Stories.

[elleng]

'In a widely read article on antidepressant withdrawal published on April 8, The New York Times invited readers to describe their experiences coming off the drugs. More than 8,800 people responded — teenagers, college students, new mothers, empty-nesters retirees.

Dozens did write in to say the drugs had been lifesaving, literally so. “You fail to acknowledge that mood disorders can be lifelong, debilitating diseases requiring lifelong medical treatment,” wrote Rachel S., of New York.

A different kind of reader query would likely have attracted thousands of responses of gratitude for drugs that offered relief to tens of millions of people with chronic mood problems. Some doctors chimed in, too, more than one calling our focus on withdrawal irresponsible and unduly alarming to those who might benefit from antidepressants.

The volume and diversity of the other responses painted a different picture, showing how modern antidepressants, beginning with Prozac in 1987, have percolated through our culture and have shaped public understanding of mental health. These stories traced sharp demographic fault lines: Readers of different generations came to antidepressants, and tried to quit them, for different reasons.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/health/antidepressants-withdrawal-readers.html?

[think4yourself]

1. They denied withdrawal for years

Thank Goddess for the internet where we could tell our experiences in a central place. I remember my psychiatrist telling me that that everything he had read said that there was no withdrawal. I told him the pharmaceutical companies were writing those articles and that they weren’t personally taking it. I told him of the hundreds of stories I had read about each and every SSRI. I also found myself a new doctor.
There is nothing worse than a doctor telling you that what you went through for weeks never happened.

[elleng]

2. That must be an awful experience, think4.

I'm glad I didn't endure either, 'withdrawal' or having the experience denied.

[think4yourself]

3. Thank you.

That means a lot to me!

[adrianastepheny]

4. weighing the pros and cons

Yes it is true that anti-depression have side effects but in a large number of cases they are very helpful.

[elleng]

5. Good luck.

I had no problems, and actually stopped 'cold turkey' with no side effects.