Withdrawal of antidepressants/anxiolytics - Treatment Resistant Severe Depression & Anxiety.

[rksn]

@Beevee Thanks again for your suggestion to follow Dr Claire Weekes teachings. I can't read anything now because of severe anxiety and cognitive impairment. But i just glanced through the book and got the essence of it - floating!

It's now 3 weeks after tapering & stopping the 1st antidepressant and about a week after stopping the 2nd antidepressant. The next step of tapering the benzodiazepine, has also been done as per the slowest & safest protocol. Benzo tapering is okay, no problem so far. But the withdrawal symptoms of the other two meds have been terrible and sometimes unbearable. I've been sending out a few desperate messages to my psychiatrist. He sees them all and also replies sometimes. His message is that i just need to put up with all of it.

I also have a psychotherapist supporting me through all this. But she's also helpless for the time being, because i need to just go through the withdrawal symptoms and she can't offer any help to reduce them. This is because i can't do anything either mentally or physically to reduce these symptoms.

So I'm just following the essence of Dr Claire Weekes teachings. That is to simply accept, surrender and to somehow remain afloat without any resistance. Fortunately, i seem to have done my home work before starting the tapering. process. I dug into the net several times using AI google bard & poe and got to know the side effects & withdrawal symptoms of the medicines that i was taking. I did this because of my past experience with psychiatrists. They don't tell you anything about both the side effects and withdrawal symptoms. Another thing that came to my rescue was meticulous journaling of what exactly is going on wrt thoughts, feelings, emotions and all physical complaints. I also noted down the same wrt to the underlying mental illness, in order to distinguish them from the effects of meds. I realized that sometimes, the side effects that i faced after starting a particular medicine come back as withdrawal symptoms. And googled info says they could go on for a few weeks or several weeks!!

So the only thing i can do now is to simply wait, watch and hold on to GOD.

[LoveforAll41]

It sounds like you are doing good work rksn.☮️💪Keep it up!

[rksn in reply to LoveforAll41]

Thanks.

[gajh]

I just want to offer my support. It sounds like you are doing an amazing job. I look forward to hearing when you come out on the other side.

[rksn in reply to gajh]

Thanks for your support.

[Cavalierrubie]

Well done so far. The key is taking it really slow and stabilise yourself on the decrease until you are ready to do it again. I came off Diazepam many years ago. The withdrawals were hard so l am not going to sugar coat. You need to talk to others who are doing the same. We had a little telephone click and when we had a really bad day we would phone each other. Anxietycentre.com lists loads of symptoms which will probably help you not worry. Please take your time and remember you are not in a race. I used to file the tablets down slowly. I had agoraphobia and panic attacks when l was coming off amongst other horrible withdrawals, but I can encourage you by saying that it all has gone and l drive and live life as it should be. You can do this and come out the other end. Remember that fact when you feel bad. I send you love and prayers for your recovery and health. God bless. X

[rksn in reply to Cavalierrubie]

Thanks for your love and prayers. Yes, you're right - I've now just started moving from the middle of the ocean. Although I've been treatment resistant for decades, no psychiatrist has ever taken this kind of decision. So I'm left with no other option but to cooperate with him.

[Cavalierrubie in reply to rksn]

Yes. Co-operate with him. You will get your life back. He will look after you and get you well. It was the best and hardest thing l ever did. If l can do it, you can ok? Keep strong and determined. God bless. X

[rksn in reply to Cavalierrubie]

Thanks🙏🙏

[Cavalierrubie in reply to rksn]

You can private message me if l can help you in anyway. I will know what you are going through. Take care.