Does anyone here take SSRI’s? What’s your experience with them?

[Vision]

My doctor prescribed me Escitalopram a week ago. I am to take 5mg for the first week, which is over now. I start 10mg tomorrow. 

I am a bit worried about taking this medication though, as I’ve heard that people have gotten anhedonia from it. I already have some degree of anhedonia so I don’t want to make it worse or even irreversible. 

Also, I’ve read that it’s not recommended for people under 18 years of age. I’m 16, so I want to be extra cautious. 

[PurpleTree]

mixed experience

made me a bit "cooler", less sensitive, less giving a f

made me less spiritual imo, made learning harder (that's why i stopped mostly) made sleep worse mostly

[puporing]

Tried a few, they have the effect of numbing you down emotionally as well as giving me some anxiety/heart racing problems so I stopped. I have some back ups on hand for 'emergencies' but don't usually take any nowadays.

[undeather]

3 hours ago, Vision said:

My doctor prescribed me Escitalopram a week ago. I am to take 5mg for the first week, which is over now. I start 10mg tomorrow. 

I am a bit worried about taking this medication though, as I’ve heard that people have gotten anhedonia from it. I already have some degree of anhedonia so I don’t want to make it worse or even irreversible. 

Also, I’ve read that it’s not recommended for people under 18 years of age. I’m 16, so I want to be extra cautious. 

I have prescribed SSRI'S and other antidepressants hundreds of times.
In some patients they worked miracolously, literally life changing, Others dont feel a lasting effect or face the pretty common side effects. I have never seen lasting damage from them. You just gotta try it - there is no other way to find out. If you face any negative effects, just stop the medication. Its definitely better than suffering all day. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by undeather

[UDT]

@Vision  The Problem with SSRIs is that they enter the blood brain barrier only through being attached to nano aluminium particles.
These suckers stay in your brain.
So you are slowly heavy metaling your brain, wouldn´t recommend

[Adndnadan]

@UDT lol srsly? That sounds awful

[Vision]

4 hours ago, puporing said:

Tried a few, they have the effect of numbing you down emotionally as well as giving me some anxiety/heart racing problems so I stopped. I have some back ups on hand for 'emergencies' but don't usually take any nowadays.

@puporing Which did you take and for how long?

 

4 hours ago, undeather said:

I have prescribed SSRI'S and other antidepressants hundreds of times.
In some patients they worked miracolously, literally life changing, Others dont feel a lasting effect or face the pretty common side effects. I have never seen lasting damage from them. You just gotta try it - there is no other way to find out. If you face any negative effects, just stop the medication. Its definitely better than suffering all day. 

@undeather 

By what time are results seen? 

And how long does it take to stop? I have to taper right? Though I don’t know if I should stop yet.

 

@Medhansh Thanks for your input. 

[Vision]

17 minutes ago, UDT said:

@Vision  The Problem with SSRIs is that they enter the blood brain barrier only through being attached to nano aluminium particles.
These suckers stay in your brain.
So you are slowly heavy metaling your brain, wouldn´t recommend

@UDT What are nano aluminium particles?

I’ve already been on 5mg for a week, and I have to continue taking it as per doctor’s recommendation. Is it reversible? 

[undeather]

Quote

 

By what time are results seen? 

And how long does it take to stop? I have to taper right? Though I don’t know if I should stop yet.

 

 

 

Most antidepressants start to take effect after about 2 weeks. Sometimes it can take up to 8 weeks to get to their full spectrum.
Regarding the tapering, it depends on the physcian doing it and  the drug used. Escitalopram usually comes with a 5mg reduction every 2-4 weeks. Some physicians will go faster than that.

Dont stop yet. Give it time and then decide again. Have patience! 

Edited March 3, 2022 by undeather

[undeather]

33 minutes ago, UDT said:

@Vision  The Problem with SSRIs is that they enter the blood brain barrier only through being attached to nano aluminium particles.
These suckers stay in your brain.
So you are slowly heavy metaling your brain, wouldn´t recommend

Please provide evidence for such outrageous claims. Thank you

[Loving Radiance]

@undeather How long does it take the brain to set back to normal after taking SSRI for a few weeks? What about natural antidepressants like St. John's Wort (Johanneskraut)?

I ask because antidepressants with serotonergic psychedelics cause serotonin syndrome.

[happyhappy]

@VisionI too have tried Sertraline Hydroxide(zoloft) for months. 

 

for depression, anxiety and related OCD type intrusive thoughts, they do work like magic in a matter on weeks. remember that the SSRI's take at least 2 weeks to start working in ur system . my experience is mostly positive i would say.

I have taken 100mg, 50mg and 25mg under different conditions. also , these SSRI's have many side effects too. but they are secondary if u are depressed, anxious and in need of resolving ur issues ASAP. It will give you a sudden outburst of energy to lift urself from the rut. 

do go with the doc's prescription. once ur conditions for prescribing SSRI subsides, psychiatrists would gradually drop the dose and finally to halt the drugs once u hv gained ground.

 

[Phil King]

9 hours ago, PurpleTree said:

made me less spiritual imo, made learning harder

SSRI's are like anti psychedelics. You wont be able to trip while on them because they use the same receptors in the brain.

Ive never used them but I feel like using an artificial chemical to regulate your mood, especially when your under 18 is not the best idea. Id look into better ways of managing whatever problems ur dealing with

[Cathal]

intense mania and suicidal comedowns (2019)

they are a good substitute for a lack of emotional intelligence

[Vision]

4 hours ago, undeather said:

Most antidepressants start to take effect after about 2 weeks. Sometimes it can take up to 8 weeks to get to their full spectrum.
Regarding the tapering, it depends on the physcian doing it and  the drug used. Escitalopram usually comes with a 5mg reduction every 2-4 weeks. Some physicians will go faster than that.

Dont stop yet. Give it time and then decide again. Have patience! 

@undeather What is the half life of them once I taper off? As in, how long do they stay in my system once I am no longer taking them? 

 

 

1 hour ago, happyhappy said:

@VisionI too have tried Sertraline Hydroxide(zoloft) for months. 

 

for depression, anxiety and related OCD type intrusive thoughts, they do work like magic in a matter on weeks. remember that the SSRI's take at least 2 weeks to start working in ur system . my experience is mostly positive i would say.

I have taken 100mg, 50mg and 25mg under different conditions. also , these SSRI's have many side effects too. but they are secondary if u are depressed, anxious and in need of resolving ur issues ASAP. It will give you a sudden outburst of energy to lift urself from the rut. 

do go with the doc's prescription. once ur conditions for prescribing SSRI subsides, psychiatrists would gradually drop the dose and finally to halt the drugs once u hv gained ground.

 

@happyhappy That seems to make sense. So SSRI’s can be a temporary tool to get oneself out of a rut? Once I feel like I’m back on my feet, I start tapering off, right? 

[puporing]

4 hours ago, Vision said:

@puporing Which did you take and for how long?

Tried Sertraline and Bupropion, bupropion was better, however as I have some ADD tendencies. Sertraline I tried for about 2 weeks and bupropion about 4 weeks. 

Also therapy was much better for me in the end.

[Vision]

1 hour ago, Phil King said:

SSRI's are like anti psychedelics. You wont be able to trip while on them because they use the same receptors in the brain.

Ive never used them but I feel like using an artificial chemical to regulate your mood, especially when your under 18 is not the best idea. Id look into better ways of managing whatever problems ur dealing with

@Phil King I’ve tried to attack this issue from every cylinder I could. The main cause of this is my SIBO, which I’ve had for about a year now. 

It’s only after a year that I’ve considered talking about this issue to my doctor, and he prescribed me Escitalopram which I had never previously heard of. 

 

 

7 minutes ago, catcat69123 said:

intense mania and suicidal comedowns (2019)

they are a good substitute for a lack of emotional intelligence

@catcat69123 Which one did you take and for how long? 

[PepperBlossoms]

13 hours ago, Vision said:

My doctor prescribed me Escitalopram a week ago. I am to take 5mg for the first week, which is over now. I start 10mg tomorrow. 

I am a bit worried about taking this medication though, as I’ve heard that people have gotten anhedonia from it. I already have some degree of anhedonia so I don’t want to make it worse or even irreversible. 

Also, I’ve read that it’s not recommended for people under 18 years of age. I’m 16, so I want to be extra cautious. 

@Vision I was prescribed Escitalopram when I was maybe 19.  The doc said I was to cut the pill in half and take it - it could have been the same dose as you.

I felt like a zombie and it felt like people's emotions were intensified and mine were gone.

I could concentrate better on some stuff but was tired/sleepy also to where I could not concentrate or stay awake even.

I decided I didn't like the way it made me feel and that I was not going to take it as I did not want to be a zombie my whole life but then I would get insane anxiety (from the withdrawal) and then take it to make me feel nothing and then the insane anxiety would come back and then I would take it again.

I told my roommate to hide the medication from me and I never took anti-depressants ever again.

Whenever I have been depressed, I have chosen to ride it out and although I have gotten close to taking them again, I never did as I did not want to deal with those side effects.  If you think you can ride it out and eventually heal/calm on your own, I wouldn't take them.  If you don't think you can do that, then I would.  

It made me feel more suicidal too.

I probably only took the pill 4-5 times so I did not last long at all and yes I have heard you are supposed to take it for quite a while for it to stabilize (lets say 1-2 months) - - when you want to come off of it, you are going to have the 1-2 months AGAIN for stabilization.... and maybe it would have only taken 1-2 months to fully stabilize naturally without the drug so it is kinda prolonging the stabilization process and I feel like one is missing out on just naturally working through the emotions....  but yeah sure maybe some just can't handle it- everyone will be different.

I have many family members who are on anti-depressants and plan to be for their entire lives and I just didn't want to have to do that.

I felt like there was going to be some data/life experiences I would be missing out on my taking the anti-depressants.

Like for one, at the gym, I couldn't get myself to push myself because I felt so mellow with the drug.  Also, I felt more emotionally detached from people and wanted to be closer, not further from them.

Also, just because a doctor recommends something doesn't mean you have to do it... you are the ultimate decider.  It may feel easier to ignore doctor recommendations when you don't live with your parents or people pressuring you to do what they say ha.  My family pressured me to get the anti-depressants when I didn't want them... but some people do want them like my family members.  They can take them but they can't force others to. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by PepperBlossoms

[PepperBlossoms]

@Vision What has helped me has going to a counselor/therapist.  If I felt really bad, I would go twice a week.  When I felt better and stable, I would go once a week.  When I felt I didn't need it anymore, I told the person I didn't need to go.  The times I had stuck with going to one, I went for about 4 months but however long one needs to go will depend on the person.

When I was really bad (anxious/depressed/purposeless), I felt like I needed to go to the therapist every single day and would feel like I didn't know if I could make it like the 3-4 days to go again... but I guess I somehow managed.  I guess one could ask to go more than twice a week - the most I ever asked was for twice as that is what my friend was doing at the time and I got the idea from her.

Also what helped was just lying on the floor in my closet and just trying to calm down; meditation.

Also the Motivation App for smartphone was and still is super helpful too.

Also exercising (or getting some sort of movement) and some meditating.  I feel like exercising outdoors is more healing than indoors at the gym.  Also having people to talk to even if that means talking to strangers on various social apps.

Also eating healthy and getting the right sleep would make a difference.

One of the big triggers was my "inner critic", which if not tamed, could talk me into a dark place.  Calming down and noticing that when we tell ourselves that no one likes us and we are worthless and hopeless and stuff like that.

Edited March 3, 2022 by PepperBlossoms

[undeather]

4 hours ago, Loving Radiance said:

@undeather How long does it take the brain to set back to normal after taking SSRI for a few weeks? What about natural antidepressants like St. John's Wort (Johanneskraut)?

I ask because antidepressants with serotonergic psychedelics cause serotonin syndrome.

Around 8 - 12 weeks.
Johanneskraut seems to work in some patients but the effect is in my experience non optimal.

Exactly, never mix up psychodelics with SSRI's or other psychiatric drugs.
I am all for the use of psychodelics in battleing depression, but do it safely!  
 

Quote

@undeather What is the half life of them once I taper off? As in, how long do they stay in my system once I am no longer taking them? 

The elimination half-life of escitalopram is about 27-33 hours.
The reason why you need to go slow/taper it is the so called rebound effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebound_effect
 

Edited March 3, 2022 by undeather