Has anyone experienced the side effects of coming off antidepressants after long term use?

[WhereIsMyMind]

I've been taking Citalopram for around 5 years, but since starting a higher dosage I've started to feel numb and emotionless, it's such a miserable feeling.

I've always enjoyed reading, writing and doing graphic art, but lately I feel like I'm lacking in any sense of creativity and I just feel like I have a constant mental block when I attempt to do the things I'd usually enjoy.

I don't feel like my tablets are helping me, and I want to gain back the motivation to do the things which have always made me happy.

I do intend to speak to my doctor about this, but I'm just wondering, has anyone else experienced a similar situation, and what helped you gain back your regular train of thought? How did changing your medication use impact how you felt in yourself?

[sage2021]

You cannot just STOP taking antidepressants. You have to wean off of them - which your doctor should instruct you exactly how to do that; especially since you've been on them for years. If your doctor is too busy, perhaps a pharmacist can tell you.

I had been on Trazadone for sleep for years. I stopped taking it one day because it said to take with food. It was a hassle to get something to eat at night, then brush my teeth, then take the pill. What a mistake that was!
I started getting cluster headaches from doing that. Don't know if you ever heard of them, but they are also called suicide headaches because the pain is unbearable.
Just please be very careful with your pills and getting off of them. ok?

[Levin]

Have you ever tried counselling to try and get to the heart of your depression?

Also, it's possible that your body tries to maintain some dynamic homeostasis. ie going off them is bound to throw your whole body out of whack, while it makes some attempt to process them out of your body, and also, to some how deal and make sense of the underlying depression. In other words, you might feel worse before you feel better kind of thing.

And personally I always find those kinds of pills kind of numbing. But lots of people swear by them. To each their own.

[ChicoFromThe305]

I get the same numb and emotionless feeling but they aren't from anti depressants, I believe mine comes from mental damage but maybe after enough time after being off the anti depressants your mind will go back to normal, maybe it's just a temporary withdraw symptom, I do agree with speaking to a professional tho.

[dudeinohio]

Some antidepressants have a nasty withdrawal period... brain zaps, nightmares, hallucinations etc. Get your dr to. recommend the best course of action.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like sedition.

[Kelly6]

Is there any side effect?

[Green96]

Do you know the reasons of your depression?