Why Antidepressants Hurt You Not Help You

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  • Antidepressants Can Harm You

    Post withdrawal can least for years

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Why Antidepressants Hurt You, Not Help You

Let’s get right to it. Antidepressants (SSRIs) have side effects, some of which may be permanent. No science proves antidepressants work. The placebo effect can play a significant role in why they work for some. Putting these chemicals in the body also plays a vital role in the increase of suicides among those taking antidepressants. SSRIs are used as antidepressants in the treatment of depression, personality disorders, and anxiety disorders.

There is a black box warning on all antidepressants. It describes this risk and emphasizes the need for appropriate monitoring along with close observation, especially in younger people. They want you to look for signs of suicidal thinking and suicidal behavior.

To give an antidepressant which has a very well known side effect of suicide to a person who is depressed is beyond ludicrious.

The drugs are dangerous; otherwise, daily monitoring wouldn’t be needed.

The doctor will not tell you that some of the adverse side effects may be permanant.

Antidepressants:  The FDA advised watching closely for:

Anxiety –  Agitation – Panic attacks – Insomnia – Irritability – Hostility – Aggressiveness – Impulsivity – Akathisia – Hypomania, and Mania. 

Antidepressant Side Effects

Seratonin Syndrome:

  • Confusion
  • Rapid heart rate and high blood pressure
  • Dilated pupils
  • Loss of muscle coordination or twitching muscles
  • Muscle rigidity
  • Heavy sweating
  • Diarrhea
  • Agitation
  • Muscle twitching
  • Shivering
  • Very high fever
  • Seizures
  • Unconsciousness

Hyponatremia:

If the sodium in your blood is too low, you have a condition called hyponatremia.

  • Nausea 
  • Fatigue
  • Headache 
  • Confusion
  • Muscle Spasms
  • Seizures
  • Weakness
  • Vomiting
  • Muscle cramps 
  • Irritability

 Antidepressant-Induced Mania

  • Excess energy
  • A decreased need for sleep
  • Abnormal and excessive mood elevation.
  • Abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired.
  • Increased agitation.
  • An exaggerated sense of well-being
  • An exaggerated self-confidence (euphoria)
  • Unusual talkativeness.
  • Racing thoughts.
  • Distractibility.

Seizures

Current use of SSRIs or SNRIs was associated with a twofold increased risk of first-time seizures compared with non-use, while current use of TCAs (mostly low dose) was not associated with seizures. Treatment initiation in SSRI and SNRI users was associated with a higher risk of seizures than longer-term treatment.

Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome:

  • Confusion
  • Rapid heart rate
  • High blood pressure
  • Dilated pupils
  • Loss of muscle coordination
  • Muscle rigidity
  • Heavy sweating
  • Diarrhea
  • Agitation
  • Muscle twitching – Tardavdyskenesia may be permanent.
  • Shivering
  • Very high fever
  • Seizures
  • Blurred vision
  • Vertigo
  • Unconsciousness

The truth is finally surfacing. The evidence that SSRI withdrawal symptoms are long-lasting and damaging to physical and mental health.

The immediate withdrawal phase is known to have caused:

  • Headaches
  • Agitation
  • Irritability
  • Nausea
  • Insomnia
  • Feelings of ‘zaps.’. Electric zapping sensations are described as ‘washing over the entire body.’

The second phase began six weeks after the drug was discontinued. These post-withdrawal disorders rarely disappeared on their own. In many cases, reactions were so severe that the person returned to his previous drug treatment.

Post-withdrawal disorders that lasted for years or became permanent. 

  • Persistent insomnia
  • Major depression
  • Bipolar illness
  • Tardive dyskinesias  – involuntary movements of the tongue, lips, face, trunk, and extremities (well documented to last years or indefinitely without a known cure)
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Panic attacks
  • Disturbed mood
  • Mood swings
  • Irritability
  • Poor stress tolerance
  • Impaired concentration
  • Impaired memory

A group of professionals studied websites where former SSRI patients had posted their personal withdrawal stories and the details of the experience when going off the drug. They tabulated the types of withdrawal effects reported by those sharing first-hand experiences.

In Sept 2012, “Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics” published the results in a paper. They divided the results into two phases: the immediate withdrawal phase consisting of new and rebound symptoms, occurring up to 6 weeks after drug withdrawal, and the post-withdrawal period, composed of tardive receptor supersensitivity disorders, occurring after six weeks of drug withdrawal.

They used eight different websites to collect their data including; Paxilprogress.org, ehealthforum.com, depressionforums.org, about.com, medhelp.org, drugLib.com, topix.com, and survigingantidepressant.org.

They noted that post-withdrawal disorders, (after six weeks of drug withdrawal), rarely disappear spontaneously.

The symptoms were so disabling and severe patients returned to the drug treatment.  They found that the post-withdrawal disorders may last several months to years.

Persistent post-withdrawal symptoms consisted of anxiety disorders, panic attacks, tardive insomnia, and depressive disorders, including major depression and bipolar illness. Anxiety, disturbed mood, depression, mood swings, emotional liability, persistent insomnia, irritability, poor stress tolerance, impaired concentration, and impaired memory are the more frequent post-withdrawal symptoms reported online.

‘I’ve been suffering SSRI WD syndrome for more than 5 years […]. During SSRI WD, I’ve had severe SUICIDAL INSOMNIA for 4 straight years, which did not respond to any drugs. I also have severe panic attacks and severe depression […]. I know that you may think that it’s unusual for SSRI protracted WD to last this long (more than 5 years), BUT IT DOES!’

[Tillmann, 2011. Available from: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/302-hi-my-name-is-tillmann-and-im-newhere/page p 3211#entry3211]

https://www.karger.com/Article/Pdf/341178

This website is for information purposes only; we are not diagnosing, treating, curing, mitigating, or preventing any disease or medical condition by providing the information contained herein. Before beginning any natural, integrative or conventional treatment regimen, it is advisable to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.