<
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/17/i-stopped-sleeping-the-sometimes-difficult-path-off-antidepressants>
"Six weeks after my doctor advised me to stop taking the lowest dose of
desvenlafaxine, an antidepressant I had used for seven years, I returned to my
GP.
I was having huge mood swings: one minute I’d be so jittery and hyperactive I
felt as if I could jump out of my skin, the next I’d be sobbing hysterically,
convinced that life was hopeless. My stomach churned with nausea and bright
light burned my eyes. Worst of all were the “brain zaps”, a deeply unpleasant
buzzing pulse that shot through my skull at random.
My doctor told me it was unlikely these symptoms were being caused by
withdrawal from the drug, also known as Pristiq, because it was out of my
system, and said I could either stick it out or go back on the medication.
Neither felt like the outcome I wanted.
Antidepressants had played a vital role in restoring and maintaining good
health for me for years. They are a critical intervention for millions of
people experiencing the debilitation of depression, and can be life-saving.
But, once the drugs have done their job, how well do we manage what comes
next?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
