Is It Possible To Come Off Of Anti Depressants And Still Be Happy?

Good question! I take a variety of anti-depressants for a variety of Mental Illness diagnoses. I have my medication adjusted frequently and I have tried to taper off of some medication. For me, it just doesn’t work. I am not drug dependent, but I feel that I do have some instability and chemical imbalances that require me to take medication.

For my loved ones who have suffered depression, they took the antidepressants for a period of time, then were given lower dosages, until they stopped taking the meds. This happend recently when a close family member suffered a long bout with depression, was helped with medication & therapy, and is now changing medications, because of the side-effects of previous meds.
As to having repeat episodes of depression in life, yes, that happnes with most people who suffer the condition, but many can go for years without repeat episodes. Every person is different. Much depends upon the type of medication and the dosage, as well. Therapy is always good addition to medication.

?? you probably could but im sure it would take a little time…thats probably a question you should ask your doctor….

yes

if you have a chemiacal imbalance like me im on cymbalta too you will be on the drugs as long as you dont want to end up crying all the time and having mood swings the only people i have known to take anti depressants and get off them is someone who was depressed due to a tragic event and was treated to get over the death of a loved one and when things settled down then they tapered off and stopped and are still are off as of now which is 6 yrs now

It Depends on your diagnosis. Doctors will usually tell you to stay on the anti-depressants for at least 8 months to a year. The reason. If you stop taking your medication to soon, it could bring back a depressive episode within 3 years.
Now I am not saying you are not in need of medical help for your depression, but what I am saying is; you haven’t been on your meds to long, you can stop taking them now and it wouldn’t even have really entered your system yet. Doctors are going to brainwash you into believing that you need this stuff. Without it you might go crazy and try to kill your self. When the truth is most anti-depressants, make people go hypo-manic or manic and suicidal thoughts are actually a side effect for a lot of anti-depressants.
I don’t know you, but I do know two things; you are depressed and you don’t want to be on medication the rest of your life. So stop taking it now, before it is three years later and you are wondering where your life went. Anti-depressants are serious drugs. They mess with your mind and make you lose touch with who you really are. A lot of people are going to boo this answer, but let them. If you don’t want to be depressed – YOU have to change your life. I am not some scientologist – I am a perosn just like you, who, because of medication can’t really remember 6 years(here and there) of her life. This is experience talking. Make a list of all the things that are bringing you down. Bills, education, love life, kids, what ever. Now for each of the things that you have written down write down three positives,
bills are going to be tough but here you go, “because I can put power/energy in my name(positive)I am able to wash and dry my clothes so that I look good. I am able to eat a roasted chicken and be full, I am able to have a bath and smell nice and clean”. This is called cognitive thinking. Each time you are getting down about one of these things you can refer to your list(mentally or the actual list, what ever works for you). I know this is a super long answer, but I seriously want to help you. If you really want help, send me an email and I can help you. Seriously. I have been battling depression since I was a child and If you let it, it just gets worse. Medication can only help mask the pain, it is things in your self that you need to change to deal with the real pain.

Don’t know I am still on them and when i did go off of them it didn’t seem to be a good idea. They do increase the reuptake of seratonin. but that is just me.