This subject can be controversial, so I want you to know that I am in no way judging anyone who is on an antidepressant – I have been on one for over 20 years and I know that it helps immensely. I am just at a point in my personal health journey where I am trying to remove any chemicals from my regimen and replace them with all-natural remedies.
As I am writing this, I am 1 month into the process of weaning off of a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant (SSNRI) medication that my body has relied on for YEARS and let me tell you, it is a BITCH – and honestly, so am I 😶
Start here ⬇
Speak with your doctor
Do not – I repeat, DO NOT try to quit an antidepressant cold turkey. If you are interested in going off of your antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication, schedule an appointment with your prescriber to create a personalized game plan for you. I had to wean off my medication a lot slower than my doctor recommended. This relates to my blog about advocating for yourself – I had to call my doctor’s office on a few occasions to ask for a new prescription to help me wean off at a slower pace. (I am also switching to a new PCP because of having to call them multiple times to get help!) This article from Harvard Health has a lot of really good tips.
Possible side effects
- Brain Zap – If you have ever experienced this, God bless you. It is difficult to even describe this sensation, but basically any time I move my head/eyes too quickly my brain gets a shock that makes me feel dizzy and nauseous
- Increased sensitivity to light & sound – I am already sensitive to light/sound, but I would say that during the process of weaning off my medication, it has increased 5x.
- Emotional volatility – When I was on my antidepressant I rarely cried and I was able to “go with the flow” most of the time. I love rollercoasters, but I am ready to get off of this unpredictable ride (and I am SURE my husband is too).
- Wicked headaches – OMG – the withdrawal headaches were terrible for me. I tried to steer away from NSAIDs, but I had to take Motrin a few times. Another thing that helps is avoiding blue light (or any light) and lying down with a cold compress on your head
- Increased depression/anxiety – I have definitely noticed an increase in both my anxiety and depressive symptoms and I used the tips below to help with this
Tips to ease the transition:
- Electrolytes – I drank LMNT electrolytes 3x a day
- A cold shower in the morning – This helped with my pain in the morning and helped my brain feel a bit more “alive”
- Rest – I slept even more than I normally do – I was in bed between 7:30 and 9:00 pm and I took a lot of naps
- Epsom salt baths – I took a hot bath with scented Epsom salts 1 or 2x a day
- Communicate your needs – I let my husband, family, boss, and my favorite coworker know that I was transitioning off of a medication and to please bear with me
- Listen to a podcast/audiobook – My brain zap was too severe for me to be able to read, so I found listening to podcasts/audiobooks relaxing
- Meditation – this one is KEY – One of the things that made my symptoms exponentially worse was daily stress. I had to take a few breaks each day to meditate to get back to a place of calm to help lower the volume of my symptoms. I highly suggest the Insight Timer app, but you can find hundreds of free meditations on YouTube.
- Avoid Alcohol – I know, I know… if you are anything like me, good ‘ol alcohol has helped you through painful situations in the past, but trust me, you don’t want to add fuel to this dumpster fire! Alcohol is a major depressant and you certainly don’t need this when your body is coming off of an antidepressant!
- Focus on yourself – I know it is hard for moms to “focus on ourselves,” since we are in charge of raising little humans, but you really need to take time for yourself as much as possible during this transition process. My husband has been doing more baths/bedtimes because I do not have the capability to do it most days. Please ask for help if you need it 😘
Together in healing 💜
