Stress Center Peer Support

Hey everyone.

I've been feeling depressed lately... not suicidal or anything, but sometimes it would go from being down in the dumps and having the blues to feeling isolated, hopeless and alone.

Through self-talk, I was able to pull myself up out of the really low dips and I would be better in an hour or less.

I'm facing a lot of changes right now, my fiance and I are moving, I'm quitting a job I love, moving to a whole new town. Usually I am not a depressed person, I am very joyful, but this just all of a sudden came on me recently.

I went to the doctor three days ago and she put me on Celexa, and she said it would help me get through the rough patch and when I'm settled at the new place we're moving I can go off it.

But I'm worried... is there going to be a bad reaction to going off of it? Am I going to get dependant on it? Yesterday was a great day for me, I felt a little blue but I worked it out with positive self-talk and then I was happy and back to normal. I don't think this can be the Celexa because that was only day 2 on it.

I am wondering if I should just stop taking it and see if I can handle this myself... or if I should indeed keep taking it until my move is done. We move on the 28th of December... so it might not even kick in till much after that. I am wondering if it would be better for me to just try to do this on my own since the medicine probably won't kick in soon anyway?

Any advice I would love. I don't want the Celexa to bring back my anxiety because I used to have a real problem with that, but I can handle it now, it's just the depression.

Oh and just in case you might need it for reference I haven't been depressed like this before, I was a bit depressed the first time I had anxiety when I first started the program (but didn't finish it) when I was 17 (I'm 22 now) but it went away.

Of course you are anxious, you are making 2 big changes in your life. I want to remind you to stay in the present moment and put the pen and paper to work doing some positive replacement statements against your negative thoughts. In my experience, the celexa will take a few days to kick in. Can you listen to your relaxation cd and practice your breathing? You have what it takes to pull through this, ((HUGS)) pinkee

But do you think I should stay on it or try to give myself a chance to handle it myself and then go on it if that doesn't work?

I tried to quit an antidepressant cold turkey. It was the dumbest thing I've ever done. If you want to try going off of it, talk to your doctor and be aware that withdrawals can happen. I would recommend a web site called theroadback.com. They discuss the side effects/withdrawl symptoms of common psychiatric meds and how to get off them safely with support from your physician. Hope this helps. Basically, I would stay on it for the duration of the program and try weaning off after you have the skills to deal better with anxiety because the withdrawls of some medications can cause chemical reactions in the body that trigger anxiety...but I was able to get off effexor (supposedly the WORST antidepressant out there as far as side effects/withdrawals) successfully with the help of The Road Back. Hope this helps!

Laura

I have been on Celexa for 8 years. I wish I would have tried to work through it as the medication is not addictive but it is hard to get off. YOu end up really sick. Dizzy, nauseas, you feel off balance. Kinda like Vertigo. You should be stressed you are making big changes. I do advise you to work with your therapist. Stay off medication if at all possible. Good luck