Am I going wonky?

[Idyll]

My antidepressants' dosage was reduced recently, early last month in fact. I'm feeling better these days but I'll stay on meds for a few more months, progressively reducing the dosage when opportune. Apparently stopping entirely would likely to lead to relapsing my depression so...

 

Have others here experienced hearing voices or something equally weird/unusual when reducing/going off this kind of meds?

 

I swear I've been hearing things here and there for a week or two now and it's freaking me out whenever it seems to happen, it's neither Master's voice nor others around me and doesn't always happen with others around, it usually sounds/feels like hushed snippets of sentences but is clearer sometimes and I can make out what is said. I guess I have a fertile imagination but I've never really heard voices whilst sober as far as I recall. I'm afraid of talking about this with those around me, I mean, I don't want them to think I'm going crazy yet again or looking for pity-attention, so, well, I don't know, I thought I might rake for others' thoughts here haha...

 

My therapist (a psychotherapist/psychologist), whom I've been doing CBT with for over a year now, suggested I first see my physician before they attempt treating me for it so now I'm scheduled next week for that but I'm still confused about it in the meantime. It's also been agreed for me to have Master take notes about me, and for me to take notes personally too in any case, to have something to work with if it's not of physical cause.

 

I'm on setraline (or zoloft I think is another name, might be wrong though), if it's of any relevance.

 

Update: Results came back clean and withdrawal was also found unlikely, as it persists. We've concluded it's likely a ailment of the mind. Thanks again for pitching in, Psalam. 🙂

Edited March 5 by Idyll
Update

[Psalam]

1 hour ago, Idyll said:

My antidepressants' dosage was reduced recently, early last month in fact. I'm feeling better these days but I'll stay on meds for a few more months, progressively reducing the dosage when opportune. Apparently stopping entirely would likely to lead to relapsing my depression so...

 

Have others here experienced hearing voices or something equally weird/unusual when reducing/going off this kind of meds?

 

I swear I've been hearing things here and there for a week or two now and it's freaking me out whenever it seems to happen, it's neither Master's voice nor others around me and doesn't always happen with others around, it usually sounds/feels like hushed snippets of sentences but is clearer sometimes and I can make out what is said. I guess I have a fertile imagination but I've never really heard voices whilst sober as far as I recall. I'm afraid of talking about this with those around me, I mean, I don't want them to think I'm going crazy yet again or looking for pity-attention, so, well, I don't know, I thought I might rake for others' thoughts here haha...

 

My therapist (a psychotherapist/psychologist), whom I've been doing CBT with for over a year now, suggested I first see my physician before they attempt treating me for it so now I'm scheduled next week for that but I'm still confused about it in the meantime. It's also been agreed for me to have Master take notes about me, and for me to take notes personally too in any case, to have something to work with if it's not of physical cause.

 

I'm on setraline (or zoloft I think is another name, might be wrong though), if it's of any relevance.

The symptoms that you're describing have been known to occur with SSRI (SSRI, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is the class of drugs that includes Zoloft) withdrawal. It is, however, uncommon. It would appear to me that you and your therapist have laid out a fine plan. I encourage you to just follow through on what you've begun.

[Idyll]

38 minutes ago, Psalam said:

The symptoms that you're describing have been known to occur with SSRI (SSRI, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is the class of drugs that includes Zoloft) withdrawal. It is, however, uncommon. It would appear to me that you and your therapist have laid out a fine plan. I encourage you to just follow through on what you've begun.

 

So it could just be the meds then, thank you. It's a reassuring prospect, in a way.

 

But doesn't withdrawal (of anything) happen when the dose is largely insufficent or absent?

 

I just dropped 25mg and I thought my body would get used to the lowered dose by now, I mean, it'll literally have been a month in a week or so.

[Psalam]

2 hours ago, Idyll said:

 

So it could just be the meds then, thank you. It's a reassuring prospect, in a way.

 

But doesn't withdrawal (of anything) happen when the dose is largely insufficent or absent?

 

I just dropped 25mg and I thought my body would get used to the lowered dose by now, I mean, it'll literally have been a month in a week or so.

When dealing with psychotropic medication all such bets are off. In the case of SSRIs this type of side effect occurs early and late and with various amounts of dosage reduction. It is the reason that people are usually weaned off them slowly (your point) but it is no guarantee of preventing all side effects - it only helps to minimize them.

[Idyll]

42 minutes ago, Psalam said:

When dealing with psychotropic medication all such bets are off. In the case of SSRIs this type of side effect occurs early and late and with various amounts of dosage reduction. It is the reason that people are usually weaned off them slowly (your point) but it is no guarantee of preventing all side effects - it only helps to minimize them.

 

I see. It's slightly disconcerting but then again I guess this goes to prove medication isn't to be taken lightly.

[FFT_DarkKnight]

Going cold turkey from some bi-polar medications, I got jump scared a lot. I guess my senses were pretty dulled by the medication so, I had to cope by being hyper-aware until I adjusted. I wouldn't trade it for anything though. It was eurphoric, like how getting high is described. I don't do any drugs though. So the conclusion I came to on my own was that coming off it was like a drug of its own. An explosion of thoughts and feelings suppressed by the magic of pharmacology. You're absoultlely right, it's no joke.

Edited March 5 by FFT_DarkKnight

[Idyll]

7 hours ago, FFT_DarkKnight said:

Going cold turkey from some bi-polar medications, I got jump scared a lot. I guess my senses were pretty dulled by the medication so, I had to cope by being hyper-aware until I adjusted. I wouldn't trade it for anything though. It was eurphoric, like how getting high is described. I don't do any drugs though. So the conclusion I came to on my own was that coming off it was like a drug of its own. An explosion of thoughts and feelings suppressed by the magic of pharmacology. You're absoultlely right, it's no joke.

 

Yeah, medication like that dulls and lulls the mind so that it doesn't hurt itself.

 

I see them a bit like straitjackets, at times, as where an actual jacket is used to reduce physical self-harm, meds bind the mind from pains and tortures intangible when it's unable to take it, sadly it hides away other mindly features in the process.

 

It must have been like seeing colours for the first time in an artist's life haha. I know the topic was about my trouble but, well, if I may be ever insensitive as to ask whether you do better since that time?

[FFT_DarkKnight]

8 hours ago, Idyll said:

 

Yeah, medication like that dulls and lulls the mind so that it doesn't hurt itself.

 

I see them a bit like straitjackets, at times, as where an actual jacket is used to reduce physical self-harm, meds bind the mind from pains and tortures intangible when it's unable to take it, sadly it hides away other mindly features in the process.

 

It must have been like seeing colours for the first time in an artist's life haha. I know the topic was about my trouble but, well, if I may be ever insensitive as to ask whether you do better since that time?

I won't pretend that self-spanking is a one-size-fits-all but, that's been my advice and sometimes something I get to enjoy watching as opposed to self-harm in the general sense. From my experience, it was an alternative release that has helped people that I gave that advice to. For one to smack their own butt, it gives music, warmth, clarity, focus, and accountability just to name a few. It might seem self-serving to mention this but, I actually don't know how many people have tried to help people with said advice. There could be other people reading this that could be reaching for their "tool" as they're reading having a bad day. I'd be overjoyed someone choose a paddle over a knife today.

 

Anyways yeah, it really was like that. Funny you mention colors, the sky seemed so blue that first day. I'm smiling remembering that. I'm very happy you've chosen to ask at the risk of being insensitve. If you didn't ask, you wouldn't have known and I want people to be interested about me. It was a pleasure to help you regardless.

 

So life actually wasn't that bad before I went cold turkey. The hardest part was actually medication changes and dosage changes. That wrecked my life more than simply being on something. The reason why I went off of it was because when I became an adult, I forgot my meds and accidently became alive. It felt so good that, I told my benefactor that I was making the decsion to stop taking it.

 

Yes, I still will rarely have mood swings but, I just keep asking myself over and over if I truly feel this way or if maybe I'm accidently feeding off of someone else's emotions. I've been doing some research into empathic persons and emotional vampirism. There's actually a book I'm trying to get a copy of if anyone can find it. It's called "Obedience Pills: ADHD and the Medicalization of Childhood" and I believe it might have answers some of us may be looking for. I plan on donating it to libraries if I can find a copy somewhere.

Edited March 6 by FFT_DarkKnight