Coping With Withdrawals From Psych Meds

When I first discontinued consuming Paxil I had on idea what to expect. From taking them over the years, I knew that missing one or two days would cause these sort of electric shocks throughout my body, which I came to learn were called brain zaps. I experienced restlessness and nausea on a continued basis. I would occasionally feel dizzy or have spots of light in my vision, and I grew concerned so I reached out to my doctor. And it was in the first two or three weeks of taking myself off the medication that I learned of discontinuation syndrome. 

I was told that I could not just stop using the medication cold turkey without experiencing negative side effects. If I was to move forward with discontinuing use of the medication, I would have to slowly ween myself off. So, I purchased a pill cutter to cut my 40mg Paxil pills in half and used AdreneVive and fish oil as supplements to aid in improving my mental health during this time. I thought, I got this. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but I felt it was something I needed to do. However, I was completely unaware that stopping my antidepressants would make me more depressed and I experience what I would call debilitating suicide ideation, where dying was all I could think about, even on my best days. And I don’t mean just visions of driving myself into a wall or off a bridge, I mean invasive thoughts telling me I don’t want to live or asking me why I wouldn’t just end the pain. 

I struggled with this off and on for over a year, taking different doses at different frequencies to alleviate the severity of the withdrawal symptoms. I felt like I’d formed a real drug habit, and on one particularly difficult day I texted my doctor telling her I needed professional help. All I could think about was my suffering and I worried I wouldn’t survive these incessant thoughts about dying if I didn’t get some assistance to safely discontinue the medicine. And that is how in 2019 I ended up in a mental facility. My doctor called the police for a welfare, or wellness, check and I was asked if I wanted to come with them to a facility where I would get some help so I did. Which is what kick started my journey to living a fulfilling life without prescription drugs, and well here we are almost four years later and I’m still antidepressant free.  

After discontinuing consumption, you should expect withdrawals to happen and be prepared to cope with them. Below is a list of some of the most important things to consider during this time, plus an effective coping strategy to assist you in overcoming withdrawal syndrome. Use this free questionnaire to help you determine your greatest reasons for wanting to avoid using and help motivate you on difficult days. 

• Withdrawals are common and most often happen soon after you quit. But episodes of withdrawals may continue for a long time after you stop using. 

• Situations can occur that remind you of how easy things used to be to when you were taking medication.

• Withdrawals are time limited; they happen frequently after you first discontinue or taper using then die down, like a wave. Withdrawal symptoms will become less frequent and less intense with time.

• Self-monitoring can help you recognize improvement.

• The easiest way to deal with withdrawals is to taper your usage and decrease your dosage.

• Sometimes withdrawals can cause you to indulge in distracting activity. Try to avoid habit-forming distractions like drugs and/or alcohol.

• Strategies for coping with withdrawals.

  • Get involved in healthy distracting activities

  • Challenge your beliefs and change your thoughts

  • Talk it through someone you trust

  • Use positive self-talk to challenge yourself to wait out the wave of symptoms

• Self-talk can strengthen or weaken your mindset

  • Be aware of statements that feed into the dependency (i.e. making you feel like you need the meds)

  • Use self-talk constructively to challenge or counterattack negative beliefs that feed into your dependency

• Initially, it may seem easier if you replace the psych meds with supplements like B12, magnesium, cod liver oil or apple cider vinegar (liquid or capsules).

For those in need of greater support SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.