15 years in

[hannah451]

I have been taking anti depressants since my son was born and only come off them successfully once. Does anyone have any advice. Had resigned myself to being on them forever but they have not worked for some time. Changed from citalpram to sertraline but my hair is falling out.

[chloe40]

Hi hannah451

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Chloe

[MattBuckland]

Hi Hannah

I have been on antidepressants for most of my adult life and have recently gone back on them again. Your hair falling out must be horrible for you, is that directly linked to the sertraline?

I think that it is common for ADs to eventually stop working, but there are lots out there so maybe you could work with your doctor to try something else?

If you really want to get off them then you need to taper them slowly, really slowly. How do you feel at the moment? If you really are ready to come off them then that's great but if you are not ready it can be very hard. I guess that I will be on them for some time, maybe forever but I do not think about them that much and concentrate on the other ways of managing my illness.

I would make sure that if you really want to go drug free that you are super aware of how you feel and ensure that you are using lots of other tools to manage the depression. Do what is right for you.

I wish you well with whatever decision you make.

Matt

[hannah451 in reply to MattBuckland]

Matt what are the other ways you manage it?

[MattBuckland in reply to hannah451]

Hi Hannah

I had a bad couple of days but having been doing better. If I had felt as bad in the past without these 'other tools' it would have been worse.

I have used CBT in the past which can be useful.

I am also trying to build up social activities, fun exercise, lose weight and put something back. To that end I have joined a choir, undertook a canoe course and bought one, have joined slimming world and have signed up my dog as a Therapy pet. Early days with all of those.

For me the most important thing (and I am still learning) was some compassion based Therapy which helped me be kinder to myself and stop seeing things always as a sign of my failure. This fear of failure led to self loathing and avoidance of social contact or trying anything really. It is a change of mindset and I am still working on it.

One other important thing is that I don't shut people out and ask for help and talk to people when I need to to stop internalising everything.

I am sure there will be other things to try as well in time and when I feel ready. Importantly I am aware of how I feel and that I do matter.

I still take the 100mg of sertraline a day, but I have taken them before and been in the pits of hell so they can only do so much.

Happy to explore further if you want to.

Matt