# What do antidepressants (SSRIs) feel like when they work?



## kokoloko (May 9, 2007)

I've taken Paxil and Zoloft in the past but neither worked. My dosage of Zoloft was so high that I was practically a zombie and extremely introverted. I couldn't have conversations without going off into my own world and forgetting everything that was being said. Then I collapsed twice.

I know the drug just wasn't right for me but now I've tried two with little success, what are they like when they work, anxiety wise? Do they make you more optimistic and enjoy life more?


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I went today to school without any klonopin and I felt little anxiety. I assume my paxil was killing my anxiety. Thats how i feel it working.


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## arthur56 (Jul 31, 2005)

your SA problems will be obviously reduced whan and if an antidepressant works for you
your zoloft dose may have been too high

there are several other types of AD that you can try


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## InOttawa (Jan 14, 2008)

Paxil turned my life around as far as SA and GAD. I took 20gm for 6 years. But when I stopped it all came back. It took about 2 weeks for me for it to kick in. During those first 2 weeks I felt weird. My brain wouldnt let me focus on problems and things I found stressful. That bothered me for some reason. Then one morning I woke up and had no morning dread. Nothing bothered me to badly especially the little things in life. But I could concentrate totally and get things done. I could 'see' that everything basically was manageable. Okay, there was possibly a tinge of numbness, but maybe that was just the fact that I felt normal really. It was bizarre not to have SA. When I was speaking with someone there was a new feeling of 'okay, Im not focused on anxiety and feeling crazy, so what is my brain doing, I have to find something to talk about because I can actually do that now'. It as weird.
Anyhoo, for a stupid reason I went off Paxil. Now that I started it again its not working as well. THAT is a bummer. Good luck.


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## Crazy88 (Aug 25, 2010)

I was wondering the same thing. I started on 20mg of citalopram and after 6 months the doctor upped it to 40mg. That made me worse. I was so tired all the time and didn't have the strength to leave the house as I got so anxious. The doctor then put me on 100mg of Sertraline and that hasn't helped at all. I am more agitated and irritable. He's gunna look at changing it again in a month but I can't see any other SSRI's will help.


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## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

When Lexapro worked for me it was a godsend. It actually turned me into an extroverted person. But somehow it quit working after 6 months.


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## peaceandlove09 (Aug 10, 2010)

I can only speak about my experience with Wellbutrin (i'm still on it) 

First few weeks felt "wired" ... then that went away. 

As for specific things i've noticed: 

After taking my daily dose, the room feels a bit "brighter" 
I am less socially sensitive to how people treat me- i dont dwell on it 
I don't dwell on negative thoughts the entire day like i used to 
I have a better mindset like "it'll all work out" even if I have nothing going for me lol 
I am less irritable and get along with my girlfriend a lot better and havent fought with her at all since starting on wellbutrin. Infact, I am now the "calm stable" one. Which is the way it should be. 

As for bad things, 

I am less motivated for some reason. It feels like weeks have gone by (for example the entire month of November) and i haven't accomplished anything. I take my Wellbutrin, and I feel OK, and i end up doing nothing the entire day. I should be looking for jobs, but I can't seem to be bothered. I've lost my creativity and motivation it seems. 

Also weight loss, and some anxiety in certain situations. 


Hope that helps!!


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

It makes me feel me exactly as before but without the anxiety. It doesn't make me social because I'm not social. I can't fake it and I don't want to. I tell people all the time that I don't like being around people. I think they're starting to understand. They laugh at it (me?) now. I was always called anti-social but in general, I think people liked hanging around me. I'm not sure why? I even try to insult some of them and they don't get offended. I think they find it funny or they're not threatened by me. If you have other disorders it may make them more prominent because the anxiety sometimes can hide those. My sensory issues (misophonia) seem worse. I drive my wife nuts.


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## mikoy (Aug 12, 2010)

I was thinking the same like you Kon, but on ritalin I'm more talkative and want to be with people. SSRI don't do any thing in this - I'm on fluvoxamine for two weeks but still feel anxiety from it (mirtazapine help with this a little). On ritalin I'm more talkative and anxiety comes from body - heart beat, sweating.


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

mikoy said:


> I was thinking the same like you Kon, but on ritalin I'm more talkative and want to be with people. SSRI don't do any thing in this - I'm on fluvoxamine for two weeks but still feel anxiety from it (mirtazapine help with this a little). On ritalin I'm more talkative and anxiety comes from body - heart beat, sweating.


I just started samples of fluvoxamine (Luvox) too and would be interested in hearing your experiences as to whether or not it starts to help you.


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## mikoy (Aug 12, 2010)

Yeah, somedays I think it's working, and some not. I see improvements in my OCD, and sometimes just "stupid" thinking  it's good. I know I need serotonin. I know it from my dreams (it's sounds stupid) - but when I'm on mirtazapine my dreams are really amazing - in my dreams I can do every thing I want to do in real life without fear. I know from it that fear it's from serotonin. But I'm afraid that SSRI wont help me - I'm affraid that I'm different. How long can it take to downregulate this stupid serotonin receptors? :F One year ago I was on sertaline for almost 6 months and this fear not gone... I know that people are different but why in others it goes so fast (this receptors regulation). Could it be that these changes in me will never occur? I don't tolerate higher doses, so the only hope for me is the long taking it :f

Saving Face I like luvox - it has shortest half time - good for me - I'm very sensitive to SSRI. Paroxetine was nightmare for me.

For me it is strange how a drug that makes me so strong fears, can help me with it. I'm affraid that taking mirtazapine with SSRI slow down this 5-ht2 receptors downregulation.


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## TheVoid (Nov 2, 2008)

Sheesh isn't there a single positive story about SSRIs?


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## orbit55 (Apr 23, 2008)

I'm on Day 7 of trying Celexa. I'm currently on 10 mg and will go to 20 mg once I hit Day 14. I've had side effects but that's to be expected.

My mood does feel a little lifted and I am able to handle bad situations easier. I do seem to flip flop from being drowsy to being wide awake. I have been able to sleep deeper which is nice. I think Celexa is a mild antihistamine.


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

They make you feel dead inside, and hyperactive on the outside.


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## Himi Jendrix (Mar 24, 2010)

Here a positive thing aboot SSRI. Prozac has many interactions which can be useful for boosting benzo's effect. 

I have taken every SSRI and I dont know that any worked for me. It felt like Celexa worked but I was starting on Xanax at the same time which could account for why the celexa suddenly pooped out after 6 months. 

I take prozac now and its the oldest and most researched AD. I dont really think it works. It boosts xanax however so I do take it daily. In the early stages, prozac would make me manic which was a lot of fun. Sometimes I skip a few days when my emotions become blunted. I feel very happy for the most part during these off days. I usually feel happy on the on day as well but less range of emotion in general.


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## orbit55 (Apr 23, 2008)

I'm going to chime in again...

I realize this forum is primarily for SA, so most of you are trying AD's for SA and mild depression but let's not forget AD's were made to combat depression first and foremost.

I have GAD and Panic but it took major depression for me to try Celexa. Any benefit for my GAD and Panic is just icing on the cake. Before I was on Celexa I did not feel suicidal but it felt like that road was just around the corner. Yeah I don't like the side effects of AD's but Celexa has turned me around and I am now headed in a positive direction. I'm only on Day 7 and my mood feels lifted and I just feel so much better about life. I would go as far to say AD's save lives.


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## 10PercentExtra (Nov 8, 2009)

Paxil made me feel like a total extrovert.

Lexapro made my SA much worse.

weird.


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## gordonjohnson008 (Nov 2, 2008)

I had cormorbid major depression & SA and had been depressed for years when Paxil was introduced. It was like a soft, warm light turning on in a very dark room.


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## Canadian4Life (Sep 27, 2010)

No ssri ever worked. On zoloft now..most bareable one, it's the only one I feel myself on but I don't think it's a major improvement at all. I took 5-htp a few years back now that stuff worked amazing. I took it on and off wellbutrin and it was awesome.


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## mikoy (Aug 12, 2010)

Yea, but I want SSRI work on my depression. Nothing works on it :f I need patience, I'm on corticosteroids too, and it's can worse my depression.


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