# Why do people feel euphoric when starting or quitting an SSRI?



## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

The first day I took my celexa, I felt very energetic, motivated, and happy engaging conversation... which quickly faded away. Same thing on the day after I stopped my SSRI.

I know it's a farely common occurrence.

What neurotransmitters are involved? Why does that happen?


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## shammie (Oct 31, 2012)

Hm, I feel I'm missing out! I can honestly say I've never experienced euphoria with Prozac.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

hmmm...

I've never had any positive feelings associated with any aspect of any ssri.


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## RelinquishedHell (Apr 10, 2012)

That's interesting, Zoloft did nothing except make me more anxious.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

There are tons of reports in other forums where people talk about it. Funny nobody feels the same here. It's really an initial high, it doesn't alst long, like one or two days.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

I noticed a Kind of initial positive feeling when starting and raising a lamictal dose. Like days 2-3, but like I said never with an SS(N)RI


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

It kinda like a high befor your brain start down regulating. i wonder if there any kinda way to maintain this maybe starting and stoping every 5 days heh that would probably make ya a bit unstable.

Being on a 5 day e bender would probably make us feel like crap. it probably just cause are brains arn't used to the extra serotonin yet.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

I think the same reason you feel more effect out of any drug in the beginning. It's the first time you're experiencing having more serotonin available. After a while you get used to the feeling.

The initial euphoria is also present (or can be) with benzo's, stimulants, pain kilers, ...


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

I think it relates back to inhibitory auto-receptors. They become more active with chronic SSRI dosing, but at the beginning and cessation of treatment they are less active so serotonin firing is more pronounced.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

I don't know. I'd never heard of that effect before.

If I had to guess I'd say it's possibly a placebo effect at the very start. Imagine somebody eagerly starting a new drug they fully expect will work. With that mindset, it's easy to see how they might be feeling pretty damn good right at the start.

I've been pretty thrilled stopping SSRIs, as the nasty sexual side effects go away. It's been 12 years since I stopped Paxil, yet stopping was such a great thrill I can still tell you that the ability to orgasm returned exactly 50 hours after my last dose. You know it's special when you remember that a dozen years later.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

UltraShy said:


> I don't know. I'd never heard of that effect before.
> 
> If I had to guess I'd say it's possibly a placebo effect at the very start. Imagine somebody eagerly starting a new drug they fully expect will work. With that mindset, it's easy to see how they might be feeling pretty damn good right at the start.
> 
> I've been pretty thrilled stopping SSRIs, as the nasty sexual side effects go away. It's been 12 years since I stopped Paxil, yet stopping was such a great thrill I can still tell you that the ability to orgasm returned exactly 50 hours after my last dose. You know it's special when you remember that a dozen years later.


I don't like the placebo argument, it's just too easy ^^. Most reports I had read prior to starting an SSRI were negative, and I was expecting to feel the effects only around 5 weeks in. The same way, I expected to feel like crap with withdrawal symptoms before stopping the SSRI, and yet it felt very good, so much energy I had insomnia. My pupils were very dilated, I felt all jittery, had hand tremors, and concentration was very sharp - it looked almost like something dopamine related.

Some users compare the initial citalopram high to MDMA...
link : http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/celexa/TT4T300TLS4B4K31L


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

The only one i use is cipralex and i seem to get alot of attention from the ladies in this phase. befor the even nastier ssri effects kick in then i think i start looking gross. but during the initial phase it feels like how i am suppose to be as normal. It kinda weird to explain.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

GotAnxiety said:


> The only one i use is cipralex and i seem to get alot of attention from the ladies in this phase befor the even nastier ssri effects kick in then i think i start looking gross. but during the initial phase it feels like how i am suppose to be as normal. It kinda weird to explain.


Perhaps we're talking about the same thing. Arguably it might be possible to get high once a week - to avoid tolerance - with the first dose of citalopram... so lame hahaha.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

jim_morrison said:


> I think it relates back to inhibitory auto-receptors. They become more active with chronic SSRI dosing, but at the beginning and cessation of treatment they are less active so serotonin firing is more pronounced.


Weird. I'm not sure. Hand tremors, jitteriness, extra motivation, energy, more concentration, insomnia... sounds more like stimulants than serotonin, doesn't it?


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

Hehe i should try and test this out and try and get as much play as i can. Do like a trial of 40 day's starting and stopping 5mg cipralex every 4 or 5 days.

Even befor this thread came up i was thinking about this idea. but i hate coming off ssri.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Mr Bacon said:


> Weird. I'm not sure. Hand tremors, jitteriness, extra motivation, energy, more concentration, insomnia... sounds more like stimulants than serotonin, doesn't it?


Nah, serotonin itself is stimulating but chronic dosing with SSRIs lowers it's phasic release so it can have a different effect.


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## Gjoevik (Feb 13, 2010)

I definitely get euphoric during the first couple of days of withdrawal from Paxil. That is, before the more uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms start showing up.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I have had this effect when first starting Paxil, a short lived euphoria basically.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

The placebo effect, the psychosomatic mind trip!


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