Delayed increase in depression after stopping Citalopram, multiple possible scenarios

[TW4569]

I started taking Citalopram (20mg, daily) in 2010. It was officially prescribed for anxiety, but I've also always had some depression, which benefitted from taking the medication. I recently quit taking it for reasons unrelated to the medication itself. I weaned off of it under the guidance of my doctor for two weeks (10 mg a day for a week, 10mg every other day for a week) with Dec 25 being my last dose. In the 5 or so days follwing the last dose I was a little tense and jittery, I assume because of withdrawals. Once that passed I felt great, I was ready to tackle my anxiety head on, and fix the parts of my life that were causing me anxiety and deprression in the first place. Suddenly, On Jan ~16th, I hit a wall. I fell into a depression that I'm still dealing with. I'veposted a couple threads about it here ifyou care to look.

I figure there's a couple reasons this may have happened:
- I quit taking the medication. The chemicals weren't fully out of my system until Jan ~16th, then my brain went back into a depression when left to its own devices, the depression is just the way I am.

- I quit taking the medication. The chemicals are still working their way out of my system and the depression that recently arrived is some kind of withdrawal. I will eventually feel better and the depression isn't just the way I am.

- Other?

I know when taking meds for years, the body can take a long time to readjust when they're removed. I hope I don't have to go back on it. :(

[gypsylee]

I started taking Citalopram (20mg, daily) in 2010. It was officially prescribed for anxiety, but I've also always had some depression, which benefitted from taking the medication. I recently quit taking it for reasons unrelated to the medication itself. I weaned off of it under the guidance of my doctor for two weeks (10 mg a day for a week, 10mg every other day for a week) with Dec 25 being my last dose. In the 5 or so days follwing the last dose I was a little tense and jittery, I assume because of withdrawals. Once that passed I felt great, I was ready to tackle my anxiety head on, and fix the parts of my life that were causing me anxiety and deprression in the first place. Suddenly, On Jan ~16th, I hit a wall. I fell into a depression that I'm still dealing with. I'veposted a couple threads about it here ifyou care to look.

I figure there's a couple reasons this may have happened:
- I quit taking the medication. The chemicals weren't fully out of my system until Jan ~16th, then my brain went back into a depression when left to its own devices, the depression is just the way I am.

- I quit taking the medication. The chemicals are still working their way out of my system and the depression that recently arrived is some kind of withdrawal. I will eventually feel better and the depression isn't just the way I am.

- Other?

I know when taking meds for years, the body can take a long time to readjust when they're removed. I hope I don't have to go back on it. :(

So nothing external happened, leading up to that, which could've triggered the depression?

I've been on and off these meds for 20 years and I don't think they have that big an effect once you've been on them for a while. They seem to help me get out of bad depressive episodes but then I just stay on them because they're a nightmare to go back on if you need them again. Like in 2013 I weaned myself off Effexor (not fun) and a couple of month later something bad happened, I had a nervous breakdown and had to go back on meds (Lexapro this time). So I've just stayed on that as a precaution basically. I still feel really anxious/depressed at times.

What I'm saying is I don't think it's as black and white as you coming off the meds and suddenly feeling depressed again. That said, it's probably related to coming off the meds, but more of a psychological thing, as in psychological withdrawal. If that makes sense?

I wouldn't panic about it though, like "OMG I'll have to go back on the meds". Just try and take it easy and see how you go over the next few weeks. Perhaps there are non-medication things you could take like herbal stuff and things you can do like breathing and exercise. I just read a "sticky" post by PanicCured about how he overcame his anxiety and it's very good. Lots of ideas there on dealing with anxiety/depression (I don't really differentiate between them) without medication.

All the best to you and keep posting here :)
Gypsy x