It might seem like you don’t need the medication anymore, but if you stop taking it, the medicine will leave your body and your symptoms might return. Quitting without consulting your doctor can be life-threatening. Suicide is a serious concern. It can also trigger withdrawal symptoms and relapse of your depression.

What happens if I stop taking antidepressants?

It might seem like you don’t need the medication anymore, but if you stop taking it, the medicine will leave your body and your symptoms might return. Quitting without consulting your doctor can be life-threatening. Suicide is a serious concern. It can also trigger withdrawal symptoms and relapse of your depression.

Is there a pill for shyness?

Though several types of medications are available, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often the first type of drug tried for persistent symptoms of social anxiety. Your doctor may prescribe paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft).

Is it bad to be on antidepressants for a long time?

Long-term antidepressant users are risking permanent damage to their bodies, according to leading medical experts. Dr Tony Kendrick, a professor of primary care at the University of Southampton, says more urgent action needs to be taken to encourage and support long-term users to come off the medication.

Why you should stop taking antidepressants?

The best reason to stop taking your antidepressant is because you feel better and you and your doctor believe that you will stay well after you stop taking it. An antidepressant needs time to work. You may need to take it for 1 to 3 weeks before you start to feel better and for 6 to 8 weeks before you feel much better.

Do antidepressants increase confidence?

Expert: “It looks like a lot of what gives people relief is that they’re feeling whatever the opposite of neuroticism is.” (Health.com) — People who take antidepressants such as Paxil often say they feel less stressed and more outgoing, lively, and confident.

What are disadvantages of drugs?

Seizures, stroke, mental confusion and brain damage. Lung disease. Problems with memory, attention and decision-making, which make daily living more difficult. Global effects of drugs on the body, such as breast development in men and increases in body temperature, which can lead to other health problems.

Can you stay on antidepressants for life?

MYTH: Once on antidepressants, I’ll be on them for life. FACT: Not true. A general rule clinicians often use is that a person should be treated with antidepressants at least one-and-a-half times as long as the duration of the depressive episode before they can begin to be weaned off.

What is natural high?

A natural high comes from any activity that makes you feel good—but doesn’t involve drugs. Doing things you enjoy, like riding your skateboard or dabbling in photography, releases natural feel-good chemicals in your brain like dopamine, which regulates movement, emotion, motivation, and pleasure.

Does taking antidepressants change you?

Fact: When taken correctly, antidepressants will not change your personality. They will help you feel like yourself again and return to your previous level of functioning.

Is it safe to stop taking antidepressants?

Antidepressant withdrawal is possible if you abruptly stop taking an antidepressant, particularly if you’ve been taking it longer than four to six weeks. Symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal are sometimes called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome and typically last for a few weeks.