Self-Help Tricks, Mental Health Tips to Quit Antidepressants

For seven years, I took Paxil (paroxetine) to relieve anxiety and depression. I began to put on an alarming amount weight and with extended use, the antidepressant didn't work as well, either. I decided to quit. I have been antidepressant-free for 16 months. Here are self-help tips and mental health strategies for quitting SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor).

Don't wean, quit.

This flies in the face of medical advice which says to wean slowly, taking fewer pills each week. That didn't work for me as it kept the drug in my system longer. My doctor also prescribed an alternative, lower-dose antidepressant to help me come off the medicine. I chose not to fill the new antidepressant. I reasoned that it would just create another dependence that I would have to break. I had some difficult times for the first few weeks, but overall, I detoxed much more quickly than I would have had I drawn it out.

Talk yourself out of your pill, not into it.

One of the most challenging parts about quitting Paxil, for me, was fear. I was afraid that I would turn into a raging, mindless beast sans an SSRI. That's one of the lies the drug tells users: that they are powerless to control themselves without it. Though I had experienced out-of-control feelings prior to taking the pill, it was not a behavior pattern. I had been able to function without it and I would be able to again.

Trust your ability to quit

I didn't always trust that I really could do it, but that's where "fake it till you make it" helps. Every time I faltered (and it happened a lot), I tried again. Some days were very difficult, but they grew farther and farther in between. I had to learn to put my faith in my own restorative powers and not the d to put my reliance in myself. I practiced a lot of positive self-talk. I found myself arguing with the old voices in my head that predicted failure. Since those self-doubts were a large part of what drove me to the antidepressant, it's only natural that they would be my Nemesis as I quit. Talking back to them diminishes their power, though.

I still have setbacks and probably always will. They are, I believe, part of the human condition. As with any new skill, practice makes better, not perfect.