1. Seroplex, SSRI's, Electric Shocks, Brain Zaps & dreams from The Dark Side
There's no denying it, if it wasn't for Seroplex I wouldn't be here now, of that I am 100% sure. But for the grace of Seroplex my chattels would long since have been disposed of, my assets divvied up and my remains scattered where no one can find them.
Of course, sitting here today, content and enjoying my life I have every reason to extol the virtues of antidepressants, but I also have sufficient bad memories of a long, difficult and unpleasant experience getting off them, to ask if God forbid the situation should ever arise again, would the person I become who needs these drugs have the wherewithal to face it all again?
This posting is about my experience of taking and coming off Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's) and I will try to keep it as objective as possible. I have made a list of the more common SSRI antidepressants at the foot of this page.
I was first prescribed Seroplex by my G.P (family doctor) in October 2008 - I was given a prescription for one month, plus a 2 week supply of Sulpiride, an antipsychotic used in the treatment of abnormal mental states and major depressive order which offers immediate relief from negative and troubled thoughts whilst the SSRI takes time to kick-in, usually about 2 weeks.
The first few days I spent quite a bit of time giggling, dancing and singing around the house and I found the euphoria a very pleasant change from what I had been feeling over the previous few months.
By the end of my first month on Seroplex I was able to tentatively start looking back at events leading up to taking it and found it harrowing to realise just how ill it is possible to become and not even be aware of it, disturbing to know it is possible to have certain thoughts and even take certain actions without ever being aware they are abnormal, and frightening the ease with which those thoughts and feelings can be hidden from those around you.
After establishing that Seroplex and the dose I was taking were both right for me, my G.P continued to prescribe it, and after just 2 months, whilst still having up and down days, I felt well enough to finally go out to work again. For me this was a huge part of my recovery. Bit by bit I felt myself returning to normal and my confidence, whilst it has never fully returned, was significantly improved on what it had been. No medication is without its side effects, and for the most part these were tolerable and seemed a small price to pay for getting my life back. Some of them were even enjoyable - the nights especially had become something else, full of amazing, vivid, technicolour dreams so extraordinarily beautiful and real that I can honestly say I still miss them now. I almost couldn't wait to going to bed each night and looked forward to "what dreams may come", that is until I came of the pills.
A year later in October 2009 I had an accident which needed urgent hospital attention. While taking my history the emergency room doctor asked if I was taking any medication, and in a split second I decided I was ready to come off my antidepressants, so I said no. A couple of days later I was discharged home, fit and ready to start my new medication-free life.
Of course, sitting here today, content and enjoying my life I have every reason to extol the virtues of antidepressants, but I also have sufficient bad memories of a long, difficult and unpleasant experience getting off them, to ask if God forbid the situation should ever arise again, would the person I become who needs these drugs have the wherewithal to face it all again?
This posting is about my experience of taking and coming off Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's) and I will try to keep it as objective as possible. I have made a list of the more common SSRI antidepressants at the foot of this page.
I was first prescribed Seroplex by my G.P (family doctor) in October 2008 - I was given a prescription for one month, plus a 2 week supply of Sulpiride, an antipsychotic used in the treatment of abnormal mental states and major depressive order which offers immediate relief from negative and troubled thoughts whilst the SSRI takes time to kick-in, usually about 2 weeks.
The first few days I spent quite a bit of time giggling, dancing and singing around the house and I found the euphoria a very pleasant change from what I had been feeling over the previous few months.
By the end of my first month on Seroplex I was able to tentatively start looking back at events leading up to taking it and found it harrowing to realise just how ill it is possible to become and not even be aware of it, disturbing to know it is possible to have certain thoughts and even take certain actions without ever being aware they are abnormal, and frightening the ease with which those thoughts and feelings can be hidden from those around you.
After establishing that Seroplex and the dose I was taking were both right for me, my G.P continued to prescribe it, and after just 2 months, whilst still having up and down days, I felt well enough to finally go out to work again. For me this was a huge part of my recovery. Bit by bit I felt myself returning to normal and my confidence, whilst it has never fully returned, was significantly improved on what it had been. No medication is without its side effects, and for the most part these were tolerable and seemed a small price to pay for getting my life back. Some of them were even enjoyable - the nights especially had become something else, full of amazing, vivid, technicolour dreams so extraordinarily beautiful and real that I can honestly say I still miss them now. I almost couldn't wait to going to bed each night and looked forward to "what dreams may come", that is until I came of the pills.
A year later in October 2009 I had an accident which needed urgent hospital attention. While taking my history the emergency room doctor asked if I was taking any medication, and in a split second I decided I was ready to come off my antidepressants, so I said no. A couple of days later I was discharged home, fit and ready to start my new medication-free life.
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