[polythene]

.

 

[CopadoMexicano]

I was on SSRIs/SSNIs for a few years, so I'm certainly curious as to what's happened to my brain, personally.

http://www.breggin.com/

 

[Medline]

AFAIK severe stress, depression and anxiety over longer periods of time are much worse for the human brain (and body) than treating these disorders with SSRIs/SNRIs. Those aren't neurotoxic substances and you can't combare taking Prozac with consuming a bottle vodka daily. It's completely untrue that longterm antidepressant therapy results in "brains that resemble those of veteran alcoholics".

 

[UltraShy]

I'd deem SSRIs useless rather than dangerous.

 

[Phobiker]

@Medline: What damage exactly happens to the brain when anxiety/depression are left untreated over long periods?

 

[Medline]

First google it up, then come again and ask. Btw: In the worst case scenario it could be a head shot via suicide.

 

[Phobiker]

Head shot, that's logical. Btw Google only gives me results of anxiety/depression due to brain damage.

 

[Medline]

Here is one article about ADs, depression and brain damage: http://mednewsarchive.wustl.edu/medadmin/PAnews.nsf/0/67AE0F5AC5F06C7786256D710072479A

 

[euphoria]

The most disturbing thing I've heard - though not necessarily true - is that long-term antidepressant users can come to develop brains that resemble those of veteran alcoholics.

That's just not true. I'm guessing you heard it from a Scientology website or something.

 

[Medline]

Euphoria is right: It's a complete lie, end of story.

 

[Phobiker]

There's alot of **** in the WWW from the anti-psychiatry lobby.

Ps.: Thx Medline for the article.

 

[Phobiker]

I just read the article Medline gave me. What do you guys think, may be amygdala be damaged as well? Since it plays a high role in anxiety. Is there anything known?

 

[euphoria]

If the brain is damaged from depression and anxiety, I'm screwed. I think most of us are actually .

 

[Phobiker]

Ohhh yeeeaaahhh, that's the hardest screw I've been ever screwed in my life!

 

[Medline]

Many things are reversible if the underlying illness is healed. Maybe if you had 20 years of very severe depression (and survived) you really have permanent brain damage and strong symptoms thereof. If you are young you should stay realistic and optimistic.

 

[flyingkangaroo]

http://breggin.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Try this site, "Psychiatric Drug facts" with Dr. Peter Breggin, theres alot on it and its all study based

Also, http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/ in the General Discussions, Post withdrawal side-effects after 1+ years

The same at http://benzowithdrawal.com/forum/ on the main page you'll find Post withdrawal side-effects after 2+ years

Personally, i wouldnt be surprised if alcohol like BD does happen, there seem to be just as many side side-effects with psychiatric drugs, especially the ADs, as there are with most street drugs. A side-effect or a dependency/withdrawal reaction is created by an alteration in the brain, and I know from personal experience that these side-effects dont always go away after you stop taking the med.

 

[Medline]

I know extremely heavy longterm abuse of benzodiazepines or barbiturates (maybe including withdrawal with delirium and/or seizures) can result in some kind of brain damage. Drinking 1-2 bottles of vodka / day is probably still worse as ethanol/acetaldehyde attacks all organs, every cell in the human body.

 

[flyingkangaroo]

Ive been a member on the benzo forum for 1 year now and youll see that almost nobody there has taken extremely heavy doses, it seems more of a predisposition or a certain body chemistry that some of us have that determines how well react to physical dependency (not addiction to the good feeling), or the intensity of withdrawal and time needed to recover, or any possible toxic effects.
Ive tried many of the ADs, paxil worked really well (the only one), never had a problem with anything, Adderal, but Xanax really messed me up.

"For some chronic benzodiazepine users, withdrawal can be a long, drawn-out process. A sizeable minority, perhaps 10 to 15%(3) develop a "post-withdrawal syndrome"(4), which may linger for months or even years.

IV. OTHER BRAIN CHANGES

"Since tolerance to and recovery from the cognitive changes associated" with long-term benzodiazepine use is incomplete and some neurological symptoms appear to persist indefinitely, it is difficult to explain these symptoms only in terms of slowly reversible receptor adaptations. Perhaps some receptor changes are incompletely reversible but the possibility remains that long-term benzodiazepine use can cause permanent neurological damage.

http://www.benzo.org.uk/pws04.htm

This I can say happens for sure, it happened to me and another person i know indirectly through a neighbor.

 

[Medline]

If I had Protracted Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms I would try Flumazenil. And for primary withdrawal itself I (would) use an equivalent dose of Phenobarbital/Primidone and then taper down over 3-4 weeks. I really don't like suffering for months or years.

 

[flyingkangaroo]

Flumanazil only works while it is in your system, its an IV drip and not in pill form to take daily, its for people who have overdosed, as for opiates/pain pills they effect the GABA system as well, theyre just used initially to prevent seizures when attempting to detox from the benzo
Anyways, Im just trying to put out this info about the affects these medications can have on your body, I was never told by my docter, though i should have done my own research, and really considered the page long lists of warnings that come with these meds
:mum Okay, thats a rant, i just get pissed talking about this stuff