how long have you taken antidepressant ?i had taken 9 years.

[john li]

 I had been off Zoloft for 3months after taking it for 9 years.i taper off it slow enough and decrease 10% every month.

now i  feel insomnia and irritable and not well. I had stand the crossroad of life about select whether to continue take Zoloft. zoloft make me happy in these years.

 i had gone to see two psychiatrists: one told me antidepressant can't be taken lifetime because of its side effect and he never see anyone take antidepressant forever. the other psychiatrist told me OCD is like diabetes or hypertension. if you didnt insist on taking antidepressant, OCD must reappear .It's just a matter of time.
so could you give me some advice?

[Ambrer]

Perhaps you could take the lowest dose possible?

I have been taking different anti-depressants (Currently on 45mg of Mirtazapine nightly) over the past couple of years, and Mirtazapine seems to really help me, as it's part sleeping pill. I also find if I forget to take it or stop; I have really horrible nightmares and can't sleep at all, as well as my social anxiety really bubbles over and takes control. I also find myself really depressed and crash hard when I'm not on them.

I don't think going cold turkey (stop taking them all together) after taking them for so long might not be the best idea. Is there a way you can just "see how it goes"?

With my current dose, my doctor gave me lots of 15mg tablets which I could take 30mg or 45mg as needed, as I was having a lot of trouble becoming adjusted to the 45mg dose. I'm not sure if you can do that with your current medication, but maybe speak with your doctor to have a professional opinion about reducing it down? It's good you're going down 10% each month, but it's important to be in contact with your doctor so that they can monitor your dose and how your body is handling it.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck! 

[George1]

I took Wellbutrin for just over 5 years. It was exactly what I needed, and it/therapy pulled me out of a deep depression, but I continued to take it for maintenance. After 5 years, I started to get anxiety which I attributed to the medicine, and I was also feeling better in general. So I decided to taper off. I went 2 years without, but headed back into depression. I eventually went back on medication, but Wellbutrin just wasn't the same and now I'm on Pristiq.

I have read some people only need them once or twice in their life, some people always need them. It's different for everybody. I would suggest keep doing what you are doing. Try to incorporate exercise to reduce stress/ to sleep better. If once you are off, and you've given your system a little while to balance itself out, and you are still not doing well, then tell your doctor that you were doing much better while on them, you've given yourself some time to adjust, but just are not doing as well.

The adjustment phase of getting off of them is harder, then once you are actually off of them. Once your completely off for a little while, your mind/body will stabilize, and you'll be able to gauge it better. Keep your doctor informed about how you feel, and good luck! I hope you figure out what you need.

[john li]

thank you for George1 and Ambrer. i will appcet your good advice. have you seen movie <limitless >  acted by Bradley Cooper , zoloft is just like  NZT for me in this 9years. without zoloft i can't win my on career and get my wife. however for my future baby i can abandon all of this. so i stopped zoloft after 9years. but to be honest, i cant control my OCD now. and is easy exhausted by some trivial  affairs. i need to overcome it for this period but i real have not good method without antidepressant help. i only insist on stop medication. and i doubt i wil live with zoloft forever. please forgive my terrible condition. sorry.