[rowzie]

Hello,

I was just wondering if there any permenant side affects from benzos and srri's? I just realize that since the beginning of my DP things were bad, but not really that bad and the DP subsided after a week after a panic attack. After two weeks of zoloft (that i quit 2 months ago) the DP stayed and my symptoms became dramatically different. After I went off zoloft I took xanax for a few weeks and after I quit Xanax my symptoms grew even further. However, I became desperate and was convinced that it was my DP causing this so I also took paxil for a day and could not tolerate the side afects so I quit that as well. I know all the therapists out there will insist that SSRI's will leave your system in the course of a few days, but it just really makes me wonder about the permenant or long term damage they may have done to me. Does anyone have any thoughts/insight on this matter? Janine? I believe for many people this could be a huge key in our problems if I am correct.

Rose

 

[AHuseman]

I don't think that SSRI's and benzos do any permanent damage. And you say you were only on them for a short period of time. So don't go worring about that. However, they can have withdrawal effects that may take a little while to subside if you were on them long and they can also up your anxiety temporarily for a certain period of time after they are stopped. How long ago did you stop the Xanax? And did you stop it abrupty?

 

[rowzie]

I stopped the Xanax about 6 weeks ago and I stopped it abruptly. I was on a low dosage though..about .5 mg. Do you think I could be having withdrawel?

 

[AHuseman]

I was on .25 mg's for 2 weeks about 2 months ago and I stopped it cold turkey too. What other symptoms are you having besides DP? (If any)

 

[rowzie]

Well, the DP has gotten a whole lot worse for starters. I used to get electric shock feelings in my head and erally stoned feelings (they went away though). Now I get horribly racing thoughts about the nature of the universe, and over analyze everything. I still get almost a numbing feeling in my head. All my symptoms are purely psychological now I think, I'm not bothered by anything physical. It's been pure hell though and am hoping to get out of it

 

[AHuseman]

How often is your DP present?

 

[gimpy34]

Well, I think until you find the right treatment, DP usually gets progressively worse but at the same time you learn to deal with it. And it is good to know others like you are out there. I don't even know if this site was there when I started getting DP. I had no idea what was going on. But to tell you my beginnings with DP/DR:

After my first panic attack, which happened the day after taking XTC and alcohol, I was DPed for two days and things subsided for a couple of months. Then I had my next panic attack after a whole weekend of binge drinking and was DPed for 2 days and then things subsided for about three days until I had another panic attack after having one beer. That was when I went to see the doctor and he gave me some Xanax to use until my appointment with the psychiatrist which was about three weeks away. I was fine for about two weeks and then I just started getting DP/DR without having panic attacks, probably because I was taking Xanax. This whole time I had been abusing alcohol so I figured I should quit after taking Xanax for 2 weeks or so, hoping the DP would go away, but it didn't and it has been there ever since. A week after quitting alcohol, I saw the doctor and was prescribed an SSRI. It didn't make things better or worse.

So, to answer your question, I say no. My advice is to follow your doctor's orders and not change up your medications on your own like I stupidly have because I think the more you mess with your brain chemistry, the more confused your brain will get and as a result the DP/DR will get worse. But, just remember people with DP still have lives and you aren't alone.