Posted by orbital on August 11, 2010, at 12:45:57
In reply to Re: Off Lexapro? - apathy syndrome //Help!, posted by violette on August 10, 2010, at 21:50:22
Violette, I've been doing psychodynamic therapy for over 15 years. I also do CBT, on and off. I agree with you, the psychological component of depression is extremely important, crucial in fact, at least in my case it stopped me from going off the deep end.
It was my therapist's suggestion that I try medication, as certain symptoms were not responding to treatment. That's how I ended up seeing a psychiatrist in the first place.
I think it's important to realize the difference between apathy being caused by psych. issues such as melancholia or dysthymia, and other causes such as SSRI "overload". I feel that the latter explains my current situation more accurately. I quit taking my excitalopram five days ago, and the fog I'm in is slowly lifting.
I think I neglected to mention in my initial post that this is the precise reason I quit my first Lexapro run about two years ago. It worked extremely well for many months, then I quite suddenly slid into a state of complete apathy and despondency. My doctor at the time decided to up my dosage, which of course made matters much worse.
This time around, I was aware of the possibility that this might happen - I figured I'd ask to lower the dose if it did. That didn't work, so I'm cutting my losses before I wind up wasting an indefinite amount of time in a blurry haze.
> I see...My T also told me some people who enter therapy drop out because it's too painful.
>
> Considering I spent almost a decade feeling miserable with drugs, I'd trade a few years of therapy pain to get back that time in a hearbeat. And it's not all painful-there are many good feelings that go with having someone who believes in you...the relationship..the support..in your life.
>
> It's worth it in the long run. But it is difficult finding the right therapist, as you said.
>
> People in my family who deny their psychological issues are the unhealthiest.
poster:orbital
thread:957856
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100811/msgs/958250.html