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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by MGOLDW on May 17, 2004, at 16:44:54
Would you consider CELEXA and/or LEXAPRO as habit forming or addictive?
Posted by nicky847 on May 17, 2004, at 16:53:14
In reply to CELEXA LEXAPRO addictive?, posted by MGOLDW on May 17, 2004, at 16:44:54
Thats kinda hard to say..its like calling insulin "addictive"..in theory if you are prescribed lexapro or celexa it is due to a shortage of serotonin in your body..which is a vital chemical produced by the body for things such as regulating the fight/flight mechanism..in theory an SSRI helps a person with a shortage of serotonin make better use of the serotonin they do produce by blocking reuptake of it..
if a person who needs it doesnt take it chances are they will be more susceptible to depression or anxiety disorders than the average person might be..
this can be made worse if you take an SSRI for an extended period of time and then stop abruptly, as your body's serotonin producing mechanisms have kind of atrophied due to being assisted by the medication for so long..which is probably why some people feel it is addictive or habit forming.. the saftest way to get off the med is gradually, so your body can build that mechanism back up before you are off the med entirely..
> Would you consider CELEXA and/or LEXAPRO as habit forming or addictive?
Posted by linkadge on May 17, 2004, at 20:30:18
In reply to Re: CELEXA LEXAPRO addictive?, posted by nicky847 on May 17, 2004, at 16:53:14
If you taper it slowly over a long period of time, there should be no problem discontinuing it. If it is hard to discontinue, then either it has provided a geniunely more natural brain ballence, or you have tried to disconinue it too fast.
Linkadge
Posted by chess on May 18, 2004, at 11:44:57
In reply to CELEXA LEXAPRO addictive?, posted by MGOLDW on May 17, 2004, at 16:44:54
> Would you consider CELEXA and/or LEXAPRO as habit forming or addictive?
i was on celexa for over a year, i discontinued it very slowly, after the last dose i experienced bad headaches and dizziness but i just kept telling myself that my brain was readjusting to not having celexa around anymore and after a couple of weeks the headaches and dizziness started to decrease and they were gone after a month
the trick is to understand that our brains are built to adjust to what we expose them to, so if you knowingly stop a medication then give your brain time to readjust to being without it until you feel better and try not to freak out during the withdrawal
Posted by Sebastian on May 18, 2004, at 18:56:52
In reply to CELEXA LEXAPRO addictive?, posted by MGOLDW on May 17, 2004, at 16:44:54
Not addictive. You just need them for your illness. Ha Ha.
Posted by imlaurie on May 19, 2004, at 11:38:01
In reply to Re: CELEXA LEXAPRO addictive?, posted by Sebastian on May 18, 2004, at 18:56:52
These drugs are not addictive at all. Psychologically maybe but surely not physically.If you are planning on quitting them I would suggest tapering off slowly just to be on the safe side.
This is the end of the thread.
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