Advice, please (SSRI)

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EVIL!! ! I feel sick just thinking about that crap. It screwed me up so bad I can't believe it. I was a relatively normal, though somewhat geeky and refractory child. It was harmless, just completely harmless. I just acted up in class sometimes and had some developmental ideosyncrasies. I wish I'd never been taken up to Chapel Hill. The dude gave me that stuff for Tourette's (WRONG DIAGNOSIS!), and I was so bad off I was being placed in classes for kids with behavioral problems by my second year of middle school, and it totally stunted my education. I was still reading intensively, but it didn't help me form the right study habits. I'm still recovering from how much that drug screwed me up. I'm 23, and I'm only getting out of community college just now and only ever had one short-lived crap job. And here I am, bloody brilliant as hell (and I freaking know it. I'm worth any professor out at the university in pharmacological arcana), and I'm dreading my application for transfer being turned down due to some of the stuff that happened back then. I'm so angry at that company, I could just vomit.

And then I was put on a combination of Luvox and Clonidine. The combination of the two had me so overweight I'm still bearing the stretch marks from it, and I was so drowsy all the time I couldn't concentrate. Not only that, but I still had the freaking meltdowns. I finally just started refusing to take it, and I had to make death threats to my freaking parents to keep from being forced back on it. I hate psychiatrists who think they can cure everything from A-Z with an SSRI or seratonin agonist. I hate them! I HATE THEM! They need to lose their license to practice and everything they own over that crap. It's so stupid I don't know what to say. I'm just too upset right now, and I'm afraid I might start crying again. I'm so afraid I might turn out some miserable failure and never get to do all the stuff I wanted to do. I know I'm not going to be some freaking wage slave. I'd sooner make some pathetic effort at going into business for myself. Bootlicking is just a no-go for me. I'd end up attacking one of the bosses. I can't always control this ego.

I'm feeling sick. I have to lay down.

Prozac fixed me many years ago.
These SSRIs are good nowadays.
I have learnt coping methods without using drugs (proscribed) since.
But don't worry too much. You get the odd horror story and there are plenty of drama queens round here.
May as well give them a try though. If they dont work for you, then fine. Try something else.

I agree that you would do well to do LOTS of homework on all of your possible options before agreeing to take an SSRI.If and when you do decide to start a course of medication,take it every single day exactly as prescribed and examine your responses every single day.Even keep a diary,if that helps chart effects.Unless you are obviously having an adverse reaction,give a med a fair chance but be prepared to alter dosage or switch meds.

I took Paxil for close to two years and it temporarily gave me a happy reprieve from certain anxieties.Side effects weren't as bad for me as some report,and I had a fairly comfortable year with it's assistance.I still felt like "myself",just much more relaxed in general.That was both good and bad,though I think I did begin to learn about myself a that time.

Most notably,when the Paxil stopped being effective and I decided to stop taking it,the withdrawals were absolutely horrid.Not much was known then abut Paxil withdrawals;I do not know if the med community is better informed these days,or if there are safer options.

Little is known about exactly how and what these medicines do,so know beforehand that you will be engaging in somewhat of an experiment for yourself and the medical community.It will be on you to decide if that is acceptable and promising or not.This is your life,your body/mind,your health and wellness.Best of luck.

While I've found some drugs to be lifesavers, others can make things much worse. I recommend being very careful when taking any brain altering drug. These drugs are prescribed based on studies where the desired effect is seen in the majority of test subjects, but everyone's neurochemistry is unique. If you're asking the question here, chances are that yours is atypical. I would work with a psychiatrist that is experienced with your condition and full understanding of the atypical responses to these drugs. Educate yourself as well on what reactions to expect and keep a close account of any changes you feel. If things seem to be going the wrong way, get back to the doctor immediately.

Watch out for the discontinuation syndrome. It happens to 30-40% of people who either go off intentionally or who have taken it long enough to build tolerance. It's scary. Even after the serious withdrawls disappear after a few months, you still could feel damaged after several more months or even years.

Paxil Progress link was a good call. This place helped me get through alot of it.