Zoloft, anyone?

[Scissel]

...Despite what is often claimed serotonin is not a 'feel good' neurotransmitter. As you're discovering it is anything but. ....

Hi PDU ... I hope you are well. You see, even this confuses me because I was also under the impression that serotonin was a 'feel good' neurotransmitter; and I would not say I feel good - as I've mentioned to you before (sorry I can not recall where or when) the higher the dosage - the lower the libido and the counteracts my recovery. I know you've given me examples of what to do to fight that and I appreciate it. Then what is the 'feel good' neurotransmitter? Is it GABA? I'm battling addiction to a benzo and this struggle is quite a beast. I can't believe how hard it is to get off it without (further) losing my mind. I'm trying though; know that.

Thank you for any guidance.

PS: I don't mean to hijack the OP and I mean not to take away from this members struggle - I also posted this so as perhaps it could help the OP.

Sincerely Yours...

-Sal

[panic_down_under]

Hi PDU ... I hope you are well.

I feel pretty good now that the weather is warming. Thanks for asking, Sal. Though my doctors might have a different opinion.

How are you doing? I gather not as well as you'd hoped.

I was also under the impression that serotonin was a 'feel good' neurotransmitter;

Firstly, no neurotransmitter has an intrinsic property. How they effect mood is determined by the receptors or binding sites they attach to, not the neurotransmitter itself.

Secondly, despite the common myth which even medical journals and government health sites propagate, serotonergic ADs don't work by increasing brain serotonin levels except in the first few weeks. After that serotonin synthesis and expression drops as bio-feedback mechanisms kick-in. In some brain regions which manifest anxiety and/or depression serotonin levels drop to well below baseline. This is also true of noradrenaline/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as nortriptyline and brain nortriptyline levels. See my: Serotonin - The 'chemical imbalance' myth

Then what is the 'feel good' neurotransmitter? Is it GABA?

GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter. It opens negatively charged chlorine ion channels into neurons which makes it harder for them to raise their internal voltage to the 'firing' potential, thus slowing their 'firing' rate.

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) don't increase GABA levels. The brain is awash with GABA as it's a byproduct of the Krebs Cycle with converts glucose into a form neurons use as fuel. There is so much that the blood-brain-barrier has trillions of molecular pumps to suck out the excess (Kakee A, 2001; Terasaki T, 1999). What BZDs do is increase the effectiveness of BZD binding sites on GABA receptors which enhances the receptors' activity.

I'm battling addiction to a benzo and this struggle is quite a beast. I can't believe how hard it is to get off it without (further) losing my mind. I'm trying though; know that.

Withdrawal is as much about psychology as chemistry. An anxious brain can be very adept at delivering our worst nightmares if given half an opening. The task is much harder if anxiety isn't well controlled which I suspect is a major reason you're having such a hard time weaning of your BZD.