Re: Long term antidepressant use - anyone?
Originally Posted by
maryjane91
So that's 10 years I have been on it now. I am so scared I have done permanent damage to my body, especially my brain.
Antidepressants do just the opposite. Anxiety and depression are symptoms of atrophy of parts of the hippocampal regions of the brain caused by high brain stress hormone levels killing brain cells and inhibiting the growth of replacements. Antidepressants work by stimulating neuronal growth (neurogenesis). The therapeutic response is produced by the new cells and the interconnections they forge, not the ADs directly. This is why it typically takes 4-12 weeks for ADs to kick-in. For a more detailed explanations see: Depression and the Birth and Death of Brain Cells (PDF) and How antidepressant drugs act.
Has anyone else been on antidepressants this long?
I've been on ADs almost continually since March 1987 with only 3 longish breaks, one of 18 months, another of 6 months and the last of 3 months, and a couple of weeks of washout when switching to/from a MAOI class AD. My brain hasn't turned to mush yet. I know people who have been on them for even longer.
BTW - SSRIs are mild anticoagulants which may reduce heart attack and ischaemic (blocking) stroke risk a little, although they may slightly increase it for the much less common haemorrhagic stroke, as may anxiety and depression.
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The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.