YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Hi there,

I recently decided (with the guidance of my therapist) to give SSRIs a shot at treating my panic, anxiety, and resulting depression. I was prescribed Celexa by a psychiatrist and took it for about nine days. During that time, I experienced an intense spike in my anxiety and thus overwhelming feelings of fear and dismay. I felt so emotionally unstable and sick that I tapered myself off the medication.

I described this experience to my psychiatrist and she believed it was my anxiety surrounding medication, rather than the actual medication, that made me feel so terrible. I'm not sure that I agree completely, but I do find myself quite physically affected by my anxiety. I don't want to exclude medication as an option, but I'm very nervous to try another SSRI -- I was curious to see is anybody has experienced similar struggles starting SSRIs due to their anxiety?

Thanks y'all!

Don't feel terrible. Different people have different reactions. But please keep trying, you deserve that much. All the best to you.