Symptoms: Akathisia, brain zaps, emotional blunting, cognitive impairment, insomnia, depersonalization/derealization, suicidal ideation, tinnitus, severe anxiety/panic, muscle/joint pain, anhedonia
In the early 2000’s I was prescribed an ssri for Panic attacks. I started tapering on my own in 2018 with little guidance but I knew that when the dr said break it in half wait two weeks break it in half and then stop that wasn’t correct. When stopping prior to this the headaches and brain zaps were out of control. I took my time skipping days and doses which I now know was very destabilizing. In 2022 stopping at what the medical drs think is crumbs at 2 mgs I went into severe akathisia which started with skin crawling. I was bedridden, agoraphobic and lived in sheer terror. Psychiatrists and doctors said it was anxiety and kept prescribing more pills including benzodiazepines which had it's own hellish withdrawal. I also reinstated my ssri. It took over a year to feel normal enough to taper again. I am still tapering since my nervous system has not healed I have to go very slow and hold my dose at times. My nervous system is calm enough to live my life again but going to fast can spiral out of control and put me right back to where I was in 2022.