Intrusive Thoughts and Irrational Fears

[[Ho...]]

Hello,

 

Last summer in acute w/d I had some memories of trauma bubble up from my subconscious. I convinced myself I must be making things up until a couple of months ago. My mind cannot process this. I'm having horrible intrusive thoughts, dissociation, irrational fears, flashbacks, and nightmares. It got so bad I just spent a week in a hospital. Is this worse because of withdrawal? Or is this just me? I'm nine months off Ativan and three weeks off lamictal. I'm scared. Thanks.

[[me...]]

I'm so sorry you're going through this.  Intrusive thoughts and extreme anxiety do get worse during withdrawal, even in those who have seldom if ever had them before.  Getting off benzos often creates a rebound effect where the mind and body becomes hyper sensitive to almost any stimuli.  The fight or flight response goes into overdrive.  But this does get better in time.  It can take some of us a year or more to heal, however, and in the meantime it's a good idea to live one day at a time, stay home, and distract oneself from dire thoughts.  Self-distraction was my main occupation for a long time while I was healing.

 

[[Ch...]]

Hello,

 

Last summer in acute w/d I had some memories of trauma bubble up from my subconscious. I convinced myself I must be making things up until a couple of months ago. My mind cannot process this. I'm having horrible intrusive thoughts, dissociation, irrational fears, flashbacks, and nightmares. It got so bad I just spent a week in a hospital. Is this worse because of withdrawal? Or is this just me? I'm nine months off Ativan and three weeks off lamictal. I'm scared. Thanks.

 

No one can know for sure what's going on, but if it's worse lately, maybe it's due to the Lamictal rather than Ativan, since the Lamictal was just a few weeks ago and Ativan was 9 months ago.

 

Here's an excerpt from mentalhealthdaily.com about Lamictal withdrawal:

 

Lamictal Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities

 

Below are some common withdrawal symptoms that you may experience upon discontinuation of Lamictal. Keep in mind that everyone has a unique withdrawal experience and that your symptoms may not be the same severity as someone else going through the same withdrawal. Although it is important to know what symptoms are caused by withdrawal, it is also important not to psyche yourself out.

 

Anger: Certain individuals report having strong feelings of anger that emerge during withdrawal.  If you are feeling excessive anger, realize that this can be a very tricky symptom to manage.  When you get really angry, try to take a look at your situation from a third person perspective – the anger is a result of withdrawal.  This anger should subside after a few weeks and/or improve with time.

 

Anxiety: A very common symptom associated with discontinuation of this drug is that of anxiety. You may feel more nervous than you normally do during withdrawal. This anxiety may become excessive and/or lead to panic attacks. The best way to combat anxiety is to engage in relaxation exercises and focus on healthy activities to lower your arousal. Recognize that until your neurotransmitters correct the imbalance that is inevitable when coming off of a medication, the anxiety will persist.

 

Balance problems: Some individuals have reported that they have trouble with balance when coming off of Lamictal. In some cases this could be due to too rapid of withdrawal, but in most cases it is just another discontinuation symptom. Your physiology will need some time to return to functioning without the drug. Just know that your balance should eventually recover.

 

Bipolar symptoms: Individuals that are on this drug to help manage mood cycling associated with bioplar disorder may experience a re-emergence of symptoms. If you notice that you are entering into bipolar depression and/or a manic (or hypomanic) phase, it could be triggered by withdrawal. It is important to work with your psychiatrist so that you don’t have to deal with a re-emergence of bipolar cycling.

 

Concentration problems: Many individuals experience impaired cognition and focus when they quit taking this drug. Not only are you going to be dealing with an array of physical symptoms, you may also have to cope with poor concentration for awhile. Your cognition and ability to concentrate should recover.

 

Depression: Some people report that when they withdraw from this medication, they spiral down into a very deep depression. Just know that this is very common and withdrawal from most psychiatric drugs leads to feelings of depression that can sometimes seem insurmountable. The deep depression that is caused by withdrawal will not last forever.

 

Dizziness: Do you feel dizzy after quitting this drug? It could be due to the fact that you tapered too quickly and/or quit cold turkey. With that said, general dizziness is an extremely common symptom. It is difficult to deal with and frustrating because your doctor will likely not be able to relate to this feeling when you describe it.

Fatigue: A lot of people report feeling excessive lethargy and overall fatigue when they stop taking Lamictal. If the drug was giving them some energy prior to taking it, this could be a counter-effect. In most cases, the fatigue is simply due to the brain and body trying to readjust and function without the drug that it had been receiving for a period of time.

 

Headaches: Many people have reported experiencing intense headaches (i.e. migraines) when they come off of Lamictal. Just know that this is a very common symptom to experience when you stop taking this drug. If they become bad, do your best to relax, drink plenty of water, and consider headache relief (over the counter).

Irritability: If you feel excessively irritable and every little thing is making you mad, aggressive, and frustrated, it is likely due to the fact that you are coming off of a medication. Unless you were highly irritable prior to taking the drug as well, the experience of irritability can be chalked up to withdrawal.

 

Mood swings: If you are bipolar and quit taking this drug that was used to stabilize your mood, it is obvious that you could experience mood swings immediately upon discontinuation. If you experience more severe mood swings than prior to taking the medication, it is likely due to the fact that some sort of imbalance was created by the drug. If you don’t have bipolar disorder and are having mood swings, just know that it’s a very common experience during withdrawal.

 

Nausea: Some individuals report feeling nauseated when they stop taking this drug. There is not really much that can be done to ease this particular symptom other than conducting a slow, tapered withdrawal.

Tingling: Many people report tingling sensations throughout their body when they initially stop taking Lamictal or miss a dose. This tingling may continue for a week or two, but eventually should get better as your body adjusts to functioning without the drug.

 

Vomiting: Yes there are cases of people exhibiting flu-like symptoms when they stop taking this drug. The combination of nausea and dizziness can pack a mean punch that leads some individuals to actually vomit. Keep in mind that this is a less common symptom, but it shouldn’t last more than a week after you withdraw.

 

[[Ho...]]

Thanks. I do have unresolved trauma that needs to be worked through but I do agree that withdrawing from the lamictal probably played a large role in things reaching a crisis point.

[[Ma...]]

I feel for you: intrusive thoughts are my most frustrating and painful symptom. I know they are irrational and absurd, but I can't stop them. I'm trying to live from my heart and my gut more, as I don't feel I can fully trust my mind right now. You're not alone!