Treatment resistant depression

[[Mi...]]

In the context of my benzo withdrawal, I am currently diagnosed with treatment resistant depression. I have been suffering for 21 months without full symptom remission which is obviously damaging in its own right.On top of that,  I have my issues with Ativan that I think have greatly exacerbated my symptoms and cognitive functioning. Thankfully I have been able to maintain full time work and family life but I live most moments in quiet desperation

 

Do other people have experience with treatment resistant depression? I have tried lexapro, trazadone, Effexor, and most recently Prozac without satisfactory remission. Also have tried seroquel, risperdal, and zyprexa and considering latuda as next atypical. I have been depressed three other times in my life and in all cases responded well to medication and therapy.

 

I think my Ativan withdrawal is the X factor that has made this current recovery so brutal (in past episodes I never used benzos). Hoping time can heal my brain as I’m only 5 weeks post jump

[[Be...]]

In the context of my benzo withdrawal, I am currently diagnosed with treatment resistant depression. I have been suffering for 21 months without full symptom remission which is obviously damaging in its own right.On top of that,  I have my issues with Ativan that I think have greatly exacerbated my symptoms and cognitive functioning. Thankfully I have been able to maintain full time work and family life but I live most moments in quiet desperation

 

Do other people have experience with treatment resistant depression? I have tried lexapro, trazadone, Effexor, and most recently Prozac without satisfactory remission. Also have tried seroquel, risperdal, and zyprexa and considering latuda as next atypical. I have been depressed three other times in my life and in all cases responded well to medication and therapy.

 

I think my Ativan withdrawal is the X factor that has made this current recovery so brutal (in past episodes I never used benzos). Hoping time can heal my brain as I’m only 5 weeks post jump

I can relate. They should formulate a new name for this kind from benzo withdrawal. It should be called thick cloud of doom depression.

Good news is it lifts.Are you able to exercise?

[[or...]]

Getting rid of all my drugs, including valium, Ambien and neurontin was key for me. I was left, as you were, with depression. Was it "treatment resistant"? Well, it sure never remitted to 11 years of psych drugs. I've been depressed on and off for years, hence the psych drugs prescribed by a psychiatrist who believed drugs can fix everything. We never did any talking. What DID make a difference for me was leaving that psych doc and finding a therapist with whom I did, and am doing, real talk therapy. It made/is making the world of difference. I got/get to look at and deal with the things that were/are really depressing me WITHOUT the mind and feeling-numbing effects of psych drugs. (BTW, your list sounds a lot like mine). 

 

Anyhow, my 2 1/2 cents.

 

Best to you,

 

Katz

[[...]]

  My depression while on benzos was primarily because I was unknowingly in tolerance withdrawals.  I was given countless different Antidepressants that did nothing but add more symptoms to my growing list of issues, but nothing penetrated the benzo wall.

  For many years I was stuck in the cycle of being prescribed drug after drug that were never going to work while I was having tolerance withdrawals from Benzodiazepines.  I was put on and ripped off(no tapers) drugs every 3-6 months and nobody ever told me that this constant cycle was another major contributor to my psychiatrist prescribed life of hell.

  I came to the personal conclusion that the way out of depression was through benzodiazepine recovery, after finally learning more about what was happening to me.  I was on Paxil through my fast benzo taper, but it in no way spared me from depression or benzo hell. 

  2 months after the last Klonopin dose I started tapering Paxil and it has been a nightmare, only surpassed by benzo withdrawals, but with more intense si garbage.

  In my opinion it would be pretty strange to experience any drug withdrawals/tolerance/dependency without some level of chemical + situational depression incurred.  I don't know how to go about separating non-benzo symptoms from benzo symptoms, but I find it easier to combat the constant Health Anxiety symptom by sticking with the more likely benzo culprit until I am free of it and can get a clear view of what's going on without benzo interference.

  I can say that I have been on many of the meds you mentioned and as my benzo induced sensitivities increased, so did the severity of my negative reactions and persistence of after effects.

  While I am definitely still dealing with withdrawals and depression, it is nowhere near the level of depression that I experienced over the last year.

 

 

 

[[tr...]]

I had that label too...don't let it affect you too much. After being on AD's for years we can start to think we will never function without them, so this label makes us worry we will be tortured forever - not necessarily true.

 

One of the causes of depression you are feeling right now is definitley chemical from benzos. There's ppl who have taken benzos and have no prior depression history who either develop it on benzos or definitely feel it in recovery.

 

I'm not on Ad's or benzos and i have laughed again, been interested in things again. I have an appetite again. In a wave the low can hit but then it goes.

So there's hope Mike79.

 

and like oregon mentions, talk therapy helps for many. I have someone for that about twice a month. It makes a world of difference.