Add me to the list... I was on Paxil longer than anyone was ever intended to be on it. A couple of weeks ago I was talking to a certified addiction therapist ( there's an official acronym I don't remember) and she was telling me that a long term side effect of some anti-depressants, particularly Paxil and Prozac, is depression. This is especially true if you don't actually have a chemical imbalance but were put on the medication for more 'superficial' reasons. Withdrawl was hell. I cut my dose down by half and went into a bad mood for about a week solid. Everyday situations like rush hour and straightening out my car insurance sent me into two full fledged anxiety attacks. However, now that I'm off that stuff I actually feel calmer and more even tempered than I have in years. Therefore, I tend to think that medication should be an absolute last resort.
Something that's amazing for stress is Yoga. Seriously, I sometimes go to class after having a really bad day at work and walk out so much calmer and generally balanced.
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