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By February 2017, after suffering an a intensive mobbing at my first year of university, I was suffering an a clinical picture of being unable to get concentrate and having headaches all the day. My doctor diagnosed me depression and prescribed me Zoloft. I took it about 45 days, 50 mg, and then I stopped abruptly due to an a side effect that I didn't like (I don't remember which one, it was something completely banal). I've to say that I experienced an a improvement, the headaches disappeared, my brain began to work fluenty, being able to concentrate and read perfectly. After 45 days, I stopped "cold turkey". That's when the catastrophe appeared. I've been really bad for about this 4 years, suffering an a extreme clinical picture - that I was not suffering from before taking the drug, only after the interruption, and achieved his peak after a month, maybe two from interruption - of cognitive deficits (to the point of not being able to read or speak correctly), akathisia, suicidal thoughts, anger episodes etc. I've been avoiding any kind of psychiatric drug, cause I thought I was still suffering from the withdrawal. I visited different doctors that tried to prescribe me an anticonvulsive (not being able to remember name) an a antipsychotic (Abilify). Refused both medications. In the middle (3rd year), I started mindfulness to try to heal my brain, and partially succeded. My suicidal thoughts disappeared after one month of mindfulness, my brain partially improved with more wellness and better functional performance. Despite that, I didn't notice an a better improvement superior to 15% about the cognitive deficits issue. After this 4 years, I've been unable to continue my studies (I was at university, I was 20 years old by then). The last year, I visited a psychiatrist who told me that clearly my problem was the cold turkey interruption (first time aware the problem was the cold turkey, I was thinking that I was still suffering from withdrawal symptoms). I used to play the piano, and it was though that my brain was not unable to send correctly the orders to my fingers, and I was failing to play correctly. For about 6 months, I was wondering that he was correct, that probably my problem was the cold turkey interruption. Thus, we started zoloft again three months ago, I started 6.25 and then increased after 15 days to 12.5 mg. Now I've been two months on 12.5 mg. I've been feeling an a improvement with my cognitive deficits (the problem with the piano has evolved to moderate to mild) an a improvement related with anger but akathisia and brain impairment still persists. I've come here to ask for follow up and advice. My aim is the following: in one month increase the dosage to 18.75 mg for three months, and then, increase to 25 mg again, and remain there for about 6 months, hoping to get healed and cure my brain from this clinical picture. And then, reducing following the 10% rule. I'm not considering getting into 50 mg. For me, 50 mg was too much, making me feel extremely well, extremely smart and focused, extremely creative, extremely capable, extremely everything, and I felt it was unreal and a hazard. And I don't want to feel the same anymore putting my brain in such a dose. I hope your veteran's wisdom and council are going to help me.

Hi Everyone, The intent of this post is not to say "Oh you're trying to come off that drug that you're actually supposed to be on and need, you should stay on it, you're a bad person for trying to come off it..." etc. I'm curious if the drug you are trying to come off of is one you actually need or supposedly need or if it is one you don't need (maybe you were misdiagnosed, you no longer have the condition, you have developed coping skills, etc). What you decide to do with your body and your life is your choice. I'm just curious. Would you be diagnosed with the disorder that the drug you're currently taking is supposed to help treat? For instance, I currently take Risperdal, Lamictal, and Zoloft. I definitely don't qualify to take Risperdal. I was misdiagnosed bipolar with psychotic features when I had some problems and entered a mental hospital. I am not bipolar--I have never had a manic episode-- and I never have had a hallucination. I was put on Lithium in the hospital and I came off it about 8 months later. 6 months after that I went on Lamictal when I was having mental health problems. I think that coming off the Lamictal might be difficult, but I'm not supposed to need it since I'm not bipolar. As far as Zoloft, I have felt depressed, but I'm not sure that I would qualify for either Major Depressive Disorder or Dysthymic Disorder (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64063/). Please share as much, and only as much, as you are comfortable sharing. Moderators, please let me know if this post is inappropriate or belongs in a different forum. Thanks!