Ssri - makes me really sensitive, and also bad socially?? advice welcome

[CoalStars]

I got on citalopram, an SSRI, about a month ago. Since then I've noticed some good results pretty soon--less anxiety, less hopelessness, no more feeling suicidal and a lot less agoraphobic.
But the bad things: I feel very sensitive! Emotionally, tiny things can make me very upset, small things can make me very happy. It's like my emotions all got louder. Is that a side effect, or is it just that I'm feeling emotions I've always muted due to anxiety? I feel like a toddler learning how to handle my feelings.

Sensitive physically: I get overstimulated pretty easily now. The TV too loud + the lights on + my bird chirping makes me very cranky and irritable and almost slightly panicky. What the heck is that?

Socially: I am hopeless socially now! My anxiety used to keep me in check. I would be as polite and quiet and shy as possible, so my only social downfall pre-medicine was being awkward. But now all that's gone! I don't know what isn't okay anymore. My instincts for social interactions were built on anxiety I guess?? Now I talk too much and saw things that are probably too personal, and bring up subjects that might make people feel awkward. Gosh I'm just lost, socially.

Any advice for any of that?? Will I adjust to the medicine more, and they'll go away? Is it something I'm just going to have to get used to?
Is it normal? Is this just a natural part of being human that my anxiety has blocked out? Thanks for any advice!'

 

[EveHarrington]

Hmmm. I haven’t been on that particular med, but I have had SSRI’s push me too “high”....

I’m wondering if that is what is happening to you? I say this as you are talking way too much and are easily overstimulated.

If you are being pushed too “high” then I don’t think this is a side effect that is going to go away. Every time I’ve had this result, I had to come off the drug as I was being pushed into the realm of hypomania. (And I’m not bipolar.)

Of course this is just my perspective. I think you should call your doctor.

 

[Justmehere]

Now I talk too much and saw things that are probably too personal, and bring up subjects that might make people feel awkward. Gosh I'm just lost, socially.

Do you have any safe-ish friends that you can ask if you are being too talkative? You don’t have to make it into a big thing, just say “hey, I’d appreciate some feedback... have I been too talkative or sharing too much info lately?”

Start there before assuming you are saying too much and it requires a med change.

It might be that you are actually making progress and you are showing up more for your feelings and life, and learning a new way of being.

 

[Valo]

I got on citalopram, an SSRI, about a month ago. Since then I've noticed some good results pretty soo...

This reminds me a close friend with manic depression, he got a very similar experience when he started with low dose topiramate that both stabilized him, and it was quite anxiolytic also, but made him akward in the same way you describe. He got very loud, and he would say the first (not always polite) thing that came to his mind. Its good that you understand what is going on, I am not sure if it was the same for him, before I gave him some very polite, indirect feedback... He spoke to his psychiatrist, lowered the dose a bit, and the last few years has been much better for him. He is stable with less anxiety, and he has "re-learned" to be social, been more direct, but smooth at the same time. Its great to see that medication can work some times, even if you need to go over many options like he did.

 

[CoalStars]

Do you know how much he lowered his dose?

 

[Valo]

Do you know how much he lowered his dose?

Topiramate is used off label for manic depression and the dose was low already (in contrast with epilepsy that is used for) but I think something like a third less. I ll start a thread for some new antidepressants that work for me, SSRI have never worked for me, they had side effects and the effects felt "no natural".

 

[shatter eyes]

I been tapering off SSRI and will be off next week. I was on it before at high dose for OCD and after my accident the psych had a theory my nervous system was too sensitive so we began lowering the ssri.

Too much serotonin is not good. Recently there have been threads about GABA and 5HTP supplements.

SSRI like prozac is stimulating drug. If you just started it can take awhile to stabilize. For me it took about 4 months. It took my social anxiety away and i was able to interact with strangers and talk to them.

If citalopram makes u comfortable tell ur doc. Meds work differently on everyone so it may take a few trials.

I tried SNRI also.