17 hours ago, Luke said:

 

Yes, I understand that. It's still a symptom that you experienced whilst on the drug, that's fluctuating whilst you're tapering it.

  

 

I wouldn't discount withdrawal heavily influencing this type of thinking. It did for me, as it has and does for many others.

 

 

There's no need to apologise.

I don't know man I just feel hopelessly trapped. 

Try to focus on looking after yourself. The drop was not that long ago- if you give it time, you might stabilise.

 

Then, you can consider next steps and the future from a position of stability and relative strength, not desperation.

I'm feeling better. But at the same time if I'm getting symptoms from a 1mg reduction it feels like I am never going to get off this stuff. 

1 hour ago, Nathan_C said:

I'm feeling better. But at the same time if I'm getting symptoms from a 1mg reduction it feels like I am never going to get off this stuff. 

You need to reframe it.

 

You’ve been on the drug for 18 years and have managed to drop from 150 to 46mg in ~2 years. 
 

You’re over two thirds of the way there. 

Edited March 14Mar 14 by Erimus

Hey Nathan

 

i’m gonna chime in here and offer some different perspectives on things

 

try to stop thinking that you’ve gotta make it to zero before you improve. There is quite a group of people that start to feel a lot better before they get to zero. As you get lower and stabilize, you can improve. 
 

also, for most people, there will be a point where the taper is harder. Generally it hits people at the lower amounts but in my reading and listening i’ve seen reports of these rougher patches where tapers have to be slowed happening at higher amounts, and then sometimes things get easier snd speed up later. 
 

nothing is set in stone. You’d be surprised (as i constantly am) about what you can be wrong about in a good way. Dont believe everything you think!

10 hours ago, Nathan_C said:

I'm feeling better. But at the same time if I'm getting symptoms from a 1mg reduction it feels like I am never going to get off this stuff. 

 

You may find that there is a slower reduction that is far more tolerable, that allows you to just live life to a decent degree whilst this happens in the background.

 

It's good that you're feeling better.

13 hours ago, Talltreescoldseas said:

Hey Nathan

 

i’m gonna chime in here and offer some different perspectives on things

 

try to stop thinking that you’ve gotta make it to zero before you improve. There is quite a group of people that start to feel a lot better before they get to zero. As you get lower and stabilize, you can improve. 
 

also, for most people, there will be a point where the taper is harder. Generally it hits people at the lower amounts but in my reading and listening i’ve seen reports of these rougher patches where tapers have to be slowed happening at higher amounts, and then sometimes things get easier snd speed up later. 
 

nothing is set in stone. You’d be surprised (as i constantly am) about what you can be wrong about in a good way. Dont believe everything you think!

Thank you for the perspective. 

5 hours ago, Luke said:

 

You may find that there is a slower reduction that is far more tolerable, that allows you to just live life to a decent degree whilst this happens in the background.

 

It's good that you're feeling better.

Thanks for your help. I am tolerating the symptoms generally, right now its just feeling a bit crushing to think I have to keep doing this for years and years possibly. 

48 minutes ago, Nathan_C said:

Thanks for your help. I am tolerating the symptoms generally, right now its just feeling a bit crushing to think I have to keep doing this for years and years possibly. 

I understand that feeling completely. 
 

but the thing is. You can. You can absolutely do it. We all have to believe that we can, or else, what is there?

 

A quote from a time when the world was faced with great uncertainty where the future was completely unseeable goes like this:

 

”if you’re going through hell, keep going”

WC

 

5 hours ago, Nathan_C said:

Thanks for your help. I am tolerating the symptoms generally, right now its just feeling a bit crushing to think I have to keep doing this for years and years possibly. 

 

I understand that. Some of this feeling may be exacerbated by withdrawal- it can cause difficulty with looping thoughts and dread.

 

It may be that you might be tapering for a while, but it may also be that with slower, spaced out drops it's much less of a factor in your daily life.

On 3/14/2026 at 3:40 PM, Luke said:

 

I understand that. Some of this feeling may be exacerbated by withdrawal- it can cause difficulty with looping thoughts and dread.

 

It may be that you might be tapering for a while, but it may also be that with slower, spaced out drops it's much less of a factor in your daily life.

Possibly. 

 

I was improved for a couple days, had good feeling sexually and mood, but I've regressed again, and poor sleep has hit again. 

 

Maybe it is withdrawal but if Im already having issues now I have a hard time seeing how I'm going to see this down to 25, let alone 0. 

59 minutes ago, Nathan_C said:

Possibly. 

 

I was improved for a couple days, had good feeling sexually and mood, but I've regressed again, and poor sleep has hit again. 

 

Maybe it is withdrawal but if Im already having issues now I have a hard time seeing how I'm going to see this down to 25, let alone 0. 

Hi @Nathan_C I get you, I really do, we all want to be done with and quickly as possible but we have to adapt ourselves to what is otherwise it will only defeat us..

I'm too fall quite a bit to the pit of despair of when this nightmare is already behind me but I'm working hard on changing my perspective and focus on the small improvements along the way that indicate recovery.

I'm very glad you had relief, it's huge, you will continue to improve, slowly and without looking at the clock.

keep up the good work 🙏

Edited March 16Mar 16 by Fullhealing

2 hours ago, Fullhealing said:

Hi @Nathan_C I get you, I really do, we all want to be done with and quickly as possible but we have to adapt ourselves to what is otherwise it will only defeat us..

I'm too fall quite a bit to the pit of despair of when this nightmare is already behind me but I'm working hard on changing my perspective and focus on the small improvements along the way that indicate recovery.

I'm very glad you had relief, it's huge, you will continue to improve, slowly and without looking at the clock.

keep up the good work 🙏

I appreciate it, it just feels so damn hopeless sometimes. Like I am climbing Everest on one leg. 

On 3/14/2026 at 3:40 PM, Luke said:

 

I understand that. Some of this feeling may be exacerbated by withdrawal- it can cause difficulty with looping thoughts and dread.

 

It may be that you might be tapering for a while, but it may also be that with slower, spaced out drops it's much less of a factor in your daily life.

I'm still feeling it at week four. It's not intense but this time its more psychological, depression, low mood, lack of joy or hope. 

 

How the hell am I going to reach 25mg at this rate? I can't hold for months every time. I must be weak or something. 

Perhaps smaller drops might be more tolerable.

 

I have limited experience with tapering.

13 hours ago, Nathan_C said:

I'm still feeling it at week four. It's not intense but this time its more psychological, depression, low mood, lack of joy or hope. 

 

How the hell am I going to reach 25mg at this rate? I can't hold for months every time. I must be weak or something. 

It may be you need a longer hold to gain some futher stablity. From here you might consider taking much smaller drops.

 

Your last drop was 2.12% reduction. You are not the first to have found this too much.

 

Many who have issues with very sensitive nervous systems, have found success micro tapering.

 

Couple of options here:

 

Standard Micro taper 1/30 per day of your planned monthly reduction.

 

Brass Monkey Slide 1/4 per week of your planned monthly reduction followed by a 2 week hold.

 

Either way attempting much smaller drops might be the way for you to proceed.

 

For the minute I would look to gain as much stablity as you can from here and then make a plan. We are here to help you with this when you are ready

 

Chippy

2 hours ago, Chippy said:

It may be you need a longer hold to gain some futher stablity. From here you might consider taking much smaller drops.

 

Your last drop was 2.12% reduction. You are not the first to have found this too much.

 

Many who have issues with very sensitive nervous systems, have found success micro tapering.

 

Couple of options here:

 

Standard Micro taper 1/30 per day of your planned monthly reduction.

 

Brass Monkey Slide 1/4 per week of your planned monthly reduction followed by a 2 week hold.

 

Either way attempting much smaller drops might be the way for you to proceed.

 

For the minute I would look to gain as much stablity as you can from here and then make a plan. We are here to help you with this when you are ready

 

Chippy

I am pretty devastated, I feel like I am never going to do this. Trapped. 

8 minutes ago, Nathan_C said:

I am pretty devastated, I feel like I am never going to do this. Trapped. 

No. You’re not. Don’t listen to the fear. One day at a time. 

8 hours ago, Nathan_C said:

I am pretty devastated, I feel like I am never going to do this. Trapped. 

@Nathan_C I’m only able to decrease by about 10-15mcg every 4-6 weeks at the moment. I’m feeling like I’ll never be able to budge from this current dose. I try to take solace in knowing the healing is continuing despite the WD symptoms. Take care

9 hours ago, Chippy said:

No. You’re not. Don’t listen to the fear. One day at a time. 

Having looked at microtapering, it looks like it might be the way for me to go. 

 

Right now the withdrawl isn't intolerable but its enough to really disrupt having much of a life. Have people used it successfully?

6 hours ago, Nathan_C said:

Having looked at microtapering, it looks like it might be the way for me to go. 

 

Right now the withdrawl isn't intolerable but its enough to really disrupt having much of a life. Have people used it successfully?

I agree this is what I would do if I were you. 
 

It’s good it isn’t intolerable. Pleased to hear. I’d first try for some stability from here. Get a decent baseline back. Some actually hold for a really long time and find it brings them great success when they then start to taper. 
 

Many micro taper very successfully. I actually think once your down off the ‘plateau’ of the hyperbolic curve, most would benefit from a micro taper from the start rather than using it as a tool once things become difficult.

7 hours ago, Chippy said:

I agree this is what I would do if I were you. 
 

It’s good it isn’t intolerable. Pleased to hear. I’d first try for some stability from here. Get a decent baseline back. Some actually hold for a really long time and find it brings them great success when they then start to taper. 
 

Many micro taper very successfully. I actually think once your down off the ‘plateau’ of the hyperbolic curve, most would benefit from a micro taper from the start rather than using it as a tool once things become difficult.

I still fee somewhat detached sexually, the orgasm thing is still happening (over a month), I've had three basically normal ones but everything else really flat. I'm quite scared. 

1 minute ago, Nathan_C said:

I still fee somewhat detached sexually, the orgasm thing is still happening (over a month), I've had three basically normal ones but everything else really flat. I'm quite scared. 

I’m sorry to hear that. Try not to give it too much volume in your head. It’s not uncommon to have these side effects/wd efffects. They often wax and wain. As I said it can sometimes take a good long hold to gain stability. Everyone is different. You’ll know when it’s time to try to taper again. 

I was thinking along the same lines as in obviously this is very important to you and you define yourself by it but at the same time you're obsessing over it understandably but all that's doing is creating more stress so you are in a vicious circle . Unfortunately stressing and reacting to it you are just keeping it going and it's not going to get better because you're stressing over it . For the body to function normally it needs stability it needs calmness it needs time .When the body enters fight or flight all it wants to do is keep you safe so it shuts down a lot of systems so you can run from that ferocious tiger whose about to eat you ( the brain cannot tell the difference between a perceived threat and a real one ) the last thing on its mind is you having an orgasm .So please try not to obsess over it as you will just prolong your agony 

@Nathan_C you may want to familiarise yourself with the "Brassmonkey Slide" method of microtapering, created and followed by a former SA member who recovered: The Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro-tapering - Tapering - Surviving Antidepressants

 

The dose changes may need altering based on what can be tolerated, but he found this much more tolerable than the more common methods involving larger drops.