Is Celexa Addictive?
The term addiction is commonly defined as compulsive drug use, and pleasure-seeking behaviors despite experiencing harm to one’s health, social relationships, and negative impacts on one’s career and finances. Terms such as “abuse” and “misuse” are also used to generally indicate the recreational or pleasure-seeking use of medications. Though some instances have been seen in clinical and other environments, these characteristics are extremely rare in users of prescribed antidepressant medication.16,17
However, withdrawal symptoms are shared characteristics of addiction and of drug dependence. Long-term effects of Celexa include becoming dependent on the drug. If a dose is late or missed then one may likely experience withdrawal symptoms until the drug is taken again. When drug dependence occurs, some characteristics of addiction or other long-term effects of Celexa may present, but the usual “treatment” is often to increase the dose or frequency of the drug or to add other medications to a patient’s regimen.
After dependence has developed, withdrawals can be mitigated with a combination of safe tapering protocols, and drug-free alternatives that may provide a more effective and sustainable treatment model. Some proven efficacious nonpharmacological treatments for depression and improved quality of life include CBT, sports and exercise programs, bright light therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and others as shown below.18,19
Celexa Withdrawal Symptoms
After regular, long-term Celexa use, withdrawal symptoms are likely to emerge within 1-2 days after the last dose. Abrupt Celexa discontinuation is NOT recommended as the withdrawals may be intense, even requiring hospitalization for safety reasons. Better to have a carefully designed plan for gradual reduction to ease the process.
Symptoms that may emerge from antidepressant withdrawal generally follow an acronym known as “F I N I S H,” which refers to flu-like symptoms, insomnia, nausea, imbalance, sensory disturbances, and hyperarousal. More information in greater detail can be viewed on our Celexa withdrawal page.
Safe Celexa Discontinuation Guidance
As previously mentioned, gradual cessation is the safest route. One should work with their prescribing physician to devise a slow and gradual Celexa tapering plan that will introduce the least amount of discomfort and shock to the body after the long-term use of Celexa.
Here are some strategies to consider, that may greatly ease the transition, with more detailed descriptions given below the list.
Diet Modification and Supplementation
Diet and gut health do play a vital role in mood regulation according to medical literature on the subject. According to a study published in the 2016 Nutrients Journal, a diet that provides high levels of tryptophan will include meats, dairy, fruits, and seeds. Tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin production. While serotonin has been largely discussed as a brain chemical, it is primarily found in the gut where it is manufactured and distributed throughout the entire central nervous system. Food that is minimally or non-processed is the best source of nutrition and avoids the neurotoxic chemicals that are so prominent in modern food production.
Supplements that are targeted to support physical health can also be strategic after long-term use of Celexa or other drugs. Tryptophan is used in serotonin production and is available in foods as well as a supplement. A wide array of nutrients have proven efficacy in supporting nerve health and neurochemistry including vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamins C, D, and E. Important minerals include magnesium phosphorus, and calcium. Micronutrients from foods and supplements include zinc, chromium, selenium, and many others. Herbal remedies such as passionflower, (passiflora incarnata), ginseng, lavender, chamomile, saffron, and hypericum have shown clinical efficacy for depression and other unwanted symptoms. These nutrients may greatly support healing during recovery.6-9
Physical Exercise
Neuroscientists have found physical exercise has a direct positive effect on neurotransmitter expression. Using brain probes, animal and human clinical trials, and blood analysis in the lab, these research scientists have determined that exercise is not only good for cardiovascular health, overall fitness, and energy, but exercise activates the generation of new neurons which leads to robust neurochemical expression. And the opposite has also been found, where lack of physical exercise correlates to depression.10-12
Physical exercise is easily practiced and can take the form of walking, jogging, hitting the gym, as well as Tai Chi, Qigong, yoga, and a wealth of other possibilities that can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air. That sounds like good medicine for improving the quality of one’s life without continuing to suffer the long-term effects of Celexa and other psychotropic medications.13-15
Improve Sleep
Whether insomnia was the reason for a prescription of medication, or whether sleep issues came about as a long-term effect of Celexa use, drug-free therapies are often overlooked in repairing the problem. Sleep is a major component of well-being, energy, cognitive sharpness, and many other qualities that add to the enjoyment of life.
Sleep hygiene can be addressed quite effectively by the use of non-allergenic pillows and bedding, ensuring the sleeping area is free from electronics and blue light devices, and the use of a comfortable eye mask if desired. Pre-bedtime routines can be designed for optimum sleep quality, such as not watching a screen for a period before sleep, relaxing exercises and stretching, CBT, and clinically proven dietary supplements such as melatonin, valerian, L-tryptophan, lavender, or kava kava, for some examples.22,23
CBT and other forms of counseling
CBT has been increasingly recommended in clinical settings as a first-line treatment for the relief of chronic insomnia that often occurs as a long-term effect of Celexa. CBT may include a regimen of learned relaxation techniques and other non-invasive methods that can provide the best set of tools for sound, uninterrupted sleep.24
Bright Light Therapy
The use of bright therapy has been popular since the 1980s. BLT is a first-line treatment for seasonal depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Bright light therapy is also effectively used in treating non-seasonal depression. BLT can provide easily accessed relief for long-term Celexa effects including depression and insomnia, by re-setting the circadian serotonin uptake signals in the CNS.25
Celexa Long-term Recovery Success at Alternative to Meds Center
The discussion of the long-term effects of an SSRI like Celexa has included questionable theories and perhaps results of lab tests on rat brains, as well as real-life observations and well-conducted clinical trials.4 Drug manufacturers and their regulators admit they know little to nothing about how antidepressant drugs “work.” Clinical studies show that depression does seem associated with lower serotonin blood levels. Depression is also associated with low levels of vitamin D. Chemical imbalance is a general catch-all phrase that has been used to saturate the advertising of antidepressants. But it should not be overlooked that there can be multiple precursors (nutrition, environment, toxic chemicals, unsatisfactory lifestyle, etc.) that contribute to a depressed state. Drug therapy aims itself as a “one-shot-fix,” but evidence shows a lack of efficacy for many who have found long-term Celexa did not provide the level of improvement they needed. Whether serotonin deficiency, where it exists, can be corrected by a pharmaceutical drug is now answered, according to the 2022 massive review on the subject authored by Moncrieff et al, and published in the 2022 Journal of Molecular Psychiatry.5
The Moncrieff study confirms that taking an SSRI long-term can result in an actual deficiency of serotonin (and other natural neurotransmitters), and may worsen symptoms rather than improve them over time. Natural molecules held in suspension or blocked from reuptake must eventually degrade and be lost as waste. Natural neurotransmitter rehabilitation provided at Alternative to Meds Center provides better answers, using orthomolecular medicine, nonpharmacological treatments, and lab testing to guide the way.20
Rather than utilizing drug-based solutions to mental health issues, Alternative to Meds designs its treatment programs based on lab testing and the judicious use of holistic therapies to ease drug withdrawals in a medically supervised setting. This is the reason for our clients’ consistent success.
Please contact us today for more information on how discontinuation after long-term Celexa use can be eased significantly, and how the use of nonpharmacological treatments can provide the improvements in natural mental health you or your loved one desires, without relying on prescription drugs.
Drug withdrawal phenomena, interdosing withdrawal symptoms
