Negative thoughts week 5 on citalopram

Posted , 7 users are following.

I finished week 5 on citalopram 20mg and although most side effects passed - I have really low mood. What makes me very unhappy is that I have this strange, negative thoughts about myself. I used to be self confident and I really liked myself and now I have this thoughts undermining my self worth:( And I dont know if it is due to the citalopram or some other process...Did anybody have that? I feel really bad;(

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi

    5 weeks is still early and that is a typical symptom of anxiety and the medicine too. Negative thoughts are a side effect of anxiety, and the medicine will heighten anxiety and all associated sided effects to start with. These all slowly ease off over time, and usually one at a time.

    When you’ve taken a huge knock with illness, medicine etc it can have an effect on you. This is temporary, so try not to beat yourself up about this strange feeling. Treat yourself kindly, take things slowly. Remember you’re healing still. You will return to that confident, happy person again.

    K x

    • Posted

      katecogs, thank you. You are really helping as presently I dont see the way to go out of the hole and you give hope. I believe it will pass.

    • Posted

      Outofthebox - it really is very hard to see your way through when you're in the middle of it all ('can't see the wood for the trees'), but that's because anxiety produces negative thoughts and its hard to think and see positively - but it is there, just masked at the moment.

      I spent 16 years trapped in the anxiety cycle and like you never saw a way forward. I came through and have been well ever since. Remember understanding anxiety and how it works can take a huge amount of confusion and stress out of the equation.

      Understanding, the right mind set, the right medication and above all patience (that thing none of us possess when we have anxiety) 😱

      It will all come right in the end xx.

    • Posted

      but did you have like strange thoughts while healing? because i feel weird, i dont understand myself presently:(

    • Posted

      i felt really weird for 30years and felt extremely weird for 8months while the celexa was stabilizing .and now fully recover i also did not think i would feel normal again.and here iam talikng about it.everything you are feeling while on celexa is unfortunately normal.best regards

    • Posted

      Yes I did - even before I was healing I had strange and scary thoughts. Strange thoughts are also just a side effect of anxiety - and it seems as if your mind goes in search into all corners of your brain for the wackiest thing to think of - and each thought will come powered with anxiety too. Also your mind will be constantly thinking about how you feel and think, how did you get like this, how long will it last, will you be like this forver, when you will get better blah blah ........

      Its mind chatter. Just let it be and try not to engage with it all - let those thoughts come and go, don't try reasoning with them or over analysing it because its one battle you're sure to lose. The more you try to quieten them, the more they'll stick - so just let them flit in and out, however strange they may seem. Just know they're a side effect and they will go as anxiety heals, and no they won't bother you when you're better.

      Everyone in the world has strange thoughts, but people don't tend to notice them or they don't bother them because they're don't come powered with anxiety. Its the anxiety that makes them seem so important, and its the constant over analysing, reasoning and 'trying to fix' that causes more anxiety - which keeps you in the anxiety cycle.

    • Posted

      mind chatter, it is genius:) i will try to think that way.

  • Posted

    Hi Outof thebox ,You have to remember that 5 weeks is very short,and it needs to be 10/12 weeks until the medication works c100% in side of your body ,and indeed anxiety will still be there until approx 10 weeks

  • Posted

    thank you guys, it is helpful to know I am not getting crazy:) The strange thing is that I dont feel big anxiety, it passed. I function, go out, go to work, meet people. but for 2 days now I have this strange negative thoughts. I hope it is masked anxiety and will pass when citalopram kicks in.

    • Posted

      it will pass be patience.you should be thankful that you can go out go to work meet people.most cant even take a shower.if i waited 8months to recover you can at least wait 12weeks .five weeks is still early.best regards.

  • Posted

    I know what it's like to have those thoughts undermining yourself - so hard. I like what Katecogs said about anxiety and trying to let those thoughts go.

    I would just add that you should talk to your doctor about this new side effect. I was lucky and had a good psychiatrist who worked with me on trying different meds. I needed to go up to 30 mg Citalopram and have been stable on that for years. I don't remember how long I was on 20 before I went up to 30.

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