SSRIs may cause personality change --Archives of General Psychiatry (Dec 2009)

From: Can SSRIs Change Your Personality?

Patients taking a SSRI antidepressant to treat depression may experience changes in their personality separate from the alleviation of depressive symptoms, according to a report in the December 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

“Patients taking paroxetine reported 6.8 times as much change on neuroticism and 3.5 times as much change on extraversion as placebo patients matched for depression improvement,” the authors write.

The findings provide evidence against a theory known as the state effect hypothesis, which proposes that any personality changes during SSRI treatment occur only as a result of alleviating depressive symptoms, the authors note. Several alternative explanations could be considered. “One possibility is that the biochemical properties of SSRIs directly produce real personality change,” they write. “Furthermore, because neuroticism is an important risk factor that captures much of the genetic vulnerability for major depressive disorder, change in neuroticism (and in neurobiological factors underlying neuroticism) might have contributed to depression improvement.”

Stories of the Effuxed. "Effexor kills your marriage" by Rick.

Yet another story about how Effexor causes marital problems. I don't know how this one ended, but if they were talking about side effects then I believe there is a good chance they worked things out. I'll just choose to believe that.

Anyway, here's Rick's story:

Effexor kills your marriage by Rick

For 10 years, my wife and I have enjoyed a wonderful life togther. I LOVE MY WIFE SO MUCH IT MAKES ME CRY AS I WRITE THIS. We were always having fun, incredible sex, a true passion for each other mentally and physically. She was a gift from God. People often commented what a great relationship we had. We would complete each others sentences and at parties would often catch each others eye from across the room and we hated to be apart even for a few minutes. Then after a really bad two years at her new job, she went into depression and had to quit her job. About ten monhts ago, she went on Effexor. Then started a new job. I supported her every step of the way. Then it all started. First the night sweats. Then the weight gain and constipation. Quit the gym. Working rediculous hours. Then the blackouts when she drank alcohol, even in front of friends. FYI, we are both in our 40's, a little old to have drunken blackouts. Then she just seemed to drift away mentally and physically. The only time she will have sex that she enjoys is when she is drunk. If she is sober and I initiate sex, she just looks into space and looks empty inside. The passion in our marriage is almost gone. I have pleaded with her, tried to buy back her sanity with gifts and surprise gestures, tried anything anyone would recommend to get her to see what this drug is doing to her and our marriage. I even stopped drinking to set an example. I tried being harsh, I tried threats, I tried showing more love, doing more around the house, but it has all failed. I even asked her to chose between me and the Effexor and Alcohol...she did not pick me. That hurt. Nothing is working. She can't even shed a tear anymore. Her memory is so bad she forgot the two years of depression and how I was there every day for her. When she tried to defend herself, she makes no sense at all, but feels she is making sense. She just looks at me and says I am the problem. I think her doctor made a huge mistake and it may cost me the women of my dreams. I am so depressed now that I may need to try one of these drugs....definately not Effexor. I just want my wife back. I would give up everything to get her back. Does anyone have any suggestions or similar expeiences? Please!!!! Time is running out for us. I miss my wife. (Wed Oct 11 13:07 2006)

Here is a list my wife and I put together of all the side effects of using Effexor 150mg.

Effexor 150mg problems

Rating: 1=Minor 5=Serious

Tremor = 2

Restless Legs = 4

Constipation = 4

Night Sweats = 3

Texture Problems =3

Sexual Dysfunction = 5

Intimacy problems

Fatigue= 5

Lacking Self Awareness = 4

“Ticks” or other uncontrollable actions = 5

· Finger Nail clicking =5

· Scratching = 5

· Eyebrow pulling = 5

· Face touching = 4

· Nail biting = 5

· Picking at nails = 4

Weight gain = 3

Lack of emotion = 4

Inappropriate behavior = 3

Poor decision making = 4

Inability to prioritize = 4

Dry Mouth = 2

Startled Easily = 4

Warming sensation of the head = 2

Overwhelming Fear of missing a dosage = 5

Alcohol Related Problems = 5

· Memory loss = 4

· Blackouts or Pass outs = 2

· Poor judgment or decision making = 5

· Decrease in Tolerance = 5

· Constant stroking of hair = 4

(Thu Oct 12 9:59 2006)

Stories of the Effuxed. Meet "Picking up the Pieces"

This is the latest in a monster thread started in July 2007 (currently 73 pages, 1442 comments) over at topix.com called Marriages destroyed by SSRI's/SNRIs. The stories repeat over and over again, almost as if scripted. Most of them do not have as happy of an ending as this one does. It is also unusual because as she weaned herself off Effexor she became closer to her family, but when she went back on Effexor the cheating started up again. Definitely seems to indicate that the drugs have at least something to do with changing ones personality.

My heart goes out to her husband, as I know how much this hurts, and he's handled it a lot better than I have. Major kudos. I wish them both the best.

But it makes me think about how I would handle things if/when my wife ever regains her senses and wants to try to reconcile. She belittled my manhood like I was a little boy. She told me how I never inspired her, but this other man did. She lied to me. She said the text messages to him asking "whether or not his antenna worked", and whether or not he "had a spot for her in his bed like she has for her cat" were only simply platonic jokes that she would do with any friend. When I discovered these text messages and read them to her, she laughed at me maniacally. She saw nothing wrong with keeping her phone locked and hidden away from me. The list goes on...

What would I do if given the chance? Would I take her back? Would I even want to be friends, or would I cut her out of my life forever? After she said that I wasn't her last resort because I wasn't even an option and that she wanted a divorce, I went to my attorney to file papers and thus far have cut her out of my life. I guess that is just for my own emotional self-preservation and healing. No kids, makes it easier. I can only aspire to do the right thing. I wish I just knew what it was.

But I digress. Here's "Picking up the Pieces" story:

http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/effexor/TQ4I2UR28DFD3N759/p73

I have read a lot of your stories and decided to add mine as well. I suffered from depression and later anxiety since high school. After the birth of my 2nd son, it reached an all time low. When he was about 15 mos old, my doctor tried me on Paxil, Paxil CR, and others due to insurance problems. Finally, I started seeing a therapist when he was 3, and he put me on Effexor XR. At first, as with most everyone, it was amazing. I felt great...better than I had in years! I even recommended it to my friends! But within 9 months, my family noticed that my attitude and personality had been changing...ALOT. I became very selfish and assertive, not in a good way. I started working for a friend and it was great. Too great. Within a couple of months we had an affair. Now let me stop right there for a moment and tell you I came from a very religious background for one thing and always felt very very strongly against anything morally wrong. And I loved my husband for the 11 years we were married at that point. He was the most amazing man I knew, loving, patient, helpful, and the best father ever. But there I was hating him, putting him down, cheating on him. This was so opposite of who I was. That man was also on the meds and his wife had said this was a side effect...so to speak. I thought she was crazy, so did my therapist. So I was on it for another 3 months. The relationship with that man ended, and I stayed with my husband. I finally decided to go off the meds and it was awful. If not for my kids, I would not be alive. Fast forward 18 months, I couldn't take it anymore. Work and everything was getting to me so I went back to my therapist. They put me on Zoloft but it made me sick. He said he saw me at my best on Effexor so I tried again. In 6 months, I was back at it again, my 2nd affair with the same man. Only this time, no matter how much my husband tried, I was determined to divorce him after 13 years, even to the mental distress of my 2 kids! In between the 2 tries of meds, we had no real problems, so this was really a shock to him. The following summer, I finally saw the light. The relationship was a lie. I missed my family so badly. And I realized that I only thought I was happy on the Effexor. It changed me completely. I was not the loving, caring, help you if I can person I always was... I was a lying, cheating, selfish, you know what! I abandoned my family, my values, everything. I have been off of the Effexor for a year now. I am truly happy for the 1st time in a long time. I have gone a different route for therapy: I talk about all of my feelings with my family, no matter how bad. I am fortunate that my ex husband is the amazing man he is and sees that it wasn't the real me that did all of those horrible things...although I still take responsibility for them. We are now trying to work on a fresh relationship, rebuilding our family on truth, trust and knowledge. And I know that it was the Effexor that changed me and will NEVER take AD's again! In fact, I now make it clear to all of my friends that they need to be very careful about the meds they are considering.

Stories of the Effuxed. Meet Jessica.

One goal of this blog is to centralize all the disparate tales of sorrow and grief that surrounds this drug and other antidepressants of it's ilk. There are far too many.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/youropinions.php?opinionid=19018&p=13#thread

Effexor RUINED My Life

posted by Jessica on 25 Jun 2010 at 1:03 pm

I will try and keep this brief, but it's a lot to explain. I have always suffered from mild depression. But have always had trouble finding the right anti-depressant. Finally my doctor put me on Effexor, I think I started on 75mg, later increased to 150mg. (This all begin in Fall 2007, so the details are a bit foggy now) A year later I got married, my husband later told me I changed the day I started taking Effexor, and that he just sat back and hoped it wouldn't last. Shortly after the wedding, I wanted off Effexor so that we could start our family. I wish some one somewhere had told me about going off Effexor. EFFEXOR SHOULD BE A PERMANENT MEDICATION, OR ELSE DOCTORS SHOULD NOT PRESCRIBE IT AT ALL!!!!!! Like everyone, I went through hell. Months of trying to get off. My husband finally realized on bad days, when I couldn't take the withdraw any more I woud just go take more. So he tried to help me regulate them by keeping them from me(I was fine with this)Except I would refill my pills and hide them. It was like crack to me. I remember laying in bed crying for more to make the symptoms of the withdraw to go away. I lost my job during all of this. Then one day I went for it and went cold turkey(JAN 2009). It was hell. As the weeks went by the symptoms gradually lessened. But NEVER, to this day went away completely. At random, I have very bad days with massive symptoms, and then I can have weeks straight with next to none. However, the biggest issue was my emotions went completely haywire. It was like they were all magnified times a million. I suddenly hated my life and wanted to run away. I started counseling and seeing a new psychiatrist. They all told me a was very bipolar. I started taking 600mg Lithium and 100mg Lamictal in August of 2009They adjust my meds up and down, different times of day everything, and still I will be better for a week or two then I crash. My husband tried so hard to care for me. But one day I loved him, the next I hated him and pushed him away. He couldn't take it anymore, he left. My son from my first marriage is hard for me to care for. My mom is talking about taking him for a while because I can barely care for him most days. I am 120% I am not bipolar. I know the effexor 'broke' me. If I were truly bipolar the meds would eventually help. My doctors all say the effexor has a way of doing that to people, bringing out the underlying bipolar. Then they told me this is how I will be FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. Part of me feels like I would be better off going back on Effexor. But I am too stubborn to do that. Anyone who knows anything about this, I would love some opinions.