The empty, hollow feeling! good grief this is hell...just when you think it is over. 0.9ml-0.5 was a bad idea

Posted in:

Paxil (Paroxetine)Support Symptoms & Self-Care Tapering

May 14, 2026

I never learn...I was holding at 0.9ml and felt good, apart from emotional in the evenings. So, I went straight to 0.5 and have been a mess. Everything upsets me...A bee dying makes me cry, I think my parents are going to die, my husband is going to leave me, I cry all day, no joy... Every day is hell again...we thought I needed a mood stabiliser (might still need one). But wait...I dropped paroxetine too fast again. It just doesn't stop. I am fine for weeks then horrible. I feel so sorry for my family, I keep apologising, and think they should leave me. This empty feeling is so lonely.

Paxil — 2.5 — 24 years — reinstated | Mirtazapine — 15mg — 3 — reinstated | Valium — 2.5 — 7 months — actively tapering | without clinician
Also tapering Tapentadol and dexamphetamine

5 Replies

BettobenMay 14

Trusted VoiceZoloft

Absolutely, the biggest changes usually happen in the final stretch, so there’s no need to rush it. What I usually do is reduce by tiny amounts every day, then after a few days try to hold there until things stabilise. Big drops, at least for me, tend to hit hard, the paranoia takes over... Keep in mind that it’s the tapering process itself: those are rushed thoughts coming from an unbalanced system. Better times will come!

Sertraline/Zoloft:
▸1/2021>100mg, ▸11/22>50mg ▸6/23>25mg (Psychiatrist told me to take half the pills until I finished the box)
✘ Clean 3 Month till massive fall
▸9/23>100mg, ▸1/24>50mg, (I started tapering on my own, because the intention was to have me on 100mg for 5 years) ▸9/24>25mg, ▸7/25>12mg,(starting parabolic with tablet dissolution in water) ▸10/25>11,5mg, ▸11/25>10,3mg, ▸12/25>8,7mg, ▸1/26>8mg, ▸2/26>6,9mg ▸3/26>5,967mg ▸4/26>4,8mg ▸5/26>3,73mg ▸6/26>3,53mg
7/26 back to 50mg

WolfMay 14

Community AnchorProzac · researching

I must keep it in mind as I taper myself. Will need to switch to 5 mg half pill of prozac at some point and it's so sad they do not make pills in smaller forms.

Prozac — 40 mg — 6 months — holding | Zyprexa — 20 mg — 6 years — holding | Depakote — 600 mg — 8 months — **tapering** | Buspirone — 20 mg — 8 months — holding | with clinician
"If life is painful, start a rebellion and make it good."

⭐

CatinaMay 14

Community AnchorEffexor

Oh @Lost summer, I can hear how distressed you are. What you're feeling is completely normal, and is not the "real" you at all. Do you feel like your family understands and is supportive? It's so hard, I know! You're never alone, and I'm glad you're coming on here to vent and receive support. We're here to listen anytime. 🩷

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 16.64 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Synthroid - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

Lost summerMay 15

LighthousePaxil · reinstated

I have a very supportive husband who even does my paroxetine into liquid for me. I have all the help I need at home, but it is pretty scary when you don't have a medical safety net anymore...The moment you come to terms with the fact that no doctor or psychiatrist can help you, or will help you. The only thing they do is harm.

⭐

CatinaMay 15

Community AnchorEffexor

"I have a very supportive husband who even does my paroxetine into liquid for me. I have all the help I need at home" — @Lost summer

Aww I'm so glad you have a supportive husband. And you have our support here too.

"The moment you come to terms with the fact that no doctor or psychiatrist can help you, or will help you. The only thing they do is harm." — @Lost summer

I understand how you feel. I don't they're purposefully trying to harm us, but their training is inadequate in this area and things need to change. Antidepressant withdrawal has been getting more attention lately in the media, so that's been a good thing.

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