SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome?

I have been taking Zoloft for the last 10 months and I am trying to get off of ssris completely due to a lack of "feelings." I didn't care about anything. Nothing made me happy and nothing made me sad.I think I was an android.

I have been tapering down for about 3 months now and I get VERY unpleasant side-effects when I don't have any "z" in me. My dosage schedule is something like 12 mg every 3 or 4 days. After that, I feel like I am going to pass out when I stand up, and my vision kind of spaces out. I feel dizzy and all around strange. I have resorted to small amounts of alcohol to try and mask this feeling (in the evening of course) so that I can rid myself of this medication but all to no avail.

Are there any other methods for tapering off of a ssri dose? Are there any other medications that may help me rid myself of these side effects and get back to a normal life - with feelings?

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

There definitely is a cessation syndrome, and it is quite like you describe. One suggestion is to temporarily switch to Prozac because it stays in the body longer, and then taper off of that.
The weaning process will then be more gradual.

The cessation syndrome is more common with the shorter acting antidepressants, and not very common with Zoloft because it is in the medium range.