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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by vic80 on March 25, 2010, at 12:46:35
Rx: Escitalopram 20mg 10th week (upped last week from 15mg), Lunesta 1mg ocasionally.
Dx: Depression/AnxietyFirst noticed this a month ago that I was unable to have richness and vividness in visual/mental imagery while closing my eyes and lying down one day. It was quite a distressing feeling, and I dismissed it as a temporary aberration. But it turns out that even after a month now, I find myself not able to visualize things (lets say recollect an event from the past, build a fantasy in my mind) with the amount of detail and color I am used to.
I have been suspected to have Depersonalization though the therapist is yet to establish it formally. The DP generally manifests in my awareness of my own thoughts and feeling as though I fill in my blank mind with thoughts.
I suspect that Lexapro has caused this current DP, which I guess is not even little as bad as what people have described in testimonials and forums. Infact at times I am fully functional without this heightened-awareness.My current pressing concern is this lack of 'visual imagery', which has begun to cause severe distress in me.
I wonder if this has to do anything with SSRI, I have not been able to find online any report or mention of such a happening.Serotonin does cause alteration in Dopamine levels which I suspect could in turn affect imagination.
A lack/lessening of "visual imagery" constitutes cognitive impairment which has been indicated as a side effect of SSRIs.I must mention my dreams are as detailed and rich as before. I wonder what do I make out of all this... is it just anxiety - my watchfulness over myself while I try to visualize in my mind blanks me out..
Posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2010, at 13:23:20
In reply to Visual Imagery and SSRI, posted by vic80 on March 25, 2010, at 12:46:35
You dream well but when close eyes can't vividly visualize things like before? Phillipa
Posted by vic80 on March 25, 2010, at 13:26:42
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI » vic80, posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2010, at 13:23:20
> You dream well but when close eyes can't vividly visualize things like before? Phillipa
Thats right!
Posted by manic666 on March 25, 2010, at 14:42:46
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI, posted by vic80 on March 25, 2010, at 13:26:42
all ssri,s dull you mind , thats there job to get rid of the crap you suffer in depression//an as for dreams??????? i sleep in a seperate bedroom to my wife after kicking out an punching through ssri nightmares.//you just have to make your mind up what you want//meds with side effects or depression? its your call .
Posted by linkadge on March 25, 2010, at 16:33:59
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI, posted by manic666 on March 25, 2010, at 14:42:46
Yeah, I think its becaue the SSRI's supress cholinergic drive. The interplay between monoamines and acetycholine gives us the cognative flexability to rememmber and imagine things.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2010, at 19:44:52
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI, posted by linkadge on March 25, 2010, at 16:33:59
I don't know I have a very active imagination when eyes closed and dreams are plentiful some good some bad. Phillipa
Posted by manic666 on March 26, 2010, at 4:24:15
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI » linkadge, posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2010, at 19:44:52
linkage.// i actually invented a super hero in my mind to fight in my corner in the ssri terror dream thing.///and it works, i bring him into the dreams to supress them.// im not bullshiting it takes pratice, then he ortamaticly appears cool or what
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 26, 2010, at 18:10:44
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI » vic80, posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2010, at 13:23:20
> You dream well but when close eyes can't vividly visualize things like before? Phillipa
I can't vividly visualise things anyway, meds or no meds!
Posted by Phillipa on March 26, 2010, at 18:46:38
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI » Phillipa, posted by ed_uk2010 on March 26, 2010, at 18:10:44
Ed you can't? You mean you don't dream either? Love PJxxx
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 9:50:33
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI » ed_uk2010, posted by Phillipa on March 26, 2010, at 18:46:38
> Ed you can't? You mean you don't dream either? Love PJxxx
I do dream to some extent but my dreams are not at all vivid and I don't normally remember anything about them. If I do, it's only for a minute or so after waking, then I forget. They're just a collection of thoughts really, not much in the way of imagery. My dreams are never story-like, if that makes sense. The only time I ever have vivid dreams is if I miss a few doses of antidepressant (this is a withdrawal symptom).
Posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2010, at 20:09:54
In reply to Re: Visual Imagery and SSRI » Phillipa, posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 9:50:33
Oh I love to dream most of the time unless they are scarey. Love PJxxx
This is the end of the thread.
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