Anxiety in Withdrawal

Hey friends, so today I’m talking about anxiety during withdrawal. Maybe you had anxiety while on meds, but I’m talking about the anxiety that hits when you’re getting off them.

I looked up the definition of anxiety and it said “uneasiness and apprehension,” and that just doesn’t cut it for what I felt. It was more like terror. And terror is defined as “intense, overpowering fear.” That’s more accurate.

If you're feeling anything like that, this is for you.

Personal Experience with Acute Withdrawal

I had an acute, prolonged withdrawal. Protracted and brutal.

And for those of you going through that too, I want you to hear me clearly:

It doesn’t last.

It feels like forever, but it won’t be.

Understanding the Symptoms of Withdrawal

Here’s what I wrote to describe the anxiety and terror I felt:

Completely afraid, in terror.
Like a train going off the tracks.
My life felt like absolute impending doom and disaster, maybe irreparably so.
It felt nightmarish. That sense of horror felt 100% real.
There were real life troubles, sure, but withdrawal painted everything in dark, creepy, eerie lighting.
It felt like a horror movie.
It felt like impending doom.

If that sounds like what you’re feeling, I just want to tell you that your perception is being affected. It’s like someone turned the lights way down in your brain.

You don’t have access to the “happy hormones” or the natural regulation your body used to have. So everything looks much darker.

But this is a withdrawal symptom. It’s not permanent. Your brain is healing and recovering, and this symptom goes away. Naturally. On its own.

You might think this is your new normal. That your life is forever like this. But it’s not. Withdrawal is a temporary state.

It might be prolonged, especially if your taper was fast or you were cold-turkeyed, even with a doctor’s oversight. But it’s still temporary.

This isn’t a return of your original condition. These symptoms come from the withdrawal itself—because your body had become dependent on the meds for emotional balance.

When you take them away, your system has to rebuild from scratch.

Encouragement and Hope for Recovery

Take heart. Your body is healing. Your nervous system is restoring itself. Your whole perspective on life can change once your brain chemistry balances again.

You might not be able to think clearly enough right now to see solutions or hope. That’s okay. It doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

This is painful. I’m not minimizing that. The fear and terror and dread are overwhelming.

But they don’t last. You’ll be feeling very different one day, and when that day comes, you’ll see how far you’ve come.

Finding Joy After Withdrawal

I remember talking to a friend who had gone through a long withdrawal. She told me she was feeling happy again. She said, “I have happy hormones now. I get warm fuzzies making my kids pancakes.”

And I just thought... What? How can anyone feel joy doing something like that?

At the time, I felt doomed and awful constantly.

But now? Praise God, I’ve come through.

Now I go on walks with my kids and I feel joy. I laugh with them as they rollerblade or ride their bikes. I sit around the table with them and enjoy meals and laughter.

Ordinary moments now bring joy and gratitude.

So that’s my encouragement to you: you will enjoy life again. You’ll laugh again. You’ll feel light again. Just give it time.

If you're in psych med withdrawal, your brain can heal. Your joy will return.

You're not alone, and you're not broken.