I just wanted to add my thoughts on depression..I have been dperessed on and off for the last 7 years but never as depressed as I have been since I stopped the codeine..I have detoxed before and even those times it wasnt this bad. I have had to change my anti- depressant because drs thought that it was causing rapid heart rate but all the ones I tried instead havent worked and it looks like the rapid heart rate is still there without the AD anyway so I am now going back to the drug that has always worked for me.
The thing that I was told was that large amounts of codeine are a depressant and can cause depression...I started a cognitive behavioural therapy course a couple of weeks ago and its good to recognise that your thinking is way off...but for me I can see that and see that the way I am thinking isnt right...but feel it is the depression that causes me to think the way I do rather than it being me...becuase when I am well I dont think in a depressed way....my dr said that is a good sign because it means the problem is chemical rather than an emotional depression and can be fixed with meds.
I also suffer with chronic pain which doesnt help with depression and emotionally and physically its hard to be in a lot of pain and not be able to take meds to help and you feel angry at yourself for abusing the meds when you need them...but that is the price we pay.
I believe that we do really have to learn a new way to live without the pills because I know that for me codeine would calm me down, make me feel content, it never gave me a high just a feeling of calm so being without it takes alot of adjusting to..including the stuff like sleep too. Everything thing looks, smells and feels different when you are not taking stuff to cope with life and I think that it will only be time that will help us to readjust...just lastly if anyone is feeling so depressed that they cant function then I would say dont beat yourself up about going on an anti depressant,if you find the right one they can really help.
Chloe