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What Causes Communication Skills Deterioration And Short Temper While On Reduced Citalopram?
Question: I have a friend who has been diagnosed with hypertension/high blood pressure and clinical depression. He is on medication for both. My questions is actually relating to his depression/specifically is anti depressants. He has been on Citalopram 20mg for about 2 years now. At the end of last year he was reduced from 20mg to 10mg Citalopram. Since this decrease in dose, I have detected a noticeable deterioration in his verbal communication skills with people/namely. He is quite a bit more snappy with people. Could his snappiness be in any which way, a contributing factor to the change of anti depressant's dose? Should he be concerned about this? Should he be going to the doctor about this? Also he is blaming himself. Another questions I have just thought of. He has also got severe learning difficulties. Could his depression or any changes to anti depressants contribute to his learning difficulties/disability? Could they, for example deteriorate them?
Brief Answer:
Due to dose reduction.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to HCM.
I can understand your concerns for your friend.
He has become more snappy with people after the dose of citalopram was decreased last year. He has also started blaming himself.
In my opinion, this change in behavior is most probably a result of dose reduction. It can be considered to be a relapse of his depression. Irritability and self blaming are the presenting symptoms in many cases of depression.
I think he should consult his doctor about this. A dose increment back to 20 mg should be considered.
There is impairment in executive functioning (like memory, attention and concentration) in long standing depression. This can contribute to his learning difficulty.
However, the learning disability can be a separate entity in his case. A thorough clinical examination and history would be needed to identify it. But yes, depression can aggravate learning disability.
Hope this answers your query.
.Feel free to ask further..
Thanks.
Due to dose reduction.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to HCM.
I can understand your concerns for your friend.
He has become more snappy with people after the dose of citalopram was decreased last year. He has also started blaming himself.
In my opinion, this change in behavior is most probably a result of dose reduction. It can be considered to be a relapse of his depression. Irritability and self blaming are the presenting symptoms in many cases of depression.
I think he should consult his doctor about this. A dose increment back to 20 mg should be considered.
There is impairment in executive functioning (like memory, attention and concentration) in long standing depression. This can contribute to his learning difficulty.
However, the learning disability can be a separate entity in his case. A thorough clinical examination and history would be needed to identify it. But yes, depression can aggravate learning disability.
Hope this answers your query.
.Feel free to ask further..
Thanks.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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