It really depends. Some people don’t rely on them forever while others do.

That question can be a hard one. Nobody can say for sure, we’re all going through different life experiences and dealing with our health in different ways. If the thought of being on SSRIs throughout your life upsets you, I recommend trying to reframe your thinking. My view is this: SSRIs are to mental health just as glasses are to vision loss. Some people experience it and some don’t, but both require treatments that may be lifelong. 💕

I wonder the same thing sometimes. I’ve been stable on them for nearly 4 years! I think it’s important to consider why you are on SSRIs and why you feel however you do about them. Obviously I can only speak from my own experience, but I personally see no problem with being on them long term. The origin of the condition you take SSRIs for is also pretty important. In my case, depression runs in my family so I have a genetic predisposition for the chemical imbalances that SSRIs treat. The way I see it, therapy treats the experience/trauma side of my disorder, and medication treats the biochemical origin. Both are important. At the end of the day, mental illness is exactly that: an illness. Medication is a tool to treat that illness, just like medications are used to treat physical illnesses. Medication might be the best tool for you, or it might not. These things have to be considered on a case by case basis. Of course, no matter treatment plan you choose please do it with the guidance of your physician to stay safe!