Hello. This is very important question form me: Is it possible to get stream entry or get any insight progress, when your consciousness is under influence of SSRI drugs? I had attained at least "knowledge of 3 characteristic" (3rd nana) (according to Daniel Ingram model) some years ago, before i started my medicine therapy. I had stopped my practice when I began to take SSRI becouse it seemed imposible to get any progress becouse my mind was very dense.

Yes, if you're willing to put the work in and practice well it's entirely possible to get stream entry and beyond while taking SSRI's.

Agreed. I take 5-HTP which is a serotonin booster and its only helped me. I don't know exactly how SSRIs work, but I think they work because of the increase in serotonin. There was a fascinating thread about this earlier where Tommy M made some brilliant observations on about how he tried getting off anti-depressants and then got back on.

Here is also a relevant link about how anti-depressants work, and if the science is right in this article, then I don't see how boosting serotonin could do any harm: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/07/06/head_fake/?page=full


Oliver

SSRIs won't stop suffering, death or fabrication of self concepts. They leave plenty to work on in insight practice.

Some stability in attention is necessary to do insight practice, and drugs like SSRIs can support that if they make destabilizing emotional reactions easier to experience.

Very good news. Thank you.