Posts by fadedbear92

ruggeddrifter1 said:I absolutely adore her 😍

Lady Gaga😉

concert😉

Nicholas Gonzalez8 said:First off, try to figure out who you want to be, what you want to own, and what you actually want to do with your life. Go back and read my main thread—it’s got a bunch of questions I laid out there—and try to answer them. They’re designed to help you dig up those answers you're looking for.

And look, just stop obsessing over yesterday or stressing about tomorrow. Seriously. Don't beat yourself up over the past and don't lose sleep over the future. Just focus on right now, because the present moment is what actually defines everything else. Even if you feel like total garbage and have zero motivation, just get out of bed and start chipping away at your goals and dreams. If you do even one small thing every single day to move the needle, you'll notice pretty quickly that you're making progress—and honestly, your luck and your drive will start picking up too 🙂

If your brain starts spiraling with all that useless noise, you can tackle it with meditation—it helps you find some actual inner silence and peace 🙂. It also helps with building up that awareness and self-control over your thoughts and emotions, which is huge.

Work on your discipline. It sounds cliché, but go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, hit the gym, stick to a schedule, and give yourself a little reward when you actually knock things out. Sometimes that first step feels like climbing Everest, but I promise it pays off—eventually, it gets easier and you'll just feel better overall. It's a massive boost for self-motivation, too. Honestly, just Google "discipline" and "self-motivation"—there's a ton of solid advice out there.

Start hunting for reasons to be grateful and happy, whether they're big or tiny. A sunrise, a killer meal, hanging out with your favorite people, learning something new... stuff like that. People think success leads to happiness, but they've got it backward—happiness is the foundation that builds success.

You can't always control the hand you're dealt in life, but you can absolutely choose how you react to it. Start by just accepting whatever happens, then aim to react as intelligently as you possibly can.

Do you have any book recommendations?🤷

Noah Garcia4 said:Has anyone else here noticed, heard, or perhaps experienced firsthand that psychiatrists tend to start patients off on those older-generation medications first, only moving toward the newer atypical antipsychotics—like Seroquel, for instance—once the old stuff fails to do the trick?
I’ve heard that’s the standard playbook, and honestly, I’ve felt that cycle playing out with my own treatment, though since my meds are constantly being shuffled around, I can't say for certain if there's a definitive pattern at work. ☕

we shouldn't generalize

Dennis Turner6 said:Quinn:

I can't believe I'm even saying this out loud, but honestly? It’s happening. Everything we thought was set in stone is shifting right under our feet. It feels like we're all just trying to keep our heads above water while the ground moves. Who else is feeling this? kaže: So, what’s your experience been like? And do you actually have an official diagnosis for a mental health condition? I think you're totally off base with that comment.

I dealt with my own bouts of panic attacks about five years ago, followed by social anxiety, and I managed to push through all of it without ever needing any meds. 🤷

I definitely struggled at first—it was such a headache trying to figure out which Xanax dose would actually work for me. But things turned around eventually. I finally managed to tackle my social anxiety through psychotherapy, and honestly, I feel great now.

So, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression about two months ago. Honestly, I’m sitting here wondering why this is hitting me again. If I had to guess, it’s because my entire life has been flipped upside down over the last year. I've just been dealing with one massive stressor after another.
I’m honestly at my breaking point. I haven’t slept a wink, and trying to function like a normal human being has been impossible. I ended up reaching for the benzodiazepines again—but strictly as a last resort, just to deal with the insomnia.

I mean, don't even get me started on working a job you absolutely loathe. It’s a massive, soul-crushing source of stress, and honestly? It's just exhausting.

I finally started CBT, and I’ve made up my mind: I am going to crush this bullshit once and for all. Fear is nothing more than a damn shadow in my head. 🙂

Goodnight, everyone! 😘

That's awesome!😉

Dennis Turner6 said:Don’t get mad at me for saying this, but reading through this thread, I’m getting the feeling that it’s the exact same mess whether people are taking their meds or not. That’s just my take on it.

What’s your actual experience been like, though? And do you even have an official diagnosis for any mental health condition?
Your comment is totally baseless.

Paul Newman5, I was on Fevarin for a few years—it’s an anti-anxiety antidepressant, so it really helps you chill out—and I wonder if it would have the same effect on you? For me, it worked wonders until my next depressive episode hit and we had to switch up my AD

Drew Bennett21 said:It’s really not all doom and gloom 🙂, so let's not scare everyone off right away.
So, I actually started out on Zoloft and stuck with it for about a year—I can be pretty stubborn like that, I guess—but the whole time, I just felt like I was constantly sleeping. It’s part of that "newer generation" of meds, you know? I was basically dragging myself through life and just couldn't snap out of it, even though I did feel a little less blue or tense. Then, I eventually switched over to 3mg of Coax (that unfortunate "older" generation stuff). And honestly, I've been on Coax for years now! I don't get that heavy exhaustion I had on Zoloft, and there are almost zero side effects. There really is hope out there. I don't quite remember how those first couple of weeks felt, but everything is fine now, almost like I'm not even taking an antidepressant at all.

I really think we should try our best to follow what the doctor says if we've already made the decision to give medication a fair shot.
I mean, obviously, I get why we're all feeling anxious and depressed—otherwise, we wouldn't be posting all over 🙂 like this—but we have to remember that being terrified or skeptical of the meds we're taking is actually just another symptom of the issues we're dealing with. Meds aren't the only way, of course. It actually makes me think of this friend of mine whose psychiatrist wouldn't even tell him which specific meds he was starting during that first week, just so he wouldn't spend the whole time Googling side effects 😉. I'm not saying that's a genius move, but it's definitely something to chew on. If we're living in constant fear of what one specific pill might do to us, then something is bound to trigger that anxiety, and we really need to consider other options too.

I took 5mg of Zoloft and it actually gave me a real boost
and besides, it's common knowledge that everyone reacts to antidepressants differently.

Tricyclic antidepressants—which includes
Coax
—are honestly outdated; they carry way more side effects than the modern stuff we have now. I really don't get why anyone would still prescribe them when there are much higher quality, safer options available with far fewer downsides.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianeptine

2. Tricyclics belong to one of the oldest classes of depression meds and you still see them used quite a bit today. But in modern medicine, SSRIs have largely taken their place because patients generally tolerate them much better—plus, they're significantly safer in case of an accidental overdose.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007

Hey

Greetings to blacx!😉

Paul Newman5 said:Something weird happened today. I’ve been taking one Coaxil at 1 AM for about 13 days now, and up until this point, I was always saying how much it sedates me and helps with anxiety. Not this morning. Even though my legs felt heavy, I decided to bump it up to 2, just like my psychiatrist suggested. I took it before lunch, and by 2 PM, I was hit with this sudden restlessness—like I was being jolted awake. I couldn't settle down, so I had to take 0.5 mg of Ativan and 3 mg of Lexapro. But this wasn't that "good" kind of energy; it was pure nerves and heightened anxiety. Everyone talks about this stuff being mild and calming, but for me, moving to 2 feels more like taking Xanax, just slightly less intense. Then the diarrhea hit... just great. Is it possible one pill is fine but a higher dose does this? Or am I just so high-strung that any antidepressant sends me spiraling? If anyone has an explanation or has dealt with this, let me know. It’s strange. I was actually bragging yesterday about having a good afternoon—went shopping, did some ironing—but today this hit me and left me useless. The Ativan and Lexapro eventually leveled me out, but that surge of nervousness is definitely not what an anxiolytic Coaxil is supposed to do.

You switched to 2 pills way too fast. Usually, you'd increase by a quarter tablet every 3 or 4 days; I'm guessing your body just reacted poorly because you doubled the dose so abruptly.

Paul Newman5 said:It’s past noon, so I’m doing okay. Felt a bit more upbeat and lively the last couple of days, but mornings are rough... just pure irritability and nerves. No family history of this stuff that I know of; my grandparents all passed from cancer, though my grandma had some similar issues during menopause. My doctor thinks mine might be linked to that, but who knows. Not sure what Effexor is, never heard of it, but I know the rest. Luckily, a little Lexapro helps me sleep. I'm rarely listless, mostly just pissed off. Anxiety and the jitters are what really get to me.

Edronax is an antidepressant that hits the norepinephrine, so it can be quite stimulating.
I just shot a text to my doctor to let her know how I'm feeling, so now I'm just waiting to hear back.😕

Paul Newman5 said:But seriously. Are you on any antidepressants? I can't keep track of everything, I forget, and I actually want to know how you feel in the morning and how long it lingers. Just curious.

I deal with hereditary depression and anxiety, so I'm on meds for life. Plus, my insomnia is brutal.
So, here's my cocktail: an antidepressant like Prozac, a stabilizer like Xanax, and an antipsychotic like Seroquel for sleep—which I sometimes even take during the day if the anxiety hits too hard.
And honestly? Right now, I have absolutely zero motivation.

Paul Newman5 said:No worries. Honestly, I wish none of this was familiar to me either. A year ago, I wasn't on anything and wondered why people even needed meds to deal with life. Then reality hit me too, unfortunately, so now I know the drill. Plus, everyone reacts to medication differently. It's all individual. For me, mornings are the worst; afternoons and evenings are easier to manage. That first hour after waking up is always the hardest.

That’s pretty standard for those of us dealing with depression and anxiety, unfortunately. Mornings are almost always the hardest part of the battle.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/us/education

This just goes to show—once again—exactly how much "value" there really is in this kind of psychotherapy.🙄😲😲

Paul Newman5 said:Same here. You can stomach two weeks, maybe three, but months? No thanks. I was on LVMH for a month once and felt terrible. My psychiatrist actually told me to quit immediately because side effects shouldn't drag on that long. Totally agree with you. I remember reading some psychiatrist's take saying that for someone with ADHD, side effects shouldn't last more than 7 to 10 days. Who knows if that's still the standard, though. They probably know what they're talking about after all those years in school.

My therapist told me the exact same thing—she’s been in the field for quite a while now. Apparently, Americans reached that conclusion after tons of clinical research; she actually heard it firsthand at a psychiatric symposium where they were discussing the optimal window for starting new ADHD meds.

Paul Newman5 said:Don't know about antipsychotics—never tried them. But why have you been on something for 5 months if it's making things worse or just isn't working? Just my take, but I've read online and heard from psychiatrists that you really should switch meds if they aren't hitting the mark. I've been on ExxonMobil for 12 days and honestly, I feel terrible. My stomach is a mess, I'm constantly drugged out, my muscles ache, and I just want to stay in bed. No intention of staying on this long; no point in suffering through side effects for months with zero results. That's just how I see it, others might disagree. You've got to tell your doctor how you're feeling... you shouldn't be stuck taking something that doesn't suit you for years while depression runs rampant. Just a suggestion, though. Do what you think is best.

The standard approach is to give it about two weeks, and if you aren't seeing progress by then, the doctor switches things up—that's just how modern psychiatrists operate, staying on top of the latest clinical research and findings.

shadowbear9 said:Hi, I’ve been taking Lexapro for five months now and Mirataz for two, and while the Mirataz has definitely helped my sleep, the Lexapro isn't doing a single thing for me. I’m constantly on edge and struggling with depression. I honestly don't know what else to ask for because it feels like they just throw these pills at us blindly. Maybe Zoloft? I have no idea what else is out there. Or maybe I could use an antipsychotic to calm this constant nervousness? I really don't know.

Tell your psychiatrist you want to switch up your meds.
How do you think they can just prescribe stuff blindly?
If you don't trust them, go find a different shrink.
Besides, every antidepressant hits everyone differently.

You mentioned being stuck in a depressive state—if you're in a big city like Chicago, you should look for a psychiatrist psychotherapist and start actual psychotherapy because pills alone aren't going to solve everything.

Zoloft dropped my blood pressure by about 70%

It honestly pains me to see how poorly Zoloft affects some of you—if it’s hitting you that hard, please either find an alternative or at least talk it over with a therapist.

Personally, I think Q-pin is the absolute best.