Posts by Dennis Turner6

Hey everyone!

How long did it take you guys to finally clear out the Pfizer?
My doctor diagnosed me with it, so my partner and I both finished a course of Metronidazole, and everything seemed fine on the follow-up tests.

But then, about a month later during sex, I noticed this unpleasant odor—plus a yellowish discharge. It cleared up after a few days, but then the exact same thing happened again right before my last period.
It just keeps coming and going.
Is that even possible?

I’ve got an appointment with my OB-GYN next week.

By the way, how do you even catch this stuff?
My doctor hinted that men are usually the ones carrying it.

Jessica Fowler4 said:fear/anxiety and motivation/desire are really just two fundamental drivers, you know? like, these core energy sources. they’re actually just two sides of the same coin—dopamine—linked to libido (which I guess explains why treating anxiety is such a nightmare, because the neurotransmitter you’re trying to tweak is the exact same one used for motivation and basically any goal-oriented action). I mean, if you really think about it, wanting something is practically the same thing as *not* wanting something. not wanting something just means you want something else instead. it’s the same scale, the same currency, just a different direction.

some people mostly do things because they're driven by desire. other people are driven by fear.

for me, personally, I feel like I’m pretty much controlled by this pervasive, twisted fear of shame. I don't know if it was ingrained in me during my childhood or if my brain biology just makes me, how should I put this, dopamine-reactive.
it’s not like this sharp, obvious fear of shame that you can consciously pinpoint. it’s more like this deep-seated layer, this filter that just runs automatically in the background—constantly. like, when I’m playing pickup basketball, I get this fear that I’ll make a bad pass, this fear of the shame I’ll feel when I mess up. it gets so intense that my brain starts panicking as the ball is approaching, and it leaves zero room for the actual processing needed to play well. and of course, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy—because I'm panicking about the pass, it's so hard to actually notice where my teammates are moving or where I need to throw it. this filter I operate through has just felt like part of who I am my whole life. I thought it was normal, but really, deep down, it's like there's this constant underlying thought that 'thank God I have all these defense mechanisms, otherwise everyone would see what I really am'... and yeah, over the years I’ve picked up all these habits that just piled into this "secret cargo hold" that nobody is allowed to see... and now what? the cargo hold is already there, the defenses are up... what's stopping me from just loading more stuff into it?

even though I’ve stepped back a bit from researching meds, I can’t help but notice that the level at which I desire things is just as abnormally high as my anxiety levels. since we established they're two sides of the same coin, my situation feels logical, I guess. when I want to build a video game, I'm capable of programming for five days straight without stopping. when I *don't* want to look like an idiot, I end up... overthinking so much that I eventually end up looking like an idiot anyway. unfortunately, those situations where we want to avoid shame usually don't wait for us to figure out a solution—there's a tight deadline, pressure. and that pressure just kills focus and paralyzes the mind. it's fight-or-flight. and you were supposed to just come up with a witty comeback. and you probably would have, if your subconscious hadn't kicked you into fight-or-flight mode and stripped away your ability to react naturally.

anyway, yeah, just some comments, thoughts, ramblings... does anyone else relate to this or whatever?

P.S. from some other research, I concluded I should try Memantine, and this is actually the second time I'm starting it. and once again, I'm noticing the same things that motivated me to look into this topic in the first place.

one of the most obvious examples of this "anxiety/shame/guilt filter" is in sex. it’s not even feelings anymore, it's more like instinctive compulsions. somewhere deep inside, sex feels shameful (maybe because of some weird fetishes or stuff from when I was a kid). the idea of a woman being intimate, or me shaming her, or me feeling ashamed myself—I don't even know, whatever—it mostly just causes me to lose focus... it's literally become an instinct rather than a feeling I can analyze. just an instinct/blockage. I look at a naked body, but the image doesn't hit me emotionally; it just looks like a picture stripped of any sexuality... my eyes constantly dart away, my brain literally tries to escape the sight. when I get a little more into it, when there's more touch, darkness, or support, it slowly fades, but the visual part is what hits me hardest... it's some kind of conflict with watching porn when I was young, god knows what.

basically, Memantine limits that effect from the very first pill. it literally restricts it; I can feel it's still there, but functionally, it isn't. now I can actually look at the image, my eyes don't dart away, my brain doesn't run from what it sees, and I can—more or less—get the emotions and the sexuality from the image. so that's it, that was the constant symptom, my whole life, always, except when I was under the influence of something. Memantine, from the first pill to the last, 100% prevents it, at least to the extent I just described.

Okay, if that's how it works, then I think I see the solution—the real key here. If we're dealing with the same neurotransmitter, let's just train it to lean toward motivation instead of anxiety! 🤷

David Vaughn75 said:Spot on

I've always been a huge believer in behavioral psychology—realistically, the only way we actually change is through action, you know? Like, if you want a different life, you have to actually target and shift how you behave in the real world.

+1

😉

I’ve noticed on this forum that people tend to lump autogenic training in with meditation.

Does anyone here have any insight on this? Also, is there anyone practicing autogenic training around the San Francisco area?

Brandon Lopez6 said:That's usually how it goes with people who aren't actually drowning. Most of the time, the folks who are truly struggling would swallow anything just to feel even a little bit better, let alone a couple of pills.🙂

rejoflajt said:Signed.

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.

Andrew Doyle said:Your "impression" is completely worthless. I am talking about reality here. Without my medication, I suffered from panic attacks so severe I ended up in the ER because doctors thought I was having a stroke. With my meds? I literally got my life back. Period.

And let me be clear: I am the type of person who would swallow pure poison if it meant I’d never have to deal with what I went through again. I don't even want to go into the details of the agoraphobia, the social anxiety, the endless cycle of phobias, and all that other garbage that made it impossible to breathe or perform basic daily tasks. It left me paralyzed. I'm not interested in debating the merits of being "natural" when my quality of life depends on this.

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! 😘

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.

frozenorca63 said:Aktivin is basically just St. John's Wort in pill form, so just a heads up—don't take both at once. Stick to either the tea or the tablets. Fingers crossed it works for you! Personally, I'm on day 10 of my antidepressants right now, and so far, so good. But honestly, St. John's Wort almost totally cleared up my anxiety for me—cut it down by at least 80%.

Thanks for the tip! 😁

What’s your diagnosis, though? If St. John's Wort did the trick for your anxiety, why are you on antidepressants? Is it for depression or something else?

Ugh, I used to love sleeping so much, but ever since my anxiety kicked in... I can barely even remember what a good night's rest feels like anymore.

I’ve got some lemon verbena tea on hand, and honestly, it’s not bad—it helps me chill out a bit.

But I think I'll give that motherwort a shot too.

You mentioned Aktivin H? Alright, I'm adding that to my list.😬

Anything else you guys recommend?

By the way, Brandon Lopez6... is that sleepiness from Helex or something else? I just want to be able to sleep normally.😢

I’m not on any antidepressants—just an occasional anti-anxiety med if things get really bad. I don't take anything during the day, just at night if I'm feeling super restless.
Even my psychiatrist didn't bring up antidepressants when we first started my treatment plan.
Half of what you wrote here is totally new to me 🤣
Let me go Google this. Thanks for the info! 😁

I’m curious—does anyone else find that benzos actually make you feel even more on edge?
So, I woke up at 3:00 AM last night and took a cherry for sleep along with 5 mg of Ativan. It calmed me down enough to drift off, but I only lasted about an hour and a half or two before my heart started racing again.
It feels like I’d need massive doses just to get any relief, and I really don't want to go down that road.
How do you guys deal with anxiety when you wake up in the middle of the night?

Michelle Evans said:Ambien. 😁

Man, sleeping pills... 🤣

😂

I wake up way too easily. Anxiety just washes over me and boom—I’m wide awake, reaching for my APAP immediately. 🤣

Sometimes I'll take some Norvasc to help me sleep, but otherwise, I don't take anything during the day. 🤷

And it helps.

Oh, right—I recently tried Zoloft (or whatever that sleep one is called)... man, it calms me down a bit, but my brain stays wired. It's the same deal with Seroquel; those antipsychotics 🤔 just don't do anything for me. ☕

God, I miss those days when I could actually get a good night's rest. 🙂

Andrew Peterson14, are you still on meds, or have you totally cleared everything up?

It feels like a lifetime ago—back in the 80s when I was just a kid, hanging out at the local 😍