So, I’ve been off my meds for about three days now—just a little temporary break, nothing crazy. Honestly, I didn't feel much of anything... just a tiny headache that cleared up pretty quick, and that was basically it. Is that actually normal?
I was wondering—is there any way to taper off meds without waiting for my psychiatrist's input? I’ve got about a month until my next check-up, but honestly, I just don't have the time to sit around and wait.
I’ve been taking this new Lexapro and Ativan lately, but honestly, I’m just not feeling any effect from them. It feels like I’ve built up a tolerance to pretty much everything else too—so now I’m just popping pills for nothing. What should I do? I really don't want to bump up the dosage if I can help it. Also, I recently quit Xanax... does anyone know how long it actually takes for all those chemicals to clear out of your system?
brighthawk0 said:Of course she's right. Having a job is huge for mental health. Plus, there are other things that provide purpose... family, kids, even just having a cat... something to keep you going.
The thing is, right now, nothing really hits the spot for me besides reading a book or grabbing a coffee. I've totally given up on hitting the gym—I just lost all my motivation and energy, and honestly, I'm not even enjoying working out anymore, even though I used to love it. When I don't have any responsibilities, I just end up sitting at my computer or lounging in front of the TV, counting the hours—and I can't even do that peacefully because everything just feels so incredibly boring. Even gaming feels pointless. I don't get that feeling of satisfaction after finishing something, and I can't focus when I try to study. On top of that, I haven't been able to cry for months, even when I feel like I need to, which is just weird for me. My absolute top priority is fixing this state of emotional numbness—once I deal with that, I know I'll find the drive to actually start enjoying life again. All that's left is to try those two new meds and see how things shake out.
Just got back from my check-up this week. My psychiatrist was talking to me about this whole "emotional numbness" thing—basically feeling totally flat—and she’s claiming it’s all down to my lifestyle. She says I don't feel happy or fulfilled because of how I'm living, and that the numbness will eventually lift if something positive actually happens in my life, like landing a new job or something. Honestly? I’m not sure if I buy it. From everything I’ve read up on regarding emotional blunting, this is pretty much the first time I've even heard that explanation. My doctor swapped out my Xanax for Arvind to help with sleep and added Diazepam to the mix to help with my mood. I haven't actually tried either one yet. I'm a bit skeptical about whether I'll even feel anything, though, especially since I've built up such a massive tolerance to meds over time.
brighthawk0 said:Uh... honestly, who knows where it's coming from? It could be the actual condition, or maybe it's just the meds. You really can't say for sure. That's probably a conversation for a psychiatrist, I guess. It also helps to know a bit more about the specific diagnosis you're dealing with.
I’m pretty sure it’s the meds—honestly, I think it's from those tablets they put me on. They actually diagnosed me with BPD, too. I really doubt it's some underlying medical condition though... because if I was actually sick like that, I would've felt totally wiped out a long time ago.
Chloe Hughes6 said:That is simply the effect of the medication! Isn't it true that the more pills you take, the more likely you are to feel that way? It isn't an absolute rule, of course, but in most cases, it certainly is.
So, does that still play a part even after everyone’s become more tolerant?
mellowtinker7 said:What’s your dosage, and how much are you taking? Also, how many days into the treatment did this emotional numbness kick in?
I've been taking three pills—Prosper, Citram, and Xanax—for over five months now. I can't say for sure, but I think the emotional numbness started creeping in after about two months... basically just as most of the initial side effects were finally dying down.
Brandon Lopez6 said:Ativan still works for me after four years. I just tweak the dose depending on how bad things are getting. Some days I need more, some days less, and right now I'm mixing them a bit. Overall, it gets the job done. Haven't even bothered trying other sedatives—never really had to.
I’m wondering if this feeling of being totally emotionally numb will actually lift if I switch things up—like, if I stop taking my current meds or swap them for something else I already have a tolerance to? I’ve got an appointment this week, so I want to bring up switching medications... or is my psychiatrist just going to suggest it herself? I really hope she knows her stuff, because I seriously can't keep going on this same regimen forever.
brighthawk0 said:Yeah. Honestly, my Xanax doesn't do anything for me lately. Same goes for Ativan or Klonopin... nothing really works anymore.
I’m also on Xanax at night. In the beginning, it was great for helping me drift off—I’d basically just collapse onto the bed—and I’d sleep through the night. But lately, the insomnia is back. It’s been like this for a few months now. I even tried bumping up the dose, but nothing. It’s pretty obvious my Xanax just isn't hitting the mark anymore.
Brandon Lopez6 said:For me, it lasted the entire time I was on them. It didn't finally lift until I stopped taking the medication altogether.
Eric Mitchell55 said:Yeah, definitely. For me, it happened specifically while I was on Zyprexa, and honestly, the numbness stuck around until they switched me over to a different AP.🙂
Anyone else feel like they’ve just built up a massive tolerance to their meds? Honestly—I’ve been on mine for a while now, and it feels like they barely even touch the surface anymore. It's like my body just stopped listening.
Has anyone else dealt with that total emotional numbness after taking their meds? I'm curious—how long does this usually stick around, and when does it finally lift? Any advice on how to handle feeling so flat?
Kevin Nguyen3 said:All in all, things seem okay.🙂 At least you aren't being completely crushed by depression, which is a great first step, isn't it? What I meant was regarding how long you stay on the Xanax. Unless your medical records specifically say "as needed," that's usually the concern. Do some reading on Xanax, or Helix, or those types of medications. I assume you'll eventually taper off the Prosper in the near future.
To be honest, you won't find much concrete information out there regarding BPD and emotional blunting. There are some articles discussing a reduced emotional response to people and situations, but even if they describe it crudely, we are all different individuals, right? Given the diagnosis you're dealing with, having suicidal thoughts is actually quite common. If you look into Borderline Personality Disorder just a little bit, everything will start to make sense. There is an entire, excellent thread dedicated to this topic, so why not go take a look?😉
Look, I know a fair amount about borderline, but that's not actually what's eating at me. I'm still stuck in that same rut—everything feels dull, and I just feel totally listless and drained. Whether I'm out or just hanging at home, it's the same. I sleep, and then when I'm awake, I'm just counting down the hours until I can go back to bed—not because I'm tired, mind you, but because there's absolutely nothing I feel like doing or interested in. My folks are complaining about my lack of focus too, saying I'm becoming more forgetful. They think I'm losing my edge. I can't help but wonder if it's the meds—even though I don't really "feel" them working anymore—or if I'm just overthinking it. Xanax works so quickly that you end up needing a higher dose just to get the same effect... I'm torn on whether I should bump it up myself or wait until I talk to my psychiatrist, and honestly, the fear of getting hooked is definitely hovering in the back of my mind. Also, does Citram cause drowsiness? Because when I take it in the morning, I sleep great, which makes it a total nightmare to actually get out of bed later.
I’m on the lowest possible dose—at least, that’s what I’ve been told. I take my Prozac twice a day, 1 mg in the morning and again at night. Then there's my Citram in the morning (10 mg) and half a pill of Xanax at night, just 0.25 mg. My diagnosis is BPD. So, why do you think Xanax is a joke? Honestly, reading your description of "emotional numbness" was such a massive relief because I literally didn't have the words to explain how I feel. I'm going to try to look more into that, since I really want to wrap my head around what's actually happening with me. Sometimes... things get dark enough that I've had suicidal thoughts.
It’s almost been four months since I started my meds. I’m currently on Prosper, Citram, and Xanax, and honestly? I don’t feel any better. Instead of actually feeling the benefits or seeing some improvement—which is what I expected by now—I just feel this constant wave of anger and confusion. The usual side effects like being exhausted, drowsy, foggy, dry mouth, or feeling weak have mostly cleared up. But instead, I’m stuck with this massive lack of motivation, zero energy, and I can't focus for anything. People keep telling me I'm forgetful, and frankly, I’m acting like a total zombie. It’s hard to even explain what’s going on because it feels so foreign to me. Even the stuff I used to love when I was dealing with depression—like going for walks, gaming, or hitting the gym—all feels like such a chore now. I just don't have the will to do anything. Everything is just... boring. I'm basically just counting down the minutes and hours until the day ends. The only thing that's actually okay is sleep. I sleep like a baby, though lately it feels like the meds are wearing off and I'm having a little trouble drifting off. I'm trying so hard to figure out what's happening to me, but I'm just pissed off and honestly, I just want to quit this whole treatment. This situation sucks and I'm really worried it isn't going to end anytime soon. I keep wondering how much longer I have to stay on this, because I don't know if I can handle this miserable state much longer. Reading through the posts here, I can't even wrap my head around how anyone manages to stay on these things for years. How do people even deal with that?
Honestly, I wouldn't. I actually turned down helping this one relative on my dad's side after he spent so much time mentally messing with me—and then, a few months later, he was gone. My mom’s side of the family tried to guilt-trip me into stepping up because he was sick, but I just didn't do it. I helped out where I absolutely had to, and that was it. Why should I go out of my way for someone who doesn't appreciate it and just calls me lazy? Am I feeling guilty now? Do I wish I'd done more? Maybe, maybe not... honestly, it just depends on my mood. At the end of the day, deciding how to help family is a personal call, and nobody else gets to judge that. He never even wrote a will, so he left nothing behind after he passed—so yeah, you can probably guess who we're talking about here. Even if I had been some kind of saint to him, it wouldn't have changed the fact that he left nothing. It's the same story with my paternal grandmother; I helped her and stayed by her side my whole life, but she did the exact same thing. These people caused so much damage and created such a massive mess that it basically tore the whole family apart. Now, we don't talk and we definitely don't trust each other.
Honestly, I’ve been wrestling with this one for a long time now. For me, it might actually be one of the biggest hurdles I face in life. It’s kind of a weird paradox—I can't stand it when people don't show me any respect, but then, if they’re actually being decent and kind? I can't handle that either. It gives me this nagging feeling like... "yeah, I definitely don't deserve this."
It’s pretty rare to see him pushing back—at least out in the open—against certain liberal (or "modern," if you want to call it that) stuff like gay marriage. So, this is actually kind of interesting.
I think this is officially the third time I’ve sat through this documentary. Every single time, I end up stuck in my own head just dwelling on his death and those bears. It leaves me with this weird, heavy feeling—honestly, I just feel bad. It’s so tragic how everything ended for him and his girlfriend, especially since she seemed to know exactly what kind of risks they were taking from the jump. Getting taken out by one of the most brutal, massive creatures on the planet... it's just heavy. At the same time, I can't quite wrap my head around his whole vibe with the bears. He was so incredibly direct, so open and close to them, that he basically blurred the line between being human and being part of the wild—which, obviously, turned out to be a fatal mistake. What’s even weirder is that he clearly knew how dangerous they were. Like the movie puts it: "To him, these bears were almost like people wearing bear suits rather than actual wild animals." The one thing that really rubbed me the wrong way about Timothy Treadwell was how much he kept pushing those New Age views. It honestly felt like he’d lost touch with reality and was starting to lose his grip on things. And man, that scene with the carcass? That was just gross. Like, how could he even touch that? lol, I don't even want to go there.