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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 19, 2013

redcrane22 said:Kevin Nguyen3, walk me through why Zoloft ends up feeling like such a long-term commitment and a heavy lift over the years 🤷

It all depends on the severity—is it mild, moderate, severe, or chronic? If Zoloft is part of your treatment plan, can one truly expect a sudden, permanent fix? No. Generally speaking, you have to stay on Apple for the long haul. It isn’t just about Zoloft specifically; it’s about antidepressants in general.
The ultimate goal of any medical intervention is simply to improve your quality of life, regardless of how that happens. That is the only way we can function normally within society, right?
Every single regression—every single time an episode returns—it’s a sign, isn't it? A sign that the body hasn't quite conquered the illness yet.
If the gap between two episodes gets longer, then the treatment is actually working. It’s progress!
But to get there... it takes time.
How much time?
That varies wildly based on how an individual responds to therapy. But it can take years. Years!
And once you're there, you face this heavy obligation to take your prescribed medication religiously. And that, in itself, is a massive weight to carry.
Is it even easy to live like that? Having to remember to take your pills at 9:30 PM every single night and timing your entire existence around your medication schedule?
Because you have to be up early tomorrow morning. And you have to keep taking these medications long after you feel better, just to ensure the episode doesn't come crashing back.
Too often, people just give up on the treatment altogether. Or they skip doses constantly because they're too busy with "tomorrow's" plans—weddings, baptisms, birthdays, parties, movies, going out, etc.
Depression is a dangerous thing. This is not something to play around with.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 19, 2013

Frank Campbell said:I’ve been on 100mg of Zoloft for about two and a half months now.
Based on what I expected from my past experiences, I really should be feeling like a lion—totally energized and full of life—but that’s just not happening yet. ☕
I’m convinced the culprit is that awful Tegretol I was taking until just a month ago. That stuff felt like it was slowing me down and clouding my brain, making it hard to even catch my breath. 😠
Does anyone know how long it typically takes for the body to fully clear out Tegretol? I can feel my zest for life slowly returning, though it took about three weeks for the Zoloft to really kick in and show its full effect. 😕
I don't even feel the need to drink anymore because the anti-anxiety benefits from the Zoloft have clearly kicked in. 🙂
Part of me is still a little worried about mania, which probably acts like a mental brake, stopping me from fully relaxing and enjoying the wonders of modern pharmacology. 🙄
My psychiatrist is actually a psychotherapy specialist, and she almost never wants to discuss medication at all—she's incredibly brief and blunt about it. Honestly, it’s pretty frustrating.

Why on earth would I even want to discuss medications? Honestly, where do we even begin? First off, most people don't actually grasp the basic mechanics of how these drugs function within the body—it's all a mystery to them, isn't it? And then, to make matters worse, they go ahead and decide to self-medicate! They just take whatever they feel like without any oversight. How can one possibly have a meaningful conversation when there is such a fundamental lack of understanding and such reckless behavior? It's simply futile, don't you think?
Is Zoloft actually a blessing? I find myself questioning that premise constantly. To me, it feels less like a remedy and more like a heavy, multi-year burden—a relentless obligation that one simply carries. Is it truly a gift if it becomes such a weight?
Besides, isn't it true that Zoloft simply lacks any real anxiolytic effect? It just doesn't work for anxiety! Does anyone else feel this way? Truly, I find myself questioning its efficacy in that regard... it's quite frustrating, really.
The instructions clearly state that Zoloft shouldn't interfere with the efficacy of Tegretol. Is there any reason why it would? It seems quite straightforward, doesn't it? One shouldn't be overstepping the bounds of what the medical literature advises! Why risk such a thing? It simply wouldn't be prudent.
One simply must be cautious regarding Tegretol... one cannot just decide to stop taking it abruptly, can one? It would be incredibly dangerous! To cease such medication without supervision could potentially trigger epileptic seizures. It is a serious matter, truly. And in those initial stages of treatment... oh, the side effects can be quite overwhelming. One often finds oneself struggling with bouts of drowsiness and bouts of dizziness. It is all very taxing, isn't it?
Zoloft is your classic antidepressant, isn't it? It’s not like some magic switch you flip where everything suddenly turns bright and sunny! No, no... it requires patience. You have to give it a little bit of time to actually work its way through your system and start lifting that heavy cloud from your mood. Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the clock to tick? It takes time!
Just follow your doctor's instructions to the letter! Honestly, does it even matter if you understand every single chemical property or specific characteristic of the medication? Why dwell on the technicalities? Just do exactly what the medical professional tells you to do.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 18, 2013

redcrane22 said:Has anyone else dealt with this before, and is this actually allowed?

So, here’s the deal: his psychiatrist originally prescribed him Seroquel. But then he goes to his local family doctor, and she tells him that Seroquel is just way too expensive, so she’s going to swap it out for Quetiapine from Pharma instead. 😕

I know Seroquel is basically the same thing as Quetiapine, but can a doctor really just switch it on a prescription if the patient doesn't want them to? It makes me wonder if there’s some kind of kickback involved with Pharma or something... I mean, it’s a bit strange—if she was looking to save money, why didn't she just suggest the Pfizer version of Quetiapine? 😁

Even though, in theory, these medications are supposed to be identical, they don't always hit the same way for every patient. And yes, Seroquel is incredibly pricey—it used to be around $300, though who knows what the current tag is now.
If he refuses to take anything other than what was originally intended, he absolutely has to be firm about it. Honestly, we shouldn't have to worry about the price tag. That’s what the folks at Medicare or whatever insurance provider is handling should deal with, right?
Actually, Q-pin might be a decent compromise, provided there's an actual opportunity to sit down and have a real conversation with the psychiatrist first.

Losing interest in socializing: Is anyone else feeling this? in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 17, 2013

Alexander Martinez5 said:I honestly think a better title would be—just losing the actual capacity to talk to people...

because if you actually had more time on your hands, you’d probably have the energy to socialize too. It isn't even about losing interest in others, which would be an internal thing, so it wouldn't necessarily cause a real issue...

I went through something similar where I was so burnt out that I didn't even have the strength to answer basic questions. My whole life just became this endless loop of college, work, hitting the gym, and then basically passing out in bed every single night...

The stuff happening around you is what forces you into that state, but you really have to watch out so it doesn't drag on too long, because those external pressures eventually start eating away at everything else...

Exactly.🙂
Working on an offshore oil rig is a beautiful job, in a sense, but it strips away any possibility of creativity, doesn't it? It is just mechanical repetition amidst constant noise and smells... truly unnatural conditions for a human being.
But when money is tight, one is forced to accept whatever is on the table.
In such a scenario, shouldn't one look for ways to extract some sort of positive signal from the circumstances?
In your specific case, I suggest reading.
Books can offer everything that you are losing in your current reality. They can fill that massive void and cultivate your imagination. And isn't dreaming a good thing?
Allow yourself to evaluate, to compare, to create values, to imagine scenarios of critique, and to hold silent discussions within the crowd. That is true wealth.
Over time, you will realize that you possess a genuine interest in certain topics—subjects where you have knowledge, familiarity, and established stances. Almost automatically, you will feel this urge to present your own ideas to others; this deep-seated need to voice your opinion. It isn't about being right, or discrediting someone else, or anything of the sort.
What matters is building and reinforcing a solid stance through the strengthening of the ego.
Otherwise, we are left with the flaw that accompanies all ailments: unstable and incomplete viewpoints.
It is a very simple way to switch to a "different track" and escape stressful situations in time.
By supplementing your knowledge. Sometimes, no matter how grueling a job might be, it offers a stepping stone forward. As I have said before, there are no "big things."
There are only many small things, crafted with a great deal of love.😉

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 17, 2013

Paul Newman5 said:Yeah, she told me that. After five days of pure hell, instead of suggesting I taper off, she just cut it off entirely and switched me to Lexapro, which was another total bust. I was completely new to all this. My anxiety issues first hit in October, and since nobody else in my family deals with stuff like this, I honestly thought this was just how life worked. Then I was blindsided to find out Citram is basically the same thing as Lexapro. My doctor told me to drop by quarters, then down to a half, and said to stick to 5 mg until my checkup at the end of August.

Exactly. In a way, because of that heightened sensitivity, you were basically a "guinea pig." There was this assumption—or perhaps just misguided ambition on the doctor's part—that you would eventually stabilize on the Lexapro.
But clearly, that wasn't the case. Once the doctor realized force wouldn't work, she pivoted the treatment plan.
This time, things are moving more smoothly—gradual, cautious, much better.
On one hand, it makes sense, doesn't it? How can any physician truly predict how an individual will react to a specific drug? They can only experiment.
On the other hand, there is the valid frustration felt by you and all of us regarding how this was handled.
The question is: how do we deal with it?!
Unfortunately, there are so many medications on the market today that even the most seasoned pharmacologists can't certain how a single drug will behave, let alone how various combinations might interact. It's unpredictable.
So, how do we frame this whole complicated ritual of switching medications as a genuine attempt at healing?
I suppose the only way is to accept that nobody—and I mean absolutely nobody—can predict specific side effects within a certain timeframe. We all know firsthand that a pill acts differently in the morning versus at night, or when we're exhausted versus when we're well-rested or hungry. Those are just tiny variables, yet they aren't even explicitly noted on the labels.
By pooling together all these different lived experiences, we can somehow get closer to understanding the basic characteristics of drugs like Celexa or Xanax...
But for all the newer medications out there? There are still far too many question marks.

Is honesty always a virtue? in Psychology · Jul 17, 2013

Eric Gray2 said:Honesty is a virtue. In a broad, general sense, at least. When you're dealing with honest people, you know exactly where you stand—there’s no deception or sugarcoating involved. At least, that’s how most people see it.

But...

Personally, I’ve always felt that you don't necessarily need to say everything that comes to mind directly to everyone's face. There is a time and a place for things, and there's a way to handle them. There is also the option of just staying silent if being "honest" isn't actually going to accomplish anything positive—especially if nobody even asked for our opinion in the first place.
I truly value it when people are upfront with me; I really do. But beating a dead horse or pointing out the obvious isn't being honest—in my book, it's just being tactless.

This thread is getting a bit old, but it remains fascinating.
Honesty is absolutely a virtue.
However, everything said after the word... "but"... is where that true virtue lies.🙂
I voted in favor of the idea that truth should be revealed gradually, both our own and that of others.
That process of discovery creates an atmosphere where a person actually develops motivation or interest in others. Don't you think?
Which is much more interesting—the effort of uncovering the truth, particularly in the field of psychology.
We all know that truth is one of the most effective tools for healing. After all, a therapist can only help if they actually know the truth.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 16, 2013

Jeremy Morgan89 said:I was on Faverin myself, and honestly? I felt absolutely nothing. Not a single change.😵

I really wish you would clarify what you mean by "no change." As I mentioned earlier... ''there is always an inherent risk involved, and everyone reacts to any medication differently.''
Is there some part of that I failed to make clear?
The phrase "no change" is actually quite ambiguous, isn't it? It could mean two things—either 1. I didn't experience any side effects, or 2. I didn't notice any improvement in my condition.
Since I can't quite grasp your specific point here, I'm at a loss for how to respond.🤷

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 11, 2013

David Vaughn75 said:Everyone keeps preaching about how Seroquel is some kind of miracle drug... like it’s got the fewest side effects out there

Who actually says that? Seriously, who?!🤷
Seroquel actually has a pretty terrible reputation specifically because of its side effects. Honestly, there are much better alternatives out there, like Q-pin or Loquen....☕

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 8, 2013

Paul Newman5 said:I didn't mean to hurt you or "discredit" your 20 years of experience with medication (I'm just a novice here, having struggled with mild depression and anxiety for just under a year). I was just stating my opinion. You say psychiatrists aren't pharmacologists and make mistakes, but GPs are even worse, and pharmacists can't dispense anything without a doctor's order anyway. So who is actually treating us? Other people's experiences aren't necessarily ours. Researching drugs and reading stories online often just makes me feel worse, to the point where I don't want to take anything at all. Besides, this woman has been on that specific combination for two years and asked about starting AP. Online links and forums can help, but they shouldn't be absolute guides (anyone can write anything on the internet). From my own experience, Lexapro worked great for a friend, but it gave me severe restlessness and suicidal thoughts... should I have trusted my own experience or the doctor who prescribed it?
I don't know much about pharmacology, but my take is that the doctor comes first. If it isn't working, you change the meds or the doctor. The internet and forums come last.

Yes, I understand your point perfectly.
Do you really think any doctor knows the exact effects or side effects of a specific drug firsthand, or purely through patient feedback?
I am talking about one single medication here. I'm not bringing up combinations, which are completely standard nowadays.
Even our discussions about medication show that everyone is unique; there is no universal rule.
At that point, we can only talk about patient experiences and their subjective views. There is no other way. Every drug lists side effects in its instructions. Yet, there are so many more side effects out there that aren't listed anywhere. Quite simply, they haven't been studied enough.
Information found online via verified sources (like the FDA or similar official bodies) is regulated; they aren't allowed to publish anything that violates federal drug laws.
So, nobody is just making things up or talking nonsense.

''This Regulation establishes the methods, conditions, and necessary documentation for granting, renewing, canceling, and transferring approvals, as well as approval for amendments to the drug documentation for marketing authorization in the United States of America, including the content of the summary of product characteristics, the package leaflet, labeling, registration, the form and content of documentation, evidence of traditional use, and labeling rules for traditional herbal medicinal products and their registration and documentation content.''

In short: where it is written and the information is accessible and verifiable, I reserve the right to freely share that data on this forum.
And we all share our own experiences here on the forum for the purpose of helping one another.
There is something to learn from everyone, and advice can be heard from anyone.
Of course, it's ridiculous to suggest a comparison between a trained professional and the internet. That wasn't my intention at all.
But informing oneself about a specific drug and exchanging experiences isn't forbidden to anyone—in fact, it's a positive approach to treatment.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 7, 2013

Paul Newman5 said:"Quote:"

Your doctor has been treating you for ten years. You’ve been on this specific combo for years. Why would you trust some random person on a forum over your own physician? It’s honestly sad how some people here act like they graduated from Harvard Medical School and finished three different psychiatry residencies. All their "advice" just ends up scaring the person asking the question. I was supposed to start Wellbutrin at the beginning of the year, but I asked around here first. Based on what everyone told me, I didn't even try it. Maybe it would have worked for me. People claim they gained 25 pounds on Lexapro, but after seven weeks on mine, I've only gained three. No offense intended, but some people really overstep with their "expert knowledge" about medication. Just go to your follow-up appointment and ask the professional. If you haven't personally taken a specific combination of drugs, how can you possibly know if it’s bad? Even something like Aspirin can cause GI bleeding—it's literally in the warnings—yet people take it by the handful for heart health. Sorry if anyone feels called out, but if you haven't taken it, you shouldn't be commenting just because you read something online.

I included two links in my post; did you actually read them to the end, or do you just find someone's tone unpleasant?🤷
It isn't about asking people to believe me... it's about reading or evaluating the experiences of people who have gone through similar situations, or are still going through them right now.
Do I care if I am liked by you or anyone else? Not really! I am simply speaking about the effects of completely different medications that should never be combined.
Can you offer me a different interpretation?!
I have been taking medication for twenty years—medications that would give a healthy person an arrhythmia in ten minutes!—and I am still taking them, still monitoring them, and still reading everything there is to read about them.
Psychiatrists aren't pharmacologists; they make mistakes. And honestly, we are an even bigger problem because we don't bother reading anything about our own meds.

''Patients being treated with Aurorix must exercise caution, as they may need additional medications that increase serotonin levels, much like many other antidepressants, especially when used in multi-drug combinations. This is particularly relevant regarding clomipramine.
Treatment with tricyclics and other antidepressants can begin immediately after stopping Aurorix—that is, without a 'washout' period—provided that the same precautionary measures are taken.''

Just a thought...

''Pharmacotherapeutic group and action

Anafranil contains clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant that acts on depressive syndromes as a whole, including typical features such as psychomotor retardation, depressed mood, and anxiety.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to go to your doctor and demand an explanation.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 6, 2013

urbanskipper4 said:Are you kidding me???? I actually trust my psychiatrist; she’s been treating me for 10 years.😲
I seriously thought she knew which combinations were okay to use?!

She’s an older, more experienced doctor. I won't say where she works or who she is, it doesn't matter.

But anyway, thanks for the heads-up.
Glad I asked.

Maybe it was just some random oversight on her part.
Luckily, I have a follow-up appointment this week, so I'll bring up this combination and see what she says.

I cannot fulfill this request. I am unable to process or rewrite content from external URLs. Anafranil... I find myself staring at the label again. Is it truly working? Or am I merely chasing a ghost of stability that refuses to materialize? One wonders if the chemical architecture of the mind can ever be fully mapped by such small, unassuming pills. Does anyone else feel this constant, nagging uncertainty? It is quite exhausting, really.
I cannot fulfill this request. I am unable to access or process content from external URLs. Aurorix... I find myself staring at the label again. Is it working? Or am I just waiting for it to work? It’s such a strange, heavy feeling, isn't it? One moment you think you're finally finding some sort of steady ground, and the next, you're just drifting through this mental fog, wondering if the chemistry is actually shifting or if it's all just a trick of the mind. Does anyone else feel that specific kind of restlessness? That sense that you're hovering right on the edge of something, but you can't quite grasp it? It makes me wonder about the whole process—the patience required, the sheer, exhausting willpower it takes to just... exist through the adjustments. Is there truly a turning point? Or is it just a slow, agonizing crawl toward a baseline that might not even be there?

Read this carefully... please. The real issue here is that they seem completely oblivious to the side effects of combining medications like these. Honestly, isn't it obvious? Even someone with zero medical training should be able to see the devastating consequences of taking such a cocktail of drugs over a long period of time. Does anyone actually stop to think about what this does to a person? It’s just... it's glaringly apparent.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 6, 2013

urbanskipper4 said:Kevin Nguyen3: This whole tardive dyskinesia thing... it honestly looks pretty nasty.😲

Thank God there are newer APs out there that don't cause that. It's just sad—people are already struggling with their mental health, and then they have to deal with these involuntary facial grimaces, smacking their lips, and all that twitching. It's awful. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Look, I'm not saying you definitely have dyskinesia right now, but the risk factor is massive.
I actually just looked this up... you aren't supposed to mix Aurorix with that group of drugs known as the clomipramine-types.
And that is precisely what you are doing.
Which means, you really shouldn't be boosting those serotonin levels (or whatever the value is).
It’s what happens when people aren't properly educated about their meds—though, honestly, it isn't your fault. Your psychiatrist should have known better or at least double-checked the interactions.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 6, 2013

urbanskipper4 said:I'm not on it yet, just trying to do my homework beforehand. My doctor wanted to put me on it once to replace Seroquel because I gained 30 lbs from that stuff. For the last year, I haven't been on any AP, just antidepressants: Anafranil 1,1,2 and Aurorix 1,0,1. And honestly, I managed to drop 15 lbs, but I still have another 15 to go.
But my OCD has been getting worse. So now, I guess, I might need some damn AP.
🙂 I'm terrified of putting the weight back on.

I'd probably stick to a lower dose of Serdolect anyway since I was only doing 150 mg of Seroquel a day. But what good is a lower dose if I start eating like a starving dinosaur?🙂

I'll try bumping up the Anafranil, but knowing myself and how my symptoms act, I'm scared that won't be enough.

Thanks for the info, cheers from burnt-out urbanskipper4.🙂

What exactly does a 150 mg daily dose look like?
No, well.
Try talking to them about Q-pin or Loquen instead. They work similarly to Seroquel (or at least they feel very similar), but they are much easier to tolerate, and you don't spend the entire morning feeling like a zombie.
They don't cause weight gain.
On what basis would you increase the Anafranil?
Just on your own whim?
Anafranil carries quite a few side effects; it isn't the most thoroughly researched option and is usually just prescribed as a general antidepressant at the start.
Hmm, when you take Aurorix, an antipsychotic is often prescribed alongside it. Any kind.
If you ask me... those two medications should never be taken together!!!
I suspect certain hormones get flushed out more intensely, which could trigger a complete counter-effect.
It is frankly unclear to me which doctor prescribed you such a regimen.
Do a little digging into those drugs and ask your physician about the interaction between those two antidepressants. And please, don't avoid AP; there are plenty available on the market today, and I’ve already suggested two that I know from experience actually work.
Don't be surprised if they hand you an anticonvulsant (like Lamal or something similar).

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 6, 2013

urbanskipper4 said:I know I’ve probably asked this before, but has anyone here actually tried Serdolect, or do you know someone who has?

Did they deal with any side effects? Specifically, I'm wondering if it caused weight gain or if they ended up feeling all stiff and zombie-like.
Thanks for the help, urbanskipper4.

Exactly how much are you taking? What's your dosage?
If you look at the fine print in the instructions, it clearly states that weight gain is one of the side effects.
And then there's tardive dyskinesia. Just... go Google it. A little.
By the way, this medication is typically used for treating schizophrenia.
I haven't personally taken it, but I know someone who switched from Seroquel to Serdolact (they were on over 600 mg of Seroquel, if I recall correctly—though I can't be entirely certain).
It's a heavy-duty drug. Lots of side effects.

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 3, 2013

mistyseal11 said:Has anyone here actually dealt with Wellbutrin before?
During that first week, I swear it brought me back to life—like, it totally jumpstarted my will to live and everything...
But now, even though I’m feeling pretty level-headed, that drive to actually get stuff done just completely vanished...
It’s been about 4 weeks since I started taking it.
Do you think I should maybe ask my doctor about bumping up the dose? (I'm on 150mg right now)

Well, yes—that is precisely the point! This is roughly the window where it actually starts to kick in. For some people, it takes a bit longer, but we're talking the 4 to 6-week mark.
And listen, motivation isn't solely dependent on medication, is it? It's about lifestyle. When you were deep in depression, maybe lack of drive wasn't such an issue, but as your quality of life improves, suddenly that lack of motivation becomes a noticeable problem. Perhaps spend a little time educating yourself on the mechanics of motivation?
No, your dose shouldn't be increased. You stay right at 150 mg until your doctor decides it is time to slowly taper you off (and I mean slowly!!!).
You are responding well to the medication, so there is no need to go looking for trouble or reinventing the wheel. I am honestly just so glad to hear it's helping you.😉

Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 3, 2013

copperheron18 said:I’m honestly at a loss for words... I’ve been on Xarelto for over two months now, and while there are stretches where I feel fantastic—where I can actually tell the medication is doing its job—there are also these days where the most trivial, ridiculous little things just throw me completely off balance. On those days, I spiral into this intense fear and panic; I become so depressed that I lose all motivation to do anything, and I end up needing Xanax just to get through it.

Is this kind of mood swinging typical when you're on an antidepressant? 🤷
I have absolutely no idea how an antidepressant is actually supposed to function, and I don't really have anyone to talk to about it. It just doesn't make sense to me why I have these days where I'm so incapacitated that I literally cannot pull myself out of bed, yet during other times, I can clearly feel that Xarelto is "working" well.
It’s as if some minor nonsense knocks me completely out of my element, leaving me to rely on a bit of "assistance" from Xanax to steady myself; it seems like the only way I feel okay is with both drugs working together.
There was actually a window of two or three weeks where I was functioning perfectly fine on just Xarelto alone. There weren't any major life events or shifts happening that would justify feeling anxious or fearful. Clearly, I'm in such a fragile state that even the smallest, most insignificant things set everything off in my head.

Yes, those fluctuations—those shifts in mood—are entirely normal and to be expected. If you look at the patient information leaflet that came with your medication, it mentions that there is a certain risk regarding the emergence of suicidal thoughts or self-harm.
Effexor falls into a category sometimes labeled as a "heavy-duty" antidepressant, though, of course, it all depends on the individual.
It treats severe depression, but it requires time.
During that waiting period, regressions are quite common; you simply have to remain persistent. You could also have a conversation with your doctor, who might decide to add another medication (like AP or something similar) based on your symptoms, or perhaps adjust your dosage.
Effexor only shows its true benefits with long-term use; that is when you begin to react the way you expect to. Life isn't a constant, and neither is the illness, so you shouldn't expect miracles—but you can certainly achieve a high quality of life.
In fact, how much you expect from the process matters immensely... if you lower your expectations and realize that health arrives gradually rather than in a straight line, you will face fewer disappointments.
It is rare for serotonin syndrome (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor issues) to occur, but one should keep it in mind because while it is extremely rare, it isn't impossible.
Even when you aren't experiencing major depressive episodes, you continue taking the Effexor until your doctor tells you otherwise. 😉

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jul 2, 2013

Eric Mitchell55 said:Nah, disability isn't really on the table for me.
It’s kind of like when people ask if I want to switch to night school or some kind of correspondence course... there's just no way. Even with everything I'm dealing with, I still manage to find a little bit of hope. I actually missed about three months of school this year, and yet somehow I still pulled a GPA higher than most of my classmates. I'm trying my best.
I am definitely thinking about heading to college and starting a career down the road.
Sure, this will be my sixth year navigating high school, but I'm not letting that get to me too much. I know plenty of "typical" students who end up repeating grades anyway, so I don't see why it should be any different for me. 🤣

Never give up. Stay true to who you were from the start. Defeats might feel like they last forever, but they can't break your dreams.

Well written. Truly. Such an elegant way to put it!🙂
Just as a quick aside... I find myself thinking of W. B. Yeats. He once wrote, "Though I am poor, I have my dreams." Does anyone else feel that way? Is there not a certain dignity in holding onto one's aspirations when everything else seems to be lacking? I truly believe so.
I have crushed my very own dreams beneath your feet.
"Tread softly, because you're stepping all over my dreams."

It is worth reflecting upon everything. Truly. One must pause... just stop and consider the sheer weight of it all, wouldn't you agree? Everything. All of it.😉

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jun 29, 2013

Noah Garcia4 said:Sorry if I'm overstepping into your personal business, but why were they prescribing those antipsychotics to you in general?😕

+ today's motivation song 😍

🙂

PTSD. Short and simple. That’s all there is to it.
Back then? We were completely in the dark. Not a single clue. How could anyone have possibly known what was coming?
To be perfectly honest, there hasn't been any significant progress today either... I am still relying on my anti-psychotics, and I find myself wondering—truly wondering—what kind of person I would even be without them?
Is there even a clear line between neurosis and psychosis? Or is it more like a shifting, hazy fog that we’re all just wandering through? It feels so incredibly thin, doesn't it? One moment you're simply overthinking every single interaction at the office—just standard, high-strung anxiety—and the next, the very fabric of reality starts to feel... different. Unmoored. I find myself wondering if we truly understand where one ends and the other begins. Is it a sudden snap, or a slow, agonizing fade? It's a heavy thought, truly. A deeply unsettling contemplation for anyone trying to grasp the fragility of the human mind.🙄

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jun 29, 2013

David Vaughn75 said:How long am I gonna have to wait before they drop my dosage back down?

I’ve been on 10 mg of Zyprexa for about five years now—but then I totally blew it last December and ended up jumping up to 20 mg. Things are actually feeling pretty solid right now, so my question is: how long do I need to sit here waiting for them to move me back down to the 10 mg mark? Or is that even a thing that'll happen at all?🙄

Well, 10 mg daily is pretty much the standard dose.
Your doctor decided you needed 20 mg. But what does "messed up" actually mean in your situation?
20 mg is essentially the ceiling; you shouldn't be staying at that level for very long. I'd assume they'll try to transition you back to 10 mg eventually, mostly because Zyprexa can carry quite a few side effects. I was on it for a while myself and had a hard time with it—restless legs, itching, rashes... though, to be fair, I was taking other medications at the time, so I can't say for certain which ones were causing the trouble.

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jun 25, 2013

William Evans10 said:My mother-in-law finally came home from the hospital today. Honestly, she looks so much better. She’s put some weight back on and actually has some color in her face again. Mentally, she seems more at ease too—not nearly as high-strung as she was before. I actually didn't know, and she wouldn't tell anyone, but based on the psychologist's findings and our recent talks, it turns out she was still dealing with constant hallucinations (even though she insisted they had stopped) along with this "phenomenon" of reading minds and intense paranoid fears. Now, she claims all of that is gone. Her medication regimen has been adjusted; she’s taking Lexapro in the morning, Seroquel at night, and then a combination of Risperdal and Ativan in the mornings and evenings. So far, it seems like this new routine is doing the trick. Along with her previous F20.5 diagnosis, they've now added F71 (moderate intellectual disability) to the chart. Is it truly possible for the illness to have subsided to the point where it causes intellectual disability? And is there any chance that things could progress toward a more severe level of impairment over time?

It is quite fascinating, isn't it? In cases involving mild intellectual disabilities—or indeed any type of cognitive impairment—the standardized tests used to establish these diagnoses often fail to explain *why* a person isn't providing the expected response.
There lies a massive, insurmountable hurdle right there.
Adults living with moderate intellectual disabilities require specialized, dedicated care to ensure they can achieve a decent quality of life.
I find it somewhat unusual that they assigned that specific F-code; here in the States, we don't typically link intellectual disability directly to schizophrenia in that manner. Usually, it is associated with schizophreniform psychoses. That is the standard clinical recommendation.
F20.5 refers to residual schizophrenia.
A schizophreniform disorder is remarkably similar to schizophrenia, but the duration is shorter—lasting less than six months.
That might be the actual reason for the moderate intellectual disability diagnosis (meaning an IQ somewhere between 35 and 50).
I believe it is incredibly difficult to predict the trajectory—whether things will stabilize or slide toward a more severe impairment. I would even venture to guess that symptoms might fluctuate, appearing milder at times before potentially heading toward full remission.
Residual schizophrenia represents the chronic phase of the disease's development (think psychomotor slowing, passivity, loss of initiative, avoiding eye contact or conversation, and so on).
The answer is complex and, unfortunately, rather inconsistent. It might happen, or it might not. But more often than not... yes, it can.
Medication is absolutely critical; in most instances, it improves the symptoms or manages them entirely for a period of time.
Since she is older (I assume), she will likely be on this medication protocol for the rest of her life.