Posts by Bryan Rodriguez7

Ah, I probably wouldn't get involved in that one.

Brian Thomas2 said:Well, I suppose one might argue that the very first impression you receive of someone essentially constructs an entire, unyielding portrait of their character. That is, at least, how I tend to interpret this whole "halo effect" phenomenon, if you will.

I see. Well, I guess it really comes down to how good you are at reading people. 🤷
I can usually hold my own when it comes to judging character, though I suppose having some years under my belt helps...
What makes you think someone misjudged you?
Could you share a few more details?

I'm not entirely following the thread here. Could you perhaps elaborate on this a bit more?

Kevin Bailey2 said:Look... a little alcohol isn't going to kill you.
But heaven forbid you mix it with an antipsychotic while you're out somewhere, because you could end up having a total blackout.
Not from my own experience, thank God. I always knew I could have a couple of beers at home with friends after taking my antipsychotics, and honestly, I can't even remember how I fell asleep.

I have a different bad experience involving mixing psych meds and antidepressants. But it wasn't just about the alcohol; it was being in the wrong situation where a few beers definitely wasn't the answer.
When you're on medication, alcohol hits you way harder. A couple of beers and you're done for.

Still, I'm saying... two or three beers won't kill you. But... if you absolutely have to drink, make sure you're under someone's supervision.

I'm only on an AD, and even then, it's the lowest possible dose. But sometimes I'll indulge and have quite a bit to drink. It's not that I can't get drunk, it's more that I enter this state that isn't even intoxication, it's just... strange. My head feels perfectly clear. My fear is that this might leave some kind of lasting trace on my brain; I know the liver takes a hit, too. That's why I was asking.
Thanks for the response. 🙂

Kevin Bailey2 said:I don't do any therapy. I talked to my psychiatrist a lot at the start... then, once I cleared up my social phobia, I started opening up to people. I let them voice their opinions without taking it as an attack on my character. Basically, if someone has an opinion that doesn't line up with mine... I look at it critically. I take the good, toss the bad. I gather perspectives from one, two, ten different people... then I summarize it all and reach my own conclusion.

Then there's... mental masturbation. 😁 My psychiatrist laughed at the phrase.
For a long time, I practiced mental masturbation to find solutions.
Even while on medication.
Even now, I can sit by the window, smoke a cigarette, and just work through my thoughts... reviewing everything I've done, questioning it all.

But honestly... what's the difference between self-criticism without meds versus with meds?

For me personally... without meds... self-criticism = tears, crying, depression. I am the worst person in the world. Absolute rock bottom... I'll never amount to anything. What can I even do in life like this? Nothing. So I just keep crying. I can't face the world. I can't do anything. It feels pointless.

Self-criticism with meds = "Aha... I screwed up. Dammit. Now what? I'm only human. Can I be perfect all the time?"
No. I can't.
Who can?...
Who did I screw over? Person X? Okay... fine, let's take concrete action and see if it can be fixed.
Who did I mess up with now? Myself... okay... let's go back to CONCRETE ACTION, try something, and see what can be repaired.

Meaning... I ACT. I don't just spin my wheels like some dizzy toddler; I think it through and then I head out... 😁 ...sometimes with more fear, sometimes less, sometimes no fear at all... but I don't lock myself away. I go out... and I do it.
And if the mistake can be fixed... great.
If it can't... damn. What am I gonna do? Let time do its thing. I've got other things to deal with. Like cleaning the apartment, studying for work, passing a college exam... stuff like that.

Interesting... in most cases, mistakes really can be fixed.

One more thing... don't drink alcohol while you're on psychiatric meds.

What a thoughtful post. 😍
That’s pretty much how I’ve thought and acted too. Though, do you have a specific reason for mentioning that one shouldn't consume alcohol? (I obviously know it's harmful).
Did you have a bad experience with it?
Because when I was trying to taper off Effexor and was only at half a dose, I had this intense craving for alcohol, even though I don't usually drink—especially since I started taking AD-ove.

hollowdrifter5 said:unnamed

From what I can gather, unnamed takes hers first thing when she wakes up, and unnamed follows after breakfast.
unnamed

Nausea and mild dizziness are pretty standard.

Alright, that sounds manageable.

unnamed

If this treatment is what triggered it, trying to get pregnant will have to wait.

That’s expected, really. But the hardest part is that the depression itself stems from spending a year struggling to conceive. 😢
unnamed

I just don't get how she ended up on medication for nothing more than a depressive episode. 😕

How so? Are you thinking there might be something else besides meds, like psychotherapy or something similar? 😕

She’s incredibly guarded. She didn't even tell her parents she saw a psychiatrist, just her husband and me. She’s also dealing with a lot of insecurity and general anxiety about everything. That’s why I promised I’d look into other people's experiences for her. Right now, she's terrified of the side effects and how the drugs will hit her. 🤷

I just hope the treatment does the trick. Tell me, if you happen to know, how long do people typically stay on this kind of regimen?

I see, that makes more sense now. This isn't just a passing phase; she’s in a depressive state, and it has likely been going on for quite some time. I suppose everyone deals with depressive episodes occasionally, and they tend to pass on their own, but clinical depression is a legitimate illness just like any other, and it needs to be taken very seriously. Plus, from what I can tell, she’s dealing with anxiety too, which is why she's using unnamed. You might want to look into social phobia as well.

The medication will definitely help her, that much is certain, but she also has to put in the work herself. Medication is really just a crutch; she’s the one who has to do the healing through a combination of therapy and medicine.

As for the duration, it really depends on the patient's condition. It could range anywhere from three months to three years—and I’m referring specifically to the unnamed that I take myself. I wouldn't dare speculate on the other one since I haven't used it. But honestly, there is plenty of information online; if you Google it, you should be able to find quite a bit regarding specific drugs and the illness itself.

hollowdrifter5 said:A friend of mine was just prescribed a combo of Lorazepam 1 x 1 mg and Effexor 37.5 mg for a moderate depressive episode. I'm curious if anyone here has experience with this specific pairing and what kind of side effects we should be looking out for.

She was told that the Effexor might cause some nausea, but apparently, that should taper off after three or four days. 🤷 Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

Supposedly, if the nausea gets too intense, the treatment is stopped. Does that usually mean actual vomiting, or just an overwhelming sense of being sick?

On top of that, she was warned not to try getting pregnant right now—which is frustrating, because she was actually right in the middle of trying. 😢

Side effects are pretty much a standard part of taking any medication, I suppose.
Effexor generally plays well with other drugs, so from that perspective, there shouldn't be much of an issue. She just shouldn't take it on an empty stomach; taking it after a meal should help mitigate the nausea. It’s probably best to take the Effexor in the morning so it doesn't interfere with sleep, while the Lorazepam tends to have a sedative effect—at least from what I understand, though I haven't personally used it—so she should save that for the evening.
Feeling nauseous or a bit lightheaded is fairly common.

During those first few days on Effexor, you can feel somewhat drugged or just a little lost, but that usually passes quite quickly.
As for the pregnancy, she’ll definitely have to wait if she's starting this regimen.

I guess I'm just a bit puzzled as to how she received this specific therapy for just a single depressive episode. 😕