Posts by Larry Lewis

This OCD5 thing gets under my skin every single time. Look, I deal with schizophrenia and OCD myself—it’s a heavy load—and I honestly can’t wrap my head around whether someone with her level of severity shouldn't be exhibiting these specific symptoms if their condition were actually more advanced. It just doesn't sit right with me.🤷
Maybe Kevin Nguyen3 comes off a bit harsh—I'll give you that—but let's face it: the situation is what it is. She and her sister basically have to step up and take charge. I realize they're still just kids, but sometimes life just throws you a curveball that's hard to dodge.

And what's the deal, Alex? Are you trying to break the Guinness World Record for the most extreme diagnoses?😂

Just kidding... mostly. Hang in there, kid.😉

Robin Lopez2 said:Under the new regulations, anyone renewing their license is required to submit a brief medical history from their GP. It’s typically just a single sentence stating something like, "Patient is being treated for X and Y, remains compliant with medication, and is functioning well."

How are you guys even dealing with this renewal process? I passed my exam 17 years ago and my license is still good for another three decades... hm? Is there some new law I missed entirely?

What would my doctor even write for me? Something like "patient takes their meds and shows no symptoms" should be fine, right? I mean, we're talking about psychiatric medications here—it's not like they can just ignore that part of the equation, surely?

Harold Harris20 said:Quick question about driver's license exams. What actually happens during those psychological evaluations? My brother was supposed to go this morning to get his commercial driver's license, but he totally froze up... He’s terrified the evaluator will "notice" that his mental health isn't quite 100%. He's been driving for years without a single accident or ticket, but he's also dealt with hand tremors since he was a kid, so he's just a nervous wreck right now. Anyone have experience with this or know what to expect? Please share!

Does he already have a license from somewhere else?

I've had my license since I was 18—well, let's be real, I've been mentally unstable since I was 21.🙂
Nobody ever asked me a single thing—not even when the cops pulled me over while I was drunk and getting into a shouting match with them because I thought they were wiretapping my phone. That was back when I was deep in a psychosis... thinking they were tapping the lines, following me, reading my mind, all that nonsense.
But a friend of mine—she deals with some sort of psychotic episodes herself—told me they told her she had to provide medical clearance proving she doesn't have mental health issues. Unfortunately, I don't know much more than that.

Kevin Bailey2 said:There's a massive difference between switching meds and just quitting them altogether.

Look, I get what you're saying—really, I do—but I was just trying to pass along whatever little bits of intel I could manage to scrape together for you.

Kevin Bailey2 said:Are you guys actually certain that antipsychotics aren't addictive?

Specifically... Seroquel.

At first, 25 milligrams at night felt way too heavy—I’d wake up feeling totally groggy—but things leveled out pretty quickly.

Lately, I haven't even been taking it every single night, though I usually take it right before bed. It helps me sleep great. The morning fog is completely gone now.

But last night, I tried going without it and it was a total disaster... I was stuck in this weird half-sleep state all night, tossing and turning, and when morning came, I could barely drag myself out of bed because I was so wiped out.
I mean... it's not like anything extreme is happening. I don't have withdrawal symptoms today... I feel normal enough... but I'm terrified I won't be able to get any decent sleep without the Seroquel.

All I know is that whenever I've had to switch from one antipsychotic to another, there hasn't been a single hiccup. I've cycled through maybe five or six different ones over the years of my treatment.

ironrider11 said:Effexor [venlafaxin] Withdrawal and Brain Zaps

Yeah, you hit the nail on the head there—now that I think about it, things were even more brutal whenever that sensation would just... drift away.

I can't help but wonder just how much my brain has been fried by all this—though, honestly, maybe it’s better if I never find out.🙂

ironrider11 said:So, self-defense is the answer?
"Just when I'm right on the edge of actually facing reality [due to some random factor; doesn't matter...]; I'll choose to hide behind illusions instead because I can't handle the truth. If I don't, I'll snap. And snapping is messy."
I mean, I get it. But by masking the problem [avoiding the truth], the "issue" never actually goes away. It just lingers. You're just delaying the inevitable. Basically just borrowing time until the next—likely much worse—total meltdown happens.

Hmm....

A friend of mine actually asked me recently whether I think hope is a good thing or a bad thing, and my response was simple: at the end of my life, I'll probably be thanking them for lying to me all along, and that’s that.

I can't quite remember when I first stumbled upon your post and felt that exact same way.

fadedbear92 said:I've mentioned this before—it absolutely wrecked my sleep. I ended up on three weeks of medical leave because I could barely close my eyes. Even the heavy-duty sedatives they give you before surgery at the hospital wouldn't knock me out for more than an hour. Eventually, my doctor put me on Tegretol, which was a lifesaver back then, but my system really needed time to flush all that junk out.
It helps some people with depression, sure, but for me, it felt like pure speed.😲

When I was dealing with Effexor [ venlafaxin ] Withdrawal and Brain Zaps, I felt these literal electrical jolts lashing through my brain. I posted about this ages ago, and looking back, it seems like a lot of people went through the exact same thing. You're just walking down the street in Chicago, minding your own goddamn business, when suddenly—BAM—this shock hits you every single minute. I honestly couldn't believe it was happening. It passed after a few days, but man... it was like my brain was giving itself constant electroshock therapy.

As for that comment about speed—all I’ll say is, back when I was using it in... unconventional ways with my old crew of misfits, I can confirm it definitely hits. But pssssst, 🙂

fadedbear92 said:Don't even bring up Effexor, brother!!!😲😲😲

What kind of mess are you dealing with?🙂
I swear—honestly, I mean it—if these pills don't end up making us even more unstable than we already are, I don't know what will.😕

Paul Thompson3 said:That’s just not a reality. If you actually had the urge to live like Tarzan, you wouldn't be looking for an exit strategy in the first place.
What you're describing is basically the plot of Into The Wild.

edit: You should have just started a thread asking what people would do if they were stuck in a dead end—say, getting diagnosed with an inoperable tumor and told by doctors they've got maybe a year left at most.

If I really only had a year left to live, I think I'd just blow through $100,000—no hesitation, no second thoughts—on absolutely anything my heart desired. I wouldn't save a single cent.

I’d basically be a walking, breathing mashup of Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain... though, let's be honest, I'd be doing it all without any of the actual talent—if you'll excuse me.😁

redtiger35 said:fadedbear92, have you ever actually tried tapering off Clonazepam and dealt with something similar to what Kevin Bailey2 went through?

As for me, I just quit my Klonopin cold turkey—I was on the 2 mg pills—and honestly, I felt absolutely nothing.

I suppose everyone’s biology is wired differently. It’s one of those things where some people can step off Effexor without even blinking, whereas for me... well, the Effexor [ venlafaxin ] Withdrawal and Brain Zaps were an absolute nightmare.

To be perfectly honest, I found Clonazepam quite effective—if you’ll allow me to use that particular phrasing—because it helped me feel less... "normal," if you catch my drift. Now that you've all brought it up again, it's actually ringing a bell; I think I might go back to my therapist and ask about getting it on my regimen again. She had originally intended to prescribe it, but she ultimately had second thoughts at the last minute. So, thanks for the nudge.🙂 make peace not love🙂

David Vaughn75 said:Man, this depression thing is such a trip... like, sure, everyone tells you it’s just "brain chemistry," but what about the rest of it? What about being stuck without a job in this economy, or having zero real friends to lean on? Or the fact that most girls aren't exactly looking to date someone dealing with schizoaffective disorder? Not to mention my family situation is an absolute dumpster fire... but hey, nobody wants to hear that. Is there some magic little pill that fixes all those real-world problems too?

Honestly, you know what’s truly infuriating about the healthcare system here? The fact that I can't even access the specific therapy my specialist prescribed—the one that actually *worked*—is absolutely maddening.
If they’re going to pass laws forcing primary care doctors to prescribe generics, then they should have had the foresight to ensure those generics are actually sitting on the shelves of local pharmacies.

My GP prescribes me Loquen XR 300, but when I get to the pharmacy, they tell me it's out of stock and they haven't the slightest clue when it'll be back in. Meanwhile, the doctor won't budge on prescribing the brand-name version. So, what am I supposed to do? I tried going without it, and it's been a disaster—just pure depression, irritability, and sleeping from 7 AM until 2 PM... it's a mess.

David Vaughn75 said:Chicago
Honestly, my dentist has basically become one of my best friends at this point.
In just six months, he’s already had to fix five of my teeth—and god knows, we've still got two more to go. 😢

Ugh, the dentist... honestly, I’m just sitting here, counting down the days until I inevitably have to go in and have them yank the nerves out of a few of my lower front teeth. Just waiting for the inevitable.

Honestly, I’m feeling a bit off lately—and I don't mean that in a poetic way—but it's mostly because my treatment plan keeps getting shuffled around due to all this endless bureaucratic nonsense. It feels like every time I get settled into a routine, some administrator at the insurance company or a clerk at the clinic decides to move the goalposts just for the sake of it. It’s exhausting, really. I’d love to be more present, but what can you actually do when you're caught in the gears of a system that seems designed to be as inefficient as possible? It’s enough to make anyone feel a bit unmoored.

So, that’s how I’m getting through the day—just pushing along, one foot in front of the other. At least I’m not spiraling into full-blown psychotic thoughts right now, though—well, I did have this moment where I was absolutely certain I heard a voice, just a fleeting thing—but let’s just call it what it was: a trick of the mind. Let's just leave it at "I thought I heard something" and move on before things get complicated.🙂

Just the usual depression and low spirits... dragging me down again.

Chloe Roberts2 said:That doesn't actually give me any answers at all. So, thanks for nothing, I guess.

Let me be crystal clear: can Risperdal be prescribed for acute psychosis?

Honestly, I’m starting to get really anxious here, and I would truly appreciate a straight answer on whether Risperdal is used for treating acute psychosis. It’s incredibly important to me because, frankly, I’ve lost all confidence in my doctor.

There’s a chance my psychiatrist lied to me about my diagnosis; she once told me I was perfectly healthy and just had a behavioral disorder. So now I'm left wondering—is this whole "acute psychosis" thing just another lie too?

Generally speaking, antipsychotics are what they prescribe for psychoses.

Doctors say whatever they feel like saying—most of them couldn't care less about the actual patient.

So, everyone—how am I doing? Am I holding up alright?

Damn Solis... it’s just plain sad😢

I honestly have no idea how they haven't already admitted her to the hospital—it’s a complete mystery to me, really😕

Michelle Evans said:True, APs aren't just reserved for psychotic disorders.

As for how easily psychosis can be spotted, it really varies. I’ve seen cases where a doctor saw someone walk in alone, listened to their story, and sent them straight home. Because the patient didn't mention anything significant—nothing that made their family feel they needed medical help—they kept those details to themselves. It just wasn't important to them. 😁 Since nobody showed up with them to provide outside info, the conclusion was simply that they were a bit stressed, just like anyone else. Then, the next day, they were hospitalized for over a month. Turns out, they weren't just "a little stressed"... 🤷 😳

The crux of the matter is that some people can endure severe symptoms while masking them perfectly—even the intense ones—whereas others seem to lose their grip over the slightest hint of an issue.

I met a woman in the hospital once who had been working at a local pharmacy for six months while dealing with auditory hallucinations. Of course, after everything finally caught up with her, she ended up admitted, but she had endured so much suffering without ever showing a single outward sign.

I didn't get an immediate F20.0 diagnosis myself—they actually had me on antipsychotics right out of the gate—but I know plenty of people who are prescribed APs without ever experiencing a single moment of psychosis. Honestly, it makes no sense to me; if those doctors looking after her mother didn't catch a psychotic break, then they’re either blind or incompetent, because if it's happening, it should be obvious from a mile away.

On the flip side, I remember heading into a local psychiatric ward for an evaluation just before my own worst episode hit—and let me tell you, I was already deep in the throes of it by then. The doctor on duty looked at me and decided it was absolutely unthinkable that I owned a car while being unemployed; he actually had the nerve to tell the elderly folks there that they should sell their vehicles so I could somehow find work. It’s absurd—I was already spiraling at the time, so it really makes me wonder about the actual quality of education these medical professionals are receiving... that's just my two cents.🤷