Laura Williams73, I just wanted to reach out and say hang in there. I usually steer clear of threads that don't directly impact my own mental health, but I felt compelled to chime in after reading this. There is a certain beauty in seeing someone mourn their wife with such sincerity; it’s clear you shared a wonderful marriage, and it makes sense that the void she left feels immense. I’ve lost people close to me, though never anyone quite this central to my life, so I can only imagine the sensation. It’s almost like losing a limb—after so many years, you become so intertwined with one another that you truly feel incomplete without them.
Perhaps now might be the right moment to focus on reconnecting with your son. Finding a way to coexist through this transition and establishing small, new rituals—like grabbing a morning coffee together—might help. Honestly, much of what the others have suggested sounds like a very healthy path forward.
Jesus Christ, are you actually serious right now??? Taking antidepressants without a doctor's supervision is incredibly risky. Do you have any idea how much you could mess up your mental health by doing that? I honestly can't believe this...
I have a question. Actually, two questions. As most of you probably know by now, I’ve been managing OCD, and my daily medication regimen is pretty heavy—I'm taking six Anafranil, one Fevarin, and one Zyprexa every single day. That's eight pills total. Right now, things feel stable; the obsessions have subsided and everything feels relatively calm. I reached out to my psychiatrist to see if we could scale back the dosage, but she was genuinely surprised by the suggestion. Her reasoning was that since this specific dose is what achieved this level of stability, we should stick with it to maintain the progress. So, I'm curious—have any of you had similar experiences with your doctors?
Also, does it make a difference that this is technically my second bout with OCD? It feels like it's become more of a chronic thing now. What do you all think?
Kevin Nguyen3 said:Well, my dear Dora😁... yes, it absolutely can. And it might stick with you for a long time. But listen, there are ways to work on it—ways to sharpen that memory or at least manage it better. You could try mnemonics or other mental tricks. Just go racing off to Google and you'll find plenty of info. And don't you dare forget what I just told you now.😍
Personally, I rely on those methods whenever I have to study; it’s how I tackle complex eight-track problems.😁
Has anyone else noticed their memory taking a hit since starting their medication? Mine has completely vanished; I’ve got the memory of a goldfish, kind of like how Dora acts in those Nemo cartoons. I can’t even recall what happened last week, let alone last year—it feels like there are massive tectonic gaps in my head! Could this be a side effect from the AD-ov or the AP?
I personally take Clonazepam as needed. I think it's quite effective because it doesn't leave me feeling drugged or foggy; it just helps me settle down.
I’m joining the chorus of those mourning the death of libido here.😵 It can be incredibly tough for women, too; there are times when you feel completely numb, just lying there feeling absolutely nothing... just that one big void... even when you know you should be fully present and engaged. For me, I definitely need a little bit of a warm-up period to get into the right headspace. But anyway, I guess I'm drifting a bit off-topic now.
Personally, I just can't function without it... if I'm deprived, all the drama starts—the panic sets in, the anxiety spikes, and suddenly it feels like there are monsters lurking under my bed.😢
Honestly, I don't think antipsychotics are all bad if you're on a lower dose. I take 5 mg of Zyprexa, and while I definitely notice I'm moving a bit slower, it’s not like I’ve become a total zombie 😁 Plus, I don't get worked up over things nearly as much as I used to. I used to be such a bundle of nerves—just ready to snap at anything—but now? Everything is just... chill. All that irritability has just vanished. It's pure Zen; it's like living in a constant state of Nirvana. Riders on the storm, la la la
I’ve been feeling that mental fog lately too, almost like my brain is running on low battery. It takes me much longer to tap into my creative side, which is tough since my job requires me to stay sharp and ready to react at a moment's notice. I’m dealing with some minor setbacks, but if this is the trade-off for maintaining my stability, I can handle it. There are much bigger struggles out there in the world; I’m facing this, while others are fighting battles like cancer. At the end of the day, life isn't fair—we can't all live long, happy lives and pass away peacefully at ninety.
Brandon Lopez6, I’m sending you a DM—I deal with those kinds of intense obsessions too...😢 Jason Vaughn482, things just weren't working for me today.😢 I was drinking water constantly and it felt like I was just running to the restroom. Tonight, I'm sticking to some Pepto-Bismol tablets.
Kevin Bailey2 said:I'm not scared of anything. My grandma lived her whole life on nothing but herbal tea and Valerian, then switched to Paxil and lived to be over 90. A damn good 90 years, too. 😁
I feel the same way. We breathe polluted air, drink questionable tap water, and eat meat loaded with hormones and antibiotics—so I’d be a hypocrite if I claimed medication was the only thing poisoning us. At the end of the day, we all have to go eventually. I’d much rather pass away peacefully while I'm still young at heart than struggle through old age with my mind completely gone.
I was on Zyprexa for two months, then jumped straight onto Risperdal. I stuck with it for about 8 or 9 months, then just stopped cold turkey—no tapering, nothing. Just quit. And honestly? Nothing happened. No withdrawal, no "crisis," and those intrusive thoughts that put me on the meds in the first place didn't come crawling back. Before all that, I had these brutal intrusive thoughts basically 24/7. They were at their absolute worst at night.
It’s been almost a year now (hitting the mark this May) and the thoughts haven't returned. I get an occasional one here and there—usually when my cycle hits—but I was dealing with that stuff long before any diagnosis, and I can handle it just fine without making a big deal out of it.🙂
Oh my gosh, did you really deal with those too??? How did things settle down for you?? How long did that whole OCD phase last? I'm dealing with them right now, though they happen less frequently; they drive me crazy during PMS. If you have a moment to reply, please do—I am honestly traumatized by these intrusive thoughts.
I don't think so. I was on Zyprexa about eleven years ago for a duration of one year. I was able to taper off completely without any issues at all. Now, I’ve had to start taking it again because my OCD decided to flare up after all those wonderful, peaceful years. But that’s a whole different conversation.
I’ve been taking Xanax myself, and I can back up what’s already been said—it doesn't leave you feeling numb or totally wiped out; after a little while, you just feel like your normal self again.
Jason Vaughn482 said:Give me some advice, please—how on earth did you manage to down an entire liter without feeling faint? I want to try this, but I need to know how many days it had been since your last movement before this worked.
Well, here’s the trick: I mixed some Gatorade into a small half-liter bottle and sipped through two of those. Honestly, I couldn't have handled plain water alone. Afterward, I felt a little bit off, almost like I was moving in slow motion, but it worked wonders for my digestion pretty quickly. It only took one day of being backed up before it kicked in; usually, if I go a full day without success, I'll grab something to help by the second day. Now, I'm going to see if this hydration strategy works for everyone.
Well, I managed to handle things naturally today—and by that, I mean we’re talking about digestion, which is truly a universal topic, isn't it?😂 I think I finally cracked the code: drink a full liter of water all at once—not just sipping, obviously. And suddenly, everything is moving perfectly!
Alright, let me weigh in here so we can call it even.😁 I deal with OCD, rather than anxiety or depressive disorders. In my experience, OCD responds okay to SSRIs, but it responds incredibly well to tricyclic antidepressants. I’ve personally cycled through quite a few different SSRIs before finally switching over to a tricyclic—specifically Prozac—which was the only thing that actually worked for me. And I mean that emphatically. OCD is a tough nut to crack and is often resistant to standard antidepressants; once you finally stumble upon the one medication that provides relief, you hold onto it for dear life, regardless of the side effects. It’s just one of those things...
Good morning! I used to have regular bowel movements about twice a day. But then I started taking Prozac at six tablets daily, and now everything has just ground to a halt. It feels like there’s no end in sight. I really have to take it because it keeps me grounded and feeling like myself, but man, the impact on my digestion is just brutal.
Well, if you aren't actually reading what I wrote—I eat nothing but high-fiber, super light meals. The only thing I'll admit is that I don't drink nearly enough water. I’m going to give Donata mg a shot, though honestly, it feels like trying to put out a forest fire with a squirt gun given how backed up I am. It's like my system is completely set in concrete.