Posts by steeleagle23

It feels like every time I blink, another massive club is reshuffling their entire roster. I honestly wonder if these massive spending sprees actually build better teams or if it's just a way to inflate egos. Is there any point to the off-season rebuilds anymore?

Kevin Nguyen3 said:"Someone close," huh?☕

It is quite fascinating, isn't it? How you claim not to know how a specific AD works, yet somehow you know nearly every granular detail regarding the side effects your friend is experiencing.🙂
How does that even work?🤷
I have no idea which psychiatrist would prescribe those two particular ADs together...?🙄
Neither of those ADs is intended to help someone sleep better or longer, which is why the Valium is there.
When an organism isn't accustomed to medications of this nature, it often struggles significantly during the initial phase, but eventually, some side effects subside, while others may emerge as the old ones fade.
Or perhaps they won't.
Those are merely prognostic guesses that are mostly accurate, though things can always go differently.

Something about this whole story feels off to me—the therapy, the dosages... you haven't even mentioned what the diagnosis is, which hospital they went to, how old they are, or anything else of substance.

You shouldn't really be on Valium for too long—most doctors say fourteen days is the absolute limit. If you hang onto it longer than that, you might actually run into the opposite effect, where the medication itself starts messing with your sleep patterns instead of helping them. Plus, there are all those other side effects to keep in mind, too.

I've been running into some really weird issues with logging in lately...
For instance, whenever I manage to log in, if I try to switch topics, I suddenly get kicked back to a screen that says I'm not even logged in. But then—get this—if I just hit the back button, I'm somehow logged back in again...
On top of that, while I'm typing in my username and password, I keep getting these random prompts asking if I want to reset my password. Or sometimes it'll actually accept a wrong password (it shows my username as active), but the second I try to click into a thread, it acts like I've been logged out... once more, if I go "back," I'm logged in...
Honestly, I'm starting to worry this might be some kind of FISHING attempt. It feels like someone might have messed with the login screen to try and scrape usernames and passwords—which, as we all know, happens way too often online these days.

Could one of the admins please take a look and see if there's actually some FISHING going on? This whole thing just feels totally off and definitely isn't normal. Thanks! :-)

Bluzara said:
Sometimes, if a doctor writes a prescription for "as needed," there isn't a strict schedule you have to follow—you just need to make sure you aren't overdoing it.
Of course, one of the side effects is... insomnia.

What you're saying makes sense, but my point is that the warnings for this medication have been updated several times specifically because of those side effects.
It honestly feels like the drug was released onto the market without being tested thoroughly enough, which is why they had to go back and revise the instructions later on. My real concern is whether all doctors actually stay up to date with these changing guidelines, or if they just keep prescribing it out of habit—especially since patients usually don't complain much (because, let's face it, they trust their doctor implicitly), and doctors don't really have a reason to change things up unless someone actually speaks up about an issue.
So, what am I getting at here?
I guess I'm just saying that even doctors make mistakes. And while we should definitely trust them, it’s never a bad idea to do a little digging and look into things from other sources yourself.

Jason Vaughn482 said:So, you're suggesting people just make up stories to excuse their habit of swallowing everything in sight? Honestly, looking at that list of yours, my head starts spinning... anyone would be out cold after a cocktail like that. Personally, I've been taking Ambien at 10 mg for four years and it does the trick, though if I can't drift off because my anxiety is spiking, I prefer having some Calixt at 15 mg—or even half a dose—to help me fall asleep quickly. At the end of the day, I can't sleep without a pill, likely because I haven't managed to resolve the underlying issue, which is my anxiety. I desperately want to find that one perfect medication that would allow me to sleep soundly without needing xanax, though I know some people still rely on benzos even while taking antidepressants. The truth is, coming off certain antidepressants is incredibly difficult; I've read plenty about how brutal it is to taper off something like Paxil... so I don't think you're entirely correct in your assessment.

Wait, you've seriously been taking Ambien for four years? I don't have any personal experience with it, but from what I've read, the instructions say you shouldn't use it for more than two weeks at a time. Apparently, one of the side effects is that it can actually mess up your sleep patterns if you use it for too long...

feralcobra74 said:Hey everyone,

I won't sugarcoat it—I have a physical deformity that’s absolutely wrecking my life. It’s eating me alive from the inside out.
It doesn't stop me from doing basic chores or moving around, but the mental toll is crushing. I’ve become a shut-in, I feel totally alienated from everyone, and my self-esteem is so low that I’m spiraling into depression and even suicidal thoughts.

It’s destroying me!!! I hate myself, I hate this thing, and I just want it gone. As long as I’m stuck like this, I don't see any hope for a normal life.

The problem is, I can't afford the surgery, and insurance won't touch it because they label it "cosmetic." Since it isn't a direct threat to my vital organs, they won't pay.🙄

Is there any loophole where I could get the procedure covered through psychological evaluations? If a psychologist or psychiatrist sees how much this is ruining my existence and how broken my life has become because of it, could that change things?

I honestly can't believe it; I've never heard of anything like that happening.
I'd imagine that based on those symptoms, you'd be looking at psychotherapy long before anyone would even consider surgery.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Exactly. Hats off to you.😉
People living these incredibly isolated lives—if you can even call them "lives"... hmm... they can't see past their own noses or their immediate interests. Anything that disrupts their little version of reality is simply unacceptable to them.
Take a look at what happens on a typical street corner when an elderly woman uses a crosswalk; I’d bet at least 75% of those drivers—just a wild guess, mind you—would rather run her over just because she’s crossing now, while they have a meeting to get to right this second.
It’s the same thing with a baby crying, which is usually for a very good reason, because I highly doubt they're weeping over political unrest in Pakistan or anything of the sort.
We’ve become desensitized—not everyone, obviously—to everything happening around us that doesn't directly impact our own immediate bubble.
In that sense, why should you care what some stranger thinks? Especially someone who refuses to take a stand on anything, or heaven forbid, shows even a flicker of concern or a sign of empathy to let you know they actually understand what you're going through.

But honestly, do you really think a stranger should be jumping in to worry about why a baby is crying, especially when the parents are right there and don't seem bothered at all?

Keith Ortiz4 said:So, I’m out for a walk today with my three-month-old (who basically lives in my arms), and we decide to stop at an outdoor patio for a quick break. I order two sparkling waters, and within minutes, the baby just starts crying. It’s not just a whimper—it’s a full-on meltdown. I tried holding him, but nothing worked; he just wanted to be carried. He was clearly overstimulated and fussy. Honestly, I felt so embarrassed. In a moment of total desperation, I just set him down to lie there and cry for about ten minutes while I had a cigarette and finished my water. Eventually, the crying turned into this intense, piercing screaming.

Just a few yards away, there was this group of about six people in their 30s, and they were staring at me the whole time.

When I finally decided to head out, I apologized for the noise. They didn't even say anything back; one of them just gave a little wave, like a "whatever" gesture.

I really want to know what you guys think. Was I being judged?

Was it because I was being "rude" by staying and making everyone listen to the screaming instead of just leaving immediately? Or were they judging me for letting the baby cry while I sat there calmly smoking and drinking?

How would you have reacted if you saw this happening? What would your take be, and honestly, how should I have handled it?

Can I jump in?😉
Honestly, I’d find a crying kid pretty distracting if I was trying to catch up with friends. People head to a coffee shop or a local pub just to unwind and actually hear one another—you know, like you do—and having a toddler screaming in the background totally kills that vibe. It’s especially grating when the parents just sit there acting like nothing is happening and don't even try to settle them down...
Honestly, I feel like just sitting there and having a smoke wouldn't bother anyone—really—as long as it isn't getting in the way of their own comfort or making things difficult for them.

I totally get where you're coming from—I’m a mom myself (though my kid is all grown up now)—but at the same time, I also know that dealing with someone else's unruly kids isn't exactly something everyone is obligated to just sit there and take.

Brian Hayes43 said:Yes, I certainly understand what you mean, and honestly, that sounds like a potential lifeline. It really just comes down to needing someone to lean on. However, I haven't been able to build that kind of bond with anyone yet, not even with my own mother. I find myself questioning whether the disconnect lies within me or if she simply doesn't grasp the situation—though I suppose it's hard for anyone else to understand since I haven't explicitly opened up about my struggles to anyone. Most people just assume I'm antisocial or haven't quite "figured life out" yet, even though, by all standard measures, I should be at the stage where I have a car, a house, and a kid in middle school.

Thanks for getting back to me! I was thinking that having someone close might take some of the weight off—if there's actual love and trust involved—but I wasn't sure if that was realistic or if I was just wishful thinking.

The fact that you haven't shared what's going on with anyone might be exactly why people feel kept at arm's length. In my humble opinion, keeping things bottled up just creates distance, which then leads to a lack of trust.
I don't think you need to lay your entire soul bare to every person you meet, but when there's someone you truly care about (and who cares about you), being open should theoretically make things easier and bring you closer together. I think it takes a certain amount of that courage you mentioned—just being brave enough to let someone in and let them actually reach you.

Brian Hayes43 said:It creates this incredibly paralyzing sense of confusion and doubt regarding things that most people simply take for granted as absolute facts. Much like how focusing too intently on a minor, accidental slip-up during a conversation at a Starbucks might lead to an awkward moment you can't stop replaying in your head, this uncertainty can spiral into deeply uncomfortable situations that only serve to deepen the distress.

I truly believe that building self-confidence, maintaining persistence, and even embracing a bit of boldness are the essential keys to navigating this struggle, much like finding the courage to laugh off a mistake and tell someone, "Yeah, I'm having a bit of a rough time today."

This might sound a little naive, but I’d really appreciate your take on this. Honestly, the confusion and uncertainty you mentioned in your last post—it really got me thinking...

I was wondering—and I’m curious to hear what you all think—is it actually possible for someone struggling with their mental health to develop this kind of intense, almost total reliance on a loved one? I mean, could they reach a point where they use another person as a sort of human compass to test reality? Like, imagine you’re in a headspace where you aren't even sure if what you’re thinking or feeling is actually happening—if things are truly real. Could you end up leaning on someone else just to double-check if your perception matches the actual world? Is that a thing that happens?

I’m not even sure if I phrased that question clearly enough—hope I didn't make it too confusing! 🤷Honestly, I can't help but feel that having that kind of absolute, 100% trust in someone—especially when you pair it with a healthy dose of self-confidence, grit, and just being plain old bold—might actually make life a whole lot easier. It could really go a long way in cutting down those nagging doubts and the constant insecurity that people struggling with illness often have to deal with.

@electicharbor30
That’s an interesting point... though, honestly, I’m not quite sure what kind of explanation would even work there—like, how exactly are the medications supposed to help ease things like psychosis in that scenario?