Psychotropic medication discussion thread
in Psychology & Therapy ·
Robin Myers91 said:Has anyone here tried that new schizophrenia med that hit the US market about two months ago?
I finally managed to get my psychiatrist to prescribe it—had to fight tooth and nail because Zyprexa, Everbio, Risperdal, and Seroquel made me pack on over 90 pounds.
So far, I haven't noticed any side effects other than some mild drowsiness (which I don't even really feel), though apparently, people with heart conditions should stay away from it.
It doesn't cause weight gain at all; in fact, it actually kills my appetite so much that I’ve already dropped 11 pounds in just seven days. I'm still taking Zeldox 120 mg on the side.
Look, I’m not against medication, especially when it provides that strong, measurable impact needed for immediate results.
But generally speaking, I think we should try to avoid them whenever possible.
The reason is kind of simple—we live in such a fast-paced, high-energy world that demands you stay physically alert, which basically means being fully "present" in the moment.
Psychotropic drugs tend to dull that edge.
There are certain situations you just can't dodge—whether because of where you are or what's happening around you—but in every other scenario, I feel like you should try to be gentle and unobtrusive toward the world around you.
Take something that happened today—I was talking to someone dear to me, and we were actually sharing a good laugh, when suddenly this wave of aggression hits—and they start yelling at me to get out of the way.
In that split second, I was completely physically calm and alert—so I moved, watched the person (who was incredibly furious, honestly, I thought they might actually swing at me), as they stormed past me, probably not even hearing the quick apology I tossed their way.
It’s weird why they chose to pass right through that specific spot given how much open space there was, but that's beside the point.
Also, when you find yourself facing an dangerous person who is pushing things to the limit—using verbal or physical aggression against you (and often getting the crowd to back them up, since people usually side with the aggressor)—and you can't avoid the confrontation, it isn't really your physical strength that matters most (though that counts, of course). It's your mental fortitude—the ability to mentally crush an opponent so thoroughly that they won't even dream of trying that again with someone else.
I used real-life examples there just to make the point hit harder.
The same logic applies to life's general struggles and non-human problems that land in our laps.
Almost any psychiatric med, especially over the long haul, tends to blunt your reaction to the relationship between yourself and your environment.
I think it's healthy to feel the full spectrum—bravery and fear, victory and defeat, and yeah, even neurosis. You shouldn't run away from those mental and emotional states; you should experience them individually... without causing harm to the people around you.
😉
