Posts by Susan Fisher39

I’ve been sitting here for the last hour staring at my screen, trying to figure out how we even begin to have a productive conversation about where the boundaries lie anymore. It feels like every time we turn around, there's a new cultural flashpoint that forces us to pick a side, and once you've picked, you're essentially dead to the other camp. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of "protected spaces"—not just physical ones, but conceptual ones like sports, or even social circles, where specific rules are meant to preserve a certain kind of equilibrium.

On one hand, you have the argument for preserving the integrity of a category. If you look at almost any organized activity, there are strict criteria for participation. Whether it's age groups in youth soccer or weight classes in boxing, we accept that certain biological or physical realities dictate who competes against whom to keep things "fair." There’s a certain comfort in that predictability. You want to know that when you step onto a field or a court, the playing field is level based on the parameters established at the start. When people feel those parameters are being blurred, it’s natural for them to feel a sense of loss or even a deep sense of injustice. It feels like the ground is shifting under their feet.

But then, you have the massive, complicated human element that complicates that simplicity. We live in a world that is rapidly evolving in how we understand identity, and for many, the old categories feel outdated or even actively harmful. If we hold too tightly to the traditional definitions, are we essentially telling a whole segment of the population that they don't truly belong in the spaces they value most? I’ve seen how people react when they feel like their identity is being treated as a "disruption" rather than a reality. It breeds resentment, and it creates these massive, polarized rifts where one person's pursuit of "fairness" becomes another person's experience of "erasure."

I remember back in college, there was a huge debate in our local intramural leagues about how to handle certain players. It wasn't even a high-stakes thing, just a bunch of students playing on weekends, but the tension was palpable. Half the group felt the rules were being bent too far, and the other half felt the rules were being used as a weapon to keep people out. It wasn't just about the game; it was about who was "allowed" to be part of the community. It was exhausting. It felt like you couldn't even enjoy a Saturday afternoon without a philosophical debate breaking out in the dugout.

What worries me more than the specific arguments themselves is the way the rhetoric is escalating. We aren't just debating rules anymore; we're debating the very essence of what makes a person "valid" in a specific context. It feels like we're moving toward a future where "compromise" is seen as a form of betrayal. If you try to find a middle ground, you get attacked by the purists on both sides. The "all or nothing" mentality is killing our ability to actually solve problems. We’re becoming a society of partisans rather than neighbors.

I wonder if we are actually capable of creating a framework that respects both the biological realities that underpin certain competitions and the human dignity of people who don't fit into those traditional boxes. Is there a way to protect the "integrity" of a space without making it an exclusionary fortress? Or is the very idea of a "category" destined to be at odds with our modern understanding of identity?

Does anyone else feel like we're reaching a breaking point where these types of debates can no longer be settled through simple logic or moderate consensus?

I’ve got an appointment coming up soon at the Mayo Clinic Sleep Center over at Vrabac Psychiatric Hospital because I’ve been struggling with hypersomnia—basically, just sleeping way too much. Has anyone here actually been through their diagnostic process? I’d love to hear some details about what to expect once you get there. Thanks!

shadowbear9 said:Hey everyone, how are you all doing? I was wondering what kind of treatment plans you're on and how you're actually managing them?

As for me, things have finally started to settle down a bit now that I'm on 60mg of Cymbalta in the morning and 600mg of Seroquel XR before bed. I can honestly say that since I started taking quetiapine—it’s been about three months now—I’ve actually been sleeping. I think I’ve maybe had five nights where I couldn't drift off, but even then, I usually just help myself out with some Sanval.🎉

The only real issue is that I've put on about 20 pounds, so I basically have nothing to wear anymore except for sweatpants.🕺 I guess I've tried cutting back on my meals, but at this rate, I feel like I'm just going to snap, haha.

For me, Cymbalta actually flipped me right out of depression and straight into a severe manic episode, so my psychiatrist had to pull the plug on the Cymbalta immediately and bump up my antipsychotic dosage instead. See, I have bipolar disorder, and I react negatively to pretty much any antidepressant—basically, they just trigger mania for me, and that’s already happened three times now. So, definitely be careful with Cymbalta if you're dealing with bipolar; you really need to stay on top of your check-ups so your doctor can keep a close eye on you.

Right now, I'm taking Lamictal for the depression—it's an anticonvulsant that has antidepressant effects—though I can't quite say it's done much for me yet. Then again, I've only been on it for two weeks at a super low dose, just 25 mg in the morning and evening. I'm expecting my doctor to gradually increase the dosage over time so I can start feeling better, especially since I struggle with hypersomnia and just can't seem to get enough sleep. Aside from that, I'm still on Zyprexa and Tegretol. My mood has been relatively stable for the last few months, but I'm always a little nervous that mania might strike again. I'm hoping it won't, though, because I'm done with antidepressants that trigger those episodes.

By the way, does anyone here have experience using Lamictal for bipolar? I asked in the bipolar thread too, but I think I got ignored there. Any info at all would be great. Thanks!☕

Carl Bishop2 said:Giving someone experiencing psychosis advice to just quit their medication because it isn't working—well, that’s just plain reckless, irresponsible, and frankly dangerous.
Getting some blood work done and checking thyroid levels is a solid move, though.
The real question is whether there was a specific trigger for the psychosis, or if it was just two isolated psychotic episodes.
Do you know, Susan Fisher39, what might have set off those two episodes in the first place?

I'm with you there—I don't think quitting medication is ever the answer. I actually had a psychiatrist I saw for psychotherapy once who decided to taper me off my antipsychotic (I was on Risperdal at the time), but not long after—and I mean less than a month and a half later—I slipped right back into psychosis. I was taking a mood stabilizer at the time, but clearly, that wasn't enough on its own. I truly don't believe I can function normally without an antipsychotic in my system.

Carl Bishop2, before my first psychotic episode, I was working this incredibly high-stress job, and I started getting paranoid at work—thinking the whole company was somehow conspiring against me, like they were testing how I'd react under pressure. It all came to a head one day when I just snapped; I ended up breaking down and having a complete meltdown right in front of my bosses. Needless to say, they didn't exactly renew my contract when the time came. The second episode... honestly, I'm not even sure what triggered it. I had stopped taking my antipsychotic based on my doctor's instructions, and even though life was pretty low-stress at the time, I still found myself in a psychotic state a few weeks later. I've finally come to terms with the fact that I'll probably need to be on a maintenance dose for the rest of my life.

I'm going to try to get on a more regular sleep schedule and see if that makes any difference. I'll also get some bloodwork done just to be safe—maybe it isn't entirely down to the medication.

@Brandon Lopez6: How did you end up stopping your antipsychotics? My doctor—and most doctors I know treating patients with similar issues—insists that these meds have to be taken for years, and quite often, it means taking them for life.

So, I’ve got a bit of a situation here. It doesn't matter how much sleep I get or how early I hit the hay—getting out of bed in the morning feels like an absolute uphill battle. Lately, I’ve been turning in around midnight, but I’m struggling to drag myself up by 9:30 or 10:00 AM, and even then, it usually takes my parents shouting for me to actually move. No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to wake up naturally, even though I feel like I'm getting enough hours. Since I'm currently between jobs, it hasn't totally wrecked my daily routine yet, but honestly? I'm terrified of what happens when I actually land a job. Will I even be physically capable of getting up on time to get ready? On top of that, I find myself crashing in bed for naps during the day too—it’s like my body is just overriding my willpower.

To give some context, I've dealt with two psychotic episodes over the last couple of years, and I suspect there might be a link between those and this sleep issue. It feels like I burned through all my internal battery during those manic phases, and now my body is trying to aggressively compensate for it. Medication-wise, I’m currently on three different things: two antipsychotics (Prozac and Zyprexa) and an antidepressant called Effexor. My psychiatrist mentioned that the Zyprexa might be causing the drowsiness because of its sedative effects, but she already dropped me down to a minimal dose (I'm taking 5 mg total—2.5 mg in the morning and 2.5 mg at night), and it hasn't made getting up any easier at all. Before I went through the psychosis, I never had issues waking up—I could pull off 4 hours of sleep and be fine—but now, I feel completely handicapped. It takes so much mental and physical effort just to force myself upright.

Does anyone know if there are specific tests I should ask for? Where do I even start to tackle this? What could be driving this kind of hypersomnia? I’m seriously starting to lose my mind over this because it’s never been an issue before, and now I’m facing this reality where I’m scared I won't be able to function in everyday life because of how much I'm sleeping. Please help! 😢

EDIT: Also, it might be worth mentioning that I started smoking within the last two years, and I've also started snoring quite a bit while I sleep. I'm not sure if there's a connection there, but I figured it was worth bringing up.

I started taking Effexor XR 75 mg just a few days ago, and honestly? I feel like a whole new person already. That constant weight of anxiety—it’s just gone. I feel so much lighter, more optimistic, and actually full of energy—which is such a huge change because I’ve been struggling to even get out of bed lately. Plus, my appetite is finally coming back in the mornings, which was another big hurdle for me. It feels pretty wild because, from what I understand, these antidepressants usually take a few weeks to really kick in, right? Before this, I tried Lexapro and even Zoloft, but neither of them hit the mark quite like Effexor is doing. If this is actually the real deal, I’m feeling incredibly lucky.

Has anyone else here ever dealt with that feeling of total emotional numbness—like you’re just completely disconnected from everything and everyone around you? It’s one of those negative symptoms of schizophrenia that hits hard. Right now, I’m right in the thick of it. It isn't even that I'm feeling depressed, or manic, or experiencing any psychosis... it's just this profound emotional distance. I can't seem to express how I feel, I can't really find the words to communicate anything at all, and honestly, I’m just feeling pretty lost within my own head. How did you guys manage to navigate this kind of state, and does it eventually pass? 😢

Does anyone know if you actually have to bring a brand-new specialist's report every single time you show up for a medical review board meeting, or is it enough to just use the same one for multiple visits?

Lexapro is honestly a lifesaver! 🙂 I was on it for just under two years, and I can tell you from experience—it really worked wonders for me. I’ve actually been off it for over ten months now, and I’m feeling fantastic. Seriously, cheers to Lexapro!

I honestly cannot believe my eyes—my JPMorgan Chase card just won't work for online payments! I mean, what is even the point of having this plastic in my wallet if I can't use it online? It’s absolutely ridiculous. It's like they haven't realized that shopping on the internet is just as standard as walking into a store these days. What an absolute joke!

brightmarlin44 said:It’s actually pretty likely that your libido will come back online after you've been on it for a few months.

A few months?! 🙂 🙂

But hey, thanks for the reply and for being so encouraging. 👋

So, I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, and since this past May, I’ve been taking Lexapro every single day. I started off with half a pill, bumped up to a full tablet after about a week, and have just stayed at that dose since. After dealing with some initial side effects for the first two or three days—and pushing through a bit of a five or six-week stretch where I didn't feel much improvement at all—things finally started clicking. Lately, I’ve been feeling so much better and way more productive. My focus is sharper, I can breeze through tasks that used to feel overwhelming, my sleep is better, and I don't get worked up over the little things like I used to. Even my social interactions feel smoother... basically, there’s been a massive positive shift in my life. The catch? Lately, my libido has completely vanished. I have zero sexual desire and almost no physical arousal. During those first couple of weeks, it wasn't a huge deal—my drive was just a little lower than usual—but now? It’s like I can't get aroused at all. So, here's my question: should I look into changing my medication given how great everything else is working, or should I just hang in there for a few more months? Is there any chance my sex drive will come back while I'm still on these, or am I stuck with this feeling as long as I'm medicated? Honestly, I hate this feeling of being totally asexual... 😢 But then again, seeing as the medication works so perfectly for everything else... maybe it’s not such a huge deal. 😬

Anyway, I’d love to hear about your experiences with Lexapro (or any similar SSRIs) and what you think about this situation... Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer some thoughtful insight. 🙂