196 posts shown.
Andrew Doyle said:mistydrifter55, I dealt with glossopharyngeal neuralgia—just constant, excruciating chronic pain that dragged on for months. At first, they tried putting me on corticosteroids, which were absolutely useless. Total waste of time. But after scouring some international medical forums, I saw people talking about how Lyric and Tegretol actually worked for this. My doctors wouldn't touch those prescriptions; instead, they just kept shuffling me off to pain management clinics, and eventually, I ended up with a physical therapist who spent weeks basically blasting the painful area with a laser. It turns out two nerves were inflamed—one exiting the brain and one heading toward the spinal cord. It took me a solid six or seven months before that agony finally subsided. Honestly, there were moments I thought I wasn't going to make it. I wouldn't wish that kind of suffering on my worst enemy...
It’s hard to say for sure since you described how miserable it was, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise that they didn't put you on psych meds. Why poison yourself with unnecessary drugs if you could fix it physically? 🤷
Especially since you mentioned there was actual inflammation involved. Psychotropic drugs aren't going to do squat for inflammation. Those are usually reserved for idiopathic pain—you know, when there isn't a clear cause or the doctors are basically guessing what's wrong.
restlesstrucker15 said:Poor 😢
I deal with a specific type of neuralgia myself, and it is chronic.
Only Neurontin provides any relief; Lyric, Clonazepam, and opioids have been completely ineffective. Nothing works except for heavy narcotics.
But the fact that they wouldn't prescribe those medications to you... what exactly do they intend to use to treat such pain if not anti-epileptics or certain antidepressants?
And what on earth were they doing "burning" you with a laser? That sounds horrific!
I suppose I am fortunate to have the care I receive at my local pain clinic.
restlesstrucker15 said:Poor 😢
I deal with a specific type of neuralgia myself, and it is chronic.
Only Neurontin provides any relief; Lyric, Clonazepam, and opioids have been completely ineffective. Nothing works except for heavy narcotics.
But the fact that they wouldn't prescribe those medications to you... what exactly do they intend to use to treat such pain if not anti-epileptics or certain antidepressants?
And what on earth were they doing "burning" you with a laser? That sounds horrific!
I suppose I am fortunate to have the care I receive at my local pain clinic.
restlesstrucker15 said:
Nothing works, not even Lyric, Clonazepam, or opioids.
If you add all that up, it sounds like you have actual physical nerve damage somewhere. In that case, Neurontin and narcotics might actually help.
Lyric and Clonazepam mostly target the psychological side of things. If your pain is strictly physical, it makes sense why they aren't doing much for you.
Harold Anderson3 said:Is anyone up for grabbing a coffee or a drink sometime this weekend? The weather is looking pretty great, so I figured...
A few Americans are heading out to Appalachia this Sunday... maybe someone from Psychic would be interested in joining us?🙂
Morgan Campbell4 said:Americans are slowly drifting apart... Even here in the psychology department, people are too emotionally numb for any real socializing. It's a shame.
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🤣🤣🤣
Americans are practically wired for loneliness, aren't they? It’s like it’s built into our DNA. We’re all just desperately craving some actual human connection.
I think we’ve got everything backward here. 🤣
wearyowl29 said:I was just reading this fascinating piece about how certain organized groups are trying to make a comeback, and honestly, it really got me thinking about the way social dynamics shift in America. It’s wild, isn't it? You see these movements gather steam, seemingly out of nowhere, only to realize they’ve been simmering under the surface for years. It reminds me of a little situation I ran into back in Chicago a few summers ago. I was sitting in this tiny little coffee shop—the kind where the barista knows your name but still forgets your oat milk—and I overheard two guys debating exactly this kind of thing. They were talking about how influence isn't just about who has the loudest voice, but who can maintain a consistent presence. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing here! These groups aren't just popping up; they are strategically rebuilding their foundations. There’s a certain rhythm to it, a predictable ebb and flow that feels almost inevitable. It’s like watching a tide come back in. You expect it, you prepare for it, and then—bam!—it's right there at your doorstep. It makes you wonder what the next big shift will be. Is it political? Social? Economic? Who knows! But staying observant is half the battle, right? I, for one, am keeping my eyes peeled. Life is much more interesting when you're paying attention to the underlying currents!
Iz navedenog teksta:
Finally! That massive weight is off my shoulders. For four long, grueling months, I’ve been dealing with that one page constantly breathing down my neck and trying to suppress everything we stand for. Well, the fight is over—American Atheists has been wiped right off of Facebook. It's such a relief! Evil. Just pure evil. It’s one of those heavy things that sticks in your mind, isn't it? I was sitting on my porch yesterday, just watching the neighborhood dogs chase their tails, and I started thinking about how much darkness we deal with sometimes. It’s everywhere if you look too closely! But hey, stay positive! We can't let the bad stuff dim our light, right? Keep your chin up! My page! It’s finally live! I am just absolutely buzzing about this. Honestly, it feels like such a milestone. You know those moments where you just sit back, grab a coffee, and realize something is actually happening? That's me right now. I've been tinkering away at this for ages, and seeing it all come together is just wonderful. I can't wait to share more with you all! Emotional. Truly. It’s one of those things that just hits you right in the gut, isn't it? I was sitting there with my coffee this morning—the good stuff from Starbucks, obviously—just thinking about how much weight we carry around. Sometimes you just have to let it out! It’s all part of being human. She was being insulting. Just straight-up disrespectful!"One of the users who reported the page wrote this," said one of the folks who flagged the account.
I’ve honestly never quite wrapped my head around it. It’s always baffled me—especially when talking about people who lean so heavily on their faith for every bit of emotional, spiritual, or moral support they have. You’d think that having such a massive, unshakable foundation would make them bulletproof, right? But instead, I see them getting deeply wounded by things that shouldn't even touch them. It just doesn't add up to me!
People can throw just about anything at us! The whole political establishment. It always feels like this, doesn't it? No matter who wins at the ballot box, there’s this recurring pattern that just seems to wound our national spirit right after the dust settles on an election. It’s like we go through these cycles where the very idea of our civic duty starts feeling a bit bruised. I was chatting with a buddy over coffee in Chicago the other day about how much tension there is lately, and it really got me thinking about how fragile that sense of unity can feel sometimes. It’s a bit disheartening, honestly! Human stupidity. Honestly, sometimes I just sit back and marvel at it! It’s truly something else, isn't it? I was grabbing a coffee downtown the other day—just a quick espresso at Starbucks, nothing fancy—and I witnessed something so bafflingly senseless that I nearly choked on my drink. You see people making the same ridiculous mistakes over and over again, thinking they've found some brilliant shortcut, only to trip over their own feet. It’s constant! It’s relentless! It really makes you wonder how we ever managed to build civilization in the first place. Just a little thought for your Tuesday! In every single way imaginable, it’s just endless—just like the universe itself! My own choice. Honestly, looking back at life, we really have no one to blame but ourselves. We tripped over our own feet, learned the hard way, and now? Now we’re just sitting here absolutely fuming at our own stupidity! It’s a classic case of self-inflicted wounds, isn't it? But hey, at least the lesson stuck!
Nah, if we’re talking about being right here at home in the States...😁 Honestly, there’s just nothing like that feeling of being in your own home. It’s my absolute sanctuary! When I'm tucked away in my own space, I feel completely unshakable. I mean, it's like nothing can get under my skin or mess with my head emotionally. We’ve got this inner strength, you know? Once you find that peace within your own four walls, you become pretty much bulletproof. Nothing can touch you!
To wander off the beaten path.
Look, I truly believe this: other people’s opinions, their stances, their choices, or even how they identify can’t touch you emotionally if you’re genuinely at peace with yourself. If you’ve done the work and you're totally aligned with who you actually are, then what someone else thinks just becomes background noise. It's like being caught in a rainstorm while wearing a perfectly waterproof raincoat—you see the water, but you don't get soaked! When you're solid in your own skin, those outside judgments just slide right off. Simple as that!
Where do you all think it comes from? I mean, personally, I find it totally irrational—this sudden, nasty urge to lash out emotionally just because someone holds a different opinion. It’s like this weird, unnecessary sting that shows up exactly where it shouldn't. Why does it happen?😲
An underdeveloped ego. And a lack of Self-love.
Thanks, I caught up on this a few days ago.
So, anyway, Let’s start a thread on using psychotropic drugs as a way to get ahead of chronic pain. Is anyone else using them as a preventative measure? Chronic fatigue, migraines, constant headaches, aching bones, muscle pain... you name it. It’s that endless cycle of physical misery that only seems to get managed once you start on psych meds.
Please, let’s not derail this thread by dragging psychopharmacology into the mix. We are here specifically to talk about using medication to manage pain—nothing else. Let's keep the focus where it belongs.
I've been dealing with migraines with aura for about 20 years now. Honestly, they used to be pretty manageable since they didn't happen that often. I could usually just knock them back with some standard painkillers or stuff like Relpax and Maxalt.
But then, about two years ago, life just sort of happened, and I ended up on Effexor.
Lately, my migraines have been hitting me way more often.
My migraines have been hitting me so hard lately that I ended up back at the neurologist's office. They’re looking to bump my Effexor up to 150mg a day since it's being used as a preventative for the migraine pain.
I’ve been on this dose of Effexor for about six months now, and honestly? It’s made me completely useless. Instead of things getting better, the pain just kept ramping up. On top of that, I started feeling this intense anxiety that I never even dealt with on the lower doses. Now, I’m stuck taking beta-blockers just to deal with the constant headaches. What am I even doing?
It’s pretty obvious that I can't handle large doses of Effexor very well.
To be honest, ever since I started taking Effexor about two years ago, my migraines have just been getting worse and worse. Is it just me, or does it feel like they've actually ramped up over time? 🤔
My neurologist told me they typically prescribe three different types of psychotropic drugs as a preventative measure against migraines:
Effexor
Cymbalta
And here’s another one who didn't even bother to mention it. Seriously?
So, I said I’m ready to make the switch to Cymbalta at 60mg. 🤔 Are you kidding me? What on earth just happened?
Anyone else out there taking all this stuff just to try and kill some kind of pain?
Jeffrey Ramos4 said:Today’s younger generation—those under 30—has grown up in an era where everything is labeled "depression" at the drop of a hat. Most of what they are actually experiencing is just the standard, messy process of growing up. In this day and age, that transition has its own media spin and sensationalist glamour.
You want to know if it's actually depression? It's when you can't handle basic daily tasks, let alone the things necessary for survival. When you can't whip up a simple meal, drop your kid off at daycare, head to the local Post Office to pay a bill, maintain basic hygiene, or even show up to hang out with
friends... when your entire existence shrinks down to just existing, drowned in apathy, dysthymia, anhedonia, lethargy, obsessions, rumination, insomnia, or conversely, sleeping through 12 hours of the day, binge eating, or not eating at all, along with attention deficits, poor concentration... when on top of all that, you're dealing with bipolar disorder, autism, ADD/ADHD, phobias, OCD, schizophrenia, personality disorders, plus a serious physical ailment like a tumor, cancer, or perhaps being blind or missing a limb... when you reach a point where you simply cannot hold down a job, sustain social ties, keep a relationship going, or function as a parent, sister, or brother... when, ultimately, depression becomes part of your core identity, your perception of yourself and the world, your very essence... when it becomes the only thing, paradoxically, that keeps you tethered to life.
David Attenborough described depression quite succinctly:
black wall of nothingness, the void, the emptiness...
apathy
dysthymia
et cetera
et cetera
et cet
et c
et
e
...
🤣🤣🤣
I’m with you. Looks like I officially fall into the "old folks" category now🤣,
At this rate, I'll be sounding just like my own parents when they used to go, "Ugh, kids these days"🤣
fadedmason4 said:I came across a comment on another thread recently—it basically said: accept that certain things just aren't going to happen, and start planning your life around that reality instead of waiting for some miracle to make them come true. I thought it was spot on, and honestly, I’m trying to follow that logic, but it’s proving much harder than it sounds. If anyone has any advice on how to actually do this—how to stop secretly hoping for those "what ifs" when I know deep down they won't happen (even if nothing in life is ever 100% certain, this feels like 99%)
So, if you have any tips on how to quit dwelling on the things I don't have and likely never will, and instead focus on what's actually useful and achievable
It's tough
If you start obsessing over percentages, you’re just going down a rabbit hole...
It all comes down to choice and consistency.
Pick a direction and commit to it. Give it everything you've got.
The real question is, what do you actually want? Aside from the things you've already realized are out of reach?
Learn to tell the difference between a wish and a real possibility.
Focus your energy on those possibilities.
Keep your desires as North Stars—you don't have to kill them off. Desires are healthy.
fadedmason4 said:I came across a comment on another thread recently—it basically said: accept that certain things just aren't going to happen, and start planning your life around that reality instead of waiting for some miracle to make them come true. I thought it was spot on, and honestly, I’m trying to follow that logic, but it’s proving much harder than it sounds. If anyone has any advice on how to actually do this—how to stop secretly hoping for those "what ifs" when I know deep down they won't happen (even if nothing in life is ever 100% certain, this feels like 99%)
So, if you have any tips on how to quit dwelling on the things I don't have and likely never will, and instead focus on what's actually useful and achievable
It's tough
It’s simple.
"Stop thinking about things you don't have"
And "focus on something useful and actually achievable"...
😁
Just kidding, I had to.
The whole philosophy is right there in that one sentence you wrote.
Then just switch up your meds.
Jeffrey Ramos4 said:What if the answer to the first question is just... nothing? 😬
That’s exactly what I’m wondering too. ☕.
I’m just stuck in this depressive funk where I can't find the motivation to move a muscle.
From the outside, people look at me and think, "She's just so disorganized."
But the truth? I don't bother organizing because I don't have the energy for anything else.
Maybe I'm not actually unorganized. Maybe I'm just completely drained. 🤔
Maria Long2 said:Ugh, I am honestly the absolute worst when it comes to planning and staying organized—even though I know how crucial it is and I seriously wish I had that skill! My "to-do" list just keeps growing and growing until it’s totally overwhelming. Like, my parking ticket bill at $40 has gotten even higher, so I really need to deal with that tomorrow. I used to have this super cute little planner where I’d jot down everything I needed to do or buy, and seeing those little checkmarks next to completed tasks actually made me so happy! So, I went ahead and treated myself to a brand-new one for 2017—it cost me an arm and a leg, haha—but if it works as well as my first one did, I'll be thrilled. The thing is, it’s been sitting there for five days now and I haven't written a single thing in it yet. I think because once I actually write something down, I feel this weirdly positive compulsion to go out and actually *do* it, you know? I just need to force myself to gather all those scattered thoughts in my head and spend those thirty seconds to get them on paper. Fingers crossed I can pull it off! :P
- Tell me about it. Back in college, I used to buy these super fancy, expensive planners, totally convinced they would somehow "do the work for me." 🤦🤣
Now I'm in a phase where I "plan" to print out this self-organization chart and fill it out. And I've been "planning" to do that for like two months now. 🤦
Jose Ward4 said:Honestly, I think you’re meant to be a mommy blogger. You should start one! You might even make some money. It'd be interesting to see how many people are out there. I've noticed most people in these groups are women, though we all deal with the same chaos. Plus, you have a real knack for storytelling. You could write something like, "How an American woman manages her time in the modern age."
Ugh, yeah.
I didn't intend for this to turn into a debate about cooking or cleaning or any of those other things. 🙂 🤣
I only brought up household chores as a minor issue that we all basically share—I mean, everyone has their own mess to clean up (hopefully, unless someone else is doing it for you).
What I actually want to talk about is life organization in a broader sense. 🥳
Jeffrey Ramos4 said:😍
a cat 😍 How are the kids getting along with him? Is he a house Cat...
That law is nothing but hot air... 😁
My vacuum cleaner is probably pushing twenty years old now... 🎉It’s so loud I’m actually having to dig out my earplugs. At least the color is green... it's somewhat soothing... 🤣
You can find stuff like that in those little corner shops... if you know where to look. $5.00You know, that little lint roller gadget that picks up all the hair... It’s nothing life-changing, really. But it gets the job done... 🤣
He's an indoor cat—kind of a loner.
They don't really bond much. He isn't exactly a cuddler; he was a rescue, so he's pretty skittish. Who knows what he went through growing up? Anyway, he keeps his distance from the kids. And honestly, the kids keep their distance from him too—better than getting scratched, right? 🤣
As for that hair roller thing, 🤣 I go through them constantly just trying to clean my pants. And don't even get me started on the carpet. 🤦
Jeffrey Ramos4 said:Maybe the real solution is just automating the kids... giving them the exact same programming as the robot. 😁 🤣
I try, but then I end up just yelling at my kids all day. ☕
The 4-year-old leaves toy cars in every single crevice of the apartment.
The older one? She’s basically a walking tornado.
Oh, and we have a Cat. The one I specifically wanted because I grew up around them and didn't mind the cleanup.
But this one is FLUFFY. And naturally, it's a WHITE FLUFFY Cat, so the sheer volume of white fluff shedding onto the carpet is actually impressive.
🤦🤣☕
P.S. I actually bent the vacuum hose by pressing too hard trying to suck up the hair. THE HOSE—METAL.
(Can't afford that fancy one with the rotating brush right now 🙂 )
Jonathan Hayes said:Quincy:| Planning & organization—the bedrock of a healthy psyche |
Is this actually a question or just a statement? Because I don't think one necessarily leads to the other.
Take me, for example. I’m a total pro at planning and staying organized (I actually get paid for it 🤣), yet here I am, struggling with anxious depression...
It sounds more like you're worried about how your lack of organizational skills impacts the people around you,
rather than how it hits your own mental health directly... 😁
🙂 So, Baby, you gonna be my therapist?
- You're hitting the nail on the head
- Teach me some "organization"
🙂
Jonathan Hayes said:Quincy:| Planning & organization—the bedrock of a healthy psyche |
Is this actually a question or just a statement? Because I don't think one necessarily leads to the other.
Take me, for example. I’m a total pro at planning and staying organized (I actually get paid for it 🤣), yet here I am, struggling with anxious depression...
It sounds more like you're worried about how your lack of organizational skills impacts the people around you,
rather than how it hits your own mental health directly... 😁
Maybe we can ask the mods to just add a question mark to the end of titles. 😁
Jeffrey Ramos4 said:🤣
Just go grab one of those Roomba robots and call it a day 🙂🤣
🤣 I'd love to, but those robots aren't going to pick up toys off the floor or tidy up a mess. 😁
When it comes to setting priorities, that’s obviously key to staying organized.
Instead of actually vacuuming right now, I’m sitting here typing this out instead. 😬
It's definitely a case of bad prioritization. If I spend all my time vacuuming, I'll be stuck doing it all afternoon, and then I won't have any time left for the other stuff I actually need to get done. 🤦
Andrew Doyle said:The silver lining in this whole mess is that at least you know exactly what you need to work on.👍
When it comes to organization, I feel like I could probably loosen the reins once in a while, but I have this overwhelming sensation that if I don't execute things precisely—down to the exact hour or minute—something catastrophic will happen. I'm not talking about some external force acting upon me; I mean an internal collapse, as if my entire system is going to fail and trigger a massive domino effect.
Because of all this, my therapist has been questioning me quite intensely and looking for signs of OCD, though she hasn't officially diagnosed it yet.
I desperately need to find some balance in my life because I constantly swing between extremes—it's either 100% perfection or total failure. And let's be honest, living like that is never a healthy or sustainable way to exist. I deal with terrible internal turmoil and I feel physically ill if everything around me isn't perfectly in order or if I haven't checked off every single thing on my list. This rigidity is exhausting; I carry it like a heavy weight. I truly believe that through psychotherapy, I'll be able to make progress on this part of my personality.
Given how much work I have ahead of me in therapy, I doubt I'll ever truly be finished with this before I hit retirement.🤦😁
That just sounds like a reality that's "badly" organized or planned.
Basically, you're piling on too many tasks that you can't actually finish (even though you want to), and then you crash because you didn't meet your own expectations.
Those are two extremes.
I lean toward one side, while you're closer to the other—let's say 🤣
So, how do you actually handle your priorities?