Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Brandon Lopez6 said:I honestly have no idea what you're talking about, but I still think your previous post was just unnecessarily clunky and poorly written.

The reason I wrote that post was because of this:

Quote:
Daracpoparac says: Check out this post
So, antipsychotics are drugs used to treat psychosis, but can someone explain how they actually work? And is it normal to feel like all emotional intensity is just... gone? Like a sort of emotional dampening where every day feels identical? Nothing really excites me, and I can't even tell the difference between being sad or happy because I don't feel either—I just feel empty. I've been feeling this emptiness for two years while on them.[/SIZE] Does that mean I should start tapering off or maybe switch meds entirely? My psychiatrist keeps insisting she'll start lowering my doses once my concentration improves, but I have no idea when that’ll happen since every single day is the same—neither better nor worse—and my psychotic symptoms are long gone. If anyone actually knows about this, please weigh in. Thanks in advance! (edit) Honestly, I don't trust my psychiatrist much; she just treats me like a task to be completed without trying to actually understand me, even though I've been totally open with her. I keep telling her the emptiness is bothering me, but she just repeats that we'll taper down once my focus gets better. I'm thinking about switching doctors, but it feels risky since she's been managing me for three years now.

It's depra—basically Melancholy and Lethargy caused by long-term therapy.

urbanskipper4 said:25 mg Anafranil, three times a day (2,2,2)
150 mg Aurorix, twice a day (1,0,1)
25 mg Lyrica, three times a day—that's my current setup (2,2,2)
I'm on it for OCD.

Look, I’ll let you in on a little secret, just between us.

It works like this...

Anafranil—or clomipramine, if you want to be technical—is a tricyclic antidepressant.
Aurorix is also an antidepressant.

And if you actually look at the prescribing information for Aurorix, it explicitly states: ''Do not take Aurorix and inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are currently taking the following:
-if you are taking other medications for depression or anxiety, such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, or clomipramine.
Full stop. Period. End of story. 😵😁

Which means... don't take them together... I assume you realize that?
In my honest opinion, while nothing catastrophic might happen immediately, does anyone truly know what kind of side effects occur when you mix these things up? No one does...🤔

Hey there! 👋
I’ve been wondering lately if anyone here has actually gone through injectable therapy? My doctor is suggesting it as an option for me, but I'm feeling a bit lost on how the whole process works. Like, if I go this route, am I still supposed to be taking my daily pills, or does the shot completely replace them? And I'm also unclear on the frequency—is it something you get once a week or maybe once a month? I know my mom gets a shot about once a month to manage her schizophrenia, so I was thinking that instead of taking 🤔
, maybe this could be a better fit for me.

Jason Vaughn482 said:That hasn't been my experience. I've been on Xanax for five years now. I usually stick to a max of 1.5 mg, though most days it's more like 0.75 to 1 mg... and it still works every single time. I tried Lexapro once just because I couldn't sleep, but it did absolutely nothing—not for the restlessness, not for the insomnia... I gave up after just a few days. For me, Xamax is the gold standard, even if it doesn't actually knock me out.

At this point, I could pop 4 mg of Xanax all at once and wouldn't feel a damn thing.

Fevarin turned my life into a living hell, so I tossed it.

The only thing that’s actually worked for over a year now is Tramadol (Doreta works too). It always lifts my mood and gives me this rush of euphoria, though it does make me a little agitated at the same time. After higher doses, I can sleep like a log. Once the "come down" happens, I don't really deal with any nasty physical or mental side effects.

Sure, it causes some kind of dependency, but honestly? It’s the only thing that's helped me survive this far.

Besides, why would Big Pharma bother making an effective drug for depression, OCD, or BPD that works instantly instead of building up over weeks—and doesn't create an addiction? What's in it for them?

Has anyone here ever made the switch from unknown to a standard "chemical" antidepressant?

Right now, this is all just theoretical for me since I’ve been taking unknown on my own for about seven weeks. It’s actually helped a little—though, if I'm being honest, I wasn't really expecting much given that I've been battling depression and anxiety for nearly two years straight. I'm assuming my doctor will probably put me on a traditional antidepressant once she hears everything that's going on in my head 🙄 (I've been a bit slow to schedule my check-up because I foolishly thought "I can handle this myself," and then there was all that annoying insurance paperwork to deal with just a bit of a delay, you know?). From what I understand, unknown works similarly to an SSRI.

I'm just curious to hear about your experiences so I know what to look out for or what specific questions I should bring up at my appointment. I see conflicting things online where some say antidepressants aren't addictive while others claim they are, so... I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks!

silentpuma3 said:At this point, I could pop 4 mg of Xanax all at once and wouldn't feel a damn thing.

Fevarin turned my life into a living hell, so I tossed it.

The only thing that’s actually worked for over a year now is Tramadol (Doreta works too). It always lifts my mood and gives me this rush of euphoria, though it does make me a little agitated at the same time. After higher doses, I can sleep like a log. Once the "come down" happens, I don't really deal with any nasty physical or mental side effects.

Sure, it causes some kind of dependency, but honestly? It’s the only thing that's helped me survive this far.

Besides, why would Big Pharma bother making an effective drug for depression, OCD, or BPD that works instantly instead of building up over weeks—and doesn't create an addiction? What's in it for them?

Talk to your doctor and start tapering off; that dose is getting pretty high.
There are effective antidepressants and antipsychotics out there—neither of which cause addiction.
Benzodiazepines are a whole different story since they cause physical dependence, and the psychological addiction is even harder to break. A long time ago, xanax gave me this false sense of security, and I ended up addicted for years—I was hitting 4 mg a day (8 pills of 0.5 mg, just like you). With the help of my therapist, I finally managed to get off it. She told me about this young guy she knew who was taking way more xanax than I was, and he eventually had to be hospitalized just to detox.

fadedbear92 said:Talk to your doctor and start tapering off; that dose is getting pretty high.
There are effective antidepressants and antipsychotics out there—neither of which cause addiction.
Benzodiazepines are a whole different story since they cause physical dependence, and the psychological addiction is even harder to break. A long time ago, xanax gave me this false sense of security, and I ended up addicted for years—I was hitting 4 mg a day (8 pills of 0.5 mg, just like you). With the help of my therapist, I finally managed to get off it. She told me about this young guy she knew who was taking way more xanax than I was, and he eventually had to be hospitalized just to detox.

Antipsychotics? You mean chemical straitjackets? Like old-school Thorazine and its descendants?

Give me a break.

Do you know what I felt from that 4 mg? Absolutely nothing.

All I did was cry my eyes out.

silentpuma3 said:Antipsychotics? You mean chemical straitjackets? Like old-school Thorazine and its descendants?

Give me a break.

Do you know what I felt from that 4 mg? Absolutely nothing.

All I did was cry my eyes out.

Every option carries a heavy price; while some medications are notoriously addictive, most antipsychotics tend to spike blood sugar levels, trigger weight gain, and even carry the terrifying risk of blood clots or strokes. It’s a delicate balancing act where everyone has to find their own equilibrium. Personally, I’m content with my xanax because I don't feel that physical craving for more. I take 7.5 mg of Calixta—well, technically I tried 15 mg, but that was far too much for me, so I cut it in half... and honestly, I can't stand Sanval, and I have no clue how I'll manage to fall asleep without it. To make matters worse, during an eye exam this week, they discovered high intraocular pressure, which likely means glaucoma. I've been scheduled for a month of comprehensive testing, but many psychotropic drugs interfere with those results, so I'm left staring into an uncertain future...
If 4 mg doesn't do a single thing for you, then why bother taking it at all? You're just poisoning your system for no reason.

Raymond Ortiz69 said:Has anyone here ever made the switch from unknown to a standard "chemical" antidepressant?

Right now, this is all just theoretical for me since I’ve been taking unknown on my own for about seven weeks. It’s actually helped a little—though, if I'm being honest, I wasn't really expecting much given that I've been battling depression and anxiety for nearly two years straight. I'm assuming my doctor will probably put me on a traditional antidepressant once she hears everything that's going on in my head 🙄 (I've been a bit slow to schedule my check-up because I foolishly thought "I can handle this myself," and then there was all that annoying insurance paperwork to deal with just a bit of a delay, you know?). From what I understand, unknown works similarly to an SSRI.

I'm just curious to hear about your experiences so I know what to look out for or what specific questions I should bring up at my appointment. I see conflicting things online where some say antidepressants aren't addictive while others claim they are, so... I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks!

Look, if you’ve been grinding through depression and anxiety for this long, and that Activia supplement is only giving you a tiny bit of relief, you’re probably looking at a transition to actual pharmaceutical antidepressants. It’s usually a gradual process—you start with low doses and slowly scale up to whatever the doctor prescribes. Plus, most people find they need to take a sedative or an anxiolytic alongside the AD at first, just to help manage those initial side effects while your body adjusts.
Look, let’s get one thing straight about antidepressants: they aren't like benzos. When you're dealing with stuff like xanax, you hit that wall where your tolerance skyrockets, and suddenly you're chasing a higher dose just to feel baseline. That's a vicious cycle. Antidepressants don't work like that. They don't trigger that "more, more, more" physical craving. You can stay on them for a long stretch—hell, some people take them for life—without that constant upward climb in dosage just to stay level.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Every option carries a heavy price; while some medications are notoriously addictive, most antipsychotics tend to spike blood sugar levels, trigger weight gain, and even carry the terrifying risk of blood clots or strokes. It’s a delicate balancing act where everyone has to find their own equilibrium. Personally, I’m content with my xanax because I don't feel that physical craving for more. I take 7.5 mg of Calixta—well, technically I tried 15 mg, but that was far too much for me, so I cut it in half... and honestly, I can't stand Sanval, and I have no clue how I'll manage to fall asleep without it. To make matters worse, during an eye exam this week, they discovered high intraocular pressure, which likely means glaucoma. I've been scheduled for a month of comprehensive testing, but many psychotropic drugs interfere with those results, so I'm left staring into an uncertain future...
If 4 mg doesn't do a single thing for you, then why bother taking it at all? You're just poisoning your system for no reason.

That's true—everything needs to stay under medical supervision, and you really have to keep an eye on your blood work... there are so many different medications out there today that it's almost impossible not to eventually find the right therapy for someone. It's a whole different story if they refuse to try it for one reason or another.

Matthew Castillo5 said:Look, if you’ve been grinding through depression and anxiety for this long, and that Activia supplement is only giving you a tiny bit of relief, you’re probably looking at a transition to actual pharmaceutical antidepressants. It’s usually a gradual process—you start with low doses and slowly scale up to whatever the doctor prescribes. Plus, most people find they need to take a sedative or an anxiolytic alongside the AD at first, just to help manage those initial side effects while your body adjusts.
Look, let’s get one thing straight about antidepressants: they aren't like benzos. When you're dealing with stuff like xanax, you hit that wall where your tolerance skyrockets, and suddenly you're chasing a higher dose just to feel baseline. That's a vicious cycle. Antidepressants don't work like that. They don't trigger that "more, more, more" physical craving. You can stay on them for a long stretch—hell, some people take them for life—without that constant upward climb in dosage just to stay level.

Oh, I’ve actually been dealing with this stuff for much longer (I used to have what I called my "phases" all the way back in elementary school, though I didn't really know what was happening other than realizing my brain was just a little bit... 😵different)), but about a year ago, I finally realized that things had taken a turn for the worse, as they say. I won't go into all the details here, but it took me a few pretty rough days to finally accept that I couldn't just "willpower" my way out of that hole.

About two weeks ago (which would be week 5 on AktivinaH), I noticed that I've generally been a bit calmer and haven't had one of those... I don't even know how to describe them, let's call them "crises" (actually, more like a low where my mood just plummets in seconds, like someone threw me into a pit and I can't get out, so I just cry for an hour wishing I could disappear—that used to happen to me at least once or twice a month, totally out of the blue)).
I haven't really experienced full-blown panic attacks with that intense irrational fear, but everything else (heart racing, restlessness, blood pressure spikes, etc.) is definitely there... anyway, in the last four weeks or so, none of that has happened, so I'm attributing that to AktivinaH too.
Last week, I realized that I'm suddenly finding interest in things that I hadn't felt motivated to do for about two years... it's such a strange feeling, like I've finally "switched on," even if just a little bit, compared to that total lack of interest I had in my hobbies, my career, everything. Before, I couldn't even force myself to work through one of those great KBT workbooks I have—I'd start, see that it helped, but I just lacked the initiative for anything. If I didn't have to work, I probably would have spent my days sitting in a dim room staring at four walls.
Things are a tiny bit better now. Clearly, it's working, though obviously, I'm not expecting a magic pill to fix everything overnight.

I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow, so we'll see what the next steps are. Regardless, it's good to know that antidepressants aren't addictive. I wasn't entirely sure if I needed to "taper off" the AktivinaH first.

Whoops, I guess I went on a bit of a tangent there. Sorry! It's like free psychotherapy on a forum 😁

Thanks for the reply!

Good morning, everyone.
I doubt anyone here even remembers me, considering the last time I logged on was back in February 2011.
To give you the short version of my story: after losing someone close to me, I was hit with panic attacks and anxiety so intense I genuinely thought I was either losing my mind or dying—there was no middle ground. These episodes were happening multiple times a day and lasted forever. Derealization kicked in, too. I couldn't sleep for anything; even the slightest sudden noise would trigger an attack. Driving became impossible, and it felt like these constant black clouds were hanging over my head. Happiness just wasn't part of my vocabulary anymore. I tried smoking marijuana once, which was a disaster; it just tripled the symptoms. Then came the depression. I was terrified to leave the house and stopped seeing friends because social interaction just fueled the fire. Eventually, I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed Lexapro—maybe 0.25mg, forgive me if my memory is fuzzy since it’s been ages—and that helped me pull myself together slightly. The attacks nearly destroyed me, but they didn't break my spirit. I told myself, "This is brutal, but one day you're going to look back and laugh at all of this." Fast forward four years later: I’ve dropped 10 pounds, quit smoking two years ago, and gotten into incredible shape through running almost every single day. As for the attacks? I haven't had one in about two and a half years. Plus, I have a precious little girl now, about eighteen months old, who is the light of my life. I actually ended up embracing my biggest enemy—anxiety—and making peace with it, which made me incredibly mentally resilient. I'm talking so strong that I, a guy who smoked for ten years straight, quit cold turkey just by sheer willpower, something I never thought possible. Recently, I faced a situation where a loved one suffered a heart attack right in front of me; I spent 20 minutes trying to revive them until the paramedics arrived, but unfortunately, they passed away. Even then, I didn't have a panic attack. I think I've reached a point where nothing in life can easily break me; I've become very calm. I'm only writing this so that people currently feeling the way I used to feel know that life gets beautiful again eventually, and recovery is real. Hang in there and don't lose faith in yourselves.

Gary Thompson6 said:Good morning, everyone.
I doubt anyone here even remembers me, considering the last time I logged on was back in February 2011.
To give you the short version of my story: after losing someone close to me, I was hit with panic attacks and anxiety so intense I genuinely thought I was either losing my mind or dying—there was no middle ground. These episodes were happening multiple times a day and lasted forever. Derealization kicked in, too. I couldn't sleep for anything; even the slightest sudden noise would trigger an attack. Driving became impossible, and it felt like these constant black clouds were hanging over my head. Happiness just wasn't part of my vocabulary anymore. I tried smoking marijuana once, which was a disaster; it just tripled the symptoms. Then came the depression. I was terrified to leave the house and stopped seeing friends because social interaction just fueled the fire. Eventually, I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed Lexapro—maybe 0.25mg, forgive me if my memory is fuzzy since it’s been ages—and that helped me pull myself together slightly. The attacks nearly destroyed me, but they didn't break my spirit. I told myself, "This is brutal, but one day you're going to look back and laugh at all of this." Fast forward four years later: I’ve dropped 10 pounds, quit smoking two years ago, and gotten into incredible shape through running almost every single day. As for the attacks? I haven't had one in about two and a half years. Plus, I have a precious little girl now, about eighteen months old, who is the light of my life. I actually ended up embracing my biggest enemy—anxiety—and making peace with it, which made me incredibly mentally resilient. I'm talking so strong that I, a guy who smoked for ten years straight, quit cold turkey just by sheer willpower, something I never thought possible. Recently, I faced a situation where a loved one suffered a heart attack right in front of me; I spent 20 minutes trying to revive them until the paramedics arrived, but unfortunately, they passed away. Even then, I didn't have a panic attack. I think I've reached a point where nothing in life can easily break me; I've become very calm. I'm only writing this so that people currently feeling the way I used to feel know that life gets beautiful again eventually, and recovery is real. Hang in there and don't lose faith in yourselves.

So, what you're saying is it wasn't the medication (which hasn't worked for anyone else on this thread, for that matter) but rather intentional actions—changing lifestyle habits, shifting perspectives, and staying physically active?

Medication helped me out during those stretches when I honestly couldn't see the situation for what it really was, but if I'm being real, the biggest turning point was just stepping away from the chaos for a bit. Once I finally made peace with the symptoms—basically deciding that whatever happens, happens, and refusing to overthink it—everything just started falling into place on its own.

Gary Thompson6 said:Medication helped me out during those stretches when I honestly couldn't see the situation for what it really was, but if I'm being real, the biggest turning point was just stepping away from the chaos for a bit. Once I finally made peace with the symptoms—basically deciding that whatever happens, happens, and refusing to overthink it—everything just started falling into place on its own.

So, is there anything you’ve done purely by your own choice that goes against standard medical advice?

Thanks for sharing, and good luck.

Matthew Castillo5 said:Look, if you’ve been grinding through depression and anxiety for this long, and that Activia supplement is only giving you a tiny bit of relief, you’re probably looking at a transition to actual pharmaceutical antidepressants. It’s usually a gradual process—you start with low doses and slowly scale up to whatever the doctor prescribes. Plus, most people find they need to take a sedative or an anxiolytic alongside the AD at first, just to help manage those initial side effects while your body adjusts.
Look, let’s get one thing straight about antidepressants: they aren't like benzos. When you're dealing with stuff like xanax, you hit that wall where your tolerance skyrockets, and suddenly you're chasing a higher dose just to feel baseline. That's a vicious cycle. Antidepressants don't work like that. They don't trigger that "more, more, more" physical craving. You can stay on them for a long stretch—hell, some people take them for life—without that constant upward climb in dosage just to stay level.

Let’s get one thing straight: we aren't talking about addiction here. We're talking about tolerance. Those are two entirely different concepts. Why does everyone insist on conflating them? It’s a massive distinction. ☕

Antidepressants aren't something you just take for a few weeks and call it a day. You can stay on them for a long time. If you need to? You might even be on them for the rest of your life. Is that such a bad thing? Who's to say?

I was digging through some studies the other day, and honestly, it’s unsettling. There's actual data suggesting that SSRIs can cause brain damage. And don't even get me started on those old tricyclics—they aren't any better. In fact, they seem to be less effective than a damn placebo. How does that even happen?

I’m not even sure if this belongs here, but I just need to get this out because I feel absolutely terrible... anyway, I’ve been on Paxil for four years now to deal with panic attacks and anxiety, and I’m finally trying to taper off. For two weeks, I was taking half a pill every day, but now I’ve moved to half a pill every other day. And honestly? It feels awful. Just truly awful.
Lately, my boyfriend left me and I lost my job too... so right now, there isn't really anything in my life to look forward to, everything just kind of fell apart at once. Maybe I was being foolish by deciding to quit the Paxil right now of all times, and now I’m just lost. I have this constant sense of dread and restlessness, and I can't stop crying... I don't even know how to handle myself. I'm terrified that I'm actually losing my mind because this is just so intense. I can't live like this, I really don't know what to do...

Nicole Hernandez72 said:I’m not even sure if this belongs here, but I just need to get this out because I feel absolutely terrible... anyway, I’ve been on Paxil for four years now to deal with panic attacks and anxiety, and I’m finally trying to taper off. For two weeks, I was taking half a pill every day, but now I’ve moved to half a pill every other day. And honestly? It feels awful. Just truly awful.
Lately, my boyfriend left me and I lost my job too... so right now, there isn't really anything in my life to look forward to, everything just kind of fell apart at once. Maybe I was being foolish by deciding to quit the Paxil right now of all times, and now I’m just lost. I have this constant sense of dread and restlessness, and I can't stop crying... I don't even know how to handle myself. I'm terrified that I'm actually losing my mind because this is just so intense. I can't live like this, I really don't know what to do...

Honestly, I support your decision to get off these meds...

But you aren't alone in this. I'm tapering off too, and the sheer terror hitting me is indescribable. Physically? I'm a complete wreck. I've started losing weight noticeably... I have zero appetite. Last week, some mysterious illness hit me out of nowhere. The first sign was violent vomiting—everything. I couldn't even keep a few sips of water or chamomile tea down, so dehydration and exhaustion kicked in fast. The next day, things improved slightly regarding food and drink, but then the fever started, along with tingling in my hands and feet, brief bouts of dizziness and loss of balance, a cold sensation in my nose (though no congestion or runny nose), general malaise, and intense nightmares and sleep issues... 🙂

Nicole Hernandez72 said:I’m not even sure if this belongs here, but I just need to get this out because I feel absolutely terrible... anyway, I’ve been on Paxil for four years now to deal with panic attacks and anxiety, and I’m finally trying to taper off. For two weeks, I was taking half a pill every day, but now I’ve moved to half a pill every other day. And honestly? It feels awful. Just truly awful.
Lately, my boyfriend left me and I lost my job too... so right now, there isn't really anything in my life to look forward to, everything just kind of fell apart at once. Maybe I was being foolish by deciding to quit the Paxil right now of all times, and now I’m just lost. I have this constant sense of dread and restlessness, and I can't stop crying... I don't even know how to handle myself. I'm terrified that I'm actually losing my mind because this is just so intense. I can't live like this, I really don't know what to do...

It sounds like you picked the absolute worst timing for this.
If there isn't some urgent medical reason why you have to taper off right this second, maybe try waiting until things settle down a bit and life isn't so chaotic.

Nicole Hernandez72 said:I’m not even sure if this belongs here, but I just need to get this out because I feel absolutely terrible... anyway, I’ve been on Paxil for four years now to deal with panic attacks and anxiety, and I’m finally trying to taper off. For two weeks, I was taking half a pill every day, but now I’ve moved to half a pill every other day. And honestly? It feels awful. Just truly awful.
Lately, my boyfriend left me and I lost my job too... so right now, there isn't really anything in my life to look forward to, everything just kind of fell apart at once. Maybe I was being foolish by deciding to quit the Paxil right now of all times, and now I’m just lost. I have this constant sense of dread and restlessness, and I can't stop crying... I don't even know how to handle myself. I'm terrified that I'm actually losing my mind because this is just so intense. I can't live like this, I really don't know what to do...

What has your psychiatrist said about it?