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[porkchopexpress]

When it creeps up, that's the worst. I hope you're doing better since you posted

TY, i have stepped back from the mental ledge so to speak, so better in that regard. But still kind of working through a lot.

 

[ÆMNE22A!C]

TY, i have stepped back from the mental ledge so to speak, so better in that regard. But still kind of working through a lot.

Aaaaaaand working out

 

[ÆMNE22A!C]

.

 

[porkchopexpress]

I think I am a little closer to figuring out what has happened to me in the past 2 months. I seem to have completely blown out my dopaminergic system. I find myself increasingly compelled to do more and more hedonistic things. Richer foods, more "exciting" sexual activities, etc. while at the same time I generally feel a sense of complete anhedonia. My only conclusion is that I completely overloaded on dopamine at some point and burned out my receptors.
I keep pretty meticulous journal and notes on vitamins supplements drugs etc so I'm trying to pinpoint what I did. Nothing really stands out but it may be a confluence of things. I'm not a recreational drug guy besides occasional cannabis, so it's not like I just came off a coke binge.
I wish I had an easy source for Wellbutrin.

Edit: so yeah the more research i do and reviewing my notes I am 99% sure I crashed my dopamine. So now I just have to figure out how I want to handle that.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

So, to cut to the chase, and as some of you already know, my father died recently. My mother died from cancer back in 1994. I'm an only child so I do not have any brothers or sisters. I've pretty much lived with my father all my life and I was his caregiver as well.

After his death it has been extremely hard on me. I have panic attacks almost every night. I have a psychiatrist that I don't like and keeps giving me medicine that doesn't work and all she ever does is up the dosage. I really don't like her and in turn I can tell she doesn't like me. If it weren't for some circumstances I would be changing psychiatrists right away but I might as soon as Monday.

Look, I know I whine here every now and then but this has taken a real toll on me. I have no family in this city and I'm pretty much all alone. The loneliness. The fear that something is going to go wrong, the depression and just anxiety are all really killing me.

I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm trying to find anything that can ease my anxiety since my psychiatrist won't give me anything that will help.

I find myself crying pretty much every other night. It's been exhausting and just all around terrible.

I'm really trying to keep my whining down here but this is one case I think I have to come forward and say that I'm in a very bad situation right now and I don't know what to do.

 

[sheldon_cooper]

Has anyone here cured their anxiety naturally? My life has been flipped upside down. All of a sudden have a anxiety disorder. Tried medication but I felt like I was gonna die every time I took it. Had trouble breathing one night which made me stop the medication. So currently not on any meds but have them if I decide to go back on them but terrified by these meds. Was only on it for 1 week and going through some difficult withdrawals. Brain zaps, bad headaches, ears ringing. A huge problem for me is the medication made disturbing images of suicide pop up. And it's hard to get these out. I'm not suicidal at all but these images are there. :/

Faced the same issue a year ago, but I decided to give another shot to medications but this time from another pharma site. A friend of mine once prescribed me to go for Modafinil 200 which is also a Nootropic and its composition contained agents for curing Anxiety, Depression. I gave it a shot and after continuous use for 4 months straight I saw severe improvements, got no anxiety attacks, my hands stopped shaking and I came out of that zoning-out phase every now and then. I could see the results after 2 and 1/2 months of use.
I would highly recommend Modafinil 200 if you're really desperate to cure the ailment and want to give medicines another shot.
Check it out here.

 

[Nydius]

Partly bumping this thread for visibility during this time of year but also because I'm having a bit of a rough go with my anxiety and depression.

I wasn't a germaphobe until two incidents over a 5 year span. In mid-2008 I developed community acquired MRSA cellulitis that required nearly three months of an antibiotic cocktail to clear up. In 2013, norovirus ran through my entire household and I ended up having it the worst, spending the better part of two days in the bathroom, another three days with a 103.8 (39.8) degree fever, and 24 hours in the hospital for severe dehydration (and to get the fever down because I couldn't hold down medications).

So anytime I hear about norovirus, I get PTSD-like flashbacks and extreme anxiety, which also kickstarts psychosomatic symptoms and an OCD need to clean. With news reporting a spike in cases, plus this time of year already being a tough time due to seasonal depression, I've been feeling particularly bad.

Ironically I didn't have nearly the same fear of COVID during the height of the pandemic. Maybe it was because we hadn't caught it but even now, after having Omicron back in 2022, my fear of COVID is nothing compared to my fear of norovirus.

Also, it's my birthday and I'm probably going to spend it in a perpetual state of anxiety over potentially getting sick. Yay me.

 

[ilovebenching]

How exercise can positively impact mental health
Exercise acts as a natural mood booster by significantly increasing dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter crucial for motivation, pleasure, and reward. When we engage in physical activity, our brains release dopamine, creating a sense of accomplishment and well-being. This surge of dopamine can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety by improving overall mood and reducing feelings of fatigue and apathy.



Furthermore, regular exercise can enhance the brain's sensitivity to dopamine. This means that even small activities become more rewarding, leading to increased motivation and a greater sense of enjoyment in daily life. By consistently incorporating physical activity into our routines, we can cultivate a positive feedback loop where exercise boosts dopamine, leading to improved mood, which in turn motivates us to continue exercising. This virtuous cycle contributes significantly to overall mental and emotional well-being.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

I'm supposed to go for a diagnosis to see if I'm autistic/on the spectrum.

I've heard it's very difficult to diagnose in adults which is why I'm smart of hesitating also because I feel like it'll be for nothing.

 

[boutrosinit]

Hi everyone.

I had a bit of a shattering of self 7 years ago and I went around traveling and learned a shitload.

I've written a long piece detailing a wealth of what I learned around mental health and healing. May it be of help.

All the stuff I learned about healing : article from 2019 : Part 1 — The Magick Mechanic

It’s a polished version of an old and celebrated article I wrote. My perspective has updated but this will serve a solid primer until I share that.

www.themagickmechanic.com

 

[boutrosinit]

I'm supposed to go for a diagnosis to see if I'm autistic/on the spectrum.

I've heard it's very difficult to diagnose in adults which is why I'm smart of hesitating also because I feel like it'll be for nothing.

I was told of a thing called a 'methylation test'. Supposedly it can tell you what nutritional deficiencies you're born with and need to supplement for.

The person who told me about it said a few folks with autistic kids had them tested and then supplemented into the deficiencies. Apparently, that cleared up the autism!

I tried it and supplemented for a deficiency in serotonin. Apparently I'm genetically pre-disposed to burning more than I make! So I took the supplement recommendation of the test (I used Stride DNA in the UK) and with a few days my girlfriend told me I was way more chill.

I've also had more energy day to day since doing this.

May be worth looking at.

 

[Nydius]

A close friend of 25 years -- basically the closest thing I have to a little sister -- broke the news to me the other day that she's pregnant. At 41. This will be her third, and her youngest before this is already 22. Unplanned, obviously, and she likes the baby's dad (and vice versa) so it's looking like they'll be getting together and will do just fine. I'm legitimately happy for her.

Since she told me the news, I've been in a funk because it reminds me that I'm never going to have biological children of my own. Not for lack of trying. My wife had a child from a previous marriage and her medical records said that she would probably find it difficult to have future children due to some blood clotting disorder. I can't recall the name at the moment. We did try, and twice she had miscarriages. After the second one, which hit her very hard, we decided it wasn't worth the emotional toll to try again. Now, due to uterine cancer which necessitated a hysterectomy, it'll never happen.

I've been raising her son since he was 3, I'm the only father figure he's known. Which is fine. But still, not having kids of my own has been weighing on my mind and making me feel pretty worthless of late. Just needed to post it somewhere.

 

[boutrosinit]

A close friend of 25 years -- basically the closest thing I have to a little sister -- broke the news to me the other day that she's pregnant. At 41. This will be her third, and her youngest before this is already 22. Unplanned, obviously, and she likes the baby's dad (and vice versa) so it's looking like they'll be getting together and will do just fine. I'm legitimately happy for her.

Since she told me the news, I've been in a funk because it reminds me that I'm never going to have biological children of my own. Not for lack of trying. My wife had a child from a previous marriage and her medical records said that she would probably find it difficult to have future children due to some blood clotting disorder. I can't recall the name at the moment. We did try, and twice she had miscarriages. After the second one, which hit her very hard, we decided it wasn't worth the emotional toll to try again. Now, due to uterine cancer which necessitated a hysterectomy, it'll never happen.

I've been raising her son since he was 3, I'm the only father figure he's known. Which is fine. But still, not having kids of my own has been weighing on my mind and making me feel pretty worthless of late. Just needed to post it somewhere.

Sorry you're going through that mate.

 

[Nydius]

Man, I understand that benzodiazepines have become a "bad guy" in the US healthcare system but I'm so tired of being treated like an addict when I mention one of the few things that actually helped was 0.5mg lorazepam as needed for serious attacks.

I mention that and immediately get the side eye by my doctor. Then he hands me a prescription for hydroxyzine which he says will help "do the same thing" as lorazepam.

The hell it does. It doesn't make me less anxious, it just puts me to sleep for 10+ hours. So I guess the logic is:

 

[Aces High]

Man, I understand that benzodiazepines have become a "bad guy" in the US healthcare system but I'm so tired of being treated like an addict when I mention one of the few things that actually helped was 0.5mg lorazepam as needed for serious attacks.

I mention that and immediately get the side eye by my doctor. Then he hands me a prescription for hydroxyzine which he says will help "do the same thing" as lorazepam.

The hell it does. It doesn't make me less anxious, it just puts me to sleep for 10+ hours. So I guess the logic is:

Get off the Lorazepam asap and handle your problems without drugs.

1. Sleep on benzos is an illusion. What you're experiencing is sedation, not sleep. Your REM and deep sleep phases are not effective. Also, you will notice tolerance over time (= addiction). Your brain will adapt and you will want to take more to get the same sedation effect. My unintentionally longest Lorazepam sleep was 3 full days and nights. So basically coma.

2. Benzo addiction is way more severe than e.g cocaine addiction and probably only second to Heroin and Crack. That's why good doctors try to avoid prescibing it to young patients. Lorazepam withdrawal can literally kill you.

Don't underestimate this drug.

 

[Nydius]

Get off the Lorazepam asap and handle your problems without drugs.

1. Sleep on benzos is an illusion. What you're experiencing is sedation, not sleep. Your REM and deep sleep phases are not effective. Also, you will notice tolerance over time (= addiction). Your brain will adapt and you will want to take more to get the same sedation effect. My unintentionally longest Lorazepam sleep was 3 full days and nights. So basically coma.

2. Benzo addiction is way more severe than e.g cocaine addiction and probably only second to Heroin and Crack. That's why good doctors try to avoid prescibing it to young patients. Lorazepam withdrawal can literally kill you.

Don't underestimate this drug.

I haven't been on lorazepam in quite a while.

I'm aware of their pitfalls but perhaps you failed to read that I only took them as needed for the worst of my attacks. When I had a prescription that equated to 3-4 half-milligram tablets in a month. I tried not to take them unless it was a last resort.

My original psychiatrist wanted me to take 1mg 3x a day to which I said absolutely not. I'm not ignorant of the addictive properties of benzos.

"Handle your problems without drugs" is the same kind of meaningless advice as "just don't worry so much" so thanks for reminding me why this entire thread is worthless and is usually buried.

 

[Aces High]

"Handle your problems without drugs" is the same kind of meaningless advice as "just don't worry so much" so thanks for reminding me why this entire thread is worthless and is usually buried.

You simply aren't good at controlling your brain.
But don't worry. There's still time.

As someone who has managed to overcome

- suicidal-stage depression (endgame)
- alcohol withdrawal AND heroin cold turkey at the same time

I can 100% guarantee you that in the end, everything boils down to "Just be happy".
How you get there, you will have to find out for yourself. Nobody else can go this way for you. No family member. No doctor. No pharmacist.

I give you the following advice:

1. Don't identify yourself with illness. Don't say "I'm suffering from anxiety" ever again. Don't give yourself pathological labels anymore. Your subconsciousness starts to believe bullshit like that if you repeat it often enough. That's where your trouble begins.

2. Instead, have faith in your body. Your body can handle this. The human body is a miracle. It's the closest thing this world has ever come to what people call 'magic'. It is much stronger than you imagine. Your body can handle this for you, but you have to have faith.

3. Learn to control your brain. The human brain is like an F1 car on a regular street. If you can control it, you're unstoppable. If you lose control, you'll crash. If it says "Eat that cake" you don't obey. If it says "Have sex with that girl" you don't obey. If it says "Run away" you don't obey. If it says "Take that drug" you don't obey. Learn to control your brain and acquire mental skills to distinguish illusion from truth. Treat yourself and others with fairness and respect. Develop mental fortitude to endure hardships. And learn to do things in moderation.

The solution is always hidden in plain sight.

 

[boutrosinit]

You simply aren't good at controlling your brain.
But don't worry. There's still time.

As someone who has managed to overcome

- suicidal-stage depression (endgame)
- alcohol withdrawal AND heroin cold turkey at the same time

I can 100% guarantee you that in the end, everything boils down to "Just be happy".
How you get there, you will have to find out for yourself. Nobody else can go this way for you. No family member. No doctor. No pharmacist.

I give you the following advice:

1. Don't identify yourself with illness. Don't say "I'm suffering from anxiety" ever again. Don't give yourself pathological labels anymore. Your subconsciousness starts to believe bullshit like that if you repeat it often enough. That's where your trouble begins.

2. Instead, have faith in your body. Your body can handle this. The human body is a miracle. It's the closest thing this world has ever come to what people call 'magic'. It is much stronger than you imagine. Your body can handle this for you, but you have to have faith.

3. Learn to control your brain. The human brain is like an F1 car on a regular street. If you can control it, you're unstoppable. If you lose control, you'll crash. If it says "Eat that cake" you don't obey. If it says "Have sex with that girl" you don't obey. If it says "Run away" you don't obey. If it says "Take that drug" you don't obey. Learn to control your brain and acquire mental skills to distinguish illusion from truth. Treat yourself and others with fairness and respect. Develop mental fortitude to endure hardships. And learn to do things in moderation.

The solution is always hidden in plain sight.

Hi Aces High.

This is great news for you and I'd encourage more care in advisement.

Someone else's path to unravel trauma protective patterns and find happiness is not always going to look like your's. Structures of thinking and emotional coping are wildly different across people. There are certainly shared principles, but some folks cannot simply tell their brains to change habit with a binary switch - many they activate whole protective personalities that send them down a deeper spiral.

Even with this said, it's an achievement to be able to master your challenges like this and mad props to you.

 

[AeonGaidenRaiden]

I haven't been on lorazepam in quite a while.

I'm aware of their pitfalls but perhaps you failed to read that I only took them as needed for the worst of my attacks. When I had a prescription that equated to 3-4 half-milligram tablets in a month. I tried not to take them unless it was a last resort.

My original psychiatrist wanted me to take 1mg 3x a day to which I said absolutely not. I'm not ignorant of the addictive properties of benzos.

"Handle your problems without drugs" is the same kind of meaningless advice as "just don't worry so much" so thanks for reminding me why this entire thread is worthless and is usually buried.

I think before people blindly jump to medication to sort out a problem temporarily, they should first figure out what is causing the anxiety and try to get that fixed. Its never 500 things, its one main one, anything else is just noise. I knew exactly what was causing mine and realized I had to face it head on otherwise it will be an endless spiral. Once I did, once it was done, I felt like a huge rock off my back just dropped. Never took meds, never went to a therapist, tried talking to some friends but quickly realized they would just give me a cliche advice so I just sucked it up on my own. In the end, this quote is the truest of all: "no one is coming to save you". Gotta get it done by yourself, if you just wait around hoping someone will sort it out for you, it will never be fixed.