Here’s a polished and corrected version of your story:
I have been sober for over two years. The first year was okay—I had some low moods and anxiety, but nothing too severe. However, the second year has been much worse. I’ve been struggling with constant brain fog and severe mental fatigue. I have difficulty finding the right words, forget names I should know, and struggle to concentrate. At times, I even feel like I’m not fully present.
I had an MRI scan of my brain, and everything came back normal. I was on Effexor (an SSRI) for a while, but my brain fog became even worse, so I recently stopped taking it. Now, I’m starting Lexapro.
I usually exercise, which helps a little, and I try to eat well, but I’m still struggling. Has anyone experienced something similar? If so, what advice or insights have you received from psychiatrists or doctors? I’d really appreciate any input.
I’m not doctor, but i’m going to bet the issue you are struggling with has little to do with quitting drinking and more to do with a separate issue. How old are you and what do your Doctors think?
I’m 41. I had a history of panic attacks when I was 22, but medication cleared that up. However, since my 20s, I’ve struggled with alcohol and dabbled in cocaine and ecstasy. I started experiencing anxiety from alcohol, so I relied on it as a crutch. Since giving it up, things have been challenging. My doctor isn’t very helpful—he was surprised that the SSRI didn’t resolve my symptoms and has referred me to a psychiatrist, but I have to wait six months, which has been very frustrating
I experienced exactly the same, I finally got diagnosed as having ME.
There’s no test for it, it’s a process of elimination. Go see your doctor , I hope it’s not ME as it takes a long time to to get to grips with it and with some people ending up housebound or in extreme cases dying. Best wishes. &
I googled ME and it gave me this answer, but I’m not sure if this is what he meant:
Myalgic encephalomyelitis , also called chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS, is a long-term condition that can affect different parts of the body. The most common symptom is extreme tiredness. The cause of ME/CFS is unknown. ME/CFS can affect anyone, including children.
When it comes to chronic illness Google isn’t reliable, in fact it’s a liability and misleading.
You need to go on the ME society site or a proper medical site where you can see that there are very many symptoms of ME, and who gets what symptoms is in the hands of the gods, I suffer from all that have been mentioned and more. &
I had a similar thing. Turned out I had ADHD that I had been unknowingly self-medicating for YEARS. I hope you find whatever ails you. It sounds very exhausting to go through what you are going through. I hope you get support and a way through
Me too! And also, please get checked for sleep apnea. These are all things I found out I had after I quit drinking.
I went and had a sleep study, but they actually have an app that can measure and record your sleep. I recommend checking it out because it can cause exactly what you are talking about
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