So glad to hear that they are helping you, if been very nice reading everyone’s experience and how it’s helping and also that being hesitant is normal. I just been holding off too long!
Thank you for sharing this with me
It’s good to see you
I used amitryptaline for around six months,im pretty sure they are an anti depressant but I was using them for sleeping and anxiety issues and they worked wonders for me,they also took the edge off daily life aswell ,I stopped taking them a few months ago because i didnt want to use anymore and although things went a bit rough for a bit things have settled again and im feeling alot better than i did before i took them,so they were a plus for me,
Hope things work out for you
Same boat Twizz. I’ve always know that my brain’s chemical make up predisposes me to depression. I’ve spent many days in bed. I am not currently medicated, but I bounced around with meds in my 20s but never gave anything a real chance to work.
Lately at 2+ years sober I have been thinking I need some meds to get over that final mental hurdle so thank you for posting this. Reading here helped me too.
Thank you
I’m glad it has helped you. It’s nice to know it is doing good for so many.
I’m glad it may help you and maybe others too.
It’s a battle we maybe don’t need to be fighting, and we won’t know until we give it a chance.
I’m starting mine tomorrow (I plan to) I will keep updating here. We don’t need to keep suffering, that’s what I’m realising and I’m feeling hopeful.
Big hugs
A wise person told me to keep a journal as you start the meds. Please also check in here with us and we can help. 🩷🩷
You deserve a healthy brain. It’s the captain of our ship and we have to keep that guy healthy or the whole ship sinks.
My mental health day today includes books, cooking, rest and some comedies on the TV. Sending love and strength, not that you need it, you’re strong as hell.
Great work @Twizzlers i hope with a drs help you can find some relief.
Were here for ya
My advice is to not give up if the first med doesnt work. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to find something that works for your brain chemistry.
Perhaps it will help to think of medication as a step? If you have been struggling for four years you clearly need to do something different. Medication doesn’t necessarily mean you have to take it forever. Of course, sometimes it does, and that is 100 percent fine. But sometimes it can be that support that can help you get other things in your life in place, so that later down the line at an appropriate time, you can consider coming off (of course, discussing with a Dr and staying on them being a valid option, always).
For me I took some different anxiety meditation and anti depressants in early sobriety. The first few I tried just made me sleepy, but then I was prescribed one that really helped. I stayed on it for a year or two. But then I found some irregularities in my breasts, possibly connected to the meds. I came off, and felt truly awful for a few months, there were some life things happening too, but now I am off the meds completely and doing pretty ok really.
Of course, this may not be your path, but the point is anyone’s mental health is a process of maintenance, trying this and doing that until you hit a mix that works. And that mix might not work forever, so you have to keep monitoring and tweaking.
Be brave and try things and take control. We are here to listen and support while you figure if out.
Thanks for your reply.
I had a busy day yesterday with family so haven’t had a chance to respond.
This is what I think it will help with. Help with building blocks to help me do other stuff.
For example like not being scared to hang out washing in my own garden like it’s the world ending.
Making me see the simple things sometimes are just that - simple. I’m making them into bigger things that they arent.
I havent started taking them yet, I have an appointment with my Dr on the phone this week to talk about them.
I feel like I’m really taking it seriously though now, about helping myself in the best possible ways. And realising that that it’s another part of my life I need help with and can’t do alone. I have tried.
Thank you for taking time to reply
Thank you
I am preparing myself for the beginning to be abit bumpy.
I really want to make sure I’m doing the best for myself and speaking here and having others share their experience has helped me to see that It works.
I have to work on myself or it all heads down hill.
If I keep ignoring this part of my life it just affects my sobriety and everything.
Thank you
I didn’t think about keeping a journal about them.
This is probably a Very good idea.
To be able to read back and reflect on and notice any trends. And even that things may be working better than I feel they are and that would help notice this. Because my mind set is kind of already balanced off to the ’ here I go again they never worked before’ etc… I might not see the changes but reflecting on a written journey I can see what is working and what isn’t, what’s better and what maybe not etc…
.
I feel so grateful to have all of you here. It means so much!
Keep at it Twizz. Changing up what you are doing until you get the desired results is the name of the game.
I’ve been thinking about this thread, and meds in general for a while. I’ve always felt that my brain was different or lacking and I think that is a common thought for addicts or anyone with mental health struggles. I kept trying to repair that lack by adding things like substances to alter my moods or behaviors to soothe.
What if I just looked at my brain and realized it has been missing something because it is built differently. It leans toward depression and there are regulated substances I can try to help.
If I can do cocaine in a bathroom with a stranger or mushrooms in the parking lot of a concert with a man who lives in his van as a way to “repair” my brain, I can try medication that has been specifically built to help.
You’ve got this Twizz. Use us as your journal if you need, I’m enjoying talking this out.
This is so true isn’t it!!! Something that’s built to help and i be skeptical but never turned down stuff I knew was harming for me!
Thank you for all your support and encouragement.
And yes this thread everyone adds and join if it’s helping that is good. It’s definitely helped me to put my thinking into perspective.
Spoke with Dr today.
After speaking with my Dr today we have decided I shouldn’t take any antidepressants right now due to the way my thinking is right now about life. And we are going to to do a programme to come of the sleep tablets and Diazapam slowly.
In 2 weeks she is going to call me.
I think she is getting advice from the core trauma mental health team about medication.
I have been feeling really hopeless and she is worried about me starting a medicine that will be the 11th one when I have been having plans and ideations about life and if it is worth living.
So yh I will be starting something soon and I explained to her the diazapam and sleeping tablets aren’t actually doing anything and do not want the dose upped I think they are contributing to my feeling of hopelessness.
I’m getting help, I’m proud I am taking these steps instead of keep burying my head and not opening up.
This is the star me really trying to work on me, mentally.
After talking with her I probably scared her a bit with my thoughts but I really want to get this part of my life better. And if I don’t be honest I won’t get the right help.
Thank you
IL update my journey about it all here and others feel free to share your experience the more we can help eachother the better.
Just to everyone : I do understand we can’t give medical advice but sharing our own experiences while others are going through similar so comforting to read.
Hey @Twizzlers , how’s it going? Im just catching up on this thread. I hope you’ve got your meds sorted.
Hi Karen, bit of migraine over here. Keep happening quite often lately. Sure it’s just due to this time of year anniversaries and stuff like that.
My Dr is taking me off the sleeping tablets and Diazapam slowly which I’m grateful for - it was either up the dose so it helps again or stop. Stopping is better I’m sure they are causing more harm than good the amount of time I have been on them.
No antidepressants have been decided yet I think she wants to see how I do once off the Diazapam and sleeping tablets and with some therapy.
Thank you for asking how are you doing ?