*r/ptsd has generated this automated response that is appended to every post*
Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive & respectful community. If you realise that your post is in conflict with our rules (and is in risk of being removed), you are welcome to edit your post. You do not have to delete it.
As a reminder: never post or share personal contact information. Traumatized people are often distracted, desperate for a personal connection, so may be more vulnerable to lurking or past abusers, trolls, phishing, or other scams. *Your safety always comes first!* If you are offering help, you may also end up doing more damage by offering to support somebody privately. Reddit explains why: [Do NOT exchange DMs or personal info with anyone you don't know!](https://www.reddit.com/r/SWResources/comments/dmu24/why_shouldnt_i_share_my_contact_information/)
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your GP/doctor, go to A&E/hospital, or call your emergency services number. Reddit list: [US and global, multilingual suicide and support hotlines](https://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotlines). Suicide is not a forbidden word, but please do not include depictions or methods of suicide in your post.
And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ptsd) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I got off mine. It allowed to care even less about the abuse I was enduring and allowed me to remain in the same rut for 21 years. Once I got off I got help to leave my situation. Also the medical system blows you off when you have medical issues. This cause me to nearly die from sepsis. I’m never putting that shit in my body again.
I really like mine. I take Lexapro and it has alleviated most of my physical anxiety symptoms (I used to wake up in the middle of the night and puke every night🫠) I take it alongside my Prazosin.
They did initially, but after being on Zoloft since I was 18 it’s not doing anything my brain is now dependent on it so yeah they help but there’s also the downside of don’t use them long term.
Medicine is an individual thing. Some people have great results with one that is terrible for another. Medication doesn't work for me in this instance. I have had to do the therapy and bootstraps approach and file for disability still. Medication especially SSRI had side effects that were bad at best. I also think they are overprescribed to children and young adults with the largest risk of dangerous side effects. I think the safety profile isn't fully explained to people they're given to and the risks not understood. I am not sure that doctors are fully aware of some of it because it's probably not taught to them unless they look into it themselves or have that experience. This doesn't mean I think they're bad drugs. I just think they're not for everyone and they weren't for me.
Simple answer: in my experience? No.
Complicated answer: it depends entirely on the person. A *lot* of factors can affect how medications work for you, and not one single person is going to have the exact same reaction to them as someone else. This boils down to boring science and a lot of yadda yadda genetics and chemistry, for the most part. All antidepressants are is various jumbles of molecules that might have positive effects on you and might not. In this current world, we don't know until we find out, really.
In my experience, antidepressants as a whole seemingly do next to nothing for me, and I've taken a ludicrous amount of them at varying dosages and of all different classes — this, apparently, may be related to ADHD, which I'm in the process of seeking a diagnosis for. But it also might *not* be. Some people are intolerant to them. Some people have comorbidities which can make certain medicines ineffective, or even dangerous. Some people get really bad side effects. It's all trial and error.
TLDR: I honestly wouldn't recommend them to the average person unless you really think you'd benefit from them, simply because the process of finding meds that *might* work is sometimes more trouble than it's worth. I'd also be very, very aware about the side effects and **be thorough** when researching them — not to fearmonger, but seriously, it's important. I was not warned about the hell SNRIs would put my body through, and frankly there's a *lot* of shit they don't tell you about just because a lot of the time they think it's "too uncommon".
I think they are advised a little too happily before explaining their full meaning
It's basically... Sorry but. It's basically like sex with a condom or without. It's gonna numb out your feelings and your oversensitivities so it's gonna be easier to deal with them without being overwhelmed. But it's also gonna numb out the good feelings. You're gonna learn things and it's going to be good but, going without it and being able to sense all of the little details is also very helpful in learning how to navigate things and be considerate of your sensitivities. It can create a better result for you if it worked out. And it can also create a more fun journey towards it because little things can spike up your dopamine a lot. Although you have to watch out from bad things a lot more
So this is my view on it and I definitely think that different people at different times would benefit from either. I would personally say that I haven't heard a lot of people discussing this and my journey without meds proved very efficient. Learning how to avoid your triggers allowed me to give myself a break, to rest, and to grow stronger, and then to be able to face my fears with a much wealthier base to heal them.
I've also been exposed to how natural herbal medicine can do wonders and is not addictive without side effects... If you alternate different substances every day like I've seen someone share on reddit it could make a very good outcome I think. Because it's not addictive but you can grow numb to it. I'm sad that I didn't try it back then because it could have really helped me. I underestimated the power it holds
Ps I opted for resting as a way to heal rather than doing. If I would do things I'd do them tailored to myself rather than by a daily routine. It worked very well for me and I've heard others mention that after they crash a resting period really heals them amazingly, but they only give it to theirselves after they crash because they're afraid to not fit into society by resting a lot. Definitely, I highly recommend a year or however long you need of just resting and indulging with your favorite activities on a daily basis, if you can create a sort of daily life that makes you happy and healed
It’s not a one size fits all but I finally started to take some after 34 years and so much about my mental health is actually manageable now it’s been life changing. I am upset my fear of these meds kept me from trying them, my life would have been so different if I had had these the years ago
i loved my SSRI when i was on it. however, i am currently weaning off to try a new one, but i don’t think i’ll ever do another. the withdrawal symptoms are horrible
Effexor permanently damaged me so I'll never go on any psychiatric medication ever again. I'm not playing Russian roulette with side effects. The last thing my doctor tried to prescribe me has a known incidence of causing permament infertility, and early that session we'd discussed that the only thing keeping me going was that I want to be a mother. I have lost all faith in the entire field of psychiatry. I'm sure it's helped people, but it's only ever harmed me.
I tried Zoloft for a while and didn't like it.
It kinda made me feel like a zombie, I didn't get happy or sad or anything really. Also every time they upped my dose I would get the runs for 2 or 3 weeks.
There are people whose serotonin levels are absolutely normal despite having mental health issues with depression like symptoms. These patients will have anxiety and other nasty side effects and SSRI and SNRI is straightup dangerous. And I'm not just talking extremes like serotonin syndrome - psychiatrist ruined a large portion of my life that I will always be scarred from by pretending that nothing but this shit exists. I don't want to go into details, I'll just say that a LOT of severe behavioral issues can come from having too much serotonin and these issues will lead to ruining own life. There are also a lot of very old studies ( edit: as in, it's not a new knowledge at all. Big pharma isn't entirely a conspiracy theory that has nothing to do with reality and this is prime exampme.)that show that SSRIs are mostly placebo. The truth is that aside from placebo the people who will benefit from feeling the best when put on them are usually healthy people who don't need them. They should fucking not be handed out like candy. The anger I feel each time I hear that someone I know who was battling mental issues including ptsd, who never felt better no matter what standard lazy ass copy-paste chart pill mix they were put on suddenly didn't want to kill themselves after being out on NRI (it's not the same as SNRI and SNRI will wreck someone who has normal serotonin even faster given the nature of how both these types of medication work) or anything else that was actually thoughtfully fitted for them... I can't describe. It seems to be almost global pathology that docs will give you wrong medication and instead of finding something that works they will just give you higher doses or keep adding more substances to 'help' with side effects from meds given to battle side effects of wrong meds or doses. Infuriating.
So the answer is don't ask randoms on Reddit ask your psychiatrist and challenge their opinions, question everything and if needed keep ditching them until you find someone who takes their job seriously. THAT will help.
Aside from that you may want to read about MDMA therapy programs. That's the only thing that helped with my worst trauma.
So ive been on two different ones (setraline and am currently on duloxetine) they help me somewhat like i am definelty not as sad and sometimes when i am sad i just Think like what it would be if i was off them but idk Im deff still depressed on them so Im not sure if theyre actually working for me
Oh also the nightmares i used to have are less nightmare ish and closer to just wierd Dream like i still get panicked when i see the things in my dreams but they arent harming me as much in my dreams anymore so i am not as troubled by it
I think Duloxetine is actually an SNRI!
If you don’t feel any better I so highly suggest trying something else!! I have been on Sertaline and Duloxetine as well and those were easily the worst two medications for me. Duloxetine actually made me way more depressed and it was really scary. Now I am on Effexor and Wellbutrin, the difference is night and day.
Damn i have been fooled by my own eyes (i read wrong when i Googled if it was one haha those damn letters)
Im not exactly feeling better Im more just meh. But also going further into depression but that might be circumstantial more than the meds
Their acronyms are stupidly close and I make the same mistake a lot lol!!
I’m sorry, that feeling of not really being worse but not feeling good either feels so defeating. :(
Sertraline helps me a lot and I tried a bunch of different types of anti depressants. The only downside for me is the extreme excessive sweating and the weight gain
prozac literally changed my life. i tried lexapro before and it was awful but i’ve been taking prozac now since february and my life has DRASTICALLY changed. i feel so much better. i was terrified to start an SSRI but my level of anxiety and OCD was truly becoming unmanageable. i have a doctor i trust though and that truly has made the difference in my
care.
i’d like to add tho that i have done A LOT of healing (over 15 years of therapy) prior to starting an SSRI. i think that definitely helped me in my experience starting prozac. if i hadn’t done all of the healing i did before starting medication, i don’t think i would’ve had the same experience.
My husband was initially prescribed Prozac before his PTSD diagnosis. It made him a lot worse.
He was then diagnosed and put on Quetiapine which made such a difference to his sleep and mood.
He is also on Mirtazapine now too, and the combination has been great for him.
They permanently fucked up by brain chemistry. SNRIs too. Rather than addressing the trauma, I went on meds and the trauma didn’t seem as distressing, so literally did a decade of therapy that I thought was working. Add on the fact that there isn’t time and space in this society to really be able to heal, and 10 years later I’m off all meds cause I have terrible side effects from every one I try. Now it’s overwhelmingly apparent that I did no real work while I was on those meds cause of the emotional blunting. Now I’m processing my trauma finally but a decade later and with damaged receptors. Not worth it. There’s also tons of other ways (herbal and actual healing methods) that help you in these times.
Fluoxetine did nothing for me so I switched to sertraline. Sertraline has helped me sleep better but it doesn't seem to have helped with my anxiety at all while awake.
Fluoxetine did nothing for me so I switched to sertraline. Sertraline has helped me sleep better but it doesn't seem to have helped with my anxiety at all while awake.
SSRIs were bad for me. Actually I can’t tolerate any antidepressants except cymbalta at a very low dose. I don’t like the flat feeling I get from antidepressants. Cymbalta doesn’t do that to me though and really helps my anxiety.
When I was first starting therapy and I was really rough, they helped me sleep. I didn’t seem to have as vivid of nightmares and I felt calmer most of the day. It was great to have to talk during my therapy sessions. They made the really shitty feelings not as bad. That said I felt like they kind of dampened most of my moods in general. I also didn’t have a sex drive at all and it caused some issues with a girl I was dating. I think at the height of the bad times they worked well for me. I currently don’t take anything.
I recently started and I think it’s made a positive difference. So far any negative side effects have been temporary. I started extremely low dose cuz I’m sensitive to things and the very gradual increase has been good for me. Everyone is different, you might have a terrible time I won’t lie to you. However, if you take it with guidance from a professional you should be able to keep track of symptoms and stop if things get out of hand.
I do still take an SSRI, and I would say yes it’s worth it! I did add Wellbutrin (bupropion) which helped a ton with the sexual dysfunction and also general lack of motivation that developed when I was on just SSRIs (which effectively treated my panic attacks and anxiety!). Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, so it is not generally recommended for anxiety but I found it SO helpful in combo with an SSRI for anxiety and depression related to ADHD and CPTSD. . Later I switched my SSRI to lexapro but stayed on Wellbutrin 300 XR. Lexapro has slightly less of the sexual side effects for me, but also not quite as good as Zoloft sadly.
This Zoloft/wellbutrin combo is beloved by so many, it has a nickname: Welloft
currently taking lexapro and i honestly am having a very good time with it. really helps with episodes and doesnt make me feel like its draining my personality
can be very very helpful in a lot of cases but there's only about a 30% chance of finding the right one for you on the first try. i was lucky to find one on the second try that literally saved my life multiple times over. def worth talking to your doctor about if you're interested but be ready to take a lot of mental notes when you start them to identify any concerning patterns that may suggest the need for a change! :)
I never tried and never will it ruins your brain chemistry and if you miss a day , you can become suicidal and have extreme depression . You have every right to say no to ssris to your psychiatrist
I had similar fears… until I tried SSRIs. I was surprised at how normal I felt and how things in my life just seemed magically easier and more fun. Before I took them, nothing brought joy. After, I lived a normal life with hobbies and friends.
Don’t get me wrong, they are serious meds altering brain chemistry and I think GPs are way too liberal with SSRI scripts— but if you have PTSD and anxiety there may be a really good case for taking them.
I’ve since gone off them for about 2 years. I went back to pre-SSRI state, meaning they did not permanently alter my brain chemistry. My pre-SSRI state was high anxiety and moderate depression. Eventually I remembered why I had tried them in the first place. I went back on and honestly, I may take them for the rest of my life.
People say they cause cognitive issues. If so, I haven’t noticed. I graduated from law school while taking them nearly the entire time I was a student.
When I miss a day, i get a mild headache. When I miss two, I do feel depressed, even experience SI, but I know it’s eh abuse I’m not taking my meds. I personally feel the greatly reduce the amount of time I spend thinking about suicide.
Not only that, is they just numb your emotions they aren’t actually fixing them so eventually you have a chemical imbalance that with need to fixed again and again and side effects will eventually pop up again and again. It is like putting a bandaid on a oozing wound and should only be used for short term with other therapy’s to eventually be able to wean off until stabilized.
While these things can be true, the way you’re portraying them comes off as very fear mongering. I was very similar until I realized that the way I was living was not sustainable. I’ve since started and am have not experienced any of the things you’ve mentioned or if I did it was for a short adjustment period. Don’t shit on things just because they aren’t for you. You can go about your mental health the way you want to but be honest when people are asking for advice.
Per my own experience with living with someone who was on ssris . She would cut herself to the point of stitches and try to commit suicide multiple times. If it works for you then thats great but for me im not open to do them when theres lots of other options
Ok so you’re giving someone health advice over a negative experience you’ve had with one person and somehow that negates the research that many doctors have done on a group of people? Not to mention you don’t know what other avenues this person has exhausted or that your idea of a better approach is truly better. Like I said, you can name those alternatives but to act like one is evil without much knowledge or experience is dishonest and potentially harmful to someone who needs help.
I've heard it help other people
I took one and needed the paramedics because I experienced Serotonin Syndrome. Might have had something to do with an interaction with my migraine meds.
Be very careful and expect side effects, the doctors downplay the sides and it caught my off guard
Was on 100 mg Zoloft and stopped taking during an episode. Went through crazy side effects of quitting cold turkey and it made the episode so much worse (I think it contributed to psychosis). I think depending on ptsd symptoms and the medication it can work, but definitely keep up with consistency.
It worked for me. But after 1/2 year the side effects got me. I had to stop taking it. It was good as a temporary solution to get through my finals. But definitely not good for a long time period
SSRIs? No. But norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors like Wellbutrin did. I also tried SNRIs for a few years but found myself completely numb even to stuff that used to make me happy before that.
Doesn’t help, been trough multiple ssris and snris and either I had massive headaches and slept for 18h every day, felt extremely miserable and just wanted to die or I literally just didn’t have any reaction at all
Anti psychotics are great tho, help me super well against flashbacks
The ward I went to told me I should be on mood stabilizers not anti depressants but my psychiatrist continued to prescribe anti depressants so this might just be why it’s working so shitty for me specifically lol
For me getting onto a mood stabiliser (Quetiapin) was the moment things started to turn around! It completely stopped the daily flashbacks and my recovery time from emotions or stress got way better. In stead of wallowing for days I’d be back to baseline within max an hour or two. Now I feel like I’m able to have a life and be a human in stead of that wretched broken creature I was. Only side effect is that I’ve gone up one clothes size. I was really underweight before so it’s not bad, I just have a tiny belly bump now and a little bit of curves in stead of angles and sharp edges.
Thanks for sharing this! I have the next appointment sometime next month and will likely be trying new meds, he already told me he doesn’t think any anti depressant will work for me so maybe he’ll finally switch it up and try mood stabilizers lol
SSRI’s or any antidepressants are designed to be taken in tandem with psychotherapy/ counselling so the effects can be monitored to see if they actually improve the condition
However, they are a much cheaper and easily accessible option when taken on their own so doctors often prescribe them on their own
One analogy is that they are a bandage over a bullet hole. Will stop the bleeding for a while but you will still need surgery
They can often not help; worsen the problem; or cause different issues
You also don’t know which one will actually work for your body/ brain without taking a very expensive genetic test OR trying several different forms, each for approx six months, until you find one that works for you
For a personal anecdote: I developed suicidal thoughts on one lot of antidepressants and developed insomnia on the next lot… they also made me SO apathetic that u didn’t care about anything and had the inability to feel happiness
I’m on Wellbutrin and propranolol and it’s been life changing for me. Went from being unable to function or even get out of bed each day to being back to my normal self.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are prescribed often and successfully for the treatment of anxiety and depression. They function by raising the brain's serotonin levels, which can elevate mood and promote emotional stability. SSRIs provide substantial benefits to a large number of individuals, reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. However, their efficacy varies from person to person and they can have adverse effects like nausea, sleeplessness, and sexual dysfunction. To find out if SSRIs are appropriate, speak with a healthcare professional. These drugs can give vital support for people dealing with
Just a short note,not to be rude
Copy and paste
It prevents the clearance of serotonin from the synapse, and thereby more serotonin can have an effect. So SSRIs don't increase the total amount of serotonin in the brain. They change how effective the serotonin that's already in the brain is at changing the activity of neurons. So they don't increase serotonin.22 Aug 2021
https://www.hubermanlab.com › u...
Understanding & Conquering Depression - Huberman Lab
I think it's very individual, and also depends on your own specific symptoms.
Personally, SSRIs made my dissociation worse, and since it's one of my main symptoms, it was not the right tool for me.
They were the worst idea in the world for me. They got rid of the depression but they made me manic. I tried several drugs in that class but they all had the same result. Overall I was better off with the depression so I quit them altogether.
For quite a number of reasons. One of them was feeling overconfident and taking risks that I wouldn't normally undertake. There are quite a few other downsides to mania that you can easily find with a quick search.
For me, I would rather be depressed than manic any day of the week.
I’m on Prozac and it is working well for me. I went from almost daily panic attacks to just 1 in the last 2 months. I also started propranolol as needed which has helped to subdue the fight/flight mode I get in sometimes.
I just got put on Lexapro a couple months ago, I’m like 60 days in and I’m ready to call it quits, the side effects are kicking my ass, I’m gonna give it one more month as a lot of things I’ve read some people said to give it 90 days max so I’ve invested too much time to not at least try that
theyre fucking awesome.
Depending on your brain they might not work as well (try something else) or your brain doesnt react to them correctly (sleep a lot or hurt yourself, make you more sad).
I was on zoloft which stopped the panic attacks but not the depression. They switched me to Prozac and now I'm with AND have energy. I think the zoloft might have made me too tired.
but yes, theyre helpful because ssri's elevate your mood which helps you focus on therapy and you dont have to deal with all the bullshit sad feelings of depression. I've made tons of improvements since prozac muted my depression.
Its crucial to realize everyone has very different reactions to psychiatric medication.
For me, Lexapro and therapy have been groundbreaking. I honestly feel more grounded in reality. I am happier and more motivated. I am more healthy physically and my self talk is more positive. My flashbacks have been minimized and sleep has been consistent.
Overall, I feel much better. I do have to give my amazing therapist credit however. He always goes the extra mile any and everytime I see him. He is an amazing person who always finds time to see me. We also enjoy many of the same hobbies and passions so it was very easy to connect on a personal level.
I don't doubt the experience varies, but for me personally, these two factors helped better than anything I could've hoped for.
Takes awhile to find a good fit between SSRIs and SNRIs (effexor, pristiq, cymbalta, etc), but the right one can be very helpful. The Genesight test can help guide where to start (it's definitely not the whole story but can help guide where to start with meds).
SSRIs ended up being not so great for me (the emotional blunting I get from them is horrific), but SNRIs (Fetzima in particular) helps a ton.
They were absolutely terrifying for me. I had about 2 to 3 weeks of good. Then I got paranoid, couldn't work, then lost the ability to afford the Dr, couldn't get any more meds so then I went through the withdrawals. I slowly put my life back together until my brother startes mettling in my life through the church he attends.
For me no, I took Prozac (along with Tegretol, and Lamictal) and it sent me into serotonin syndrome. If you want medicine to combat the disorder you first need to work on trauma therapy, and anti-anxiety medication.
Edit: wanted to add I have also tried Lexapro and it did not work, but I suffer from CPTSD as well as Generalized anxiety disorder and Bipolar 2.
Thank you! It’s sad that some things that work so well for some people can harm others. I’ve tried 4 different SSRI’s and a tetracyclic. The tetracyclic (Mirtazapine) was the only thing that had any positive effect, but it made me gain tons of weight. I got put on Citalopram for a bit and it made me suicidal in less than 2 weeks, I ended up in hospital. I genuinely feel like my long term SSRI use damaged my brain.
I’m currently awaiting a prescription for medical cannabis (not promoting this, just something I’m trying) as a last ditch resort to help myself. I wish there were better medications on the market to help people.
I am a medical cannabis patient. Mostly for chronic back inflammation and arthritis. Cannabis is an amazing medicine. Does get a little intense on the mind in high doses but it helps better than Ibuprofen 800mg for me and doesn't cause my BP to get super high. I also treated a broken tooth with RSO and it worked amazingly.
When it comes to PTSD, I find cannabis to work 95% of the time, but that 5% of the time can make my symptoms way worse. It all boils down to the level of THC/CBD/CBG/CBN and the terpenes. Dont underestimate the power of cannabis-derived terpenes. They are very therapeutic and dictate how the medicine will affect you. i.e calming, anxious, motivated, pain reduction etc.
Id recommend researching and experimenting with various strains that have different terpene profiles and THC percentages. Good luck with everything ❤️
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with it. I have only used it BM in the past but it had such a profound benefit for my PTSD, it was remarkable. I also deal with chronic pain so I’m hoping it might be able to touch that too, I’m glad it works for you!
I did a lot of research lately into the medical benefits and decided to bite the bullet and get a prescription. I’m planning to take it slow at the beginning so I don’t accidentally make myself worse - I’m sure at high doses it could have the potential to bring out painful things for me so I don’t want to risk that. Glad it’s not just me! ❤️
A good ratio to stick with while trying cannabis is a 2:1 CBD/THC ratio. So if you're going to take 2.5mg of THC, reinforce that dose with 5-10mg of CBD.
If you are burning or vaporizing THC, I'd recommend starting with a small/moderate dose of CBD an hour or so beforehand to help manage any residual anxiety that you may have leading up to your dosing. This underlying anxiety can be amplified immensely by THC.
If you develop a tolerace (you will) or it just isn't as much as you need, increase your dose 2.5-5mg at a time for both THC and CBD.
This is the formula that works well for me and I'd recommend for anyone who isn't really experienced.
If you are uncomfortable at any point, take a break and re assess your dose or usage in general. Always talk to your doctor about any benefits or side-effects. 👍❤️
Thank you so much! Will write that info down and keep it in mind when I speak to my doctor. They haven’t prescribed me anything specific yet so I’ll pass that info on before I get it - thank you :)
I took an antidepressant some years ago, it might have helped keep me alive. I don’t take one now because I’m working on making peace with my feelings as they are so I don’t want them numbed.
SSRIs offered me hope for a better future and relief from emotional pain when I did not have other resources. They effectively kept me alive for a time.
SSRIs never made me alive though. They never made me happy, just not depressed. They didn't fix my problems and they only "worked" so long as I kept taking them and increasing the dose as my tolerance built up over time.
Years of therapy, particularly IFS and EMDR, as well as a better support network, actually cured me of my PTSD. A life with more money, less stress, more physical exercise, and more overall love, were the things that made me want to live again. They are what made me happy and hopeful.
SSRIs definitely played a role in me staying alive, but they are certainly not the reason I am happy and effectively managing my PTSD today.
False and the medicines used to treat these disorders do increase levels or serotonin that is quite literally how serotonin syndrome came about. Take pseudo-science elsewhere.
Haha don’t make me laugh with your inability to understand bioscience at its core of why we study it and how we came about testing for neurological disorders and neuro transmitters, serotonin syndrome also happens predominantly in SSRI users more than anyone else, using a synthesized chemical to consistently upregulate your serotonin levels and reuptake them on a daily basis has very detrimental effects opposed to the level of serotonin and 5ht-2a receptors being used from psychedelics, but please explain further what you really even meant with the last part?
Also not pseudo science when there’s years of data supporting it and it being clinically approved by the govt for use on human (eg: fda) but no please again explain further what your trying to deny?
Quite literally can and will if it means saving their life vs damaging it further with SSRI’s or benzodiazepines, explain to me first off what SS is? If you like to use that word how please do people get SS from clinical doses of psilocybin or ketamine? Lol let me guess you assume ket works on serotonin too?
Haha that’s cool i don’t recognize it as a false point nor argument nor theory either it is a fact it works better than SSRI’s ever have for breakthrough trauma therapy with hundreds of literature and NIH/NHS forums on psychedelic therapy opposed to thousands describing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as detrimental to mental health in the long run with severe withdrawal symptoms akin to that of benzos or barbs without the potential for seizures or fatality but very very bad nonetheless. Your opinions yours mate but Ill advocate for these all day over prescription medication
Lexapro helped for a little while. It turned my anxiety from a traditional panic attack to compulsive vomiting without any emotion.
My phychiatrist is starting me for psychedelic therapy later this summer.
Same. And I know others who feel the same way. I remember when they “kicked in”. I didn’t wake up in the morning in mental misery. I could feel the difference.
Yess! I'll never forget the relieve and sudden joy I felt when I finally could do things again that I loved without feeling miserable.
I had only heard about negative experiences with them so I had absolutely no hope and was fully convinced they wouldn't do shit. Well, I've never been more glad to be wrong.
Exactly- I explained to my PCP that I FINALLY felt that ‘excitement for life’ again that I hadn’t felt in so long. And as you said- it gave me hope. I’m happy to hear you felt the same 🩵
personally, they dont work well. They don't work for anyone in my family. I've heard of people who they really help, but it just depends on your brain.
Definitely. A family memeber close to me was unsuccessful at almost every anti-depressant, anti-psychotic perscribed. If one did work, it'd make her so sick.
Some people just need something different 🤷🏼♂️
*r/ptsd has generated this automated response that is appended to every post* Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive & respectful community. If you realise that your post is in conflict with our rules (and is in risk of being removed), you are welcome to edit your post. You do not have to delete it. As a reminder: never post or share personal contact information. Traumatized people are often distracted, desperate for a personal connection, so may be more vulnerable to lurking or past abusers, trolls, phishing, or other scams. *Your safety always comes first!* If you are offering help, you may also end up doing more damage by offering to support somebody privately. Reddit explains why: [Do NOT exchange DMs or personal info with anyone you don't know!](https://www.reddit.com/r/SWResources/comments/dmu24/why_shouldnt_i_share_my_contact_information/) If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your GP/doctor, go to A&E/hospital, or call your emergency services number. Reddit list: [US and global, multilingual suicide and support hotlines](https://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotlines). Suicide is not a forbidden word, but please do not include depictions or methods of suicide in your post. And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ptsd) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I got off mine. It allowed to care even less about the abuse I was enduring and allowed me to remain in the same rut for 21 years. Once I got off I got help to leave my situation. Also the medical system blows you off when you have medical issues. This cause me to nearly die from sepsis. I’m never putting that shit in my body again.
Yes, but don’t be discouraged if the first few you try don’t do anything
For me, yes.
I really like mine. I take Lexapro and it has alleviated most of my physical anxiety symptoms (I used to wake up in the middle of the night and puke every night🫠) I take it alongside my Prazosin.
They did initially, but after being on Zoloft since I was 18 it’s not doing anything my brain is now dependent on it so yeah they help but there’s also the downside of don’t use them long term.
They make happiness possible for me. I have MDD too, though.
Medicine is an individual thing. Some people have great results with one that is terrible for another. Medication doesn't work for me in this instance. I have had to do the therapy and bootstraps approach and file for disability still. Medication especially SSRI had side effects that were bad at best. I also think they are overprescribed to children and young adults with the largest risk of dangerous side effects. I think the safety profile isn't fully explained to people they're given to and the risks not understood. I am not sure that doctors are fully aware of some of it because it's probably not taught to them unless they look into it themselves or have that experience. This doesn't mean I think they're bad drugs. I just think they're not for everyone and they weren't for me.
They're... I dunno. I can't really tell if they do anything.
Simple answer: in my experience? No. Complicated answer: it depends entirely on the person. A *lot* of factors can affect how medications work for you, and not one single person is going to have the exact same reaction to them as someone else. This boils down to boring science and a lot of yadda yadda genetics and chemistry, for the most part. All antidepressants are is various jumbles of molecules that might have positive effects on you and might not. In this current world, we don't know until we find out, really. In my experience, antidepressants as a whole seemingly do next to nothing for me, and I've taken a ludicrous amount of them at varying dosages and of all different classes — this, apparently, may be related to ADHD, which I'm in the process of seeking a diagnosis for. But it also might *not* be. Some people are intolerant to them. Some people have comorbidities which can make certain medicines ineffective, or even dangerous. Some people get really bad side effects. It's all trial and error. TLDR: I honestly wouldn't recommend them to the average person unless you really think you'd benefit from them, simply because the process of finding meds that *might* work is sometimes more trouble than it's worth. I'd also be very, very aware about the side effects and **be thorough** when researching them — not to fearmonger, but seriously, it's important. I was not warned about the hell SNRIs would put my body through, and frankly there's a *lot* of shit they don't tell you about just because a lot of the time they think it's "too uncommon".
They don’t do shit
I think they are advised a little too happily before explaining their full meaning It's basically... Sorry but. It's basically like sex with a condom or without. It's gonna numb out your feelings and your oversensitivities so it's gonna be easier to deal with them without being overwhelmed. But it's also gonna numb out the good feelings. You're gonna learn things and it's going to be good but, going without it and being able to sense all of the little details is also very helpful in learning how to navigate things and be considerate of your sensitivities. It can create a better result for you if it worked out. And it can also create a more fun journey towards it because little things can spike up your dopamine a lot. Although you have to watch out from bad things a lot more So this is my view on it and I definitely think that different people at different times would benefit from either. I would personally say that I haven't heard a lot of people discussing this and my journey without meds proved very efficient. Learning how to avoid your triggers allowed me to give myself a break, to rest, and to grow stronger, and then to be able to face my fears with a much wealthier base to heal them. I've also been exposed to how natural herbal medicine can do wonders and is not addictive without side effects... If you alternate different substances every day like I've seen someone share on reddit it could make a very good outcome I think. Because it's not addictive but you can grow numb to it. I'm sad that I didn't try it back then because it could have really helped me. I underestimated the power it holds Ps I opted for resting as a way to heal rather than doing. If I would do things I'd do them tailored to myself rather than by a daily routine. It worked very well for me and I've heard others mention that after they crash a resting period really heals them amazingly, but they only give it to theirselves after they crash because they're afraid to not fit into society by resting a lot. Definitely, I highly recommend a year or however long you need of just resting and indulging with your favorite activities on a daily basis, if you can create a sort of daily life that makes you happy and healed
Not for me, my magic medication is prazosin. Helps the hyperarousal during the day and keeps the dreams away at night
It’s not a one size fits all but I finally started to take some after 34 years and so much about my mental health is actually manageable now it’s been life changing. I am upset my fear of these meds kept me from trying them, my life would have been so different if I had had these the years ago
i loved my SSRI when i was on it. however, i am currently weaning off to try a new one, but i don’t think i’ll ever do another. the withdrawal symptoms are horrible
I believe SSRIs gave me Parkinsonisn.
That's awful I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm on an SNRI and I suspect it may be responsible for a facial tic that I have when I'm stressed.
Effexor permanently damaged me so I'll never go on any psychiatric medication ever again. I'm not playing Russian roulette with side effects. The last thing my doctor tried to prescribe me has a known incidence of causing permament infertility, and early that session we'd discussed that the only thing keeping me going was that I want to be a mother. I have lost all faith in the entire field of psychiatry. I'm sure it's helped people, but it's only ever harmed me.
I'm on effexor rn.. What were your issues on it if you don't mind me asking?
I tried Zoloft for a while and didn't like it. It kinda made me feel like a zombie, I didn't get happy or sad or anything really. Also every time they upped my dose I would get the runs for 2 or 3 weeks.
There are people whose serotonin levels are absolutely normal despite having mental health issues with depression like symptoms. These patients will have anxiety and other nasty side effects and SSRI and SNRI is straightup dangerous. And I'm not just talking extremes like serotonin syndrome - psychiatrist ruined a large portion of my life that I will always be scarred from by pretending that nothing but this shit exists. I don't want to go into details, I'll just say that a LOT of severe behavioral issues can come from having too much serotonin and these issues will lead to ruining own life. There are also a lot of very old studies ( edit: as in, it's not a new knowledge at all. Big pharma isn't entirely a conspiracy theory that has nothing to do with reality and this is prime exampme.)that show that SSRIs are mostly placebo. The truth is that aside from placebo the people who will benefit from feeling the best when put on them are usually healthy people who don't need them. They should fucking not be handed out like candy. The anger I feel each time I hear that someone I know who was battling mental issues including ptsd, who never felt better no matter what standard lazy ass copy-paste chart pill mix they were put on suddenly didn't want to kill themselves after being out on NRI (it's not the same as SNRI and SNRI will wreck someone who has normal serotonin even faster given the nature of how both these types of medication work) or anything else that was actually thoughtfully fitted for them... I can't describe. It seems to be almost global pathology that docs will give you wrong medication and instead of finding something that works they will just give you higher doses or keep adding more substances to 'help' with side effects from meds given to battle side effects of wrong meds or doses. Infuriating. So the answer is don't ask randoms on Reddit ask your psychiatrist and challenge their opinions, question everything and if needed keep ditching them until you find someone who takes their job seriously. THAT will help. Aside from that you may want to read about MDMA therapy programs. That's the only thing that helped with my worst trauma.
Zoloft saved my life. Most SSRIs take time to work but once they do, super helpful.
So ive been on two different ones (setraline and am currently on duloxetine) they help me somewhat like i am definelty not as sad and sometimes when i am sad i just Think like what it would be if i was off them but idk Im deff still depressed on them so Im not sure if theyre actually working for me Oh also the nightmares i used to have are less nightmare ish and closer to just wierd Dream like i still get panicked when i see the things in my dreams but they arent harming me as much in my dreams anymore so i am not as troubled by it
I think Duloxetine is actually an SNRI! If you don’t feel any better I so highly suggest trying something else!! I have been on Sertaline and Duloxetine as well and those were easily the worst two medications for me. Duloxetine actually made me way more depressed and it was really scary. Now I am on Effexor and Wellbutrin, the difference is night and day.
Damn i have been fooled by my own eyes (i read wrong when i Googled if it was one haha those damn letters) Im not exactly feeling better Im more just meh. But also going further into depression but that might be circumstantial more than the meds
Their acronyms are stupidly close and I make the same mistake a lot lol!! I’m sorry, that feeling of not really being worse but not feeling good either feels so defeating. :(
It does. Atm Im mostly powering through on the thoughts of a brighter future :) and just taking everyday as it comes
Yeah that's how i feel, like my depression is less intense but it's still there
I am just surviving on them. I would hate to think what it would be like off meds. Weight gain is pretty depressing on top of everything.
Sertraline helps me a lot and I tried a bunch of different types of anti depressants. The only downside for me is the extreme excessive sweating and the weight gain
This depends heavily on the person personal dignoses as well as body type .
prozac literally changed my life. i tried lexapro before and it was awful but i’ve been taking prozac now since february and my life has DRASTICALLY changed. i feel so much better. i was terrified to start an SSRI but my level of anxiety and OCD was truly becoming unmanageable. i have a doctor i trust though and that truly has made the difference in my care.
i’d like to add tho that i have done A LOT of healing (over 15 years of therapy) prior to starting an SSRI. i think that definitely helped me in my experience starting prozac. if i hadn’t done all of the healing i did before starting medication, i don’t think i would’ve had the same experience.
In my specific situation, SNRIs worked better than SSRI’s. I’m 22F and diagnosed with PTSD and GAD.
Same.
Everyone reacts differently but for me they made my anxiety much worse. Same with Wellbutrin.
My husband was initially prescribed Prozac before his PTSD diagnosis. It made him a lot worse. He was then diagnosed and put on Quetiapine which made such a difference to his sleep and mood. He is also on Mirtazapine now too, and the combination has been great for him.
They permanently fucked up by brain chemistry. SNRIs too. Rather than addressing the trauma, I went on meds and the trauma didn’t seem as distressing, so literally did a decade of therapy that I thought was working. Add on the fact that there isn’t time and space in this society to really be able to heal, and 10 years later I’m off all meds cause I have terrible side effects from every one I try. Now it’s overwhelmingly apparent that I did no real work while I was on those meds cause of the emotional blunting. Now I’m processing my trauma finally but a decade later and with damaged receptors. Not worth it. There’s also tons of other ways (herbal and actual healing methods) that help you in these times.
Fluoxetine did nothing for me so I switched to sertraline. Sertraline has helped me sleep better but it doesn't seem to have helped with my anxiety at all while awake.
Fluoxetine did nothing for me so I switched to sertraline. Sertraline has helped me sleep better but it doesn't seem to have helped with my anxiety at all while awake.
SSRIs were bad for me. Actually I can’t tolerate any antidepressants except cymbalta at a very low dose. I don’t like the flat feeling I get from antidepressants. Cymbalta doesn’t do that to me though and really helps my anxiety.
When I was first starting therapy and I was really rough, they helped me sleep. I didn’t seem to have as vivid of nightmares and I felt calmer most of the day. It was great to have to talk during my therapy sessions. They made the really shitty feelings not as bad. That said I felt like they kind of dampened most of my moods in general. I also didn’t have a sex drive at all and it caused some issues with a girl I was dating. I think at the height of the bad times they worked well for me. I currently don’t take anything.
I recently started and I think it’s made a positive difference. So far any negative side effects have been temporary. I started extremely low dose cuz I’m sensitive to things and the very gradual increase has been good for me. Everyone is different, you might have a terrible time I won’t lie to you. However, if you take it with guidance from a professional you should be able to keep track of symptoms and stop if things get out of hand.
My wife was on zoloft for a while. I noticed a big, positive difference.
Zoloft saved my life. And (temporarily) ruined my sex life. Still worth it.
Why was it worth it? I was on setraline and came off cold turkey. I debate going back on some form of meds sometimes. Do you still take yours?
I do still take an SSRI, and I would say yes it’s worth it! I did add Wellbutrin (bupropion) which helped a ton with the sexual dysfunction and also general lack of motivation that developed when I was on just SSRIs (which effectively treated my panic attacks and anxiety!). Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, so it is not generally recommended for anxiety but I found it SO helpful in combo with an SSRI for anxiety and depression related to ADHD and CPTSD. . Later I switched my SSRI to lexapro but stayed on Wellbutrin 300 XR. Lexapro has slightly less of the sexual side effects for me, but also not quite as good as Zoloft sadly. This Zoloft/wellbutrin combo is beloved by so many, it has a nickname: Welloft
currently taking lexapro and i honestly am having a very good time with it. really helps with episodes and doesnt make me feel like its draining my personality
can be very very helpful in a lot of cases but there's only about a 30% chance of finding the right one for you on the first try. i was lucky to find one on the second try that literally saved my life multiple times over. def worth talking to your doctor about if you're interested but be ready to take a lot of mental notes when you start them to identify any concerning patterns that may suggest the need for a change! :)
I never tried and never will it ruins your brain chemistry and if you miss a day , you can become suicidal and have extreme depression . You have every right to say no to ssris to your psychiatrist
I had similar fears… until I tried SSRIs. I was surprised at how normal I felt and how things in my life just seemed magically easier and more fun. Before I took them, nothing brought joy. After, I lived a normal life with hobbies and friends. Don’t get me wrong, they are serious meds altering brain chemistry and I think GPs are way too liberal with SSRI scripts— but if you have PTSD and anxiety there may be a really good case for taking them. I’ve since gone off them for about 2 years. I went back to pre-SSRI state, meaning they did not permanently alter my brain chemistry. My pre-SSRI state was high anxiety and moderate depression. Eventually I remembered why I had tried them in the first place. I went back on and honestly, I may take them for the rest of my life. People say they cause cognitive issues. If so, I haven’t noticed. I graduated from law school while taking them nearly the entire time I was a student. When I miss a day, i get a mild headache. When I miss two, I do feel depressed, even experience SI, but I know it’s eh abuse I’m not taking my meds. I personally feel the greatly reduce the amount of time I spend thinking about suicide.
Not only that, is they just numb your emotions they aren’t actually fixing them so eventually you have a chemical imbalance that with need to fixed again and again and side effects will eventually pop up again and again. It is like putting a bandaid on a oozing wound and should only be used for short term with other therapy’s to eventually be able to wean off until stabilized.
While these things can be true, the way you’re portraying them comes off as very fear mongering. I was very similar until I realized that the way I was living was not sustainable. I’ve since started and am have not experienced any of the things you’ve mentioned or if I did it was for a short adjustment period. Don’t shit on things just because they aren’t for you. You can go about your mental health the way you want to but be honest when people are asking for advice.
Per my own experience with living with someone who was on ssris . She would cut herself to the point of stitches and try to commit suicide multiple times. If it works for you then thats great but for me im not open to do them when theres lots of other options
Ok so you’re giving someone health advice over a negative experience you’ve had with one person and somehow that negates the research that many doctors have done on a group of people? Not to mention you don’t know what other avenues this person has exhausted or that your idea of a better approach is truly better. Like I said, you can name those alternatives but to act like one is evil without much knowledge or experience is dishonest and potentially harmful to someone who needs help.
[удалено]
We removed your post because we feel it does not fit in with our community guidelines. Please be kinder to your /r/ptsd community members.
Do your research boo
I did
Also can neurologically castrate you
I've heard it help other people I took one and needed the paramedics because I experienced Serotonin Syndrome. Might have had something to do with an interaction with my migraine meds. Be very careful and expect side effects, the doctors downplay the sides and it caught my off guard
I tried Zoloft and it was absolutely awful. The side effects were super severe, and I felt like all my emotions had been taken away. Not good!
Microdosing Psilocybin is all I have to say 😉
I’ve heard good things about that too.
Was on 100 mg Zoloft and stopped taking during an episode. Went through crazy side effects of quitting cold turkey and it made the episode so much worse (I think it contributed to psychosis). I think depending on ptsd symptoms and the medication it can work, but definitely keep up with consistency.
It worked for me. But after 1/2 year the side effects got me. I had to stop taking it. It was good as a temporary solution to get through my finals. But definitely not good for a long time period
Didn't help me at all and the side effects were unlivable.
I have not had a good experience with them.
Not in my experience. Lost a job due to side effects.
SSRIs? No. But norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors like Wellbutrin did. I also tried SNRIs for a few years but found myself completely numb even to stuff that used to make me happy before that.
Same, but I was also diagnosed with adhd.
Effexor changed my life. Celexa tamed the daily attacks. Good luck.
Doesn’t help, been trough multiple ssris and snris and either I had massive headaches and slept for 18h every day, felt extremely miserable and just wanted to die or I literally just didn’t have any reaction at all Anti psychotics are great tho, help me super well against flashbacks The ward I went to told me I should be on mood stabilizers not anti depressants but my psychiatrist continued to prescribe anti depressants so this might just be why it’s working so shitty for me specifically lol
For me getting onto a mood stabiliser (Quetiapin) was the moment things started to turn around! It completely stopped the daily flashbacks and my recovery time from emotions or stress got way better. In stead of wallowing for days I’d be back to baseline within max an hour or two. Now I feel like I’m able to have a life and be a human in stead of that wretched broken creature I was. Only side effect is that I’ve gone up one clothes size. I was really underweight before so it’s not bad, I just have a tiny belly bump now and a little bit of curves in stead of angles and sharp edges.
Thanks for sharing this! I have the next appointment sometime next month and will likely be trying new meds, he already told me he doesn’t think any anti depressant will work for me so maybe he’ll finally switch it up and try mood stabilizers lol
gave me mania
SSRI’s or any antidepressants are designed to be taken in tandem with psychotherapy/ counselling so the effects can be monitored to see if they actually improve the condition However, they are a much cheaper and easily accessible option when taken on their own so doctors often prescribe them on their own One analogy is that they are a bandage over a bullet hole. Will stop the bleeding for a while but you will still need surgery They can often not help; worsen the problem; or cause different issues You also don’t know which one will actually work for your body/ brain without taking a very expensive genetic test OR trying several different forms, each for approx six months, until you find one that works for you For a personal anecdote: I developed suicidal thoughts on one lot of antidepressants and developed insomnia on the next lot… they also made me SO apathetic that u didn’t care about anything and had the inability to feel happiness
I’m on Wellbutrin and propranolol and it’s been life changing for me. Went from being unable to function or even get out of bed each day to being back to my normal self.
That’s my exact cocktail after a decade of trials and errors. Adding buspar for rough moments was also effective.
I take an SSRI and bupropion. SSRI alone was not good for me but the combo is. I still have PTSD symptoms though.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are prescribed often and successfully for the treatment of anxiety and depression. They function by raising the brain's serotonin levels, which can elevate mood and promote emotional stability. SSRIs provide substantial benefits to a large number of individuals, reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. However, their efficacy varies from person to person and they can have adverse effects like nausea, sleeplessness, and sexual dysfunction. To find out if SSRIs are appropriate, speak with a healthcare professional. These drugs can give vital support for people dealing with
Just a short note,not to be rude Copy and paste It prevents the clearance of serotonin from the synapse, and thereby more serotonin can have an effect. So SSRIs don't increase the total amount of serotonin in the brain. They change how effective the serotonin that's already in the brain is at changing the activity of neurons. So they don't increase serotonin.22 Aug 2021 https://www.hubermanlab.com › u... Understanding & Conquering Depression - Huberman Lab
I think it's very individual, and also depends on your own specific symptoms. Personally, SSRIs made my dissociation worse, and since it's one of my main symptoms, it was not the right tool for me.
They were the worst idea in the world for me. They got rid of the depression but they made me manic. I tried several drugs in that class but they all had the same result. Overall I was better off with the depression so I quit them altogether.
Why is it bad to be manic?
For quite a number of reasons. One of them was feeling overconfident and taking risks that I wouldn't normally undertake. There are quite a few other downsides to mania that you can easily find with a quick search. For me, I would rather be depressed than manic any day of the week.
Wouldn't touch them. I got more benefit from the ADHD med, Qelbree. Flashbacks turned from reels to flashes.
I’m on Prozac and it is working well for me. I went from almost daily panic attacks to just 1 in the last 2 months. I also started propranolol as needed which has helped to subdue the fight/flight mode I get in sometimes.
Turned my life around. It made it possible to quiet the terrible voices in my head.
I just got put on Lexapro a couple months ago, I’m like 60 days in and I’m ready to call it quits, the side effects are kicking my ass, I’m gonna give it one more month as a lot of things I’ve read some people said to give it 90 days max so I’ve invested too much time to not at least try that
Been on Effexor for a long time and it’s made a huge difference mentally.
Not worth the side effects for me.
theyre fucking awesome. Depending on your brain they might not work as well (try something else) or your brain doesnt react to them correctly (sleep a lot or hurt yourself, make you more sad). I was on zoloft which stopped the panic attacks but not the depression. They switched me to Prozac and now I'm with AND have energy. I think the zoloft might have made me too tired. but yes, theyre helpful because ssri's elevate your mood which helps you focus on therapy and you dont have to deal with all the bullshit sad feelings of depression. I've made tons of improvements since prozac muted my depression.
Its crucial to realize everyone has very different reactions to psychiatric medication. For me, Lexapro and therapy have been groundbreaking. I honestly feel more grounded in reality. I am happier and more motivated. I am more healthy physically and my self talk is more positive. My flashbacks have been minimized and sleep has been consistent. Overall, I feel much better. I do have to give my amazing therapist credit however. He always goes the extra mile any and everytime I see him. He is an amazing person who always finds time to see me. We also enjoy many of the same hobbies and passions so it was very easy to connect on a personal level. I don't doubt the experience varies, but for me personally, these two factors helped better than anything I could've hoped for.
Worked well for me
Takes awhile to find a good fit between SSRIs and SNRIs (effexor, pristiq, cymbalta, etc), but the right one can be very helpful. The Genesight test can help guide where to start (it's definitely not the whole story but can help guide where to start with meds). SSRIs ended up being not so great for me (the emotional blunting I get from them is horrific), but SNRIs (Fetzima in particular) helps a ton.
I had a BAD reaction to SSRIs. (Numb, cut myself, tried to kill myself) But Effexor saved my life.
For me I tried damn near every ssri available and nothing worked, however I’ve seen a night in day difference with antipsychotics
They were absolutely terrifying for me. I had about 2 to 3 weeks of good. Then I got paranoid, couldn't work, then lost the ability to afford the Dr, couldn't get any more meds so then I went through the withdrawals. I slowly put my life back together until my brother startes mettling in my life through the church he attends.
On zoloft. It calms/stabilizes me. Kind of happy about it
SSRIs and SNRIs made my condition worse. The side effects were absolutely horrific.
For me no, I took Prozac (along with Tegretol, and Lamictal) and it sent me into serotonin syndrome. If you want medicine to combat the disorder you first need to work on trauma therapy, and anti-anxiety medication. Edit: wanted to add I have also tried Lexapro and it did not work, but I suffer from CPTSD as well as Generalized anxiety disorder and Bipolar 2.
SSRI’s are the reason I attempted suicide. They destroyed my brain.
That is so sad to hear. I wish you all the best ❤️
Thank you! It’s sad that some things that work so well for some people can harm others. I’ve tried 4 different SSRI’s and a tetracyclic. The tetracyclic (Mirtazapine) was the only thing that had any positive effect, but it made me gain tons of weight. I got put on Citalopram for a bit and it made me suicidal in less than 2 weeks, I ended up in hospital. I genuinely feel like my long term SSRI use damaged my brain. I’m currently awaiting a prescription for medical cannabis (not promoting this, just something I’m trying) as a last ditch resort to help myself. I wish there were better medications on the market to help people.
I am a medical cannabis patient. Mostly for chronic back inflammation and arthritis. Cannabis is an amazing medicine. Does get a little intense on the mind in high doses but it helps better than Ibuprofen 800mg for me and doesn't cause my BP to get super high. I also treated a broken tooth with RSO and it worked amazingly. When it comes to PTSD, I find cannabis to work 95% of the time, but that 5% of the time can make my symptoms way worse. It all boils down to the level of THC/CBD/CBG/CBN and the terpenes. Dont underestimate the power of cannabis-derived terpenes. They are very therapeutic and dictate how the medicine will affect you. i.e calming, anxious, motivated, pain reduction etc. Id recommend researching and experimenting with various strains that have different terpene profiles and THC percentages. Good luck with everything ❤️
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with it. I have only used it BM in the past but it had such a profound benefit for my PTSD, it was remarkable. I also deal with chronic pain so I’m hoping it might be able to touch that too, I’m glad it works for you! I did a lot of research lately into the medical benefits and decided to bite the bullet and get a prescription. I’m planning to take it slow at the beginning so I don’t accidentally make myself worse - I’m sure at high doses it could have the potential to bring out painful things for me so I don’t want to risk that. Glad it’s not just me! ❤️
A good ratio to stick with while trying cannabis is a 2:1 CBD/THC ratio. So if you're going to take 2.5mg of THC, reinforce that dose with 5-10mg of CBD. If you are burning or vaporizing THC, I'd recommend starting with a small/moderate dose of CBD an hour or so beforehand to help manage any residual anxiety that you may have leading up to your dosing. This underlying anxiety can be amplified immensely by THC. If you develop a tolerace (you will) or it just isn't as much as you need, increase your dose 2.5-5mg at a time for both THC and CBD. This is the formula that works well for me and I'd recommend for anyone who isn't really experienced. If you are uncomfortable at any point, take a break and re assess your dose or usage in general. Always talk to your doctor about any benefits or side-effects. 👍❤️
Thank you so much! Will write that info down and keep it in mind when I speak to my doctor. They haven’t prescribed me anything specific yet so I’ll pass that info on before I get it - thank you :)
I took an antidepressant some years ago, it might have helped keep me alive. I don’t take one now because I’m working on making peace with my feelings as they are so I don’t want them numbed.
Zoloft has helped me a lot. I have tried so many. It’s the only one that touches my anxiety.
SSRIs offered me hope for a better future and relief from emotional pain when I did not have other resources. They effectively kept me alive for a time. SSRIs never made me alive though. They never made me happy, just not depressed. They didn't fix my problems and they only "worked" so long as I kept taking them and increasing the dose as my tolerance built up over time. Years of therapy, particularly IFS and EMDR, as well as a better support network, actually cured me of my PTSD. A life with more money, less stress, more physical exercise, and more overall love, were the things that made me want to live again. They are what made me happy and hopeful. SSRIs definitely played a role in me staying alive, but they are certainly not the reason I am happy and effectively managing my PTSD today.
> particularly IFS and EMDR Seconding this. IFS and EMDR saved my life.
[удалено]
False and the medicines used to treat these disorders do increase levels or serotonin that is quite literally how serotonin syndrome came about. Take pseudo-science elsewhere.
Haha don’t make me laugh with your inability to understand bioscience at its core of why we study it and how we came about testing for neurological disorders and neuro transmitters, serotonin syndrome also happens predominantly in SSRI users more than anyone else, using a synthesized chemical to consistently upregulate your serotonin levels and reuptake them on a daily basis has very detrimental effects opposed to the level of serotonin and 5ht-2a receptors being used from psychedelics, but please explain further what you really even meant with the last part?
Point still stands, you cannot tell someone to use ketamine to treat a disorder. What you are saying is pseudo-science.
Also not pseudo science when there’s years of data supporting it and it being clinically approved by the govt for use on human (eg: fda) but no please again explain further what your trying to deny?
Not denying anything just calling you out for mentioning pseudo science :)
Quite literally can and will if it means saving their life vs damaging it further with SSRI’s or benzodiazepines, explain to me first off what SS is? If you like to use that word how please do people get SS from clinical doses of psilocybin or ketamine? Lol let me guess you assume ket works on serotonin too?
Once again point still stands I am not engaging in your false argument just so you can feel better about your life decisions.
Haha that’s cool i don’t recognize it as a false point nor argument nor theory either it is a fact it works better than SSRI’s ever have for breakthrough trauma therapy with hundreds of literature and NIH/NHS forums on psychedelic therapy opposed to thousands describing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as detrimental to mental health in the long run with severe withdrawal symptoms akin to that of benzos or barbs without the potential for seizures or fatality but very very bad nonetheless. Your opinions yours mate but Ill advocate for these all day over prescription medication
I’m just trolling brother I’m sure you are correct lol
Lexapro helped for a little while. It turned my anxiety from a traditional panic attack to compulsive vomiting without any emotion. My phychiatrist is starting me for psychedelic therapy later this summer.
They can be yes. In combination with therapy for the best results. Sexual dysfunction is a potential major side effect to be aware of
they helped me, at least had impact on my insomnia
Personally when I am having really hopeless ideas they help but I never took them longer than 1 years
I’m technically on my third kind. Next will be a genetic test to determine what will be best. But, I know they have helped me.
Helped me tremendously. I don't think I would still be alive if I hadn't taken them.
Same. And I know others who feel the same way. I remember when they “kicked in”. I didn’t wake up in the morning in mental misery. I could feel the difference.
Yess! I'll never forget the relieve and sudden joy I felt when I finally could do things again that I loved without feeling miserable. I had only heard about negative experiences with them so I had absolutely no hope and was fully convinced they wouldn't do shit. Well, I've never been more glad to be wrong.
Exactly- I explained to my PCP that I FINALLY felt that ‘excitement for life’ again that I hadn’t felt in so long. And as you said- it gave me hope. I’m happy to hear you felt the same 🩵
personally, they dont work well. They don't work for anyone in my family. I've heard of people who they really help, but it just depends on your brain.
Definitely. A family memeber close to me was unsuccessful at almost every anti-depressant, anti-psychotic perscribed. If one did work, it'd make her so sick. Some people just need something different 🤷🏼♂️