Life on an SSRI

omg @ArraDreaming that is absolutely precious. Glad to hear she's a good fit for your kids too! Reading her stories, that is too cute. Would you ever get another dog? I'm more of a cat owner (very low maintenence comparitively) but I really love dogs too.

rant incoming; I’m actually really pissed off.
I went to my doctor yesterday for a check in and I explained some of the physical side effects I am having and he pretty much said that’s normal and I said will it go away and he said no and then I said oh ok i didn’t know that, what can I do about it and he pretty much laughed at me and gave me an ultimatum that I just decide not to take it and alleviate the physical issues or take it and get over it because “what’s more important”. Both to me.

it was a 5 min conversation that cost me $45 and he did not offer me any advice or alternative. And also asked ME if I had made any self referrals since we last spoke.

thanks for nothing mate

this is why I threw these things in the bin all those years ago because i was just left with no answers around them, I have taken to reditt to find out what i can actually do it fix some of these things

Anyway day 10/11:

mentally nothing really different from the previous days, physically still some of the same side effects but apparently I just have to get used to them so yeh

Hi @ArraDreaming ,

Im slowly reading back over all the past posts.

Sorry to hear how frustrating today was for you.

Some doctors and specialists are just awful. Others can be very supportive, it's luck of the draw. I've had some "deal with it" ones and others that are wonderful and reassuring. Keep changing till you find a good one.

Having a little bit of control over your thought process is a great improvement, well done. You're now tackling this with a wisdom that will help you in the long run. Keep going with the introspection around your triggers, and the knowledge that anxiety will pass if you are patient. I also find the 4-7-8 breathing technique is excellent for anxiety. Look for some guided meditations that use it, remembering meditation guides are luck of the draw too.. find one you resonate with.

SSRI's, when they work, just give you that bit of breathing space to work on yourself. They don't fix everything on their own but they make it easier for you to help yourself. You'll still have ups and downs in life but hopefully the average level is higher. If you're averaging 4 then you're having some pretty terrible days. If you're averaging 6, then you're in a pretty good place and can deal with the occasional crappy day a LOT easier too. It'll take some time, and some work, but your long term average should start improving.