Hey guys, just wanted to drop by and give some words of encouragement to everyone on this journey.
First, some background. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and administered Invega Sustenna Nov October 2017. The doctors decided to increase the subsequent doses to the loading dose amount of 234mg. I received about 9 234mg shots from Nov 2016 to May 2017. Last year was complete hell. Depression, weight gain, cognitive blunting, memory impairment, social anxiety, suicidal thoughts, the whole gamut. In the summer I found this board and tried many of the remedies suggested, including st.johns wort, adderall, and the like. Nothing stopped the pain for any meaningful amount of time. I thought I was going to be in the pit for at least another year, or worse, forever.
But at 8 months since my last injection, major strides are starting to be made. The depression has lifted, as well as the social anxiety. My cognitive abilities,from general information processing to reasoning, are roaring back--maybe better than before. Physical strength still isn't where it used to be but definitely trending upward.
What was the difference, aside from time? A friend introduced me to a technique called continuous concentration. Essentially it is running a train of thought on a given object all day, from the moment one wakes up to the time one goes to bed. It's a challenge, especially with the mental blunting the Invega has caused. But after sticking with it for a few days things really started to open up. I know it may be difficult to believe, that simply "thinking your way through" can change things, but this has been my personal experience. I really feel like the worst days are behind me.
With that said, I plan to finally move on from this thread.. While I never posted much, I checked here almost everyday for solace and encouragement. I promise that one can emerge from this victorious and better from it. If anyone wants to talk more about the technique I'd be happy to go in detail. Heal quickly everyone.
