Help with dealing with depression

[Anon54]

the last few weeks ive been on a little bit of a downward spiral.
i went though quite alot of valium, temazepam and ambian (im not going to touch zolpidem again, I didnt like it). been smoking a bit of pot to which is something i rarely do.
I use olanzapine to help me sleep. Ive also been drinking a fair bit of codeine regually not to mention coffee & ciggerattes.
ive had my usual 400mg codeine today & even had a little bit of dhc & doxlamine to help with a cough i have.
Basically im taking any tablet i can get my hands on to just feel more normal.
now im all out of tablets.

I have a box of Lexapro laying around & another script for 100mg seroquels.
i dont know why im writing this thread just needed to to talk about i suppose.

anyways i can get more valium but i take heaps when i take it. i was wondering if it would be possible for me to change after prvisly abusing it & just use it as needed or do u think it will almost definetely leave me feeling worse down the track?

Anyways. im thinking about trying Lexapro. I tried sleeping with mirtazepine but it gae me crazy lucid dreams.
IM very uncertain about ADs, they seem to gt such a bad rap.

Do u think Lexapro would be a good idea?
Does anyone have any good recommendations of practical medication that will help with my anxiety & stress or any life style changes?

im out of antipychotics & im going to see if i can sleep without them.
I dont think i took enough benzos to have any serious w/d.
im just sick of feeling sick & depresed.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Hi Anon, sorry to hear that you're having a hard time at the moment. You know what? If I may be perfectly honest with you: I think by continually taking whatever meds you can get your hands on, you are actively making your depression worse. Benzos e.g. valium, temazepam etc are actually known for exacerbating depression, as is marijuana. By continuing to mask your problems and always seeking out substances to feel "normal", you're only going to keep ignoring the real reasons why you're depressed. What do you think?

How did you get the Lexapro and seroquel script? Was that from your regular doctor? Or have you seen a psychiatrist?

 

[cire113]

lexapro has done wonders for my anxiety and depression i only take 5-10mgs...

 

[Jabberwocky]

A drug working for in an off-label purpose or in an atypical way is within the range of possible.

I don't think one ought to treat their depression or psychosis in a haphazard way though. Minimizing the other drugs, having a doctor, adding only one drug at a time if possible that is likely the best suited to what is going on with you, etc all seem good principles to me.

Other than meds: Do you have a support system right now? Do you have some activities that you could turn to that you have been neglecting but which have tended to be stabilizing for you in the past? Are you neglecting to use resources or skills that would likely help right now?

 

[Anon54]

yeah I got the lexapro from my dr about 6 months ago. I got the script but only took it for a few days before i decided that maybe it wouldnt be a good idea. I keep reading all this stuff about ADs making peoples anxiety worse.
ie aways got a feeling that if i was to quit smoking, eat healthy & exercise that I will be ok.
i dont like the idea of taking an AD everyday. it seems ironic though because i dont thik twice about taking benzos.
I havnt seen a psychiatrist, I got the seroquel & zyprexa presribed off label for anxiety.
they certainly help me sleep but they leave me feeling a little weighed down.
they havnt really caused me many side effects but on the ther hand they're not really helping my anxiety either. & im a bit concerned about the rebound insomnia i may experience or weight gain if i continute taking them.
im all out of antipychotics. luckily i was only taking small doses so hopefully it wont be long before i can sleep normally again. hopefully i dont need to be compelled to take em again so i can sleep properly
Im glad lexapro has worked out for cire113.
how long did it take u to start to feel the effets?
I have taken lexapro before but that was about 8 years ago or something & it was only for about a month. i remember getting a bit of a feel for it.
ive also been offered effexor but i know it has the worse w/d... i suppose it cant be worse than tramadol w/ds though.. but i did have valium to help during the taper.
the only AD ive taken for a long period wa tramadol which isnt consitered an AD but it is technically an SNRI so it does the same thing.
I was quite happy taking 100mg-150mg of tramadol daily for a few months. I thought it was ok. if i took more than 150mg i didnt like it because it was to stimulating.
& its that effect that worries me about starting an AD.
if ADs feel like taking 100mg of tramadol than Id give em a try but i only thought tramadol was ok. soetimes mademy anxiety worse if i was already feeling that way. but if i took it when i was calm it would make me feel better if u know what i mnea.. liike coffee. its good when ya calm but makes ya feel worse if ya a little anxious
If i was gunna take an AD it would be lexapro because ive read that its one of the most succesful ADs with little side effects.

 

[cire113]

lexapro works fast it takes about 1-2 weeks to feel something and to fully kick in probably 6-8 weeks..

Has done WONDERS for my anxeity,, at first it will increase anxiety as your body gets used to it but eventually it give you this ecstasy calm of well being that doesn't go away lol...

it like constantly releases serotonin tricking your brain to being calm all day..You can honestly sit down all day and do nothing and be "content" lol.... It definitely dampens emotions but depending on your situation this could be great or not so great...

It makes you not "think" as much.. It definitely slows my brain down by 50% but my brain was at 150% so... lol it helps me feel normal... i'm too smart for my own good.. it can definitely make people dumb though.... great for social anxiety and confidence, im way more outgoing and social.. I also dont care what people think about me and am able to speak my mind freely without caring... also a good and bad thing lol

Honestly the only side effect i have is the sexual one it takes me a few mins longer to climax and honestly i think this is a GOOD side effect... other than that nothing else...

I know everyone on this forum says SSRI's are worthless POS.. but lexapro imo is the most refined pure one and has helped me alot in my life.. and its definetly help a bunch of other ppl i know...

The problem with these type of meds is we still have no fkn clue how exactly they "work" in the brain... there is no data,,, and no information about long term effects...

I've flooded my brain with so many drugs though i could really care less I'm sure my brain is already permanently altered by now..

I take 4mgs of suboxone and 5mgs of lexapro everyday and feel awesome...

Its sad how normal i feel ... its the feeling i wish i had when i was off drugs but i dont feel guilty at all..

 

[woamotive]

I'd suggest you make a new spot w/ a psychologist for some cognitive therapy sessions so that you can be sure to treat the proper condition/s and not just treat the effects (or seemingly symptoms, caused by any med you are currently taking). Be honest with him/her about your drug use/med history and emotional health.

Stop trying to treat your condition/s with anything you can get your hands on-may make things worse. Start with a 'clean' slate... Waha.

All that said-I've used lexapro and believe it worked well for me - in treating depression and anxiety/panic. I have used/been prescribed every sari under the sun as well as remeron and risperdal (the last 2 for insomnia and anxiety+panic attacks). I also liked generic prozac + klonopin (only taken as needed-it is easy to overuse).

 

[j0nblaze]

how i feel...

hey, ill tell you a story.. i joined bluelight a couple days ago to try to get info to help me self medicate effectively with dexidrine. i had a previous experience with adderall 2 years ago. the only reason i would take it is to work ridiculous hours that i feel i have to to get back on track. i am the type of person that is comfortable being in a depressed state, im pretty much comfortable suffering to the point i wont do anything about it.. if i have a headache for example i would never go looking for a pill to fix it. i would understand that my head hurts for a good reason most likely and a pill wont really make things better. the same goes with my depression. if i am depressed i will do nothing to make my situation more bareable other than more depressing behaviour. i dont say i need to get out and do something fun, i dont try to get high, i just play xbox and ignore oppurtunities and responsibilities untill im ready to do something.. sometimes for months at a time.. untill i decide for whatever reason that i absolutely have to do something..this is also not healthy.. i always believed that the best thing that comes with taking a pill is the water you take with it.. i think everyone owes it to themselves to start there, i mean with there physical health.. malnutrition and dehydration are leading causes of illness.. maybe not just physical.. if you body isnt working properly it has to affect your whole life.. my current girlfriend is on seroquel 275mg before bed.. if she doesnt take it she cant sleep and has nightmares and is out of sorts the next day. she is battling alcohol and cocaine addiction beginning when she was 11 years old believe it or not.. she is 23 now, sober for a year now with the exception of occasional supervised drinking at home.. anyways i dont know you or your reasons for feeling the way you do but chances are they are normal reactions to your experiences and you just arent dealing with them in an ideal way. in my gf case, she is doing awesome all things considered, a lot of girls that get into alcohol that early arent as lucky as her. yes, she abused drugs and alcohol but there are alot of worse ways people can deal with life. she was repeatedly victimised and is still a good person and the only person she ever hurt was herself.. im hoping someday after she eats and lives in a healthy way, possibly a stricter and more managed lifestyle than average, therapy or just really dealing with issues that trouble her after that maybe someday she can start to look at getting off seroquel ativan and clonazapam but not until she is ready.. not any advice, just something to think about..