Letting Go on Antidepressants

[decentralized]

I'm in a very rough patch in my life, I've been dealing with mental illnesses and depression more than 10 years and all therapies I had were unhelpful. A few days ago I started taking Vortioxetine (day) and Sulpiride (night) for my depression. I'm still actively working on letting go technique and meditating everyday, I'm acknowledging my feelings as they come up and let them go. I believe most of you think antidepressants are a waste of time, and I had lots of hesitation before I start taking them, but I made sure to my psychiatrist that I don't intend to use them for a long period of time and I want to get back to my med-free life as soon as possible. Unfortunately it's not possible for me to get therapy at the time because I'm struggling financially, but I'm looking for ways to get it for free through my college's support system. So I'm kind of on my own right now. I'm not going to use these antidepressants to "escape" from my feelings, but as an aircushion as I witness them and let them go. Send me your thoughts and techniques to cope with depression, thanks. 

[Cathal]

hey, try signing up here https://youarerad.org/therapy you can apply in a few days when they reopen

[Nahm]

@decentralized

Still available and would love to help. If you’re interested just let me know. No cost.

 

[decentralized]

@Nahm thank you, I'd love to do that when you're available 

[Nahm]

@decentralized

Great! I’ll send you a message. 

 

[Ulax]

@decentralized Done body awareness meidtatio and or/ loving-kindness meditation?

[decentralized]

@Ulax I've done body awareness meditation, haven't tried loving kindness yet

[snowyowl]

@decentralized Sorry to hear you're going through this but hang on in there. I think you're doing the right things in getting medical help, support from your college to continue education, and reaching out talking about it instead of keeping your feelings bottled up. 

I think anti-depressants can be helpful, they were for me, but it seems to be an individual thing, and a lot depends on the skill of your doctor choosing the best medication and other types of treatment. But other people here have been through depression and come out stronger the other side. My mental health issues made me into who I am today, we become more understanding and compassionate of others through our own suffering. But it's a tough ride. 

A youtuber I follow, Vishuddha Das, has recently started posting again after a year's break, and published this short 4 min video yesterday. Relates to anxiety and depression. Nothing too deep, just recommending going for a daily walk to switch off the negative thought cycles. Exercise, fresh air, nature, sunshine, are all healing too. All things in balance. 

Good luck and take care. Be kind to yourself in both your thoughts and deeds.

Edited December 31, 2021 by snowyowl

[decentralized]

@snowyowl thank you for this recommendation. I actually went out for a short walk after seeing your comment. I agree that there is a hidden gift in all suffering, even though it's hard to see in when the emotions are still strong. I'm actually quite skeptical about the psychiatrist, and I'm not sure if Sulpiride was right for me, but it's still early to decide. I'll check in with the doctor next month if I need to change the medicine. 

[HypnoticMagician]

To get used to letting go of intrusive thoughts, do nonreactive meditation. You need to carefully observe your thoughts without reacting to them during this meditation. Say beep in your head each time a though appears in your mind. This will increase your awareness, prevent you from maintaining these addictive thoughts. The less you feed the troll, the less powerful she will be. The trolls will end up disappearing altogether. When it comes to the therapy, self-therapy, self-motivation is cheaper and more effective, at least, for me. Because I know what I want, the advice of the therapist is useless to me since she will have given these recommendations comparing me with her ordinary, mediocre, pathetic life.

[decentralized]

@HypnoticMagician I don't really like therapy neither. I find it too materialistic and it focuses too much on "thoughts", it tries to change negative belief systems with more positive ones to fit me more into their definition of "normal".