Posts tagged medicated and mighty

Medicated and Mighty… with the Help of Apps

I recently decided to finally commit to living with my Bipolar, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Social Anxiety in a healthy way. I am exhausted of constantly being exhausted and feel like I’m at a point where it’s now or never. I made this decision back in November after an attempt at the worst of depressive episode of my life. My illness has been left untreated for about five years (been in and out of treatment since I was 18 because I fled when it got too hard or overwhelming) and was taking complete control- I had no idea that it was until I finally exploded. With all that being said I am now seeing my wonderful therapist again who has been with me since day one (I am truly grateful for her) regularly- finally being totally honest and open to whatever the process is now. It is hard, it is difficult, I feel silly sometimes, and most of all i finally feel like I’m understanding and being a self I’ve always wanted.

I just had a psychiatry appointment, my second after fleeing my first when I was 19, with a psychiatrist who I thought would be scary, was just straightforward and comforting because she found a medication combo which is already improving my hour to hour living. I’m taking Wellbutrin XL, and starting off with Klonopin a couple times a day. I actually cried to my fiance because after two weeks I stopped and started to realize how much energy, motivation, excitement… the normalcy I’ve always craved as opposed to always being on edge.

One of my worries on being on medication was reminding myself to actually take them. This is where the “with the Help of Apps” comes in. I used my phone already for a lot of what you guys post (I’m so grateful and send your resources link page to anyone who ever asks me questions and always get such grateful responses), so I thought well let me browse the App markets. After two days of searching I found two that I like. The First is called Start (specifically for monitoring depression and the medication) and the second was for my anxiety called SAM which monitored moods and emotions, is very personable, provides great timed activities and practices! Here’s the link to my review if anyone is interested:

http://damnitdisney.tumblr.com/post/140519747313/two-apps-that-im-trying-to-help-me-track-my

That’s my journey so far, I don’t really like to call it recovery because I know that I’ll never really recover from them entirely. I have to learn to live with them. That’s what I think the word recovery comes in. To recover from the unhealthy, unsafe ways I used to deal with these illnesses. I write a lot about my recovery on my tumblr. I owe a lot to you guys, the tumblr community, my therapist, my family, and my fiance.

Keep up the great work. I don’t think I could’ve made past the summer without you guys.

limabeanbro: “I’m a little late for this trend, but here’s my submission for the medicated and mighty business. Yeah, it’s a gross pile of drugs and a real hassle, but it’s what it takes for to function like a normal human being. I’m not complaining....

limabeanbro:

I’m a little late for this trend, but here’s my submission for the medicated and mighty business.
Yeah, it’s a gross pile of drugs and a real hassle, but it’s what it takes for to function like a normal human being. I’m not complaining. I’m finally happy and healthy.

Whatever it takes, I’m glad you’re happy and healthy :)

mentalillnessmouse:

noshameinoursickness:

After trying for 6 months to wean off of my antidepressants (with my psychiatrist’s permission and guidance of course) I’ve finally admitted to myself that it’s not in the cards for me and gone back to my original dose. I was so scared to admit to myself that I might need long term medication but at least for now I’d rather be medicated and feeling okay than unmedicated but miserable. I’m allowed to need help and I’m allowed to use the resources available to me.

I am #MedicatedAndMighty.

You are so strong <3

Anonymous asked:

I take medicine for a few things, but one of them is Prozac for my depression. and for some reason I just don't like taking it. Like I know it is good for me. but it also I know that it does stuff to my brain. but im not paranoid about it? idk i just I'll take it for a while and then if i accidentally skip i will then skip it and not take it again until my parents remind me. i just need help reminding myself to take it i guess :/

Hey anon,

We have a couple of resources on our page about remembering to take medication, but I just wanted to share with you about my experience with Prozac. I’ve been on it since 10th grade, but I did what you do for the longest time. I just wouldn’t take it, and I still don’t know why. I also would miss a day and then just keep skipping until reminded, and let me tell you, the meds didn’t help me when I was doing that. 

Prozac affects your brain, yes, but it’s one of the safest psych meds that exist on the market. Some people have side effects, but in the case of that happening, you can switch meds to try something different and the side effects should go away once it’s out of your system. I personally have had no noticeable side effects on the medication, and it has done wonders for my overall mood. It won’t fix everything, but I know prozac has saved my life. 

I use an alarm on my phone to remind me to take my meds, but our resource page has other ideas on it. I’ve found that once I get into the habit of taking them, I remember to do so even without the alarm reminding me. It’s all about what works best for you.

The big thing about SSRIs such as prozac is that you have to take them regularly for a while for them to have the desired effect. They build up over a period of time, and it can take up to 4-6 weeks of regular usage before you notice a change. For me, the change wasn’t dramatic, and the meds didn’t change who I was at all. They just made it easier to deal with stress and to pull myself out of bad episodes when depression hits me. Since taking them daily and finding my right dosage, I haven’t had a depressive episode that lasted long enough to be clinically significant. Depression still exists for me, but it doesn’t ever last more than a couple of days now, when it used to last weeks or months without letting up. It’s much more similar to the ups and downs that a person without depression might experience. 

I hope prozac works out for you, and that if it doesn’t, that you find the right med.

Best of luck and stay strong,

Rowan

noshameinoursickness:

After trying for 6 months to wean off of my antidepressants (with my psychiatrist’s permission and guidance of course) I’ve finally admitted to myself that it’s not in the cards for me and gone back to my original dose. I was so scared to admit to myself that I might need long term medication but at least for now I’d rather be medicated and feeling okay than unmedicated but miserable. I’m allowed to need help and I’m allowed to use the resources available to me.

I am #MedicatedAndMighty.

You are so strong <3

mentalillnessmouse: “semidiurnaltide: “Five years ago, someone who I admire greatly told me that meds were a “crutch.” My seventeen year old self believed her, of course. Felt incredibly ashamed. And stopped cold turkey. It didn’t take me very long...

mentalillnessmouse:

semidiurnaltide:

Five years ago, someone who I admire greatly told me that meds were a “crutch.” My seventeen year old self believed her, of course. Felt incredibly ashamed. And stopped cold turkey. It didn’t take me very long to realize that was simply not a possibility at that point in my life. Still, this situation — going off my medication because I thought taking it made me inadequate, weak, and pathetic — happened three other times.

Medication didn’t fix everything, but it did allow me to start living in a way that, seven years ago, was unfathomable. It did save my life.

I am medicated and mighty because no one should ever feel pathetic for wanting to save their life.

^^ You said it perfectly.

mentalillnessmouse: “Medicated and Mighty: Zyprexa, Effexor and Remeron. The zyprexa is helping a lot with my hallucinations but I’m still struggling with depression. I see my psychiatric nurse practitioner on Wednesday and we will discuss other...

mentalillnessmouse:

Medicated and Mighty: Zyprexa, Effexor and Remeron.

The zyprexa is helping a lot with my hallucinations but I’m still struggling with depression.  I see my psychiatric nurse practitioner on Wednesday and we will discuss other options.  I’m not giving up hope of finding the right combination of medication.

We’re so proud of you!!!
mentalillnessmouse: ““I am #medicatedandmighty !! Moderate to severe depression, GAD, PTSD and an undiagnosed eating disorder may try to put me down, but these little bad boys help me get through my day! Working with a psychologist, GP and a...

mentalillnessmouse:

I am #medicatedandmighty !! Moderate to severe depression, GAD, PTSD and an undiagnosed eating disorder may try to put me down, but these little bad boys help me get through my day! Working with a psychologist, GP and a psychiatrist has helped me to function and do the things I need to do to live a productive and fulfilling lifestyle.

Congratulations on all the progress you’ve made and best of luck in the future!

“Medicated and Mighty: Zyprexa, Effexor and Remeron. The zyprexa is helping a lot with my hallucinations but I’m still struggling with depression. I see my psychiatric nurse practitioner on Wednesday and we will discuss other options. I’m not giving...

Medicated and Mighty: Zyprexa, Effexor and Remeron.

The zyprexa is helping a lot with my hallucinations but I’m still struggling with depression.  I see my psychiatric nurse practitioner on Wednesday and we will discuss other options.  I’m not giving up hope of finding the right combination of medication.

We’re so proud of you!!!

mentalillnessmouse: “sortedmess: “Thought I’d share my #medicatedandmighty photo. I’ve seen people still tearing down the movement and talking about SSRIs and how they can have negative effects on people. It’s true, most drugs can have negative...

mentalillnessmouse:

sortedmess:

Thought I’d share my #medicatedandmighty photo. I’ve seen people still tearing down the movement and talking about SSRIs and how they can have negative effects on people. It’s true, most drugs can have negative effects (For example, I took antibiotics recently for a sickness and felt even worse on them). I have to say that I was very skeptical about using medication for my GAD, but it got so bad last year that my quality of life was seriously deteriorating as was my mental health. My doctor recommended Paxil, a SSRI that only has to be taken for a year and treats your brain so you have the “normal” amount of serotonin in your brain. I did research on the drug and was still skeptical about the potential side effects: increased weight, increased depression, lower sex drive, mood swings, etc. Nevertheless, I took a risk and started taking the drug. It’s been almost 5 months and I do not regret taking these pills. I think I still need to fit in the time for therapy, but Paxil has helped me manage my anxiety in the meantime. My point is, do not be afraid of sharing your mental health/medication story. Medication is not for everyone, but it can make a big positive difference in someone’s life.

I’m so proud of you for taking a chance. <3 Stay strong, Rowan

semidiurnaltide: “Five years ago, someone who I admire greatly told me that meds were a “crutch.” My seventeen year old self believed her, of course. Felt incredibly ashamed. And stopped cold turkey. It didn’t take me very long to realize that was...

semidiurnaltide:

Five years ago, someone who I admire greatly told me that meds were a “crutch.” My seventeen year old self believed her, of course. Felt incredibly ashamed. And stopped cold turkey. It didn’t take me very long to realize that was simply not a possibility at that point in my life. Still, this situation — going off my medication because I thought taking it made me inadequate, weak, and pathetic — happened three other times.

Medication didn’t fix everything, but it did allow me to start living in a way that, seven years ago, was unfathomable. It did save my life.

I am medicated and mighty because no one should ever feel pathetic for wanting to save their life.

^^ You said it perfectly.