Antidepressants and their effects

[whimsicalwarlock]

Recently was prescribed sertraline (Zoloft)
I "feel better" by feeling less. I also have noticed i don't feel energies nearly as much, including my own. I'm wondering just how bad this will be getting in my way. I can still feel a little bit but its severely muted. Prior to the meds, i could feel energy like it was a literal wave or fire. Now, it feels like a slight trickle or the smallest insignificant spark.
Is this something i should expect to be consistent or will i get used to it and regain a stronger hold on it again? I'm seriously wondering if its even worth being on the meds if i can't feel things like how i used to.

Any input in appreciated.

 

[Amadeus]

I have exactly the same experience. Once I got prescribed Xanax to relax muscles, had some odd problem. It messed up the senses and I felt strange after stopping it. Horrible side effects. The doctor must have been high to suggest me that junk. Then again, back then I wanted to try it and manifested the outcome. So out of nowhere I suddenly got them.

A couple of times I had some others and they messed up the senses too.
With some medicine the numbing effects were temporary, after getting used to them, the senses fully returned.

Some people use such stuff to make themselves spiritually numb. When I became spiritually very open then I also occasionally wanted to numb the senses with something, this was during the early years when everything felt overwhelming and my practices were a mix from 3 4 or 5 religions, bad mix.

I don't know what medical conditions you got there, maybe you need to use them.

This kind of medicine can end up mentally destroying you, either while taking it or once you get the withdrawals. I've seen how relatives and friends went crazy. One used Xanax, other took the one you mentioned, and other similar ones.

 

[whimsicalwarlock]

I have exactly the same experience. Once I got prescribed Xanax to relax muscles, had some odd problem. It messed up the senses and I felt strange after stopping it. Horrible side effects. The doctor must have been high to suggest me that junk. Then again, back then I wanted to try it and manifested the outcome. So out of nowhere I suddenly got them.

A couple of times I had some others and they messed up the senses too.
With some medicine the numbing effects were temporary, after getting used to them, the senses fully returned.

Some people use such stuff to make themselves spiritually numb. When I became spiritually very open then I also occasionally wanted to numb the senses with something, this was during the early years when everything felt overwhelming and my practices were a mix from 3 4 or 5 religions, bad mix.

I don't know what medical conditions you got there, maybe you need to use them.

This kind of medicine can end up mentally destroying you, either while taking it or once you get the withdrawals. I've seen how relatives and friends went crazy. One used Xanax, other took the one you mentioned, and other similar ones.

Full disclosure cuz idgaf who knows lol
I take them because i've been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and ptsd.

I halved my dose today just to see if i could find a good middle ground. I have used substances to cope in the past but those substances didn't shut off my ability to feel energy or emotions. I still felt happy or fun or inspired by the world around me and the negative things didn't get to me as much. On the meds, its like i've been blocked off completely, and its not a good feeling.

I'm hoping this will rectify itself once i get used to it and i can just go back to things as normal without any real issue. I'll just have to see how it goes and if it doesn't rectify itself then i guess i'll have a choice to make. or perhaps this could just be a sort of hiatus for me while i address some stuff and maybe i can come back once i have a better handle on things.

I appreciate you reaching out.

 

[HoldAll]

Full disclosure cuz idgaf who knows lol
I take them because i've been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and ptsd.

I halved my dose today just to see if i could find a good middle ground. I have used substances to cope in the past but those substances didn't shut off my ability to feel energy or emotions. I still felt happy or fun or inspired by the world around me and the negative things didn't get to me as much. On the meds, its like i've been blocked off completely, and its not a good feeling.

I've been on anti-depressants since I was 19 including three years of Zoloft - it was efficient and didn't make me feel doped or anything but then I wasn't into the practical side of the occult at all. By all means get back to the original dosage if you don't feel the benefits of the drug, you won't be able to any magic if you're in a state of anxiety or mope around the house all day.

My take on anti-depressants is that they subtly change the way you perceive reality; they don't make you happy, they just restore your ability to feel happy. Give yourself some time to adjust, anti-depressants don't dull the senses like anti-psychotics do, in my opinion.

 

[whimsicalwarlock]

I've been on anti-depressants since I was 19 including three years of Zoloft - it was efficient and didn't make me feel doped or anything but then I wasn't into the practical side of the occult at all. By all means get back to the original dosage if you don't feel the benefits of the drug, you won't be able to any magic if you're in a state of anxiety or mope around the house all day.

My take on anti-depressants is that they subtly change the way you perceive reality; they don't make you happy, they just restore your ability to feel happy. Give yourself some time to adjust, anti-depressants don't dull the senses like anti-psychotics do, in my opinion.

Thats sound advice, after halving my dose i did notice my symptoms coming back so that was enlightening. I suppose it could be due to my body being used to the higher dose but I'm not sure. I'm going to go back to the higher dose and see how I feel.

I haven't been on them long so i think it could just be my body feeling the effects more intensely because i haven't adjusted yet.
Thanks for the input.

 

[Shade]

I used to be on all kinds of meds starting as a kid but they stopped prescribing them when I was about 16-17. They did absolutely nothing for me that was positive but I know they help a lot of people.
They tried lots of anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, more mood stabilizer oriented meds, even seizure meds for aggressive outbursts.
It wasn’t till I took initiative to change reoccurring patterns that things got better.

A big factor was dietary and lifestyle changes, doing one thing a day that made me feel like I accomplished something and keep stacking those accomplishments up no matter how small.

Anti-depressants will probably help that process but I wouldn’t lower the dose unless positive life changes were made and consulting a therapist/psychiatrist/doc with your progress.

A therapist to my knowledge can’t lower a dose (or prescribe meds) like a psychiatrist or doc can but they can at least give some guidance.

I sincerely hope you find what works for you.

This is Just my 2 cents from my own experience with meds.

 

[HoldAll]

I used to be on all kinds of meds starting as a kid but they stopped prescribing them when I was about 16-17. They did absolutely nothing for me that was positive but I know they help a lot of people.
They tried lots of anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, more mood stabilizer oriented meds, even seizure meds for aggressive outbursts.
It wasn’t till I took initiative to change reoccurring patterns that things got better.

A big factor was dietary and lifestyle changes, doing one thing a day that made me feel like I accomplished something and keep stacking those accomplishments up no matter how small.

Anti-depressants will probably help that process but I wouldn’t lower the dose unless positive life changes were made and consulting a therapist/psychiatrist/doc with your progress.

A therapist to my knowledge can’t lower a dose (or prescribe meds) like a psychiatrist or doc can but they can at least give some guidance.

I sincerely hope you find what works for you.

This is Just my 2 cents from my own experience with meds.

My doc refused to give me meds when I was 16 because of the hormonal imbalances caused by puberty and instead made me take part in his autogenic training course which didn't do anything for me but then I was both too sluggish and too restless to appreciate the value of relaxation (as well as young and dumb).

I've known people who overcame their depression through psychotherapy alone but those 'soft' methods' won't work in severe cases where you lethargically lie in bed ruminating all day until your whole body aches from lack of exercise and have to force yourself to complete the simplest task like for example grocery shopping. Or when anxiety becomes so acute that you're even afrain to leave the house. In such cases meds can be a godsend.

Psychotherapy however, esp. cognitive behavioral therapy, still has its place as an adjunct to antidepressants or as stand-alone treatment. I wouldn't worry about the impact of meds on magic though, lack of initiative and an abject feeling of hopelessness caused by untreated major depression are far worse.

 

[Shade]

My doc refused to give me meds when I was 16 because of the hormonal imbalances caused by puberty and instead made me take part in his autogenic training course which didn't do anything for me but then I was both too sluggish and too restless to appreciate the value of relaxation (as well as young and dumb).

I've known people who overcame their depression through psychotherapy alone but those 'soft' methods' won't work in severe cases where you lethargically lie in bed ruminating all day until your whole body aches from lacexercise and have to force yourself to complete the simplest task like for example grocery shopping. Or when anxiety becomes so acute that you're even afrain to leave the house. In such cases meds can be a godsend.

Psychotherapy however, esp. cognitive behavioral therapy, still has its place as an adjunct to antidepressants or as stand-alone treatment. I wouldn't worry about the impact of meds on magic though, lack of initiative and an abject feeling of hopelessness caused by untreated major depression are far worse.

I agree, anti- depressants and therapy can be extremely useful, that along with cog behavioral therapy or EDMR, EDMR is a life saver (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for traumatic events, they greatly help reduce nightmares and really helps with the trauma of ptsd)

 

[whimsicalwarlock]

I used to be on all kinds of meds starting as a kid but they stopped prescribing them when I was about 16-17. They did absolutely nothing for me that was positive but I know they help a lot of people.
They tried lots of anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, more mood stabilizer oriented meds, even seizure meds for aggressive outbursts.
It wasn’t till I took initiative to change reoccurring patterns that things got better.

A big factor was dietary and lifestyle changes, doing one thing a day that made me feel like I accomplished something and keep stacking those accomplishments up no matter how small.

Anti-depressants will probably help that process but I wouldn’t lower the dose unless positive life changes were made and consulting a therapist/psychiatrist/doc with your progress.

A therapist to my knowledge can’t lower a dose (or prescribe meds) like a psychiatrist or doc can but they can at least give some guidance.

I sincerely hope you find what works for you.

This is Just my 2 cents from my own experience with meds.

Yeah, I will say that I think theres more than just a medical issue here, I am hoping continued therapy will help, though my current therapist isn't amazing. (I'm gonna give him more time to see if we click, ive only seen him twice so i know i need to be patient)

I chose to halve my dose on my own initiative to see if it made me feel better. It really didn't lol but it was worth trying.

I definitely agree on the changing patterns thing. One thing I've noticed is how easily I'm affected by the world around me. It's almost like I'm "too open" or something. While being in that state does make it very easy for me to manipulate and feel energy, I am also very exposed and I definitely "lose my footing"

I'm looking into some Buddhist practices/mindfulness practices because they seem like a step in the right direction for me.

Though I do still feel a bit muffled, I will say that even now, I already feel more in tune than I did when I first made this post so hopefully I continue getting used to this medicine and can get back to how I was. Even if i don't feel it 100% like I used to, I can definitely feel a massive improvement already compared to when I first started.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Shade]

Yeah, I will say that I think theres more than just a medical issue here, I am hoping continued therapy will help, though my current therapist isn't amazing. (I'm gonna give him more time to see if we click, ive only seen him twice so i know i need to be patient)

I chose to halve my dose on my own initiative to see if it made me feel better. It really didn't lol but it was worth trying.

I definitely agree on the changing patterns thing. One thing I've noticed is how easily I'm affected by the world around me. It's almost like I'm "too open" or something. While being in that state does make it very easy for me to manipulate and feel energy, I am also very exposed and I definitely "lose my footing"

I'm looking into some Buddhist practices/mindfulness practices because they seem like a step in the right direction for me.

Though I do still feel a bit muffled, I will say that even now, I already feel more in tune than I did when I first made this post so hopefully I continue getting used to this medicine and can get back to how I was. Even if i don't feel it 100% like I used to, I can definitely feel a massive improvement already compared to when I first started.

Thanks for your input!

I’m glad to hear that, I’m working on a thread but I do it all on my phone and then plus triple check all the info. So it can take a few hours but this one may take a week. You may find it useful but for now am really, really happy you are feeling better. But if need be and you want to try I thought I’d let you know.
medication is hot or miss and unfortunately doctors don’t do medicine they “practice” medicine and everybody is different.

Post automatically merged: Oct 6, 2024

Also… a cured patient is a lost customer -wink

 

[Faria]

My first post here, hopefully not my last. Some places don't like my opinions on this topic and don't want anyone to be able to speak them. Sorry if anyone feels offended. I realize that these come across as harsh, but I don't know any other way to put it.
1. I do not believe in medical science as it relates to psychiatric drugs, at all. There is no science. It is all paid-for and fake. If you want to respond with anything you think is "backed up by studies" or some crap like that, just know that your words are completely irrelevant and I've heard it all before.
2. Before you even think of taking meds, fix your fucking life. Are you depressed? Yeah? Well you probably should be, your life is probably shit. If you are depressed all the time it's because there is some aspect of life you should be getting but aren't. Fix that. The drugs will not. Once you start taking them, you will be on them for life, there is no escape except to replace them with another drug. You are trapping yourself in a world that can never be more than a safe distance from your local pharmacist. You would be better off moving to Fiji where you can walk around naked eating coconuts all day and nobody knows English, than taking whatever brain drug your doctor recommends.
3. If you are on meds, make getting off them your main priority in life. I have gone through this with many people. It takes a minimum of five years. I strongly recommend signing up for a medication-weaning forum and strictly regulate your approach to getting off your meds. Cold turkey often leads to severe and long-lasting consequences. If you weren't batshit crazy before you took meds, there's a huge chance you will be when you stop taking them.
4. Esoteric practice, from meditations to spells and spirit conjurations, tends to rely on you pulling up something from deep within and working with it. If you are taking drugs to inhibit your excitation or anxiety, or otherwise mess with how your brain processes things with emotional connotations, sooner or later, in a big way or small, your magic is going to fuck up. The drugs are designed to remove those parts of your mental functioning that define magic: awe, overwhelming emotion, fierce passionate anger, abject dread, overabundant joy, anything the sages and prophets put into song will be off-limits to you once you're on meds. That's what they're meant to do.

 

[Mars]

Recently was prescribed sertraline (Zoloft)
I "feel better" by feeling less. I also have noticed i don't feel energies nearly as much, including my own. I'm wondering just how bad this will be getting in my way. I can still feel a little bit but its severely muted. Prior to the meds, i could feel energy like it was a literal wave or fire. Now, it feels like a slight trickle or the smallest insignificant spark.
Is this something i should expect to be consistent or will i get used to it and regain a stronger hold on it again? I'm seriously wondering if its even worth being on the meds if i can't feel things like how i used to.

Any input in appreciated.

Those drugs are a sure way to seal off any access to higher states or insights. Even more so than christianity does.

Doesn't mean you don't need to work through your issues. Instead of hoping for a drug to suppress the emotions until you can ignore them you should work on the issues.

Blackening the stone, then whitening it.

 

[whimsicalwarlock]

My first post here, hopefully not my last. Some places don't like my opinions on this topic and don't want anyone to be able to speak them. Sorry if anyone feels offended. I realize that these come across as harsh, but I don't know any other way to put it.
1. I do not believe in medical science as it relates to psychiatric drugs, at all. There is no science. It is all paid-for and fake. If you want to respond with anything you think is "backed up by studies" or some crap like that, just know that your words are completely irrelevant and I've heard it all before.
2. Before you even think of taking meds, fix your fucking life. Are you depressed? Yeah? Well you probably should be, your life is probably shit. If you are depressed all the time it's because there is some aspect of life you should be getting but aren't. Fix that. The drugs will not. Once you start taking them, you will be on them for life, there is no escape except to replace them with another drug. You are trapping yourself in a world that can never be more than a safe distance from your local pharmacist. You would be better off moving to Fiji where you can walk around naked eating coconuts all day and nobody knows English, than taking whatever brain drug your doctor recommends.
3. If you are on meds, make getting off them your main priority in life. I have gone through this with many people. It takes a minimum of five years. I strongly recommend signing up for a medication-weaning forum and strictly regulate your approach to getting off your meds. Cold turkey often leads to severe and long-lasting consequences. If you weren't batshit crazy before you took meds, there's a huge chance you will be when you stop taking them.
4. Esoteric practice, from meditations to spells and spirit conjurations, tends to rely on you pulling up something from deep within and working with it. If you are taking drugs to inhibit your excitation or anxiety, or otherwise mess with how your brain processes things with emotional connotations, sooner or later, in a big way or small, your magic is going to fuck up. The drugs are designed to remove those parts of your mental functioning that define magic: awe, overwhelming emotion, fierce passionate anger, abject dread, overabundant joy, anything the sages and prophets put into song will be off-limits to you once you're on meds. That's what they're meant to do.

I appreciate that you seem to be making the attempt to be 'brutally honest' however I find it strange that you'd say you don't believe in medical science, while also saying I should visit medicine weaning forums.
Also, could you show me the data (that you don't believe in) that shows that "if i'm not batshit crazy before the meds, i will be when i stop taking them?"
Also, to assume that somebody needs to take meds because they haven't "fixed their fucking life" is a very generalizing, reductive, and ignorant way of looking at mental health and anyone who takes medication to help them cope with whatever issues they may have.
You say you realize this comes across as harsh but you don't know any other way to put it? There a plenty of ways to put this that don't include blaming the one on medication, or saying their life is probably shit. If you really don't know how to finesse your words so people are more likely to be receptive to it then I don't see how you expect people to.