r/depressionregimens • u/AltitudinousOne • Jun 13 '25
Because the subs both incorporate a wide range of debates I need someone who is across them and fully understands the complexity involved.
r/SSRIs (14k) is a sub about Selective Seroptonin Reuptake Inhibitors. Its a relatively low-workload sub, and would suit someone with experience modding reddit and an academic interest in SSRIs.
This sub has a bigger userbase but is also pretty low-load. The work would be very occasional so could easily fit in with an existing moderation routine.
If interested, please respond to the ad in the sub here https://www.reddit.com/r/SSRIs/comments/1ktwznv/could_use_a_mod_or_two_experienced/
I am happy to put on anyone with reddit moderation experience (please state experience in modmail) who is able to construct a sensible answer to the question posed in the post above.
Thanks for your interest.
r/depressionregimens • u/AltitudinousOne • Dec 13 '23
The Recovery Model represents a holistic and person-centered approach to understanding and supporting individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction or the absence of illness, the recovery model emphasizes empowerment, hope, and the individual's ability to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life despite the presence of mental health issues.
Here are key principles and components of the Recovery Model:
Person-Centered Approach:
The recovery model is inherently person-centered, recognizing the uniqueness of each individual. It values the person's experiences, preferences, and strengths, encouraging collaborative decision-making between individuals and their mental health care providers.
Hope and Empowerment:
Central to the recovery model is the instillation of hope and empowerment. Individuals are encouraged to believe in their capacity for growth, change, and the possibility of leading a satisfying life. Empowerment involves recognizing and utilizing one's strengths and resources in the recovery journey.
Holistic Perspective:
The recovery model takes a holistic view of individuals, considering not only the management of symptoms but also broader aspects of their lives. This includes factors such as relationships, employment, education, housing, and overall well-being.
Collaboration and Partnerships:
Collaborative partnerships between individuals, their families, mental health professionals, and the community are emphasized. Shared decision-making and mutual respect in the therapeutic relationship are key components of the recovery model.
Self-Management and Responsibility:
Individuals are encouraged to actively participate in their own recovery and take responsibility for their well-being. This may involve developing self-management skills, setting personal goals, and making informed choices about treatment options.
Social Inclusion and Community Integration:
Social support and community integration are essential for recovery. The model recognizes the importance of meaningful connections, peer support, and involvement in community activities for promoting well-being.
Cultural Competence:
The recovery model acknowledges the cultural diversity of individuals and respects the influence of cultural factors on mental health. Cultural competence is integrated into the provision of services to ensure responsiveness to diverse needs.
Nonlinear and Individualized Process:
Recovery is seen as a nonlinear process with ups and downs. It is not defined by a specific endpoint or a predetermined set of criteria. Each person's journey is unique, and recovery goals are individualized based on personal values and aspirations.
Lived Experience and Peer Support:
The model recognizes the value of lived experience in understanding mental health challenges. Peer support, involving individuals with shared experiences, is often incorporated to provide empathy, understanding, and inspiration.
Wellness and Quality of Life:
The focus of the recovery model extends beyond symptom reduction to encompass overall wellness and the enhancement of an individual's quality of life. This includes attention to physical health, social connections, and a sense of purpose.
Implementing the recovery model requires a shift in the mindset of mental health systems, professionals, and communities to create environments that support and facilitate recovery-oriented practices. The model reflects a human rights perspective, emphasizing the dignity, autonomy, and potential for growth inherent in each person.
Philosophy and Focus:
Recovery Model: The recovery model is rooted in a holistic and person-centered philosophy. It emphasizes the individual's potential for growth, self-determination, and the pursuit of a meaningful life despite the presence of mental health challenges. The focus is on empowerment, hope, and improving overall well-being.
Medical Model: The medical model views mental illnesses primarily as medical conditions that can be diagnosed and treated using standardized medical interventions. It tends to focus on symptom reduction and the restoration of normal functioning through medical and pharmacological interventions.
Definitions of "Recovery":
Recovery Model: In the recovery model, "recovery" is not necessarily synonymous with the absence of symptoms. It is a broader concept that includes personal growth, self-discovery, and the pursuit of life goals. Recovery may involve learning to manage symptoms effectively rather than eliminating them entirely.
Medical Model: In the medical model, "recovery" often refers to the reduction or elimination of symptoms, returning the individual to a state of health defined by the absence of illness.
Approach to Treatment:
Recovery Model: Treatment in the recovery model is collaborative, person-centered, and may include a variety of interventions beyond medication, such as counseling, peer support, and holistic approaches. The emphasis is on supporting the individual's agency in their own healing process.
Medical Model: Treatment in the medical model typically involves medical professionals prescribing medications to alleviate symptoms. The focus is often on symptom management and control, and the treatment plan is primarily determined by the healthcare provider.
Role of the Individual:
Recovery Model: Individuals are active participants in their recovery journey. The model recognizes the importance of self determination, personal responsibility, and the empowerment of individuals to set their own goals and make decisions about their treatment.
Medical Model: While patient input is considered in the medical model, there is often a more paternalistic approach where healthcare professionals play a central role in diagnosing and prescribing treatment.
View of Mental Health:
Recovery Model: The recovery model views mental health on a continuum, acknowledging that individuals can experience mental health challenges but still lead fulfilling lives. It values the whole person and considers various aspects of life beyond the symptoms.
Medical Model: The medical model sees mental health conditions as discrete disorders that require specific diagnoses and treatments. It tends to focus on categorizing and classifying symptoms into distinct disorders.
Long-Term Outlook:
Recovery Model: The recovery model supports the idea that individuals can continue to grow and thrive, even with ongoing mental health challenges. It does not necessarily view mental health conditions as chronic and irreversible.
Medical Model: The medical model may approach mental health conditions as chronic illnesses that require ongoing management and, in some cases, long-term medication.
United Kingdom:
The UK has been a pioneer in implementing the recovery model in mental health services. Initiatives such as the Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) and the use of tools like the Recovery Star have been employed to promote a person-centered and recovery-focused approach.
Australia:
Australia has adopted the recovery model in mental health policies and services. The National Framework for Recovery-Oriented Mental Health Services is an example of Australia's commitment to integrating recovery principles into mental health care.
United States:
In the United States, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been a key advocate for recovery-oriented approaches. The concept of recovery is embedded in various mental health programs and initiatives.
Canada:
Different provinces in Canada have integrated the recovery model into their mental health policies and programs. There is an increasing focus on empowering individuals and promoting their recovery journeys.
New Zealand:
New Zealand has embraced the recovery model in mental health, emphasizing community-based care, peer support, and individualized treatment plans. The country has made efforts to move away from a solely medical model to a more holistic and recovery-oriented approach.
Netherlands:
The Netherlands has implemented elements of the recovery model in its mental health services. There is an emphasis on collaborative and person-centered care, as well as the inclusion of individuals with lived experience in the planning and delivery of services.
Ireland:
Ireland has been working to incorporate recovery principles into mental health services. Initiatives focus on empowering individuals, fostering community support, and promoting a holistic understanding of mental health and well-being.
"On Our Own: Patient-Controlled Alternatives to the Mental Health System" by Judi Chamberlin:
A classic work that challenges traditional approaches to mental health treatment and explores the concept of self-help and patient-controlled alternatives.
"Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions" by Russell Brand:
While not a traditional academic text, Russell Brand's book offers a personal exploration of recovery from various forms of addiction, providing insights into the principles of recovery.
"Recovery in Mental Health: Reshaping Scientific and Clinical Responsibilities" by Larry Davidson and Michael Rowe
This book provides an in-depth examination of the recovery concept, discussing its historical development, implementation in mental health services, and the role of research and clinical practices.
"A Practical Guide to Recovery-Oriented Practice: Tools for Transforming Mental Health Care" by Larry Davidson, Michael Rowe, Janis Tondora, Maria J. O'Connell, and Jane E. Lawless:
A practical guide that offers tools and strategies for implementing recovery-oriented practices in mental health care settings.
"Recovery-Oriented Psychiatry: A Guide for Clinicians and Patients" by Michael T. Compton and Lisa B. Dixon:
This book provides insights into recovery-oriented psychiatry, including practical advice for clinicians and guidance for individuals on the recovery journey.
"Recovery from Schizophrenia: Psychiatry and Political Economy" by Richard Warner:
An exploration of recovery from schizophrenia, this book delves into the intersection of psychiatric treatment and societal factors, offering a critical perspective on the recovery process.
"The Strengths Model: A Recovery-Oriented Approach to Mental Health Services" by Charles A. Rapp and Richard J. Goscha:
This book introduces the Strengths Model, a widely used approach in recovery-oriented mental health services that focuses on individuals' strengths and abilities.
"Implementing Recovery-Oriented Evidence-Based Programs: Identifying the Critical Dimensions" by Robert E. Drake, Kim T. Mueser, and Gary R. Bond:
A scholarly work that discusses the implementation of recovery-oriented programs and evidence-based practices in mental health.
"Mental Health Recovery: What Helps and What Hinders?" by Mike Slade:
Mike Slade, a key figure in the development of the recovery model, explores factors that facilitate or impede mental health recovery.
"Recovery from Mental Illness: The Guiding Vision of the Mental Health Service System in the 1990s" by William A. Anthony:
A foundational article that outlines the guiding principles of the recovery model in mental health.
r/depressionregimens • u/r1905 • 3d ago
I keep reading about side effects of emotional blunting and apathy. My main depressive symptom is anhedonia and inability to feel joy. I already take Wellbutrin and Auvelity. I feel nervous to take this medication if it would make that worse? I was prescribed this. Any experiences with this?
r/depressionregimens • u/Vsauce18 • 6d ago
I called 911 3 days ago because I was suicidal (with a plan) and I was taken to the hospital. I told the hospital staff that I can’t afford some of my critical medications right now (like Abilify and pregabalin) which aren’t covered under the public coverage plan I’m under (plan g in BC Canada).
It seems like they’ve dismissed what I’ve said and don’t believe I’m acutely suicidal for some reason, and I feel I don’t get treated the way I should. Maybe this is because I have a serious problem with down playing how I feel. I was in the hospital for 3 days in the intake area and now I got transferred to something called CRESST for a short term stay. Basically a place for psychiatric evaluation but it’s not for acutely suicidal people. You have to be able to take care of yourself. Obviously I can’t, but what makes me made even more is how I told them I can’t pay for anything at the hospital (zero dollars right now) and today I’m getting told by the psychiatrist at this new place I’ll probably be getting billed for the exact same meds I said earlier I can’t pay for to the hospital. I don’t know why no one listens to me? Is it because I’m a 21 year old male who isn’t supposed to feel like this? I’m tired and I can’t explain my situation to one more person so I feel like I can’t even raise this concern to anyone because I quite literally do not care.
:(
r/depressionregimens • u/neuro-psych-amateur • 11d ago
The first psych med that I ever tried was mirtazapine back in 2015. I was quite hopeful because it was prescribed by a psychiatrist at a hospital, so I assumed that they must have selected it specifically for my case and that they knew it would help. I was not aware yet of how much trial and error there is in psychiatry.
When I was prescribed lamotrigine in 2024, I was not hopeful. It was just another medication that I was going to try, after more than a dozen that I have already tried, and none of them have been helpful.
It was spring when I started lamotrigine and I remember riding in the car, looking out of the window, and I suddenly noticed how beautiful the sunlight was. Maybe because the winter is over, I thought. But the way the sunlight fell on tree branches and the houses, it was very interesting, and made me want to capture it, to paint it. I realized then that I did not feel as dull as I did on the days previously and that I had a lot more interest in my surroundings.
I have since then continued to take a low dose of lamotrigine. Increasing the dose did not work out for me as it increased my intrusive thoughts and did not make me feel better. The low dose has definitely been helpful for my unipolar depression. What is interesting to me is that this medication has been so effective for me yet for some reason I have never heard of it until 2024 while I have tried all sorts of psych meds since 2015.
I assume that a lot of you who are being treated for depression have also not heard of lamotrigine. I want to bring more awareness about it. It’s quite an inexpensive medication and it is mostly used for controlling seizures and for treating depression in bipolar disorder. It is not often used as an anti-depressant in unipolar depression, even though several studies shows that it helped some individuals with treatment resistant depression.
I have collected some reviews of lamotrigine from online posts that I want to share here. I tried to filter out those posts that mentioned bipolar disorder, as I specifically wanted to look at experiences with lamotrigine of those individuals who were diagnosed with depression, not bipolar disorder. In this video I will be focusing on just the positive experiences.
Experience #1
Experience number one – young male treated for depression.
I’ve been on Lamictal for 4 years now. In these 4 years, my life changed drastically.
My depression is gone, and my suicidal ideations have stopped, nor I’m suicidal anymore. Risky behavior and deliberate exposure to life-threatening situations are gone. The feeling of emptiness is gone.
I have completely stopped drinking alcohol and stopped taking drugs (kind of – more on that later on).
My relationship with friends and family improved.
The state of my mind, and my well-being improved overall.
I work. I travel and I’m happy and satisfied with my life.
Side effects the person has been experiencing: low libido and erectile dysfunction.
Experience #2
Second experience has some positives and negatives. Personally I think playing around with the dose is important. This individual is taking 100 milligrams, I found that for me any dose over 50mg made me feel dull, as they describe, and also increased my intrusive thoughts.
I’ve been taking lamotrigine 100mg for my mood instability for about two years now following a very bad depressive episode I had after a breakup. I felt like life was nothing. Cried every day for months and thought the way I felt would never end and I couldn’t leave my bed. I was very self destructive and sabotaging to the point I was hurting those around me. I’ve never felt that way in my life and wish it on no one. After a series of trying several SSRIs and anti-anxiety medication, lamotrigine was the only thing that seemed to help clear up my head and make life more tolerable and that I had control over my actions, no impulse. But I feel dull.
Experience #3
This person was clearly doing better on lamotrigine and for some reason they decided to taper down and got worse. I think if you find a med that is finally working for you, please stay on it!
One full month in, I quit smoking weed and was able to step into a bus again, my depression was actually not as bad even though I rly did go through a shitty couple things back then, and was able to reason with myself a lot better and put things in perspective in a way I hadn’t been able to do. I was working on myself, feeling better, but also feeling less. Every emotion seemed to be observed from helicopter view, I felt it, I stepped away and analysed it instead of feeling it and then rationalised it and waited it out. But I feel like I wasn’t necessarily processing them. They just went away?
Either way, I was doing better, only had one relapse with my weed use those 8 months and it was all great, except for my robotic way of handling stuff.
My therapy ended, am now working on getting my BPD diagnosis removed and would start working again. Worked out 5 days a week, was on a good healthy diet, walked a lot, didn’t smoke (weed/cigs), drink or binge eat anymore, was very social, could handle stimuli, etc.
As I wanted to just gap a bridge with these meds, until I felt secure to do it myself, I started decreasing them. I went from 150mg to 25mg and already had my final consult with the prescribing psychiatrist a while back.
Since building off, I’ve noticed a big increase in insecurity, irritability, impulsiveness, depression and anxiety instantly.
Experience #4
This person tried lamotrigine once and it did not work, but had a very positive experience the second time they tried it.
TL;DR — lamotrigine did nothing except give me insomnia while titrating up to 75mg. I tried it again 6 months later, taking it in the morning, and after jumping from 50 to 100mg, it started working amazingly well for my mood instability, depressive episodes (probably cyclothymia), and general pointlessness. Huge win!
I’ve heard lamotrigine being described as a ‘rope’ you can grab onto that helps keep you from falling and lets you climb back up, and I couldn’t agree more, honestly. I’ve had virtually no side effects, and taking it in the morning seems to energise me, if anything. I’ve not had another downswing since. It’s been 2 weeks since I started 100mg, and it really has been fantastic.
Experience #5
This person had a positive experience with a combination of lamotrigine and vyvanse.
My doctor currently has me on lamotrigine and vyvanse. The former seems to stabilize my mood well and the latter helps significantly with motivation and getting things done. More importantly, the medications have allowed me to start forming habits to help me thrive and not just survive.
Like I said earlier, I’ve tried dozens of medications. Adderall and Ritalin simply didn’t work for various reasons. I tried every depression medication with horrible side effects and even attempted abilify but it caused awful restlessness.
I’m typing this up to try and show there is hope. It took me years to find something but there is relief out there. Don’t give up on your search. I got my butt kicked by brain zaps, quelled an adderall dependence and fought through a disease that almost killed me. Please do not stop fighting and seeking. The relief could be right around the next corner.
I can actually be a husband and dad again. Life is finally showing color again. No, things aren’t perfect. There are setbacks. But now setbacks are short term hurdles that don’t seem impossible to conquer.
It has been almost a full year on these two medications and I can finally say my life is truly worth living again. I can’t stress this enough… I know the true hell that a lot of you experience on a daily basis. It can be brutally debilitating and inconceivable. BUT there might truly be hope for you. Don’t give up. Life can be worth living again even if you can’t find a reason for it right now.
r/depressionregimens • u/awkweirdaf • 11d ago
Hey y’all. I’m looking for medications that may improve irritability without being an SSRI. I cycled through all the different kinds for years and every single one gave me the same negative side effects.
My last psych and I decided to stop them completely and see how it went. Overall everything’s been about the same, except my irritability (negative) and sleep (positive). I can’t tell if the increase in irritability is due to a high-stress environment like buying a house & moving or if it was caused dropping SSRIs from my regimen. Stopping them improved my sleep though because they gave me awful night sweats, which would leave me fatigued as hell the next day. I feel like my energy levels have improved drastically as a result.
So basically, I’d really rather not go back on those medications if I can help it. I’m currently on Auvelity, Vraylar, and Adderall. I wanted suggestions to bring to my new psych once I get that arranged. Anything helps, TYSMIA.
r/depressionregimens • u/Embarrassed_Cell_531 • 14d ago
In my country the options are basically:
bupropion XL (150 mg)
or
low dose amisulpride (50 mg)
which is worth trying first in your opinion? Are they even worth the risks/side effects?
Symptoms: apathy, anticipatory anhedonia, amotivation
no sadness or anxiety
r/depressionregimens • u/Aggressive-Guide5563 • 14d ago
So I was on 150 mg Wellbutrin for like three months and it wasn’t doing so much for me and I was still having bad anxiety from it. So me and my GP decided to add 10 mg Prozac on top of it. Big mistake. I got the worst panic attack ever yesterday and today. I swear I felt really overstimulated in a bad way. Almost like the feeling of being overcaffeinated. It was horrible. I was so scared something bad was going to happen. I haven’t had any caffeine at all. I removed all caffeine completely.
But today it was horrible. Massively overstimulated when taking them together. But I highly suspect it’s the Prozac because I wasn’t feeling this overly stimulated on Wellbutrin 150 mg all alone. I got side effects like hot flashes, burning sensations, heart palpitations, headaches, increased sweating, muscle stiffness, diarrhea and sleep disturbances. And I just woke up with the feeling of dread. Then I took my pills and immediately got a really bad panic attack and just felt overstimulated and overexcited in a really bad way. I went to the psychiatric ER immediately and they did some tests and then I talked to a nurse and she said that these side effects are probably the startup of Prozac and she told me to contact my GP as soon as possible and tell them about this. She told me if it gets worse and I can’t get in contact with my GP, they told me I can come back again.
I swear I just want to quit this shit. Prozac made me teen times worse. I was so much better off taking Wellbutrin all alone. Prozac made me so much worse I can’t describe it. 300 mg Wellbutrin was the only thing ever helping my depression but of course I couldn’t tolerate it anymore because it overstimulated me in various ways. Nothing else helped me. I’m devastated and I’m highly disappointed. Prozac worked for my anxiety in the past. But now I had a bad reaction to it. I don’t know what to do anymore. No antidepressants work for me I always have bad reactions to them.
r/depressionregimens • u/caffeinehell • 16d ago
Im mot talking about anticipation or avolition.With substance blockage psychedelics and MAOIs dont work on consummatory aspects, even if they may still help anticipatory. Mood stabilizers dont bring back actual pleasure.
By consummatory I mean the actual buzz in the head, and feeling passive pleasure of existence.
I am in an agitated state daily due to the anhedonia. The only thing that kinda helps is benzos but every day they are risky. And they only help take edge off
This constellation of symptoms can happen in severe PSSD, PFS, and post viral syndromes. Where th
In many cases the nervous system is so extremely dysregulated that substances further dysregulate it. Brain retraining also isnt possible due to the anhedonia itself.
What helps the goddamn blockage? Who had it and got out of it?
Ketamine does not work for me.
r/depressionregimens • u/Aggressive-Guide5563 • 16d ago
I was on 300 mg Wellbutrin for several years for my depression. It worked tremendously for my energy, motivation, cognition and brain fog and overall functioning and was the only thing ever helping my depression. But unfortunately in the end I couldn’t tolerate it anymore because it started to cause horrible anxiety and insomnia that started to interfere with my life in many ways. It also started to give me weird side effects I never used to get from it before and it just started to make me feel extremely overcaffeinated, which again never experienced that from it before. And once these side effects escalated I decided to drop back the dose to 150 mg.
Now I’ve been on 150 mg for more than three months now and I’ve already noticing my depression has worsened significantly and the racing thoughts and suicidal thoughts have come back all over again. I lack energy and motivation to do things. I’ve lost interest in things that I liked before. And I have lost almost all of my cognition that I had at 300 mg and the brain fog has started to come back. And I overall feel just so much worse emotionally and mentally than I did several months back when I was on 300 mg.
Now I did have an appointment with my GP recently and I told her all about this and she was like at first suggesting to go back to 300 mg all over again all by itself and then we would reassess in a few weeks again. But then I told her the reason I backed off the dose from 300 mg to 150 mg in the first place is because it started to overstimulate me and it caused horrible anxiety and insomnia. I told her it wasn’t because it wasn’t working anymore. I just couldn’t tolerate it anymore. I told her if I go back to 300 mg I might still need a med to remove the anxiety and insomnia.
And after that she was like we are putting Prozac back. I told her that I used to take 300 mg Wellbutrin and 20 mg Prozac for two years and that I experienced none of the insomnia or any of these side effects when I took it with Prozac. I told her that I think my body overall tolerated Wellbutrin better alongside Prozac. So that’s why her next suggestion was to put Prozac back. But then she said I only allow you to keep 150 mg Wellbutrin and then add 10 mg Prozac and then we reassess in a few weeks. Because when she searched on her computer she said combining Wellbutrin and Prozac can cause serotonin syndrome and then I told her I took them for literally two years with no issues at all. And when she said I can only have 150 mg Wellbutrin and 10 mg Prozac, I asked her can I never go back to 300 mg Wellbutrin and 20 mg Prozac again? And she just rolled her eyes and was like not now, It will be too much meds all at once. And I told her I completely understand that.
I mean I understand why she is being cautious and wanting to be more careful while introducing something else. But what if the next time I come back to her again and I tell her like it’s not working for me and I really want to return to the combination I used to take before, eventually if I can tolerate it. What if she turns me down and says I won’t prescribe this combination? I mean what do I do then? Because I’m 💯 certain the next time I ask for it, I know she will say no based on what she told me now. And if so do you think I should just get a second opinion? I know this whole text got way too long but I had to explain everything.
r/depressionregimens • u/Certain_Cookie_5917 • 22d ago
I have severe depression with chronic psychological pain. I took one 25 mg pill of fluvoxamine 3 months ago and it immediately made my psych ache significantly worse and it has stayed worse. Has anyone else had the experience of an SSRI making them worse permanently? Anyone have any ideas of drugs that could do the opposite of what fluvoxamine did?
r/depressionregimens • u/Zealousideal-Walk939 • 23d ago
Started Concerta 18mg 2 months ago, but after the first few weeks i started to feel a lot of pain in my upper left back , is this related to Concerta?
r/depressionregimens • u/Certain_Cookie_5917 • 23d ago
So I had a really stressful year in college filled with emotional abuse, academic overload, multiple viruses and burnout. When I finally returned home to rest I completely crashed. One night, a few nights after I got home, I was sitting around when randomly I started to feel this intense sensation of dread/dysphoria wash over me. It was like this deep pit of horribleness in my stomach, this feeling that something is horribly wrong. It was so intense my whole body was trembling. It felt like it would never end. And it didn’t. At the beginning it was more episodic but after a few weeks it kinda just faded into the background of my existence. For the last 2 years I have been living with this feeling all day every day. It doesn’t fluctuate much, it’s completely environmentally unresponsive, and it seems completely devoid of any content or meaning. It makes every moment feels unbearable and I genuinely am not sure how much longer I can handle it.
The symptom is accompanied by anhedonia, fatigue and upper body tension, all chronic and just as unresponsive to circumstances. To be clear, the feeling is distinct from anxiety because it does not involve worrying thoughts, racing heart or hyper vigilance. It’s more like unrelenting psychological pain. At this point in order to save my life I need to start trying treatments but I have no idea where to start. Has anyone ever seen a symptom like this before? Any suggestions of what treatments might actually help it? Any advice at all would be so apreciated.
r/depressionregimens • u/cringy_flinchy • 26d ago
r/depressionregimens • u/overandoverhoney • 27d ago
It's been a while since I was on meds and I am looking for some advice and opinions on alternatives to what I tried before.
10 years ago i started with treatment for depression and for 2 and a half years I had taken 5 different antidepressants - certraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), venlafaxine (Effexor) and finally bupropion (Wellbutrin). Aside from Wellbutrin which gave me a lot of energy and in that sense helped with the depression, all the other meds didn't work at all and I just had bad side effects - sweating, loss of libido. Venlafaxine gave me nightmares and stomach cramps. I was also given Xanax and Zyprexa which did help in a sense they would make me stop crying but actually just made me numb. My final diagnosis was dysthimia. I stopped taking medication after two years and concluded they don't work, or that I was completely misdiagnosed as I am really highly functional, never had a problem with getting out of bed and there was never a "fall" that happened in my life, I didn't lose the joy or energy, stopped functioning in any way. I was always consumed with depressive thoughts, hopelessness and sadness. I did continue with different types of psychotherapy for another 3-4 years and they did help with coping with low self esteem and generally understanding my dysfunctional childhood etc., but I was never able to better my life in any meaningful way but I was coping better.
Last year I had a really stressful period and I started having some psycho-somatic symptoms, most notably excessive sweating from the head. And from the beginning of this year, I've had several bad things happen, among those I lost my job and some relationships, and realized I was not coping well, and my depression worsened a lot. I started going to therapy, but it's not really helping and was thinking of going to the hospital or starting taking medication again. My biggest problem is the excessive sweating which I've seen several doctors for and all have confirmed it's psychological.
Did any of you have any luck with never generation of meds or other treatment? I literally cannot do anything physical without draining my head and body in sweat, so a lot of meds are not an option. And I am psychologically distraught. When I stopped taking meds, I said I will never do them again, but I'm desperate.
r/depressionregimens • u/Winter_Cost602 • 28d ago
Baclofen has been one of the most helpful medications for my depression and other issues. I came across a comment ages ago where the commenter talked about a friend getting health issues from Baclofen. I'm very sceptical about how accurate that comment was though. My methadone prescriber is very anti-baclofen and has told me that he recommends I stop using it. He also said he would prefer I have a couple of beers occasionally instead of taking Baclofen occasionally. Is Baclofen fine to take long term? I've been taking it daily for a while now but I used to use it occasionally
r/depressionregimens • u/Money-Dust-220 • 29d ago
I started taking opioids years ago to treat my TRD/MDD.
In the beginning I could control it, like using them when I had plans e.g to go for a walk in nature, when I would have to hang out with some of the few friends I struggled to maintain (I have zero friends today) and generally when I had to do things which required the mental energy I lack.
Until it became a daily thing because depression is there every single day. Ended up in MAT, they offer only buprenorphine in my country (apart 1-2 clinics in 2 cities). Buprenorphine (as a kappa antagonist) has some antidepressant action :...it flattens all your emotions and you become an anhedonic zombie not motivated to even leave the house, but not depressed per se.
So, I start taking a methadone analogue which is 20-40% weaker and shorter lasting than methadone, but it behaves the same and tests positive for the same.
Within 1 hour of taking it, I'm a different person. Outgoing, motivated, content, everything I would expect from a great antidepressant. I found a way to keep a baseline of buprenorphine without entering precipitated WDs when back to buprenorphine.
It works so damn well, but the withdrawals just from taking 10 days is horrible. Bad rebound depression and it skyrockets my tolerance needing initially much more Buprenorphine when back to it. And yet, I keep doing it and doing it despite knowing the weekly hell of withdrawing awaiting me and harder every time.
It just gives me a glimpse of how non-depressed life is and I use it to do all the chores building up and all the other productive things I have to do which I can't do when I'm anhedonic or depressed.
Is anybody on methadone long term without it loosing the antidepressant action it has ?
Not sure what I expect from this post, I'm WDing and ask myself "does this mess I have to endure every time really worth it" ? It's just borrowed non-depressed life, more of a glimpse than a cure/symptoms masking!
Here they put on Methadone only severe dependent psychiatric cases of anxiety or mood disorders, yet I wasn't qualified for it although I told em I have no problem travelling one hour a day for a Methadone clinic in a close by city, but no success. Does it maintain that effect long time to give it one more chance if they accept me or after a while it's just maintenance and you are still depressed just like before you started it ?i
r/depressionregimens • u/Temporary_Aspect759 • Aug 02 '26
I was on 100mg and lowered only by 95mg a month ago. I've started feeling anxious like 2 weeks ago and I'm pretty sure it's related to it (my doc agreed) I'm still feeling quite bad , I've had to increase my pregabalin dose but I'm afraid I'll still need to take even more.
I'm quite terrified of the thought of quitting it 😭. It's going to be so hard. I wish my previous doctor had never put me on this med...
r/depressionregimens • u/huuugggttfdf • Jul 31 '26
For starters I have moderate/mild depression and moderate anxiety, diagnosed with ADHD but it could be autism or something else. Neurodivergent in any case. My depression is more like apathy and low motivation than severe symptoms, most of the time.
Also I am afab and have pcos which is important because my hormones greatly influence my mood and energy.
I started taking 600mg NAC (with added glutathione, selenium, b6 and b12) a couple of days ago, for intrusive thoughts/features of OCD, as well as to help my anxiety/apathy.
I already take 10mg generic lexapro and 40mg generic Vyvanse daily. I also take metformin (metabolism and mental health are linked so maybe important). I've been on all these prescriptions for years. I do fairly well on them. There could be improvements but I don't expect meds to do everything for me, and experimenting takes a lot of effort.
Since starting NAC, I've noticed an uptick in uncharacteristic SI for me, even though I think my intrusive thoughts and general sense of wellbeing is better. I think it's when the NAC starts fading, I take it in the morning and these feelings tend to come up in the afternoon.
I already did some research and thought I should take more magnesium (I already do this every couple days because Vyvanse). That seems to help.
But also i still don't feel fully comfortable taking this supplement due to the weird mood swings I've been having. Googling doesn't seem to show any known drug interactions.
I also consume quite a bit of caffeine (200-400mg daily, just kind of depends--also I avoid coffee specifically), nicotine (vape), iron, sometimes vitamin d3, and occasionally kratom (maybe a couple times a week--never had a dependence problem w kratom afai).
My diet is quite balanced and I eat high protein, I sleep fairly well, hydrate exercise, etc.
Objectively my life is going alright and has been pretty stable for the past few months, maybe I need more friends but I am doing well otherwise.
Does anyone have any experience with NAC with any of these other drugs? Do you think it might just be something else entirely?
r/depressionregimens • u/Winter_Cost602 • Jul 29 '26
I've talked to my psychiatrist about going onto Vortioxetine. I'm tapering off Zoloft and then I'll take my first dose of Vortioxetine. I've read some good things online about Vortioxetine. I would like to hear from people that have had positive experiences with Vortioxetine?
r/depressionregimens • u/Aggressive-Guide5563 • Jul 28 '26
Like the title says. I will be self medicating my depression because no one wants to help me. They refuse to take me back despite telling them my current med regimen isn’t working.
I’ve been on Wellbutrin for almost five years and 300 mg was working for my depression and kept my depression stable for a long time until I couldn’t tolerate it anymore. It started to overstimulate me in various ways I couldn’t tolerate it anymore. It caused weird side effects I never used to get from it before and I developed horrible insomnia and was chronically overactivated from it all the time. I backed off the dose to 150 mg a little bit more than two months and its not doing anything for me at all. My depression has gotten significantly worse since backing off the dose and my brain fog and cognition has worsened. I have no energy or motivation to do anything anymore. My suicidal thoughts have reached scary levels.
I see no other way out than to self medicate. I can’t do this anymore. This is the only way out or I might hurt myself. Because I honestly don’t care what happens to me. I just want some relief from this. They told me they have nothing else to offer. That means I have to do this on my own. I know self medicating is a bad idea. But if no one wants to help me than I have no other choice. I’m suffering everyday and it’s just getting worse for everyday that goes. Just have the thought of not living anymore, that’s it. I hate myself and I hate everything.
r/depressionregimens • u/Ok-Wolverine-3957 • Jul 26 '26
Started at 50 mgs and moving to 100 mg to see if more improvements on anhedonia/ depression
Anyone on 100 mgs ?
r/depressionregimens • u/Temporary_Aspect759 • Jul 25 '26
My skinpicking is mostly tied to OCD, and I guess that anxiety makes it worse. Tbh it's quite hard to distinguish which symptoms come from what because I struggle with a lot of stuff.
I'm also diagnosed with ADHD and depression. Although most specialists I talked to suggest that I might have CPTSD due to some events I've experienced in the past. My case is quite complicated and I still haven't fully figured out what comes from what.
Anyways, I'm on clomipramine (in the process of tapering off, as I really hate its anticholinergic effects), mianserin (I used to struggle with insomnia and it's helped a lot in that aspect.I no longer have any issues with sleeping even if I don't take it, it was prescribed by my previous doctor and to be fair I haven't even talked about it with my current doc), methylphenidate XR, pregabalin, propranolol (works WONDERS for physical effects of anxiety), lamotrigine (it's not that popular for depression but it helped when antidepressants didn't. I'm not bipolar fyi).
I know it's A LOT lol. Most of those meds were prescribed by my previous doc who was an older lady. My current doc is much younger, so far we've added methylphenidate which works quite well for my focus, and now I'm tapering off clomipramine but I'm doing it quite slowly.
Clomipramine is supposed to be a "golden standard" for OCD from what I've read so I'd assume it should help with skinpicking but it was quite the same when I was on a high dose. It could also be from ADHD, but then methylphenidate should help? I haven't noticed any improvement.
r/depressionregimens • u/Joe_Wild_ • Jul 25 '26
I won’t take any more SSRIs as they just messed my body’s chemistry really bad, apparently so I haven’t touched that in years.
Is not easy to remember that the feeling will pass when it comes!
r/depressionregimens • u/lilaamuu • Jul 25 '26
it's probably a high risk combo since pirlindole is a MAO-A inhibitor and you shouldn't take SAM-e with any antidepressants in theory, but whatever. anhedonia got better by 10-20%, things like videos and music are more interesting and entertaining now. talking to friends is more fulfilling. so my current stack is:
pirlindole 400 mg (max daily)
SAM-e 400 mg
noopept 20 mg
coenzyme q10 200 mg
sunflower lecithin 1 tsp
saffron and caffeine (tea/yerba) as needed, phenylpiracetam 100-200 mg as needed
fexofenadine + famotidine for unrelated issues (histamine sensitivity or MCAS that i supposedly have)
noopept gave me more interesting dreams and analytical thinking that i really missed since depression got worse. so less brain fog.. at least for now, because cholinergics can cause depression on their own but we'll see, it's not my first time cycling it. everything feels a bit deeper and more meaningful.
before SAM-e i've tried adding MAO-B inhibitor (rasagiline) in attempt to inhibit both MAO isoforms and it didn't help at all, but made anxiety and fatigue worse so i dropped it after 2 weeks. i still sleep mid day sometimes tho.. if you got any questions i would like to talk! thanks 👾