Discussion How long have you been trying to recover for?

[Pg.964]

I've been to various therapists for several years and have been medicated for about 2 years. I've done ketamine infusions. I've been sent to an outpatient program for group therapy. I'm just wondering if others have a similar experience of trying for years to no avail.

 

[LittleJem]

I wish they would still prescribe Nardil aa I think it is more effective

Sign the Petition

End the shortage of the MAOI anti-depressant Nardil (phenelzine Sulfate)

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I hope you find relief. I see it as luck and I somewhat see the term 'recovery' as an invention. But that's not to say hope isn't a good thing or that it is possible for some,

 

[Pg.964]

I wish they would still prescribe Nardil aa I think it is more effective

Sign the Petition

End the shortage of the MAOI anti-depressant Nardil (phenelzine Sulfate)

www.change.org

I hope you find relief. I see it as luck and I somewhat see the term 'recovery' as an invention. But that's not to say hope isn't a good thing or that it is possible for some,

Thank you, I think my best option is a second round of ketamine therapy atm. The lithium I'm on rn is absolutely destroying me. I'm not even bipolar.

 

[Celerity]

Unfortunately, off and on for the past 11 years, but that "off and on" caveat is important. Of all that time and effort, much of it was either half-assed or out of order. It is my opinion that cognitive therapy is doomed to fail or may even be counterproductive in people whose psychology is too shame-based. I had to be convinced that I wasn't inherently defective and was capable of positive (if incremental) change before I could really get anything out of most therapeutic approaches. This required hearing the message from fellow sufferers who not only got better but had the balls to be candid about their life stories. For many, Brene Brown fits this bill. I needed John Bradshaw. Though I did not use his inner child self-help techniques, his vivid and thorough explanation for the destructive force of shame was sufficient to convince me. I then reinforced this new understanding by attending a very informal group therapy.

Medication has so far been small potatoes for me. The only lasting, tangible benefit I have received has been from meds which help me sleep - e.g. trazadone, quetiapine. Quetiapine in particular has helped in the past to diffuse anxious rumination spirals. Valium prevents them handily in the first place, but good luck getting an Rx for any appreciable length of time due to the abuse/dependence potential.

 

[suicidaleeyore]

10-11 years

 

[HighFlight]

While I've had mental health issues since childhood, I was able to successfully compartmentalize all my emotions until April 2019, when my world exploded. Since then, I've been trying to recover. So officially, a little over 4 years.

 

[Alltheywanted]

Half a year

 

[Pg.964]

10-11 years

Wow that's how long I've had my mental health issues for. I guess I'm just at the beginning of recovery. Thank you for sharing

Unfortunately, off and on for the past 11 years, but that "off and on" caveat is important. Of all that time and effort, much of it was either half-assed or out of order. It is my opinion that cognitive therapy is doomed to fail or may even be counterproductive in people whose psychology is too shame-based. I had to be convinced that I wasn't inherently defective and was capable of positive (if incremental) change before I could really get anything out of most therapeutic approaches. This required hearing the message from fellow sufferers who not only got better but had the balls to be candid about their life stories. For many, Brene Brown fits this bill. I needed John Bradshaw. Though I did not use his inner child self-help techniques, his vivid and thorough explanation for the destructive force of shame was sufficient to convince me. I then reinforced this new understanding by attending a very informal group therapy.

Medication has so far been small potatoes for me. The only lasting, tangible benefit I have received has been from meds which help me sleep - e.g. trazadone, quetiapine. Quetiapine in particular has helped in the past to diffuse anxious rumination spirals. Valium prevents them handily in the first place, but good luck getting an Rx for any appreciable length of time due to the abuse/dependence potential.

That's really instreresting I'm struggling with sleep lately and the only medication that helps tame my breakdowns is clonazepam. I'm afraid to ask my psych for Xanax though

 

[Celerity]

Wow that's how long I've had my mental health issues for. I guess I'm just at the beginning of recovery. Thank you for sharing

That's really instreresting I'm struggling with sleep lately and the only medication that helps tame my breakdowns is clonazepam. I'm afraid to ask my psych for Xanax though

Xanax seems to be preferred by most people, but I prefer Valium having taken both. Even with a whopping dose of Xanax, I didn't really feel relief when I took it. Either way, I hope you are able to find something that helps.

For sleep, it might be worth asking about Quetiapine. Just be aware that it sticks with you for a long time. I plan for a solid 10+ hours of sleep, 12 even if I know I can get it. You do not want to take it after spending hours trying to go to sleep because the hangover can be brutal at first. Trazadone seems to be popular with prescribers because it has a lower risk profile with long-term use. Just be sure not to take it with alcohol.

 

[western_heart]

A decade. I was misdiagnosed as bipolar in 2013 and it was incredibly damaging- all the SSRI trials, followed by antipsychotics. After ineffective group therapy (PHP/IOP) experiences in my mid 20s, I alternated between polysubstance abuse & desperately trying different psych drugs before eventually burning out and ruining my career. It I've only been taking recovery from PTSD seriously since March of this year.

I've had sleeping problems for a very long time. I've been a benzo user for much of the decade and I am slowly tapering down on my nightly etizolam dose.

Ketamine has been the main thing that helped make longer term changes. I didn't start using dissociative drugs therapeutically until 2020 and wish I'd started a lot sooner. Therapy has been very helpful in overcoming some trauma as well, but I didn't make it to the point of being able to talk about what was going on until I'd done work myself with ketamine analogs. Regardless, I wish I'd seen a trauma therapist earlier. I got some benefit out of LSD in the past (made me less afraid to try new things) but it wasn't enough on its own, and have had acid go the other way- earlier this year it made me more comfortable with attempting. At the moment I have replaced going to therapy with talking to AI. I'll probably get another therapist at some point this year.

 

[Ambivalent1]

Since I was a child in the therapy office

 

[ordaysun]

I've been trying for decades, and still battling. There are times where it got better, but it always gets worse again.

 

[Hollowman]

32 years, I gave up on the idea of recovery a few years ago.

 

[busybee]

Over 15 years. Up and down, up and down.
But I am still here I guess. Just don't know if that is for the better.

 

[iLikeFrogs]

Since I was 'round 13 and I'm starting to accept that I might never fully recover, but I'm not giving up yet on it

 

[deletednumber]

11 years of enduring all this and it seems to me that all my efforts to recover have been for naught.

 

[sacredportals]

on and off for 11 years

 

[deadtrace]

5 years now. Basically since I went to university and had some privacy and freedom. Just got tossed around between people cause of admin then dropped out of the blue before getting any support. Got 5 sessions of cbt which is apparently standard to help everyone, did nothing. Currently in limbo between services being told suicidal people are too high risk to help.....