Antidepressants and Still Looking for Mental Clarity

(Tracy) #1

Long story short - I lived on antidepressants for 17 years and stopped 2 years ago. I believe they helped me but the side effects were horrible. I don’t want to get back on them. I have brain fog, memory problems, and moodiness. I’ve been on a statin for about 8 years and wonder if that has contributed to these issues. I am seeing a specialist next week and I have a feeling he will tell me to stop taking the statin. I feel like I have complete control over my diet, which will help my physical health. I want to tackle my mental health now. Does anyone have any tips on meditation for beginners, natural remedies for anxiety and stress, or any advice at all?

(Choup') #2

Ok, so I’m not a medical expert on the subject but I feel like I can give you a few ideas based on my own experience. For the record, I am diagnosed with complex PTSD (think flashbacks / dissociation / occasional panic attacks out of nowhere) and I live with someone diagnosed with depression whose meds don’t always work, sigh. Now I can’t tell you if my tips will work, but maybe they will have some benefits to you like they did to us?

1 - Qi Gong. No, seriously. Qi-Gong is kind of a sub-branch of Taï-Chi, a martial art that focuses a lot on breathing, inhabiting your body, controlling your movement, etc. It actually works very well (unless you’re really prone to dizziness). Also, I’ve only ever met lovely Qi Gong practitioners, so that’s always a plus.
2 - Plants. Now that depends on you and your reaction to them. There’s a simple recipe I have that works well, a soothing liquid I put in a roll-on tube. I mix some Douglas Pine water (“Pin Douglas”, I have several possible translations for it so in case that one’s not right: Oregon pine, Douglas fir) or some Bluebottle flower water with about 10 drops of Lavender essential oil. If I get anxious, I usually roll some on my temples and inside wrists. My SO likes to roll some on his upper torso between the lungs if he ever feels constricted (some kind of chest pain that occasionnally happens in a panic). It’s not an immediate effect, but it usually works after a few minutes. It also helps to sleep!
3 - Plants bis, infusion. Camomille, verbena, linden are all very good at soothing, and also make for a nice cap after a meal or before going to bed!
4 - Plants ter. Auto-medication when nothing else works, won’t need to elaborate (also, not recommended in the long run at all, but can be helpful at times).
5 - I don’t know what your anti-depressants are for (depression, ptsd, cptsd, etc.) but in case your anxiety can stem from flashbacks (my old friends! I never ever miss you!), may I suggest reading Pete Walker? He wrote several books on the subjects that personally helped me lot recognizing when I was having flashbacks and how to handle them (it’s a mix of breathing / taking control / accepting the happening but rejecting its power over ourselves). I’m not sure it would be useful outside of this specific symptom, but if that’s your case, I can give you more info.
6 - Be kind to yourself. Like, seriously. I know it can feel overwhelmingly difficult in the thralls of a panic attack or a depressive episode to see the good of a situation or not to worsen everything in your mind, but self-mindfulness and self-love are powerful tools. When it happens, remind yourself that you’ve already accomplished a lot. That you CAN heal. That it takes time. But you’re already on the right path, and you’ve done so much, and you should keep your head up. Also, if you have a loved one, tell them to give you some comfort in these moments of need. You’ll do the same for them. YOU GOT THIS. YOU ARE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND. YOU’RE WORTH THE EFFORT AND YOU’LL MAKE IT.
7 - Now that’s more of a personal thing, but I tend to do quite a lot of volunteer work in my city when I can, and the longer I’ve been doing it, the bigger the effects are. Being part a of a community of kind-hearted people, doing things that have a very real, very immediate tangible effect, seeing how if affects other people and how you, little YOU, played a small part in it, it’s good for the self. It makes you feel like you belong, like you’re helping, like things can turn around and you have a role to play. And that’s not even counting the social aspect of it. When I feel really down on me, remembering something nice a volunteer told me, or an event I was a part of, or the smiles of the people I helped can, in fact, make me feel better. Now obviously if you’re having a strong depressive momentum, it might not be enough, but some days, that’s all you need.
8 - Sometimes, it’s ok to do nothing. You just need to sleep. Or to watch a tv show. Or to take a long bath. Or to listen to depressive music because why not. Let those moments be. You don’t have to be productive all the time. Or present. Or available. Let go. Breathe. Go for a walk. No, leave that smartphone at your desk. You don’t need it. Some fresh air will be good enough. Go to a park, or a forest, or wherever there’s trees in your area. Enjoy the quietness.

Ok, I’m not sure any of it is super useful, and probably not new, but in case there’s just one thing in it that helps, it’s yours.
Also remember, it’s ok if the only thing you did today was survive.

(Bob M) #3

Stop taking the statin.

Keep ketoing or even go carnivore for a while. Listen to this for Siobhan Huggin’s path from depression:

I think it can take a while, even being keto or carnivore, for mental issues to be helped. A few months, perhaps.

(Choup') #4

Actually, it entirely depends on what mental issues you have. When we went keto, my depression just disappeared almost overnight (well, on the third week). Gone, completely. None of my other mental issues did because they’re not physiological. But my depression is hormonal, which I already had hints about long before my low-carb journey. And we know how low-carb can have a hormonal impact. So it worked for me, which was both unexpected and very welcome. My SO’s depression definitely didn’t vanish at all. Not even in remission a little bit. It stems from a neurological issue and diet is clearly not a cure for him - and we’ve been usually keto / often low-carb for a year and a half. We’ve tried being very strict keto to see if it made a difference, and although it clearly impacted me, it certainly didn’t impact him at all in that area. We’re all different. Low carb did bring him other benefits though, but not everyone can cure their mental ills through diet, and probably not all of their issues.

(Bob M) #5

Totally agree with this. But I’d still try keto first then carnivore second. Many, many N=1s (including my own) indicate one or both of these work. Do they work for everything and everyone? No.

I find myself, after 6 years low carb/keto, to be in the best mental health I’ve been in. My depression – to the extent I had this – was mainly due to blood sugar excursions, though. (Or at least I think that was true.) So, it primarily resolved quickly, though I still am experiencing additional benefits years later. This might be because I’ve also been slowly cutting down on plants, too. I basically eat only selected plants. Usually, pickles and olives. Some others.

(CharleyD) #6

I can attest that in my case, if there was a Discontinuation Syndrome for an SSRI or SNRI I got it. The main symptom was paresthesia, brain zaps, which would be the worst when trying to get to sleep. They would cause such a jerk that I would be inches off the bed. Funny now in hindsight.
Taking a low dose Prozac for a couple-three days would alleviate the paresthesia until the main antidepressant is tapered off.

So keywords to mention to your doc is that you’re concerned for the possibility of XXX’s Discontinuation Syndrome and would the doc mind writing a Rx for something to address that in the event it occurs?

(Polly) #7

Your experience coming off antidepressants is interesting and may help other people. I think the OP said that they were off the antidepressants now but taking a statin.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that statins cause cognitive impairment and it is a good idea to investigate the works of Dr Malcolm Kendrick and Dr Duane Graveline in relation to the use of these drugs.

(CharleyD) #8

D’oh, you’re absolutely right!
@kyarn I believe that the CoQ10 supplement line was created to try to overcome the statin’s effect on metabolism. I always have kept those intangible reports in mind whenever my doc mentioned that if I would go on them it might help improve the LDL-c. You can try CoQ10 to see if it helps, at least in the energy department. In the end, the disclaimer always is: I and others here ought not say that you should come off your statin as that’s between you and your doc.

You also may want to increase your egg consumption. I never felt as good neurologically as when I had multiple eggs in the morning, and coconut oil in the last cup of coffee in the afternoon, but that’s up to your tolerance of oils.