this post is amazing. i've been taking sertraline for a couple months now and I feel almost like a real person but my mom still tell me often that, "one day you're gonna be off" which always has made me upset. why would I get off something that makes me better? but this post gave me a little bit of hope that maybe I could be better off one day. but that one day won't be soon, but it's nice to know that people can live off of medication.
i’ve recently come off sertraline to see if i can do it and unfortunately i can’t, something i’m still getting to grips with accepting :( starting new meds this week! loved reading this <3
accepting you might need medication for longer than you thought is really difficult, i can relate. i hope you get on the right meds and that everything works out for you <3
i’ve never been on medication, but have gone through my own journey with my therapist about not wanting to feel, about pushing emotions away, and i never really connected it with being called “too sensitive” when i was younger. this really resonated, and i hope you don’t mind but i’ve picked out some paragraphs to write down in my (personal) commonplace book. i wanted to keep the words forever. thanks for sharing <3
loved this - hits close to home as i’m recalling coming off Lexapro a couple years back. went through hell and back. the way you talk about mental health is so poignant!!
i highly recommend Surviving Antidepressants (website & subreddit), lots of great support and resources there. i was on there religiously for a while 🤍 sending hugs!
Look at you, so brave and brilliant, you’re gonna crush it without SSRIs. If I-the planet’s least disciplined human-made it, you’re golden. One day, you’ll wake up and the thrill of ditching pill reminders, doctor runs, and “Did I take it?” paranoia will totally outshine that pesky depression comeback. That’s when you know it’s over for good. Good luck on your journey ! 🫶
I love your writing and how quick I become immersed in your words. I wish you nothing but the best and I am obsessed with how you ended this post. I have been in need of a change, my SSRI’s are not working like it used to, and I’m being told I need to adjust my medication and I feel like absolute shit all the time but sometimes, it’s frustrating to not be able to feel my raw emotions. It’s frustrating to feel like I can’t cry when I want to cry because of my medication. So thank you for your words.
Thank you so much for reading, Hayley. I totally understand how it feels to not be able to feel your raw emotions but there is also peace in that. I hope you find the right medication soon.
Excellent probe of the journey of SSRIs. My experience has been similar. My physical condition has never recovered after losing them, then getting back on them. I feel like I could have written the exact same words. Thanks for sharing. Read and write on.
it’s really fitting for me to read this after my decision to lower my dose. i was on sertraline almost two years ago and the transition from that to fluvoxamin was hell so i can’t imagine what the winter holidays are going to be like (your description sounds accurate). thanks for this <3
Thank you for sharing this. So, so, so, so timely for me. Also took myself off sertraline, last dose was last week. I had started it after my first child was born, during what some might call post-partum depression but which I now see as symptom of unsupported motherhood in America. Even when starting it, I knew it would be a band-aid until I could afford the time and money to pay for therapy to get to the bottom of things... But two more kids and 7 years later, drugs are still cheaper and more accessible than therapy, and time is still at a premium, and I'm not seeing another way out besides through. So here's to feeling our feelings--may we let them move through us, but not define us.
thank YOU for sharing. i cannot imagine how harder it is to deal with mental health issues as a mom. you are so strong and should be proud of yourself <3
This post came at the perfect time for me. I just started the process of going off of fluoxetine, and today I had my first big cry in a long time - it honestly felt very cathartic. Thank you for writing this, it’s always nice to know that we’re not alone in our journeys! Wishing you well <3
aw, alyssa!! the first big cry is such a relief, i understand exactly how that feels like. thank you for your wishes and good luck on this crazy journey 💕
This is such a beautiful piece, you’ve written so tenderly about what many of us experience but cannot verbalise. Last year I came off fluoxetine after a long time on it and had similar fears, it is comforting to see that I was not and am not alone in how I felt. Thank you so much for sharing this <3
This will one of those pieces I will save to read again from time to time to remind myself that things will be okay 💘 I also took my last dose of SSRI in November and can relate to everything you said.
It’s a life journey to let our emotions exist and accept them. The good and the bad! And learning that whatever happens, emotions can be uncomfortable but never dangerous so we don’t need to run away from them or scared of go mad.
As a young girl taking medication for my mental health, I’m very happy that I don’t feel this type of numbness anymore because my psychiatrist found the right treatment. Even if some of my medication I’ll have to take all my life for my safety and other’s, I hope I could one day get off paroxetine. Thanks for this amazing piece !
this post is amazing. i've been taking sertraline for a couple months now and I feel almost like a real person but my mom still tell me often that, "one day you're gonna be off" which always has made me upset. why would I get off something that makes me better? but this post gave me a little bit of hope that maybe I could be better off one day. but that one day won't be soon, but it's nice to know that people can live off of medication.
i’ve recently come off sertraline to see if i can do it and unfortunately i can’t, something i’m still getting to grips with accepting :( starting new meds this week! loved reading this <3
accepting you might need medication for longer than you thought is really difficult, i can relate. i hope you get on the right meds and that everything works out for you <3
i’ve never been on medication, but have gone through my own journey with my therapist about not wanting to feel, about pushing emotions away, and i never really connected it with being called “too sensitive” when i was younger. this really resonated, and i hope you don’t mind but i’ve picked out some paragraphs to write down in my (personal) commonplace book. i wanted to keep the words forever. thanks for sharing <3
it is such an honor that you have chosen something written by me to keep forever. thanks!!
loved this - hits close to home as i’m recalling coming off Lexapro a couple years back. went through hell and back. the way you talk about mental health is so poignant!!
i highly recommend Surviving Antidepressants (website & subreddit), lots of great support and resources there. i was on there religiously for a while 🤍 sending hugs!
thanks, beautiful 💕💕 i will check the website cause heaven’s knows i need it.
Look at you, so brave and brilliant, you’re gonna crush it without SSRIs. If I-the planet’s least disciplined human-made it, you’re golden. One day, you’ll wake up and the thrill of ditching pill reminders, doctor runs, and “Did I take it?” paranoia will totally outshine that pesky depression comeback. That’s when you know it’s over for good. Good luck on your journey ! 🫶
I love your writing and how quick I become immersed in your words. I wish you nothing but the best and I am obsessed with how you ended this post. I have been in need of a change, my SSRI’s are not working like it used to, and I’m being told I need to adjust my medication and I feel like absolute shit all the time but sometimes, it’s frustrating to not be able to feel my raw emotions. It’s frustrating to feel like I can’t cry when I want to cry because of my medication. So thank you for your words.
Thank you so much for reading, Hayley. I totally understand how it feels to not be able to feel your raw emotions but there is also peace in that. I hope you find the right medication soon.
Excellent probe of the journey of SSRIs. My experience has been similar. My physical condition has never recovered after losing them, then getting back on them. I feel like I could have written the exact same words. Thanks for sharing. Read and write on.
Love the songs accompanying this piece of work! So incredible and well thought out ❤️
it’s really fitting for me to read this after my decision to lower my dose. i was on sertraline almost two years ago and the transition from that to fluvoxamin was hell so i can’t imagine what the winter holidays are going to be like (your description sounds accurate). thanks for this <3
Thank you for sharing this. So, so, so, so timely for me. Also took myself off sertraline, last dose was last week. I had started it after my first child was born, during what some might call post-partum depression but which I now see as symptom of unsupported motherhood in America. Even when starting it, I knew it would be a band-aid until I could afford the time and money to pay for therapy to get to the bottom of things... But two more kids and 7 years later, drugs are still cheaper and more accessible than therapy, and time is still at a premium, and I'm not seeing another way out besides through. So here's to feeling our feelings--may we let them move through us, but not define us.
thank YOU for sharing. i cannot imagine how harder it is to deal with mental health issues as a mom. you are so strong and should be proud of yourself <3
this is so beautiful, thank you so much for sharing (and proud of you <3)
This post came at the perfect time for me. I just started the process of going off of fluoxetine, and today I had my first big cry in a long time - it honestly felt very cathartic. Thank you for writing this, it’s always nice to know that we’re not alone in our journeys! Wishing you well <3
aw, alyssa!! the first big cry is such a relief, i understand exactly how that feels like. thank you for your wishes and good luck on this crazy journey 💕
This is such a beautiful piece, you’ve written so tenderly about what many of us experience but cannot verbalise. Last year I came off fluoxetine after a long time on it and had similar fears, it is comforting to see that I was not and am not alone in how I felt. Thank you so much for sharing this <3
thank you, em <3
This will one of those pieces I will save to read again from time to time to remind myself that things will be okay 💘 I also took my last dose of SSRI in November and can relate to everything you said.
It’s a life journey to let our emotions exist and accept them. The good and the bad! And learning that whatever happens, emotions can be uncomfortable but never dangerous so we don’t need to run away from them or scared of go mad.
I hope you feel more accepting of your emotions 🫂
we are all on this journey together. wishing you the best, nicole <3
Loved this piece 💛 Thank you for sharing
As a young girl taking medication for my mental health, I’m very happy that I don’t feel this type of numbness anymore because my psychiatrist found the right treatment. Even if some of my medication I’ll have to take all my life for my safety and other’s, I hope I could one day get off paroxetine. Thanks for this amazing piece !