Frederica: 9 months on after fast taper, still feeling terrible.

[Frederica]

Hello,

 

9 months ago, I weaned off 150 mg Sertraline over two months as per doctor’s recommendations to try psychadelic- assisted therapy. I did not know about hyperbolic tapering at that time. 
 

I experienced three months of the most horrific withdrawal where I wanted to die. The psychedelic assisted therapy brought me back from the depths, but I find myself now still plunged into deep depression and with horrible anxiety. My sleep is terribly disrupted and I can’t remember or focus on things. I feel like I’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury. I do have the occasional good day. And I hope this is part of the windows and waves pattern I’ve read about on this site. I think I’m looking for hope that this will get better and that I haven’t broken my brain permanently. It’s too late for me to go back in time and do a hyperbolic tapering, but I’m wondering if there’s anything else I can do now that can help my brain adjust. 
 

Thank you for the good work you’re doing on this site. 

Edited October 14, 2024 by Emonda
Name to title

[LotusRising]

@Frederica

 

Hello, and welcome to SA,

 

On 10/12/2024 at 4:00 PM, Frederica said:

I do have the occasional good day. And I hope this is part of the windows and waves pattern I’ve read about on this site. I think I’m looking for hope that this will get better and that I haven’t broken my brain permanently.

No, you haven't broken your brain permanently, although many of us feel this way initially. Having an occasional good day is a sign of good things to come. The windows and waves pattern can be painfully frustrating, but you WILL continue to get better. Improvement can be slow, with one step forward, three steps back, but it will be a general pattern of slow improvement. 

 

We recommend to Keep it simple, slow and stable.

 

Ideally, you want to do things that won't further disrupt your central nervous system. I recommend eating a healthy, clean diet, avoiding alcohol, committing to a healthy sleep routine, moving your body every day and practicing mindfulness in whatever way works for you. 

 

We have a lot of resources on the site. I encourage you to look around. Have you seen the Success Stories?

 

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out  

 

LotusRising

 

 

[Frederica]

Thank you LotusRising! I will keep exploring this forum. I’m so grateful I have this resource.