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How to self-care when keeping up with News, and not end up a dull person?

LostInMarshes

By LostInMarshes
in Symptoms and self-care

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LostInMarshes Rookie

LostInMarshes

Posted
Posted

Really needing very good advice on this. Anyone here with a great love for the world and constant concern about its well-being, which translates to a feverish desire to read the news - news which is increasingly dark, triggering, and that which greatly affects how you feel the entire day. How do you let go of the news, for your sanity, and not become even further alienated from people, because you do not keep abreast of what is going on in the world?

 

(sorry about all the commas)

2000: Paxil, low dose. 2001: Paxil, quickly tapered off. 2006: Zoloft, 25mg. 2007: Wellbutrin, low dose, discontinued after a week or a month. 2007-2009: Zoloft, increasing dose (up to 75mg). 2009-2011: Zoloft, failed withdrawal attempts (cold-turkey; fast tapering). 2009-2011: Trying out Cymbalta, Celexa, Prozac, Lexapro, Ambien, Ativan, and Xanax. 2012-2015: Zoloft, 100mg to 200mg. 2013: Trazadone for Zoloft-induced insomnia, 25mg to 50mg.  2015: Trileptal, dose?, withdrew; Bupropion, up to 200mg. 2016: Zoloft, 137mg, Bupropion, 150mg, Trazodone, 25mg.

05/21/16: Began Zoloft taper - 10% from 150mg - 137ish mg

06/23/16: Zoloft taper - 125mg

08/03/16: Bupropion XL taper - cut 150mg pill in crude half (mistake)

10/31: Zoloft successfully down to 100mg. Staying on 100mg for 2-3 months to let my brain rest.

11/09: Wellbutrin SR prescribed, 150mg once a day, for withdrawal.

12/11: Wellbutrin SR, twice daily - minus 18ishmg = 112.50mg

09/30/17: Off Wellbutrin SR successfully. Zoloft taper: 90ish mg (shaving it off). Trazodone: still at 50mg.

June 2018: Zoloft: 80ish (shaving off). Trazodone: 6mg. End of 2018: Off Trazodone.

01/20: Zoloft: 70ish?

08/20: Still around 80 or 70. Tapering by only 15 shaves each month.

04/2021: 50mg! 11/2022: 40ish mg

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UnfoldingSky Contributor

UnfoldingSky

Posted
Posted

Well as a Canadian I can say if you want to know about American politics but don't want to get too upset, probably your best bet is to watch late night talk shows.😃

1

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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drugged Newbie

drugged

Posted
Posted
On 3/7/2020 at 7:52 PM, Stormstrong said:

Really needing very good advice on this. Anyone here with a great love for the world and constant concern about its well-being, which translates to a feverish desire to read the news - news which is increasingly dark, triggering, and that which greatly affects how you feel the entire day. How do you let go of the news, for your sanity, and not become even further alienated from people, because you do not keep abreast of what is going on in the world?

 

(sorry about all the commas)

I'm really struggling with this.  My only social contacts are through Facebook because I rarely leave the house.  On the one hand I get a lot of good feelings from some of my long term friends there but on the other the political crap depresses me.  I've noticed a pattern over the last 20 years in which I tend to feel very discourage during election years regardless of which direction the election itself is going.  

1994  Venlafaxine XR 300mg, 2003 tapered, 2004 off briefly back to 37.5 then 75mg, held, June 2019 up to  150mg, Aug.12 tapered down to 112.5mgs, Oct. 21, 2019 96mg;  Dec. 8, 2019  90mg, Jan. 8 2020 81mg, Feb. 4, 75mg; April 17, 2023 37.5mg

2003/2004? Diazepam 10mg/bedtime

2013 Lyrica 300mg to 25mg; April 6, 2020 17mg; April 28, <5mg; May 7, 2020 Lyrica 0 mg!

2013 Tramadol 50mg tablets, 200mg/day divided

2005? Trazodone 50mg bedtime, Feb. 12, 2020 40mg, March 7, 25mg; Oct 1 20mg;  0mg!

2009? Zolpidem 5mg at bedtime. Nov. 9, 2019 Zolpidem 0 mg! 

1990? Omeprazole 20mg in morning.

2010? Levothyroxine 75mcg morning

2011? Liothyronine 5mcg morning

1999? Buspirone 30mg twice a day  August 2019 15mg once a day,  Oct.21, 2019 2.5mg evening  Oct. 25, 2019 Buspirone 0 mg!

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  • 2 weeks later...
hacilar Newbie

hacilar

Posted
Posted

I am a history buff.  "The Newz" is history in the making.  A story...yes, it's often upsetting (whew boy the propaganda-o lordy) but I am fascinated by what people are thinking; a psychological explanation of why my fellow citizens of the planet act the way they do. I must admit, I haven't figured anything out, except that humans have waaaaay too much hubris and not enough humility.  And compassion seems to have been subsumed by the 'greed is good' mantra we've been relentlessly conditioned to over the last 50 years of neoliberalism.  No man is an island and all that.

Ack...if the news is too much for you, go on a media fast.  Somehow I have learned to put it all in a little "box" in my head, go outside, and dial it all down to the here and the now.  I love to listen to people.  So many just need to talk.  A friend recently told me that we are all here to connect.  I forget myself...this "connection" is what I live for.  My home, my town...these things are tangible; the newz is an abstraction.  Hmmmm, I suppose another way to deal with it is just practicing being here now by doing a little walking meditation.  May not work for you!

It will get easier once your brain settles down; take a break from the internet if you can.

A speedy recovery to all...

21 years of various psych meds.

Currently experiencing 'withdrawal syndrome' from 14 years of 0.5mg Klonopin: 1 q hs

Tapered over a year and a half dry cutting.

Hx of Imipramine (nightmare) (1992) Zoloft,(1992) Paxil (difficult to d/c)(2000) Effexor(2004-5) (also very difficult to d/c) Lamictal(2004-6), Neurontin(2004-6), Depakote(2006-2012), Remeron(2007) Various sleeping pills at different times...

 

UPDATE

Month 40 post Benzo taper

 

there have been windows, sometimes weeks of feeling 'almost normal' and the BLAM

 

windows and waves, indeed

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hacilar Newbie

hacilar

Posted
Posted

Interesting people read a lot.  IMNSHO.

 

Are you able to read?  Books on CD would work too?

 

I just realized that was the question...derp.

 

Carry on--

21 years of various psych meds.

Currently experiencing 'withdrawal syndrome' from 14 years of 0.5mg Klonopin: 1 q hs

Tapered over a year and a half dry cutting.

Hx of Imipramine (nightmare) (1992) Zoloft,(1992) Paxil (difficult to d/c)(2000) Effexor(2004-5) (also very difficult to d/c) Lamictal(2004-6), Neurontin(2004-6), Depakote(2006-2012), Remeron(2007) Various sleeping pills at different times...

 

UPDATE

Month 40 post Benzo taper

 

there have been windows, sometimes weeks of feeling 'almost normal' and the BLAM

 

windows and waves, indeed

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drugged Newbie

drugged

Posted
Posted

I rely on reading to hang on to what little scraps of sanity I might still have.  I've been sticking with fiction lately but thinking to pick up reading an archaeology magazine I get that's published in Mexico.  That's a topic that's interesting, to me anyway, but not stressful.

1994  Venlafaxine XR 300mg, 2003 tapered, 2004 off briefly back to 37.5 then 75mg, held, June 2019 up to  150mg, Aug.12 tapered down to 112.5mgs, Oct. 21, 2019 96mg;  Dec. 8, 2019  90mg, Jan. 8 2020 81mg, Feb. 4, 75mg; April 17, 2023 37.5mg

2003/2004? Diazepam 10mg/bedtime

2013 Lyrica 300mg to 25mg; April 6, 2020 17mg; April 28, <5mg; May 7, 2020 Lyrica 0 mg!

2013 Tramadol 50mg tablets, 200mg/day divided

2005? Trazodone 50mg bedtime, Feb. 12, 2020 40mg, March 7, 25mg; Oct 1 20mg;  0mg!

2009? Zolpidem 5mg at bedtime. Nov. 9, 2019 Zolpidem 0 mg! 

1990? Omeprazole 20mg in morning.

2010? Levothyroxine 75mcg morning

2011? Liothyronine 5mcg morning

1999? Buspirone 30mg twice a day  August 2019 15mg once a day,  Oct.21, 2019 2.5mg evening  Oct. 25, 2019 Buspirone 0 mg!

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Onmyway Veteran

Onmyway

Posted
  • Moderator
Posted

For almost a year, at the worst of WD, I gave up Facebook where I used to get all my news (still off). I was clueless about major things that were happening in the world. Surprisingly, it didn't impact my relationships. I am a conversationalist as in I love talking to people but you can easily talk about so many other things. I talk about the person across from me. You can have many more interesting conversations that way. I find most people fascinating. You can talk about a book, a movie, about relationships etc., what they find interesting, what they're scared about and then share your own thoughts.

 

What I'm trying to say is that not listening to the news is not going to make you a dull person. News to me is background noise.

 

How many of the Trump early day hires do you still remember? I remember people being outraged about many of them.

 

Now I've started watching the late night shows. They can be fun but they can also make me angry as they focus on the most anger producing issues even if humorously.

 

So basically, not watching the news is not going to make you a dull person.

 

 

"Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig 

 

I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. 

 

In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. 

 

Aug  2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg,  xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn 

Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used)

Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up)

September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0

Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd

March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week

Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering)

citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg,  7/27/19 -1.5 mg,  8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg

 

Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate

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bubbles Contributor

bubbles

Posted
Posted

I'm coming to the conclusion that social media and the news are not good for me just now, and possibly not for the foreseeable future.

2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012

January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg

July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg

2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg,  July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg)

2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly

10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly.

May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week

29 August 2022 - first day of zero!

My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/

Current: Armour Thyroid

 

 

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