Serenity23 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Thanks to Fresh who suggested coloring mandalas when I couldn't sleep, I discovered the tool of coloring books for adults. I have no artistic skills whatsoever. Coloring books for adults are good for beginners like me with no artistic skills or for professional artists. It doesn't matter your level of skill. It's not childish. It's actually very relaxing and meditative. My thoughts in my head are able to flow in and out without my anxious mind attaching to them because I am focused on coloring. It is an easy tool to do, so I am not focused on the perfectionism or anxious thoughts of "am I doing this right?", etc. It's been very calming and helps with my anxiety a lot. There are free coloring sheets available for downloading online. Many stores in addition to bookstores are now carrying coloring books for adults. Most bookstores have display tables with them because they are so popular. Facebook has many groups with several thousand members, and artists occasionally post free pages there too. Pinterest has many links to free pages. Coloring in mandalas are especially noteworthy for anxiety. I read that Carl Jung discovered this, as did Buddhists and Hindus. Mandalas, they say, are centering, if they are colored in following the circle's layers. If you're a beginner like me with no artistic skills, who hasn't picked up a colored pencil since childhood, do not let that cause you anxiety like it did for me in the beginning. There are beginner pages or books and those pages or books that are much more detailed and complex. You can buy a pack of 12 Crayola colored pencils for $2.00. I keep coloring simple. I remind myself I am coloring for anxiety and not coloring to hang a finished product on the wall. Thanks again to Fresh for helping me discover this great tool for my anxiety and temporary insomnia. Have others found that coloring books for adults has helped with their anxiety? Since 1990s: Various meds depression/anxiety. A little benefit from Effexor; Zoloft/Sertraline. Unsuccessful tapers Feb 2015: Neurological crash / Hemiplegic Migraine after Sertraline taper slower than pdoc's suggestion 50-37-25-12-6-0mg. Found SA. Reinstated 25mg Sertraline July 2015: Medical occurrence thought to be due to Sertraline. Told to D/C. Hypomania/anxiety resulted. Reinstated Sept 2016: Increased to 37mg Sertraline due to depression/anxiety symptoms or more likely withdrawal symptoms Dec 2016: Insurance company refused to fill 37mg (1 1/2 pills) Given 25mg. 2017: Started taper, got fearful of possible withdrawal effects, stopped.May 2018: Still dealing with side effects. New pdoc. 25mg Lamictal added to 25mg Sertraline. 5 mg Melatonin added. Feeling better. Would still like to wean off Sertraline and then Lamictal, but holding for now. I have a very sensitive system with meds. No other meds. Supplements: Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotic, Fish oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibby Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 This sounds like something I might try in my anxious moments, I loved colouring as a kid. -Started on Citalopram 20mg & Zopiclone 7.5mg in August 2010 after stressful life events induced anxiety attacks -Given olanzapine 2.5mg due to not sleeping through the night with zopiclone (I have never had any symptoms of psychosis) -Went up to 40mg Citalopram sometime in 2011 after disastrous flirtation with Wellbutrin -Tapered off zopiclone by January 2013 (take as PRN sometimes) -Jan 10/2016: Back up to full dose of citalopram after attempted taper from late November 2015 -Jan 2018: Cut to 1.8mg of olanzapine from 1.825 -Mid-August 2018: Cut from 1.8mg olanzapine to 1.76mg. Probable withdrawal symptoms emerged about ten days later. Went back up to 1.8mg -July 2021: Currently experiencing a strange "episode", withdrawal but no dose changes??? Current meds and doses: 1.8mg Olanzapine (compounded capsules), 40mg Citalopram, 1.25mg zopiclone (as PRN, taken once every few weeks during good periods and once or twice a week during bad ones) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meimeiquest Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I don't really have much anxiety at this point, but I am very busy and find it hard to take time to relax. These are fabulous! I am a total non-creative type. 1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms. Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12 Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13 Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15 11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble) 9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol 7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol 56 years old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pocketnurse Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 I came across these books when my teenage daughter bought one home, she is very arty and loves drawing and painting. I then found a freebie one with a magazine so bought some pencils and got started. There are some beautiful books here in the UK and I recently bought one for a friend, all the pictures were of an enchanted forest (just up my street). I am going to buy one for myself as I have found the freebie really therapeutic and would imagine if you can't sleep it is a much better distraction and better choice than turning on the TV. 1995-1998 various SSRIs then withdrawal 2000 Sertraline 2003 Sertraline then changed to Prozac to attempt withdrawal. 2004 failed at withdrawal so Citalopram. 2010 attempted slow withdrawal over 12 months but failed- sever episode depression 2012 2012 3 days of Mirtazepine with bad reaction so started escitalopram 20mgs 2013 started very very slow taper with a number of slight reinstatements Currently on between 0.5 and 1mg escitalopram drops at day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaywill Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I also started doing paint by numbers in the summer and i found it very good for many things that had to do with my mind. 12 year on Paxil 20mg. Dropped to 5mg a few years before weaning, Was on 5mg weaned over a few months and then went off Aug 15, 2012. Severe withdrawal started Nov 2012 and have been slowly recovering. Have had all physical symptoms especially muscle, immune and food sensitivities! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebalu86 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 (edited) It's a little offtopic, but there are some books such as "Wreck This Journal", which can also be helpful to some people. They ask you to do different creative tasks and are fun. Perhaps they would be more suitable for people who are a little better functioning, but still a great distraction. I have WTJ and will start working on it soon. Edited September 28, 2015 by Petunia added a url to text I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.December - things getting even worse. January - unbearable suffering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted September 28, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 28, 2015 Similar topics merged. I find it quite therapeutic just looking at images of completed Wreck This Journal pages. I'm thinking about getting one of these. I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamspirit Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I just bought some Mandella coloring books off of Amazon and gel pens. Should get them this sat.. can't wait to work on them. Been on Paxil since 96”-97”, 40mg tried 3 times to get off and didn’t work, started a very slow taper Jan 2016, have only dropped down by 3 mg.. on 37mg currently.. have very delayed withdrawals. Last drop was in July 2017.. still have waves and windows. Magnesium 200mg, foilc acid 1 mg, vitamin d3 5000iu, Blood pressure meds-Verapamil & Irbesartan... Smoke cbd flower once in awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calithebold Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Here's a link to a couple of mine I have been working on over the last week here and here. I hope the links work :-) I found that colouring has been so helpful in relaxing me and helping me when I feel scared about something. I highly recommend it :-) All medications:: Xanax (1995-96), Aropax (1995-96), Mellaril (1997-2000), Efexor (1997-2002), Seroquel (2000-now), Lithium Carbonate (2000-now), Avanza (2002-05), Epilim (2005), Seroquel-XR (2000-now), Zyprexa (2002-14), Raberprazole (2000-now prn), Crestor (2009-15), Gabapentin (2009-12), Lamictal (2010-now), Abilify (2011-now) Lyrica (2012-now), Diazepam (2010-now prn), Saphris (2014), Respiridone (2014), Chlorpromazine (2014) Neulatil (07/2016) Current medications: Lithium Carbonate 750mg; Seroquel-XR 600mg, 800mg 04/16, 600mg 04/16, 400mg 04/16, 200mg 04/16, 400mg 04/16, 500mg 04/16; Lamictal 250mg 200mg150mg 04/16; Lyrica 300mg; Abilify 20mg 30mg 11/15 Zoloft 25mg 04/16 ceased after a week due to severe suicidal thoughts; Seroquel 25mg prn; Diazepam 40mg CT Jan 2013, 5mg occasionally, (massive med changes in April 2016 due to a hospital admission). Supplements: Fish oil 4000mg, Magnesium 100mg , Niacinamide 1000mg, Slippery Elm 800mg , B12 1000mcg, Zinc 50mg, B6 100mg, Vitamin D 2000IU, Calcium 1200mg, P5P 100mg, Vitamin C 2000mg, Vitamin E 400IU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenity23 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 I just bought some Mandella coloring books off of Amazon and gel pens. Should get them this sat.. can't wait to work on them. Keep us posted how it goes! :-) Since 1990s: Various meds depression/anxiety. A little benefit from Effexor; Zoloft/Sertraline. Unsuccessful tapers Feb 2015: Neurological crash / Hemiplegic Migraine after Sertraline taper slower than pdoc's suggestion 50-37-25-12-6-0mg. Found SA. Reinstated 25mg Sertraline July 2015: Medical occurrence thought to be due to Sertraline. Told to D/C. Hypomania/anxiety resulted. Reinstated Sept 2016: Increased to 37mg Sertraline due to depression/anxiety symptoms or more likely withdrawal symptoms Dec 2016: Insurance company refused to fill 37mg (1 1/2 pills) Given 25mg. 2017: Started taper, got fearful of possible withdrawal effects, stopped.May 2018: Still dealing with side effects. New pdoc. 25mg Lamictal added to 25mg Sertraline. 5 mg Melatonin added. Feeling better. Would still like to wean off Sertraline and then Lamictal, but holding for now. I have a very sensitive system with meds. No other meds. Supplements: Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotic, Fish oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenity23 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Here's a link to a couple of mine I have been working on over the last week here and here. I hope the links work :-) I found that colouring has been so helpful in relaxing me and heTlping me when I feel scared about something. I highly recommend it :-) The links worked! They're really pretty! :-) Coloring has become an important coping skill for me too. Since 1990s: Various meds depression/anxiety. A little benefit from Effexor; Zoloft/Sertraline. Unsuccessful tapers Feb 2015: Neurological crash / Hemiplegic Migraine after Sertraline taper slower than pdoc's suggestion 50-37-25-12-6-0mg. Found SA. Reinstated 25mg Sertraline July 2015: Medical occurrence thought to be due to Sertraline. Told to D/C. Hypomania/anxiety resulted. Reinstated Sept 2016: Increased to 37mg Sertraline due to depression/anxiety symptoms or more likely withdrawal symptoms Dec 2016: Insurance company refused to fill 37mg (1 1/2 pills) Given 25mg. 2017: Started taper, got fearful of possible withdrawal effects, stopped.May 2018: Still dealing with side effects. New pdoc. 25mg Lamictal added to 25mg Sertraline. 5 mg Melatonin added. Feeling better. Would still like to wean off Sertraline and then Lamictal, but holding for now. I have a very sensitive system with meds. No other meds. Supplements: Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotic, Fish oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamspirit Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I just bought some Mandala coloring books and gel pens off of Amazon. . Will give me something to do this winter. Been on Paxil since 96”-97”, 40mg tried 3 times to get off and didn’t work, started a very slow taper Jan 2016, have only dropped down by 3 mg.. on 37mg currently.. have very delayed withdrawals. Last drop was in July 2017.. still have waves and windows. Magnesium 200mg, foilc acid 1 mg, vitamin d3 5000iu, Blood pressure meds-Verapamil & Irbesartan... Smoke cbd flower once in awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebalu86 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I also bought a Mandala coloring book (it's coloring by numbers) and another one with stained glass pictures (printed on special paper which you can hang on your wall after you're done) and colored pencils 48 colors, I should have more than enough. I saw very beautiful coloring books, but I got dizzy just by looking at them - too complicated for me at this point. ("Enchanted forest" and "Secret Garden" by Johanna Basford) I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.December - things getting even worse. January - unbearable suffering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calithebold Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Hi BlueBalu86 I know what you mean about Enchanted Forest. I have it and it kinda psychs out just looking at it. I have had it for a while and I have only finished one page and that was the title page lol. I think the ones you got sound good. I have a really good (and quite) think one called Coloring in For Grown Ups and it's good because it has some harder pages in it and then some really easy ones. Happy colouring All medications:: Xanax (1995-96), Aropax (1995-96), Mellaril (1997-2000), Efexor (1997-2002), Seroquel (2000-now), Lithium Carbonate (2000-now), Avanza (2002-05), Epilim (2005), Seroquel-XR (2000-now), Zyprexa (2002-14), Raberprazole (2000-now prn), Crestor (2009-15), Gabapentin (2009-12), Lamictal (2010-now), Abilify (2011-now) Lyrica (2012-now), Diazepam (2010-now prn), Saphris (2014), Respiridone (2014), Chlorpromazine (2014) Neulatil (07/2016) Current medications: Lithium Carbonate 750mg; Seroquel-XR 600mg, 800mg 04/16, 600mg 04/16, 400mg 04/16, 200mg 04/16, 400mg 04/16, 500mg 04/16; Lamictal 250mg 200mg150mg 04/16; Lyrica 300mg; Abilify 20mg 30mg 11/15 Zoloft 25mg 04/16 ceased after a week due to severe suicidal thoughts; Seroquel 25mg prn; Diazepam 40mg CT Jan 2013, 5mg occasionally, (massive med changes in April 2016 due to a hospital admission). Supplements: Fish oil 4000mg, Magnesium 100mg , Niacinamide 1000mg, Slippery Elm 800mg , B12 1000mcg, Zinc 50mg, B6 100mg, Vitamin D 2000IU, Calcium 1200mg, P5P 100mg, Vitamin C 2000mg, Vitamin E 400IU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamspirit Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I got the secret garden a few days ago. Been on Paxil since 96”-97”, 40mg tried 3 times to get off and didn’t work, started a very slow taper Jan 2016, have only dropped down by 3 mg.. on 37mg currently.. have very delayed withdrawals. Last drop was in July 2017.. still have waves and windows. Magnesium 200mg, foilc acid 1 mg, vitamin d3 5000iu, Blood pressure meds-Verapamil & Irbesartan... Smoke cbd flower once in awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebalu86 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 They're exceptionally beautiful, but too much detail for me and too complicated. I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.December - things getting even worse. January - unbearable suffering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenity23 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I also bought a Mandala coloring book (it's coloring by numbers) and another one with stained glass pictures (printed on special paper which you can hang on your wall after you're done) and colored pencils 48 colors, I should have more than enough. I saw very beautiful coloring books, but I got dizzy just by looking at them - too complicated for me at this point. ("Enchanted forest" and "Secret Garden" by Johanna Basford) I'm curious what you think of the coloring by numbers if it helps to make sense of how to color mandalas. I often get dizzy looking at a lot of the coloring books out there. They say "calming" but they're not. Enchanted Forest and Secret Garden are beautiful but extremely advanced. If you would like some coloring book recommendations that are not as detailed and dizzying but still challenging, fun, and not childish, check out the Creative Haven ones. Most aren't detailed except for one or two. :-) Or feel free to PM me for suggestions. Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest seem to be enjoyed mostly by those who are professional artists or those who have an artistic background. Also people who like to blend, shade, layer colors, etc seem to go for those books. Personally I keep things simple. I like pictures that don't take more than an hour to color and aren't too tiny in details. Since 1990s: Various meds depression/anxiety. A little benefit from Effexor; Zoloft/Sertraline. Unsuccessful tapers Feb 2015: Neurological crash / Hemiplegic Migraine after Sertraline taper slower than pdoc's suggestion 50-37-25-12-6-0mg. Found SA. Reinstated 25mg Sertraline July 2015: Medical occurrence thought to be due to Sertraline. Told to D/C. Hypomania/anxiety resulted. Reinstated Sept 2016: Increased to 37mg Sertraline due to depression/anxiety symptoms or more likely withdrawal symptoms Dec 2016: Insurance company refused to fill 37mg (1 1/2 pills) Given 25mg. 2017: Started taper, got fearful of possible withdrawal effects, stopped.May 2018: Still dealing with side effects. New pdoc. 25mg Lamictal added to 25mg Sertraline. 5 mg Melatonin added. Feeling better. Would still like to wean off Sertraline and then Lamictal, but holding for now. I have a very sensitive system with meds. No other meds. Supplements: Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotic, Fish oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenity23 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 ^Edit to the post above.^ Creative Haven are not the ones I was thinking of. The ones I enjoy very much as a beginner since they are not too detailed are the "Design Originals" group of titles. The artists are Thaneeya McArdle or Valentina Harper. I enjoy the Creative Haven ones very much, too, but they are more detailed and I had to work my way up to them. Hope that helps. :-) Since 1990s: Various meds depression/anxiety. A little benefit from Effexor; Zoloft/Sertraline. Unsuccessful tapers Feb 2015: Neurological crash / Hemiplegic Migraine after Sertraline taper slower than pdoc's suggestion 50-37-25-12-6-0mg. Found SA. Reinstated 25mg Sertraline July 2015: Medical occurrence thought to be due to Sertraline. Told to D/C. Hypomania/anxiety resulted. Reinstated Sept 2016: Increased to 37mg Sertraline due to depression/anxiety symptoms or more likely withdrawal symptoms Dec 2016: Insurance company refused to fill 37mg (1 1/2 pills) Given 25mg. 2017: Started taper, got fearful of possible withdrawal effects, stopped.May 2018: Still dealing with side effects. New pdoc. 25mg Lamictal added to 25mg Sertraline. 5 mg Melatonin added. Feeling better. Would still like to wean off Sertraline and then Lamictal, but holding for now. I have a very sensitive system with meds. No other meds. Supplements: Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotic, Fish oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebalu86 Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Thank you Serenity. I'm not sure we have those in Bulgarian bookstores, but I'll check. I saw some not so complicated ones and maybe I'll buy them next after I'm done with the ones I have now. Coloring by numbers is very easy. It gives you a color for each number (of course you can also assign your own colors) and you just put the color where the number is. Otherwise the mandalas are too complicated, at least the ones I have. I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.December - things getting even worse. January - unbearable suffering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted October 14, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 14, 2015 Yah, this one was too detailed. It took me 2 months (of course, I was away for a month, too - so 3 months all up), and by the time I got to the end, I was uptight about it - so - not as relaxing as it could be - but definitely distracting: "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenity23 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 JanCarol - It's beautiful!! But I know what you mean. I have zero patience for detailed pictures. That's why I like the books I mentioned. I can easily color a complete picture in an hour or so. BlueBalu - I don't know what bookstores or hobby stores you have there, but I've heard people finding books at: Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Walmart, Books-A-Million, and Target. If you don't mind purchasing online, amazon.com and doverpublications.com are good resources, too. Since 1990s: Various meds depression/anxiety. A little benefit from Effexor; Zoloft/Sertraline. Unsuccessful tapers Feb 2015: Neurological crash / Hemiplegic Migraine after Sertraline taper slower than pdoc's suggestion 50-37-25-12-6-0mg. Found SA. Reinstated 25mg Sertraline July 2015: Medical occurrence thought to be due to Sertraline. Told to D/C. Hypomania/anxiety resulted. Reinstated Sept 2016: Increased to 37mg Sertraline due to depression/anxiety symptoms or more likely withdrawal symptoms Dec 2016: Insurance company refused to fill 37mg (1 1/2 pills) Given 25mg. 2017: Started taper, got fearful of possible withdrawal effects, stopped.May 2018: Still dealing with side effects. New pdoc. 25mg Lamictal added to 25mg Sertraline. 5 mg Melatonin added. Feeling better. Would still like to wean off Sertraline and then Lamictal, but holding for now. I have a very sensitive system with meds. No other meds. Supplements: Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotic, Fish oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted October 18, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 18, 2015 Something a little more relaxing - only 3 days instead of 3 months! I cannot finish one in an hour, I have to take breaks for my eyes and neck! "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenity23 Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 That one is lovely, too, JanCarol! I might be underestimating the hour. But I do tend to do easy ones. Other than your eyes and neck needing a break, are you finding it relaxing? I love how it gives me something engaging and relaxing to focus on. The only downside is sometimes my OCD and perfectionism gets in the way, but I'm trying to focus more on enjoying it and having fun, and less on that. Since 1990s: Various meds depression/anxiety. A little benefit from Effexor; Zoloft/Sertraline. Unsuccessful tapers Feb 2015: Neurological crash / Hemiplegic Migraine after Sertraline taper slower than pdoc's suggestion 50-37-25-12-6-0mg. Found SA. Reinstated 25mg Sertraline July 2015: Medical occurrence thought to be due to Sertraline. Told to D/C. Hypomania/anxiety resulted. Reinstated Sept 2016: Increased to 37mg Sertraline due to depression/anxiety symptoms or more likely withdrawal symptoms Dec 2016: Insurance company refused to fill 37mg (1 1/2 pills) Given 25mg. 2017: Started taper, got fearful of possible withdrawal effects, stopped.May 2018: Still dealing with side effects. New pdoc. 25mg Lamictal added to 25mg Sertraline. 5 mg Melatonin added. Feeling better. Would still like to wean off Sertraline and then Lamictal, but holding for now. I have a very sensitive system with meds. No other meds. Supplements: Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotic, Fish oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted October 19, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 19, 2015 Re: OCD and perfectionism. The Navajo weavers used to deliberately put a flaw into their weavings, lest they invoke the wrath of the gods. Only the gods could be perfect, so the weavings had to be less than perfect. This was done to protect their family and tribes from the wrath of jealous gods. When I make a mistake (and yes, it can be cringing when I do so - not relaxing at all!) I "offer it up as a sacrifice" to "the gods of perfection" so they won't be mad at me! "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starburst Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I am so inspired! JanCarol your artwork is beautiful. It is so funny but in the early days of medication I started painting (watercolours) and it was so therapeutic. For some reason I stopped. I am going to go out and get a book today. I need some water colours too! This is just what I need in my life right now. I can't sit still for five minutes and my evenings are spent just waiting for an appropriate time to go to bed and end the day. Thank You for all the encouragement here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted December 21, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 21, 2016 Bump with some morning glories: "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junglechicken Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 I received 2 coloring books for Christmas this year. Looking forward to having my mind taken off symptoms etc., Dose History: 19 Feb 2014 - Escitalopram 10mg daily June 2015 - Started taper, 5mg every other day July 2015 - 5mg every 2 days August 2015 - 5mg every 3 days September 2015 - 5mg every 4 days Sept 14th - Completed tapering, but at 7 weeks "drug free" I suffered serious WD symptoms as a consequence of "incorrect" tapering. Nov 25 2015 - Re-instated Cipralex @ 2.5mg daily. WD symptoms faded. Held at this dose and experienced "windows and waves". 12 Oct 2017 Reduced dose to 1.25mg. 13 Mar 2018 Reduced dose to 0.625mg (approx.). 16 April 2018 0mg. Windows and waves triggered by stress (IBS/reflux, headaches, sinus issues) Aug 2019 Mirena coil fitted 6 Jan 2020 MAJOR Wave hit 19 months following last dose (protracted WD). Symptoms listed below Mar 2020 Mirena coil removal. Therapy: Nov 15th 2016 Re-started therapy Jan 19th 2017 Started CBT Dec 2017 Started listening to Hypnotherapy CD (self-esteem). Nov 2019 Started couples therapy. Supplements: "Bioglan" Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora 10 billion CFU, live Bacteria, Probiotic, suitable for Vegetarians, with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum. "Pukka" Vitalise a unique blend of 30 energising botanicals. Diet: 16 April 2018 Detox cleanse / anti-candida for 90 days. Jan 2020 Started "small plate" diet (i.e child size portions). Exercise: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Elliptical/upper body workout, walking. Medical Test Results: 4 Jan 2017 Homeopathic Treatment starts 24 Feb 2017 Started weight loss program 24 Mar 2017 Naturopathic Treatment + anti-Candida diet started due to suspected Candida Related Complex (CRC). DETOXED for 7 weeks to "re-set" gut. April 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Comprehensive Stool Analysis NEGATIVE; Full Blood Count (Normal) / Blood Cholesterol: 5.6 (Borderline) / Blood Sugar (Normal) / 28 Jun 2017 FSH 8.2 / 14 Nov 2017 FSH 17.7 Dec 2017 Blood Cholesterol: 3.9 (Normal) / Kidney Function (Normal) / Blood Sugar (Normal). December 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Food panel allergy (bloodwork) analysis - a few "VERY LOW/VL" allergens; Mar 2018 "Genova Diagnostics" SIBO urine analysis: High Level of Yeast/fungal markers found in small intestine but NO SIBO. April 2018 Thyroid (Normal) / Full Blood Count (Normal) / FSH (Normal). 16 April 2018 Started anti-Candida diet - 3 month protocol. 25 March 2020 All test results "Normal". CRP" 5 mg/L (normal range to 0-5 mg/L). Symptoms: Flu-like symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, sinus headaches right-side (severe), IBS issues/reflux (severe)**, tinnitus, fatigue, inner tremor, nausea, chills/hot flushes, pounding heart, muscular issues including stiff left hip flexor, intense anger, PSSD (ongoing). **Histhamine intolerance (suspected). Major Life Events: Re-located to UK from Canada: Jan 2016 My father died: 5:05pm, Monday 5 Feb 2018 Last Lexapro dose: 16 April 2018 (its now been over a year since I quit ADs) Moved house: Friday 23rd February 2018 "Divorced" toxic Mother: Monday 26 March 2018 Starting working again: 19 November 2018 Diagnosed with: 5th August 2021 PTSD/C-PTSD Diagnosed with: March 2022 Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Painful bladder syndrome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatrock Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Hello friends! I'm an art therapist, actually. I don't work any more - retired a long time ago - but I love this topic! I'm attaching some artwork I've done recently. These paintings seem very lonely to me -- lonely single birds in a bare tree. They were based on walks where I took photos of birds in trees at the end of winter. I have indeed felt very lonely during this time in my life. There aren't many friends at all I can talk to about my med withdrawals (it seems like it is hard for people to hear), and about a year ago I had two girlfriend breakups that have made me very sad. They were both initiated by me so don't feel too sorry for me... except that I do miss them both. And I'm 63 yrs old, you'd think girlfriend breakups would be a thing of the past, right? QUIT chlonazepam (Klonopin) 8/26/17. My dosage was less than 0.5; hard to measure exactly because I had been reducing by weight. My overall diagnosis is fibromyalgia. I'm 63 yrs old. Feeling great to be free of it! MICRO TAPERED KLONOPIN BY WEIGHT: 5/26: .241 -- ?/?: .235 -- 7/10: .223 -- 7/24: .221 -- 7/29: .217 -- 8/1: 212 -- 8/6: .208 Switched: 8/13, reduced to 1/2 pill (a .5 pill), maintaining morning dose of weight .069. Kept micro tapering until 8/26/17. CURURENTLY TAPERING BUSPAR: BUSPAR started in May 2017, currently: 2and1/3 15mg pill = 15+15+5= 35 mgs. Very helpful med. 11/9/17: 25 mgs. (1 and 1/3 15 mg pill) PREVIOUS: In August 2016, after some stressful life changes, my Klonopin use went up to about 4.0. New dr jerked me down from 4.0 to 1 mg. I'm still suffering from that sudden extreme withdrawal. Plus I was put on and taken off of many other meds those first couple of months: Tizanadine, Remeron, Lexapro, Wellbutrin. A very difficult time in my life. CURRENT: Cymbalta 60mg, maintaining. I use medical marijuana for pain as needed, usually at night. Don't take it during the day because it just makes me too dopey. I take probiotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Shep Posted August 5, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 5, 2019 Great article from The Guardian: It's time to recognise the contribution arts can make to health and wellbeing ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ An evaluation revealed a 71% decrease in feelings of anxiety and a 73% fall in depression; 76% of participants said their wellbeing increased and 69% felt more socially included. As one participant says: “I feel so much better having had the time and space to do some art. It makes such a difference.” . . . . Each week, an artist visits the project to teach participants a new skill, such as sculpture, ceramics or painting. “What’s lovely about it, is that if you’re feeling depressed, the simple act of being in a room with other people – where you’ve got the space and time to just be yourself – really helps to improve your mood,” Allen says. “There’s such a feeling of camaraderie and friendship. “The art is almost a happy bonus to that connection. While you’re mindfully doing the art, it frees up your personality that had maybe been buried. It takes you away from whatever is bothering you, just for a couple of hours.” ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ So it sounds like it's the combination of social connection, along with art, that's so powerful in healing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariel Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 bump 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts