Like many people have said, medication is highly personal. I was forced to take medication when I was in inpatient (and outpatient) therapy. They felt that I couldn't function without it. There were so many things they were not aware of that could have helped me a LOT more ... but that was just me, and can't speak for anyone else.
So many things, for me, could have helped had they realized my extreme introversion status. Things they were doing for me (I was underage, so their point of view as adults was all there was) were more geared to people with a more extrovert nature. They were trying to help me be more normal -- but the 'normal' in my body (or should say acceptable behavior and reactions) doesn't match up to the normal version of regular society. MY normal is much quieter, into reading, learning, internalizing information before I express it outwardly.
If you find you are more introverted, I can give you a list of things I do now that I am the adult and in charge of my life ... and they might help you too. Here are some unconventional things I do to help my body & chemical stability (my mind & thoughts are altogether different, & handle them differently):
1. B-complex vitamin 1 to 2 times a day – this helps stabilize my focus and motivation. It helps the ‘I don’t care’ attitude reduce to a more manageable level.
2. When my empathy for others fades, I chew a piece of ‘Stay Alert’ gum by Wrigley. Yep, I know it sounds weird, but I don’t have a natural empathy for others. This might be due to how I was treated as a kid (and again as a young adult); plus, because a lot of the ptsd symptoms makes me grouchy, I may be unable to produce that chemical that is needed for empathy.
I came upon this by accident. I was searching for all kinds of ways to help me through school. Caffeine is a common thing to use as a college student, and I was looking for it in any form I could manage. I found this gum, because espresso had bad side effects. The caffeine molecule in espresso beans is different than regular coffee beans. It gave me horrible headaches and huge withdraw issues. I couldn’t drink a lot of coffee because I have ibs and was hurting my stomach & intestinal lining.
Anyway, when I started using the gum I noticed that I had developed a strange liking for others – along the lines of deep compassion. I’m not a psycho, and don’t go around wanting to hurt people. However, I’m not a love-bug either. This gum gives me feelings somewhere in between – what may be a normal kind of compassion for others (I think?), which ALSO shifts my internal focus from myself outward. Having this compassion for others actually helps me less focused on my internal struggles.
This gum actually made me see that my natural feelings about other people were not normal at all ... that I was really lacking something essential to normal human functioning. It was a strange kind of liberation that I can not explain to anyone, except people here who might know what I’m taking about. I don’t have a normal love for others. I do care about others and don’t want to see anyone suffer (but if someone falls down a flight of stairs my first reaction will be to laugh before I go help them up).
You have to be careful though; only chew one per day (no more than 3 times a week), and only chew it less than 5 minutes to get it into your system, AND only when necessary, or there will be a caffeine withdraw headache afterward.
Yep, sounds crazy and maybe I’m only imagining this effect. Try it and let me know if this has the same effect on you (that is, if you do feel mostly indifferent towards others – won’t help if you have a natural affection for people).
3. Exercise – this is kind of obvious, but I can understand why this can be a trigger – heart starts beating fast, triggering panicky feelings. Cardio should be last on your list if you have this issue. Yoga, meditative walking; my favorite is using the Gazelle Edge. It isn’t very cardio inducing, but gets you off the couch – you can use it watching tv or listening to music.
It is like a swing on each foot, self powered, keeps you moving, but there is no resistance. It is fun, keeps you up, isn’t hard, and is better than just sitting still. I’ve also taken to turning it backward, placing a small piece of plywood on the foot pedals and pillow on top of that, making it a seat. I sit and swing watching tv. It works my ab & chest muscles. I am a small person, so might be cumbersome to sit & swing if you are bigger.
4. With autoimmune issues that effect my skin, I have to take regular soaking baths in warm salt water. This is still an on going problem, because I can fall into that ‘I don’t care’ pit and go days without bathing. That has improved from going weeks without, so any improvement is a good one. Bathing is essential to keeping the skin issue manageable. I can’t keep it all in remission, because I can’t eliminate the stress effect part of it – I can only manage the physical hygiene part.
The problem use to be that I just didn’t remember when the last bath was – if I don’t write it down I will forget. So, I have a small white board in the bathroom and write down the date of the last bath (and other things). I have to take one at least every 3 days. I do wash my face whenever I leave the house, but not when I’m just at home, like on weekends. It is one of those things I struggle with – feeling like ‘what’s the point?’
The point is trying to stay as healthy-looking as possible, but there are so many things I HAVE to always do and keep up with; taking a break from those things like grooming can feel like a nice vacation. I hate grooming. I do feel better afterward, but it takes so much time and energy.
The good part about doing it regularly, it reduces the time I have to spend and improves the quality of my appearance. When I let it get out of hand and fall behind, there isn’t any amount of time I can spend to make me look less like a leper. I have to allow for healing time before I look relatively normal again. Keeping up with it all decreases my shame and reduces the need to isolate.
Hope I helped, even in a small way. Cheers.
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