• 💖 [Donate To Keep MyPTSD Online] 💖 Every contribution, no matter how small, fuels our mission and helps us continue to provide peer-to-peer services. Your generosity keeps us independent and available freely to the world. MyPTSD closes if we can't reach our annual goal.

When To Take A Break From Healing?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Seeking_Nirvana

MyPTSD Pro
OK, I have been focusing on my healing for at least 3 years and there is more work to be done. eh! However, my husband needs some time to sort some things out for himself.

I have decided to quit taking several medications and start taking Prozac to numb myself up so he can work out his issues.

While on Prozac I will be nice and nothing will bother me. Hey, you can even shoot a piece of glass at my face with a blow dart gun and I won't be mad. :thumbs-up So for those sick individuals who like to play mind games now is the time to abuse me, but I wouldn't advise it. LMAO

I wont be moody and constantly focusing on my issues. I'm certain I will believe I'm "healed" while on this medication. But, I know better and won't stay on it indefinitely.

The thing that is troubling me is that quite a few of my friends think this is a bad idea and it will interfere with my progress. I know this will hinder my progress, and I think that at some point a person has to stop being so determined to get well and take a step back so another person can get through their issues with little effort.

If I stay off of antidepressants I will continue to be moody and it will make it harder for him to work things out, and could cause him to ignore what is bothering him and not work on those issues he needs to work through.

I've pretty much decided this is what I'm going to do unless someone has some very valid and convincing information to make me change my mind.

Thanks
Tammy
 
I hope you listen to your own gut and heart. Try not to worry about your friends--do what's best for you and your hubby! May it work out for the best.
 
Hmm..
I totally see what you're saying, but I am wondering why you haven't been on the prozac for the whole time if you know it makes you feel great? There must have been a reason for you to stay off it, is my guess, if you know it would make you feel so much better, but chose not to take it.

Prozac makes me feel great too, but I don't take it because it messes up my sex life. We have to have priorities..lol, even if they are a little screwed.

I think if you want to do this for your husband, and it will not be detrimental to you, then go for it. You might even enjoy feeling that fake great.

I just hope that you're not willing to harm yourself just to make things a little easier for him, I would weigh the affects before meking the choice. If it will seriously help him out, and make little differentce to you, then great. But, if it will only be a small difference for him, and will greatly affect your healing, I would reconsider. It is great to love your husband, and want to help him, but not to the point of harming yourself. Especially since there is the long run to consider.

In any case, I wish you the best. Take care.
 
Tammy,

I think that healing is life-long. Recently I have just had to focus on healing, but now, slowly and surely life has been creeping back in. It has been tough. I had to return to work, finish some private consultancy work and deal with the death of my closest relative in a period of 3 weeks. If you had asked me or if I had known that this was going to happen all at once, I would have run for the hills! It did happen, and I did cope. I am not in contact with my 'self' in the way I was before, but I am still healing and the shutters haven't gone down completely - in fact, the result of these events has been that I now know I can cope.

I don't know your circumstances, but I was just wondering if it is worth trying to support your husband without the drugs first, then if it doesn't work do what you were thinking of? A sort of suck and see approach?

Whatever you choose, keep on healing!

best wishes,

dust
 
I have decided to quit taking several medications and start taking Prozac to numb myself up so he can work out his issues.

At least to me, you sound angry about this decision you have made. Have you discussed it with your husband? With your treatment team, whoever that might be?

I encourage you to talk this out in depth with your husband. Can't you work on your stuff and have him work on his stuff while the both of you struggle together? Why do you feel you have to sacrifice yourself for your husband's sake?
 
Meds can help

Everyone is different. Some people need medication to help them get through rough patches; that is what they are for. You know your own feelings better than anyone else, so if the medicine works, take it. I know from experience.
 
Would it be possible to take Prozac to improve your moodiness, but work on your healing at the same time? Do you think that you can only work on your healing while off Prozac?

Cymbalta is what keeps me out of jail because without it, I am so angry that I would hurt someone. I can only gather the strength to work on my healing while on Cymbalta (Or some medication that evens out my behavior) which makes me alot easier to live with.

You are very considerate of your husband's need to work on his stuff. Have you considered a different medication other than Prozac that will help you feel better without numbing yourself?

I would say that you would be at your best to take care of him, if you first take care of yourself so that you can be there for each other when life gets hard.
 
OK, I have been focusing on my healing for at least 3 years and there is more work to be done. eh! However, my husband needs some time to sort some things out for himself.

I have decided to quit taking several medications and start taking Prozac to numb myself up so he can work out his issues.

...If I stay off of antidepressants I will continue to be moody and it will make it harder for him to work things out, and could cause him to ignore what is bothering him and not work on those issues he needs to work through....

I don't know whether your plan to numb out on Prozac and put your healing journey on hold is the right answer, only you can know that. But I did want to offer some support and say that I completely understand the position that you're in. My husband (soon to be ex, but that's a completely different issue) went through about 1 1/2 years of being in a pretty bad place himself and I had to be the strong one while we got help for him and he got some things worked out for himself. It was the right thing to do for our family, so I made sure that I was diligent about taking my medication and put my issues on the shelf for awhile.

I don't really have any great advice. And like I said, I don't know if what you're planning is the right thing. But I just wanted to let you know that I completely understand your situation and you're not alone.
 
Forgive me Seeking Nirvana
I don't know your history so I'm only responding to what you have written here and I offer a blokes view.
To me it looks like you intend playing the blame card! What I mean is it looks like you are setting things up so you can say "I was trying so hard and doing so well, then I gave it up because of you, I had to go back on the tablets."
Why is it that his issues should only require a little effort? You seem to dismiss his problems lightly.
I have been off Prozac for about 5 months but a couple of weeks back I realised I was very down and struggling with it so I took one. That was it I only took the one, the next day passed easier and I seemed able to gather myself together again. With hindsight I wish I had taken it a week earlier as I have a Wife and it's not fair on her if I become moody and selfish.

Jesta
 
I also agree with some of the others here..is there no way you can work on things together..maybe even see someone together but not have that therapist as your primary to get you through rough spots. Or you never know it might be helpful to have someone understand (your husband) to work on things with. It may even bring you closer. I would just hate to see you relapse because I find that living with this disorder is an everyday thing and sometimes a struggle..you have worked so hard but totally forgetting or stopping your healing...do you thing that is even possible. My goodness for me it seems like a full-time job and if I was not diligent every day with the choices i make..the calmness I need, some days taking it one minute at a time if general life is too stressful. I just feel like this is something we have to be conscious of everyday or the bad symptoms may start to resurface or get worse. I am just speculating..bottom line is it is your decision. Please be careful that you do not fall back into bad habits and negative thinking if you stop working on things. That does happen to me if I am not diligent about trying to keep myself afloat, so to speak. I wish you only the best with whatever decision you decide. Please keep us updated as to how things evolve. Take Care!
 
At least to me, you sound angry about this decision you have made. Have you discussed it with your husband? With your treatment team, whoever that might be?

I encourage you to talk this out in depth with your husband. Can't you work on your stuff and have him work on his stuff while the both of you struggle together? Why do you feel you have to sacrifice yourself for your husband's sake?

Hi kers, I was very angry when I first wrote this, but not at my husband. He is a wonderful man and I would do what I can to help him with what he needs. I've been very moody lately and he is going through several issues unrelated to my recovery process.

I'm angry with some individuals that I felt were sabotaging my healing by playing mind games. I felt I needed to go on Prozac due to them, so if they play their silly games it wont affect me.

I finally disattached "them" from the lesson I'm learning by what they are doing. It's tough and a day to day process in forgiving, but I finally got a grip on it and I'm not going on Prozac, but Wellbutrin.

Wellbutrin, will help with the moodiness and allow me to continue to heal. My husband and I are going to therapy together. We will be seeing a therapist who specializes in PTSD and he can work on his issues while I'm not there, and when I'm there the therapist can help him understand my condition and why I behave the way I do at times.

He said that he would rather do that then for me to be numbed up to the point I will stop progress.

Thanks for your input
Tammy
 
Would it be possible to take Prozac to improve your moodiness, but work on your healing at the same time? Do you think that you can only work on your healing while off Prozac?

Cymbalta is what keeps me out of jail because without it, I am so angry that I would hurt someone. I can only gather the strength to work on my healing while on Cymbalta (Or some medication that evens out my behavior) which makes me alot easier to live with.

You are very considerate of your husband's need to work on his stuff. Have you considered a different medication other than Prozac that will help you feel better without numbing yourself?

I would say that you would be at your best to take care of him, if you first take care of yourself so that you can be there for each other when life gets hard.

Hi Cindi, I don't think taking Prozac will allow me to continue healing because it gives me a false sense of thinking I'm all better. That is why I went off of that medication in the first place because I needed to get to the root of the problems and didn't think I had a problem while on it.

We decided that Wellbutrin was the best option for now. It will keep the moodiness at an even keel and it won't have me believe I'm healed.

Thanks for your input
Tammy
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top