There is no shame in taking psychiatric medications…but for me, the various cocktails over the past 3 years made my life progressively worse…
This is how I successfully manage without any psychiatric care (to date).
1. Lithium Orotate OTC 480mg daily
I take two 120mg tablets in the morning and two more 120mg tablets at night.
2. Melatonin and/or Benadryl every night
However, I am more careful with Benadryl these days - it can sometimes trigger my sleep disorder known as “Exploding Head Syndrome “ (it is not associated with any mental illnesses).
3. No more alcohol
It makes me depressed for the next few days.
4. No more cannabis
I was taking legal edibles, but it triggered depression and psychotic features to return and linger for some time, even after quitting.
5. Cigarettes/Vapes
My self-love is toxic. What can I say?
6. Zero Sugar sodas and little to no caffeine every day — my cut-off time for caffeine is 5 pm.
Zero Sugar Root Beer, y’all.
7. Keep a low-stimulation environment often.
Yes, it is possible, even with kids in the house.
8. Be cautious of triggers and steer clear (i.e., certain music, lyrics, people, places, and things trigger me).
9. Try to get in some form of exercise. If it’s literally 30 seconds for the day, then so be it. If your body is not used to any exercise, those 30 seconds will actually mean something.
10. Psychosis (mood-congruent or not) is inevitable. How I react and respond is what makes me or breaks me.
It’s a mind game against myself, and with the help of reality checks rooted in self-reflection and self-awareness, I have learned how to win the games.
11. A simple prayer, rooted in humility in the midst of psychosis and grandiosity, is a powerful tool to chisel away at the delusions.
Goal:
I want to incorporate more healthy habits into my life, but this is where I am now.
Disclaimer:
Again, if psychiatric medications work for you, I’m rooting for you to keep going with those medications, and I am happy for you.
My experience in a nutshell:
That was not the case for me. I was still depressed, suicidal, manic, and psychotic, and I had a multitude of side effects that did not diminish with the additional prescriptions that were designed to combat them.
Maybe I’m just one of those medication-resistant folks… there’s got to be some sort of lifestyle care for us too.
I’m still under construction.
Thanks for reading! I hope this helps.
*This article was adapted from a Twitter thread by YANA*
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