Starting Spravato and I’m… Skeptical
Hi all — new here, so bear with me because this may be a little long.
I’m a 31-year-old gay male working as a lawyer, and I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression for as long as I can remember. I’ve been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I think a lot of it is genetic since my mom has dealt with similar anxiety/depressive symptoms, but life experiences have definitely played a role too — coming out, collegiate athletics, law school, the bar exam, and now the constant stress of practicing law.
Back in 2012, my mom encouraged me to try Prozac. At the time, I was young and honestly didn’t fully understand what I was getting into — I just wanted to feel happier and less anxious. Prozac didn’t help. Then we tried Lexapro… no luck. Wellbutrin did nothing. Remeron actually worked for a year or two, but eventually I crashed hard again. After that came Buspar and Trazodone, which gave some temporary relief but nothing lasting.
Since then I’ve also tried Viibryd, Hydroxyzine, Klonopin for panic/anxiety attacks (which happen far too often), and now Trintellix. Unfortunately, Trintellix has done almost nothing for me.
Over the years, my anxiety and depression have only gotten worse. My motivation to work is nearly gone, and I’m honestly at risk of losing my job because some mornings I can barely get out of bed. On my drives home from work, I catch myself thinking about ending my life because it feels like there’s nothing left to look forward to. I know something has to change, so my doctor and I recently decided to try Spravato.
I’m curious about other people’s experiences with Spravato, especially if you also struggle with severe anxiety and treatment-resistant depression. Did it help? Had you already been through multiple medications like I have? Were you able to continue working during treatment? After sessions, were you completely out of it, or still somewhat functional?
I know some of these questions have probably been asked before, but I wanted to explain my situation and hear from people who may relate. Thanks in advance