Sleep paralysis is incredibly frustrating and has been significantly impacting my life. I’m at a loss for understanding why I’m experiencing this dreadful phenomenon.
Please Help
I am schizophrenic and changing meds from risperidone 1mg.
My doctor said 10-15 is fine. But in the end he said let’s try 10.
Im scared and im thinking to suggest to him that i stopped risperidone only if i am at 15mg of abilify instead of 10.
Just trying to be more careful here.
It doesnt hurt being more careful right?
I once beliebed that all the world was ruled by demons/ aliens or some entity and that I was the chosen one to finish it all killing the embodiement of it who was one specific person.
I got to that conclussion after reading a lot of "signals" life was giving me and after a quite high drug use too.
I once, drugged up too both of us, had an telepathy experience with a friend. well more than one time.
I recently increased my dosage to 7.5 abilify and decreased to 0.75mg of risperidone.
But whenever night falls, i will suddenly feel more depressed like more down. Not depression but just feel low mood a bit down.
Shouldnt it be activating ? Just puzzled by this.
Is this a cause of concern?
Just wondering. Any opinions are welcomed!
Hi, graduated medical doctor here. Through my studying, I discovered my interest was not in medicine but about brain functioning and psychology. I found myself talking with people about their mental health more than taking care of their medical case.
I like philosophy, anthropology, and literature. I like to go deeply into the human mind and discover the reasons for trauma and behavior; it just fascinates me to do long, deep conversations with people and learn about how different brains function. At the same time, I’m against prescribing medicine directly before doing psychotherapy.
So, I’m now confused: should I add a Master’s in Clinical Psychology? Or pass the exam and follow the residency path and be a psychiatrist? Which road is the closest to my interest? How is the day of a psychiatrist? Is it listening and psychotherapy, or is it more like finding the diagnosis and prescribing medication?
So I was diagnosed with ASD at a young age. At 13, my social anxiety started to worsen, and I experienced my first depressive episode. Since then, my anxiety has continued to worsen and I have reccurant depressive episodes. When I turned 15, I got put on to Zoloft/sertraline starting at 25mg, eventually tapering up to 50, then 75(which I was on for about one month before I quit cold turkey). This was over the span of about 9 months. Throughout the whole time I was on this SSRI, I only experienced a worsening of symptoms: severe social anxiety to the point I rarely left my house, worsening si, a dramatic worsening in self injury severity, vivid nightmares leading to a decrease in sleep due to avoidance, at one point I even felt a strong urge to stab myself even though I didn’t want to injure myself and that lasted 1-2 weeks. I obviously should have brought this up to my psychiatrist at the time but I was very anxious and worried about confidentiality so from the vague feedback I gave him, he just ended up increasing my dosage up to 75 which I tried for a bit before deciding to stop.
I’ve been off of any medications for about 3 years now but am still struggling with the depressive episodes and severe social anxiety so I’ve been contemplating finding another psychiatrist (which I’d pay out of pocket for) but I’m concerned that this may be a sign that medication just doesn’t work for me and I don’t want to waste money and time trying out more if the outcome will be similar. I’ve tried to do research on why I reacted the way that I did but have only been able to find people talk about seeing no change, having emotional blunting, or having similar symptoms to me that resolved within a few weeks. not a prolonged worsening of symptoms like I had so I’m just looking for clarity. What causes a reaction like this? Is this a sign I should avoid medication altogether? Could other types of antidepressants be effective or am I likely to have a similar reaction?
I am a 22 year old who was diagnosed with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder and adhd following high school graduation. I’m a super senior in undergrad because I spent most of university hating my life and hating myself for hating my life and experimenting with psych drug cocktails in hopes of fixing myself and resenting myself for seeking an external fix to internal problems that it seemed like nobody else struggled with. I felt like a weak person with no internal locus of control; I was mad at myself for not manning up basically. This is my last semester and I got fed up with Wellbutrin Adderall and Lexapro not solving my anxiety problem so I went to a psych and requested an anti-anxiety medication that wouldn’t increase my risk of dementia in 40 years like gabapentin. I had some hope, but propranolol has done more for me than I ever expected. I first noticed I wasn’t scared of checking out my groceries anymore, I used to dread the brief interactions with cashiers. Then I noticed I actually wanted to hang out with people and I didn’t have to force myself to perform for them. I don’t even feel like I have to roll back my opinions to please other people anymore. I can literally be mean if I want to because I don’t get psychic backlash from the idea that I’m inconveniencing anyone in any way. The craziest effect is that my motor skills have gotten better— art is my hobby and despite regularly training fundamentals I never improved. Suddenly I can make all these subtle motions with my wrist and my spacial reasoning is better. It’s like all of a sudden I’ve leapt over all these walls I thought I would never surpass. I feel like a blind person who woke up one day able to see. It’s just so incredible that a drug can do this and nobody ever talks about drugs being able to do this outside of infomercials, which come off as smarmy because they’re trying to sell you something. It’s more than I ever could have asked for. What is the catch. I’m having trouble accepting this. Does propranolol for anxiety wear off? It’s hard to find data on this since it’s an off label use of the drug.
This is my first reddit post so bear with me cause I don't really know how this works, but months ago I started getting songs stuck in my head pretty bad. This had happened to me a couple years ago but ended up going away pretty quickly, this time it has not. I know this isn't just like a regular earworm, I truly cannot function in my day to day life without blasting music in my ears, I'm actually typing this right now with music blaring. Whatever song I listen to last, a couple broken segments get involuntarily stuck in my head. I have never been diagnosed with any sort of ADHD or OCD but I know this can be associated with them, I would honestly consider myself to be a fairly healthy guy I just don't know what to do about this. It's to the point that I have to hide an airpod in my classes just so I can pay attention (very backwards I know). I I've tried all the dumb remedies like "chew gum", "listen to the song in full", "write the song down", none of those even come close to helping. I know there have been some studies that say some SSRI's have had positive effects, but I just wanted to ask if anyone has been in a similar spot and found medication that has given relief, I really cannot deal with day to day, it's insufferable. A big hobby of mine used to be reading, now that is mentally not possible anymore with how bad it is.
Hello… Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my story.
I (26F) am honestly just trying to wrap my head around what I have endured in the last few months. This post contains some brief medical history and a more in-depth exploration of the last 105 days of living through hell.
I have no idea where to even begin.
Technically, I have always struggled with my mental health.
Shout-out to the combo of crappy genetics and one severely traumatic childhood for that.
Please note: I am not going to delve too deep into the various diagnoses that have professionally been bestowed upon me … I have been in therapy for most of my life and what started out as MDD and ADHD when I was 12 or so, turned into ADHD, BPD, C-PTSD, OCD, and BiPolar II by 18 years old. This is not the entire list, but the most likely and prominent diagnoses.
Nevertheless… after an entire lifetime worth of therapists, counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, various psychiatric hospitals, and one long-term institutionalization stint … I was stable. I entered long term treatment in 2022 and until the end of 2025, I was doing so well (I think it is important to note all these previous psychiatric hospitals and the long term institutionalisation was all done through private hospitals and institutions).
I went from having to take an anti-depressant (I have been on various ones, but settled on Effexor/Venlorfaxine), mood stabilizers (always epitec), anti-psychotics (the best one was Arizofy but really did go through quite a few), and concentration medication (used to be on Concerta, now on Mefedinel) everyday as well as anti-anxiety (started with Stressam and Urbanol ... eventually Alzam, Ativan, and Etomine) and sleeping medication (Adco-Zolpidem) when necessary … to slowly and safely reducing that entire list to simply:
On this little combo … I was not only stable, I was happy.
On the 25th of December 2025:
I was 100% myself: stable and sane.
I was clean from self-harm … for over 4 years and 4 months.
My OCD was rough, but nothing out of the norm.
I had no suicidal thoughts or ideation.
No thoughts of harming myself.
I was happy and healthy.
On the 26th of December 2025:
I went to my normal pharmacy to pick up my Mefedinel prescription. However, they were out of stock. The pharmacist said she will give me Contramyl 36mg instead, and despite my hesitation she reassured me that the ingredients are exactly the same.
I left with the Contramyl 36mg, fully believing that there is no difference between Mefedinel and Contramyl.
Over the next few days, I proceeded to rapidly lose my mind.
I used all the skills I know, I tried my absolute best to not fall hopelessly into a deep, dark hole.
I actively gaslit myself into believing that it was not the meds, the pharmacist had successfully reassured me the meds would not do this …
I later learnt that Mefedinel is a schedule 6 medication, and if the pharmacist had followed the correct legalities and proper procedures regarding schedule 6 medication: she would have referred me straight back to my doctor. Due to the fact that Mefedinel is schedule 6: she was legally not allowed to just give me the next best option.
I would later learn that even though the ingredients are technically the exact same in Mefedinel and in Contramyl … the release mechanism is completely different. Mefedinel uses the OROS release mechanism and the Contramyl uses MUPS release mechanism.
I later learnt this could have caused a disruption in how my body absorbed all my psychiatric medication, which includes my life-line Effexor (Venlorfaxine) anti-depressant.
However, before learning all this, on the 03rd of January 2026:
I could not take it anymore.
I wrote the letters: some pathetic attempt at an explanation of how I was fine a few days ago but now, nothing is fine.
I ran myself a bath, I put on a song worth dying to on repeat, I indulged in some self-harm for old times sake, and then proceeded to drink a mixture of: anything that contained codeine, muscle relaxants, benzos, and some sleeping tablets. Altogether: roughly 50 pills.
Then, I wrapped, tied, and secured a rope around my neck.
Life faded to black and that is the last thing I remember …
I woke up over 40 hours later, in my bed, confused, dizzy, my neck hurt, and I was disorientated.
I was taken to the hospital.
Thus, on the 5th of January:
I was admitted into the emergency room.
The hospital that I was taken to is a government hospital based in the province I live in.
South Africa’s government hospitals are infamous for the diabolical conditions that patients have to endure there, but there were no other options, and I had only ever heard the horror stories… but experiencing it first-hand was traumatic to say the least ...
I spent 24 hours locked in that ER.
In those 24 hours, I witnessed, smelt, heard, and went through the unthinkable.
On the 06th of January 2026:
I left that godforsaken hospital with a new found sense of gratitude to just be out of that place.
Amidst all of that, I was under the delusion that citalopram was supposed to be taken as necessary. I knew what the doctor told me: it would help with my anxiety and panic attacks.
So over the span of 06 January – 17 March, I drank a total of 11 citalopram every now and then. When necessary.
However, I started experiencing weird things… I got diarrhea, my normally already trembling hands were shaking way worse than usual, my anxiety slowly but surely got worse and worse, I usually had no issues sleeping and all of a sudden I was basically a full blown insomniac, I started the experience intense rage, I lost all control over my emotional state, I started to suffer from muscle spasms, I would be resting and laying down with my heart beating faster than if I was actively running a marathon, I started to lose comprehension of what people were trying to say to me over messages and calls (I read/heard english but it was as though they were speaking a foreign language), I had to try focus not to let my jaw clench and lockup, I started getting paranoid about somehow being drugged without my knowledge.
Thanks to all my previous suicide attempts, I know what an overdose feels like … and I could not help but feel like I was slowly but surely overdosing … but I was not taking any drugs? I was not actively attempting to overdose on any substances?
While all these symptoms continuously just got worse, the more I felt the need to take something to help calm the severe anxiety and/or rage.
Eventually the dots connected …
Every time I took one of those citalopram “chill-pills”, the symptoms worsened and eventually became completely debilitating.
I thought maybe the citalopram had some severe rebound anxiety side-effect that was really affecting me badly. So I googled it …
Turns out citalopram is not a chill-pill, it is not a benzodiazepine, and it is not supposed to be taken ‘when necessary’.
Citalopram is an anti-depressant, it is an SSRI, and it is supposed to be drank daily.
But … I am already on an anti-depressant? The Effexor (Venlorfaxine) … my life line SNRI …
So I googled what happens if you are put on two different anti-depressants and that was when I learnt about the dangers of taking an SNRI and an SSRI simultaneously …
It is simply 1 too many S’s which leads to a little something called Serotonin Syndrome.
This explained all of these bizarre physical symptoms I had been experiencing.
This also explained why I had been suffering from such severe anxiety and agitation.
It explained why I felt like I was unknowingly and unintentionally overdosing.
It explained why I felt like I was dying, because Serotonin Syndrome can escalate from mild, to moderate, to severe, to fatal very quickly … and the only symptoms I did not have were: seizures, coma, and death.
Upon this realization, I cried … I cried, and I cried, and I cried.
I cried because I was not just losing my mind for no reason.
I cried because of that doctor that put me on an SSRI when she knew I was already on an SNRI.
I cried because I listened to that stupid pharmacist who convinced me changing from Mefedinel to Contramyl would not make any difference.
I cried because from the time of being discharged from hospital on the 06th of January until the 17th of March, I had only taken 11 citalopram pills. If I had drank them as I was supposed to: daily … I would have most likely been dead before the end of January.
I cried even more when I found out how serotonin syndrome is treated: with benzodiazepines.
I cried because I knew what I needed and despite thinking I was taking what I needed, I was unintentionally overdosing on serotonin.
I cried because I desperately needed help but the only options were either the same hospital that all the above trauma occurred in or a different government hospital, which none are any better.
I cried because I knew I would rather enter into the only three symptoms left on the list that I was not experiencing (seizures, coma, and death) than have to go back to that government hospital.
I cried because I would rather die, than have to go back there.
I cried because I was so severely chemically imbalanced that all I could do was cry.
Since then, I have been taking benzodiazepines (Urbanol 5mg) prescribed by a GP who is trying to help me recover and avoid hospitalization. I have started seeing a therapist at the counseling unit for the students at the university which I attend. I have also been referred to a psychiatrist and my appointment is scheduled for the 13th of May.
It is currently only the 11th of April.
The current dilemma is that I am still taking my usual SNRI, the Effexor, that I have been taking for years and years now.
As far as I understand, after serotonin syndrome, one should immediately discontinue all serotonergic medication, which would include the Effexor.
However, withdrawals from Effexor are a known nightmare and should only be done extremely slowly, and under doctor’s strict supervision.
So do I continue overexposing my poor little serotonin fried brain with the effexor (SNRI) and attempt to balance it with benzodiazepines ?...
Do I start to taper off the effexor and face simultaneous serotonin syndrome recovery as well as effexor withdrawals?...
I have no idea what to do.
I have no idea what the future holds.
I just know for now: drink the effexor, drink the benzos, deal with the insomnia, deal with the diarrhea, deal with the crippling anxiety, deal with the intense rage, deal with it, and hope I somehow survive til the 13th of May.
Just know that if I have to choose between being admitted into a government hospital again and death … the choice has already been made: I will happily accept defeat and death as long as I never have to go back to that hospital.
Thank you for taking time to read my story. I appreciate it.
patient M21 manic and in psychosis.
diagnosed 13 yo with generalized anxiety disorder
known for heavy cannabis usage since teens
got prescribed 30 mg citalopram
didnt discontinue heavy cannabis use?
this is me in 2017. i got bipolar type 1 diagnosis.
but in the DMS isnt it said that if psychosis is substance-induced it cannot be bipolar diagnosis?
37F, approximately 5’6, 180 lbs,
Medications: Zoloft, Caplyta, magnesium glycinate, L-theanine, prenatal multivitamin.
I have a history of anxiety and depression, currently managed with medication. For some time now I’ve been experiencing what I can only describe as “air hunger” — a persistent sensation that I cannot get a satisfying breath, like I’m not inhaling deeply enough no matter how hard I try. It does not feel like shortness of breath in the traditional sense; I’m not gasping or unable to speak. It’s more of a compulsion to take a deep breath, and even when I do, it only provides brief relief.
It tends to be worse when I’m at rest, sitting quietly, or trying to fall asleep. I know anxiety can cause this, and I suspect that’s a significant factor, but I’m wondering if there’s anything else worth ruling out or whether there are interventions beyond what I’m already doing for anxiety management.
No chest pain, no wheezing, no coughing, no fainting. No known cardiac or pulmonary history.
Is this purely anxiety-driven? Should I be pushing for any specific workup?
I'd like to know if it is possible to develop BPD at 23 years of age, considering an already existing vulnerability to some of the symptoms since teenagehood. Thanks!
I,19 year old male, have recently been having recurring episodes that I can’t quite place even after doing a bit of research. For context, The episodes started around a year ago and have happened every month since then at roughly the same time each month usually occurring during night. The episodes start with me seeing dark figures in my peripheral about every minute or so with an intense sense of fear whenever I see one, along with this I get a rush of emotion: sad, happy, empathetic and so on. This goes on for about an hour until suddenly I end up on the floor; my memory is always fuzzy on how I get to the floor, but when I’m there I start laughing uncontrollably for no reason at all, and I start kicking my legs involuntarily back and forth almost like I’m riding a bike. Lights seem brighter like my vision is engulfed in light, and sometimes I see small black dots all over. My thoughts are all jumbled and confused and I find my self thinking things like “what’s happening to me” and “why am I laughing I want this to stop”. This entire part lasts for around 1-2 minutes until I eventually am able to stand up. Afterwards my mind goes foggy with my legs aching and my body tired/fatigued; I would best describe this part as feeling tipsy as I’m still slightly giggly as well. Eventually I fall asleep and when I wake up all of the symptoms are gone. My memory of the entire episode is usually very bad with me only remembering the things that I described even though I feel like there was much more happening. I have a psychiatrist and he is quite stumped as well since the whole scenario is very bizarre; he is leaning towards migraines but I have never felt pain in my head or had a visual migraine like aura. I have other pre existing mental health issues like depression, OCD, and anxiety but none of those explain what is happening here. If you have any idea what this could be then please let me know since every time it gets slightly worse and I’m worried it could evolve into something critical🙏
These are her current meds:
🗓️ Medication Schedule
🌅 Morning
• Fanapt 4 mg – 1 tablet
• Metformin HCl 1000 mg – 1 tablet
• Trifluoperazine HCl 10 mg – ½ tablet
• Benztropine Mesylate 1 mg – 1 tablet
• Xanax 2 mg – 1 tablet
• Losartan Potassium 100 mg – 1 tablet
• Vitamin B12 1000 mcg – 1 tablet
• Clonidine 0.1 mg – 1 tablet
⸻
☀️ Afternoon
• Benztropine Mesylate 1 mg – 1 tablet
• Xanax 2 mg – 1 tablet
• Clonidine 0.1 mg – 1 tablet
• Ibuprofen 800 mg (PRN) – as needed
⸻
🌙 Night (Bedtime)
• Fluvoxamine Maleate 100 mg – 3 tablets
• Fanapt 4 mg – 1 tablet
• Doxepin 100 mg – 2 capsules
• Doxepin HCl 50 mg – 1 capsule (taken with 200 mg dose)
• Trifluoperazine HCl 10 mg – 1 tablet
• Benztropine Mesylate 1 mg – 1 tablet
• Xanax 2 mg – 1 tablet
• Metformin HCl 1000 mg – 1 tablet
• Lipitor 40 mg – 1 tablet
She recently went to the hospital after being prescribed Methocarbamol 1000 mg 4×/day and a z pack for back pain. Her symptoms were slurring, confusion, dizziness, and her face look mildly swollen. She’s 65. The ER ruled out strokes or anything else but noted she’s dehydrated.
Did she have a bad interaction from the added meds? Is this list way too many sedatives? I want to ask her doctors to reduce something if I can. It seems like so many to me and her PCP and Psych docs don’t have access to each other’s stuff besides what my mom tells them.
So after tons of uncertainty, stress and disrupted sleeps for everyone, residents of my entire apartment building have moved across the way to a new, replacement building. Exceptional good luck, it replaces the old mouse-house building being torn down.
While waiting for the movers though, I suddenly began questioning if what I believed I'd been doing all morning was real, or a dream. Did I just wake up?
Started to freak out, really unclear what was real- called my Dr, told reception I was stressed and moving and everything - and going to increase my risperdal- she quickly handed off the call to a mental health case worker who asked some simple questions I couldn't remember the answers to, crying, and then walked me thru a grounding exercise, one I am familiar with (5 things you can feel, 4 things etc). I was mostly ok then, the call ended.
but I don't know what happened. Can anyone clarify? I have not had psychosis in decades, confused and concerned
The reason I'm asking is because I've had bad insomnia unresponsive to many medications except those two.
The issue with mirtazapine is the weight gain which could eventually lead to metabolic effects.
The issue with benzodiazepines is that they can cause tolerance, dependence, cognitive effects, and withdrawal is severe. However, they don't cause metabolic effects.
I'm honestly at a loss. What should I choose?
I’m a 28-year-old female. I have had compulsive masturbation since before age 10, continuing into adulthood (about 2–3 times daily).
My childhood involved physical abuse, bullying, and sexual trauma (I do not clearly remember). I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder (depressive type), OCD, anxiety, and ADHD combined type, and I have tried multiple therapies and medications without success.
Before these episodes, I experience strong physical symptoms such as lightheadedness, palpitations, flushed cheeks, and tremor. Afterward, I feel relief.
I’m looking for insight into what this could be linked to and what treatment approaches are recommended when standard therapies and medications have not worked.
Hello, I’ve recently started taking Vyvanse for ADHD and anxiety but I’m dealing with increased anxiety so I take it infrequently (I don’t take it on days I have work). The only anti anxiety benefit I have at the moment is no morning wake up anxiety/adrenaline dumps.
I’ve seen a few replies on posts asking about why SNRIs or Stimulants are prescribed to anxiety sufferers or adhd people (comorbid as well) and I’ll paraphrase them for context:
Why are noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors prescribed to anxious people?
An increase in noradrenaline can initially cause anxiety, but through consistent use noradrenaline receptors are down regulated and thus anxiety is decreased.
Is the above statement accurate? Obviously it’s not written with nuanced scientific processes in mind.
I have brief visual hallucinations. I read that visual hallucinations are unusual for mental illness, and that auditory hallucinations are more typical. is it really that odd to have visual ones?
Hello, my name is Gonçalo. I am 20 years old and I am from Portugal. In the last month of 2024, I found out I have depression and have tried a couple of times to end my life. With medical help and some medicine, I am feeling quite a bit better now, and my last attempt was about 6 or 7 months ago.
Recently, I started having this nightmare that some entity is watching me, and somehow that fills me with a lot of fear. But things don’t end there. After a few weeks like that, the nightmare “evolved” and started pulling me from my bed. Last night, for the first time, I saw the entity. It was all black with no face, and it grabbed me like I was a bride and wouldn’t let me go.
What do you think? I am going to talk about it to my therapist, but I wanted your opinion