Re: Starting fluoxetine, very scared
Bear in mind that most of us were terrified to begin an SSRI. Some years ago, in another tour of SSRI duty, I remember having the bottle sitting there on the shelf for months before starting There is a natural fear of becoming 'weird' and somebody noticing that; fear of side-effects; fear of not being able to come off... fear of fear...! Just remember that anxiety breeds anxiety, and you need to break that cycle.
Now is the time to be bold and courageous. Yes there will be side effects, but these are well documented and if you take the time to read about other people's experiences, you'll know what to expect and can prepare yourself. Most of the side-effects are temporary (weeks) and are more or less the same for almost everybody.
I strongly recommend having a support network immediately. this should include a competent doc with experience in SSRI treatments and with whom you have full medical disclosure. I also recommend having full disclosure with a therapist; it is important to have that extra pair of ears to hear what you're going through and provide some reliable points of reference and a few things to think about. In addition to those two, I think you should also have side-effect disclosure with at least one additional friend or family member... someone who knows and understands that you'll need some check-ins and encouragement. By that I mean, that person doesn't necessarily need to know the gory details about what's driving your A/D, but should know that you're trying some meds to help with moods and that you expect a few weeks of rough times. That's what I would consider a minimal support group that you will need. And then there is this site In addition to that, some other good things would be a personal trainer or at least gym accompanist to help motivate you through some physical exercise, which can be very beneficial with regard to serotonin. And maybe an old person to have tea with. And a dog or cat... Bottom line, make sure you have a good social network! That will help you through and speed your recovery.
Realize that many people like to feel helpful and can step up for you, if you let them know what to expect and what you'll need.
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"Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux" (Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better) - Émile Coué
"If you are going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill
"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." - Ralph Waldo Emerson