Mental Health Support Society XVIII

Got prescribed a new antipsychotic. Checked over the side effect list; weight gain - of course - and some others which seem unique to this particular antipsychotic. For example oral hypoesthesia which should be interesting. Also dry mouth and diabetes both of which I'd really like to avoid. I hate this.

It's also over $1200 a month so if my insurance doesn't agree to pay a significant amount I'll be back at the doc's for something else anyway.

I have my first induction tomorrow and I'm terrifed. I have PTSD and it makes me very socially anxious and find it hard to be in certain spaces and having to sit still when I am so anxious. It means I clam up and don't say anything. I get this very very intense urge to run and I don't seem to calm down until I am walking fast and alone.

I need to make it through though, it's my dream to go back to uni, my life's been a total shambles the last few years, which makes small talk very hard too.
I would really like to make friends but not sure I'll be able to. But I need to be able to attend. The disability office have been really nice and supportive so I can get away with a few absences but really I need to attend.

If I can't do this it will be the most expensive mistake I've ever made. Also worried I'm not smart enough.

Do any of you guys avoid family members who don't know about your mental illness and keep pestering you about doing things?

I feel kind of bad but at the same time, I can't be dealing with them right now!

I just pretend to be asleep when they come over lol.

Everyone here always has support for their problems, in the form of a family member/friend or at least counselling, but I don't have any of that. Have to deal with all my problems on my own.

x

It is definitely worth reporting. Nobody has the right to abuse you and get away with it!







I hope it works out for you . Remember none of the side effects are guaranteed, and things like weight gain can be kept under control by having a healthy diet and exercising. None of them are pleasant but it beats having to deal with the symptoms that the medication will (hopefully!) treat.
You also have the option of swapping at any point.
$1200 per month is a lot!!! Are you from the USA?



I hope your induction goes well . Remember self care is very important in these times! Don't force yourself to do anything just because you feel like you should.

so if you know of any good dairy free ice-creams, tell me pls.

The Alpro ones are really good! Ben & Jerry's have also brought out some dairy free flavours!

To answer your question in your previous post, I do exactly that. Same with family friends. Unless my parents harass me to interact with people I just don't because it always somehow gets back to "what are you doing since you finished university?" - nothing. But I can't tell them that, can I?

Kind of funny, same thing just happened now. Family friend came round and my dad came upstairs and begged me to come downstairs to speak to them (they knew I was awake because I was listening to music on my speakers) and I had to spin some ******** about stuff, because I find it embarrassing. :/

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Extension of the above meeting. TW for PTSD abuse stuff.

What you've described definitely sounds like abuse. It's easy for others to downplay what you've experienced because they have not personally experienced it... but that doesn't make any of it less valid.

It sucks when family & family friends come over to visit... I get that they are only interesting in our lives but I wish there was a way for them to not be so intrusive about it. Can they just talk about anything other than me? Lol...
My worst family member for this is my Grandad... and my dad gets offended when I don't go down to see him because he gives me money every week and has done so much for our family. I just can't deal with some of the comments he makes though!

I know why he downplayed it - he doesn't know everything about what's gone on with my dad. But like he knows bits and pieces, e.g. that I've had to call the police on my dad, etc. But it still makes my brain do the whole spiel about "you're exaggerating" thing anyway. I hate it haha.

Yes! Exactly! It's awful. And they keep talking about the future like it's going to be amazing, and I don't see how that can be a thing for me. So it makes me more depressed. like yay more flashbacks, nightmares and worsening physical health, yipee.
Sorry to hear you struggle with it too though, does your grandad know how it affects you? Have you spoken to your dad about it?

I hope it works out for you . Remember none of the side effects are guaranteed, and things like weight gain can be kept under control by having a healthy diet and exercising. None of them are pleasant but it beats having to deal with the symptoms that the medication will (hopefully!) treat.
You also have the option of swapping at any point.
$1200 per month is a lot!!! Are you from the USA?

The problem with some antipsychotics is that they seem to mess with your metabolism so even with healthy eating and exercising doesn't avoid weight gain, I do both anyway but I'm already overweight so really can't afford to gain more. Plus, I have a prolactinoma (prolactin secreting tumor) so antipsychotics that increase prolactin are a big no for me which really limits what I can take. I live in the US, yeah, that's how much new drugs cost though hopefully my insurance will agree to help pay for it and I shouldn't have to pay more than $25.

How are you getting on?

I hate it when they say things like "you have your whole life ahead of you" like noooooo, that doesn't make me feel better haha.

My Grandad doesn't even know that I am mentally ill but I don't know how I can tell him. My family's way of dealing with things is just ignoring them and pretending nothing is wrong. My Grandad would no doubt say that I should be earning money even if I am mentally ill. My GP would say otherwise lmao.
My dad said that my Grandad has always been very work-focused and passionate about earning as much money as possible.
He is coming over later but I am going to go shopping with "friends" aka myself to avoid having to hear him talking about me being unemployed lmao.