Hey all,
So my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer last year. At first I was anxious all the time but very vigilant, never letting myself get knocked down or upset about it for too long. I was always resilient and proactive, pushing myself to do more and to go out and socialize and be a positive support for my dad. The last 4 months, something changed. I feel emotionally numb and fogged down. I don't get anxious or feel excited by anything like I used to. I feel like my thoughts/thinking slowed. It's kind of like something inside me left, that drive and resilience. I should also mention that after my dad's diagnosis, I drank consistently at nights (it did not interfere with school, work, or relationships) as a way to cope. The negative symptoms I started experiencing the last 4 months happened after I cut back on drinking and going out for a month or two. I've noticed that when I do drink heavily, the next day I feel a LOT better and more focused/more myself. I did some reading on here and someone mentioned that the glutamate rebound may be a factor. Does this mean I'm glutamate deficient?
I am doing cognitive behavioral therapy and it's helping but I would really like to balance my chemicals with diet and supplementation. Do any of you have an idea of what might be off and why a hangover makes me feel better? Is there anything I can do to mimic this feeling without having to drink heavily?
I really appreciate your help.
Best,
-A
