Hi everyone,
I frequently read LongeCity forums, so much quantities of information! But this is my first post.
I am 40, battling since childhood with:
Depression, anxiety (social phobia and GAD), OCD (mainly intrusive thoughts, sometimes compulsive checking).
It is really incapacitating. No job. Life as a social outcast.
My goal writing this post is to find new tracks to heal myself. By telling you my reactions to several substances.
I should learn by myself but at the moment, I don't have the intellectual capacities to do so. I feel drained.
There are some scientists on this site, maybe something will be obvious for them...
-I tried TMG recently and it worsens my depression.
-I also feel very bad when I take some antihistamine (Because I have sometimes urticaria/hives when I am not on Escitalpram, without any known allergy).
-I took Escitalopram for several years. It was helping me, even at low dose like 5mg. But I had to stop and don't actually have access to prescription drug. I am clearly less "clever" with it but the relief is real.
-Benzos don't do nothing to me. Or really light relief.
-I feel better using Phenibut, but it doesn't last long and I just take it once a week.
-Feel better with St john wort but it makes me too manic.
-Bacopa: Anxiety and depression are badly worsened if I take it more than a week.
-Gotu kola: Helps me but my nose and mouth become so dry it hurts me.
-I take Lithium orotate 5mg a day since 6 months and I think it helps me. Not really sure but I think it helps me not going too low in despair.
-Theanine each days with a mild calming effect. Maybe I should take more. Actually about 500mg each days.
-I also feel bad after the midday meal. Depressed, anxious, Feeling 'Unreal'.
-I exercise regularly and love sport but days after an intense session of running/swimming/weight training are awful. I can feel the "exercise high" but only for few hours. After that I feel so bad, really depressed and anxious for days.
-Tryptophane/taurine/tyrosine one day each in a week. I am not sure if it helps. Beside making me sleepy, I take it before sleep.
-Pregnenolone, 10mg one time a week since a month. Have had swelling of the face two times since I have begun it. Think it is maybe the cause. No other effect.
Tried without noticeable effects:
Methylcobalamin B12 2.5mg 4 times a week since a month.
Choline, holy basil, ashwaghanda...
I also take multi-vitamin, turmeric, ginkgo...
Talking therapy with psychologists were useful but psychological blockages are still here...
I am also practicing mindfulness.
Do these reactions reveal something about my brain physiology?
Thank you for reading.