Anti depressants.
 

Has anyone had success with antidepressants?

I've probably spent at least 2 hours a day since my incident googling symptoms and trying to figure out what is wrong with me. So I suppose it's safe to say I'm a little ocd.

I've also always been a very anxious and impatient guy, and at only two months into this with no relent in sight, I thought this might be worth a try. Especially since I feel like my incessant worrying is likely very detrimental to my healing process.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads

Hi Miller,

I think what you're going through is very similar to what I (and likely many of the community) went through at 2 months. During the first 6 months of my recovery, anxiousness, anxiety, concrete thinking, and impulsivity were major issues. Now at 20 months, some of these still are problematic, but the intensity and frequency are reduced. Whilst some of this reduction is likely due to the healing process, antidepressants also helped.

In my case, I started them at 5 months but likely should've been put on them earlier. Now at 20 months, I've been on and off a number of them and continue to have them altered. They take a long time to determine their full efficacy (6-8 weeks) and their are some unpleasant side effects. I'm not sure their for everyone, but they have offered me some pain reduction (note: not elimination).

I hope things get better for you sooner than later. Take time to recovery properly, and don't push things... I did this and made things far more difficult.

Recommended to me today by my GP. I won't know how they work for a few weeks.

You might experience worse headaches during the first week or two; I've noticed this with every A/D I've tried.

Good luck!

Miller,

I am naturally a very worrisome perfectionist and this pcs has driven those traits off the charts in me!

Learning how not to worry and to recognize/stop worry as it appears has been the battle
Of my life.

I was explaining to my wife this morning that I have a very difficult time recognizing the difference between what I actually can't physically do vs. what anxiety is lying to me about not being able to do currently. I would have never guessed when my accident happened it would turn into such a complex recovery.

Sometimes I get down and other times I get excited about the challenge because I see the possibility of a much more calm realistic person.

Best of life to you!

Bud

Bud... well said. On a daily basis, I'm challenged with cautiously trying to push my mind, while at the same time guessing what I can tolerate, what the consequences will be for me, my wife, and my children. At times this is completely overwhelming, particularly when I have the disability provider, Occupational therapist, family doc, Neurologists, and Psychiatrists are telling me what to do. Knowing how little I can currently tolerate without days/weeks of recovery, this process has been incredibly stressful. Hopefully you guys cope with this better than I have... Good times.

If you can roll with things, I think the recovery is easier.

As was discussed on a different thread, we need to learn to recognize the early signs of over-doing it or pushing too hard. There are signs that precede the level of effort that causes a relapse of symptoms.