Three years ago, gosh. I was at my aunt’s, on the second night of starting an anti-depressant medication. My brain – it felt like I was I was on acid. She keeps a drawer of at least 20 different bagged tisanes, and I remember packing 1 of each with me to take on my bus ride back to the city a few days later. I couldn’t handle caffeine while my system became tolerant to the first few weeks of the medication. After that round of anti-depressants, I vowed to never to take them again. I learned a lot during that period. TMI? I don’t care.
Bought a box for work, for the cold season. Brought a few bags home.
I’m a fan of turmeric, but this just tastes too savory for me. Like old curry powder, where the only thing that stands out is brothy, flat turmeric. It lacks the mellowed ginger-like spicy bite and earthy warmth of fresh, dried turmeric root. As stated in my note from three years ago, the vanilla is not enough. Cinnamon and cardamom, where are you? Rooibos and honeybush, you, too.
Numi teas, you’re not worth the price.
Piggybacking on CrowKettle’s recent Tame Impala selection:
Tame Impala – Let It Happen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ed6UeDp1ek
headphones highly suggested
Comments
First week with pills like that are always, always awful. I remember my first month like it is yesterday. Awful experience, indeed.
Awful getting on and super awful, for many of them, getting off. One wonders whether the in-between time really is worth it. For some, it may be. However, Research has shown that daily meditation has exactly the same efficacy rate. I’ll go with that.
The initial side effects and withdrawals are horrendous. I’m not sure which was worse between the mania, insomnia and shits in the beginning, or the brain zaps, nystagmus and Parkinson’s-like shakes during withdrawal.
I’ve always struggled with recognizing when I’m feeling emotions. So many years of ‘all brain, no heart.’ I had gotten heavily into tea a few months before starting medication and joining Steepster. Sitting multiple times daily with tea became a wonderful diversion and meditation tool. Support systems are key, and listening to yourself. Not listening to or denying your essence leads to cognitive dissonance, which in my case, has been the source of major depressions. I have my own woo-woo theory on the neurological mechanisms that manifest major depression through cognitive dissonance but I am surely no neuroscientist, so I keep that to myself.
I hope the both of you are doing well, and anybody else who might read this note in the future. Let it happen.
Thank you, derk. Likewise.
Agreed. Listening to self and being aware of what is going on with self is essential.
A very sweet entertaining easy to read book on this theme—How to Be Miserable—40 strategies you already use by Randy Paterson. Recommend.
I am finding Therapy In A Nutshell on youtube helpful. I have notes everywhere…let yourself feel your feelings. Feelings change and they won’t last forever. Feelings are not good or bad, they teach us something if we let them. We can not protect ourselves from every bad emotion – grief, pain, fear, and we get anxious if we try to prevent them entirely. Gratitude is important and can be practiced. Look for beauty and focus on it for a few minutes each day. Awe and wonder do a lot for our mental state. And for me – breathe. That has been a biggie for derailing the runaway train. Those are just my takeaways and perhaps oversimplified, but are a few of the things that have helped.
Evol: that book sounds like something I would enjoy!
Wow, I love you, guys! This is my support group right here!
Ashmanra, those are excellent tips. Thank you.
Re book, yes. I think you would enjoy it. Parts are hilarious. I think every household should have one. Google it. You can read a few pages of it on Amazon.
And. <3. <———heart to all y’all.
I’ve started listening to ashmanra’ s playlist and here is some you mentioned, derk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1RETMlk8rc
At least you can say you tried the medication? but it’s definitely a tricky balance for every person on if a med is hurting more than helping. At least you found tea, Steepster and my favorite Tame Impala song. :D
Some great words in here. I’ve been struggling in particular lately and this all resonates. Sometimes we forget the simple things we need to be human. So like you all said, breathing, meditation, gratitude, supporting, feeling and accepting, and plenty more (drinking good tea?). Still figuring out the full list myself!
And I third that. These are difficult days. Community helps. Tea people, generally speaking, are good people.
First week with pills like that are always, always awful. I remember my first month like it is yesterday. Awful experience, indeed.
Awful getting on and super awful, for many of them, getting off. One wonders whether the in-between time really is worth it. For some, it may be. However, Research has shown that daily meditation has exactly the same efficacy rate. I’ll go with that.
The initial side effects and withdrawals are horrendous. I’m not sure which was worse between the mania, insomnia and shits in the beginning, or the brain zaps, nystagmus and Parkinson’s-like shakes during withdrawal.
I’ve always struggled with recognizing when I’m feeling emotions. So many years of ‘all brain, no heart.’ I had gotten heavily into tea a few months before starting medication and joining Steepster. Sitting multiple times daily with tea became a wonderful diversion and meditation tool. Support systems are key, and listening to yourself. Not listening to or denying your essence leads to cognitive dissonance, which in my case, has been the source of major depressions. I have my own woo-woo theory on the neurological mechanisms that manifest major depression through cognitive dissonance but I am surely no neuroscientist, so I keep that to myself.
I hope the both of you are doing well, and anybody else who might read this note in the future. Let it happen.
Thank you, derk. Likewise.
Agreed. Listening to self and being aware of what is going on with self is essential.
A very sweet entertaining easy to read book on this theme—How to Be Miserable—40 strategies you already use by Randy Paterson. Recommend.
I am finding Therapy In A Nutshell on youtube helpful. I have notes everywhere…let yourself feel your feelings. Feelings change and they won’t last forever. Feelings are not good or bad, they teach us something if we let them. We can not protect ourselves from every bad emotion – grief, pain, fear, and we get anxious if we try to prevent them entirely. Gratitude is important and can be practiced. Look for beauty and focus on it for a few minutes each day. Awe and wonder do a lot for our mental state. And for me – breathe. That has been a biggie for derailing the runaway train. Those are just my takeaways and perhaps oversimplified, but are a few of the things that have helped.
Evol: that book sounds like something I would enjoy!
Wow, I love you, guys! This is my support group right here!
Ashmanra, those are excellent tips. Thank you.
Re book, yes. I think you would enjoy it. Parts are hilarious. I think every household should have one. Google it. You can read a few pages of it on Amazon.
And. <3. <———heart to all y’all.
I’ve started listening to ashmanra’ s playlist and here is some you mentioned, derk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1RETMlk8rc
At least you can say you tried the medication? but it’s definitely a tricky balance for every person on if a med is hurting more than helping. At least you found tea, Steepster and my favorite Tame Impala song. :D
Some great words in here. I’ve been struggling in particular lately and this all resonates. Sometimes we forget the simple things we need to be human. So like you all said, breathing, meditation, gratitude, supporting, feeling and accepting, and plenty more (drinking good tea?). Still figuring out the full list myself!
Also, good song. I listened to it a lot during my junior year in college.
We are all just a message away if you need it. I open that to anyone on here who may need it.
I second that, mrmopar. I’m grateful for all of you kind and friendly listeners.
And I third that. These are difficult days. Community helps. Tea people, generally speaking, are good people.
I fourth it! I am a listening ear if needed.
Never TMI when figuring out health stuff. There’s a lot of wisdom and experience in the Steepster community~
Thanks for being a Tame Impala buddy :)