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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   783 thread views

Wellness Wednesday for September 2, 2026

The Wednesday Wellness threads are meant to encourage users to ask for and provide advice and motivation to improve their lives. It isn't intended as a 'containment thread' and any content which could go here could instead be posted in its own thread. You could post:

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Does anyone have experience with short-term use of psychotropic medications (SSRI's, Benzos, etc.)? I have experienced an absurd amount of situational stress and grief over the past few weeks - long story, very tragic - and am looking for a little chemical help to make it more bearable. However, I don't want to be on them for very long and I know that coming off meds can be difficult once you start. Anyone have personal background? And yes, I'm trying to make lifestyle changes but any advice there would help as well. Appreciate it.

Try to get through this phase without chemicals, if at all possible.

The SSRIs are basically not better than placebos and come with sometimes dangerous side effects like suicidality (and no, this is not from 'increased energy').

A benzo will work to take the edge off, but it's basically like drinking a shot of alcohol. They're very habit forming and addictive. And so is alcohol, obviously.

Now might be a very auspicious time to take up a serious meditation practice. Try an hour a day for a while, if you can carve out the time. It works. You don't have to laser focus on the breath or anything. You can 'do nothing' and just let feelings and mental constructs come and go. You can also conjure up feelings of loving-kindness and caring for yourself and others. This is called metta. It may be useful to you in this situation.

SSRIs are better than placebo, though the Number Needed To Treat (vs placebo) is an unimpressive sounding 5-7. Well, at least they're not as bad as statins.

This is me being a mild pedant, rather than disagreeing with you. They're not the best choice for him, as I've said down thread. They're still a better idea than... benzos and booze.

In all honesty, @ratherblather, the best thing for you would be to go on vacation. Or simply just get away from it all for a bit. I know, that probably sounds less than appealing, but I think it'll do a little good anyway.

I have meditated in the past and I agree, it's helpful. Thanks for the suggestion.

Don't.

It's very likely to make things worse.

I've seen people go down that exact road to permanent addlement or an early grave.

I went on an SSRI in college when I was very suicidal. I probably would have killed myself without it so I am grateful that I was put on it, but I stayed on it for too long. I finally told my doctor I wanted off them when I was feeling much better about things, probably after being on them for 5 years or so. She halved my dose and then I just quit them without consulting her (I wouldn't advise others do it that way but I just wanted the agency to choose for myself.) I am generally wary of weirdo psychological drugs but if you are going to kill yourself or are a danger to yourself in some way I do think they can help. I had a few weird side effects going on them and similar weird side effects coming off them, and felt some brain fog while on them which is mostly why I wanted to stop, but I don't think the side effects were really bad and I didn't have enough trouble coming off them that I even remember what it was like.

Weed? If it’s legal where you are.

Weed triggers ridiculous anxiety for me and a lot of other people I know anecdotally, absolutely would not recommend starting for stress or grief relief imo

It would take at least 2 weeks for SSRIs to typically show effect. 5-6 if you want to really know if they're working.

Benzos? Aww man, there are very few problems that are worth starting benzos to handle. A short course is unlikely to be addictive, but if you end up addicted? You'll regret it. If you're using them expressly to relax or numb the pain, that drastically increases the risk of becoming reliant on them in the long run.

There are less legal options (presuming you even find someone willing to prescribe the above for you, at least for sounds like a grief reaction or bereavement). I'm not going to endorse them.

Raw-dogging things is probably net positive in expectation. I understand if that doesn't prove feasible. Good luck, and I hope you get through this.

2 weeks

Isn't this for the depression score improvements?

I've taken Sertraline recently for my own 'reasons' and the frequently described 'emotional blunting' was a welcome relief in a matter of days.

Emotional blunting is common enough, but can take a variable amount of time to show up, typically a week or two. I would not rely on SSRIs to induce it, most people never experience that "issue".

Alcohol is usually the go-to for this kind of thing, I think. Beer is easiest to maintain a functional but mood-elevated state, cocktails work the quickest, or wine to stimulate an appetite.

Lol, thanks. As a part of the aforementioned "lifestyle changes" I'm cutting out alcohol for the time being, actually. I would normally agree!

And plan to replace it with benzos?

I'm not going to follow through with that - it was an idea, is all.

SSRIs are intended for long-term use vs. depression, not short-term use vs. sadness-inducing events. They don't even start working until a month has passed (authoritative article, personal experience).

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