I am shocked

Hi! This is my first Reddit post. I needed somewhere to express how I’m feeling on mental health medication, specifically Prozac, for the first time.

So I’ve been severely depressed for about two years now and I finally had the courage to reach out to a healthcare professional about it. My doctor recommended Prozac because it’s not supposed to cause weight gain which I’ve spent my life struggling with.

The first day or two I didn’t realize much of anything besides my head feeling floaty and a bit weird.

Days 3-5 ish I experienced extreme fatigue and I slept anywhere from 10-14 hours of the day. This really worried me because I thought this was supposed to give me energy, not drop it to nothing.

However after this, the fatigue waned, I still have spells where I’ll get tired and end up taking a nap during the day, but it’s only for about an hour.

On to the positive effects I’ve been experiencing. You guys, I know the results are not this immediate for most people, but I think this medication really works for my brain.

I have ALWAYS struggled with mundane tasks, specifically hygiene, like taking showers and brushing teeth. Since taking this medicine, it’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders in regards to this. I am doing these activities everyday and it’s not taking even a fraction of the energy it used to feel was required for such things.

I have also started including more physical activity into my day, at least 30 minutes because I have the energy and motivation to do so. It’s not such a hassle anymore and I’m finding joy in things like music and dancing. Fun ways for me to move my body.

I’ve also never had a positive relationship with food. I’m a binge eater and it’s continuously gotten worse over the years. Now however, it’s crazy! The obsession with food has lessened an EXTREME amount. I of course still get hungry and eat 3 meals with snacks but that it!! Even the portion sizes im eating have gotten smaller because I feel no compulsion to eat until my stomach feels tight. This is the most positive change for me.

I am consistently happy for the first time in such a long time that most nights before I go to bed, I want to cry because I never thought this was possible. I’d gotten so comfortable in my depression I couldn’t even dream of feeling like this but I’m so grateful and so excited to see how I progress with this new lifestyle.

This post is for anyone who feels like I did. You deserve to feel better. You deserve to have energy and motivation to take care of yourself. Please reach out and talk to someone. Even if it’s not Prozac, I hope your healthcare professional can find something that might make everyday just a little bit easier for you❤️

Thank you for coming to my very long TED talk😂