Pristiq withdrawal, like withdrawal from many other antidepressants, can be a bitch. However, because Pristiq isn’t an addictive drug, it’s not quite called withdrawal — it’s actually called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Thankfully, it only appears in about 20% of people, so if you’re taking Pristiq, you shouldn’t be as worried about it as you might be. Pristiq, also known as desvenlafaxine, is an antidepressant that…
Have you been asking yourself lately, “Am I depressed?” It’s a much more common question than you might think. Depression is a serious (though treatable) mental illness that comes in many different forms. Unfortunately, the media, television, and popular culture oftentimes make depression look a certain way (ie, someone who never showers or gets out of bed). If you’re wondering if you’re suffering from depression,…
You would be amazed what repressed emotions can do to your body and your mind. When I was a kid, I experienced all kinds of strange stomach problems, ranging from bloating, constipation, to feeling overweight and unhappy. I had gone to multiple doctors and specialists, tried a variety of diets, everything from gluten-free to keto to FOD maps. I tried different kinds of exercise routines.…
Brain Awareness Month is this June, and while the emphasis is on raising awareness for Alzheimer’s and dementia, it’s important to note overall brain health and how we can take preventative actions. When we think of mental health, we might get so focused on the brain that we forget external factors and how we take care of our bodies can be just as important as…
What Is Suicide Contagion? Suicide contagion (also known as “copycat suicide”) is a social phenomenon where portrayals of suicide in the media (such as in newspapers, news television, and entertainment) can facilitate more deaths by suicide due to the images and wording used. Suicide researcher David Phillips coined the term the “Werther Effect,” a name derived from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s novel, The Sorrows of…
This article originally appeared on The Quad, the Student News Service of West Chester University. 13 Reasons Why Review | Unrealistic It’s no secret that people have been raving about the new Netflix original series, “13 Reasons Why.” There are countless listicles and articles on social media that both put this show on a pedestal and tear it apart. I’m going to do neither, and…
I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and when people ask me how to be in a relationship with anxiety — that is, how to be in a relationship with someone who has anxiety disorders — the first thing I think about is this: Patience. Being in a Relationship With Anxiety Requires Patience The hardest thing for me to…
Today, we’re asking the question, “Is Seroquel Addictive?” And yes you guessed it, I’m going to share my extensive experience with being a bipolar addict in recovery who is currently prescribed Seroquel. Also, we’ll look at what the experts are saying about the addictive potential of Seroquel. There’s a recovery joke going around, and it goes something like this, “Hey, what’s your DOC? Well, right…
Last time I wrote an introduction to what an eating disorder is — I feel it’s only appropriate to show the consequences of eating disorders. I’m 34 and a Chinese American female who has not only suffered two decades of an eating disorder but also over a decade of drug abuse. From coke to heroin and everything in between. I think it’s hard enough being…
I recently appeared on The Courage to Change: A Recovery Podcast to tell my story about my addiction, my recovery, and what life is like now.