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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 2:20:15
Depression stole my creativity and medicine seems to hide it away from me. Right now I'm only on Lamictal but will probably be adding something else soon, probably an SSRI. I'm wondering if anyone has tricks for avoiding the creativity loss with SSRIs.
Posted by Phillipa on June 13, 2006, at 11:34:14
In reply to getting creativity back, anything work for you?, posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 2:20:15
Lamictal on it's own doesn't work for you. Prozac is activating but I'd start in very low doses. Love Phillipa
Posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 18:22:44
In reply to Re: getting creativity back, anything work for you? » zefdie, posted by Phillipa on June 13, 2006, at 11:34:14
> Lamictal on it's own doesn't work for you. Prozac is activating but I'd start in very low doses. Love Phillipa
I have samples of Lexapro I'm considering giving a try. It's not as activating as Prozac but supposedly has fewer side effects, which is of course a total crapshoot. I also have pharmaceutical-grade 5-HTP coming in the mail and have been wondering about hydergine and piracetam. I would love to avoid the SSRI thing, siiiigh.
Posted by blueberry on June 13, 2006, at 18:34:26
In reply to getting creativity back, anything work for you?, posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 2:20:15
Adrafinil. Works best with a low dose ssri. But people use it all by itself for studying for exams and such. No tolerance buildup. No withdrawals. Works best after taking it a few weeks like an antidepressant. It can be a great antidepressant, but instead of numbing you like most of them do it wakes up vigilance, motivation, interest, pleasure and creativity. You can even order it in the USA now.
Posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 19:00:47
In reply to Re: getting creativity back, anything work for you?, posted by blueberry on June 13, 2006, at 18:34:26
> Adrafinil. Works best with a low dose ssri. But people use it all by itself for studying for exams and such. No tolerance buildup. No withdrawals. Works best after taking it a few weeks like an antidepressant. It can be a great antidepressant, but instead of numbing you like most of them do it wakes up vigilance, motivation, interest, pleasure and creativity. You can even order it in the USA now.
I've been on Provigil in the past, is adrafinil more effective/easier on the liver? I remember that it did help my mood, and I wasn't on an SSRI at the time. I stopped taking it because of the difficulty of finding a new doctor and getting my hands on it without a doctor.
Posted by heaven help me on June 13, 2006, at 22:21:49
In reply to Re: getting creativity back, anything work for you, posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 19:00:47
Sounds strange, I have a BFA fine arts and my creativity has been coming back in spite of many med trials but I think it has a lot to do with laughter. I have laughed harder on this board than I have in a loooong time. Wish we had more of it! Anybody got any great stories to tell?
Posted by minimal on June 13, 2006, at 22:46:07
In reply to Laughter...we need more... » zefdie, posted by heaven help me on June 13, 2006, at 22:21:49
I find myself more creative on Prozac than off. It could be from serotonin (or some other biochemical response) or it could be from being less depressed. In the latter case, it would seem that I spend less focus on depression and sadness and less energy on feeling miserable, freeing my mind for other endeavors, creative ones included.
Posted by blueberry on June 14, 2006, at 5:26:54
In reply to Re: getting creativity back, anything work for you, posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 19:00:47
I've tried adrafinil and modafinil. They were not at all similar. Adrafinil was far more effective and yet milder in side effects at the same time.
I used it every day for a year and had several liver tests that all came back normal, and that included zyprexa in the mix which is tough on the liver.
Posted by TJO on June 15, 2006, at 5:25:46
In reply to Re: getting creativity back, anything work for you » zefdie, posted by blueberry on June 14, 2006, at 5:26:54
I'm having good luck with creativity on my present med regimen-
(its for bipolar)
1200 mg Neurontin
800 mg Seroquel
300 mg Wellbutrin
50 mg Topamax
30 mg AbilifyMaybe this will help (?)
Tam
Posted by elanor roosevelt on June 18, 2006, at 8:10:35
In reply to SSRI's can increase creativity (?), posted by minimal on June 13, 2006, at 22:46:07
I saw radical differences in relationship b/w medications and creativity.
I am a simple artist. I draw at a life studio.
Celexa and Lexaro were the best for keeping my creative juices going. Unfortunately the srri's had incresingly small windows of duration of effectiveness.
I would have stayed on Celexa forever if it had kept working.
Part of what interferes with creativity is getting ahead of yourself -- you have to find a way to slow that down or synchronize that.
good luck
Posted by helpme on July 3, 2006, at 8:36:14
In reply to Re: SSRI's can increase creativity (?), posted by elanor roosevelt on June 18, 2006, at 8:10:35
Watch out with the lamictal- it made me stupid, and I am much clearer and ceative without it. And some people have gone so far as to cal topomax "dope-o-max". We're not all thhe same of course, but careful.
Posted by helpme on July 5, 2006, at 8:32:48
In reply to getting creativity back, anything work for you?, posted by zefdie on June 13, 2006, at 2:20:15
Hope this doesn't sound trite, but carrying a small notebook to jot down ideas, images, color combos, a few words- whatever impressions is helpful, no matter how skeletal. Also collect pictures, magazine pages, etc. Some people take snaps with a digital camera of things that interest them. When you feel better or at least more mental energy, you have these things to jar your memory, prod you. Fleeting notions don't get totally lost. This method was the life-line that got me through my MFA program succcessfully when I was feeling VERY depressed and was on all kinds of psycho medication combos prescribed by a very incompetent psychiatrist.
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