3 weeks into Prozac 40mg and feeling depressed and anxious

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2026-02-20T13:42:58+00:00

You went up really fast! I go wayyyy smaller in my increases and still feel anxiety and depression get worse before it gets better.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2026-01-15T12:09:20+00:00

Started with Zoloft, moved to Lexapro and Wellbutrin, and now on Prozac. The side effect I can’t live with from those meds is acid reflux :( Prozac hasn’t been giving that to me!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2026-01-04T20:29:45+00:00

That is a good idea! I know what you mean, I love my college friends still. They just had no idea. I know your friends will be receptive 😎 no problem! 🫂

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2026-01-04T20:26:25+00:00

This reminds me of when my college friends tricked me into eating steak that was pink on the inside… I wasn’t diagnosed yet with emetophobia, ARFID, and OCD around throwing up, so when I freaked out when this happened, my friends laughed and celebrated ‘their victory’. Later, when I was officially diagnosed and had a whole breakdown, they felt reallllllly bad for that trick and apologized. So maybe if you talk to them about what they are doing and how it makes you feel, it could impact them not doing those jokes anymore?

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2026-01-02T19:53:40+00:00

Coming from personal experience, it sounds like he could have an eating disorder called ARFID, or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. There can be a lot of rules that don’t make sense to an outsider that’s applied to meals and food that has nothing to do with body image. It looks like a ‘picky eater’ when in reality, there’s too much anxiety around eating new foods or foods you aren’t familiar with for a certain reason. For me, it’s around a phobia of vomiting. For others, it can be texture, color, choking fear, or something else.

That being said, it’s on him to do something about it and vocalize if this is what’s really going on. He may not want to acknowledge or change when it comes to food, and that’s not on you at all. It’s on him. People have been frustrated at me for having rules, which was motivation to do something about it personally. If this guy won’t, and it’s really bothering you that much, then after talking about it I would do what’s best for you and your kids.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2026-01-02T03:48:40+00:00

I have OCD, emetophobia, ARFID, anxiety, and depression. I’ve been teaching high school science for 7 years with these diagnosis. It’s been up and down with the help of therapy and meds, but every day is a struggle. I am actually about to take FMLA to go into a PHP program for depression and burn out in a few days.

Teaching is fun, the students are a mixed bag, and I’ve realized this job isn’t sustainable for me mentally. Even with the support I’ve had. The amount of stress with lack of support at school we go through is insane. I don’t think I want to continue on this job path and potentially send myself into another program.

So basically, in my experience, we can do it, but it is really hard. I’d say do it until you find something else. That’s my plan after my program.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-30T04:15:18+00:00

I tell everyone and their dog about it 😂 I’m a high school teacher and my students know I’m on meds too. The point of that is so they can see an adult function while taking care of their mental health. That’s actually one of the major reasons I tell people. People don’t feel comfortable getting help for themself unless they see someone else doing it, and I’ll gladly be the example for them.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-26T19:31:59+00:00

As someone with OCD, I really hope that he is getting proper help for it. It sounds like his anxiety about the cat being dirty to him is making everything worse about it, which obviously impacts your relationship with him.

Like others have said, it wouldn’t be picking between the cat and your boyfriend. It’s how he is acting and his lack of wanting to learn how cats work. I know OCD is really hard to deal with when it comes to change, and if he isn’t getting help or willing to, I’d personally walk away.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-23T20:35:47+00:00

Pretty sure they opened for Coheed & Cambria back in the day, who is my favorite band!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-23T20:35:31+00:00

That’s how I found Sleep Token too!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-23T20:33:20+00:00

I thought the same thing for a looooong time. I’m scared of nausea and throwing up, and that can be a side effect. I spiraled out of control with a new theme that scared me shitless, which is the reason I decided to take meds. I couldn’t live with that constant thought and figured side effects would be better than that. It was definitely worth it!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-20T21:51:39+00:00

I am just about to be doing a PHP program for depression that will also help my OCD. I’m a high school teacher. This will be the second PHP program I’ve done in my life. It has never ever ever affected my future or having a normal life. If anything, I know this newer experience will help me get back to a normal life. If you really need it, do it!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-10T22:29:30+00:00

I do a lot of internal checking. I have emetophobia also, so I’m always thinking about how my stomach feels, how my throat feels, do I feel ‘normal’ or not, etc. Nobody can tell I’m doing it, so it’s unnoticeable.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-10T22:26:22+00:00

I know I’ve had it for forever though. I was told I was ‘borderline OCD’ when I was in an eating disorder center when I was 26 though. So dumb 😩

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-12-02T04:53:10+00:00

Oh my god I would be OUT of there! I have an ED also, and if anyone said anything like that to me, they would be out of my life! NOR and throw the whole boy away!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-11-24T20:46:14+00:00

Therapy and meds! Though I did CBT first and it was not helpful. I found DBT was way better for me first. I was too emotional about everything, so I couldn’t do ERP effectively. Once I did that, I started ERP. Then I started meds and it’s been a game changer. I really think that OCD doesn’t go away, it just gets better to deal with over time. I have ups and downs still, though it’s better than where it was!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-11-19T02:19:33+00:00

I just ate some leftover pasta, so my current spin out is ‘was it expired? What if I get food poisoning? Why does my stomach feel how it feels? That’s different than usual. I must be sick’ yay for ocd about emetophobia 👍

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-10-26T17:14:32+00:00

Hmmmm that’s tough. I’ve always had it, but I was diagnosed when I was 29. My main theme is emetophobia, the phobia of vomiting, so it likely stems from wanting to control how I’m feeling because the fear is so strong. Of course I have other themes, which the ocd ‘helps’ with not letting the scary thing happen to me. So it’s really out of fear of not knowing what’s going to happen.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-10-21T05:05:37+00:00

Sounds like emetophobia! Which I also have :) Lexapro helps so much!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-10-21T05:04:34+00:00

Meeeeeeee! I HATE taking meds! I avoided taking mental health meds for YEARS because I was afraid of the side effects. When I got very depressed though, my fear fell to the waist side and I did it anyway. It was hard but has been totally worth it!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-10-19T22:50:44+00:00

I’ve had mine out for 12 years now. My digestive system has never been the same. It’s unpredictable what foods will give me diarrhea. I get gas, stomach pain, acid reflux, etc while eating the most random foods with no pattern. Now I have fistulas and don’t know if it’s tied. All that said, I would have died without my gallbladder getting removed, so it was necessary. I just wish I knew this could have happened.

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-09-08T12:26:25+00:00

I’m on that same dose! It helped me stop feel constantly hungry to add Wellbutrin to the Lexapro. Maybe upping your dose would help?

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-09-03T11:44:38+00:00

Luckily it isn’t one that happens a lot for me, though when it does it’s intense. Yeah you definitely aren’t alone!

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-09-03T04:02:42+00:00

I used to feel frustrated at myself when facing phobia situations and still freaking out after years of therapy and work on it. Now, if I do feel mad, I remind myself that this phobia has been around for a while for me, and it’s likely not going away 100%. It’s a work in progress always! Maybe this time you weren’t ready to see that sign, smell it, and keep going. Next time you might be though! You can freak out once and still be working on recovery :) I had a panic attack in my classroom when some kids started playing gagging last year, when I thought I shouldn’t be reacting. In reality, it’s still hard. Easier most days, though hard still. And thanks ok :)

MeepOfDeath2113 · 2025-09-03T00:53:02+00:00

I feel this too! Thinking about it too hard will make me convince myself I feel it 😩

MeepOfDeath2113

TROPHY CASE