This time last year I had a bit of a breakdown. It wasn't anything bad happening in my life, it was due to dreadful hormonal swings as I went into the peri menopause. I have always suffered with really bad PMS, but it all suddenly got a billion times worse, and at my worst I genuinely felt suicidal.
My GP started me on Trazadone because alongside feeling suicidal, I was also crippled with anxiety and terrified to even leave the house alone. I struggled on for 4 months on Trazadone but I was still in such a dark, frightening place. I'd only occasionally experience a few normal days where presumably my hormones were balanced.
I begged my GP to try me on something else, and I started on 50mg of Sertraline last summer. Within 8 hours of taking the first one my head felt clearer and sharper. Over the next 2 weeks I felt extremely chilled out and drained, but in a relaxing way. I lay on the sofa a lot.
Since then I have gone from strength to strength. I unfortunately still experience 5 or 6 horrible a days a month where my hormones fuck around with me, but it is nothing near as awful as this time last year. I do still feel quite tired, as a rule, but it's nothing I can't deal with.
I honestly believe that sertraline probably saved my life as I was running out of hope and slipping deeper and deeper into despair. I just wish my GP had tried me on it first, and saved me those horrible 4 months when I thought I was losing my mind.