Emotion Management
As I've watched Phil try to live life without Paxil, I've tried to imagine what he's going through, and why. Big picture, I would say he's a man who has been in an emotional coma for ten years, and removing Paxil from his system has caused his brain to "wake up". Beyond the withdrawal symptoms he's facing, he's also overcome by a flood emotions that didn't exist in his neutral, paxil-enduced world. Now, he has to relearn how to handle emotion. To me, it seems very akin to a boy going through puberty, with extreme emotional highs and lows, who eventually gains control as he ages. Phil's like a nine year old boy all over gain, only with severe headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, and an endless ringing in his ears. So it's more like going through puberty with an endless hangover, and immediately following a nine hour Spinal Tap concert.
Image filmed by Ryan F. Corcoran.
Here's what I don't understand: If you have a hip-replacement surgery, the hospital puts you through a rehabilitation program with a physical therapist in order to walk again, and to assure you don't damage anything during the healing process; so, where is the rehabilitation program for your brain after regaining the ability to emote? We all know what hurtful acts or words a pubescent teenager is capable of; why does society not recognize the severity of a grown adult going through those same unstable mood swings, especially one who has their own family, business and home to care for?
posted by Anonymous @ 5:11 PM
2 Comments:
I can promise you that the mood swings will improve. It's all a part of the process and unfortunately it sometimes takes a long time. This is the time when doctors are fond of telling you that you are bipolar but unless of you have a history of mood swings and other symptoms indicative of bipolar illness it's simply NOT true. Almost everybody goes through these mood swings and it can be very difficult but it does get better. It's not just that you are experiencing old emotions, an unmedicated nervous system, etc, but it's also neurologically based. You can't numb a brain for that long without a rebound effect. The nervous system is miraculous but recovery can be very slow and as much as we don't deserve the hell of withdrawal, you have to be respect this process. For some it's a week and for others it's much longer but you will heal. Hang tough Phil and friends. I am with you in spirit.
I can promise you that the mood swings will improve. It's all a part of the process and unfortunately it sometimes takes a long time. This is the time when doctors are fond of telling you that you are bipolar but unless of you have a history of mood swings and other symptoms indicative of bipolar illness it's simply NOT true. Almost everybody goes through these mood swings and it can be very difficult but it does get better. It's not just that you are experiencing old emotions, an unmedicated nervous system, etc, but it's also neurologically based. You can't numb a brain for that long without a rebound effect. The nervous system is miraculous but recovery can be very slow and as much as we don't deserve the hell of withdrawal, you have to be respect this process. For some it's a week and for others it's much longer but you will heal. Hang tough Phil and friends. I am with you in spirit.
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