>>5757520When I was on amitriptyline I would sleep for 16 hours a day. On effexor I was half as tired (btw I would wake up feeling like I do after a hard day at work, that was my highest level of energy for the day) and I would feel complete apathy towards everything. I was even less functional than before even though my symptoms were better. Obviously I'm not going to go through the hell that is trying a new SSRI every month like doctors want you to.
Honestly having both chronic pain (some ADs treat that allegedly) and being pretty mentally ill I can say that managing those things holistically or with alternative treatments is better overall, not just for your art. Mental illness is not a source of inspiration, but the treatments for it can be more damaging than the illness itself. I function better in my relationships and life when I'm not falling asleep or losing focus halfway through a sentence. My physical pain is also bad but honestly, you don't realize how mentally painful it is to want to draw or go out with friends but to feel so fucking fatigued and sleepy that you can barely keep your eyes open despite having done nothing the entire day.
For treating depression while in a cognitively demanding field like drawing, your best bet is probably bupropion since it actually has positive effects on energy, motivation, etc. Ketamine infusions can also have amazing benefits, and they can restore the brain after long depressive bouts. But getting to a ket clinic is kind of hard.
I think buspirone is one of the least dopey anxiety meds, possibly propranolol as well (though it only helps with physical symptoms of anxiety like shaky voice, sweating, heart rate, etc, so racing thoughts and stuff will not change).
Idk about antipsychotics, if you're an unironic schizo you might be better off on the meds since schizophrenia is a lot more debilitating than being depressed/anxious.
