I have been on sertraline for a few years and just recently finished weaning off.

Now, for the past week I have been lying awake like I used to do as a teenager, thinking of all the potential issues I’ll encounter. For instance, I’m in the middle of some rental issues and I keep thinking of all the things the landlord may say to each of the things I may say. While it is good to prepare a little bit for likely situations, like a work meeting, my brain is picturing scenarios like finding my things smashed and thinking how should I tackle that situation. The odds of them doing that are minimal because they wouldn’t gain anything, yet my brain feels the need to prepare me for all the legal consequences.

The funny thought I had today was that, before sertraline, that was my norm since I was a teenager. Like day dreaming, because I’m not asleep, but I don’t control the dream because my brain thinks I need to prepare for every car accident, illness, or random calamities that may happen to me or my loved ones. It was exhausting then and it is exhausting now! I can’t believe I survived that long before meds.

I know I have to wait 2 months before actually finding out how is my brain without SSRIs.

TLDR: how do y’all shut up that part of the brain at night? I work with statistics and odds all day, yet I will ruminate over highly improbable problems.