I take pictures of cats and critters available for adoption at an animal shelter. It’s difficult, sometimes. There’s a lot of pressure to get a “perfect” picture. When looking at a webpage, potential adopters only have a couple pictures to decide if it’s worth going to the shelter to see the animal.
I only get three pictures to capture the personality and adoptability of an animal. The shelter I volunteer at is a county shelter, a shelter of last resort. I know the statistics. It’s not a no-kill shelter. Some of the cats I take pictures of will be euthanized. The shelter goes to remarkable lengths to adopt animals. I’ve seen the hallways full of cages when the shelter is full. Still, they do euthanize animals that aren’t adopted.
If I take bad pictures of an animal, their chance of adoption drops significantly. There’s some pressure to take good pictures. Nobody talks about the importance of these pictures, but I feel it. I want to take that “Perfect” picture.
I try to remind myself that I only go there to do good. I’m helping abandoned animals get adopted. Sometimes, it’s better to keep trying than get overwhelmed by the responsibility. Keep going, you’re doing good!
James Heaney 
February 29, 2020 at 4:15 pm
Hi James, sorry to hijack this post with an SSRI question!
Currently trying to come off Effexor after being on various antidepressants for most of my adult life (39 years old and on them off and on since I was 18). I’ve tapered down for about 3 months and have been off the drugs completely for about 3 weeks now (possibly too fast a taper).
I just wondered how long you found the withdrawal symptoms overall? Most of your SSRI posts seem to be from around 2013 so I’d be interested in your latest perspective.
A recurring thought I’m having is that since I’ve relied on drugs to boost my serotonin levels for most of the last 21 years there’s a risk my brain won’t ever be able to do it on its own. Any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Danny
July 9, 2020 at 6:47 pm
Hi Danny
Sorry for the late reply. First of all, you brain will definitely be able to rebalance itself. I took Paxil for 20 years, and have been able to reach a stable place without the drug. There are many other people who have had a similar experience. The old model of the inflexible brain is being replaced with the idea of Plasticity. The brain does not become static once we reach adulthood. It continues to change and adapt to the demands we put on it.
I think that the withdrawal process takes the same amount of time, whether you go cold turkey or taper down slowly. Several forums have a tapering schedule that recommends reducing your dose by 10% of your previous dose every two to three weeks. I.E, 40mg -> 36mg -> 32.4mg -> 29.8mg, etc. The schedule is like a half life. The amount you reduce gets smaller and smaller, never actually reaching zero. At some point you stop taking the drug, usually when you reach 1-3mg/day (it depends on the drug, I’m using Paroxetine as the example). Reducing from 40mg/day to zero takes almost a year with the tapering schedule. The goal of the schedule is to minimize the severity of the withdrawal symptoms. Tapering by a couple mg/day at each step means that your brain has less of an imbalance to account for each time you taper.
Given a choice between tapering and cold turkey, I definitely choose the taper. My first taper was 5 months, and I wound up going back on Paroxetine at the end of it. My second attempt was much slower, and it eventually worked. Most importantly, I was able to function while I tapered. I think I made the mistake of making my goal to get off the drug, no matter what. I was outraged when I realized that I was addicted to this stuff. I had to have it out of my system as fast as I could. Instead, I should have made my goal to reduce my dosage in a controlled manner. That’s what finally worked for me.
August 28, 2020 at 4:06 pm
For every internet user, all the instruments of this world are of great importance. While the number of internet sites, game sites, news sites and much more have turned into really attractive places in this sense, the number of people using the internet for entertainment purposes is not small at all. Because of this, teenagers and children can enter play sites in their free time and be adventurous with the sweetest characters. These characters, which are very famous and so sympathetic, also take part in friv games. In the world there are sites that collect such games under one roof and offer the best quality options to the players, as well as http://friv.party/ address that offers the best games with the variety of services and offers that they provide within these sites. All the game options in this adress are made up of serious and impressive games.
Players who enter the site with the friv unblocked option, which attracts all the attention, enjoy playing games. Especially when the most sympathetic characters are chosen and the adventure is a great pleasure, the situation also tastes different emotions from every direction. Excitement, happiness and adrenaline are also experienced. In addition, since there are no annoying advertisements on the pages where all these games are found, parents are aware that their children are having fun in a safe place.
The friv site, which is prominent with both different and enjoyable game types, gives you the opportunity to have a pleasant time. In addition to that, you can also see the scores that you collect while playing with each other. It can also be seen that similar games are featured on the pages where each game is played. In other words, the most beautiful and sweetest game types are presented to the players. Offering free gaming opportunities, Friv.com is striving to please all children and young people. Now you can have fun as you like.