First update!! So far, so good...

I'm doing well mentally despite having tapered down to a quarter of my original dose. I know the last part of the taper is hardest, and that Lexapro dosage and effects on serotonin don't occur in a linear fashion. So I'm probably only feeling maybe a 40% cut in serotonin despite a 75% cut in dosage, for example. This is why I'm not going to follow the plan my psychiatrist laid out- go to 5mg for a month, then just stop. I wish I believed in doctors more but they have continually shown that they are not informed. What I feel in my mind and body are my primary instructors on how this taper will progress. I have developed flu/cold-like symptoms about two weeks ago, that are still bothersome. Especially when I first wake up, before I have my morning dose. General aches, fatigue, a mild headache, and a desire to stay in bed. The timing of this taper is not ideal as it lines up with the time of year where I naturally feel more depressed and tired anyway. Nevertheless, I am confident in myself. I remain very active, exercising on most days. I do a lot of walking, and work out both at home, and at the YMCA. I track my calories, macros, nutrients, and activities daily. I believe this focus on taking care of myself in holistic ways is easing the mental toll of the taper a great deal. Aerobic exercise, especially, and the group workouts I do, give me a major mood boost. I often find myself smiling through the whole workout 😊 All in all, I am very happy and proud of myself for where I'm at. I will have 18 months sober this Friday from hard drugs. I tapered off of my Suboxone several months ago. One by one, I am removing the chemicals from my body until I am able to get by with hopefully just 1 or 2 medications, at most.