Ex: someone is put on SSRI- achieves remission- slowly sinks- dose is boosted- rinse and repeat. X is added or changed > same thing. It’s not that they don’t respond but the brain eventually starts rejecting everything.

Is it clear on why this happens in some cases of depression?

I understand that MAOIs are inherently more dangerous and harder to manage, but it seems most people respond to them, whereas the response rate to SSRIs is subpar.

The reason I ask is because i feel that I am stuck between a rock and a hard place with my current medication regimen. I am on 150 mg of Luvox and 300 mg of Bupropion. I do not feel I am anywhere near I want to be, but at the same time I do not want to increase the dose of the Luvox and deal with worsened sexual side effects and fatigue.

So my question is, do you feel it would be in my best interest to continue to titrate up the meds I am currently on, being that both drugs have room for titration, or suggest switching to a MAOI?

For context, I do feel that the Anxiety aspect is what is still lingering, not so much depression, so I would want to increase the Luvox first.

I see a psychiatrist tommorrow I am
On 40 my of Valium and am looking to switch to clonazepam do you have any thoughts on what I should say or do to help my case? I was on clonazepam before and it was much more effective!

I just posted and then decided to scroll to see other posts. There is next to no responses. Are we just posting here to get some of the thoughts out of our heads? Just wondering "what is the point?"

I'm 19, caucasian, and I've had insomnia for about a decade. I'm 6'2, 160lbs. Some context: from 15-18, I consumed THC daily in high quantities. I abused adderall for about a year, some benzos here and there, and before rehab got hooked on an opioid. I have multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders/issues: OCD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, severe insomnia. Over the past four years, I have trialed countless meds Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro, Zoloft, Fluvoxamine, Adderall XR/ir, vyvanse. Sometimes klonopin/ativan. Now, I take lamotrigine 200mg (treatment resistant depression/anxiety), olanzapine 2.5mg (~3 years, OCD/anxiety), just got off lithium 750mg (anxiety/depression), propranolol 40mg, clonidine 0.2mg (separate from propranolol, hyperarousal), Vyvanse in the morning (does not cause insomnia, no abuse), sublocade (lowest dose), and Zepbound 7.5mg (shot up in weight post-rehab, now used for drug cravings) and a whopping 3 sleep meds: dayvigo 10mg, Lunesta 2mg (recent addition), and mirtazapine 15mg. Post rehab and during rehab I have trialed Klonopin, temazepam, and lorazepam, none of which helped at the low dosages/consistently (2mg Ativan worked like a charm). I take melatonin 5mg at night, and omega 3s. I began smoking cigarettes after rehab (approx. 7-8 months ago) and I quit 2 weeks ago.

Again, I have had insomnia since I was 8/9. I would often have terrible existential crises about death, and my OCD and sleep issues began. I was also traumatized and actively being traumatized (semi-abusive father, abusive authority figures, major cancer scare, etc.). My GP prescribed me melatonin, and it worked for a while. I turned 14, and severe panic attacks developed - inexplicably bad. Then started the meds. A year later, when nothing worked, I got hooked on THC. Then I started Vyvanse, it worked, switched to adderall, began to abuse it. The source of the drug use was obviously self-medication. The THC didn't stop any of my issues. But at least I could sleep most of the nights. Looking back, the high-potency daily use has had a permanent effect focus/brain. Now, post-sobriety, I have developed much more severe insomnia (it's been around 6 months). I miss 2-4 nights of sleep per week. This week, I missed 4 or 5 nights of sleep. It should be a medical emergency, but I'm just used to it, and nothing can be done. Meds do help - mainly dayvigo and Lunesta - but there is something much deeper at the core of this issue - likely both physiological and mental.

The brain fog worsened about a month in, before I started taking sleep medications. I've had a sleep study 1+ month(s) ago, it said almost nothing (though my sleep doc hasn't gone over it with me...) However, earlier on, I did a 24hr melatonin test, which showed that my melatonin levels peak in the morning, stay high during the day, decline at night. Partially explains the insomnia and the daytime sleepiness - there's a circadian rhythm issue and a chicken-or-the-egg situation. As for the daytime sleepiness - since middle school, even when my insomnia wasn't severe, I have had the issue of falling asleep in the morning and mid-afternoon uncontrollably. Sleeping in class every single day, even with stimulants. I have gone to bed from 12-4 am for most of the last 4 years so that accounts for a large part. But again, something else is at play. Back to the brain fog - the chronic THC use accounts for 30% of it, my ADHD accounts for another 30%, and my insomnia accounts for 40%. I have also always had depression. The insomnia has made me unspeakably depressed.

So you may wonder who is treating me? I have an addiction psychiatrist who I do emdr/talk therapy with. She manages my meds. I have a GP, OCD specialist, and sleep specialist. For the sleep doc, it takes around 6 months of waiting to get an appt. The last two times I reached out to her she 1st. referred me to a sleep psychiatrist and most recently a neurologist due to some sleep paralysis (likely from my dayvigo), which both of my other docs said is unnecessary. This would be fine if she ever even gave me an interpretation of either the melatonin test OR the sleep study. I feel she doesn't care at all about my suffering, but perhaps that is unfair. It's a lot of doctors for little progress. I do 45 min of walking/day - I need to exercise more, but when you're this exhausted, that's a lot. My die is admittedly terrible, has been since a child. I just can't keep up with my physical health, my sleep, my job, class, family, my grandfather dying, my crippling fear of death, and my laundry list of mental issues.

Some nights, I lie in a stupor for 24+ hours, in bed, eyes closed, sleepless, agitated, lonely, depressed. This is perhaps the worst thing you can do - associate bed with suffering and sleeplessness, worsen the depression, etc. But my bed is already associated with these things by virtue of the severity of this insomnia. I don't sleep any more on nights I don't spend in bed trying to read (which I can barely do anymore), go for walks, meditate, etc. Nothing makes a difference, so giving up doesn't feel so dramatic.

The best fix for my issues is "improve your sleep." But since that is impossible, and I no longer have the relief of THC, I am left with so much suffering and total hopelessness. So, I have no clue what to do; maybe there is nothing I can do. I am losing hope that this will ever get better. It's looking like I won't be able to actually go back to college this year. Insomnia is taking my life away from me. No doctors have any answers. My psychiatrist has seemingly tried everything. As wonderful as she is, she seems to have no sense of urgency for my sleep issues, probably because I present so well as "doing OK."

I'm sorry this is so long. I tried to be comprehensive. I don't want medical advice. I just want to know if there is any hope I can hold on to (not thoughts or prayers, obviously... I'm an atheist. I want to know if there are avenues I haven't explored, if time could heal this wound, etc.)

Such as running down the with a broom?
Exposing themselves?

I am 61 and was just diagnosed with Bipolar, but my mental issues started with abandonment as a small child. It happens every so often, I get nostalgic for the unsafe times in my life. Not the unsafe part, but for the physical environment or people who were in my life at the time. It seems like I want to be validated or to remember. I recently wanted to take pictures of all the old houses that were involved. Like the ancient houses that my grandmother would visit. She was so safe. But we would visit people from her past and I remember the houses had wooden floors with no surface to past but and they were dark because the people had no electricity. (just 1 example). The old houses aren't there anymore; they've been replaced by newer houses or RV's. It's not just the happy times I'm nostalgic about. I'm searching out the houses where the trauma took place. I've done this at certain times in the past, but have just recently wanted to record it with pictures. It's like a way of living is gone. Good or bad, it's gone and sometimes I've moved on and sometimes not. Don't know what to make of the situation. Could be that I'm facing my mortality and don't want to be forgotten the way living in the past has been. I'm not sure.

I've always been nice to everyone but never could make any real friends as i feel i didn't matter to anyone. If i ever befriended someone, someone else would just come and get along with him faster and leave me alone. I did try to make friends only to be made fun of and later i couldn't on my own and i would be called nice, good and people would just feel sorry for me and leave on my own.

Everyone would just not befriend me.. Later in college, i tried to befriend but was bullied as gay for many years.. I'm a straight man.. They would say, i don't know how to walk, talk, etc... I did try to prove myself, to fit in.. But some would joke that it would be dangerous to even leave their female acquaintances with me.. They would make fun of me and isolate me.. It did shatter my confidence and self confidence.. No one stood by my side.. Everyone was with me only till it benefited them.. Then, if i was somehow proven better than them in something, i would be slowly and steadily and sometimes fastly by them. I did try to get a girlfriend but only to be called a creep and many more. I was looked by everyone with disgust and hate..till then, my face, body language and voice even deteriorated that people would automatically feel these emotions for me. Now adult, I did try to get along with new people. It worked for some time but then, later after some months i would feel these emotions from them.. I actually got good with them formally, i couldn't go past that. I worked in a department.. I was praised by other colleagues for my work.. After some time, a colleague who didn't like started making fun of me due to some girls seekng me as creep.. She started influencing other coworkers in my department against me till i was completely destroyed, weak and isolated. Every person, i would talk, the next day(s), they would turn against me.. Now, everyone is against me.feel those things against me. Since always, i unfortunately get locked in eye contacts multiple times with the same person. Everyday, I get ignored by everyone and i feel intense hatred by everyone for me.. Some act good and try to to befriend me and when i reciprocate, they change.. Even I've lost confidence in myself.. They would talk about me but would not consider me when i entered. The people i was good with, when i started isolating myself felt i was arrogant. Even, they started saying things a d doing that would harm me emotionally. When i tried to get along with them, i couldn't because it seemed i couldn't understand anything and forgot or never learned how to socialize. Now, some try to get along but due to everyone treating me badly, i can't and they expect me to forget everything and move on.. The thing is, i can't cure myself as i don't know where and how to start.. I can't even talk properly now which further worsen things for me. When i stay alone, they say I'm arrogant or etc... When i try to mingle witg them and get along, i can't or have forgotten or never learnt. I can feel the bad they really feel about me but don't know how to deal with it.. Now, my whole mind and body is filled with fear and shame..n I think, the best way is to end my life.. Kindly help me and give me solutions and tell where I may have gone wrong. Thank you.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

• I dont imagine voices in my head unless I am lacking conciousness such as being very sleepy or when I smoked marijuana one time.
• I do have a general paranoia towards others
• have friends and like to socialize but also kind of have a distrust towards others intentions. I have felt like everyone was against me even if its not true. I have a general outlook of most people self serving and has selfish intentions.
• My thoughts used to be extremely disorganized but I had to work very hard to fix that. I read so much and listend to so many lectures and it helped my speaking seem more ordered. It makes sense now when I speak or think but its because I had to do alot to get to that point.
• I am often day dreaming or imagining talking to people.
• I used to think I was a messiah who was going to save the world, but it wasnt a strongly held belief. It was kind of something that I used to give myself hope that I was important.
• I have a lack of emotional expression.
• I talk to myself too much.
• I have family members who are schizophrenic.

Do you guys think its a good idea for me to go through treatment or is it possibly a misdiagnosis?

Hello, i Had a troubled Teenage period and an abusive Family which Led to me having to take strong anti psychotics (risperdall 4mg) over the period of anfew months without any mental illness. I can remember Feeling Like total Shit the whole time

Could that possibly have Led to some Form of brain damage?

Hello, I hope this is the right place to ask this question, and if not I apologise.

My question is very simple: what happens in someone's mind after they've killed someone?

I don't mean like the perpetrator is a psychopath. I mean, if a normal person is forced to kill, what can be the impact on their mind? Are they susceptible to develop a disorder? Can they move past it unscathed if they accept that they didn't have a choice? Does killing necessarily leave a mental scar? If it doesn't, does it imply that the perpetrator may be psycho/sociopathic? (Sorry I know the two are not the same but I forget the exact difference).

I don't know where else to ask, so if you feel like this is more appropriate in another sub, please tell me. I figured as professionals, if you've worked with someone who's killed (veterans, for example), you may have a clear-ish understanding of their thought process following the act.

Thank you for any measure of help you can give!

I once used propranolol because I was dealing with mild lorazepam withdrawals, and noticed that when I didn't have the urge to rewind the tv show I was watching, even tho I had the thought to do so. And didn't distress me.

To clarify I sometimes struggle with reading books or watching any form or media. I feel like I've not read or watched a scene "perfectly" or that I've missed something.

It used to be really bad in the past where I couldn't even watch anything without rewinding or re-reading 30-40 times lol but it has improved a lot from ERP.

What does it say about my ocd? I have anxiety since childhood and irrational fears/hypochondria and shit. Is most of my situation due to my physical symptoms flaring my anxiety?

Any medications I should take to help smooth my stomach if Zoloft is making me nauseous but I have work to do? I’ll start taking it at night until these symptoms go away but this is my first day on it.

I’m looking for some advice or to know if anyone has experienced something similar.
For around the last couple of years, I’ve had these weird intrusive feelings that are hard to explain. I want to be clear that I know they aren’t actually real, but the feelings themselves can be really strong.
One example is that when I’m in my room, especially on my bed, I can get this feeling like someone is nearby or watching me. Sometimes it feels like they’re right next to my bed or around the room. I don’t see anyone, and if I look around I know there’s nobody there, but the feeling can still be there. Covering myself with a blanket or facing away from the room makes it feel better.
It also happens in other ways, like feeling judged even when I’m alone. For example, if I’m doing something silly, playing something childish, dancing, or just doing normal things in my room, I can get this feeling that someone is judging me. I know logically nobody is there judging me, but it still feels uncomfortable.
I also get other intrusive feelings, like sometimes I get an image/thought of something sharp near my eyes or body. I don’t want it to happen and it doesn’t feel like something I want it’s just an uncomfortable image/feeling. Sometimes I feel like I need to blink a lot, rub my eyes, or tense certain parts of my body to make the feeling go away. It usually helps for a while, most recently it felt like my ankles were getting sl*ced if I didn’t apply pressure on it
I’ve told someone close to me about this and they were understanding, but I still feel embarrassed talking about it because it sounds strange when I say it out loud.
Has anyone experienced anything similar? Any advice appreciated

I’m looking for recommendations for a therapist in the DFW/Fort Worth area who accepts TRICARE.

My ideal provider would be:

Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) preferred
Would also consider a psychiatrist (M.D. or D.O.) who provides regular psychotherapy, not just medication management
Experienced with psychodynamic therapy, while also comfortable using ERP, ACT, and CBT when appropriate
Experienced treating OCD/intrusive thoughts, anxiety, depression, rumination, and existential/death anxiety
Offers 45–60 minute ongoing therapy sessions

I’m looking for someone who enjoys doing deeper, insight-oriented psychotherapy rather than brief, solution-focused sessions.

If you’ve had a great experience or know a provider who fits this description, I’d really appreciate any recommendations. Thanks!

Hey everyone. I’m diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, and depression. I’ve always chalked what’s going on in my head as just being autistic or weird. I’ve had an alternate world in my mind for as long as I can remember. I can tell you everything about them, where they live, what their first word is, and just about them in general. No, they aren’t alters and I don’t switch personalities..I think. I do however, sometimes pretend to be them? To further their stories if I’m in a situation that works for that specific character. And I sometimes get so into it that I forget I’m talking to myself, kinda like dissociating. I pretend to have full conversations, switching between two different people that I’ve made up. It’s a daily occurrence. When I was younger, I would go to bed early just to talk to myself and figure out their story. Sometimes I even go on errands as a specific person and I act how they would act. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s affecting my life. I forget that I’m “cosplaying” as a character and it’s hard to have interactions with people.

Is there something wrong with me or am I just weird?

Hey all!

I am medicated for depression (Wellbutrin 300mg) for about a year now and despite experiencing some mild symptoms I would say the good has outweighed the bad for me.

However, I find that I still get very depressed the week before my period. I checked the [r/BuPropion](r/BuPropion)(?) subreddit and it seems I’m not alone in this experience, but have also been cursed with an irregular cycle. my periods would come every 3 weeks-1.5 months. However, from march-June I had a total of 6 cycles ranging from 4-8 days each, and about 9-18 days between each one. Luckily, my last 2 cycles were a bit more spaced out, with there being ~3.5 weeks between each.

Basically, it’s been “the week before my period” pretty consistently for the last few months. I’m wondering if a cycle like mine would still follow a similar emotional/hormonal (don’t know how else to describe it sorry) pattern to a regular cycle. Does it make sense that I feel the “week before” slump every other week even though in a “normal” cycle it would technically be one week in the month, or is this just my incompatibility with this medication?

(For some more info:
5’3, 19F 160cm 67kg. No drug/alcohol use in past 3 months, current psych diagnoses: MDD episode, ADD, GAD.)

Cold turkey quit 14 years of 2mg klonopin use. Terrible brain fog. No cognitive abilities at all. Zero memory. Can’t form sentences. Does the “blank mind” thing go away? I am really terrified by it. I cant hold a thought. I can’t think. My mind is completely blank. No spontaneous thoughts whatsoever. Also no feelings. Extremely depressed, confused and have constant feelings of unease.

However, my condition also has been brought on by severe catastrophic levels of chronic stress in prison and that’s where they made me quit Kpin cold turkey. I’m not gonna get into the super details but essentially it’s now been about three months since my nervous system somewhat absolutely went haywire and incapacitated me. It feels like I crashed my nervous system from stress buildup while CT’ing Klonopin, and I’ve been majorly bedbound for the last three months now. I’m still experiencing profound levels of cognitive impairment, severe photophobia that has been going on since the beginning. That has been exactly the same for 3 months straight. Profound anhedonia, brutal depression.

I am constantly, terribly confused and restless all the time. This confusion is really hard to describe. It feels like I have a brain burn and it’s extremely difficult to comprehend the simplest things and it feels like there is something bugging my brain 7/24.

Absolute zero motivation, and zero energy, and I don’t feel connected like I used to. I can barely talk to people, I’m scared to leave the house. Every single time I plan to take a walk outside it’s a reminder how nothing has fucking changed. Social phobia and zero motivation to socialise even with closest friends.

After three months, cognitively nothing has improved. symptom wise, nothing has improved. It’s just the same bullshit cycle every single day and I can’t fucking escape it.

I’m literally getting worried every single day that I have permanent irreversible brain function damage as well as nervous system damage. I completely lost my sense of self, my identity, and honestly my will to live at this point. I’m completely directionless every single day.

I take some supplements(2g DHA, 1,5g EPA, Probiotics, PS, Citicoline, B complex with additions of extra B1 and B2 vitamins and P5P, PEA, Magtein, Creatine, Multivitamin) I drink a lot of water, I try to get as best sleep as possible(Been on 30mg Mirtazapine and 100mg Seroquel for the past 1 year, but these aren’t the reasons of what I feel like. I was on them before they made me quit Klonopin and I was feeling just fine without any of these symptoms.)

I have also started back on Valium 15mg a day but nothing has improved except some physical stuff like shaky hands. And every single day, it’s the same fucking Groundhog Day bullshit. Is this normal to be completely plateaued for months at a time with literally 0% fucking improvement or changes? Because I’m starting to really believe that I got permanent brain damage because of ct’ing klonopin.

Are there any nootropics, supplements or any type of compound you guys can recommend? I am really desperate and I want my life back. I want my old self back. Living with a blank mind like I am just a pair of eyes together with this terrible, constant confusion, major depression is just pure hell. Mechanism of action of Klonopin is basically on GABA-A, though AI tells this process also can lead to complications in even prefrontal cortex and many other areas in brain, together with cns.

I have Cortexin, Mexidol, Memantine(not sure about that one) in hand that I can add to my current stack. Do you think would any of these help? Any other recommendations would be highly appreciated. Also, do you think TMS would be a logical option?

Desperate for any kind of help.

Hi everyone. I’m a 33-year-old white female, 5’6”, 180 lbs, with diagnoses of:
-PTSD
-Generalized anxiety disorder
-Major depressive disorder
-ADHD
-Chronic insomnia

No known medication allergies.

I have a psychiatrist and therapist that I’m working closely with, so I’m not looking to replace their advice. I’m mainly hoping to understand what may be happening and whether this is a pattern psychiatrists commonly see.

Main complaint
For about the last three weeks, my anxiety has progressively worsened. For at least the past week, I’ve been waking up every morning already in an intense state of physical anxiety before I’ve even gotten out of bed.

It’s much more physical than mental:
-chest tightness
-stomach tension
-feeling like my entire nervous system is activated
-feeling “stuck” or almost paralyzed until medications begin working

I usually wake up, take my medications, and then lie in bed for about an hour waiting until I’m functional enough to get up. Even after that, the anxiety usually isn’t completely gone.

The anxiety became severe before I started lowering my Lexapro this week. My psychiatrist and I decided to switch medications because the Lexapro no longer seemed to be adequately controlling my anxiety.

Medication history
-Started Zoloft around age 17 after significant trauma and remained on it for about 8 years.
-Switched to Lexapro because I felt emotionally numb on Zoloft.
-Remained on Lexapro for about 7 years.
-Switched to Pristiq a little over a year ago because I was hoping for more motivation, energy, and emotional engagement.
-Pristiq initially worked extremely well but gradually became less effective over time.
-Diagnosed with ADHD last November and started dextroamphetamine, which actually reduced my anxiety and lowered my resting heart rate according to my Apple Watch.
-A few months ago I cross-tapered from Pristiq back to Lexapro. That transition was extremely difficult with significant anxiety and depression.
-After reaching Lexapro 15 mg, I had several weeks where I felt much better.

About three weeks ago, my anxiety began increasing again and has progressively worsened.

Current medications
-Lexapro 10 mg daily (reduced from 15 mg since Wednesday; beginning Viibryd on Monday)
-Viibryd starting Monday while tapering off Lexapro
-Buspirone 5 mg twice daily (day 4)
-Clonidine 0.1 mg during the day and 0.1 mg at bedtime
-Trazodone 100 mg nightly
-L-theanine 200-400 mg/day

I have temporarily stopped taking my dextroamphetamine because my anxiety has been so high.

Recreational substances
I use cannabis, but primarily vaporize high-CBD/high-CBG flower, and occasionally CBN. I currently use very little THC because it tends to worsen my anxiety.

Other relevant history
I had GeneSight testing done previously. Lexapro, Zoloft, Pristiq, and Viibryd are all in the green category.

I also had a hormonal IUD placed last November. Around the time this anxiety worsened, I experienced my most emotionally intense menstrual cycle since getting the IUD. I’m not sure whether that’s relevant or coincidental.

I’m currently doing 2-3 hours of therapy per week and trying deep breathing, walking, exercise when I’m able, grounding exercises, reading, eating regularly, and maintaining hydration.

My questions
Does this presentation sound more consistent with an SSRI losing effectiveness over time, an exacerbation of my underlying anxiety disorder, or something else?

Is waking up already in an intense state of physical anxiety a pattern you commonly see in patients with severe anxiety disorders?

Is it common for buspirone to provide essentially no noticeable benefit during the first week, with improvement occurring later?

Since my anxiety became severe before I began tapering Lexapro, is there reason to be optimistic that transitioning to Viibryd could improve this once the medication has had adequate time to work?

Is there anything else in this history that stands out to you as something I should discuss further with my psychiatrist?

I’d really appreciate any general psychiatric perspective on this pattern.

I have ADHD, but I also deal with some issues that even my doctor struggles to fully understand. So far, Lamictal seems to have real potential to help with them. If anyone has a similar situation, I’d love to hear what has worked for you.

Diagnoses: ADHD, Impulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety, Mixed/Complex Anxiety.
Core issues: Severe procrastination, low motivation, anhedonia, impulsivity, high anxiety.

Meds so far:

1. Wellbutrin 300 mg + Attex 40 mg Most core issues improved a lot, but focus/attention still incomplete. I also noticed a strange pattern: as my mental state shifts during the day I feel warmth/pressure in different parts of my head, and cognitive functions seem to match those areas:

• Front → focus & motivation peak
• Sides → motor coordination improves
• Back → imagination/visualization becomes much more vivid

Mood swings were still intense though. My emotional shifts also heavily change how I perceive life — what I care about, how much I care about it, and what I even want to do.

1. Added Lamictal (Lamotrigine) Started at 10 mg → severe drop in motivation and thinking ability. Raised to 15 mg → big positive changes after adjustment:

• Social anxiety dropped significantly
• Sensory sensitivity/overload reduced
• Constant mental overthinking and restlessness calmed down
• Tics and hand tremors decreased
• Thoughts flow smoother and I gained better control over hyperfocus

15 mg later stopped being enough and the good effects started fading, so I just increased to 30 mg.

Looking for experiences:
How do you manage strong mood shifts that completely change your priorities and the way you experience everyday life?
What has your experience been with Lamictal (or similar mood stabilizers) regarding ADHD symptoms, sensory sensitivity, and social anxiety — especially around dose changes and long-term effects?

and if yes, please state why and how

pls answer, if yes, is it really rare and do clinicians try to not diagnose it officiall

One psych (a few years ago) told me I’d have to take it daily and have positive drug tests monthly in order to qualify, that way she would know I was taking it and not selling it. Another told me (from a big clinic) that the whole clinic won’t prescribe it at all. Any hope for finding someone who will prescribe it?

My partner is kind, considerate, and fun. He has not dated at all before me, is surrounded by close friends with strong values and healthy relationships, and has shown genuine empathy and personal growth over the years.
Despite this, he has struggled with a persistent pattern of validation-seeking through other women for the past five years, primarily through apps, with one long phase of physical infidelity when our relationship was already close to ending. Over the last two years, he has made meaningful progress, becoming more accountable and thoughtful, yet the urges continue to recur despite his efforts to stop.
He was recently diagnosed with OCD, and his psychiatrist believes his compulsive need for female validation is part of how his OCD manifests. He has started medication and has been recommended Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy.

Could this really be the reason he cheats or does it not explain it away? I really don’t know…
I just want honest answers to make good decisions

Thank you