SSRI Regarding Suggestion. Take please.

It is completely understandable to feel frustrated when a medication meant to help makes you feel more disconnected or foggy. While sertraline has successfully managed your anxiety and depression, "SSRI-induced apathy" or residual executive dysfunction is a well-documented challenge. Here is how a psychiatrist typically looks at the two options you mentioned: ### Bupropion vs. Aripiprazole * **Bupropion (Wellbutrin):** This is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). Because it targets dopamine and norepinephrine—the chemical messengers responsible for motivation, energy, and focus—it is very commonly added to SSRIs to counteract apathy, brain fog, and fatigue. * **Aripiprazole (Abilify):** At very low doses (like 2mg), it acts as a dopamine partial agonist and is frequently used to boost the antidepressant effects of an SSRI. However, as you are experiencing, some individuals feel an increase in emotional blunting, sedation, or fog during the initial weeks. ### Recommended Next Steps 1. **Contact Your Psychiatrist Before Changing Anything:** Do not stop taking the aripiprazole or start a new medication abruptly, as this can destabilize your progress with GAD and MDD. 2. **Report the Side Effects:** Let your doctor know that the first two weeks of aripiprazole have worsened your apathy and brain fog. They will evaluate whether these side effects might pass, or if it is time to pivot. 3. **Discuss the Bupropion Alternative:** Ask your doctor if switching from aripiprazole to bupropion is a suitable option for your specific profile, given that your primary remaining hurdles are motivation and focus. Are these symptoms worse at a specific time of day, and have you already tried adjusting when you take the aripiprazole?