Does fluoxetine really make a difference?

For me it helped externally like I was more productive and social but internally it made me feel more numb and depressed it was weird

It helps me. Normally I'm a nervous wreck but it allows me to not take things as seriously if they're not serious and let things go. I can actually shrug off stuff that isn't a big deal. I think that sometimes it masks my anxiety building though, so I'll be fine one second and then suddenly having a panic attack. It's honestly worth it to me though, because of the overall mindset shift. I've tried medications in the past that had me wondering "Is this meant to actually be doing anything?" If you take it for a period of time (it's slow acting and needs time to build up) and feel no difference, it might be worth talking to your doctor about other options

Fluoxetine has helped me so much but the thing that is really important to remember with meds is that we all are really different. A medication that may work for one person may not work for another so it really is just a case of trial and error with meds. What may not work for a lot of other could work wonders for you so never right off a medication because of others experiences our bodies react so uniquely to medications. It takes time for any medication to get to work and also you may need to increase the dose to get the desired result. Don't give up hope you will find a medication that works for you it can just take a bit of working out. ❤️