All Drugged Up

I had been a bit anxious about moving to Karanambu, nervous about new people and a new place.  As the days progressed at Karanambu, my anxiety, instead of easing, got progressively worse.  I was having trouble concentrating on what people were telling me, couldn't remember anything, and couldn't sleep.  My skin started tingling.  I got paranoid and started thinking that maybe my hosts were drugging me - like the kool aid incident from the 70s.  That's when it dawned on me - I was being drugged! - but not by the lodge.  Because there are cases of malaria in Guyana, Peace Corps medical requires us to take prophylaxsis medication to prevent volunteers from contracting the disease.  I hurriedly scrambled about trying to find the information sheet running back and forth between rooms and buildings.  Finding the sheet, I realized I couldn't even read it properly.  The same things were printed in about five different places with no apparent order.  I finally found the beginning of the document and was relieved to see that the first symptom was severe anxiety, the second paranoia, followed closely behind by feeling restless, unusual behavior, and feeling confused. Whatever temporary relief that passage had given me was erased by the next.  "In some patients these serious and sudden side effects can go on after the mefloquine is stopped." Yiiiikes!  I stopped taking the medicine and started learning breathing exercises.  Let's hope that my new found solidarity for people with anxiety disorders goes away soon!