Lariam/Mefaquim – How I almost got stuck inside my mind

 When I first decided to start taking this medicine against Malaria, I listened to the doctor recommendations, actually to several doctors, and I never thought I could get to this point.

It took precious days from my life, where vivid dreams, extreme anxiety and even some paranoia, took my mind to places I never thought I would go to. I wasn’t the only one going to this dark place created by this drug. Unfortunately a friend got caught in it too.

In the beginning I believed that I could get over it. And most of it I thought I could manage the dreams, and all the strange side effects. After all, my dreams and my thoughts would never control who I am. 6 weeks passed already since I started traveling, and I feel I missed a big chunk of it. Whenever I was with someone I felt happy, I even had lots of fun. But whenever I was confronted with my own thoughts, everything was lost. I’m aware of the difficulties brought by traveling, still as many of you know, most of the times I managed to deal with things even if they weren’t in the best way possible. This time, I could do nothing to avoid this dark veil covering my eyes and poisoning my mind.

I can’t even explain how it changed who I am. I forgot why I came here, I forgot to look around and see these amazingly beautiful places surrounding me. I stopped loving food, wishing for chocolate, enjoying a nice warm coffee. I stopped being who I always have been.

Now that I’ve stopped this terrible thing, all I can say is that I will do my best to enjoy these 5 months I have left. Dark times they were, and now I need to see a brighter future ahead. Vietnam has still lots of things to offer and I’m here to enjoy them. 

All I can do is to thank my friends who never let me down, and who always stood there for me.