@sadiesmom These drugs that are getting talked about here sound really horrible. I hope you can find a good balance of things to take that will not leave you miserable.
A volunteer position sounds great. I did that for a while when I was between jobs. When I got a part-time job I had planned to continue it but I hurt my leg and the volunteer position required standing the whole time so I had to stop doing it. There are so many different types of things available depending on what you enjoy.
I can sympathize with you not having grandchildren. I am 70 and still none on the horizon. My kids must be late bloomers. My daughter just got married at 35, I have no idea if she will have children. My son is 37. I expect he will get married in the next couple of years but by the time he has children I will probably be too old to enjoy them, plus he is never going to live close to me.
JK

I think what your doctor is doing with your Effexor withdrawal is outrageous. I urge you to find another physician. I also recommend a book called "Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal" by Peter Breggin. You've been through hell and back and deserve better treatment. What your doctor is doing is certainly a violation of The Hippocratic Oath as required by all American medical school graduates. In my opinion, you have grounds to file a complaint with the licensing board of your state. In your case, withdrawal from Effexor in a month is not merely a lack of sympathy but may be dangerous. (See Breggin's book.) https://breggin.com/a-guide-for-prescribers-therapists-patients-and-their-families/

I sincerely wish you the best and hope you have the energy to seek another physician. Some medical insurance plans pay for physician consultations over the phone or through secure computer video. My version of Blue Cross/Blue Shield has a service called "Teledoc." You can consult with a physician through your computer. They can also prescribe medications in any state. Effexor is easy to get as it is not a controlled substance. The following is an excerpt from the Hippocratic oath as it is administered today:

"I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug." "I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick."

@gagelle I think too many doctors totally forget much of this.
JK