Isn't it clear that depression and anxiety are prevalent to tell us something?

Stop taking your Paxil and medications.

Those of us who are depressed and/or anxious need to feel the depression and anxiety in order to grow. Just like physical pain in the human body, depression and anxiety occur as a warning to us that something is wrong. Right now, depression and anxiety are the two most common mental problems in America (and likely the world).

Taking prescription drugs to cover up those feelings only numbs us to the problems that we must take care of. Depression and anxiety will only continue to become more prevalent until we as a society do something about the underlying reasons for these afflictions.

Respect your body, and respect your feelings, they arise for a REASON.

Yes and often times it can be a serious chemical problem that is arising.

I'm sorry to do this but I am gonna take a huge stance against this. Please folks, if you are on SSRI's or psychiatric medications...I beg you...don't ever just stop taking them without talking to a doc. That is extremely dangerous and can majorly worsen whatever situation you may be enduring.

I'm with you that therapy can be a great thing but it can be deadly suggesting someone just stop taking their meds.

-Kyo

Dr. Elio Frattaroli, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, wrote a great book on this very subject: "Healing the Soul in the Age of the Brain: Becoming Conscious in an Unconscious World".

As you stated, depression and anxiety are natural, built in warning systems. Masking them with drugs is like taking a painkiller to mask the pain of the aneurysm that is about to kill you. There is a place for meds such as short-term use to stabilize somebody with serious emotional problems, but the trend is to put people on these pills for life due to some "chemical imbalance" that has never been documented or measured scientifically.

I should have clarified - I do believe there are times when treatment is necessary - my personal belief is that there are better treatments than pills for these afflictions, however, I would never suggest anyone who needs serious help stop taking medication.

I'm merely saying that as a society, we need to be open to what our bodies are telling us.

reply to post by KyoZero


I agree with KyoZero.

Whilst you could be right that the seemingly marked increase in anxiety, depression etc might be indicative of something "deeper", that does not equate to all instances of anxiety, depression etc being caused by such a phenomenon.

For most people, such experiences are proven to be indicative of chemical or personally relevant stimuli (e.g. traumatic/dramatic experiences etc). Therefore, logically, none of us are in a position to lay down a carte blanche on such things.

The causes of such experiences are highly subjective and are dependant on each individuals circumstances. With this in mind, it would be imprudent to advise people to cease their medication IMO

Self awareness goes a long way. I was diagnosed as bi-polar years before it became the phenomenon and refused medication. I said that I was going to get better, but couldn't if a chemical was telling my brain how to feel.

And you know, I am better. I still get the depression, but I learned what works and what doesn't work to make it better. For me, walking is big, writing is a quick fix, and sometimes just one big cry will make it all right again.

It took a long time, but as long as I kept trying I got better, if only just a little each spell.

The medications won't cure a person, they just numb them. So I agree that the pills are just keeping a person there, inside the depression. And people want the supposed quick fix or the attention for being on antidepressants without the actual work of trying to get better.

Originally posted by Alora
Self awareness goes a long way. I was diagnosed as bi-polar years before it became the phenomenon and refused medication. I said that I was going to get better, but couldn't if a chemical was telling my brain how to feel.

And you know, I am better. I still get the depression, but I learned what works and what doesn't work to make it better. For me, walking is big, writing is a quick fix, and sometimes just one big cry will make it all right again.

It took a long time, but as long as I kept trying I got better, if only just a little each spell.

The medications won't cure a person, they just numb them. So I agree that the pills are just keeping a person there, inside the depression. And people want the supposed quick fix or the attention for being on antidepressants without the actual work of trying to get better.

This is what I'm trying to say. People need to work through the underlying problem, which takes more time, awareness and attention, but is necessary in order to truly defeat the problem. Pills are only a bandage over the problem.

Some people may need the pills, but not on the massive scale that they are being prescribed.

One Word...

Beer.





(And I've been diagnosed with depression, prescribed countless medications.... I say to hell with the pills,... If your feeling down, have a few drinks.)

reply to post by wolf367


Sorry Wolf - Just read your follow-up post. I agree with you that sometimes pills aren't necessarily always the "answer".

In my personal experience, the resolution of my depression was addressing the causal factors. My breakdown had been the consequence of a key "thing". When this was addressed, the cloud lifted - albeit slowly. My partner experienced a similar cause-effect-solution a few years before we met.

That said, I consider myself one of the more fortunate few; whose experiences can be identified as triggered by external/internal event/experience/trauma/stimulus. In these instances, IMO, there is the opportunity for rationalisation and the identification of a resolution.

I can only imagine such an experience that is randomly chemically induced - I should imagine there is restricted opportunity for resolution other than medicational assistance

[edit on 23/2/09 by lizziejayne]

Now there wolf, we will most compliment each other.

Penicillin, Alderol, Ritalin...all of it overused...and all overused due to overdiagnosis.

Now I admit I am a psych major...soon to be certified and such, but I chose psychology over psychiatry because I believe alot of the issues can be helped through discovery and word as opposed to pills. Some definitely need the medical assistance but I would say a good majority need discussion over chemicals.

I may have jumped the gun and misread a little...if so I apologize. I just thought you meant 'throw down your pills"

Well said

-Kyo

Yes, Wolf! I agree 100% I just recently ascertained this myself.
I've put alot of crap into my body, both legal and illegal. I'm done with the illegals, but the last thing I'm on is this awful thing called Seroquel. It's really for Schitzophrenia at a high dose (About 600-900MG), but they gave me 100mg/day for Anxiety and to go to sleep.
I've been on it for 3 years, and everytime I tried to stop, it was worse than detoxing off of an opiate.
I am now dropping 25mg at a time. Just dropped to 50 last night. Having these terrible dreams, and the anxiety is literally tearing me apart, but you're right, Wolf.
I/we need to feel this to understand things. To see it all on a higher level. I would shake just at the thought of anxiety, but now, even though it does royally suck, I have this strange (or not so strange) comfort knowing that I am learning from this, and I will be a better man on the other side. I just hope the anxiety isn't permanent...
And as far as depression, I've had that too for just as long. Same theory applies to the depression, but I have to admit: even though I just said there is indeed spiritual growth (if you acknowledge it) from it all, it still can be very hard while it's all happening. I know it sounds contradictory, but damn.... It's a thing in itself.
I hope I made some kind of sense...
Peace guys, and I hope we all do indeed benefit from the darkness and the fear....

Sure depression and anxiety are common feelings. One shouldn't medicate oneself for normal sporadic instances of emotional uneasiness. That could lead to a dependence which in the long run becomes exponentially more of a problem than the initial. Yes, in my opinion the OP is right. I'm oldschool/have faith in nature/crazy like Tom Cruize and don't think 95% of these medications should exist but people have free will to overcome their problems however they see fit. Unfortunately in this society people are finding ways to rely on anything not having to do with themselves pills included. Doctors, psychologisys, police even want to medicate you nowadays...'tiss pathethic. Easy answer. On second thought, coupled with the pressures of a job, family, friends, and consumerist lifestyle who really has the time to grow as a person by overcoming depression (sarcasm not included).

[edit on 23-2-2009 by djr33222]

Here's the thing. We as a society treat these feelings as though they are something unnatural and that we better take something to make them go away.

The truth is these feelings are completely normal. Look at what's going on in the world. So, even if people don't understand it on a conscious level, our subconscious reads what's going on. The solution to depression and anxiety are two things.

1. Allow yourself to feel these feelings without judgment. The more you think I don't want to be depressed or I don't want to be anxious, the more depressed or anxious you become.

2. Exploring why you are feeling these feelings - either with a professional or by yourself. Allow yourself to take a look at your dark side. Be honest with yourself. Don't deny the things you don't want to think about or look at.

I know its controversial to say go ahead, stop taking your pills. However, I truly believe that until we start doing just that - we won't solve any of the problems that are leading to society's depression and anxiety.

Again, I will put an addendum that if someone has a serious problem where they might harm themselves or others, that medication can be a help, but hopefully with the goal of eventually getting off the medication.

i'm off my meds right now and lets just say i am off my rocker.
be suprised if i make it through the night. honestly.
you shouldn't tell people to stop taking their meds. i hallucinated for days when i stopped my meds.
you just might need to be in someones shoes who is bipolar(like me) or clinically depressed or prone to panic attacks. it is no fun way to live let me tell you.

reply to post by thing fish


I have had a history of panic attacks and I had a nervous breakdown at 17 and never took meds. I went through a period of extreme depression and anxiety where I was so anxious I couldn't even look at people if they were talking to me. Often times, I wouldn't even get out of bed in the morning. I fought this for years without medication, and then eventually decided to allow myself to feel what I was feeling and I have since gotten better (over a period of years). My belief is that these pills are not beneficial in the long term.
So to look at bipolar disorder, I have to wonder if we as a society have looked at WHY bi-polar disorder is so common nowadays? My guess is bi-polar disorder is a way of someone's body trying to communicate something to them. I will state again that I agree in extreme situations that it is ok to use medication. I also think there are plenty of natural treatments that might help as well, but since I haven't ever had bi-polar disorder, I'll leave it alone.

My main point is to say that depression and anxiety are happening as a way of communication. Physical pain is a sign that something is wrong with our bodies. Mental pain is a sign that something is wrong too. This mental pain I think is our body asking us to look deeper, to be honest and to explore where these feelings are coming from and why they are happening, and in my own experience, this has provided the cure.



[edit on 24-2-2009 by wolf367]

[edit on 24-2-2009 by wolf367]

Antidepressents and the like do genuinely help many, perhaps even most of their users to live a happier, more stable life. They do not help some people, and in numerous cases, make things worse, sometimes to the poiint of causing suicidal tendencies.

The science of the brain is difficult and inexact. If you don't feel an improvement after a few weeks, you should talk to your doctor about it, and ask them to consider trying something else.

If you have a real reason to be depressed, you probably shouldn't be taking medication. Antidepressants are more for when you feel depressed when there's nothing major wrong in your life.

Isn't it possible that there's something wrong in one's life that they haven't considered?

Many people believe that prescriptions drugs numb you, when really it just takes the edge off of constant worrying and or depression. You are still yourself. You don't turn into a zombie or anything. LOL If you do, then the med is too strong or it's the wrong kind.

Everyone should get in touch with their feelings and if they can work things out without meds, they probably didn't need it in the first place. Some do, some don't. Talk to your doc and discuss things with him or her.

Originally posted by Night Star
Many people believe that prescriptions drugs numb you, when really it just takes the edge off of constant worrying and or depression. You are still yourself. You don't turn into a zombie or anything. LOL If you do, then the med is too strong or it's the wrong kind.

Everyone should get in touch with their feelings and if they can work things out without meds, they probably didn't need it in the first place. Some do, some don't. Talk to your doc and discuss things with him or her.

That's just repeating propaganda spewed by the companies that produce the drugs. And please don't forget that your doc has a vested interest in prescribing these drugs to you since quite often they receive a kickback for doing so.


From www.clinical-depression.co.uk...

Actually, all the effects, even the desired effects, can be considered a side effect of taking a pill. The reason there are so many side effects with antidepressants, is really due to the lack of full understanding about how antidepressants, and depression, affect the brain. This can can be very different from case to case. Even the drug companies themselves admit that they don't quite know how the drugs work! (2)
2 - Dubovsky, S. L. (1997) Mind-Body Deceptions: the psychosomatics of everyday life. WW Norton & Co.

Some of the various side effects from the different antidepressants are: * Dry mouth * Urinary retention * Blurred vision * Constipation * Sedation (can interfere with driving or operating machinery) * Sleep disruption * Weight gain * Headache * Nausea * Gastrointestinal disturbance/diarrhea * Abdominal pain * Inability to achieve an erection * Inability to achieve an orgasm (men and women) * Loss of libido * Agitation * Anxiety

Notice that ANXIETY and AGITATION are two of the side effects of SSRIs - doesn't that seem odd?

So it gives a really small picture to say that these drugs just "take the edge off". They are undertested drugs that chemically alter your brain.


[edit on 24-2-2009 by wolf367]

[edit on 24-2-2009 by wolf367]

Depression is usually caused by low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Chemically altering the re-uptake of serotonin with SSRIs is a reasonable approach to bringing serotonin levels to a normal level.

At a more fundamental level serotonin levels become depressed because most people suffer from a chronic infection. The immune system attempts to eradicate this infection and part of that response, cell mediated immunity, sequesters tryptophan. Tryptophan is the least abundant, essential amino acid and by making it unavailable the body is attempting to limit how quickly pathogens can multiply. Tryptophan is the precursor to to serotonin (and melatonin, which is why so many people also have sleep disorders as well) and this leads to a shortage of serotonin and consequently depression.

- PM