Eating Alices Cookie didnt take me to Wonderland. Stop telling people to avoid medication!!!

I agree that each case is different and needs careful examination. I also agree that a blanket statement for, or against the safety and efficacy of medication is something to be avoided. Generalization...

I have been in the Mental Health industry for over a decade. I have seen medication literally save people's lives and improve the overall quality of their daily existence, and I have seen people irreversibly damaged by the side effects as well. (Tardive Dyskinesia and Akathisia).
www.tardivedyskinesia.com...

It's a crap shoot either way and should be researched before actually making a decision.

The improper use of antidepressant medication can actually disinhibit a depressed individual (of certain age) and increase the suicidal urge.
www.medicinenet.com...

Some psychiatric medications can promote diabetes and obesity, even when administered correctly.
www.medpagetoday.com...
www.sciencedaily.com...


Often, psychiatric medications require the addition of other medication in order to manage the side effects of the initial prescription. It’s still a soft science at best. I have suffered from depression, and I was able to beat it without medication. I was determined not to fall into the medication “trap”. I found medication to be very cost prohibitive. My financial situation was a major stressor at the time and I felt the added cost would add to my anxiety and depression.
www.opns.org...



One thing to keep in mind: (as per my personal observation) most cases of mental illness involve some kind of illegal drug or alcohol use. It appears, at an alarming rate, as a concurrent diagnosis. Are you drinking too much or hitting the bong? That is “self medication” and has some pretty serious implications for your mental health as well. You should be concerned…
www.webmd.com...


Do what is right for you. It’s your body. Your mind. Your life.

This is not an issue that will be solved by this forum to be sure...



If you think that the medications you take are necessary then by all means take them according to your what your doctor has prescribed and dont ever ask questions. It probably won't help anyways because very few docotrs could point you to truth anyways. For them to point you in the direction of other truths would be to discredit themselves and their sure not going to do that in most cases

Usuallyt their not even aware of anything else anyways...so its not like there holding something back from you they just dont even know themselves


You should also pay no attention to all the drug lawsuits that are going on, on tons of medications that doctors prescribed as safe to use though...


The medical community has done there job well convincing so many that they are the only way, by all means let these companies and doctors put you on 10 or 20 meds which you must take until you die....that is the only way....if your brain tells you this is so......then for you it really is so




[edit on 22-2-2010 by Soulfear]

[edit on 22-2-2010 by Soulfear]

I have... OCD, ODD, ADHD, General Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Manic Depression, and I'm a Schizoid...

So I probably have aspergers...

Anyways, f&*k medications. That unnatural garbage. I understand the scientific debate. But in reality there's nothing truly scientific about it. It's trial and error, and statistics.

I smoke cannabis. Not excessively. And typically not the uber dangerous, drug czar panic inducing, kind. I usually smoke the 'usual'.

And it has done far more for my social development, patience, and other issues than any doctor could prescribe or provide therapy to.

So While I agree people just shouldn't stop taking medications because someone on the internet is telling them too... Stop taking your medications.

Find your own path. If you need medication you do. But medication is not the God route.

i'm not a big fan of "big pharma" but the decision whether to take or not take medication is always something that is reserved between the patient and the doctor.

i remember talking with one of my docs some time ago about how the new push is to return to medication being given per body weight rather than the generic "children/adult" dosage. and how in the next few years they'll probably test your tolerance to all of the similar medications and only give you the one that'll have the best results (as opposed to the current way where you get something and if it wont work you try another one until you find a pill that will work).

i'm opposed to doctors giving mind altering drugs to patients without doing a thorough investigation first - and sadly many docs do that just to keep you as a patient to continue milking you. find another doctor! but if it turns out after all tests that you do need this kind of medication then by all means take it!

to the proponents of "natural" treatments i'd like to point out that every "natural" substance is still a "chemical" that interacts with your body chemistry and there are a lot of poisons in nature. things that can kill you in high doses but can heal you in carefully measured portions.

"natural" doesn't mean safe! be smart about what you're swallowing, either way!

reply to post by PapaKrok


Im interested in what part of the mental health industry you work in.
You have made some valid points about the side effects of anti-depressants, but again what you failed to see was the distinction between mild depression the major (chronic) depression.

You say you changed your stressors which helped your depression but that again shows your depression was only the mild acute form. So antidepresants wouldnt be the best treatment for you. So you shouldnt compare your experience to all depressive experiences.

However the hard fact is, a very high percentage of people who sufferer from major depressive episodes kill themselves every year. But this is over halfed with the use of medication.

Originally posted by PapaKrok


One thing to keep in mind: (as per my personal observation) most cases of mental illness involve some kind of illegal drug or alcohol use. It appears, at an alarming rate, as a concurrent diagnosis. Are you drinking too much or hitting the bong? That is “self medication” and has some pretty serious implications for your mental health as well. You should be concerned…
www.webmd.com...

Thank you so very much for brining up this important point, because everyone I know who has stopped taking their meds, usually resorted to some form of self medication, which actually makes their problems worse. Some people then go back on meds, and continue with the alcohol, and or other street drugs, and that is very dangerous!

reply to post by OzWeatherman


So.... you're saying that because something worked for you, everyone should do what you do and put toxins into their bodies, altering their brain chemistry? Dont you think that is just as irresponsible as telling people NOT to take drugs? Personally, I get freaked out about all these new "designer drugs" we're bombarded with every time you turn on a damn tv. They seem to work great, and the pharma companies make BILLIONS. Then, lo and behold, ten years down the line we start seeing class action lawsuits for said drugs. "if you took XYZ and had a heart attack, brain aneurism, or stroke, it may be from taking XYZ.

No thank you.

Also, if these new drugs, (especially the mood enhancing ones) are so imperative to our health/well being, how do you explain thousands and thousands of years our species has flousrished without the Prozac, the Xanax, the Paxil, whatever the hell they put in your capsule.

Ive known many people who have struggled with depression, myself included. Most of them said they truly regret ever being turned on to anti-depressants by their doctor, it ended up only causing a whole myriad of problems. For me, Ive found the best cure was frequent hard exercise (in my case Hockey), eating lots of fresh healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and finding positive things to take up your time, (for me playing/writing music). Even herbal remedies are just as likely to help. Not just the smokable kind, try Cava Cava tea. I'd recommend all of these alternatives before you start popping pills and defending your love for them on ATS

Most people would be very surprised at what exercise, proper diet, attention to ones spiritual self can do for alot of ailments...




Look at China and how they deal with many of the medical issues and have for 2000 years

Funny how the Chinese consider the greatest achievement by the western world being the invention of the Barrel used to hold beer and wine....but certainly not our understanding of what makes up the bodies wholeness/wellness and our machine gun tactics of treating symptons rather than the root cause

Wow,

There are some strong words posted here filled with conviction and passion. It is impossible to know what drives an individual's passion and certainly not ours to judge. Be at peace, the Voices here are intended to inform and not dictate to another. It cannot be known whether or not the person reading here is "Stable or Unstable", that is not for us to decide. All that can be done here is to speak our truths and if it resonates with another fine, if not well that's fine as well.

Peace and Love

Originally posted by PapaKrok
I agree that each case is different and needs careful examination. I also agree that a blanket statement for, or against the safety and efficacy of medication is something to be avoided. Generalization...

One thing to keep in mind: (as per my personal observation) most cases of mental illness involve some kind of illegal drug or alcohol use. It appears, at an alarming rate, as a concurrent diagnosis. Are you drinking too much or hitting the bong? That is “self medication” and has some pretty serious implications for your mental health as well. You should be concerned…
www.webmd.com...

Sounds like a generalization to me and this is why people like you sir ran me out of the psych program into something more non-quackish--you made a blanket statement as to "MOST cases...." per your experience --I say baloney and I hope you refer THOSE people to AA or NA, please do them a favor

reply to post by rufus51


thanks for proving my point.

If you choose to pretend that everyone here is wise or stable enough to handle everything posted here, that is your right.

You can't pass my words off as exaggeration that easily.

What's behind my words? Reality.

Fact is that there are some posters here who are more than obviously needing some help.

Fact is that I have enough experience to be able to spot it, and fact is some of these people are looking for justification to continue their illnesses.

Fact is, I feel it unforgivable that others will encourage that.

Write me off as a hysteric, doesn't change the fact that I'm correct in this.

Originally posted by Soulfear

The medical community has done there job well convincing so many that they are the only way, by all means let these companies and doctors put you on 10 or 20 meds which you must take until you die....that is the only way....if your brain tells you this is so......then for you it really is so




[edit on 22-2-2010 by Soulfear]

[edit on 22-2-2010 by Soulfear]

Seriously where do you guys get this stuff from?

I am training in medical school now and I have never found one doctor who has ever thought like this. Medical schools in the UK encourage "evidence based medicine".

We are taught that antidepressants are really the last resort in treating depression and only use them if you are worried the patient is having a major depressive episode or if theres a risk of suicide before the multidisciplinary team can get involved.

Either half the people on here have terrible terrible drs (which obviousky do not work in the UK). Or people are writing comments based on misinformed, collaberative opinions

Originally posted by WhiteDevil013
reply to post by OzWeatherman

 

Ive known many people who have struggled with depression, myself included. Most of them said they truly regret ever being turned on to anti-depressants by their doctor, it ended up only causing a whole myriad of problems. For me, Ive found the best cure was frequent hard exercise (in my case Hockey), eating lots of fresh healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and finding positive things to take up your time, (for me playing/writing music). Even herbal remedies are just as likely to help. Not just the smokable kind, try Cava Cava tea. I'd recommend all of these alternatives before you start popping pills and defending your love for them on ATS

I dont know why you see playing hockey as alternative treatment?

Exercise is actually one of the first line treatments for depression according to the NICE guidelines in UK. This is because strenuous exercise can create similar brain chemistry changes to taking antidepressants can, but not to the same degree.

The only problem is, if you are having a major depressive episode these treatments are not appropriate as the patients wont even be able to jog and this is when you need to consider antidepressants.

I'm not familiar with UK medicine...but there are tons of people in the US on lots of meds


As they get more symptoms the hand out another pill until you have a 40 or 50 year old person on anywhere from 5 to 20+ medications

Being correct is a perception based on one's interpretation of the available information. Knowledge in power, Compassion is a gift, and Understanding is a personal judgement. My words are not intended to harm, nor are they intended to "steer" anyone to a particular path, rather to just add my Voice and hopefully provide another perspective. We all have a choice; to read or not to read, to search further or not, to act or remain passive, to understand or stand steadfast, it is a choice.

Peace and Love

I spent a good majority of my late teens and twenties in hell. Literally.

I had no energy, no desire for anything, and no hope. I wanted to spend my day hiding from the world. Most of the time I spent asleep, when possible.

During this time I MADE myself try and live a normal life....I went to and graduated from college, did the job thing and the marriage thing, etc. And all the time this was happening I kept trying to give myself a pep talk, psych myself up, kck myself in the butt and get it in gear.

It went on and on. By this time I had been prescribed three different depression medications and two separate anxiety medications. Nothing helped.

Then one night I'd had enough. Decided things were hopeless, the pain would never end, and I chose to end my life.

I got in my car and headed for the interstate with the intention of driving myself into one of the bridge supports. Instead, I drove myself to a hospital, checked in, and spent the next two weeks in the psych ward.

After leaving, I found a WONDERFUL psychiatrist. She prescribed effexor for the depression, a mild tranquilizer called ativan (which she slowly weaned me off of as I became stronger), and lots of therapy. She talked to me, she listened to me, and she gave me assignments.

I had a certain amount of time I had to spend outdoors in the sun. A certain amount of exercise I had to perform. She put me in touch with several different organizations for me to volunteer and help others. She taught me how to meditate, how to listen to my inner self, and how to change my perception on life.

I saw this doctor for a little over a year, then we both felt I no longer needed the therapy or the medicine.

Unfortunantly, after a couple of years I noticed the depression was starting to come back. By this time I had moved to a new state, so I found another psychiatrist.

This doc prescribed me pills after pills. He never once offered advice on exercise, volunteering, etc....just would write another prescription and hand me the bill. By the time I woke up and quit seeing him, I was on seven different medications (some of the meds were to counter the side-effects of the other meds!)

I went back to my regular doctor and asked to be weaned off everythign except the effexor (anti-depressant). That was two years ago. Right now I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life....and I still take the effexor. But I also exercise, watch my food intake, volunteer, meditate, get plenty of sunshine, etc.

I will fight this battle with depression for the rest of my life; I recognize that, and I am okay with that.

The point of my long-winded story is simple. Get lots of medical opinions (and sorry, ATS members don't count as credible sources). Do your own research. There are doctors are medications out there that can help and do help. It may take some time to find them, but that is what being your own advocate is about.

Best wishes for everyone fighting depression....its a terrible, painful illness and certainly not helped when someone tells you "get over it."

Originally posted by smyleegrl

I think the common theme here is that you got sunlight, exercised, and did the whole spiritual meditative mumbo jumbo voodoo deal. (Which I support) and I have used Effexor so yay serotonin balance.

Give me a little melanin and we ain't got no problems!

(Melanin let's you absorb God's love

Originally posted by Symetra
Yes, the Illuminati- ists (Catholics) are not of Christ. Most doctors if you check are Catholic (Freemasons).

Well actually, my doctor was a hindu, and my previous doctor was a jew. So your logic there seems kind of made up.....

Originally posted by OzWeatherman

Originally posted by Symetra
Yes, the Illuminati- ists (Catholics) are not of Christ. Most doctors if you check are Catholic (Freemasons).

Well actually, my doctor was a hindu, and my previous doctor was a jew. So your logic there seems kind of made up.....

Mine is Asian-Christian or something. He was a D.O. not an M.D. and hated to prescribe medications.

If you want to generically label a profession. You should say "All White, Catholic and or White Jewish doctors." xD

Originally posted by 1curious1

Wondering if original poster could be a Drug rep who's losing more business because word is out that these drugs are EVIL!!!!

No, Im not saying to people to take the drugs

Again READ the opening post PROPERLY