Off of the pills

[Good Old Neon]

He's a motivational psych selling $250 1-hr sessions.

So, how does that make him different than any other psychologist?

...which basically says that antidepressants are prescribed too freely, which is probably true, and does not mean that they are misprescribed in every situation.

Which was exactly the point I was trying to make. However, we keep throwing more and more pills at folks in an effort to relieve depression, while conversely, the number of people who describe themselves as depressed continues to increase. Clearly the cause is not wholly a result of biology, nor of course is it wholly unrelated to biology.

[W(TF)]

So, how does that make him different than any other psychologist?Which was exactly the point I was trying to make. However, we keep throwing more and more pills at folks in an effort to relieve depression, while conversely, the number of people who describe themselves as depressed continues to increase. Clearly the cause is not wholly a result of biology, nor of course is it wholly unrelated to biology.

 

Some pills did nothing for me. Correct diagnosis is the key. SSRI's didn't work, tetracyclics did. The difference it made in my life was dramatic and almost immediate. The people I'm close to can all attest to that.

[quarter23cd]

It would be great if everyone could deal with depression or anxiety issues through exercise, improved diet, meditation, talk therapy, but some people need to take the meds to get them to the point where they're able to make those choices. At that point, hopefully they can be weaned off the medication, but sometimes it's the drugs that allow people to find the coping mechanisms that work.

From experience, I have absolutely no problem with the prescribing of antidepressants, etc.(but that's not to say they aren't overused, either) They can be extremely helpful for a lot of people--restoring a sense of normalcy for long enough for those other lifestyle changes to take root. (Frankly, its hard to meditate very effectively if you're having a frigging panic attack! ) I guess it only bothers me when I see people using pills as the sole form of treatment rather than addressing the root causes or making actual lifestyle adjustments that could help them.

 

But, yeah, we have a funny cultural stance towards mental illness, depression included. There's a stigma attached to admitting to having a mental illness, and there's is an equal backlash against medical treatment for it that started when it suddenly seemed that everybody was popping Prozac. For the person who is actually suffering from it, you pretty much have people telling you to just "suck it up and deal with it" no matter what you do.

[M. (hristine]

i really do not understand the reluctance to treat mental illness, depression, anxiety like it was somehow different from any other illness. Am i missing something here? If you had diabetes that was not controlled by diet and exercise would you just tough it out? Would you not take antibiotics even if you had a severe infection? If you had cancer, would you try to meditate to shrink the tumor? Why is there so much stigma around antidepressants and meds of those ilk?

 

My complaint with what is happening in the psychiatric community with mood altering drugs is the same complaint I have with the medical community and antibiotics. When their use is called for, they are miraculous. But both of these miracle therapies are grossly overprescribed. If the overuse of these drugs weren't so potentially dangerous I wouldn't care.

 

Since I don't know rags, I am going to make a fictional leap. He wasn't specific about the issues he was struggling with, but he didn't sound as if he was on the verge of plowing his car into a tree. Here's the fictional leap: I think his story is not that unusual, and it is the perfect example of why I think these meds are overprescribed.

[Good Old Neon]

My complaint with what is happening in the psychiatric community with mood altering drugs is the same complaint I have with the medical community and antibiotics. When their use is called for, they are miraculous. But both of these miracle therapies are grossly overprescribed. If the overuse of these drugs weren't so potentially dangerous I wouldn't care.

 

Since I don't know rags, I am going to make a fictional leap. He wasn't specific about the issues he was struggling with, but he didn't sound as if he was on the verge of plowing his car into a tree. Here's the fictional leap: I think his story is not that unusual, and it is the perfect example of why I think these meds are overprescribed.

 

Did we just agree on something - ? - I think we just agreed on something. Once I get over the shock - you can pretty much bet there are going to be tears - of joy of course.

 

Agreed.

[W(TF)]

Since I don't know rags, I am going to make a fictional leap. He wasn't specific about the issues he was struggling with, but he didn't sound as if he was on the verge of plowing his car into a tree. Here's the fictional leap: I think his story is not that unusual, and it is the perfect example of why I think these meds are overprescribed.

 

This is just reckless. If you don't know, why speculate??

[M. (hristine]

This is just reckless. If you don't know, why speculate??

rags hasn't reposted in this thread. He posted elsewhere that he was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. There are many non pharmeceutical ways to treat this. What he did post was that he felt a great deal of trepidation about using pharmeceutical therapy to get healthy:

 

I've been thinking a lot over the last few days, and I'm not sure this is what I really want. I think I'd much rather be able to deal with my problems on my own or with others, then have to rely on a pill and messing with my chemistry. I'm not really fond of how these specific medicines work, and feel like in the end I'd be a lot better off without them.

 

 

Most everyone that has posted after him has been speaking hypothetically and speculating.

 

I have seen first hand the danger and destruction that the irresponsible prescription of mood altering drugs can do. I suffered severe social anxiety in my 20s which I worked my way out of without medication. All the other stuff that they say works, worked for me. More or less. Over time. Had I gone to therapy earlier, and especially cognitive-behavioral therapy (or more recently insight meditation which is incredibly helpful), I might not have made so many missteps in my younger years. I still feel the anxiety sometimes, but not as intensly and without the physical reactions. People who know me now think of me as 'almost normal' ( ). I can live with that.

 

Like many of these types of disorders there appears to be a genetic component. It is not uncommon in my extended family. My sister self medicated because of it, first with with prescribed anti anxiety meds, then those combined with booze, then just booze, and was dead before she was 40.

 

I just think such decisions should be made with a great deal of informed consideration by the patient, since the psychiatric community seems to have little compunction in handing out psychotropics like candy.

[Alisa]

I been taking Antidepressants for awhile. Everybody is always knocking them but I think I am better off taking them. I was severely depressed took anti depressants then went off them thinking I was fine. Well a few months later I was more worse than before ended up hospitalized. I am back on them and back to my normal self. Only you can decide if you need them or not. Keep talking to you councilors if you feel like you don't need them therapy is a good rout. Alot of people think SSRi are evil and over prescribed but yes they do help for people who need them and people have to use there own judgment and not family, doctors or media.

There are also alternatives like natural medicine spending time with a pet whatever makes you feel good.

[Guest Jules]

I'm pretty sure Paxil saved my life. OK, that's probably a reach, but it helped bring me out of a dark place. It was probably prescribed for the wrong reason initially (I was not taking care of myself, partying too much, living the bachelor life, overweight, stressed, relationship problems, etc), but it leveled me off in time to do something about it (exercise regimen, talk therapy, meditation), then come off of it later. I have been on and off of it for years now (definitely taper down, coming off cold turkey is not fun). I don't like pills, and there are some side effects, but it is worth it compared to the horror that can come with panic/anxiety attacks and ending up in the ER.

 

I have also recently found that many other conditions can cause the anxiety/panic symptoms being discussed here. Nutritional deficiencies, thyroid problems, heart conditions among others can contribute to or exaccerbate the anxiety symptoms. An SSRI could just mask these without treating the underlying condition. Of course I am not a doctor, but I strongly recommend to rags that he/she get a full physical, check up to rule everything else out. I finally did this earlier this year and found I have a minor heart condition that could have been contributing to the issue all along. There is a peace of mind in going through this process that helps the overall situation as well.

[rags]

Okay, just so everyone knows...no, I am not about to plow my car into a tree.

 

And, yes, I came to an internet music forum to talk about things. But honestly, probably one of the best ones around, especially for talking with some good people. So I personally feel no problem with that.

 

If I were personally in a worse state then yes, I'd probably consider going through with the medicine. But I'm just someone who's finishing up his last year of school who jumps ten feet into the air when he hears a car horn and is afraid of dogs. As a learned behavior, I have my ups and downs, and just tend to focus too hard on the downs sometimes.

 

As of a few days ago, I am not taking the Zoloft anymore, and left a message with the doctor. I'll be seeing her in a few days, probably, to discuss it with her. I am going to continue to be going to counseling, and will seriously consider the aspect of meditation (will talk to the counselor about this). I've felt fine the entire time, and am kind of proud of my decision.

 

Also, I would like to thank everyone on this interent music forum for your opinions and concerns. Maybe liking Wilco is linked to being good people? Perhaps so.

[isadorah]

happy to hear you are making progress and feeling good about how you are tackling it all rags!

 

there's been some very interesting discussion in this topic that i have found enlightening and comforting. everyone has opinions and it's kinda nice to see folks talk out different sides of their point of view. especially with something so taboo as mental illness. i wonder sometimes if the rate of depression is higher now isn't merely a sign that more and more people are ok with seeking help for their problems. then again, i also wonder if the rate of depression isn't linked to all of the chemicals we are now injesting.

 

someone said it earlier in this post, and i had made mention of it as well. i think there is a true importance to finding the causes of any illness and not only treating the illness' symptoms. i struggled with anxiety and depression for several years, sought help, was put on medication (which was actually a more horrific experience than the anxiety and depression), sought natural/herbal treatment, meditation, and therapy. i improved over the years, but always seemed to hit a wall at some point where it would only get so much better. by a fluke, i had allergy tests run for something completely unrelated and found out that the cause of my mental bout was a severe food allergy. with improved diet, i have finally been able to get much better.

 

you just never know what could be causing something.

 

and i like that rags said that this forum is filled with good people. i agree completely!