[twinkl]

Are you on medication to treat a psychological/emotional illness, or help deal with stress/anxiety? I've been considering seeing a therapist and getting on some medication for a while now to treat the depression I'm pretty sure I have and whatever else I may need help with. I wanted to get some of the anonymous public's take on your experiences with various medication, or just spur conversation on the issue of over-medication in general.

Care to share?

[erincait]

Are you on medication to treat a psychological/emotional illness, or help deal with stress/anxiety? I've been considering seeing a therapist and getting on some medication for a while now to treat the depression I'm pretty sure I have and whatever else I may need help with. I wanted to get some of the anonymous public's take on your experiences with various medication, or just spur conversation on the issue of over-medication in general.

Care to share?

Personally, no I am not on any meditation. I do however, know a few people who are currently taking meds to help stabilize some depression/ anxiety. My father takes drugs to balance his bipolar disorder. Most bipolar disorders manifest with extreme mood swings, i.e. a "manic" state or a "depressive" state. Though doctors have recently discovered that it is possible to be bipolar without ever exhibiting one of these two symptoms. My dad has only every shown a "depressive" state. Unfortunately, the most common aspect of bipolar is that medication can throw the person into having an episode of some kind and so it is very difficult to find a balance.

Most chemical imbalances aren't as hard to treat as bipolar, but there are always risks with everything. If you're depressive it may be that your brain isn't producing as much serotonin as is needed? My father is lucky enough to take a vitamin called SamE that helps.

Of course there is a social stigma related to taking mood-stabilizing medications. I think that will always be the case, but there are some people who DO benefit greatly in their quality of life when taking these meds.

Definitely consult a doctor and figure out what is bets for you. Some people have bad reactions to these things and even become much worse than before taking them.

Good luck!

[tasty]

kind of irrelevant to what you wanna discuss but whatever...

i swear i have an anxiety disorder. it's pretty bad. i haven't been diagnosed though... i want some meds for it without going through a diagnosis. like ... if i get diagnosed, i HAVE to tell employers.

i've been dealing with it with alcohol. i know... i feel like mini cooper later... the feeling lasts for a few days. one night i just couldn't handle the after-effects and broke down.

my grandpa was an alcoholic and died from it. but i don't think i'll become an alcoholic...

my friend's sister has been to the hospital for anxiety... and she drinks like, up to 4 days a week.

[boka]

I've been considering seeing a therapist and getting on some medication for a while now to treat the depression I'm pretty sure I have and whatever else I may need help with.

I'd really suggest avoiding antidepressants unless you absolutely know you have major/severe depression.

I say this because depression meds, such as the popular SSRIs/SNRIs, are taken over a very long period (months to years, causing physical dependence) while causing quite serious side-effects. The first month will be hell as you try to fight the nausea after each dose. After the first day or two, you'll notice that your sex drive and function almost completely disappears. After the first week, you'll notice that you no longer feel any emotions, good or bad, patients describe everything as "cardboard" (this is the "suicide ideation" period that drug companies warn you about). Hanging out with friends is no longer interesting and you can gain a lot of weight as you can no longer feel satisfied after meals. Although you can eventually get used to these changes, the point is unless living like this is a major improvement to your prior situation, you'd be better off avoiding these kinds of meds. Note that after enduring all of this, a large percentage of users still don't notice any improvement in mood.

Excuse my ranting about antidepressants, it's just that I think drug companies should be looking in other directions for combatting depression.

If any case, if you still feel you need some pharmaceutical help, tell your doctor that you're very concerned about side-effects of SSRIs and ask about selegiline. It was originally a parkinson's med with some stimulant properties and should give a small but immediate boost to mood while you get your life back on track.

[twinkl]

Thanks a lot for the input, boka. I appreciate it. A former university instructor of mine and someone I consider a mentor actually suggested medication in the first place. He and his sister went through bouts of depression and apparently the medication was beneficial. I have no idea what kind though, so I guess I need to do more research.

I was afraid of dependency though. The movie Garden State comes to mind every time I think about people on pills

[turquoise_and_takoyaki]

first off do not self diagnose, self-diagnosis is very unhealthy and unsafe It is better to see a doctor first (which you are planning to do) to see what interventions can be done. Anyway on meds, unless the doctor prescribes you with antipsychotic/antidepressants/antianxiety don't take it, well of course they are prescribed drugs but even though if they prescribe you (since doctor's like to prescribe), try behavioural therapy first, I wouldn't recommend taking those drugs because of the side effects that they carry(just as what boka mentioned), of course it is different with antipsychotic since those drugs must be taken. People who take antidepressants really depend on them, there are documentaries that when people have stopped taking it, they go into SEVERE depression. Also think about what other side effects it carries eg in antipsychotics they cause weight gain and increase the chance of diabetes also when you are on these drugs you have to go through a lot of blood tests to make sure LFT's and bloods are not deranged. So basically, try behavioural therapy first because it might work and if not then maybe then you can have the drugs, otherwise if there is always ECT for severely depressed patients. ALSO before taking any medication I suggest, you read the ingredients just in case you are allergic and also read the side effects (Im not saying you don't - but just to be on the safe side) also read patient advice.

[derrek]

If you have any questions or want to talk you can add me on MSN... I've been through this, just don't feel like writing a big shpiel about it because I already have for like 10 people

[sasuke-kun]

im a pharmacist so i see this stuff all the time. its funny though. when i go to stores in areas where people are rich, you see the majority of prescriptions being antidepressants. when i go to stores in areas where people are poor and are on public aid, i RARELY see prescriptions for antidepressants. also, in richer areas, i tend to see more narcotics being used. i feel like rich people just pop these pills to make themselves feel better, not because they REALLY need it.

side effects are an issue, but there are different meds you can try. you and your doctor have to decide which side effects are unacceptable and decide the best medication for you.

[chilovesjj]

I agree with boka, if you can try other options, I'd avoid antidepressants if possible. And see a decent doctor...

The woman I saw was still in training and basically I went to her because I was suffering physical symptoms which were related to the mental condition (fatigue and other stuff) so when all the blood tests were negative she was like 'you said you cry all the time right?' and just dumped me on antidepressants, and then proceeded to change the doseage every few weeks and just. It was hell.

Completely agree with this quote from boka 'After the first week, you'll notice that you no longer feel any emotions, good or bad, patients describe everything as "cardboard"'. It's so true. Stupid thing is, it didn't actually make me feel any less hopeless, I just felt less able to express it because I couldn't cry anymore. Which just made me really frustrated so I ended up self harming ON the meds even though I hadn't selfharmed BEFORE I took them x__x" The fatigue actually got worse and became 'chronic' (I'd collapse and fall asleep during lessons), I couldn't concentrate at all for any length of time, and my immune system was completely shot. It screwed me over a lot. Eventually I got so fed up of it (and read some pretty bad horror stories about the possible side-effects of the meds I was on- which the doctor completely failed to tell me, btw, she told me nothing about them -.-) I just stopped, quite abruptly.

Ironically, although some people experience side effects coming off those meds suddenly, I was experiencing so many damned side-effects anyway that I didn't notice any additional ones when I came off them.

I went to see a counsellor for a while after that. She helped me alot more than those stupid meds ever did.

[twinkl]

Cool, great information everyone. And turquoise: completely agree that self-diagnosis is ridiculous. I started this thread to stir up conversation and help me plan out who I should see and what kind of research I need to do prior to finding the right doctor/therapist.

Money's tight, and I need to plan out how to get the most out of my office visits :T

[erincait]

There are places that let you pay on a sliding scale. Usually these places are community organized groups like church organizations or woman's health groups and so forth. Basically, if you show proof of your income they can arrange a payment that would suit your current situation.

I think that medication plays an important role in our society, but that it is too often used when other options may have been better. In other words people are to quick to choose drugs over trying real change. And in a way that sort of mindset can really mess with the people who really do need medications to live their lives.

Hope this all helps.

[Mr Boo Boo]

i take meds just to deal with the pain....oh the pain...why wont you go away

[angelxglo]

funny we were just discussing this awhile ago.
this guy in my class claimed that he found a drug that can cure aids and cancer but no pharmaceutical/medical researchers would even look at it because this drug went generic a long time ago thus they wouldnt make any profits even if research was done. he also claimed that he cured himself of multiple sclorosis (?spell?) with that drug. then he went on to say that US medicine is run by pharmaceutical companies, which i agree.
anyway, thats was off topic.i wanted to make a point.
i'm studying psychology. its my minor in school.
from what i see, things like depression and anxiety can be cured w/o the help of drugs. the side effects of the drugs far surpasses its benefits if you ask me. but so many doctors are prescribing it to so many people its insane to even think about it.
i think you should seek a clinical psychologist, they will only work with you and not provide you with meds.
as for the cost, there are places where you bring your tax form and show that yur low income bracket and you can seek a psych for 10-15 dollars per visit or hr. i don't remember.

[hangook/korea]

Cool, great information everyone. And turquoise: completely agree that self-diagnosis is ridiculous. I started this thread to stir up conversation and help me plan out who I should see and what kind of research I need to do prior to finding the right doctor/therapist.

Money's tight, and I need to plan out how to get the most out of my office visits :T

I'd go straight to a psych clinic. If you go to a free clinic like others say, sometimes they can give you samples and you can check to see if any of the meds are on the $4 formulary at Wal-Mart, etc. But I would emphasize the fact that you'd like to get therapy. The doctor will then see if your depression is severe enough to warrant meds or not. And if you are apprehensive about meds, tell the doctor too.

I believe that depression has to be treated on multiple levels- there is no magic bullet. A combination of things- meds, therapy, being proactive in your life, even a meditation technique that you feel helps you out, etc. will do the best in my opinion. Never put all your faith into a medication, thinking this will be a cure. Think of the medication and doctor as a crutch to help you out. You have to help yourself by being proactive with your life as best you can.

A warning on family doctors- sometimes they just prescribe an anti-depressant, and think that will do it. But really you need to see a psychiatrist/psychologist. If you see a regular doctor, bring up the depression and ask for a referral. These meds do have side effects and drug interactions and you should see somebody who is familiar with them. Also, seeing a psychiatrist/psychologist is an intimate thing, it's not like getting your blood pressure checked. So if you don't like the first person, I would strongly recommend finding another.

[lilyrose]

Please, please, please DO NOT take antidepressants unless you are so depressed, you cannot function at all. Antidepressants are billions of dollars industry, and there are severe side effects and even the pharm industry does not know the long term effects. These meds change your brain chemistry, and there are many, many cases (enough to warrant a new FDA warning) of movement disorders similar to Parkinson's. DO NOT MESS WITH THESE DRUGS. If you are depressed enough that you need to be hospitalized then use meds. OTHERWISE DO NOT.

Here is my suggestion for you:
IT IS OKAY TO BE DEPRESSED. If you are a woman, your body's hormones fluctuates all teh time so it is normal to have mood swings. Also, we live in a society that is all work (60 hours is norm) and we don't have communal support systems anymore. Most of us live alone or away from others. And because of gender role breakdown, romantic relationships are a mess. So basically, our lifestyle makes us depressed. Popping a pill will not fix things.

Here's what you need to do if you are depressed:
1. Get blood work done and see if your thyroid and hormone functions are okay. Make sure that the doctor checks to see if your free T3 levels are okay (most doctors do not check for this and don't even know what the normal range should be). Check your neck for nodules or goiters connected with thyroid. Thyroid imbalance causes depression. Even if your numbers come back normal, check with a naturapath or homeopathic doc.

2. Get your hormones checked. Do you have ovarian cysts? If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome, you will have hormonal imbalance (too much estrogen and too little progesterone) and will get depressed.

3. Do a glucose check. You might have insulin resistance that can cause lethargy, memory loss, and depression.

4. Find a support system. Do you have a support system? Not just friends, but hobbies and people to hang out with and to talk to. Find a good therapist. Be careful with therapists--many are supported by pharmaceutical companies, so they will try to diagnose you as bipolar (this is new hip disease of the day) or to have social anxiety and will try to push paxil or antianxiety pills on you. Run like hell from those therapists.

5. Find out if you do things that make you happy (even playing video games)? IF not, start doing things that make you feel more content.

6. Find a licensed naturapath in your area or online. Most naturapaths push herbs on you and stay away from those. But the good ones should talk to you and approach you holistically.

7. Try EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)--do a youtube search. It looks dumb BUT IT WORKS!

8. WATCH YOUR DIET!!! Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup, which is in everything, and it causes insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance and depression and anxiety. Avoid everything with corn syrup. Avoid refined carbs like white flour bread or rice or past. Be careful when you buy whole wheat--check to see if there is corn syrup in it. Eat fish every three days especially sardines. Omega 3 fatty acids regulate your body and mood. DO NOT EAT THINGS WITH SUGAR! Avoid juices--eat an actual orange instead of orange juice.

Make sure that you are also taking GOOD vitamins like B complex and minerals. Do not buy commercial vitamins from stores or GNC (it's all filler and junk). Only buy from a reputable producer. The best B vitamin is in liquid form.

Finally, again, many DOCTORS are paid by pharmaceutical companies so they push meds on you. Stay away from conventional doctors. Your university lecturer should be ASHAMED of him/herself for suggesting antidepressants. These meds should be only for people who are so depressed they need to be in a mental hospital.

Do the work to heal yourself. Antidepressants cause neurological problems, weight gain, insomnia/depression (yes, it's true), diabetes, liver disease, hair loss, acne, and many other horrible illnesses.

It is hard to get better using natural methods but it is better than popping a stupid pill that is making billions for corrupt pharmaceutical companies.

Stop the madness! SAY NO! TO BIG PHARM!

(If you are suicidal or have suicide ideation, ignore this post and go straight to a doctor and take anything prescribed!)

[LYRA]

I'm sensitive and prone to stress and anxiety easily even though, according to others, I don't have much to stress about. (Well, they're not in my shoes OR my head.) I'm currently seeing a therapist, and it definitely helps to hear another person talk about how you're feeling.

I want to avoid taking medication because, like others have said, I want to feel, not become detached to myself.

[suki_*]

it is kind of scary to see the world popping out more kinds of drugs to cure this to help that. but a documentary just says if we rely more on medication it will just make us sicker...

which is true, pharmaceutical business is huge, if they find that one medication that people can always just take then, where will they make profit?

also with new man-made diseases and new type of bacteria and disease, medicine is what people would seek for the cure.

i think you should do a bit more research and ask around your local area to see who and what they would reccomend and how it has helped them.

[nKat]

Twinkl,

Depression is SUCH a terrible disease. I really do recommend that you see a psychologist and get some prescribed meds.

My brother went through it and developed some mental disorders as well. Then attempted suicide.

My really good friend also attempted suicide because she was so depressed (even though she is very successful and had it all).

It's really contagious and it slowly rots your life. Without medication, I don't think neither of these people would have prevailed to this day.

Please talk to your friends and family about your problem!

It's important that you get support also, and not just medication.

[joogrlpekaun]

I had depression and anxiety that definitely interfered with everyday life in a way that everyone noticed. I did well in school and had friends, but in so many ways I was very obviously screwed up. I was terrified of being touched, scratched myself until I bled sometimes, would sometimes refuse to talk for up to a day, got extremely anxious before any social situation and often refused to participate in activities because of anxiety, felt very depressed often but for no specific reason...basically, I was kind of a freak, and it got in the way of normal life almost every single day.

I was put on Prozac (mostly taking the generic version, though, actually) to improve the balance of serotonin in my brain and went through therapy when I was about 13 until I was 16. I never experienced any noticeable side effects except some minor weight gain (no nausea, no physical dependence--in fact I often forgot to take a dose--didn't eat a lot, and enjoyed being with friends more) and it was no problem to just stop when the psychiatrist, my therapist and I determined that I was past needing the meds. It can be, but taking antidepressants isn't necessarily a horrible experience.

Since then I haven't fallen back into that kind of depression and definitely don't get the horrible, crippling anxiety that I used to get when I was in late elementary school, middle school, and the beginning of high school. My life has been so much better since I went through therapy and medications, as much as I kind of felt (wrongly) ashamed. I've been pretty much fine without either for three years now (therapy continued sporadically for a year after meds stopped), even though the stress levels I've had to deal with have been pretty high since leaving high school. A LOT of **** has happened in my life since then, but no more serious depression and I function within normal limits in social situations and enjoy them rather than dread them. I'd say I'm normal. People here at my university wouldn't even guess what I used to be like.

My point here is that yes, many antidepressants have negative side effects, but if depression and anxiety are strongly interfering with your life, then you should see someone about it, because treatment can help in some cases. Sometimes some side effects are worth it if you can claim your life back and actually function. You may also be recommended a therapy-only course of action, in which case you wouldn't need to worry about physical side effects or being medicated unnecessarily.

[saiainoshi]

boka and joogrlpekaun said it well. If it's effecting your everyday life, then I would say consider it. I have a bipolar sister who has been in out of the psych ward multiple times from trying to commit suicide. She's actually staying with me now, and I have to regulate her medication so she doesn't over medicate. Her chemical imbalance is pretty bad, and she has an addiction problem so it's twice as worse. I can't even begin to imagine how she would act if she WASN'T on any medication.