A question for rebels on medication for mental disorders

[Aquamom]

Thought I would jump in on this thread.  I've suffered from generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder for almost 15 years.  I started taking meds about 5 years ago.  I'm currently on Effexor XR but it just doesn't seem to be working.  My heart constantly feels like it's going to pound through my rib cage and I feel short of breath.  I'm tired and wired at the same time.  While I love working out, I'm worried (hah!) that I'm becoming obsessed with my weight and feeling frustrated because I've been at the same weight (despite diet changes, calorie counting and 6 to 7 days of exercise).  

 

I've been seeing a new therapist and she has been helpful, but I've only been with her about a month . . . 

[kaelvan]

I'm on Cymbalta for my depression and anxiety. It helps a little bit. Enough to get me to make it through lot of things. Rest of me has to push myself to do anything else like my art.

[sirshaggs]

People are over medicated.

I would like to suggest seeing a naturalpath. Simple things like a change in diet or added vitamins can make a significant difference.

2 examples.

 

1. My wife was seeing all sorts of doctors diagnosed with various mental illnesses and given coctails of medications of which did her no good. Since Jan of this year she has gone to a naturalpath and went through a series of bloodtest. Some of levels were off and she was given some b-12, vitamen D, adr and a few other homeopathic based pills and is now 100% better. It's was even found that she has an intolerance to gluten and yeast . Since cutting those out of her diet she's also back down to her highschool weight and feeling super.

 

2. I have a hyperthyroid and digestive issues. I could be on all sorts of chemical based pills that is still going through testing but with a few changes to my diet and a homeopathic tincture I no longer have acid reflux and my hyperthyroid is in check. I haven't felt this good and had a "regular" system in quite awhile.

This image sums it up best.

 

http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/4000-years-of-medicine.jpg

 

 I do agree there are those out there who truly do have problems but most or misdiagnosed because they aren't looking at what your body needs or is missing. Naturalpaths and MD are two seperate philosophies.

 

edit *I originlly sent this reply to Lalie through PM but I know others my feel that same as them so making it public

 

I am at my newbie post limit of 10 for the day so I can't reply to the pose but my reply is
yes you are right there is some who do need meds. I agree fully as my wives friend has bi-polar with some multiple personality issues and my nephew has paranoid schizophrenia along with some other problems. it took a long time with him in and out of hospitals before they found a regime that helped him.
I am just one opinion and I do not mean to put you on the defensive. I take mental health very seriously and glad to see that you are trying everything you can. My wife was lucky to have improvement without medication although she still see's a psychologist as it's also good to talk things out and release emotions. If I've offended you that was not my intention. That's why as soon as I hit reply I went back to edit my post with the last bit of a disclaimer. I do not want to sound like a know it all...just offering my experience on something that worked for myself and my wife.

[Lalie Fanyarendil]

I strongly disagree that most people are overmedicated. Yes, there are probably some people who are overmedicated, but I also think that the homeopathic healing community tends to exaggerate this number when it comes to psychiatric disorders. Naturalpathic/homeopathic remedies have never changed anything for me, and I have given them an honest try. An extremely healthy lifestyle (including keeping track of vitamin levels and experimenting for food intolerances) has never influenced my depression, anxiety, bipolarism, or PTSD one bit. Failure to accomplish these things has never worsened my disorders.

 

I also think (but I'm not a scientist so I can't back this up) that homeopathic treatments are probably unable to treat some of the biological conditions that cause our disorders. I'm pretty sure that there's not a root, diet change, or exercise regimen out there that will undo the genetic mutation that makes my body unable to process certain vitamins you get from food into a form it can use in sufficient amounts. (This deficiency intensifies my disorders a lot when I am not treated for it.)

 

I admit that I get defensive about this topic, and I admit that I'm being defensive about it now. The attitudes I have personally encountered about psychiatric disorders and medication from people who swear by alternative/homeopathic/non-pharmaceutical remedies have been negative, degrading, and downright poisonous. (I am NOT accusing anyone here of being those things or making a statement about the general naturalpathic community; I'm referring to people I've met in the past.) "You don't need this pill, you should take this herb instead" is about as helpful for me as "it's all in your head, just get over it."

 

And I feel the need to get defensive in this thread because pharmaceutical medications have helped me--and many others here--so much.

[Hulk In Nerds Clothing]

Naturalpaths and MD are two seperate philosophies.

No, they are not.

One is science, the other mainly "magic".

I had written a lengthy post about this before the forum monster ate it. So I will just leave this link here: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?s=naturopath

If going to a naturopath makes you feel better, by all means do it. But please don't advocate it as a sensible option, when it clearly is not.

There is nothing speaking against a healthy life-style or knowing if you are intollerant to certain food groups. But this can easily be done at a doctor's office as well.

[kaelvan]

I've been over-medicated a few times. It's not fun. I mostly slept all day.

[Shortgorilla]

Sirshaggs I appreciate your response, I'm glad that you're not being overbearing with the naturopath thing.

 

This is a touchy subject and a lot of people will be defensive quickly, myself included.

 

I don't want to get into details but I will say that the meds that I've found work for me have changed my life dramatically.  Not all of my issues have been remedied completely yet but I am on the right track.  I have had the motivation for a long time but with the proper medication I'm finding that the follow through has been a lot better, life isn't as challenging.  I think the same can be said for some close personal friends of mine.  Life is just better, and that's how it's supposed to be.

[Seren2106]

I'm a mental health nurse and therapist in the UK. I prefer skills to pills, hence my move into therapies, thought the kind of therapy I deliver involves teaching people ways to cope with how they feel more than talking about how they feel. How you feel is important, but mostly I'm guessing what people want is to feel different. Medication can help, but most antidepressants take 4-6 weeks at the right dose to work properly, and often people don't know that. Also, those nasty side effects that make you want to quit the meds? They kick in within days, way ahead of the effects you're looking for, then wear off, again usually before the good stuff starts to happen. So you stop taking your meds after 3 weeks of feeling grotty. Within a day or so you feel better, side effects gone, mood lifting. That's the tablets you took for the last 3 weeks actually working. They take 7 days to clear your system. So in about a week or so you'll be back to square one. And often with no understanding of how the changes relate to medication. When you get the right meds, it starts the ball rolling, how well you take care of yourself helps you to keep it rolling. When to stop meds is also important, in UK recommendation is 6 months minimum for first episode depression, 2 years minimum for recurrent depression, and stopping always needs a doctors advice. Some meds have horrid effects if stopped too quick, and it's not a sign of dependence, just a quirk of physiology, our bodies need time to adapt, ask an athlete who needs to compete at altitude! I'm not selling myself as an expert, I'm not, but I rely on posts here for info on fitness as its a very new subject to me, mental health is something I've been doing for more than 15 years and I'd like to help if I can. The UK differs greatly from the US in mental health care, our healthcare is free so we are focused on evidence based and value for money because our health service needs to make resources go as far as possible. and some of your meds are marketed under different names. What I do know is exercise alone shows comparable and in fact slightly better efficacy than antidepressant (SSRI) in mild to moderate depression. That's no reason to stop meds, but a good reason to augment any you take with exercise. Sorry for the long post, it's a passion of mine, hope it's helpful though x

[mevre]

really appreciate this thread right now. my partner [i call him Tiberius here on NF] had a horrible anxiety + depression melt down the first year we were dating. he realized pretty quickly that what he was feeling wasn't normal, so he started seeing a doctor. he got on some prescriptions and was worlds better almost immediately. we've been together for 4 years now, and he's had to adjust his meds several times. but recently [starting back around October] i've been getting worried that he's on his way down into another break down. he makes his living from the books he self-publishes, which is something i've always loved and admired about him. however, the lack of structure makes it imperative that he be a self-starter and not become complacent in sitting around at home playing Destiny all day. lately he has indeed been staying home and playing Destiny all day, and i'm worried.
we live with two other people, and all of us have been on Christmas break for a few weeks now. [we go back to work on the 5th]. Tiberius says he's excited to start writing again, but he has said similar things in the past and it only lasts for a few days.
anyway, i'm just grateful that this thread is here. it's very, very comforting to see how many other people struggle with similar problems, and that i have a place to vent and to learn. thank you all for opening up and sharing your experiences.  : ]

[Claireloise]

This is a timely issue for me, since I am starting a new medication today.  This will be my 4th one, over the course of 10 years or so.  I've found that the different medications have had varying effects on me, but with one exception (Effexor and I do not mix well) they are definitely better for me than no medication at all.  Nothing has made me feel amazing all the time, but the meds have made my lows less.... well, low, and make it easier for me to break the cycle and interact with the world again.  I've also done quite a bit of therapy, and have been lucky to find a therapist who I really do connect to.