Posted by mgm on April 22, 2006, at 23:13:16
In reply to Guilt and Shame about taking Meds :(, posted by minimal on April 22, 2006, at 14:01:15
I too felt complete shame and stigma when I went through my first and second bouts of major depression. I felt that I was forever flawed and weak...less of a person. Then I realized that there was no shame for anyone else dealing with a chronic illness as long as the term psychiatric was not attached to it. Some how society is quick to lay blame on people with psych disorders as being weak. We would never expect a diabetic to cure themselves with positive thinking and perserverence. We would call someone idiotic for not taking blood pressure medication or thyroid medication. Yet by blaming ourselves for being on pych meds we are in effect saying i only take these because I am weak. Phych meds are not happy pills.....no one would dream of taking them long term for fun. We take them because they are necessary and correct an imbalance in our bodies.
This board was a huge part of my dealing with taking phych meds when depression first hit me in a big way after the birth of my second child.
I wanted to believe that if I had no more children that this was a one time thing and could forget about it. Yet 1 year later after 6 months of no meds I was right back in the pit. I needed to come to grips with the fact that this would be a life long concern and worked with my doctor to find a med I could "live" with. I have been on my current medication for 7 years and I have had breakthroughs of anxiety and sleep problems when real stress enters the picture but they pass.No one is perfect. My depression while excrutiating at times has made me a more patient and compassionate person. I feel that I have experienced a living hell at times and this has giving me a sense of courage a fearlessness about the future.
By not taking your meds or not being at theraputic dose you could be doing more harm to your body in the long run.
We are blessed to live in a time that has so many treatment options. Too many people just a few decades ago lost so much by not having effective treatments available. Their lives could have been so different if they had what we have. Do not be shamed do not feel guilty. While we do have retched, chronic conditions it does not have to define us and does not have to limit us.
Stay strong and be well.
MGM
poster:mgm
thread:635861
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060417/msgs/636020.html