Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1016380

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Re: so what's the answer? » JohnLA

Posted by SLS on April 27, 2012, at 6:27:59

In reply to Re: so what's the answer? » SLS, posted by JohnLA on April 26, 2012, at 22:24:58

> hi scott-
>
> i don't know what the answers are. i'm just frustrated and scared and not getting better.
>
> your post reminds me of john lennon; 'there's no problems, only solutions,,,' and! tony robbins; 'focus 95% on the solution and 5% on the problem.' just wish depression was that easy...
>
> as you know i've tried ect, several drugs, talk therapy, group therapy, in/out-patient over the past 2+ years.

Yes. I have been through all of those things, too. It is indeed scary to have so many treatment modalities fail to produce results.

> sorta waiting to try ketamine now. but, i'm losing faith in psychiatry.

I never lost faith in psychiatry per se. I believe that the majority of research institutions are genuinely interested in finding answers. I did, however, lose faith that psychiatry would produce an effective set of new treatments that would have cured me during my lifetime.

> one thing i'd like to try, if i had the $, would be to go to a long-term facility out in nature. these do exist. kind of like the old school way of treating depression, pre shock and meds. many of the current ones are even 'working' farms where you have chores, therapy, meds (if needed), etc. most of these are also not 'lock-down' places either. the recommended stay is 9 to 12 months if you have severe mental issues. then, if need be, they can set you up at a half-way house.

I have been part of this type of residential program in the past. It helped set me up to live independently.

My grandfather had a "nervous breakdown" in the 1940s. He spent two weeks at a retreat in the mountains. Apparently, he came back feeling better.

> humans are creature of habit. i think depression for some people can become habit forming.

That's a great insight.

> it has for me. it's now been over 2 years of me mostly laying in bed, showering maybe once or twice a week and shaving even less. i have completely cut myself off from my old life. i was a high-functioning person before i went down mentally after several life stressors 2 years ago.

I can relate to this. After 20 years of sequestration from society, my very first foray into the reintroduction of socializing came with online newsgroup communities and Psycho-Babble. Later, I connected to society in real life when I began the residential program and entered a partial care milieu.

> i called my insurance one time and we spent quite a bit of time looking for some type of facility like the one's i mentioned above. no luck. the lady said too bad you don't have an addiction, because there were plenty of half-way homes, bucolic ranches, etc. that allowed unlimited stays for recovery. i've actually been thinking of doing just that and use my 1mg per day klonopin as an excuse to get into a environment where i will have daily activities for an extended time to change my current habits and thinking.

I admire your positive attitude and your drive to find constructive, life-enhancing alternatives.

> depression is so unique to each individual.

> the current model of focusing mostly on medication works for some, but not for others.

Part of the problem is that the word "depression" is used to label a wide variety of phenomena. To use the term "Major Depressive Disorder" helps to identify one set of depressions that have common elements in presentation and applied treatment methods.

> so scott, to wrap-up, there is one long-winded 'alternative' i wish was available to more of us that don't seem to respond to meds.

Your post was not at all long-winded.

Depression sucks. It obliterates people's lives and condemns one to a painful altered state of consciousness.

I wish I had a magic wand.


- Scott

 

Re: @ scott again. alternatives » JohnLA

Posted by SLS on April 27, 2012, at 6:30:54

In reply to @ scott again. alternatives, posted by JohnLA on April 26, 2012, at 23:08:14

> here are the type of places i was talking about;
>
> http://www.artausa.org/
>
> 'if i were a rich man...'
>
> john


Easter Seals is an alternative program.

http://www.easterseals.com


- Scott

 

Re: @ scott again. alternatives » JohnLA

Posted by gadchik on April 27, 2012, at 9:09:34

In reply to @ scott again. alternatives, posted by JohnLA on April 26, 2012, at 23:08:14

These places you speak of remind me of Abram Hoffer's ideas in the 1950s or 60s about treating mentally ill pts in a better setting than the institutions of the day.He also believed in nutrition and other non mainstream treatments.The documentary "Feed Your Head",was about him and I found it very interesting.And he was a psychiatrist!

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by bleauberry on April 27, 2012, at 17:59:08

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by linkadge on April 26, 2012, at 19:39:00

Well, I think with some people ADs do more harm than good, in others they do more good than harm, in others they are miracles, and in others they cause suicide.

It is nice to see researchers taking a look at this topic though. Because those of us who have experienced what might be called a post-ssri syndrome which is either very long lasting or permanent, we know the meds changed something in a profound way that when all was said and done did more harm than good. Caused more harm that didn't previously exist, on top of the already existing harm. Just sort of observing over the years comments from people on web forums the ssris are almost always the guilty ones when this happens. That's one of the reasons I favor balanced approaches that include equal amounts of norepinephrine compared to serotonin because for some reason that bizarre stuff is side stepped that way.

But anyway, I think we as patients already know a lot more than the researchers do because we are on the front lines battling for our lives and this stuff just isn't our career or our interest or whatever it's maybe the biggest struggle of our lives and it matters a lot. We see stuff before they do. We solve problems, sometimes, before they do. I'm just glad to see some of them asking important questions.

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » bleauberry

Posted by gadchik on April 27, 2012, at 18:13:02

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by bleauberry on April 27, 2012, at 17:59:08

I always like to read what you post.I feel that you know so much about all things,mental health-psych meds,herbs,nutrition,alternative medicine.Ive bookmarked or written down many of your ideas.thanks!!

 

Re: so what's the answer?

Posted by linkadge on April 27, 2012, at 19:34:45

In reply to Re: so what's the answer? » SLS, posted by JohnLA on April 26, 2012, at 22:24:58

I think for me, the shift has become from looking externally for hope to looking interally.

When you're caught in that mindset, all you can believe is that somethink "out there" will make things right.

I'm definately doing better off meds. Been on every antidepressant out there, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, benzodiazapines, stimulants, you name it.

Its all the same. I am looking for something external to fix an internal problem.

Linkadge

 

Re: @ scott again. alternatives

Posted by linkadge on April 27, 2012, at 19:37:05

In reply to @ scott again. alternatives, posted by JohnLA on April 26, 2012, at 23:08:14

And yes, depression is addictive. Most of us spend so much time there, we don't want to get better. If we got better, we feel that the suffering would be in vain.

Instead of just moving on and letting go of the past, we want something that makes the suffering make sense. To know that we are chemically imballanced, legitimitizes it all.

Linkadge

 

Re: @ scott again. alternatives

Posted by linkadge on April 27, 2012, at 19:40:00

In reply to Re: @ scott again. alternatives » JohnLA, posted by SLS on April 27, 2012, at 6:30:54

Some people will *never* admit that psychiatry has f*ck*d them up more than they ever would have been. Their mind has set up mental roadblocks that prevent this from ever happening. They are too trusting. Its a personality trait. A too high oxytocin / phenylethylamine ratio maybe

Linkadge

 

Re: @ scott again. alternatives

Posted by linkadge on April 27, 2012, at 19:41:00

In reply to Re: @ scott again. alternatives » JohnLA, posted by gadchik on April 27, 2012, at 9:09:34

Or maybe they truly are insane. I.e. repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Linkadge

 

Re: alternatives » linkadge

Posted by ron1953 on April 27, 2012, at 20:24:00

In reply to Re: @ scott again. alternatives, posted by linkadge on April 27, 2012, at 19:41:00

Your observations are all very good ones! I think what I try (emphasis on try) to put across is that we don't have to just "go along with the program" like compliant little children. We have every reason and right to question what we're doing and what "they" are doing to us. And we might do well to ask whether we're asking for the impossible, and not willing to accept and/or compromise in regard to our "condition". Let's face it - it's a pretty weird and often cruel world; is it any surprise that some us us don't cope as well as some others?


Like, is it "social anxiety", or just shyness, or, in my case, just finding a lot of people annoying? Is it "ADHD" or just being distractable, or maybe being in the wrong line of work? Heck, I got the ADHD label slapped on me, and I'm incredibly organized, neat, efficient, etc. - I'm just restless, that's all. But I guess I scored enough DSM points to warrant the diagnosis. I'm sure they would give me drugs in grade school if it were today. And the whole ADHD thing is ridiculous anyway, because of a stupid and unreasonable expectation that ALL kids should be able to sit still for 6 hours in an incredibly boring schoolroom.

I could go on, but others have done a much better job of explaining this BS than I could ever do.

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by Phil on April 28, 2012, at 22:40:25

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » bleauberry, posted by gadchik on April 27, 2012, at 18:13:02

These kinds of threads always make me want to ditch the meds. I've been on many over a 30 year period mostly at high doses. I don't feel brain damaged or any other kind of damaged.
I've never felt that the doctors I've had were doing anything other than trying to keep a wicked disease under control. I don't feel like a chump eager to do anything my doctor says.
I don't believe that all psychiatrists are evil or stupid trying to get the whole planet strung out on drugs.
I've never had a hideous discontinuation syndrome but I've had side effects. If they were bad I would find something hopefully better.
Who knows? Maybe if I got off of everything I might feel better or the same. But I remember the crushing depression I had before meds and I have gotten off TCA's once or twice. The depression was waiting.
I don't think that it would be wise for 'me' to drop medication. Everyone has a choice and I respect that. There are tons of people online that said psych meds screwed them up so they got off of them. Then some say, well orthomolecular medicine helped them or a constantly rotating mess of handfuls of herbs, vitamins, SJW, colon cleansing, massage, chiropractic, etc. Many have absolutely no idea what they're doing but in their minds it's better than a pill. More power to you.
I trust my doctor more than I trust 99% of the crazy sh*t some people buy into to treat their disorder.
Maybe I am a chump. But having this 'inherited' disease for 30 years and to say I'm still on this planet is enough for me. Maybe tomorrow I'll change my mind, but it won't be because I'm brain damaged. I guess I'm not enlightened and 20 years from now this time in psychiatry will be compared equally with lobotomies and asylums.
With my family history I doubt I'll be around for people to tell me I told you so.

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » Phil

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 1:55:33

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by Phil on April 28, 2012, at 22:40:25

Hi Phil.

You said much of what I was thinking and feeling, but that I didn't have the motivation to write. This is an old topic, and I have had my fill of addressing it the way I have in the past. However, I would be interested to see the actual research paper that is being referred to in the article introduced here. Perhaps I would have commented on it.

I thank God for the true scientists and doctors who study and treat mental illnesses. Without them, I doubt that I would have allowed myself to suffer beyond the 1980s. I am guessing that we were born 50 years too early to have been cured of these illnesses. I am just grateful that I was born late enough to have some chance of being treated successfully and living the last third of my life happily and free of psychic pain.

The treatment of mental illness is not a free ride. Usually, one must make compromises and sacrifices in order to tolerate the adverse effects of the currently available therapies. Do psychiatric drugs leave indelible footprints in the brain? The answer to this question seems to be yes. This is important information. However, it is a matter of perspective that influences the decisions made using this information. Attitude affects perspective. I will continue to work with the attitude that the fields of neuroscience and psychiatry are genuinely interested in healing people and preventing the induction of these illnesses. The resulting perspective for me is that drugs are better than no drugs. They are imperfect tools to be sure. They have their liabilities. So, too, do a great many drugs used in other fields of medicine. If cancer doesn't klll you, the chemotherapy used to treat it might do so first. It is a difficult decision to make to treat an illness with a harmful substance. Yet, that is precisely what many of us agree to, whether it be for depression or for gout.

Okay, so we remove every psychiatric medication that has been shown to produce adverse side effects = get rid of them all. What do we do next? Nothing? Not treat? Blame "Big Pharma" for not discovering and developing better drugs? Shall we also remove those drugs for HIV AIDS that have side effects = remove them all? What about NSAIDS and fatalities from bleeding ulcers = remove them all? I will leave for others the attitude that greed alone drives medicine. Yuck.


- Scott


-------------------------------------


> These kinds of threads always make me want to ditch the meds. I've been on many over a 30 year period mostly at high doses. I don't feel brain damaged or any other kind of damaged.
> I've never felt that the doctors I've had were doing anything other than trying to keep a wicked disease under control. I don't feel like a chump eager to do anything my doctor says.
> I don't believe that all psychiatrists are evil or stupid trying to get the whole planet strung out on drugs.
> I've never had a hideous discontinuation syndrome but I've had side effects. If they were bad I would find something hopefully better.
> Who knows? Maybe if I got off of everything I might feel better or the same. But I remember the crushing depression I had before meds and I have gotten off TCA's once or twice. The depression was waiting.
> I don't think that it would be wise for 'me' to drop medication. Everyone has a choice and I respect that. There are tons of people online that said psych meds screwed them up so they got off of them. Then some say, well orthomolecular medicine helped them or a constantly rotating mess of handfuls of herbs, vitamins, SJW, colon cleansing, massage, chiropractic, etc. Many have absolutely no idea what they're doing but in their minds it's better than a pill. More power to you.
> I trust my doctor more than I trust 99% of the crazy sh*t some people buy into to treat their disorder.
> Maybe I am a chump. But having this 'inherited' disease for 30 years and to say I'm still on this planet is enough for me. Maybe tomorrow I'll change my mind, but it won't be because I'm brain damaged. I guess I'm not enlightened and 20 years from now this time in psychiatry will be compared equally with lobotomies and asylums.
> With my family history I doubt I'll be around for people to tell me I told you so.

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » SLS

Posted by zazenducke on April 29, 2012, at 6:53:35

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » Phil, posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 1:55:33

> Hi Phil.
>
> You said much of what I was thinking and feeling, but that I didn't have the motivation to write. This is an old topic, and I have had my fill of addressing it the way I have in the past. However, I would be interested to see the actual research paper that is being referred to in the article introduced here. Perhaps I would have commented on it

Well that is an option-I provided a link in the second post - Primum Non Nocere :)
>

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » zazenducke

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 14:45:32

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » SLS, posted by zazenducke on April 29, 2012, at 6:53:35

> > Hi Phil.
> >
> > You said much of what I was thinking and feeling, but that I didn't have the motivation to write. This is an old topic, and I have had my fill of addressing it the way I have in the past. However, I would be interested to see the actual research paper that is being referred to in the article introduced here. Perhaps I would have commented on it
>
> Well that is an option-I provided a link in the second post - Primum Non Nocere :)

Sorry. Thank you. I missed it.

"Primum Non Nocere." How would you apply this principle to cancer chemotherapy?

The judgment of treatment justification seems more complex to me than simply determining if there are any adverse effects associated with it. Dry mouth causes tooth decay. Shall we remove all drugs that produce xerostomia as a side effect? I guess lines must be drawn somewhere. Many of them are bound to be fuzzy.

As for the article, I find it to be cleverly written, but little more than conjecture and speculation supported by unsubstantiated suppositions. It reminds me of the stuff that Whitaker writes. He produces references, but uses only strategically placed excerpts that are out of context. Facts are used, just not all of them. Such use of medical literature can be quite compelling, but very much wrong. Those are my initial comments. They really don't prove anything, though. It would be quite a project to challenge the thesis of the paper by refuting each contention offered by the authors. I don't know that I am qualified to do this. Perhaps I'll pick out a few of the easier to recognize errors to work with. I hope someone who is qualified to respond to this paper will write an article or editorial to challenge it. It is still quite new. I am not swayed by the presence of valid facts interspersed throughout the treatise that serve to bolster its credibility. This is what I see here. Still, I have proven nothing. There are pro-drug papers that are driven by agenda just as there are anti-drug papers driven by agenda. I think that this is one of those papers.


- Scott

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 14:55:47

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » zazenducke, posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 14:45:32

> There are pro-drug papers that are driven by agenda just as there are anti-drug papers driven by agenda. I think that this is one of those papers.

... That is not to say that there isn't a place or function for agendas. There are. Important ones, too. Agendas are not in and of themselves invalidating of the suppositions and conclusions they portray.


- Scott

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 14:56:35

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 14:55:47

> > There are pro-drug papers that are driven by agenda just as there are anti-drug papers driven by agenda. I think that this is one of those papers.
>
> ... That is not to say that there isn't a place or function for agendas. There are. Important ones, too. Agendas are not in and of themselves invalidating of the suppositions and conclusions they portray.

Obviously, I have my own.


- Scott

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by ron1953 on April 29, 2012, at 15:52:25

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 14:56:35

There is obviously one here who goes by the adage, "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullsh*t". The read-and-regurgitate crowd are among the most clueless around.

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 18:28:53

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by ron1953 on April 29, 2012, at 15:52:25

> There is obviously one here who goes by the adage, "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullsh*t". The read-and-regurgitate crowd are among the most clueless around.

The gentleman doth project too much, me thinks.

Clueless.


- Scott

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by ron1953 on April 29, 2012, at 19:06:58

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 18:28:53

The gentleman doth wonderith about the dangers of giving and taking medication advice to/from strangers, however well-spoken, on the Internet. He is astounded by such cavalier arrogance about the dangers of such a practice, or the naivete to follow such dubious advice.

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » ron1953

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 19:20:54

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by ron1953 on April 29, 2012, at 19:06:58

> The gentleman doth wonderith about the dangers of giving and taking medication advice to/from strangers, however well-spoken, on the Internet. He is astounded by such cavalier arrogance about the dangers of such a practice, or the naivete to follow such dubious advice.

Words. I notice that you are particularly fixated on the word "arrogance". Why does my existence bother you so? Surely, I am not the only one on this board behaving the way you portray me as behaving.

You still wish that you were me. It is so obvious. Either I am your hero, or you are your own worst enemy. For you, there is nothing in between.

How is that for getting personal?

It is no act of brilliance to be different for the sake of being different. Perhaps it is a way to fulfill one's desperate need to feel significant in the world.

The truth shall set you free.

Give me a break.


- Scott

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by ron1953 on April 29, 2012, at 19:54:15

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » ron1953, posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 19:20:54

How very revealing

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » ron1953

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 20:00:34

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by ron1953 on April 29, 2012, at 19:54:15

> How very revealing

Now, you're talking.


- Scott

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » SLS

Posted by sigismund on April 29, 2012, at 20:04:54

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » zazenducke, posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 14:45:32

> How would you apply this principle to cancer chemotherapy?

Avoid it if it is not likely to be useful.

This is why many doctors are content to die without heroic measures being practised on them.

It could be a bit hard. You would need to accept the reality that you are dying.

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » sigismund

Posted by SLS on April 29, 2012, at 20:08:29

In reply to Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper » SLS, posted by sigismund on April 29, 2012, at 20:04:54

> > How would you apply this principle to cancer chemotherapy?

> Avoid it if it is not likely to be useful.

Someone close to me made that decision. She died peacefully.

> It could be a bit hard. You would need to accept the reality that you are dying.


- Scott

 

Re: ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper

Posted by AlexanderDenmark on April 30, 2012, at 5:22:24

In reply to ADs may do more Harm than Good -New Research paper, posted by zazenducke on April 25, 2012, at 14:18:47

This article enforces my own view and experience.

AD's have contributed immensly to ruining my life and have done more harm than good. Not that they have done anything good really.

You know SLS, allopathic medicine is not the only ones who treat psychiatric disorders.


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