When it comes to making a decision about taking psychmeds, it sure is not an easy choice. And they do effect everyone differently and there is a lot of controversy about them. One article can sing praises about them and yet another article can discuss how much they really don't work and the data that the pharmacutical companies put out is not altogether the real facts. And then I watched a discussion on 60minutes about how they are finding out that the placebo effect is every bit as helpful as taking the medication. So somehow the mere thought that one may be taking the magic pill works wonders and they feel better (but the pill has nothing but sugar in it), well I am not sure how that works, but the studies show it does.

Heck, we even went through quite a spell there where everything was treated with drugs and therapy was not as important. Now we are running full throttle with talk therapy again, and it has proven to be extremely helpful and necessary. And for talk therapy to work one has to sit across from someone who really knows about their disorder, otherwise it can not only be useless, but it can even cause harm.

Hmmm, John Nash, an interesting subject. Yes he got very ill and delusional and didn't even know he was seeing people that didn't even exist. It took time for him to recognize and believe that. It wasn't easy for him, and yes he did try medication but the side effects took away too much of him that WAS him. So, he chose to try going it without the medication and learn about his mind and what it did that was wrong and how to deal with it. Is he all better?, no, he has learned about what he has and he works through it and yes that took time, a lot of time.

Chemical Imbalance is a term often used. Well, yes our bodies are running on all kinds of chemicals that all connect to the brain and our mental health. Our environments from the so very small, possibly and probably even before we are born effect our chemical balance that in turn effects our brains. As we are learning this we are EXPERIMENTING with chemicals in hopes to make up for what we feel is a chemical imbalance that is effecting our brains.

But I have yet to really KNOW for SURE if the chemicals we are using actually improve the imbalance and truely do correct and improve brain function. But, the one thing I DO know is there sure is a TON OF MONEY being made in DRUG TREATMENT for MI. And I also KNOW that many of the psychiatrists are benefited GREATLY by recommending certain NEW DRUGS that come to the market. And I also hear in EVERY COMMERCIAL FOR EVERY DRUG IN THE COMMERCIALS about treating mental illness that the side effects are pretty dam scary. Now, if a drug is given to help correct a chemical imbalance that effects that brain, and it does work, WHY are there so many dangerous side effects? If something makes us ill doesn't that mean our chemicals that run our bodies have been effected and because of that we feel ill?
If I take a pill and it makes me very tired, but the pill is suppose to correct my imbalance, why am I tired?

Honestly?, there is still so much we do not know about the human brain, and when we do add chemicals we are HOPING it will help but the truth is WE CANNOT SAY IT DOES "FOR SURE". And often the wordage used when talking about mental illness and chemical imbalance is "IT IS THOUGHT THAT" this or that is the reason.

As I read about my own disorder "it is thought" that SSRI's can help improve on the parts of my brain that have been greatly affected/damaged by trama and the ongoing stress from that trama. Some people that have tried SSRI's say it helps, and others say it hasn't. Right now I am not taking anything, I am in therapy and though I have been improving I still struggle and can even have some very difficult days. Sometimes I think about trying something and then when I read about it, I often see a list of side effects that are very troubling. ??????????? And then I remember the ones I did try and could not get pass the side effects of nausea or zombie.

I can't blame anyone for being non-complient. And I cannot comfortably tell someone to choose drug treatment. I keep reading about it and for every pro, I also read cons. It is not clear to me what the real facts are.

Open Eyes