This is an interesting point to make. As we grow, so does our brain, we make connections and our brain weaves new connections that color both how we think, feel, and act. It is a chemical imbalance in part that causes depression, especially those who suffer from dysthymia (chronic depression). I'm not advocating medicine here, but there is a biological basis to work from.

I only mention that because I wanted to pose the question -- being a chemical imbalance, can you ever truly get of the medication? If your depression is situational (say, a death), I understand how you could wean off it. However the medicine helps correct and regulate the processes mainly by inhibiting uptake of certain chemicals, it doesn't "fix" the brain to make more of it.

My medicine has really helped me out. Since starting abilify I finally feel like a human being, a normal functioning person-- something I've never felt before. However, it brought up the question, while antidepresassants and antipsychotics (like abilify) are not considered addictive or an issue with abuse of the substance... what exactly is addiction? Is it the same a dependence? Is it not right to say I'm dependent on my medication? Also, stopping it causes withdrawal, which is a sign of detox of addiction, right? I'm just curious your thoughts as a forum on the matter.

[*Laurie*]

As I understand it, there are two issues: Physical dependence and psychological addiction.

With physical dependence, the body has become so used to a certain substance that withdrawal is experienced when the drug is stopped. This is true even with regard to a medication that has been taken exactly as prescribed.

Psychological addiction is an emotional addiction...the desire to get high, for example.

Sometimes the two overlap, sometimes not.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by Brentus

being a chemical imbalance, can you ever truly get of the medication?

...the medicine helps correct and regulate...it doesn't "fix" the brain...

... what exactly is addiction? Is it the same a dependence? Is it not right to say I'm dependent on my medication? Also, stopping it causes withdrawal, which is a sign of detox of addiction, right? I'm just curious your thoughts as a forum on the matter.

I used to be physically-dependent upon a certain anti-hypertensive (blood pressure) med, and I ultimately had to withdraw (not detoxify, since I was not toxic) from that med while switching to a replacement med. However, having to make that switch at all was quite mentally-emotionally disturbing for me and there is where a doc had said I was mentally-emotionally addicted to the med I nevertheless actually needed for physical reasons. So, and my point: Sorting all of that out can at times be quite tricky.

In relation to my depression: I have no experience with anti-depressants, but Tramadol (recently prescribed to me for as-needed reduction of back pain) has amazed me by seeming to miraculously remove or somehow "treat" my depression. As you have said, meds to not "fix" the brain...and yet it seems whatever that med did might have helped make it possible for my brain to "make some new connections" or whatever over these past few weeks...or maybe that has come about because I was able to get my motorcycle sidecar rig repaired and once again ready for riding.

Can we ever truly get off the medication? Only if/when it is no longer truly needed or helpful or desired or whatever, and I suspect each person's mileage -- no apology for the pun -- will vary.

[*Laurie*]

As I understand it, detoxification involves any elimination of drug or alcohol substances from the body.

I have been on Klonopin for over 20 years. I am not psychologically addicted to it, but I am physically dependent upon the medication. I am in the process of going off the Klonopin. I started at 2 mg/day; it has taken about 6 months for me to get to 1.5 mg/day. I am figuring that it will take me another 1 1/2 years to completely stop the medication - maybe even 2 years.

That makes a lot of sense -- everyone. I think the line between physical dependence and psychological dependence is a little blurred in the sense of psychiatric medicine, but addiction and dependence are separate things. Thanks for clearing that up!

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by Brentus

I think the line between physical dependence and psychological dependence is a little blurred in the sense of psychiatric medicine...

Agreed, and I do not know what to think of my own case even though the med that seems to have helped so much is not actually a psychiatric medication. For a little over six years I have spent months at a time at various levels of depression (sometimes completely silent) while trying to survive mentally, emotionally and physically while trying to figure out how to reduce stress and anxiety...and now just a few scattered doses of a med have brought or have at least helped me out of the worst of that to a point where I presently have no need of it at all. At the moment, none of that makes sense to me.