[HALLIEBETH87]

why do some live w/o taking a pill(s) to be ok and be 'normal'? no one in my family has any psych issues but me, why do i have to be the black sheep? my family will never understand why i have 4+ pill bottles on my bed side table.

whats great is when u have a 'friend' who is always saying you dont 'need' to take them and are always trying you to try their ways of fitting in. how do i know if i 'need' them? i guess i dont......but i dont function at all w/ them.

why?

[trippinmickey]

You should be thankful .I take 5 meds. and well they don't cure my bipolar its made it much easier to live with .The pain I spent in my life do to my mental illness wasn't fair and I'm thankful now that I can let that pain go . I spend time everyday with people who are not on meds. and should be they are like lost souls walking in the darkness blaming them self for everything I feel so bad for them but they just don't believe or had a bad Exp. with meds. that they refuse to try them. I think thats the hardest step for most people who have a mental illness admitting we are sick and need help to feel better.

[gimmeice]

((((((((((HALLIEBETH))))))))))))))))
I have struggled with taking meds, I just didn't feel good about it.
After awhile I relized that some people need meds to help them function and it's nothing to be ashamed of if it's something you need.

IMHO -

Forget about the ignorant unempathetic people in the world. They choose not to understand and I would not bother wasting my time on them.

You need to do what is best to take care of yourself.
I also would not tell people. Forget them.

[TaintedGoth1]

My dad is like that...he doesn't see meds as something important but for me if I don't take them I end up in the hospital withing 1-2 weeks.

No, it's not fair for us, but it's a necessity for us. People that don't need them will never know how much of a life saver they are for us, let alone understand that we do need them.

[x_BabyG_x]

I suppose everyones different...

I finnaly found te courage to go to the doctors the other week. I told them about my past, about my depression, aout my self injury etc... but the main problem for me at the moment is my depression and my mood, I cant seem to control it right now.... I was so desperate for help that I got up and SEEKED help (which is so out of character for me!...)

And they wouldnt give me anything for it! No anti depressants or zilch. They just put me on the list to see a psychiatrist and then sent me away saying... "I'd give you them but....". Great. I asked for help but they didnt want to give me it. Its a vicious cycle when nobody understands.

Im guessing halliebeth, that your body has got used to taking them so you dont seem like you would cope without them, i have heard that people get very dependant on them...

@ trippinmickey... some people (like me) havent got a choice whether they can have them or not! I am one of those peole walking around in the dark... even tho I HAVE tried to ask for help...

Not sure what Im getting at here, it just turned into a rant I think

babyg xxx


I know some people get by

[(JD)]

How is your family "normal?" You said: </font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
no one in my family has any psych issues but me, why do i have to be the black sheep? my family will never understand why i have 4+ pill bottles on my bed side table.


</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> If they are not understanding, they aren't normal either Maybe "usual" but not normal.

Where did you get the idea that needing medicine makes you a "black sheep?" (and muffy might have issues with that)

(((Halliebeth)))) Tell them to get over it. If you had a heart transplant, would they also chide you for taking so many meds for that???? No. This is their problem, imo, not yours. Now if we can get you to accept that this is the way it is for now, and if and when it can change, you will (I mean, if you begin to not need the meds, and yet still take them, THAT would be a problem right?)

Millions of people take meds for health.

[cheetah]

Psych conditions are medical conditions just like asthma, diabetes, heart problems, and so on. Many of us (myself) see a MEDICAL doctor for treatment. I'm not understanding if you are bothered because these are psych meds or meds in general.

Sometimes we can't explain why but we must learn to accept what we cannot change.

[splitimage]

I struggled against the idea of going on meds for a long time, until my first pdoc basically told there are some people who can take meds and some people who absolutely need meds. Now you can take the prescription with you now, or you can go home and think about it, and come back and pick the prescription up tomorrow because you're in the latter category. I'm now on a chemical cocktail that seems to work really well for me, and aside from a few annoying side effects doesn't really interfere with my life at all. My one brother doesn't get why I need meds, though so it's a bit of a source of contention between us. But I only see him once a year at most, and we generally don't talk about it.

I'm sorry that your family isn't more supportive.

-splitimage

[HALLIEBETH87]

its my anxiety. i cant control getting worked up over nearly everything. *sigh*

when will it end?

[(JD)]

That's "ok"... no judgment here as to the why... the more you realize you are getting worked up over something, the closer you will be to gaining better control and then lessening your reactions.

[Razzleberry]

A good analogy is Diabetes.

Some people with milder forms of Type II Diabetes can control their disease with just diet & exercise, and no medicaiton. Others need medication, and some need insulin shots.

But some Diabetics still need the insulin or medication REGARDLESS of how well they monitor their diet.

Their body just simply does not produce the correct amount of insulin.

It's just like a mental illness. Your brain is not producing enough - or producing too much - of the chemicals you need. Someone with a much milder form of depression / anxiety could maybe get by with just a little therapy and "happy thoughts". But no amount of happy thoughts are going to change the levels of chemicals in your brain if they are truly messed up.

No one would expect a Diabetic to "get off the meds" and live a "normal" life. No one would expect someone with Asthma to give up their inhaler and just 'breathe happy breaths'.

It's okay to need medication.

[HALLIEBETH87]

at wat point can i honestly say i 'need' them?

[HALLIEBETH87]

what level must u be at to explain or know you 'need' them?

[splitimage]

If the symptoms are interfering with your life in a signficant to you way, then you need them. That's how I look at it.

--splitimage