Anti or Pro, there is still a need in some

Hi there,
I myself question if I need certain meds, or not. I run across many anti med sites and must disagree to an extent, many people due require psychiatric meds., I have seen many who without them fall apart, become delusional and even violent.
There are other cases where medications become overkill, and that is to blame mostly on the doctor prescribing them.
One major part of psychiatry that does disturb me greatly is "psycho surgery" destroying portions of the brain to achieve the desired behaviour of a person, ECT another thing that PERSONALY (spelling) scares me.
I feel with a reputable psychiatrist, medication and it's monitoring can work wonders, I've seen it.
It is everyone's personal choice to make decisions to their type of treament, but do not let some of the anti meds sites totally turn you off from treatment, be sure to ask questions, many medications are safe, and with compliancy by the patient some of the "impossibles can become possible".
Talk therapy is a great adjunct to psychiatric care, with or without meds.
You have the right to choose
"darkeyes"

I guess it's like everything else... all in good measure. Not too much in one direction or another. I'm hoping really hard I can do okay without meds. I went on them a couple years ago in hard circumstances. The only way to know if I am beyond needing them is to try without. If I still need meds, I won't hesitate to get another doctor and try again. The doc I'm using is prescribing some pretty out of the norm stuff.

Hey there
You sound just like I have been feeling about my situation too, it is a hard decision, I keep toying around with it, try "solo" and then if I need it I'll fly back to it, but I need an approval, maybe? Until my personal tragedies a couple a years ago I never needed the meds, or a psychiatrist or a therapist, now that things are settled I question "do I still need these?" as I take my meds
Well, who knows, maybe we will both be able to fly "solo" someday soon
Take care,
** hugs **
"darkeyes"

Let's hope so. I'm pulling for you darkeyes

The first night off my meds was not too easy. I was gagging, sputtering and gnawing all night. It felt like a withdrawal type of reaction though and I'm gonna see it through for awhile. It should go away.... I hope.

Never had a problem coming off any of my meds., I guess my body was so happy to be "free again", ha!ha!
The only thing when I was on Zoloft a couple a years ago, I would get this strange (undescribable) shutter in my head, like when you feel like you are falling in your sleep and then your body jerks/jumps and wakes you up. . . weird
But otherwise all the other stuff left me with no withdrawals.
Take care of yourself
<font color=purple> "darkeyes" </font color=purple>

hell-o i take alot of meds. sometimes i should be clear i take alot of meds when the feed back i get from the world says i need to no one tells me i just judge their reaction to me this seems to work most of the time i would never take a drug that requires an informed consent movie i dont like anyone on earth enough to do that to myself i was in that position long ago. meds have gotten better there are alot of new ones out my problem is cost i have more half bottles of stuff then youd ever believe but if anyone out there could pass any info. to me i am BP with very little depression my current meds. work about 80% of the time the rest of the time i scare people. if you really want to see the scarey side of meds. (and you happen to be a vet.)go to the v a battlecreek mi. you will be very careful what you take the va gets to try everything first and theres alot of people that will never leave the unless its in a box

Still, people do need meds to function within "normal" parameters. I DO know this from personal and not personal experiences, and there is no sin in it either. Most cases where meds do not continue to help is due to non compliance by the patient not the pdoc. Some people screw around, or have their GP's prescribe them cause they are too embarrassed to get the proper help. . . a pdoc.
I do not profess that all pdocs are perfect, but the patient has the choice to choose who is best for them, and med modifications.
I do agree that Veterans hospitals are not the best place probably to get psychiatric help, just look at how our govt. runs sometimes
One thing that helps in recovery is to lose the ambivalence, it helps a great deal. For a while I had walked around with this attitude and it only prevented progress.
I later followed the program and it works, but you have to honestly work with the pdoc, if he or she is not giving you any satisfaction, I suggest you find another one, even get a 2nd or even 3rd opinion.
Please take care
"darkeyes"

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

hi darkeyes.

I finally set up my appointment with a psychiatrist for July 30. No meds is better than the meds I was on, but I find myself "self medicating" with alcohol and whatever else I can use to distract and calm my inner self. I figure if I'm gonna self medicate... I might as well get some prescription meds instead.... or at least some professional advice about what I should do next.

I must tell you "self-medication" only works for a short time (I know) maybe you haven't hit on the proper prescription med for your problem, or maybe haven't had a pdoc that is knowledgable of the right one for you or the right combo even, don't give up on the "right route" to take in getting better.
I have found out though you have to be truly compliant with them and the pdoc and not "self-medicate" in between or along with the meds. he prescribes for you, it won't work (I know that too) I learned to make things work out, though it can take some time I needed to stick with the "program", it is the only way, and it DOES work.
Please take care,
"darkeyes"

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

when i was on meds i did not self medicate. I got kinda dependent on the chlonazepam though and when i came off of it is when i started looking for something to fill the void. This is the first time I'll have been to a psychiatrist. Before I was working with my general practitioner. I think he just doesn't know enough about it and I decided by myself to get more specialized help.

I am happy to hear that, you probably heard my "old soapbox" talk about GP's are okay for their area but cannot replace a Psychiatrist. I was only given Klonopin by my pdoc for a short lived panic disorder after dad's death, I use them once in a while if the bad visions of his death occur at nite, but really do not use them that often. GP's do not follow the right dosing and follow closely any changes the way a pdoc does, though they may mean well they can make matters worse because they aren't qualified to properly evaluate and treat (meds) their patients with mental disorders. I hope there will be some regulations put on the prescribing of psychiatric medications so that only pdocs can prescribe such meds and be the ones to follow up the patients progress or lack of. Just my 2 cents, Also if your first pdoc turns out not to be for you never be afraid to get a 2nd or 3rd opinion.
Please take care now
"darkeyes"

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

Hi Darkeyes,

The psychiatrist put me on Lexapro. So far so good. Much improvement in my OCD tendencies and anxiety is reduced greatly. I think this one is gonna work!

I am so very happy for you, many people have good outcome with it
I'll be thinking of you
** hugs **

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

(((((((darkeyes)))))))))