i went to my first therapy session last night and its kind of an alternative therapy centre where they like you to come off all meds so they can reach all parts of the brain or so to speak.

my doctor is not keen on this and wants me to go to a university pdoc who will treat me in the usual way ie stay on antidepressants and get me to talk etc. i am at a loss, the first option sounds like if i am on drugs, prozac will not allow brain to be reached in certain parts when i am talking and getting rid of past happenings. does anyone have a clue about any of this?

i do worry about coming off prozac and anti anxiety meds for the time being, just confused. please help.

jinnyann

[capricorn]

Hi Jinnyann,
Maybe the 'alternative' therapies idea is to berid you <font color="blue"> </font> of the effects (blockages, stoppages etc.) to your natural thoughts and feelings. To get to the authentic 'you'.
It may not be the best case scenario for you - it may be too much of a sudden mental 'confrontation' for you, with which you could feel more overwhelmed with any issues that you are currently on the medication for.
It maybe, though, just what works for you.
If you are feeling really uncomfortable with the possibility of placing yourself in a (perceived) more vulnerable emotional position by going 'cold-turkey' with the medication, as suggested by the 'natural' therapy clinic, consult with the physician, who prescribed them in the first place, and 'run-by' him your desires to try this method. He/she may work with you to explore a medication-reduction combined with gradually 'opening-up' (talking and experiencing) the natural, (gradually unaffected by medication), 'you'.
Ultimately, it is a decision, with excellent support, that you need to make for yourself. But do it as safely as possible. You want the best for yourself and the safest outcome.
I wish you well.

[chalmette70043]

((((((((jinny)))))))) I honestly dont know what to say.

But i think you'll make the righ decision. And I'm behind you 100%.

chalmette

[bipolar_bear]

(((((((((((((((((((((((((jinnyann))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) I really don't know anything about this type of therapy but I am sure you will figure out if this is the right type of therapy for you. I wish i could help more.

BB

What a tough decision.

I go to a center for psychoanalysis. Their 'slogan' is "more talk, fewer pills." However, a good therapist will stand behind you if he/she sees the benefits of medication. My T is not big into meds. But when I decided to go on them, he helped me explore the reasoning behind it-- that meds are a tool-- not the answer to my symptoms. So although he has made it clear that he is in favor of talk, not meds-- he has completely backed me up in my decision and helped me see the possible benefits.

You should not go off of your meds if you are not comfortable with it. Hopefully you will be able to discuss this with your therapist.

what qualifications do the people from the alternative centre have?

[DePressMe]

Okay, you asked…this is just my opinion and I have no degree or anything. I say leave the meds up to the people who know the most about them—the pdocs. If you want to come off of them talk with him/her. I personally believe my meds don’t interfere with my ability to reach all parts of myself. I would question any center that advocates all clients getting off meds—some people need them. I can’t say if you need them or not…it is your call.

[SecretGarden]

I think that it is important to have meds as an option. My first T... was an analyst and did not believe in meds. Near the end of his time with me...lol... I was on them. I think that you need to have a T that does not demand either way...that you be on meds or that you not be on meds. I think that you need to be able to work WITH your T to make that decision. I think that you could start with someone with the meds that you are on and your T can see if they feel that what you are on is doing what it needs to do or if it is masking too much or .... etc... It is a process and not an all or nothing thing.

I currently am with a pdoc for t and it is a great two for deal. He knows me best and we work on it together. Being in t with him... he knows my patterns and how things are going.

I am pleased for you JillyAnn..... Remember... tis true... You are shopping for the right match for you. You have to feel this person is someone you wish to work with....

[sidony]

Hey jinnyann,

I have to admit I'm a little dubious about a place that tells you to up & stop taking your meds like that. Reminds me a little too much of stories I've read about cults (disguised as therapy) where they insist people stop taking meds and then that they disconnect from their families etc. etc. all in the search of some kind of therapeutic benefit or enlightenment. And I'm sure the place you go is nothing crazy like that, but I'd be wary of such specific black & white rules/suggestions. Lots of people clearly benefit from using medications, and suggesting that they can't be "real" or something like that without them seems like a "blame the patient" strategy to me, or like someone's attempt to force their own preferences onto other people. They ought to be better therapists.

I do think sometimes medications can be used as escapism (akin to the way alcohol is used), but if you started thinking that the medicines were just a crutch, then that would be something to discuss with the person prescribing them and not someone with a wholly different bias. For some people medications are just necessary to live a fuller life, and the decision to drop them shouldn't be taken lightly.

That's just my opinion.

Sidony

[bipolar_bear]

I too am a little concerned that you are considering going off your meds without talking about them with your pdoc. Can you talk to your pdoc about thier concerns? Doses and different meds react diffferently in different people and your pdoc can get you to the most helpful level for you. I am not sure how they would prevent you from benefitting from therapy but then as I said above I know nothing about the type of therapy you are initiating. Good luck.

BB

[SecretGarden]

It is too late for me to edit my post. I am so sorry I misspelled your name.....Jinnyann. Please excuse me.

[January]

Hi Jinny,

I would listen to my Dr. if I were you. I am very concerned about someone who wants to jerk you off your meds.

Hugs,

Jan

[Rapunzel]

Tell us about why you chose the alternative treatment place? Is there something in their philosophy that appeals to you? It might be right for you, and it might not. Going off of your meds would be scary if you feel that you need the meds. That is something to consider, and there are arguments on both sides. Maybe the meds really help you and there is enough benefit in using that tool to say that you should keep taking them. On the other hand, meds can be a crutch that you could depend on too heavily, and it might be more beneficial for you to take the leap of faith (gradually and with your doctor's supervision) and try going off the meds and relying on your own skills that you learn in therapy.

I've been very hesitant to use meds. I do better on SJW than off of it though. My feeling is that meds don't fix anything - they just make the symptoms more manageable. They are available to use as a tool, but I personally would prefer to be able to manage without them if possible. I have also heard that meds help other people to get along with you more than they help you to feel better sometimes. And they can numb your feelings some so that you don't care as much about things that would be pretty big to you otherwise, and I can see a possibility that it could interfere with therapy because of that.

Most important, though, is that you do what you feel is best for you. What is your philosophy about meds and therapy and healing? What end result are you hoping for, and what do you think will get you there?

[WinterRose]

This is just my opinion.

I wouldn't suddenly go off medications. I agree that the long range objective is to get away from the medications, but I think it probably should be done slowly. I also agree that there are some things you may not be able to 'get to' feelings or other things that you need to get well - but those things would be too overwhelming to get at right away. It's like an onion - you start slowly from the outside and go deeper as you are able. So my opinion would be to go as deep as I could with my meds and deal with those things first then decrease meds and take on the next layer and so on.

In the end, your treatment plan should be designed and taylored to you. It should be arrived at by your pdoc, your t, and you as a team. You should be comfortable with it. No two people are the same so your treatment won't neccessarily look like anyone else's either. All of our sessions are different.

[MissCharlotte]

Jinnyann,
I can only share my own experience.
I was never a big believer in meds and worried about meds masking my feelings. My T is an analyst and he is not a big med proponent but recently suggested I may want to try an anti-d. It has helped me tremendously and in fact has made my therapy more productive rather than less. I do know that these meds cannot be stopped suddenly as you may feel worse by doing that. So, if you chooose the alternative therapy and it's right for you, then please consult with the doctor who prescribed the meds as to the best way to taper down.

Good luck.

[sunrise]

jinnyann, what kind of therapy are you receiving at the alternative therapy center? Lots of therapies, some fairly mainstream, are considered by some people to be "alternative." For example, my T does EMDR, and some people consider that alternative. I would be wary if it was a blanket philosophy of the center to do everything drug free. My worry would be are they really looking at you as an individual? Some people just need meds to allow them to start grappling with their problems. Later, they can taper off. Therapy can help them get at the root of their problems. I think the consensus in the medical community is that if you want to get off meds, it is best to taper off gradually. If you determine you would like to get off meds, your pdoc should be able to help you implement a gradual plan, and then you can reassess along the way, based on how you are doing. There was a time I wanted meds but did not go that route, and I am now glad for that, although it was hard.

Good luck with this. how about consulting with your pdoc before doing anything? Also, you may want to ask your T and pdoc to put their heads together on this. I think also since you are just starting with a new T, you may want to get to know him/her better before making any drastic med changes.

(((((jinny)))))

what feels rite in ur heart
even in ur gut
what do u think is rite for u
do u want the meds rite now
or do u not
you know there is always the option to go back to the other one

im with you holdin ur hand kezza

gosh thankyou everyone for your input i really apreciate it. things have changed yet again lol. i saw a crisis psychiatrist at the weekend who asked me not to go to the alternative therapist, but carry on with my docs counsellor and made me an appoinjtment with a psychiatrist to change my meds cos they are totally wrong for me. he is starting from scratch, diagnosing, altering my meds and finding me a psychotherapist for long term help. so everything is great for me, this is what i have been waiting for, apparently the prozac has been making me worse. so thankyou all so so much for replying, i love you all for caring and i'll keep you posted. whew, sigh of relief, i am so happy i am now being listened to properly by a proffessional.

thankyou again to all who replied,

love ya -- --

[Calm]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
jinnyann said:
whew, sigh of relief, i am so happy i am now being listened to properly by a proffessional.

Great news, jinnyann. Hang on to that happy feeling as best as you can.

[sidony]

Awesome jinnyann! This sounds very hopeful! For what it's worth, my opinion is that this is the best way to go. Not suddenly changing everything about your style of treatment (that's just too harsh)....

You sound happy! I'm glad for you! :-)
Sidony