Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Anxiety, depression & addiction... oh my! The mental illness thread.

pan6467 · 11-27-2009, 06:18 AM

I've just skimmed over the thread and thought I'd add a little something from an addictions counseling viewpoint.

Reading the OP it sounds like you had self medicated and I am very happy you have hopefully found a combination of prescribed drugs that help you. I'm a firm believer that prescriptions are a band aid and that open honest therapy is needed to help combat depression or any mental illness. I think our bodies adjust to meds and unless we deal with the issues that trigger us and finding better coping skills we will never get "better".

Just be careful that when you start feeling better you don't fall into the trap many do and believe you don't need the meds anymore and stop taking them without a dr's knowledge. Many people do this and it turns out bad for them.

I know some of the pills you listed do have a half life in the body and a detox illness would most likely occur.

Just be aware.

My mom suffers from severe depression and borderline personality. She's also an alcoholic who won't stop drinking so her liver is shot. Dhe's been on almost all the Benzos, Depakote, and so on. For her, they work awhile then stop and she has to find a new combination. Part of it I am sure is her drinking, part is bodies adjust to the meds and part is mental. She doesn't take care of the mental portion, thinking that pills, electroshock therapy, etc will do it all for her. Thus she doesn't get better in the long term. I think that is a severe problem not just for her but for the whole psychiatric field as a whole. Why flesh out pain and deal with issues that hurt when you can pop a pill and feel "better" for awhile?

It is probably in your best interest to either find an alternative to Benzos (Xanax, Restoril, Klonopin, Valium, Tranxene, Valium, Ativan and so on) or take them very very rarely. They are highly addictive and like any addictive drug you make think you are ok taking maybe 1 a week but then find you need 2,3,4 a week and then maybe 2 at a time and so on. Benzos are highly addictive and for otherwise healthy people the only drug other than alcohol you can die from if you stop cold turkey after even a short period of regular daily use.

Never be afraid to ask a doctor what the meds will do, how they interact with each other, what kind of withdrawal you will have and so on. It is your life and your body, you should know what is going in and what it is supposed to do.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents hope it helps.

11-27-2009, 06:18 AM	#77 (permalink)
pan6467 Lennonite Priest Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA	I've just skimmed over the thread and thought I'd add a little something from an addictions counseling viewpoint. Reading the OP it sounds like you had self medicated and I am very happy you have hopefully found a combination of prescribed drugs that help you. I'm a firm believer that prescriptions are a band aid and that open honest therapy is needed to help combat depression or any mental illness. I think our bodies adjust to meds and unless we deal with the issues that trigger us and finding better coping skills we will never get "better". Just be careful that when you start feeling better you don't fall into the trap many do and believe you don't need the meds anymore and stop taking them without a dr's knowledge. Many people do this and it turns out bad for them. I know some of the pills you listed do have a half life in the body and a detox illness would most likely occur. Just be aware. My mom suffers from severe depression and borderline personality. She's also an alcoholic who won't stop drinking so her liver is shot. Dhe's been on almost all the Benzos, Depakote, and so on. For her, they work awhile then stop and she has to find a new combination. Part of it I am sure is her drinking, part is bodies adjust to the meds and part is mental. She doesn't take care of the mental portion, thinking that pills, electroshock therapy, etc will do it all for her. Thus she doesn't get better in the long term. I think that is a severe problem not just for her but for the whole psychiatric field as a whole. Why flesh out pain and deal with issues that hurt when you can pop a pill and feel "better" for awhile? It is probably in your best interest to either find an alternative to Benzos (Xanax, Restoril, Klonopin, Valium, Tranxene, Valium, Ativan and so on) or take them very very rarely. They are highly addictive and like any addictive drug you make think you are ok taking maybe 1 a week but then find you need 2,3,4 a week and then maybe 2 at a time and so on. Benzos are highly addictive and for otherwise healthy people the only drug other than alcohol you can die from if you stop cold turkey after even a short period of regular daily use. Never be afraid to ask a doctor what the meds will do, how they interact with each other, what kind of withdrawal you will have and so on. It is your life and your body, you should know what is going in and what it is supposed to do. Anyway, that's my 2 cents hope it helps. __________________ I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"