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Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medication'?


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[Poll]

Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medication'?


Yes
  62% (17)
No
  33% (9)
Not saying
  3% (1)


Total Votes : 27
(last vote on : 9/21/2010 11:14:45 AM)
(Poll will run till: -- )
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Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medication'? - 9/19/2010 2:29:53 PM   
hertz


Posts: 1315
Joined: 8/7/2010
Status: offline 		There's still quite a bit of stigma attached to mental illness, even if the statistics suggest that up to one in four of us will experience poor mental health at some time in our lives, so I completely understand that some may feel uncomfortable around the question. As far as I know, answering the poll does not allow other users to see your response unless you make a comment to give that information.

But if you are willing to share, it would be interesting to hear your experiences. Some have already mentioned this in the 'Counselling and Therapy' thread, but I thought it might be interesting to have a specific thread.

'Psychiatric Medication' for the purposes of the poll is any medication taken specifically to adjust or stabilise your mood, thought processes, or a diagnosed mental health issue either short or long term.

'Mental Illness' is as it sounds - any mental distress or diagnosed disorder, either short or long term. Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar or Unipolar disorder, Psychosis and other ailments affecting cognitive function would fall into this category.

Self disclosure: 20 years ago I developed depression during a period in my life when I was grieving for an ended relationship, and working far too hard as a way of avoiding my feelings. I had no idea I was depressed until my therapist at that time suggested it as a possibility, almost as an aside. It rang true immediately and I saw my GP, discussed with him what was going on, and was prescribed 'Prozac'.

Prozac was a revelation. Within 3 weeks I was feeling much better - more energised, and strangely disconnected from my emotions. It was exactly what I needed. I continued taking it for a year, but decided to stop because I was getting side effects - not sleeping properly, unable to reach orgasm, and my feet felt really hot and restless. I stopped for a few months, but felt myself sliding into ill-health again, so resumed taking the drug. But the side effects were really bugging me, and I approached my doctor for an alternative. I took 'Seroxat' (same group of drugs) for a few months before getting more side effects and stopping again. This time was OK, though, and I was fine for a couple of years before slipping back into depression again. A six month course sorted me out, and I have been as right as rain ever since.

Despite linking it to a specific event in my life, I think my depression was about a chemical imbalance that the anti-depressant medication sorted out. Either that, or it was just 'my turn'. I don't really know. What I do know is that struggling with a mental health problem is not 'abnormal' in any way - too many of us have these sorts of problems for it to be considered that. Some of us struggle sometimes, whilst others find medication helps them cope with a world which is not especially flexible when it comes to coping with differences in the way some of us function. I think it's pretty normal. What is abnormal is the belief that everybody should be the same.

Anyway, over to you...
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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 3:08:15 PM   
Aylee


Posts: 24103
Joined: 10/14/2007
Status: offline 		Temazepam for a sleeping disorder.  I would have to say that I have not felt at all stigmatized by this. 

I will note that I have noticed a trend in people, especially women, to self-diagnois themselves as bi-polar or what not.  At times it seems almost as though having a mental illness is a status symbol. 

I will also note that men seem to be more stagmatized than women for mental health issues.  Also that many of the definitions in the DSM IV are written to apply specifically to race, age, and sex groups.   

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 3:15:56 PM   
sophia37


Posts: 1433
Joined: 2/7/2006
Status: offline 		Dont take pills for the mental but the husband does. Still. The personality persists no matter what kind or how much pill therapy he gets. I think thats the reality. Cant make the person someone else. 

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 6:29:48 PM   
DesFIP


Posts: 25191
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline 		2 1/2 years on Zoloft. Unipolar depression with a side of generalized anxiety disorder. The anxiety is presently untreated but workable mostly. The Zoloft was a wonderful thing.

I became depressed first time about age 10, when puberty hormones started and it lasted almost 20 years. Couple of suicide attempts as to be expected. Talk therapy did nothing, especially because at the time there was no diagnosis of depression in children.

When it reoccurred in my 40's, it was after the advent of SSRIs. I realized I had spent the last few days contemplating suicide, and when I went into my doctor's office the next day for a pre-existing appointment told her this. She strenuously tried to talk me into signing my self into the nearest psych ward. However I assured her I could make a couple of days until she could get me into the office of a psychiatrist with a knowledge of genetic mood disorders. She gave me a starter pack of Zoloft. I saw the psychiatrist three days later and said the suicidal ideation had lifted but it was making me nauseous and anxious. The nausea might get me to lose a few pounds but the anxiety was unacceptable. Since the Zoloft had already started working he lowered the dose drastically and then brought it slowly up over time.

I was told that probably there should be no further occurrence as the major times depression occurs is during the hormonal changes, puberty and middle age. I could get Xanax or Valium but I dislike them and will put them off as long as possible. They have the nasty side effect of not just lifting anxiety but making you artificially elated, which makes you more anxious when you go off them. And the atypical antipsychotics which don't have the side effect are too strong for me. I get enormous fatigue and sleep 16 hours on them.

I'm fourth generation mood disorder. This is no different in my family than other families which track heart disease. The only difference is that due to modern pharmacology, we no longer have suicides. We get treatment instead.


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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 6:40:33 PM   
Aneirin


Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
Status: offline 		Mood stabilisers in the form of a generic version of Celaxa

Despite being dx'd as Aspergers, I am also sort of suspected of having Bipolar 2, something that follows down the family from the mothers side, the Aspie bit being the fathers side.

All proving one thing, you can't choose your family

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Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 6:57:26 PM   
pahunkboy


Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline 		One has to be VERY careful with psychotropic drugs. 

(in reply to Aneirin)
Profile   Post #: 6
RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 7:27:29 PM   
thornhappy


Posts: 8596
Joined: 12/16/2006
Status: offline 		Used to take various SSRIs or a tricyclic to prevent migraines.

(in reply to pahunkboy)
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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 7:46:03 PM   
LaTigresse


Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline 		No. Never taken any prescription meds other than the occasional antibiotic a few times in my life. Oh, and a wicked prescription cough suppressant once. Codiene cough syrup kicked my ass.

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My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/19/2010 11:32:19 PM   
GreedyTop


Posts: 52100
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline 		various antidepressants at various points in my life (but not lately)

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CHARTER MEMBER: Lance's Fag Hags!
Waiting for my madman in a Blue Box.

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/20/2010 4:54:53 AM   
DesFIP


Posts: 25191
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline 		PA, one has to be careful taking any medications. Careful to note possible side effects, to take as directed, to call in to the doctor's office should problems occur. Lots of us take penicillin and break out in rashes, if we don't visit the doctor to inform them about that, we won't know that we're allergic and we could kill ourselves taking it a second time. And penicillin has been around for over 60 years. Nothing is fool proof.

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/20/2010 9:26:51 AM   
PeanutTigerinBox


Posts: 1624
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: thornhappy

Used to take various SSRIs or a tricyclic to prevent migraines.


similar here. for my fibromyalgia I am on amitriptylin which is also used for people who suffer from depression (though they take it in higher dosages than I have to take it to nock out my nerves with it). Though considering how much it knocks me out it keeps me wondering how that is supposed to help people who are depressed, but that's ok...sometimes I take it with a little smile, saying maybe this little dosage helps me not to get depressed over here in the first place

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aka Phoenixpower

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/20/2010 9:34:34 AM   
PeanutTigerinBox


Posts: 1624
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: DesFIP

PA, one has to be careful taking any medications. Careful to note possible side effects, to take as directed, to call in to the doctor's office should problems occur. Lots of us take penicillin and break out in rashes, if we don't visit the doctor to inform them about that, we won't know that we're allergic and we could kill ourselves taking it a second time. And penicillin has been around for over 60 years. Nothing is fool proof.


that's true, on top of it what can be fine to me might have a bad impact on someone else who might be on medication I am not aware of, which is not suitable to take together (together means in that case in the same system, not at the same time) or might have any conditions such as ulcers or whatever which might be a warning sign for a doctor not to prescribe it to that person either.

That being said I already learned over here the importance still to check the prescription leaflet as one of my clients got medication despite that it clearly said it should not be taken when that person is on a particular medication she was on....so we went back to the GP to ask for something else instead...seems someone was asleep at the GP when that was prescribed and I am not talking about my client in that respect (who had at times the habbit to be asleep whilst she was examined as she was incredible tired most of the time in her final months).

_____________________________

RIP 08/09/07

aka Phoenixpower

one of my favourite songs :o) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_CuY4nMu8c&feature=related

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RE: Have you ever taken a course of 'psychiatric medica... - 9/20/2010 12:36:39 PM   
DesFIP


Posts: 25191
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline 		Plus most people don't tell their physician what otc drugs they take, what doses of mega vitamins, supplements from the whole food store and so on. Any of which can cause a problem when taken with a prescription medication.

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Cynical and proud of it!


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Profile   Post #: 13
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