Is anyone here willing to admit that they are or have been in mental health care? I saw my new psychiatrist today for the second time. I've been through at least 10 anti-depressants and combinations thereof, along with anti-anxiety meds that are actually pretty effective. She also wants me to go through CBT to see if that brings me any relief. I've been dealing with the same mental health issues for about 15 years and am basically no better. She's even talking shock therapy down the road if the pharmaceuticals continue to be ineffective.

Somebody tell me a success story to cheer me up. At this point I feel like my wallet's just being drained with no proper outcome in sight. I realize that this is a personal issue, but I'd love to hear some feedback. Yeah, as my wife says, I should just realize that I'm nuts and deal with it.

Do we listen to sad music because we're sad or are we sad because we listen to sad music?

Thanks, shmoo. That cleared things right up.

My understanding of psychotropic medications is that they are intended to be used temporarily with a goal of reducing dosage after they have readjusted whatever chemical receptors in the brain that weren't working right. With my time in dealing with dual diagnosis clients I rarely saw any one of them get off of their meds. I only saw dosage and types of meds increase over time. I did notice some serious changes in some of the kids we worked with, but I never saw the end result. I can't offer you any happy stories of any kind but that's more because I didn't work in the field long enough (only 2 years). Needless to say, I am a bit skeptical of psychotropic meds from a practical sense, but I cant really argue with the "science" of it I guess.

What is the "issue" if you don't mind sharing?

I was on 250mg of Effexor (SSRI) for about 2 years while in college. I had been suffering anxiety-caused depression and was prescribed it to also help battle my mild ADD. Via life changes i.e. getting kicked out of college and subsequently figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, I quit taking the anti-depression med. Reason: I ran out of my prescription, had no refills, and my psychologist was out of the office for two weeks without me knowing, so I had no one to direct me to a psychiatrist for the refill.
I've been fine ever since (I stopped taking Effexor 5 years go). Of course, I'll have my super-down days, but I think everyone has one now and again. Whatever I get depressed about usually goes away with time. I do have to say that I have the ability to have ups and downs which didn't occur while on meds.

Whatever is going on with you sounds pretty serious, so I'm not advocating stopping your meds. I've heard success stories of people finding the perfect cocktail of anti-depressants that curses their ails. Please don't put yourself through electro-shock therapy no mattter what. I've never heard any success stories about that "treat"ment.
Here's to hoping your new doc is the answer to your prayers. What do you normally find causes your anxiety symptoms?

fuck meds, you're alright. sort it out yourself.

drink and jackoff more, you'll be golden.

oh, and this is serious advice.

if this was chris, i'd say he's crazy for cock.

The one experience I had with "the biz" convinced me that it was a money pit. First visit, the Doc was sure I was suicidal and needed immediate hospitalization until I told him I was unemployed without insurance. The prognosis improved immediately thereafter.

*valiantly resists urge to post "Cuckoo for Cocoa Cocks" DVD cover*

Good luck to you. And hang in there. I've taken the black dog for a few walks around the block, and let me tell you - cleaning up after that bitch is no picnic.

Eventually, I've come to the conclusion that depression is something I'm going to have to live with - easy, effortless happiness is probably never going to happen for me. And, frankly, I might be better off fighting for simple joys, slogging it out through the rough times. Even minor victories are MY victories, and I can take honest, sincere pride in even tiny successes in life. At least that is what I tell myself. It took some major setbacks and many close calls to arrive at this acceptance.

Don't quit your meds, don't stop seeing your psychiatrist, but most importantly, DON'T think there is some magic cure that will make you "perfect." Nobody is perfect, mentally or otherwise. I used to scorn people who put so much effort into remaking themselves physically: the blonde bimbos with the boob jobs and fake teeth, the indieboys with the affected wardrobe and $100 haircuts. I didn't realize that, in effect, this is what I was trying to do with my personality. I was trying to fit my morbid, square-peg outlook on life into a superficial, round-peg mold. I've come to accept that I respond to things differently that a majority of the people I know. There is great freedom in that insight. There is freedom to be yourself - and you might just realize that that is not so terrible as you thought.

I'm assuming depression/anxiety is your mental health issue, based on your post, and the previous responses above. obviously, I can only discuss what I have personally experienced. Even without considering more severe forms of mental illness, depression has so many symptoms, so many causes and possible solutions, that one person's experiences may be completely inapplicable, if not downright contrary, to another sufferer's. Ultimately, all I can say is: if you keep fighting, you WILL get better.

Blockbuster!

"Janeiro is obsessed with all the ruffnecks in his barrio and their BIG cocoa-colored cocks, so he enlists the help of his homeboyz to collect all of the best new uncut Latin meat!"

I've seen a therapist here and there. He's actually my son's therapist and it helped to talk to him about some of the stuff going on in my life and my son's.

That way he understood better how to help my kid. I stopped seeing him towards the end of my pregnancy. I've learned over time how to control some aspects of my thoughts and emotions, but when I'm REALLy pissed it comes out. I have developed serious anger issues(mostly due to some bad bad things that happened in my life), but they're under some control nowadays.

Otherwise, I have a shitload of experience dealing with the business for my son.

I can honestly say I've run into some real bastards in the last few years. He's been on a steady cocktail for his Anxiety Disorder and ADHD for almost three years now. I'm not happy with keeping him on meds forever, which his very nice psychiatrist told me we'd have to do.

I'm searching for a second opinion. Every time they increase his meds as he grows physically I want to whack her in the head. My goal has been to get him OFF the meds, not increase them.

this is shit advice IMO. yeah, nobody is perfect, but no fucking doctor or meds is gonna make you perfect either.

Isn't that what I said?

not at all. you said Don't quit your meds, don't stop seeing your psychiatrist, 2 things that i feel people can do without. reach within, don't be afraid, and you can sort your shit out yourself. medicine and some salary draining jackass aren't the solution all [most] of the time.

Tom Cruise says to take some vitamins and you'll be smiling in no time.





Seriously though, my advice to you is keep trying different psych meds until something works for you. There's lots of variance to how people react to the medicines that are out there and many of them take up to month to achieve their effect. If you can afford/stomach it, go to therapy once a week. Are there support groups available in your area? Also, try to take things one day at a time and enlist family support for your illness. It helps.

man, I feel ya...empathetically, since I have always been one happy mo fo. But have lived close to some really sad folks. In fact I used to think all women eventually get sad, and may not have changed my credo yet. All I know is, there must be something to the "imbalance best solved with meds" theory. I have lived with too many people who had no VISIBLE reason to be sad, and yet were. That said, drugs never seemed to do more than varnish the problem. tough call. People like (obviously)Dalen and me, we just don't get those who feel depression, but it must be real, because I have seen it first hand too many times.

Isn't it football season? Since school has started, shouldn't you be dealing with a bunch of pathetic middle school kids? ya know, majority not contributing to society?

You gave me a hard time when I emailed you a couple of months ago when I was concerned, but then you go posting this stuff. C'mon Mike, don't be a idiot. Take care of yourself. This shit will pass... and if it doesn't, then step up and take care of yourself and not worry about others.

one day i hope to be an expert on everything like Dalen

for some people, the best therapy is drugs such as anxiolytics as well as therapy

many people can, however, reduce or eliminate these by changing diet/exercise/sleep/other lifestyle factors

My advice is to continue what you're doing right now, but also think about taking up a new sport or something. Exercise helps alot directly, and will also help with sleep patterns. A new hobby will also help give you something else to focus on. Stop eating very sugary carbohydrate food all the time if you do - your energy levels will spike but then you'll get a very tired, low energy feeling after.

Then if it goes well you can start cutting back on the meds/therapy and see if you stay ok.

I absolutely detest drugs and psyciatrists! It's all a lot of bullshit!

People need to quit being whiney little pussies and sort themselves out. Presumably people are unhappy for a reason so how about tackling whatever that reason is rather than chucking pills down your throat.

And believe me it's not like I don't know depression, I've had it virtually all of my adult life but anyone who takes Prozac or any other drug is no better than an alcoholic. You know what? I'd feel a lot better with a bottle of wine in me every day and drugs are just the same thing. It's phoney happiness and I want the real me to feel genuine happiness.

It just disgusts me how little strength of character and spirit so many people have!

Misery, death, depression, heartache and loneliness are all parts of life and they are not going away if you get a prescription. Sort your head out and deal with it, this sounds extraordinarily harsh but seriously, if you can't do that then life is wasted on you.

At the end of the day it's just your head fucking with you and trying to trick you because there are so many amazing things in the world it's unbelievable.

When people quit trying to 'fit in' and 'change' and instead actually accept their real selves then we might have a happier society but while a bunch of little pissy pants complain about fuck all to Glaxo and doctors that don't give a shit except about the cheque then I'm afraid your going to be miserable all of your life.

Rant over!

No, I'm pretty sure an imbalance of serotonin in your brain has a lot to do with it.

^

yeah, that's a little harsh


As a medical professional I can say that I've seen medications improve and help save people's lives...and that's not bullshit man. Not everyone is as "strong" as you are.

Sorry, I just know a lot of people with depression. And I agree, meds really do help. They're different people when they're on them.

cherry chapstick knows whats up

theres alot of overprescription and probably 2/3rds of people would be better of just changing their lifestyle, but for the rest of them drugs may be a good option

although maybe those molecular neuroscience and pharmacology papers ive been taking at university are just all made up