The role of medication

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-15-2010
The role of medication
11
Thu, 05-05-2011 - 4:52pm

I'm certain this will have been discussed before. What are your thoughts on it? For me, I think this has truly made the difference. It has enabled me to settle my manic and jumbled thinking, and reflect clearly on the reality of the A. To see how the continual bad choices were impacting on me. It has given me clarlity of thought.

I suppose there is the argument that by taking anti-depressants I am not dealing with the true pain of ending the A. I'm not sure about that. I know that pre-Prozac (Christmas time) the ending was accompanied by pain unlike any I'd ever known and culminated in high blood pressure, days off work (almost costing me a promotion, but thankfully not) and a feeling I was drowning.

Perhaps for some of us, it is one more weapon in our armoury. I am 51, and probably menopausal (have had a hysterectomy so cannot say for sure), work in a high-stress job with abused children, and am also trying to study for a degree. I work shift work, including nights, which plays havoc with my normal body patterns. So I guess in some ways if anyone was going to fall to pieces then it would be me.

Anyway am just musing...I doubt there's a right or wrong answer, and it's extremely individual. I am certain this has helped me this time round in identifying and stopping compulsive behaviours that simply weren't serving me or my family.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2005
Thu, 05-05-2011 - 5:31pm

Hi Miss Lulu :)

I love your flipflops.


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-24-2011
Thu, 05-05-2011 - 5:45pm
Lulu, I think medication can be incredibly valuable for getting out of a ditch and back on the road. The meds won't make the journey for you but they can help lift you out of that dark hole to a place where you're able to put one foot in front of the other.

P.S. Your job sounds amazing. The world needs more people like you. It aways surprises me how many of us on EAS are in healing professions. I sometimes wonder if our wish to heal broken people is part of what leads us into the A in the first place.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2009
Thu, 05-05-2011 - 7:20pm

Lulu-

I started taking an anti- depressant around Christmas time too.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2010
Thu, 05-05-2011 - 7:50pm

Miss lulu -

I don't know that I've seen this convo on here in the last year - and while it isn't for every person - I too chose to address some of the manic moods and other physical responses to all of that stress with an anti-depressant.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2011
Fri, 05-06-2011 - 1:54am
Great thread! Part of why I started seeing a shrink was because of the stress of my job & the ups & downs of helping others all the time. The A pushed me to the edge though, for sure. My shrink says I am moderately depressed & that feels like failure to me, like I'm not handling this well enough. How can I assist those in their hardest days when I can't even help myself. I am choosing not to take medication & just continue to ride it out.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-30-2006
Fri, 05-06-2011 - 6:18am
I totally agree with that kat - I also chose a profession of helping people and I think I couldn't get out of my A for that reason - I see a broken soul and I want to fix it!
I went on meds for depression and anxiety back in November. It helped even out my moods and more importantly to sleep. If I don't sleep I am NO good and with 3 kids and a job that's not an option. So, I continue to take the anxiety helpers on an ad hoc basis and I weaned myself off the anti-depression. If it helps you, why not? It's not like you turn into a zombie or a Stepford wife - I found that it helped me and other I know stabilize those erratic mood swings. And yes I too am on the other side of 45 :(
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2010
Fri, 05-06-2011 - 11:15pm
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2010
Fri, 05-06-2011 - 11:18pm

Hi ML!

You said:

"I suppose there is the argument that by taking anti-depressants I am not dealing with the true pain of ending the A. I'm not sure about that"

I'm not sure who would make that sort of argument as it is a pretty well known fact that today's anti-D's are not "pain killers" at all.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-20-2009
Sat, 05-07-2011 - 10:21am

I am all for getting the medical help you need to get over the rough patch.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2011
Tue, 05-10-2011 - 10:18am
After reading all these posts I am re-thinking the non-medicinal approach. Maybe a few months of anti-depressants would help me get out of this hole! Is this realistic? I don't know anything about anti-depressants....

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