Meds, Therapy, Both, or Neither?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-26-2004
Meds, Therapy, Both, or Neither?
19
Sat, 04-10-2004 - 11:06am

You folks have had all sorts of experience in dealing with

AcornLeaves

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-12-2004
Mon, 04-12-2004 - 10:33pm
I guess how well these things do depends on the indivdual. Meds have ups and downs. Therapy is good, BUT it's hard to find the "right" therapist. It's a never ending cycle of questions. I'm interested in reading about some "alternative" (so to speak) methods of dealing with depression and anxiety (example: foods, forms of meditation. Lifestyle must pay a huge role.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2003
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 9:42am
I think it really depends on why you are depressed. I think that if it is just situational depression therapy works best, but if it is hormonal or chemical than therapy and medication or just medication (depending on how depressed you are) works best.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-20-2004
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 10:00am
My adult daughter has been struggling with this issue for some time. As a young woman she is reluctant to take medication for "the rest of her life". SHe also wants to believe that she can obtain a level of health that makes it unnecessary. I don't see how she can reach that level of health without the medication. I am very interested in hearing other peoples experiences with loved ones not wanting to take their meds. My daughter has been diagnosed by several Pyschiatrists with clinical depression. She has been suicidal in the past, but states she does not and will not ever want to kill herself again. (she never tried) I worry less about that and more about how difficult her life is for her to navigate off the meds. She is a different person on vs. off the medications, but that it part of why she doesn't want to take them. She questions why she should have to "change" herself. Any resources? Experience?
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 10:40am


I am new to therapy and taking meds I have only been in therapy for a year and I am on my third medication right now I started to take lexapro as my first med but it made me so tired to the point that I would fall alseep at work so I switched to Lamictal which was awesome for me but I started to get this horrible rash on my neck so I had to stop the Lamictal and now I am on neurontin which has been working good thus far and I have had zero side effects from it so I am happy.

I think that for me the combo of therapy and meds work teh best in my case but each person is different I know that in order for me to hold a job and not kill myself or anyone else and to keep my moods stable I need meds with out my meds I would jump from job to job because I could not handel working some place for a long period of time but the job i have now I have been here for just over two years which is a long time for me I usually last a year and then I run.

My therapy is awesome Ilove marnie she doesnt sugar coat things she doesnt side with me she is very straight forward which is something that I need...she has helped me with my moods my black and white thinking she is now helping me overcome my body image disorder and my diet pill use she has already helped me to stop taking and abusing laxatives and my vomiting, so I guess in one year I have come a long way no citting no weighing myself none of that.

but anyways I think that we should all do what works best for us and for me if I have to take meds forever then I will if that means that I will live a good happy normal life.

Erin

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2004
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 11:44am
*****TRIGGERS*****





Hugs All:

I've been lurking for awhile...formerly KarenMRH.

I am doing a full court press, so to speak. Therapy and meds. I wouldn't even think of getting rid of either, considering how serious my disease is (Bipolar and other psychiatric disorders).

I have a real chance of dying of this disease if I am not in treatment. Unfortuneately, even with treatment I still have a good chance that it affects my health for the worst.

I can't say my treatment is perfect, either. I am still suffering from "subthreshhold" symptoms, which I understand is common. But I am way better than I was say 3 months ago, when I was SI-ing everyday and thinking of suicide all the time. As many of you my remember.

Hugs again,

Rowan

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-25-2004
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 1:14pm
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTI DEPRESSANTS AND THERAPY BEGAN MANY YEARS AGO. I THINK I HAVE PROBABLY BEEN ON EVERY ANTI DEPRESSANT AND ANTI ANXIETY DRUG OUT THERE. I CAN SAY THAT PAXIL HELPED ME THROUGH SOME PRETTY ROUGH TIMES BUT I HAD TO KEEP HAVING MY DOSAGE INCREASED BECAUSE IT WOULD LOSE ITS EFFECTIVENESS. I ALSO GAINED WEIGHT AND LOST MY DESIRE TO HAVE SEX. I AM 33 AND HAPPILY MARRIED SO I REALLY FELT LIKE I SHOULD BE ENJOYING SEX AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE. AS FAR AS THERAPY I GUESS I NEVER FOUND THE RIGHT ONE. IT WAS EXPENSIVE AND I NEVER FELT LIKE I WAS GAINING ANYTHING REALLY BENEFICIAL. SOOO, I QUIT BOTH. IT'S BEEN CLOSE TO A YEAR NOW, AND YES, I'VE HAD SOME ROUGH SPELLS. I GET VERY EMOTIONAL SOMETIMES AND I WANT TO CRY FOR NO REASON. I HAVE COME TO THE REALIZATION HOWEVER THAT MAYBE I DON'T NEED TO CHANGE MYSELF AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT I DID. SO WHAT IF I NEED TO CRY? I USED TO THINK THAT THAT MEANT WEAKNESS OR THAT IT MUST MEAN THAT I WAS DEPRESSED BUT I'VE FOUND THAT A GOOD CRY CAN SOMETIMES BE VERY CLEANSING. i HAVE ALSO FOUND BOOKS BY "NORMAN VINCENT PEALE" AND READING THE BIBLE, AND PRAYING TO BE 1,000 TIMES MORE BENEFICIAL THAN THERAPY FOR ME. GOD IS A WONDERFUL COUNSELOR BUT YOU HAVE TO BE RECEPTIVE TO HIS ADVICE. HE WON'T CURE THINGS QUICKLY LIKE A PILL BUT HE WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH A PROCESS. AND IT MAY BE A LONG, LONG PROCESS. BUT IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE THAT HE CAN CURE YOU HE WILL.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M AGAINST THERAPY AND MEDICINE IN EVERY CASE. AND I'M ALSO NOT SAYING THAT MY LIFE IS ONE BIG PARTY NOW EITHER. BUT I CAN SAY THAT NOW THAT I'M OFF OF THE MEDS THAT I FEEL MORE ALIVE THAN I HAVE IN MANY, MANY YEARS. AND THAT INCLUDES THE BAD TIMES AS WELL AS THE GOOD.

WITH MUCH LOVE, TRINA

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 1:23pm
Well being as I'm new to the "diagnosis" of depression but not the feeling of depression. I have just started dealing with "dealing" with depression.

Currently I am taking meds and it's helped me a bit. I do honestly think I need additional counsling/therapy but not sure if I'm quite ready to go there yet. I'm taking babysteps..one tiny step in front of the other..otherwise it would probably overwhelm me.

~~~Liv

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2004
Mon, 04-26-2004 - 4:54pm
i'm currently on lexapro, and have been for almost a year. i cannot emphasize enough how this drug has changed my life. i feel "normal" now. i now have a range of emotions, from sad to happy, instead of from worst-day-of-my-life to sorta sad. i can focus on the work i need to get done, instead of dwelling on little things that were upsetting me to the point where i would burst into tears.

i've tried therapy, but i don't feel like it has really done anything for me, and my therapist agrees. i have one more appointment with her and then i'm done.

for those of you afraid to try meds, don't be. they can help you when nothing else can.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-21-2002
Mon, 04-26-2004 - 5:01pm
I have dealt with my depression in two ways: First Medicaiton and Second God!!!!

God Bless Y'All

~Jen~

Anne

Pages