Chemical Dependency No More

[RedPiggy]

That is a beautifully inspiring story. And you've raised an important point: drugs prescribed by doctors can be just as addictive and dangerous as ones that are illegal. I've noticed how many commercials about medicines tend to talk mostly about the drug's side effects instead of the condition the drug is intended to treat.

Unfortunately, the side effects take longer to list than the therapeutic benefits. Those companies, if they ignore side effects, will get sued out the wazoo, so they have to mention them ... but commercials are only so long. Ironically, at least in my opinion, they make their products sound worse than they really are. I have to do a lot of studying of pharmaceuticals for my nursing classes, and while nausea/vomiting and such are rather common, some of the side effects mentioned are actually quite rare in comparison ... but they're still required to mention it. I personally use rxlist.com for most of my drug research. Using the professional section rather than the consumer section usually yields more important details.

For instance, on YouTube, I found a commercial for an antidepressant called Cymbalta. The ad said, "Tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or if you have unusual changes in mood or behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults."

So you're supposed to take this when you're depressed, and it can make you even sadder and want to kill yourself? What's just as awful is that it makes depression out to be a disease instead of addressing the reason why you're sad, like the loss of a loved one. When I'm feeling down, what I want is the support of friends.

The way my mental health instructor put it, it picks you up just enough to commit suicide. In other words, you were so lethargic from depression, you didn't even have the energy to bother with your preferred method of ending your life ... but the anti-depressant gave you that energy. Stinks, don't it? This is why there's a problem when drugs are pushed without treating the rest of the problem. Drugs + therapy works a lot better than either alone.

Anyway, I'm so glad you're off the pills. I was on Prozac once, for about a year or so. Not only did it make me feel spacey, it wiped out some of my most precious memories. I do not take such pills anymore, I can tell you. I love to write stories and poetry, and the last thing I want is to have my colorful, creative side dulled into gray mush!

Compliance is severely difficult for exactly those reasons. You would think the pharm companies would research ways to fix that. Since there are usually lots of different drug classes meant to treat the same disorder, I suspect they do try to find ways to make things better. However, I'm not hardcore supporting drug companies. Personally and professionally, I think they should only treat biological problems that just simply can't be fixed any other way. The problem with acting like they're all bad, of course, is to deny oneself a possible means of assistance.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

What's just as awful is that it makes depression out to be a disease instead of addressing the reason why you're sad, like the loss of a loved one. When I'm feeling down, what I want is the support of friends

That's exactly how I feel about it. The way I see it. It's like somebody tossing you said and telling you to toss yourself said and just throwing something at the problem instead of actually facing, dressing, dealing with the person and what the problem truly is.

It's like a parent. shoving a TV, snack, or game in your face as a substitute and paying the child no real attention instead of being a parent and really, raising, spending time and being their for their child. It's like saying "Here, I do not care enough about you to deal with you or your problem. Take this, get out of my face and just be happy."

 

[Mary Louise]

Exactly! "You're heartbroken because your friend is in the hospital? So what? Here, take this pill and you'll be insanely happy and forget all about your friend."

 

[muppet baby]

Dave my friend thank you so much for posting your story my prayers and thoughts are with you .

I am so happy you where able to quit , God bless you .

Thank you for posting your story here you are truly a insperation to me and to every one here at MC .

I am behid you all the way .

 

[CensoredAlso]

I do think these so-called medications have gone too far. The side effects are too severe and not everything can be cured with a pill.

However, I would label clinical depression as a disease (or at least something similar). Yes it's normal to be depressed and grieve at the loss of a loved one. But when a person's clinically depressed, it means their brain chemistry has altered and they can't get out of the depression, to the detriment of their life. Still, I agree that clinical depression should be treated with counseling and dealing with your problems, in addition to medication.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

I do think these so-called medications have gone too far. The side effects are too severe and not everything can be cured with a pill.

However, I would label clinical depression as a disease (or at least something similar). Yes it's normal to be depressed and grieve at the loss of a loved one. But when a person's clinically depressed, it means their brain chemistry has altered and they can't get out of the depression, to the detriment of their life. Still, I agree that clinical depression should be treated with counseling and dealing with your problems, in addition to medication.

Well, I an understand prescribing sometime like clinical depression. But what I don't get is prescribing every single person who comes along, who has feeling of sadness and/or depression. I think you would have to do that to evrybody, than, if that was the case. I think it's just the medical industry letting greed get the best of them.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well, I an understand prescribing sometime like clinical depression. But what I don't get is prescribing every single person who comes along, who has feeling of sadness and/or depression. I think you would have to do that to evrybody, than, if that was the case. I think it's just the medical industry letting greed get the best of them.

Oh I agree, people are being over diagnosed. There's a "syndrome" for everything. "Syndrome" just means a group of symptoms, it shouldn't mean every single behavior equals illness!

I've heard from many people that the US has some of the worst stress when compared to other countries. We work too hard and have little to no security. Yet we're not learning how to face our troubles. We're just covering them up with meds.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

I've heard from many people that the US has some of the worst stress when compared to other countries. We work too hard and have little to no security. Yet we're not learning how to face our troubles. We're just covering them up with meds.

As well as other things...

And it's not always the doctors fault, either.

 

[Teheheman]

I've been meaning to post in this thread, but what else can you say that all these people haven't said already? I mean, it takes a lotta guts to admit something like that and take the steps to make your life better and to live your life without the pills and stuff like that. Best of luck to you, and good luck livin your life without those dang pills. Peace and love to ya and hope that you keep on goin with your creations cause they rock and they are a bigger part of this forum than you'd ever know.

Daniel

 

[MrsPepper]

Hiya Dave,

I've seen this thread, but I haven't replied until now because I wanted to make sure that I had to time to sit down and type out a proper reply to you. I wanted to let you know that I am really proud of you, both for staying sober and for having the courage to share your story with everybody. I think it takes alot of strength of character to be able to tell your friends something like that, and I'm glad you did, because that allows us to support you, which I can guarantee we are all more than happy to do. *huggles*

<3 Pepper