Just how many of you were or are on some form of psychological medication?

[Alexander's Horse]

What I was really hoping was that a few would admit to starting medication after posting or lurking here.

[mactbone]

Manic, I've lived through at least 2 years where I should have been taking medicine. Here's the deal, I can be happy - for periods of time, but that happiness isn't very happy and it's punctuated by being real depressed, and mostly it's just sort of blah, meaning I just don't want to do stuff. So, I figured that I was depressed because High School sucked ass, and I resigned myself to plod through High School. Well, I've been at University, and my life is much better, but too many times, no matter how hard I try, and no matter how much I know I should be happy, I just couldn't take enjoyment from it. I didn't go to a doctor at first - I went to the counselor/therapist person I saw for a little while 2 years ago. After about a month she told me that I had Dysthymia. Think about that - I wasn't feeling good through most of High School, and it was getting bad enough that I needed to talk to someone about it, but I never thought that I would take drugs. I'm not a pill junkie - I prefer to avoid them but if it's a choice between being unhappy, or taking pills, I know my decision. Plus, I don't think there are any side effects that I notice.

[Gangerolf]

Pills are gay. It's all in your heads, you just need to shake the **** out! Go join the army or go live in the forest for a month.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Maniac
Che Guevara, still waiting for an answer...

Che Guevara doesn't post here, chegitz guevara does.

I felt RJ answered you competently, so why waste electrons. There's an electron shortage you know. You even responded to his response.

Depression, regardless of whether it is caused by genetics or personal history, isn't something you just "take control of." Like being drunk or high, your ability to function is affected by chemicals in your brain, produced by your brain (or rather, not produced--depression is believed to be related to seratonin deficiency). Drugs help your brain rebalance itself.

If your problem is genetic, you're stuck on drugs for life. If you've been depressed for a long time. your disease has liekly affected the development of your brain, and you'll probably need to be on meds for a while.

While you're on the meds. you can try and deal with any life problems that may have led to your depression, but it is almost impossible to do this without the medicine. They don't do much harm. The danger isn't so much leaving people on the meds too long, but rather taking them off too soon.

This is what happened to Kip Kinkle in Oregon. He was so depressed he was hearing voices. He got on medication and his life turned around. His improvement was so dramatic that they decided to take him off the medications, thinking he was cured. Within a few months, he murdered his parents and shot up his school. Many people will kill themselves, having had their life in control, and then sinking back into the depths of dispair.

I'm gonna go back on medication once I have health care, just not Zoloft.

[Maniac]

I see, and I agree. But what are you guys, the not-genetically depressed, doing to make sure you won't be on pills for eternity? Is some of the things I did and mentioned here such a wrong, idiotic and impossible method?

[Inverse Icarus]

i never got any drugs, but i did see a shrink for a while, and she tried to push prozac on me.

damn pill pushers

[mactbone]

There isn't any one thing in my life that I'm depressed about - it's just a general feeling, so everyone's "do something" can't really apply to well. My family is relatively well off, and I'm frugal with my money, so I can afford things and I never want for anything materially, and I can't think of any school I'd rather go to, so like I said there isn't any one or two or whatever things that made me depressed, I just am. I don't know if i's genetic, it's definitely possible, it could be any number of things, but I'm almost positive that it's not a symptom, but a problem.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Maniac
They just don't want to see depression is not a regular physical disease/accident like aids or losing a limb you can't do anything about.

They don't want to "see it" because it isn't true.

Environment does a play a role but if people are born with a predisposition to certain mental illnesses that is the main cause. Environmental factors can be triggers though.

For example people with bipolar depression will get depression without treatment no matter how good their lifestyle is or how well behaved they are or how positive is their attitude to life.

One thing that helps me a lot is hobbies and pastimes. The new house has a beautiful garden, caring for it will do wonders for my sanity. Just sitting in that garden watching the children play revives the soul.

[pg]

this thread got me writing down my story w/ all my mental issues. maybe i'll post it if i get it done(it's quite long already and no where near done). i'm not sure exactly what's wrong w/ me. doctors have said so many different things, and i've read so much on metal disorders that i could really fall under so many. officially i have bipolar(don't remember the exact type, and it's changed a few times).

for now all i wanted to say is this - it seems like you have to get over your mental health issues the first time it happens or else it becomes entrenched and you lose your chance. the first time i was psychotic/seriously suicidal/very emotional and yet still pretty normal underneath. left side of my brain has taken over now and i need a crisis to bring it back into balance w/ my right side. yet, i don't have any self made crisis left to play because the first cry for help of being suicidal failed utterly.

now i'm just a shadow of a human being imo. i spend all my time isolated(i haven't left my house in a few yrs). i cope w/ music, books, and lots of sleep. it's like i'm someone else observing a different person. undernearth i think my psyche is screaming out in horror, pain, and disbelief at the world. at least i can be sure it won't go on forever, i have to die someday or perhaps i'll get lucky and get over it.

goes off to listen to pink floyd comfortably numb

[connorkimbro]

i'd like to think that i'm mentally stable. maybe some of those who know me would say otherwise

seriously, i've never even been evaluated for anything like that, much less diagnosed or put on any medication. for the most part, i'm almost always in a good mood, although once in a while when things build up, i can sort of flip out. not abnormally often, or abnormally severe though.

[Lincoln]

Originally posted by pg
this thread got me writing down my story w/ all my mental issues. maybe i'll post it if i get it done(it's quite long already and no where near done). i'm not sure exactly what's wrong w/ me. doctors have said so many different things, and i've read so much on metal disorders that i could really fall under so many. officially i have bipolar(don't remember the exact type, and it's changed a few times).

for now all i wanted to say is this - it seems like you have to get over your mental health issues the first time it happens or else it becomes entrenched and you lose your chance. the first time i was psychotic/seriously suicidal/very emotional and yet still pretty normal underneath. left side of my brain has taken over now and i need a crisis to bring it back into balance w/ my right side. yet, i don't have any self made crisis left to play because the first cry for help of being suicidal failed utterly.

now i'm just a shadow of a human being imo. i spend all my time isolated(i haven't left my house in a few yrs). i cope w/ music, books, and lots of sleep. it's like i'm someone else observing a different person. undernearth i think my psyche is screaming out in horror, pain, and disbelief at the world. at least i can be sure it won't go on forever, i have to die someday or perhaps i'll get lucky and get over it.

goes off to listen to pink floyd comfortably numb

I would like to see the paper when you finish it. I like the quote in your signature. You obviously are not crazy. Have you ever considered that maybe the doctors are nuts? Feel free to e-mail me if you like. rfhendrix@yahoo.com

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by connorkimbro
seriously, i've never even been evaluated for anything like that, much less diagnosed or put on any medication. for the most part, i'm almost always in a good mood, although once in a while when things build up, i can sort of flip out. not abnormally often, or abnormally severe though.

I think you are an extraordinarily positive and good natured person Connor.

Which makes you difficult to troll

[Felch]

I suppose I get depressed. I really wouldn't notice it though, it's never all that severe.

I self-medicate to prevent myself from getting bummed.

However, I do try to make mathematical patterns from things and have internal conversations. I wouldn't call myself crazy, just a drug user.