jillio
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That is the way it works most often. Psychiatrist to prescribe, therapist to treat. Team approach. Rarely do psychiatrists provide actually psychotherapy anymore.
Anti-Depressants
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That is the way it works most often. Psychiatrist to prescribe, therapist to treat. Team approach. Rarely do psychiatrists provide actually psychotherapy anymore.
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She is wonderful!! I had to give her a lot of help when I was with the agency with the state form that Missouri Dept of Mental Health required.
We both speak (I can read hr lips very well) and text. She has said that it's better that I not be on any medication and we work on a lot of things together. When it comes to assignments that she gives me, I scan them as a PDF and email them, or I will fax them to her on my fax machine.
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Oceanbreeze
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True. Although, I did have a psychiatrist that did both. But, that is extremely rare as you pointed out. He moved on, so I'm now seeing his partner (who just precribes my meds) and a therapist who treats my conditions.
jillio
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Great! You know, I don't have anything against using medication, and there are many times that medication is absolutely necessary. I ask my clients that aren't on meds to try it with me for a couple of weeks at least, and then, if they still are insistent on meds, we'll take care of it. Those that are on meds without a compelling reason, I ask them to try to cut back their dose a bit and see how it goes, and then we will re-evaluate. It's really a case by case thing, but I hate to see people on meds long term. There are far too many side effects. Often times, what disables a person is not the disorder, but the side effects from the meds they are taking for the disorder. IMO, medication should be used at the minimum dose for as short a time as possible.
Here's the problem though. Insurers press for short term therapy: 6 weeks is their preferred time. Medications make that happen. But it also creates a revolving door because people have to keep coming back and coming back when the meds start to fail them, or they have another problem in their life. If we allowed people to stay in a therapeutic relationship long enough to create lasting change for them, we would not have that revolving door, and we would have people who no longer needed their meds because they have managed to make the changes that relieve their symptoms. As it is, we treat the immediate issue and do not address the fundamental issues that created the immediate symptoms. I really am bothered by that, but so many times, my hands are tied.
SkullChick
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yeah but I'm different my depression is genetic and I cant be reasonable and sane without medication and sometime I'd just flip out and have nervous breakdown over little thing and I had 2 other voices in my head they have "name" even (lefty and righty I know its dumb name but its only one kinda like my name is amy and theres no other option) and they're negative voices and etc blah blah you get the idea I got that so I have to be on medication for life :-( and if I miss more than 3 doses I'd lose it like twice I tried to get out of still running car in highway phew
yeah but I'm different my depression is genetic and I cant be reasonable and sane without medication and sometime I'd just flip out and have nervous breakdown over little thing and I had 2 other voices in my head they have "name" even (lefty and righty I know its dumb name but its only one kinda like my name is amy and theres no other option) and they're negative voices and etc blah blah you get the idea I got that so I have to be on medication for life :-( and if I miss more than 3 doses I'd lose it like twice I tried to get out of still running car in highway phew
Ive tried them all. They dont do nothing. When theyre "working" they make me extremely lazy and turn me into a tv watching couch potato.
I suspect theyre overpriced placebos, cuz studies have shown theyre barely more effective than placebos. Chemical lobotomies
I recommend low carb paleo diet with cardio, stretching, and weight training exercises. You will notice a postive affect on mood and anxiety in around 3-5days. Unlike the crazy pills that takes months to start working.
Feel free to put Tom Cruise pic in my avatar
I suspect theyre overpriced placebos, cuz studies have shown theyre barely more effective than placebos. Chemical lobotomies
I recommend low carb paleo diet with cardio, stretching, and weight training exercises. You will notice a postive affect on mood and anxiety in around 3-5days. Unlike the crazy pills that takes months to start working.
Feel free to put Tom Cruise pic in my avatar
jillio
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Your genetic predisposition doesn't lock you into any predicted outcome. You would be amazed at the number of people just like you who have managed to greatly reduce the amount of medication they take, or wean off their medication all together and still live very productive and symptom free lives. Those that have residual symptoms, will generally have those residuals even on meds.
SkullChick
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I dont want to risk that cuz I was obsessed with killing myself, warped view of self, angry easily, do crazy thing and little delusional and I'm happy with way I am right now with medication in system. my brain's so quiet with only my own thoughts and I smile and able to reason with things before act on it.
jillio said:
I dont want to risk that cuz I was obsessed with killing myself, warped view of self, angry easily, do crazy thing and little delusional and I'm happy with way I am right now with medication in system. my brain's so quiet with only my own thoughts and I smile and able to reason with things before act on it.
jillio
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I would never suggest that you immediately come off of meds or that it would be possible to completely come off meds. Certainly not if you are having suicidal thoughts. I'm just saying, that you may not have to be on your meds, or this high a dose of your meds, for the rest of your life. Amazing things are being done in the treatment of despression. I am glad that they are working so well for you now. Just try not to think in terms of forever, so you don't close yourself off to other things that might be even more beneficial in the future.
Giulia
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Jillo, I am on med for ADHD.
Without, even the best therapy doesn't do a thing.
I am prepared to be in need for ADHD med for my whole life. If I come to a point when meds are becoming unnecessary, great. Otherwise, it's not the end of the world : many people live with meds for their whole life, be for diabetes, be for asthma, be for epilepsy etc...
ADHD made me so unable to function that I couldn't do much of my life. I dropped out my studies after the Bac. I couldn't read a page of a book. I couldn't even help mom at home. I don't call it a life, by no way.
So the ADHD med was, and is still, the small price to pay to have a dignitful life. I found some tricks to live with my ADHD, to organize myself, to coach myself. We did that when I was a child, but my ADHD went worse after my Bac. It was not diagnosed before 2009.
I don't say that pharmaceutical companies are angels. I don't say that overprescription doesn't exist.
But living without meds, be for depression, be for diabetes... is not the way we have to think about the objective. The objective is living the best way we can with our pathology. Therapy helps, for sure.
Then, after a certain amount of time in therapy, we can think about stopping meds or not. For some people, stopping meds can be a reasonable goal, for other people it's not a reasonnable goal. But it's not something we shall think at the very beginning.
Meds is not the panacea, it doesn't do the whole job. But it helps.
As a person who deals with ADHD, some LD, sensory issues and SSD, the aim in life is living it to its fullest. So the question of "with or without meds" is absolutely not a priority : living a good life doesn't limit at this question. I see it as a very small question, not the major one.
I have suffered from depression.
I took Effexor during one year, then I stopped it very gradually.
My depression expressed itself by crying all the time, being tired even after good nights and being indifferent about not being able to do absolutely anything.
I was put under Effexor by a psychiatrist at 37.5mg (normally, the therapeutic dose is higher, but I am a sensitive one). Within three days, I had the full effect (the psychiatrist I had had never seen that in her career).
We had to open the caps to withdraw the Effexor, apart than that, it was quite uneventful.
The only side effect I had with Effexor was diarrhoea at night. But no nausea, no serious weight loss, nothing to be written of.
I was having talk therapy (which I had for many years).
We thought about stopping Effexor after a year of it, when I reached a better balance in life. But stopping the antidepressant was not our first goal : our first goal was the balance in life. After, the question of stopping the antidepressant came naturally, and we could stop it without any problem.
Loghead, don't think that far as "it may be for the rest of my life". It's really not the moment : no one has the answer right now.
Think first about caring your depression. Therapy has to be part of your regimen : the med won't make the whole job by itself.
Then, the question of stopping the medicine or not will get a clearer answer. It's not a question your physician can reply right now : he has no more crystal ball than anyone else here or elsewhere.
But the aim now is caring this major depressive disorder and build your life. The idea is one day at time, without looking too far away.
And just to reply to people who say that meds become inefficient after a period of time, I answer : it depends of the person. Some will take the same med for the rest of their life. Some will have to change med. Some can live without med. Some will take it for their life. There is no single rule, as everyone react differently even with the same diagnosis.
We can't make a prognosis, as no one can know what will happen in the future.
Good luck
Without, even the best therapy doesn't do a thing.
I am prepared to be in need for ADHD med for my whole life. If I come to a point when meds are becoming unnecessary, great. Otherwise, it's not the end of the world : many people live with meds for their whole life, be for diabetes, be for asthma, be for epilepsy etc...
ADHD made me so unable to function that I couldn't do much of my life. I dropped out my studies after the Bac. I couldn't read a page of a book. I couldn't even help mom at home. I don't call it a life, by no way.
So the ADHD med was, and is still, the small price to pay to have a dignitful life. I found some tricks to live with my ADHD, to organize myself, to coach myself. We did that when I was a child, but my ADHD went worse after my Bac. It was not diagnosed before 2009.
I don't say that pharmaceutical companies are angels. I don't say that overprescription doesn't exist.
But living without meds, be for depression, be for diabetes... is not the way we have to think about the objective. The objective is living the best way we can with our pathology. Therapy helps, for sure.
Then, after a certain amount of time in therapy, we can think about stopping meds or not. For some people, stopping meds can be a reasonable goal, for other people it's not a reasonnable goal. But it's not something we shall think at the very beginning.
Meds is not the panacea, it doesn't do the whole job. But it helps.
As a person who deals with ADHD, some LD, sensory issues and SSD, the aim in life is living it to its fullest. So the question of "with or without meds" is absolutely not a priority : living a good life doesn't limit at this question. I see it as a very small question, not the major one.
I have suffered from depression.
I took Effexor during one year, then I stopped it very gradually.
My depression expressed itself by crying all the time, being tired even after good nights and being indifferent about not being able to do absolutely anything.
I was put under Effexor by a psychiatrist at 37.5mg (normally, the therapeutic dose is higher, but I am a sensitive one). Within three days, I had the full effect (the psychiatrist I had had never seen that in her career).
We had to open the caps to withdraw the Effexor, apart than that, it was quite uneventful.
The only side effect I had with Effexor was diarrhoea at night. But no nausea, no serious weight loss, nothing to be written of.
I was having talk therapy (which I had for many years).
We thought about stopping Effexor after a year of it, when I reached a better balance in life. But stopping the antidepressant was not our first goal : our first goal was the balance in life. After, the question of stopping the antidepressant came naturally, and we could stop it without any problem.
Loghead, don't think that far as "it may be for the rest of my life". It's really not the moment : no one has the answer right now.
Think first about caring your depression. Therapy has to be part of your regimen : the med won't make the whole job by itself.
Then, the question of stopping the medicine or not will get a clearer answer. It's not a question your physician can reply right now : he has no more crystal ball than anyone else here or elsewhere.
But the aim now is caring this major depressive disorder and build your life. The idea is one day at time, without looking too far away.
And just to reply to people who say that meds become inefficient after a period of time, I answer : it depends of the person. Some will take the same med for the rest of their life. Some will have to change med. Some can live without med. Some will take it for their life. There is no single rule, as everyone react differently even with the same diagnosis.
We can't make a prognosis, as no one can know what will happen in the future.
Good luck
Giulia
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I would never suggest that you immediately come off of meds or that it would be possible to completely come off meds. Certainly not if you are having suicidal thoughts. I'm just saying, that you may not have to be on your meds, or this high a dose of your meds, for the rest of your life. Amazing things are being done in the treatment of despression. I am glad that they are working so well for you now. Just try not to think in terms of forever, so you don't close yourself off to other things that might be even more beneficial in the future.
I notice that I say more or less the same things as you.
And like any other condition, there is no single rule for everyone : each one reacts differently with the same diagnosis. Some with residual symptoms even on meds, some not etc etc..
