Posted by marleenm on August 29, 2005, at 14:05:27 [reposted on August 29, 2005, at 18:12:05 | original URL]
In reply to I WOULD LOVE A SOLUTION WITHOUT PILLS, posted by mellymel_d on August 29, 2005, at 12:12:36
When I first started taking antidepressents I was seeing a psychiatrist. I was probably seeing her three times a week for over five years. What made the therapy work for me was that I was taking Prozac. The prozac helped me thing with a clear mind. She didn't prescribe it right away, she waited until she got the whole picture of me and my illness. I saw her for 10 yrs before I moved to Germany where I started seeing someone else. Currently I see a therapist a couple times a month. I had to go to therapy, I had alot of things I needed to work on. Taking my antidepressent helped me work on issues. This is what has worked for me. It may not work for others. All I can ever share is what has helped me and what I know. I have been on Prozac and Lithium now for 14 yrs and I hate having to take a pill to help me feel better. What I hate even worse is the way I felt before I took it. Several times I took myself off my meds thinking it would be better or I would be better. Every one of those occasions I was wrong. My meds were and are very important to my mental health.
> > Look, don't get me wrong, I am most grateful for meds as Seroquel has changed my life for the better.
> >
> > The thing I don't get, however, is so many people in here are counting 100-percent on a pill to change their life. It's just not going to happen, with just the meds.
> >
> > The meds are to put you in a state of mind where you can work on your thought process. It's a two-part process, 1. meds and 2. therapy. You just don't take meds and wake up one day and everything is hunky dory.
> >
> > My heart goes out to everyone. I've been there and may return there one day. However, I am now more attentive to my thought process. Scary, depressing, and panic thoughts go through my mind all the time, even now. But I have been trained to capture those thoughts and then intentionally think about something else.
> >
> > If I can do it, anyone can.
>
> I've done self therapy, meditation, therapy, and much much more. I so wish I didn't need a pill. It makes me feel weak. Right now I'm going through a very rough time and trying my hardest to think positive. I'm also going through pill changes. It really sucks to be around people that think you should be able to fix this yourself. I have that problem already with a spouse that doesn't understand anxiety/depression. I wasn't always like this and can't for the life of me figure out what happened along the way. I don't try to rely on the pills but have been told many times they would help me. Along with the pills I try MANY self help things and have remained unsuccessful.
>
> I thought we were all here to support each other. I know thats what I come here for- not to hear why do people think a pill is the answer. I would much rather hear how a pill helped somebody get strong enough to get help theirselves.
poster:marleenm
thread:548330
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050824/msgs/548349.html