I've been reading various articles how the pineal gland is important, believed to be part of the soul, or gateway to the beyond. Also connected to dreaming.

I've also been reading how SSRI drugs affect the pineal gland, that it is "bad", it increases activity in the pineal gland, etc.

I am new to both and I honestly can't comprehend what many people are writing about. Possibly someone can help me on this board...

Why are SSRI drugs bad, and if they play around with your pineal gland, will it hurt or damage your soul in some way that it gets affected in the afterlife? Of course none of this can be proven but what is the theory or reason for the belief?

I've been recently prescribed Celexa, a SSRI drug, and I've started to have very strange and life-like dreams... I've been doing some searching and it seems to be a side effect many experience... many consider nightmares... but is it 'dangerous' ?

My guess is it just enhances dreaming, whatever 'dreaming' really is, so you recall much of the experience.

Vivid dreaming is actually something you should be happy to have. Most people do not dream frequently and when they do, they do not remember. Dreaming is a view into you're soul and allows you to figure out alot of things that would cause distress in your life.

I would suggest doing some meditation, i would not worry too much about the health of your pineal gland for the simple fact that the government has been feeding us all floride for the better part of 3 decades and that directly affects it's growth and production anyway.

If this drug is something that you absolutely need for medical purposes then continue taking it, if there are natural alternatives or it is something that can be fixed with diet/exercise, i would suggest discontinuing the drug as any pharmaceutical is bad for you in general.

~Keeper

To be honest, Im also quite new to the whole pineal gland thing. But I have been on SSRI's for about 3 months now.

At first the dreams were terrifying, but that wore off. Atm my dreams seem less and less, which i find worring, cause I live for dreams.

I used to love analysing them, but the few I have now, are either more cryptic, or just a load of jumble mixed together.

Either way, my take on the soul damage, is no. I would reckon the pineal might just be a communication link between soul and body, but not directly affected by the health of it.

But as posted above, we have been force fed fluoride, so chances are that our pineals are calcified at a young age (Probably why so many people need SSRI's lately) .

But just my 2 cents worth. Who knows....

I don't know much if anything about the pineal gland.

But I have been on antidepressants (Effexor and Wellbutrin) for about seven years now (except for a 2-month period when I tried to do without), during which time my spiritual growth has far outstripped my growth at any time in the past.

One thing I would take into account is that SSRIs may affect people who need them differently than they affect people who don't need them. What is harmful for someone with "normal" brain chemistry may be beneficial for someone with "depressed" brain chemistry.

I find that my dreams are most vivid at times just before I'm aware of major spiritual or emotional shifts – one of those times was certainly when I first started taking the antidepressants, but I've had several since then as well. The vivid dreams come in waves.

What I tell friends who are wondering if they really need antidepressants that have been prescribed or not is to ask themselves whether they feel more alive, more interested in the world, and more mentally clear on the medication than they did off the medication (this is for unipolar depression, not bipolar).

If the medication increases your ability to feel and to interact with the world, I think it's a good thing. If it makes you feel like you've been wrapped in cotton and the world is grayer than it used to be, I think you should talk to your psychiatrist about going off the medication.

I hope that's helpful

I've been taking Celexa for about 6 months now. I've noticed an increase in vivid dreams. I'm also remembering most of my dreams and remembering them in detail. Before I was on it, I could never remember a dream, or just a fragment of one, and that was it.

I was prescribed Celexa for seasonal affective disorder, and for the first time in many years, winter has not affected me nearly as much. I'm going to keep taking it because I see a vast difference in myself.

Wow. I was thinking of posting the same thing, but people don't seem to check out my posts, so I went against it.

Thanks for posting this.
I'm on Seroquel for Anxiety and Depression (for 3 years). I've been trying to get off this stuff for almost 2, but when I stop, it's worse than kicking heroin. I realize I need to get off this medicine made by the big Pharmeceutical companies.

Seroquel is actually for Schitzophrenia, but they gave it to me at a lower dose for what I said before... After learning all this stuff about higher conciousness, Astral Planes, and ET contact, I realized the Seroquel could be supressing my Pineal Gland.

I've been reading about the pineal gland from another fine ATS poster. He said the same thing about the gland(I know who I can believe and not believe). Besides, I looked up Pineal Gland on Wikipedia... It corroborates...

So I guess the only way to answer your question is to just stop taking it.
I believe now that happiness comes from within. It's just a matter of changing your vibrations from low to high.. We were not meant to be taking any of this crap!! None of it!! I'm not saying all medicine is bad, but I can tell you that psych-meds are just ominous.

With SSRI's (I was on quite a few before), you will get the "brain zaps" and more if you stop it (suddenly). It's not too bad.. Just feels weird...
Unfortunately for the Seroquel and I, when I just taper off my dose, I feel it bad. No one can tell me otherwise...
Yeah. These things are bad. Even though they are under the guise of "helping with mental heath", who's to say that even when a schitzophrenic hears "voices", it's not just input from higher dimensions (perhaps the astral plane?).
Some people who hear "voices" hear either good things or to kill someone or something. I think it's just the pineal gland being more open than a regular person's. I believe these people , like I said, are just more sensitive to these dimensions, and when they're told it's "not normal", they get afraid. Some obviously do what the "bad" voices/entities say. Some people, I guess, know to ignore them.
Regardless of how bad I will feel going off the Seroquel, I really believe it will be worth it - more spiritually if anything. I think these things are really supressing what we can do with our minds, so I will go through the hell to find out. I have nothing to lose.
I think the OP (I forgot his/her nick - sorry) should try getting off of the SSRI too...
Just my input.
good luck, OP, and if you need to U2U for anything, I gotcha.
I

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Vivid dreaming is actually something you should be happy to have. Most people do not dream frequently and when they do, they do not remember.

~Keeper

Just wanted to point out, I believe you might be a little bit off here. It is my understanding that everyone dreams every night, it is a matter of whether or not you remember those dreams. I'm sorry I don't have anything else to add or any sources, just thought I would throw that out there. For the sake of lots of people though I sure hope this does not damage your soul.

SSRI drugs are a real bitch to withdraw from. Google "paxil withdrawal". The reason is that they cause your serotonin receptors to down-regulate, or shut off. This is described in the drug package insert.

I have taken several antidepressants since 1995. The first being Prozac.

After trying others I decided Prozac was best suited for me. I actually feel and act normal. The bad dreams went away a long time ago.

If it were not for Prozac I would probably be dead or in prison.

It is my firm belief that I damaged and altered my chemical balance during my hippie days.

Prozac has helped me cope with life, as I know it

The answer your question is NO. Chemicals cannot enter the soul. Chemicals can enter the brain and cause problems but nothing can enter what is a gift from God.

OK just reread that. Chemicals can enter what is a gift from God as they are introduced into our bodies daily. As far as altering the soul I believe it is impossible for chemicals to do so.

[edit on 6-2-2010 by dizziedame]

If you believe in the concept of a Soul, I don't think you can harm it in this physical world. Many believe that we do not have the capabilities in this life to hurt or hinder our soul. It is beyond the understanding in this life, and any medications would only harm/damage the physical body.

You could make it harder for yourself to be at ease with your soul or hinder potential communication with it through your physical body, but I would wager that one's potential to do damage to their soul is impossible in this physical world in which we live.

(I suppose those who believe in a Satan figure might argue you can risk "selling" your soul to him, or doing something very sacrilegious that can damn your soul to Hell. But there is no more proof of this than there is linking SSRIs with damaging your soul.)

[edit on 6/2/2010 by Dark Ghost]

As far as any drug effecting the soul.

Think of your soul like a fine crystal vase all bright and sparkly. Drugs will "make" the vase seem cloudy and dull, but the vase remains just as bright and sparkly underneath.

So no, in my opinion, your brain may be clouded with drugs, but your soul remains untouched.

I believe that a lot of people are being put on drugs for a lot of wrong reasons.

1. ADD etc kids. I believe it is wrong to drug children for these perceived conditions because the drugs damp down the children's perceptions of the world. OK, these kids can be difficult but we should cope with that somehow - distraction techniques etc.

2. Drugs used by psychiatrists - I would say this: Steer clear of psychiatrists and steer clear of all the drugs they prescribe.

3. The developed world is over-prescribed on drugs - people are unhappy with the truth, but the truth is this...it is difficult to live in this world but we should just get on with it and be thankful for our blessings. No-one promised that it would be easy.