Depression and other related conditions

Have you guys ever noticed how many anti-depressants have suicidal thoughts, feelings and/or actions as a side effect? What's the point of the medications then? I mean, if you want to kill yourself without them, why take something that might MAKE you kill yourself?

I've suffered from depression throughout a good portion of my life and I've had issues with my medication. I've been through several and had different side effects from most. Heard voices, worsened depression not to mention homicidal thoughts. There were days I was lucky that I didn't try to kill my parents or a classmate. And it wasn't until I was about 17-18 when we found the right stuff to keep me from trying to kill myself. I'm lucky, I've been on Prozac for several years and haven't had major problem since.

But I'll admit, I did have a few flare ups of Intermittent explosive disorder where I've put a fist through a wall, once I put my head through a wall and don't really remember a whole lot of it. And I've had to deal with most of this crap since I was in like 2nd and 3rd grade. Take about a lot of fun. lol

Okay, sorry to ramble about my own demons. Back to the main point of this thread, why would someone willingly put out a medication that could make someones problem so much worse? I mean, I'm no idiot, I know big pharmaceutical is all about the almighty dollar, but if your consumers kill themselves, you would lose business and in turn revenue.

reply to post by CrashUnderride


I think it's all a numbers game. While it might make 5% of people suicidal, it might help 15%, and have assorted effects on the remaining 80% It's brain chemistry we're dealing with here, and there's still so very much about the human brain that is not understood. It's easy to get mad at the pharmacy companies, and there are perhaps many reasons why we should, but I doubt they're deliberately selling useless medicines that only serve to make people suicidal.

I was on them for a good while after my divorce. I was on Paxil and then Prozac, which I've since taken myself off of. I had more problems on them than I do off. It was HELL getting off of them though, I thought I was going to die. Just not worth it ya know, to many other natural ways to treat depression.

I've been on prozac 3 times during my adulthood and never had any problem.
Tried Wellbutrin once, felt like I was on speed and couldn't cope with it and went off it. I hated it.

reply to post by CrashUnderride


Because they help their condition. Not much different than your mediction and its side effects. Prozac is not for everyone either it didnt help me it made it worse. I am currently debating weather or not to refill my rx because I want to get off of meds once and for all! In fact intresting that you post this as I was literally just thinking I should try to meditate or something instead?

Get your self a video (instructional) or join a group and do Tai Chi - you'll be amazed at the difference in your health - physical, mental and emotional .

It's the best medication in the world and you'll soon find you can chuck out the meds.

Originally posted by quedup
Get your self a video (instructional) or join a group and do Tai Chi - you'll be amazed at the difference in your health - physical, mental and emotional .

It's the best medication in the world and you'll soon find you can chuck out the meds.

edit on 1-7-2011 by quedup because: correction

edit on 1-7-2011 by quedup because: correction

Can you recommend a good source of learning Tai Chi?

Years ago I read article about Prozac. It makes some people completely apathetic. So they logically still want to die, and on Prozac they are no longer afraid to do so. Or become apathetic about the consequences to their loved ones, etc.

But it's an unintended consequence. For some people it changes their lives for the better.

All of this is why GPs should NOT be allowed to write scrips for these drugs. Anyone taking them for the first time should be under psychiatric care to make sure they aren't in that first group. Not to mention a GP can't properly handle problems like one medication not working, dosage issues, tapering on or off, etc.

Jebbaroo is correct in what he posted. It affects people differently and helps alot although some people will have that side effect most do not. What works for one person may not work for another and this is why it's a process you and your doctor have to go through to find the right balance.

Finding the right medicine at the right dosage should elimate or decrease the depression but getting to that point sometimes takes alot of trial and error.

Originally posted by AllUrChips
reply to post by CrashUnderride

 

Because they help their condition. Not much different than your mediction and its side effects. Prozac is not for everyone either it didnt help me it made it worse. I am currently debating weather or not to refill my rx because I want to get off of meds once and for all! In fact intresting that you post this as I was literally just thinking I should try to meditate or something instead?

If Prozac didn't work for you, but you still feel like you need something, try a different one. Get with a good doctor (a psych, not your general doctor). There is no one-size-fits-all med or dosage.

Stop with the negative waves! Have a little faith baby, have a little faith. Dig how beautiful it is out here. Say something righteous and hopeful for a change. Just say no to prescription medications.

reply to post by CrashUnderride


COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

has been shown to be superior to even the newer anti-depressants in at least two ways:

1. NO NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS

2. MORE EFFECTIVE OVER THE LONG TERM--far less incidence of--(virtually none) RELAPSES

However, it takes a skilled therapist AND SERIOUS MOTIVATION to follow through on the discipline and RETRAINING OF THE MIND--rewiring--essentially.

18-40 years of thickening the nerve fibers along a DEPRESSED set of pathways takes some serious work to overcome.

However, it is very very doable. Some folks 'get it' quickly with amazingly little effort. Others take weeks of dogged discipline of their thoughts and refocusing on more uplifting, constructive thoughts.

The important point is--OPTIMISM CAN BE LEARNED.

AND IT DOES *NOT* MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.

Such folks tend to live longer, have more fulfilling lives; live healthier; have higher life satisfaction; work satisfaction; marriage satisfaction.

ISN'T THAT WORTH THE EFFORT?

reply to post by CrashUnderride


Crash everything in medicine has side effects, some more than others. Doctor needs to see your broken bone to set it properly, an x-ray makes it possible. On the plus side it allows the Doc to see what is not visible to the eye and perform the necessary bone set. On the minus side the patient is exposed to some x-rays. Hopefully the good outweighs the bad.

With medications its a numbers game. For every so many people using a med, X out of (Quantity) will have a bad reaction. Thats why Docs stress the need for feedback from patients.

I can understand facing the odds when its a must. What I think is ridiculous is these TV commercials for vanity product pharmaceuticals that could do damage. Heard one the other day for a drug that will grow ladies eyelashes longer. It might also permanently discolor her eyes, ruin vision, give you black circles permanently under your eyes, etcetera. Can you imagine? Sure enough there are going to be vain women taking this pill and some of them are going to pay a high price.

Meds like that, which cater to vanities and insecurities, are shameful. It's a cash-grab by a huge company that is already making mad coin from products people need to live, or live more well.

i asked my psychologist (i know he's not an expert on meds or anything) one time that very question. i asked "if so many people react so badly, why are they so often prescribed?" and his response, was "because sometimes they work" i couldn't believe it. when i was on meds i had extremely scary and dangerous episodes. the doctors stopped prescribing me meds after a year and a half of no improvement from them, and trying several types, and combinations of types. i also tend to be one of those people who gets a bunch of nasty side effects, so they just didnt know what to give me anymore.

on a side note, i've seen a commercial a couple times for a medication (im pretty sure it was an antidepressant) and in the commercial they say that "[the medication] is thought to work by...blah blah". im sorry, *thought* to work by?! shouldn't they *know* how it works before they go giving it to people?

reply to post by BO XIAN


i wanted to add to that, another program called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. its the therapy program that i completed, and it completely changed my life. it teaches mindfulness, and about emotions and how to regulate them, skills for effective communication as well as a section dedicated to distress tolerance. it was the single most difficult thing i have ever done, and in turn, the most rewarding. this program gave me my life back.

reply to post by CrashUnderride


I too suffered for years with depression and anxiety and after years of trying treatments, I can safely say the only thing which will fix you is yourself. The pills are mainly designed to induce or inhibit seritonin production and release. They only deal with the chemical imbalance, the hard part is controlling your thoughts.

We're all responsible for our actions and beliefs on this planet. Nobody can make you punch a wall, just like nobody can make you kill yourself. The pills can only reduce your seritonin to the point where you have no chemically induced happiness in your life situation which over time effects how you think you feel.

Depresions a funny old game. Pills never helped me. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy did. It's all in the mind and if you can learn to be happy with who you are the happiness returns naturally.

Hope everyone out there is coping well, it's not an easy thing to go through.

Peace

altmedicine.about.com...

9 natural and herbal remedies for depression

I was on Prozac for a year for depression. The start-up effects sucked (mild anxiety, no appetite, dizziness) but they mess with your brain, so that was to be expected. They lasted no longer than two weeks and honestly they were a blessing for me. I was on them for a year and came off with no side effects or difficulties at all. Some have terrible side effects,but some have no issues. I'm fortunate to have been one of the success stories.

I took my and also was under cognitive behavioral therapy while on them, and I know that the combination of both is what made my story a successful one. I'm glad most people commenting here are the ones that have experience with depression and can use that experience to make a thoughtful comment and not just bash antidepressants. Yes, for some they make things worse...but for some they work. That is a scary thought that people would be prescribed medicine "because sometimes it works" but for those who suffer daily and just want relief and to live, it's worth a try. It certainly was for me.

Well not too many people will kill themselves (that would be "acceptable loss" for big pharma), but many will get worse (Or at least won`t improve) and either never stop taking the drug or maybe start taking another drug to "cure" the worsened problem?

From that point of view it makes perfect sense for big pharma to offer "cures" like Prozac.

Originally posted by devilishlyangelic23
reply to post by BO XIAN

 

i wanted to add to that, another program called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. its the therapy program that i completed, and it completely changed my life. it teaches mindfulness, and about emotions and how to regulate them, skills for effective communication as well as a section dedicated to distress tolerance. it was the single most difficult thing i have ever done, and in turn, the most rewarding. this program gave me my life back.

Sounds good. I don't know if it's some repackaged older therapy or a new strategy. Did your therapist talk about the origins of it?

It's been longer than a decade since I've been doing formal therapy. And that was overseas.