Frustrated about meds and others

[Foobar]

Grrr..

i just need to vent. There are two recent posts about drugs for mental conditions that are really upsetting me.

One person has gone off on SSRIs and how they don't help and they are over prescribed, blah blah blah. I get so upset over these posts. One person wrote "people want a pill to solve all of their problems instead of working at them"
(that's a paraphrase)

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

If these people walked in my shoes before I was on the SSRIs, would they say the same thing? Not all PPD is the same. Not everyone has the same experiences. I've been told to "get over it" before and you know, I just can't! Last night I was really down and DH was so kind and loving and had me go to bed early and told me that he has discovered that if I don't get enough sleep, I get more depressed. Why can't we have more understanding people like that?

I am not taking SSRIs to solve the problems in my life. I am taking them to help the chemical imbalances caused by pregnancy.

I am not planning to breast feed this time to help my hormones stabilize sooner after pregnancy. I know I am going to get blasted for that. I can see it now when I am in public and giving my new baby a bottle to have some well intentioned person tell me how evil I am to feed my baby these chemicals. How can they know my story? How???

Sorry, this is just a long long vent, but I needed to get this off my chest. I wish I never got PPD or APD. I wish depression was not a part of my life....

[hvl25]

s don't feel bad, your doing what is best for you and your baby.

[MamaChel]

Re: Frustrated about meds and others

Originally posted by Foobar

Sorry, this is just a long long vent, but I needed to get this off my chest. I wish I never got PPD or APD. I wish depression was not a part of my life....

to you. I have BPD(bipolar disorder) and anyone I have ever met with any type of depression has wished it was not a part of their life. I am med free by choice- I have been for 3 years. Before that I was on an array of medication to help with my symptoms- nothing worked for me, so I found another treatment that does work.
I have met many people on both sides of the fence- those whom the medication did not help (and sometimes made the problem worse) and those whose lives are so much better now because they have chosen to take medication. I don't believe that there is any one way of treating depression but I do know that whatever treatment option is chosen, someone will always say, "I have a better way."
Good for you for making a decision that makes you feel better - I've been there I know how hard it is.
You are doing the best you can for your children- that's all any parent can do.

[EllasMama]

I was one of those people who never understood until it happened to me. It's just ignorance that makes people say things like you mentioned. I do think that antidepressants are overused in our society, but I know a lot of people including myself whose quality of life has drastically improved because of them.

My favorite silly thing I used to believe was that you actually could take a pill to MAKE you happy. Either I'm on the wrong drugs, or that's totally off base. My antidepressant (Lexapro) doesn't make my days automatically joyful, it just makes me able to feel some hope and cope with life. I actually have some happy times now, whereas before I was mired in hopelessness. I held off for a year because I didn't want to take antidepressants, and tried all sorts of other solutions. Nothing helped. So I found something that did, and if people want to malign it, that's fine. They just don't know any better. Someday they might.

Carol

[Alstrameria]

I agree, Foobar, it's ignorance that inspires these comments. I wonder why some people think the brain is infallible, that it will function perfectly while other organs don't? Why is it ok for a kidney to need dialysis, or a pancreas to need insulin, but the brain should be immune to any dysfunction?

Seems ludicrous to me, anyway. Of course the most highly sophisticated organ on the planet is going to have issues. It simply cannot come out without some bugs every time. What would the odds of that be?

I also have OCD, and I'm med free for that most of the time, like 90%. For PPD though, I need some help. I'm ok with that, so other people's opinions don't bother me. I will ask "Oh, so you've done that? You've recovered from depression without medication?" Funny if it's a guy too, what the hell do they know about how it feels to have a baby??

Jen

[Foobar]

Thanks guys! I needed the support.

You know, I'm on meds for my malfunctioning thyroid, but nobody questions that!

I am so lucky to have such an understanding and loving DH.

And to have youguys to help support me on down days!