[ColwynsMommy]

I've been thinking a lot lately about stress, depression, prescription medication, and self-medication.

We have a lot going on in our lives right now, and there's a lot of stress. Most of it is money worries, but there are some other health issues, too. While I do feel very stressed, when my week is somewhat normal, I'm pretty happy with my life.. I can maintain perspective and know that while I may be under stress right now, I'm very lucky overall.

I've had a few people suggest to me lately that I might want to consider medication, though, mainly because of the stress. I've also been having a hard time sleeping and am tired all the time. I have, like.. zero energy. I've been trying to diet (I'm about 120 lbs overweight) but find it really hard to eat well when I'm stressed.. food is my way of self-medicating.

So, I feel like my life is pretty normal overall, and that resorting to prescription medication for anxiety or depression would sort of be a cop out.. that I should either try to eliminate stressors or learn to deal with them. But then I wonder if I'm kidding myself.. if I'm self medicating with food and am 120 lbs overweight, isn't that a cop out, too? Would it actually be better to go on some sort of medication so maybe I could handle dieting better, getting myself healthy?

I know I'm just sort of rambling.. what do you guys think?

 

[Oubliette8]

As someone who spent many years on numerous psychiatric meds (and it all started for "depression and anxiety" and snowballed from there) I'm against meds as a first resort. Actually, I'm pretty much against them in most circumstances. Numerous studies have shown that meds work no better than placebo, and that they have many harmful side effects. Not too mention there seem to be more and more lawsuits lately as the drug companies coruption and coverups in psychiatric drugs are exposed.

I used to be pretty pro-med, but reading has changed my mind. If you're interested, try reading anything by Dr. Peter Breggin, I also enjoyed Robert Whittaker's Mad in America. Breggin also has a website that discusses the potential harm these drugs can cause. On the web, try http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/psychiatric-drugs/
You can also pull up links by googling "psychiatric survivors" and "anti psychiatrity"

My psychiatrist had me thoroughly convinced that I needed these drugs. And when I got withdrawal depression when going off them, it was seen as "proof" that I needed the medication. (increased depression is known withdrawal symptom, it passes as the drug leaves your system) After many years, I'm now drug free and am doing much better than I ever was with the drugs. I have continued in therapy (my therapist is very supportive of the drug-free choice) and am moving ahead much faster now that I am not on the meds.

You don't describe anything that is not caused by normal life problems. They do not make you "ill" and in need of medication. They might make you in need of some extra support and coping mechanisms, but not medication. Your concerns are all certainly legitimate for anyone in your situation. I would consider seeking counseling. A counselor can help you learn ways to deal with your stress and help you with weight loss if that is your desire. People will try to promote one type of therapy over another, but the truth is every person is different. Studies have shown that the most important factor in determining whether therapy will help or not is that the therapist is empathetic, warm and caring. Not what brand of therapy he subscribes to. So pick someone you feel has those traits and that you connect with. It might take a few trys to find the right one (it took me um, 5 before I found a therapist I could work with) but I feel the results are worth it.

In my opinion, meds cover up the problem, but therapy helps you work through it. -Neb

 

[lovbeingamommy]

First off

IMO, I would seek out a HCP that you trust and hve a complete physical to rule out any other types of issues that may be causing these symptoms. I know for me I have hypothyroid and that can apparently aggravate depression/anxiety, etc. I'm going through this ruling-out process right now with my naturopathic doctor. However, considering the extreme depression that I've had in the past several months I am on Zoloft and I do know that it is helping. In general, I am an anti-med person, however, since I am ttc and m/c'd twice while under severe stress I determined the risks of this med was much less than ttc'ing while having the severe stress. I am convinced that psychiatic meds have their place for me in the short term, however, everyone needs to weigh the risks and benefits of their own situation. But...like I said a good HCP should be able to try and rule out any pysiological issues as well as help with a nutritional plan. Good luck, mama

 

[ColwynsMommy]

Thanks for the responses. It's good to hear from people who don't think meds are the answer to everything.. that's the way I feel, especially in my situation, but when you start hearing people say that they're worried you're depressed and that you should consider meds, it can make you wonder.

I have been for a physical and had a complete workup, though in relation to nursing issues. We discussed nutrition and exercise and everything.. in my case, I know perfectly well how to eat healthy, I just have trouble sticking with it.

 

[mom0810]

I think a lot of us with small children have trouble eating right. For me, it's a convenience issue. We never used to eat frozen or convenience foods before we had kids, now it's the norm.

I think just knowing that you are working on it gives you power. There are also many alternative treatments for depression. Are you taking any fish oil? That should be your first start. There is a study that showed that fish oil worked just as well as prozac. Also, exercise. I know it's hard to start, but another study showed that 40 minutes of exercise 4 days a week worked as well as prozac, too. So that is where I would start if I were you. Exercise and fish oil. Doesn't have to be fancy exercise... just take your kids for a walk. Start with 10 minutes and work your way up to 40. Don't worry about your eating right now. It will change as you change. Exercise and sunlight will help you a ton.

You can also think about a B Complex to add to your diet. Magnesium helps, and so does extra Vitamin C. These are all things that you can add while nursing.

The fish oil should start at 1000 mg a day and you can go up from there.

Hope this helps! I've done both medication and non medication. The biggest difference is that I gain weight on meds and I feel less in control of my life on them. Less ABLE to take control. But they do serve a purpose in severe depression and anxiety, to be sure.

 

[Carley]

I think you've gotten a lot of great responses.

I just wanted to add... if you're already "medicating" with food, why are you opposed to the idea of medicating with another chemical that might treat your symptoms more effectively?

Sleep is #1. If you can get a good nights sleep consistantly (via medication or meditation) you might find that some of your other symptoms decrease in severity.

Re: antipsychiatry: Psychiatry has had it's share of problems, just like any other medical field. There are good psychiatrists and bad psychiatrists just like there are good md/bad md, good plumbers/bad plumbers.

I don't think it's wise or fair to discount medications or fields of medicine because of this. Medications and doctors save lives. No, they're not perfect. Yes, they have political issues. Who knows if meds will ever be without side effects or "Big Pharm"... but for some there isn't an alternative.

"Alternative treatments" are great... if they work. If they don't, it's time to try something else.

There's no use suffering because of ideology. Let it go & listen to your self. Are you suffering?

 

[CharlieToaster]

THANK GOD FOR DRUGS! I'm overweight and self medicated for years. Especially after DS1 was born. AFter ds2 I was loosing it and my ob put me on lexapro. WOW! What a huge difference. I started sleeping a million times better and the self medicating with food stopped. You may have been having these imbalances for years due to low seratonin levels. Turns out my mom and both of my brothers are on ssri's as well. I just added Welbutrin for increased anxiety and panic attacks. I'm serious, without this stuff I don't even want to think about what my life would be like. It's amazing the things you can do when you feel good!

 

[lovbeingamommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carley I think you've gotten a lot of great responses. I just wanted to add... if you're already "medicating" with food, why are you opposed to the idea of medicating with another chemical that might treat your symptoms more effectively? Sleep is #1. If you can get a good nights sleep consistantly (via medication or meditation) you might find that some of your other symptoms decrease in severity. Re: antipsychiatry: Psychiatry has had it's share of problems, just like any other medical field. There are good psychiatrists and bad psychiatrists just like there are good md/bad md, good plumbers/bad plumbers. I don't think it's wise or fair to discount medications or fields of medicine because of this. Medications and doctors save lives. No, they're not perfect. Yes, they have political issues. Who knows if meds will ever be without side effects or "Big Pharm"... but for some there isn't an alternative. "Alternative treatments" are great... if they work. If they don't, it's time to try something else. There's no use suffering because of ideology. Let it go & listen to your self. Are you suffering?

: I certainly agree. If you read my previous posts you'll realize I'm absolutely anti-med and tryed ALL sorts of natural things for my situation. Not to say that those things don't work for some people. They do...and in fact I still do go to a naturopath and just love her. However, when you can't sleep for days on end with a natural supplement something has to be done...after much debate with others and with myself, zoloft is the short term answer for me. I guess like the above quote states - meds have their place -I guess just be open to all alternatives and research before choosing one certain modality for you.

Good luck!!

 

[ColwynsMommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carley I just wanted to add... if you're already "medicating" with food, why are you opposed to the idea of medicating with another chemical that might treat your symptoms more effectively?

This is what I've really been thinking about lately. I know that I self-medicate with food (likewise, if I have alcohol in the house, I'll use that instead.. which is why I don't buy alcohol.. and it's easier to not buy it, since I'd have to drag the kids into the liquor store, whereas I'm already at the grocery store, you know?). Anyway. If I'm putting myself at risk for all sorts of obesity related diseases, is that any better than taking prescription drugs?

My issue with prescription drugs is that they're overused in place of learning coping techniques. For instance.. my father, my sister, my husband and I are all very shy. My father, my sister, and my husband are on meds for social anxiety. I don't think they have it any worse than I do, but I've forced myself to plow through the anxiety because I know that I (and my kids) benefit from socializing. So, in that case.. if I can work through it without the meds, that's best, right? Likewise.. if I'm under stress, not sleeping well, etc.. I should, in theory, be able to help my situation by modifying my life.

And I hate to admit this, but in a house with five adults, I'm proud to be the only adult not on some sort of psychiatric medication. I know that's terrible.. it's not like I look down at my family for using them, it's just that I'm proud that I've been able to deal thus far without them.

I do wonder, though, if I would be better able to control my eating habits if I went on a SSRI. My dad told me that when he first went on Prozac (he's on the wrong meds because my mother told his doctor he was depressed, which he wasn't, he just wanted something for the social anxiety.. stupid, right?), he lost weight because the cravings for sweets decreased. So, I'm tempted..

I don't know. Part of what I've been stressing about lately is that I really want a fourth child, but I really don't want to deal with infancy again. I go back and forth about whether it's right to have another baby if I think it'll make me unhappy for a year.. but I really do want more children, just not babies. We've talked about adopting, but we really don't have the money for international, which is what we'd want to do. If I want to get pregnant again, I really want to lose some weight first, but the idea of another baby stresses me out, so I eat more.. it's a vicious cycle.

Anyway. This is all very weird for me to be talking about, because on the whole, I feel really happy. I'm very good at ignoring the stress in my life until it just sort of overflows and I have a meltdown of sorts.

 

[MoonWillow]

Its a tough call. I know what you mean. I'm on meds for bipolar and I really struggled with it and in fact have gone off of them several times.

There are so many ways to look at the situation, and everyone is different. For me, I have learned over the years that the medication is neccesary. Because I exhausted every other avenue I could think of...and nothing else worked. BP is different than other disorders of course.

I tend to think that its always a good idea to try and treat naturally first. But I'm talking about really realizing that you are trying to treat a disorder and not just lacking coping techniques.

That may be part of your issue, the self discovery piece. You don't have a diagnosis right?

You mentioned having meltdowns in between feeling happy. How often would you say that occurs? Do you notice cycles with that at all?

 

[Carley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColwynsMommy 1) My issue with prescription drugs is that they're overused in place of learning coping techniques. 2) Likewise.. if I'm under stress, not sleeping well, etc.. I should, in theory, be able to help my situation by modifying my life. 3) I'm proud to be the only adult not on some sort of psychiatric medication. 4) I do wonder, though, if I would be better able to control my eating habits if I went on a SSRI.

1) Some medications are improperly distributed, especially in the 90's-early 2000, but modern medicine has caught up to that phenomenon pretty well. Most modern care providers will prescribe medications as a part of a wellness plan, and that includes psychiatrists. Probably even especially psychiatrists.

2) If you were able... wouldn't you have already done it? Sometimes you need help, whatever that means to you. Everybody needs help sometimes. It's important to seek it.

3) Would you be proud to be the only sick person in a house of sick people who didn't take cough medicine? You suffer, everyone else takes medicine and feels better. Personal choice... right?

4) Probably not.

 

[mom0810]

Prozac actually IS an appropriate drug for anxiety, social or otherwise. So your father is actually taking the appropriate drug.

I think you should also examine the fact (or possibility) that there is a genetic component to what is going on with you. If your whole family were on medication for diabetes, would you resist treatment because you wanted to be the only one in the family not on drugs? How about asthma? All of these things are genetic, as is the tendency toward depression and anxiety. It's a brain chemistry thing, and if your brain chemistry is like that of the other people in your family (and it very likely is), and if they are helped by medication (which it sounds like they are), then why would you not think you could be helped by medication, also?

I think you should seek out a psychiatrist or therapist (BOTH, actually) who can help you to modify your behavior and your thinking, which it sounds like you want to do, but are not able to. The purpose of medication is to help you be able to work the therapy, which you could do on meds, and it sounds like you can't do without them... or at least you haven't been able to up to this point. THat is NOT a thing to be ashamed of, btw. The fact that you aren't able to modify your behavior without help actually, to me, indicates you might need a chemical help to get going.

Also, two GREAT books to read are Change Your Brain, Change Your LIfe by Dr. Daniel Amen, and he also has another one about Anxiety and Depression... both are on Amazon and are not expensive. He shows brain scans of people with anxiety and depression on and off meds.... it's amazing. There actually IS a physical difference. And I think you may be medicating yourself with food (serotonin is released when we eat) and that meds could help you a TON by giving you more serotonin in your brain without food.

Just my thoughts.

 

[paquerette]

I think the bottom line is that it's a tough call, and only YOU can decide whether you're at a place where meds are appropriate.

I find http://www.crazymeds.us/ to be a good take on it. She talks about crippling depression that leaves you staring at the ceiling for weeks vs. feeling a little blue. She also provides a lot of info about the side effects which you're often not warned about thoroughly.

When you had the full workup, did your doctor do a full thyroid panel including free T3? Do you have the results? The vast majority of doctors have no idea how to properly test or treat thyroids. http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

 

[Oubliette8]

I would say, I wouldn't count on meds helping with weight loss. I actually gained over 80 pounds due to psychiatric medications I was taking, after never having had a weight problem before. I know several other friends who have had the same experience, where their weight ballooned drastically due to medications. Weight gain is a pretty common side effect for many drugs.

You seem to think highly of learning to modify your behavior- have you ever tried therapy? I think of therapy as a first resort, and meds as somewhat later. A good therapist can help you learn methods for coping with stress, social anxiety, and over eating. Many people find it highly effective. Unlike meds, which treat disorders only when you are taking them, therapy can in some cases effect a cure.

Quite frankly, having read the side effects, and experienced a few of the nastier ones personally, i would think that medicating with food is far safer than medicating with psychiatric meds. (not that i advocate either- I just don't think they are comparable!)

You've described yourself as stressed out over life events- life events do not cause chemical imbalances in the brain. Its normal to be stressed out over money and health. You don't sound like you are really ill, just that you are struggling with some tough circumstances. I would consider therapy- it seems to be more in line with your personal beliefs about change, and its the safer of the two options. If therapy doesn't work after giving it a fair shot- at least a few months- then you can always choose to take another route. -Neb

ps- the connection with your therapist is really key to change- a therapist you dislike or dont feel accepted by won't do you any good, so be sure to take your time in choosing, and don't be afraid to switch if one doesn't work out.

 

[Carley]

I just wanted to chime in again... medicating with food can have side effects too. It's extremely difficult to stop, and it can lead to weight gain just like medication. It can also contribute to serious psychological pain, shame from binging, self-esteem... it's awful. I still struggle with it.

OP I hope you can love yourself & take yourself seriously. Go with your gut. Therapy can be awesome (trust your gut on therapists too... you should definitely "click").

Good luck lady!

 

[mom0810]

Also wanted to add that many more people actually LOSE weight on ssri's than gain. But of course it's possible to go either way. If the OP's family members have lost weight on prozac, it's very likely that she will, too.

Also, it's really unfair to try and scare someone out of meds if they think they need them. Meds have worked nothing short of miracles for many people. Of course they have side effects...so does any drug. So does any "natural" treatment. But if they are effective for the problem they are treating, they are successful.