I was just diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I'm about to get medication to hopefully help. All the people i know who have meds to help with mental illness eventually or frequently stop taking it. I'm wondering why this is? It really worrys me because anything that can give me an edge on this would be really great... and really necessary, and clearly medication must not be what i'm hoping for? Thanks i really appreciate it.
Many people stop taking meds because of side effects or because they feel better and think they no longer need the meds. People coming off their meds often don't immediately feel any different. They gradually slide back into their illness. With depression and anxiety it may be that you will be able to get off the meds in a few months especially if you get "talk" therapy in addition to medication. It would be wise to stay on the meds until your doc and or therapist agree its time to quit them. I worked 20+ years in a large mental hospital...the number one reason for people getting Re-addmitted was because they quit their medication against advice to stay on it. Good luck, get talk therapy along with the medication and you should be fine.
Make a journal of any side affects and the amount of time they happen after you take meds. show this to your doc and explain what the side affects are...he/she might be able to adjust the meds and end the problem or lessen it.
I dont think that people suffer from prozac deficiencies...or anti-depressant deficiencies. Those are serious drugs with serious side effects that range from mental instability to suicide and it's best to find a natural approach in my opinion. I would recommend looking into a natural anti-depressant like St. Johns Wort...or raw cacao beans even. YOu can get St. Johns Wort at any local pharmacy(rite aid walgreens whatever) and cacao beans are in some health food stores or you can find them at rawfood.com Look into foods that create more seratonin, not drugs that create them. Any food high in trytophan can help create seratonin if that is what you are actually deficient in. Just exercising can help create more neurotransmitters and seratonin too. 30 min.s a day for a month is as equally as effective as medications. That combined with a healthy organic diet and I'm sure your brain will be fine..and it will probably be much healthier and happier than it would have been just taking anti depressants. Depression is over-prescribed these days... most people just need a glass of "Relax herbal tea", some deep breaths and a good lay ;P With all that said I wish you luck. I've been there done that and your not alone at all...These mental disorders are more common than ever today and their only getting worse. Everyone in this culture suffers from anxiety and it is basically the condition of our entire culture... to live fast-paced high stress lives that aren't balanced physically or emotionally. It is 'the age of anxiety'
