L1ght Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) Stigma against mental illness remains rampant. It is a sad fact, and not one that is likely to change any time soon. L1ght - you can stick to your guns all you like, but the facts remain. You are rambling now, and while I am happy that you managed to find your way out of your hole, this does not excuse your incredibly ignorant statements towards those that are more ill than you were. Some may not need crutches for a sprained ankle, but to mock someone that uses them for a broken leg is just ridiculous. Until you can come back with something more than "screw this, screw that, I did this, I did that," then your posts are basically worthless. Debate with logic and fact, not ignorance and anecdotes. "Screw meds" is a ridiculous statement on so many levels - I don't need to say more than that. You really have no idea what you're talking about. I really hope that one day you educate yourself and drop the ill-informed judgement, as it is not unlikely that someone close to you will suffer from mental illness at some point. Attitudes such as the one you are currently clinging to are very damaging. You could really hurt someone you love. It doesn't matter though - I have come across people like you many times in both my professional and personal life, and I have since learned that some people just refuse to see sense. Ignorance is generally deeply ingrained. My posts were intended to benefit others, not to change your mind. I really do find it funny (and a bit odd) that people can be so passionate about a topic on a forum, quite happy to argue and such, but not passionate enough to even do a cursory read on it! Lol. Screw you too. Don't act like My experiences with depression were not significant. They took a massive chunk out of my life until I decided to change. Why would I need to study depression? I experienced it for myself you idiot. Lol. Taking meds is for people who wallow in sadness and make excuses rather than doing something about there issues. Edited September 5, 2013 by L1ght
almond Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 Screw you too. I am sorry you feel that way. I think this conversation has well and truly run its course. I hope you have a nice day
Malakas Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 You sound like a doctor who makes a profit from the pharmaceutical industry to me. Lol. FYI Im not criticising the people who suffer from depression. Im criticising people like you who say that meds are the answer. Oh and whos belittling who here? My "dark phase-whatever" is obviously not serious enough for you to take me seriously. Screw you is my response to that. Yes I really did suffer from the deepest depression that I guess you call clinical depression. Wow even thinking back to those times now is eerie....its been a while since I looked back. Believe me pal, I was a gone as anybody who gives up on live could be......but I chose not to give up. That's the key I'm not belittling you.It is simply incoceivable in my mind that someone who has suffered through something to the extent of a clinical depression would go on and make posts like yours.Where is the bare minimum empathy and compassion of one sufferer to the other?You keep judging and patronising someone who genuinely suffers right now and asks for help.Do you fail to see that what you say through your posts is that people who go through depression and choose to take the med road are weaker? Do you fail to see that it is attitude like yours that make the stigma worse,and make people with mental illness hide it? I like you took the non med road myself.Meds is not the only solution.It was my own choice I was under doctor surveillance.I did and still do therapy.BUT!!Having lived that and knowing what it is like would it even cross my mind to judge someone who tries to look for a perfectly sound scientific medicinal way to make the pain go away?Of course not.NEVER.That's why I have my serious doubts that you have made a trip to the abysmal despair that is depression.But eitherway it's good that you're well now and I wish you all the best.I just hope that you try not to be so judgemental and critising your cousin who right now bears her own cross. 1
L1ght Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 Stigma against mental illness remains rampant. It is a sad fact, and not one that is likely to change any time soon. L1ght - you can stick to your guns all you like, but the facts remain. You are rambling now, and while I am happy that you managed to find your way out of your hole, this does not excuse your incredibly ignorant statements towards those that are more ill than you were. Some may not need crutches for a sprained ankle, but to mock someone that uses them for a broken leg is just ridiculous. Until you can come back with something more than "screw this, screw that, I did this, I did that," then your posts are basically worthless. Debate with logic and fact, not ignorance and anecdotes. "Screw meds" is a ridiculous statement on so many levels - I don't need to say more than that. You really have no idea what you're talking about. I really hope that one day you educate yourself and drop the ill-informed judgement, as it is not unlikely that someone close to you will suffer from mental illness at some point. Attitudes such as the one you are currently clinging to are very damaging. You could really hurt someone you love. It doesn't matter though - I have come across people like you many times in both my professional and personal life, and I have since learned that some people just refuse to see sense. Ignorance is generally deeply ingrained. My posts were intended to benefit others, not to change your mind. I really do find it funny (and a bit odd) that people can be so passionate about a topic on a forum, quite happy to argue and such, but not passionate enough to even do a cursory read on it! Lol. Like I said My cousin is on meds, she has been for years, she is getting fatter and sadder and more repulsive as time goes by. The meds have done nothing for her. The only thing that will improve her state of mind is herself. Excuses and denial constantly. Its so repulsive.
L1ght Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 I'm not belittling you.It is simply incoceivable in my mind that someone who has suffered through something to the extent of a clinical depression would go on and make posts like yours.Where is the bare minimum empathy and compassion of one sufferer to the other?You keep judging and patronising someone who genuinely suffers right now and asks for help.Do you fail to see that what you say through your posts is that people who go through depression and choose to take the med road are weaker? Do you fail to see that it is attitude like yours that make the stigma worse,and make people with mental illness hide it? I like you took the non med road myself.Meds is not the only solution.It was my own choice I was under doctor surveillance.I did and still do therapy.BUT!!Having lived that and knowing what it is like would it even cross my mind to judge someone who tries to look for a perfectly sound scientific medicinal way to make the pain go away?Of course not.NEVER.That's why I have my serious doubts that you have made a trip to the abysmal despair that is depression.But eitherway it's good that you're well now and I wish you all the best.I just hope that you try not to be so judgemental and critising your cousin who right now bears her own cross. stop playing the "compassion for other sufferers" card thank you. I totally disagree with you. OK? Deal with it. I do not believe people need meds and I am living proof. I do believe that people who turn to meds would be better off without them. My cousin is on meds and it has done nothing except stop her from making positive changes to her life on her own.
L1ght Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 I'm not belittling you.It is simply incoceivable in my mind that someone who has suffered through something to the extent of a clinical depression would go on and make posts like yours.Where is the bare minimum empathy and compassion of one sufferer to the other?You keep judging and patronising someone who genuinely suffers right now and asks for help.Do you fail to see that what you say through your posts is that people who go through depression and choose to take the med road are weaker? Do you fail to see that it is attitude like yours that make the stigma worse,and make people with mental illness hide it? I like you took the non med road myself.Meds is not the only solution.It was my own choice I was under doctor surveillance.I did and still do therapy.BUT!!Having lived that and knowing what it is like would it even cross my mind to judge someone who tries to look for a perfectly sound scientific medicinal way to make the pain go away?Of course not.NEVER.That's why I have my serious doubts that you have made a trip to the abysmal despair that is depression.But eitherway it's good that you're well now and I wish you all the best.I just hope that you try not to be so judgemental and critising your cousin who right now bears her own cross. Stop wishing me the best and insulting me by saying that I wasn't depressed in the same post. Kinda makes your well wishes meaningless and empty. Not that I need them anyway. I don't. Oh I never tried therapy either. Listening to my own thoughts was bad enough. I saw a challenge in trying to overcome the constant crap in my brain when I was in my darkest hours. Plus I guess I didn't want to pay any money for something that can be handled on my own.
Malakas Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 you can disagree with me with modern science with doctors all you want.It is your right and I don't have any objection whatsoever if you exercise your free will and refuse to take medicines.What I object to is trying to judge others and patronise people especialy in such vulnterable state of minds as the OP.You found your own solution to your problem all the more power to you. IN fact,Yours could have been a valuable input to someone reading this thread to show that there is not one way but each has to find what works best for them.It could have been a very helpfull and hopefull message you know.But you chose to embellish it with all this judging and critising and that's sad dangerous and offensive. Anyway as I said you found your own road good for you.Well done.
Lokie Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 Hoax, I'm really sorry to hear how much you are struggling. Life can be really challenging at times, and sometimes I had contemplated ending my life when it felt unbearable. If you are in the 18-24 age group as one poster stated, please allow me to offer some advice from someone more than twice your age. Life will always have ups and downs - but the good (and bad) news is that these times will always change. When we're in the grip of depression, this sounds like total bullsh-t, but I have found it to be true. So, hang on. Please. After you see a psychiatrist, and if you are diagnosed with mental illness of some sort, then you can discuss medication options. Please be wary of any medical advice from anyone other than your treating doctor. And yes, meds work differently with each of our body's chemistry, so what works for one may not work for you. Big hugs. Hope you are feeling better soon. 2
L1ght Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) you can disagree with me with modern science with doctors all you want.It is your right and I don't have any objection whatsoever if you exercise your free will and refuse to take medicines.What I object to is trying to judge others and patronise people especialy in such vulnterable state of minds as the OP.You found your own solution to your problem all the more power to you. IN fact,Yours could have been a valuable input to someone reading this thread to show that there is not one way but each has to find what works best for them.It could have been a very helpfull and hopefull message you know.But you chose to embellish it with all this judging and critising and that's sad dangerous and offensive. Anyway as I said you found your own road good for you.Well done. Again with the "compassion for others" card. The hard line I draw which comes across as too harsh is simply to prove a point. Did I direct my harsh criticisms at the OP? No I didn't though I would have if she came on here and made the same arguments against good old fashioned positive thinking that you have. I don't really know what to say about how upset my criticisms have made you personally. Perhaps you were one of the people who was too weak to get through depression without meds. Don't get me wrong, we are all weak when we are depressed but there comes a time when we have a choice to get getter....meds, no meds, exercise, productivity or whatever. In my opinion meds is a weaker choice and is unnecessary. Good luck OP. My advice is to not use them. Your choice. Edited September 5, 2013 by L1ght
DM42 Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 I do not believe people need meds and I am living proof. I do believe that people who turn to meds would be better off without them. My cousin is on meds and it has done nothing except stop her from making positive changes to her life on her own. I am living proof that meds can help and by going and discussing choices with a doctor or therapist is doing something to help yourself. I specifically asked for the lowest dosage and combined that with doing the other things that help such as exercise, eating right, avoiding excessive drinking and being more proactive. I personally believe that I don't think I would have been able to do that without the meds. Yes, I don't want to take them anymore and plan to slowly reduce the dosage and gauge how I am feeling. Trust me there is a BIG difference between depression and sadness. There is a BIG difference between depression and laziness too. The best advice I would give to anyone who thinks they might be depressed is to explore all their options and if they decide to take meds they should commit to them for at the very least 6 months but also think ahead to the future and have the mindset to want to get off of them but in a very slow and controlled manner, probably around 3-4 months. 3
Misfortune Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 I was on Zoloft and Rispersal but I stopped taking them after a month. They did what they needed to do. They kept me stable while I processed everything that happened. I'm now in control of my emotions/actions and I don't feel that I need them anymore. My therapist and psychiatrist still think I'm on them. My psychiatrist told me that if I continue doing as well as I am, I can eventually come off of them.<--- Yay me!
almond Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 It's very good that you are doing so well Misfortune! I just thought I'd add - it's definitely not a good idea to suddenly stop taking prescribed medications without medical advice. Many of the common ones (including the ones you were taking) are tapered slowly for a reason - discontinuation syndrome, brain zaps etc. are common when stopping too quickly. It's great that it worked for you, but just thought I'd caution against this for any future readers. Tell your docs that you've gone off it! You want them to know how well you're doing on your own, without your meds! 2
Sparkle304 Posted September 5, 2013 Posted September 5, 2013 Like I said My cousin is on meds, she has been for years, she is getting fatter and sadder and more repulsive as time goes by. The meds have done nothing for her. The only thing that will improve her state of mind is herself. Excuses and denial constantly. Its so repulsive. Did you really just write this about your cousin?! With awesome family support like this perhaps meds are her only option. 1
Sugarkane Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 stop playing the "compassion for other sufferers" card thank you. I totally disagree with you. OK? Deal with it. I do not believe people need meds and I am living proof. I do believe that people who turn to meds would be better off without them. My cousin is on meds and it has done nothing except stop her from making positive changes to her life on her own. Sounds like your cousin is on the wrong meds? I would go back to the doctor and ask for something else. The right meds do work.
unexpectedlyhere Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 There no weak or strong way to come out of dark times. There is doing nothing, doing something but not enough, and doing everything you can. See someone first of all. Someone medically trained. If you are not sure about their recommendation, ask another doctor for a second opinion. 1
Els Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 OP, rather than go to a doc just seeking a script for lithium (that they will in all likelihood not give to you), why not seek a mental health professional (therapist or psychologist), talk to them about your situation with an open mind, and see what they recommend you? Nobody here can tell you whether or not you need medicines and if you do, what sort of medicines you need, because we aren't able to take your history the way a professional can, and frankly none of us are being paid for it so we wouldn't want to sit down for an hour with you asking questions. Also, how we react to medications would not be the same as how your personal body responds to them, because responses vary widely. One thing I will tell you is that part of CBT (non-drug method of dealing with anxiety/depression/etc) is learning to avoid triggers. Which means, stop reading forums that your ex posts on. So stop doing that, and go see a therapist/psychologist.
Els Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 stop playing the "compassion for other sufferers" card thank you. I totally disagree with you. OK? Deal with it. I do not believe people need meds and I am living proof. I do believe that people who turn to meds would be better off without them. My cousin is on meds and it has done nothing except stop her from making positive changes to her life on her own. Yes, because two datapoints completely revokes years of medical research by people with actual knowledge in the field you ignorantly speak of. :rolleyes:
L1ght Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 (edited) Did you really just write this about your cousin?! With awesome family support like this perhaps meds are her only option. Oh so I'm supposed speak great things about my cousin who I havn't had a good connection with since I was a little kid and who every time I talk to her these days I know she is just thinking about herself and doesn't care about anyone elses interests but her own? Don't tell me how to speak about the people in my life thank you. Just cos shes family doesn't mean we get on. In life we realise the people we can trust and who we can rely on if we ever need them for anything. I havn't felt any compassion towards her in years and I couldn't care less about what she does in life anymore and that's the same way I feel about anybody who Im not close to. As for the awesome family support? She has been sponging off my granddad for about 10 years now, living off his pension and claiming benefits while she sits on her fat ass and gets fatter every day while she scoffs her face and thinks the whole world owes her something. IMO she gets too much support and my family should be a lot tougher on her than they have been but they let her make her excuses while she wastes away on junk food, depression meds and the self obsession that is stopping her from living her life like a functioning human being. Edited September 6, 2013 by L1ght
L1ght Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 Yes, because two datapoints completely revokes years of medical research by people with actual knowledge in the field you ignorantly speak of. :rolleyes: I don't think it is ignorant. Imagine somebody says that they can't get up and move because they are depressed then a tiger walks into their bedroom. What would happen? Would they still feel depressed and stay laying in their bed? No they wouldn't. The chances are that they would all of a sudden realise how much they actually love living and I would bet my house on it that they would fly through the window in an attempt to cling onto the life that they have been so hopelessly wanting to end for the past god knows how long. A kick up the ass is what people that get depressed need. In my opinion tough love or an extreme wake up call is what people need cos if they don't get that then they will wallow for an eternity until they realise that actually life aint so bad afterall.
unexpectedlyhere Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 L1ght, clinical depression is an illness. Do you think a cancer patient needs a kick up the backside? Someone undergoing surgery for an injury? You have your right to an opinion based on what worked for you but not all people are equal and also, you don't know what you had because you were never diagnosed, and OP doesn't know what she has because she hasn't been diagnosed yet. You may actually have (had) completely different mental health issues -- so it would be like you advising someone not to put a cast on a broken bone, because the time you had a sore throat it went away without doing anything. One or both of you may not have (had) a personality disorder or clinical depression, in which case it is still advisable for the OP to seek therapy and see where the therapy leads her, whether it's medication, cognitive behavioural therapy, or other techniques to keep herself able to cope. None of us here have much more than a couple of posts by OP to go on, and none of us here are professionals in the field engaged in their professional practice, so the only type of advice we should definitely NOT give is to not seek therapy or have preconceived ideas about what a professional may suggest to her.
L1ght Posted September 6, 2013 Posted September 6, 2013 L1ght, clinical depression is an illness. Do you think a cancer patient needs a kick up the backside? Someone undergoing surgery for an injury? You have your right to an opinion based on what worked for you but not all people are equal and also, you don't know what you had because you were never diagnosed, and OP doesn't know what she has because she hasn't been diagnosed yet. You may actually have (had) completely different mental health issues -- so it would be like you advising someone not to put a cast on a broken bone, because the time you had a sore throat it went away without doing anything. One or both of you may not have (had) a personality disorder or clinical depression, in which case it is still advisable for the OP to seek therapy and see where the therapy leads her, whether it's medication, cognitive behavioural therapy, or other techniques to keep herself able to cope. None of us here have much more than a couple of posts by OP to go on, and none of us here are professionals in the field engaged in their professional practice, so the only type of advice we should definitely NOT give is to not seek therapy or have preconceived ideas about what a professional may suggest to her. The OP has a choice so she can decide for herself. The good thing is she has heard a variety of methods and experiences from different people. Asides from that my mind is fixed on the issue and I have nothing more to add
Author Hoax Posted September 9, 2013 Author Posted September 9, 2013 Wow this thread got kind of wild... I have an appointment with my GP this week but I've been feeling a lot better the last few days. I was in a dark patch I guess but I'll definitely bring it up and see where it takes me. I do take some issue with the people who are urging me to see a therapist. I find it presumptuous because 1) I have tried that and I found it ineffective and 2) I really can't afford it. I might try and seek out a counselor on my campus, however. All in all, thanks everyone for the great advice and kind words. You guys are awesome.
almond Posted September 9, 2013 Posted September 9, 2013 Urging you to see a therapist is presumptuous, but self-diagnosing with bipolar and walking into a GP's office and asking for lithium is not? If you are bipolar, you will need to see a psychiatrist. You will also need behavioural therapy. Regardless, suicidal ideation must be dealt with, and the qualified mental health professionals are the ones best suited to this. There is no medication that will cure this alone. Good luck with whatever you choose.
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