Self-Improvement Thread

[TSTR]

Solid post man. Moderation is key for everything, I find. And I won't deny the pills helped--hell, I was just staring at walls at one point. But I am ready to not live my life on some pharma cocktail any more.

Also, I've been interested in DDP Yoga myself, as I am not very flexible at all, and DDP is the fucking man. Worth it?

[MrPopo]

I really push back against that thinking regarding psych meds because you don't hear that about body ailments. My sister has a seizure disorder and is going to be on meds to control that for the rest of her life. My dad is going to be on various meds for his heart til his time is up. The brain is just another part of the body; I don't understand the resistance to meds for it.

[Gunstar Green]

I really push back against that thinking regarding psych meds because you don't hear that about body ailments. My sister has a seizure disorder and is going to be on meds to control that for the rest of her life. My dad is going to be on various meds for his heart til his time is up. The brain is just another part of the body; I don't understand the resistance to meds for it.

Well it depends, if a person's quality of life is impacted by the drugs as negatively as it is by their mental illness as is sometimes the case. That said I completely agree that there shouldn't be a negative stigma attached to taking psychiatric medication and people should seek out the help they need. That help just isn't always ideal in all cases which is why we have both psychological counselling and psychiatry.

But it also depends on the illness we're talking about here. Depression can sometimes be conquered in other ways depending on its severity, something like schizophrenia can't.

[samsonlonghair]

Also, research has shown that regular exercise can be as effective (if not more) as medication in treating long term depression.

Don't get me wrong; there's nothing wrong with taking the medicine when you need it. I took depression medicine when I was in a crisis. After a year or two I of counseling I learned to manage my depression without medicine.

[Exhuminator]

Also, research has shown that regular exercise can be as effective (if not more) as medication in treating long term depression.

There's a lot of proven science that backs your statement as being true. I find that when I need to clear my head and get my thoughts in order, a long walk does wonders.

As far as mental medication goes; I believe if someone's issues can be legitimately fixed via psychological therapy, that is preferable over mind altering psychotropics. That said, there are indeed times when the brain is malfunctioning on a biochemical level, and in those instances providing the balancing supplements makes perfect sense.

[marurun]

Again, this depends a lot on the issue. Sometimes people fall into depression or anxiety from external things, but then can't get out of it on their own. Medication can often help people temporarily get on top of things long enough to balance themselves out again. Also, in some cases, dramatic lifestyle changes can counter some problems. But for many people, there isn't room in their lives for dramatic lifestyle changes. And a lot of psychological disorders are simply issues of the way the brain functions in a particular individual, and some amount of medication is necessary. Most of the people I know take some kind of low-dose psychotropic medication, because in the end it improves their lives. I will never judge them for that, just as I would never judge someone who needs insulin, or statins, or blood pressure medication.

[TSTR]

If you need it, you need it. If you don't, you don't.

I feel like JT would have an interesting take on this... did he disappear again?

[MrPopo]

JT still hangs around. I'll point him here next time I see him.

[samsonlonghair]

Also, research has shown that regular exercise can be as effective (if not more) as medication in treating long term depression.

There's a lot of proven science that backs your statement as being true. I find that when I need to clear my head and get my thoughts in order, a long walk does wonders.

As far as mental medication goes; I believe if someone's issues can be legitimately fixed via psychological therapy, that is preferable over mind altering psychotropics. That said, there are indeed times when the brain is malfunctioning on a biochemical level, and in those instances providing the balancing supplements makes perfect sense.

I agree. You and I are on the same page in this regard.

[Xeogred]

Again, this depends a lot on the issue. Sometimes people fall into depression or anxiety from external things, but then can't get out of it on their own. Medication can often help people temporarily get on top of things long enough to balance themselves out again. Also, in some cases, dramatic lifestyle changes can counter some problems.

Yeah like I mentioned about myself earlier. But if you've generally lived a normal life, I would only see them as bandaids. I was skin and bones on Lexapro and never ate, slept 12 some hours a day. Then Prozac made me put on tons of weight, I couldn't stop eating and only slept 6 hours a night. There were others but then Xoloft finally helped, but I was extremely glad to get off this stuff and be myself again. I guess I don't even really want to go down this debate after working in the pharmacy industry for four years and my experience with dozens of doctors, etc. I completely agree with others real imbalances are a thing, my grandma is bi-polar so I've briefly seen episodes of her without her meds and it's not good. I'm not telling anyone here to take them or not, but TSTR's first post is dramatic I'd say and sounds like he's really got a lot in order and is doing fantastic. The next steps and choices are his and his alone, nobody else.