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Originally Posted by Asylum101
That’s the problem. These drugs are way over prescribed for just about everything under the sun that does not even come close to depression, ranging from having the blues after breaking up with a mate to simple acne. It blows my mind how quickly these docs are willing to write a script for an a/d. My own father of 84 yrs had gall bladder surgery a couple years back and his gastroenterologist tried to get him to take Paxil afterward, three different times no less. My father said "For what, I am not depressed" to which the doc said "Everyone your age should be taking an a/d". WHAT KIND OF CRAP EXCUSE IS THAT!?!?! This is just one of millions of physicians who think this way. Can you imagine how many individuals are walking around out there needlessly taking an a/d potentially risking brain damage because they believe that they need it?
As I said in my last post, to each his/her own. I am not trying to tell anyone what they should or should not take. How one person is affected by a drug doesn't mean the next person will have the same experience, but that doesn't mean they won't either. All I wish to do is put the other side of the coin out there so that others can make a more informed decision and know the signs if they do experience them. In my case I came very close to taking my own life while ON the a/d's and I am doing much better off of them. While on them I could not feel emotions, I made countless irrational decisions that cost me thousands of dollars. I lost good friends. I stared into space much of the time with drool running down my chin. I couldn't read or carry on a normal conversation. I was basically incapacitated on my feet while on most of them. Not my idea of a better life.
We all react differently to substances. As an example, though at one time dependant on them, today I can take hydocodone without any fear of urges to take it continually and sometimes I do take one when the back pain is unbearable, but I pay a large price physically and mentally for about a week afterward flaring up p/w from the benzos so most of the time I just grin and bear it (alcohol I can do the same with but I suffer for a month, not a week). Yet I am reading here that others would relapse were they to take just one pain med or the likes, but can walk away from haven taken benzos for long periods without repercussion. Having lived through both dependancies I'm wishing I were one of the latter. Will power I have. Normal daily functionality I do not, not yet anyway.
I am glad there are those of you who seem to benefit from a/d's and this is exactly why I am not out here stating they are spawn from everything evil, but that does not mean they are right for everyone. Prior to my being prescribed that first a/d (originally for lethargy no less) I was willing to give them a chance not having experienced what they could do to oneself, but now having tried more compounds than I can count on both hands I know they are not for me and I would just as soon be shot in the head than take another one. That would be much less painful in my book.
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Thanks for your input Asylum, based on my own experiences, I'm a strong believer in critical evaluation of the recommendations doctors make. Several years ago I agreed to try out Aropax (an anti-depressant) during a time that was particularly rough and stressful. I have never had true clinical depression, that incident was a transient event and didn't really warrant the prescription but I tried it with an open mind - anyway I used it as prescribed for a few days and I had to stop it because, once it reached a certain concentration in my blood-stream it clashed with my blood pressure medication and caused my blood pressure to crash. I spent time in an emergency room because of that. The doctor still tried to prescribe it despite his original negligence and from that point onwards, I now have a practice of checking drug interactions online before taking medication because I know that I can't rely on doctors doing their homework when it comes to drug interactions.
Since I moved State, a new doctor suggested Zoloft after I reported issues with insomnia, I knew that the insomnia would pass and I resisted her suggestion which she was adamant was the right thing to do. Despite refusing the prescription, I am now sleeping the best I have slept in ages and that's totally without any sleeping aid.
You are absolutely right, the true neural mechanisms of A/D's are not well understood and the jury is definitely still out on the long term effects they have. People often report being emotionally flat and parked somewhere in between the highs and lows of life when using them.
I'd much rather take the good with the bad in life and learn more natural ways of maintaining emotional balance - no drug will do that for me.