7 posts shown.
Hey there!
Maybe try just one (1) pill in the evening... like, maybe thirty minutes before you actually want to pass out. Say you take it at 10:30 PM, then head to bed, kill all the lights, and put the phone away. Just hang out for a bit, count some sheep, and hopefully wake up refreshed in the morning. It really depends on your metabolism and how your body handles things. If you've got a fast metabolism, you might feel a little lightheaded when you get up, or maybe your legs feel a bit twitchy... but your head should feel totally clear. And honestly, taking one pill isn't going to make you addicted. 100% sure about that...
Little Red Riding Hood said:What’s her actual diagnosis, or like, what disorder is she dealing with? How do you even manage all that? I don't think I could handle being with someone struggling with mental illness because I feel like it would just wreck my own life, so I'm curious how you deal with it...
Even the psychiatrists in the US can't pin down a specific diagnosis for my girl, so honestly, neither can I. It fluctuates anywhere from schizophrenia to borderline depending on the day... but whatever. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. All those labels are just total BS when it comes to my actual life. My life is better just because this smart, gorgeous woman is in it. Things were rough at first while we figured each other out. She wasn't sure I could handle her, and I had all these preconceived notions about people with mental issues, but hey, here we are... doing just fine. Plus, I'm pretty convinced that "mental illness" is mostly something found in thick textbooks and the tiny brains of psychiatrists who spend decades wasting time and money, successfully ruining thousands of lives while thinking they're actually helping. They send people to places worse than anything an average person could imagine. Even if I knew the name of the asylum, where it was located, or if I passed by it on the subway every single day...
http://psychoblog.com/
My girlfriend’s been through the ringer with shifting diagnoses over the last 20 years. It’s been everything... she’s dealt with some seriously nasty stuff from family, friends, and even psychiatrists. Her last attempt at getting off the pills didn't go well either. She was in a bad way—shaking, crying, screaming, mood swings were all over the place... just awful. Right now she’s on two meds, but she was up to three recently. Honestly, you just read the side effects and feel sick to your stomach. After 20 years, she finally sees certain family members for who they really are. Her inner circle doesn't care about her diagnosis, and honestly, everyone else doesn't matter. The main thing is watching yourself and how you react to things, then actually valuing those reactions. Like, how am I feeling before versus after? How can I build up my self-esteem? She hasn't been hospitalized in about ten years, and that's entirely because of her own strength. It feels like expecting "society" or any "institution" to be more sensitive toward current, past, or future "patients" is just wishful thinking. I once talked to a guy in a high-level government position—someone responsible directly to Congress—and he told me there's just no helping someone stuck in a locked ward when the psychiatrists have already written them off. Doesn't matter if they're smart, young, beautiful, kind, or sensitive... people just toss those "weak" labels at them because that's what modern society does. I don't even listen to the nonsense about "what's actually normal" anymore. That's just babble from people who haven't thought about it. Same goes for the people whining about "laziness" and stuff like that. They've never had 500mg of Lexapro in their system, let alone been strapped into a straitjacket in a psych ward... especially not all at once.
http://psychologyblog.com/
Alright, a little something about depression... I’ve already mentioned I’m no doctor or anything, just someone who spends way too much time in the local library ($17 / years), surfing the web, and talking things through with my girlfriend. (Now that sounds like a line from Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, right?) She’s told me plenty of times that for her, depression doesn't have some external trigger—though that matters too—it's internal. But hey, even she isn't 100% sure. And man, how many times have I heard someone being called "depri" or whatever they call it these days? Millions. Or two. And honestly, I could tell them every single time that people don't *need* to be "depri," but they feel it as a real problem. No matter what it actually is. And the medical establishment? They aren't doing anything to stop all this chatter about "depri." If anything, they’re cranking it out! They pump out all these brochures on recognizing depression, complete with those little "Do you have depression?" quizzes, all wrapped up in stories about "real people" suffering. These folks accept they have a "disease" because psychiatrists tell them so. And since they're doctors—they're supposed to treat sick people for illnesses. So, they treat depression. It’s that simple. You’re feeling down, you hit up your GP, they write a referral to a psychiatrist who, bursting with expertise, deals with you in like, fifteen minutes. Then the "real person" continues: "It wasn't easy, I didn't get better overnight, don't get me wrong!" And there it is—the perfect excuse for antidepressants, and man, they have them coming out of their ears. You can basically pick your color preference at this point. Oh, and we can't forget therapy! That’s "healing," apparently. Then you have more stories from "real people" who are, poor souls, afraid to live. And they need help so they won't be afraid! But wait, "real people" think they can help themselves! Can you imagine? On their own! What about those of us who spent ten years sweating over textbooks? Do we just smell bad? No, we don't! Luckily, "real people" have "real friends" who say: "Hey, you're acting weird. You're definitely depressed, go see a shrink." The most important thing is realizing it's a "real disease" and nothing to joke about! Just pop a pill, then talk about your family, your childhood, whether your dad was creepy, if your mom breastfed you too long, if your brother used to crawl into your crib, or if your uncle showed you his "toolbox" with all those different tools... and presto, you're healthy! And some nice doctor or specialist will help you. For a long, long time. Even longer than you think you need. But hey, they know best, right? There are even these polished magazines promoting mental health filled with lovely little tests: "Am I sad most of the time? (yes/no)," "Do I lose interest in things I used to love? (yes/no)," "Is it hard to get out of bed? (yes/no)," "Do I lack a partner? (yes/no)," "Is my waistline too big? (yes/no)," "Does life feel meaningless? (yes/no)," "Do I think about death a lot? (yes/no)..." If you check a few boxes, hurry! Before things get messy! We won't even say *that* word—suicide. We don't say it! If it crosses your mind, go straight to the doctor! Otherwise, they might lock you up indefinitely. Look, depression isn't just some trivial thing. It’s about the brain, and that's a big deal. But there’s hope! We're here, the doctors! The guys in white coats. The cause? Brain changes. A messed-up family. Death in a messed-up family. Something unknown. So what does "cured" mean? Nothing. Who says anyone is cured? The psychiatrist. And what does he know? About depression. That it's a disease when someone is depressed and that there are changes in the brain. In a pamphlet titled 'Recognizing and Treating Depression and Anxiety Disorders' (published by a major US medical publisher back in the early 2000s), they even mention the economic component because it costs society so much. And that's not pretty. Depression is problem number one. Not pretty at all. I won't ramble too much about that pamphlet, I'll just quote its summary of the depression pattern: "In conclusion, we can say that it is most likely, just like in other diseases, a combined effect of numerous biopsychosocial factors which ultimately result in illness." (from a popular health site) Wow, incredibly convincing, right? They convinced me, did they convince you? And now, the lie that "medications can solve or at least alleviate the main problem." Meds act on the brain. But where is the root of depression? In the brain or outside of it? "The difficulties in perceiving depression as a brain disease arise from a misunderstanding of brain functions, the least understood of all organs. When we mention the brain, we first think of intelligence, logic, comprehension, learning, memory, spatial awareness, but it's less known that the brain is also the organ of emotions and moods, the most important factors for an individual's quality of life." (from a health website) Again, so convincing! Everyone repeats it: depression is a disease just like any other. Like high blood pressure or diabetes. After reading all that, I'd be pretty unprofessional if I said otherwise. The numbers are relentless, the percentages are huge, everyone is at risk, young and old. The economy, the family... Diagnosis is a hilarious concept in psychiatry because the same person might have one diagnosis with one psychiatrist and a completely different one with another. I know this will annoy some people, but it's just my opinion, formed while living with and talking to my girlfriend, who's been in the psychiatric "system" for almost twenty years. We both enjoy the fruits of what is called science—psychiatry...
1. "Strattera is the first non-stimulant medication used to treat ADHD. How exactly it works isn't quite clear yet. It's suspected that the drug affects the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, thereby modifying brain activity." (Written by: David Sučić, MD, Source: Abstracts, American Psychiatric Association meeting). So Strattera is a drug, but nobody actually knows how it works... Incredible! Even Josef Mengele wouldn't have missed the mark that badly. What a brilliant medical explanation, major props to those doctors! I mean, who wouldn't just grab a handful of pills and swallow them all, feeling all bright and happy, after hearing such a wonderful explanation?! Who wouldn't just whip up some chocolate milk for their kid and mix in a massive dose of Strattera... Maybe someone at a baby food factory will read this and launch a whole new product line based on Strattera. Like, Strattera-ino. "Strattera-ino, kids love it, you know." "Strattera-ino, let your imagination grow." And it's super important that parents and teachers aren't the cause of ADHD. Really, really vital. The local news covered this with as much hype as if Knoxville had been liberated or a giant flag was being hoisted over Knoxville Castle again. Such huge news because it clears the guilt parents feel in so many situations, whether they're actually at fault or not. You can't cure ADHD; you just manage the symptoms, which basically means treating them blindly... If and when the symptoms fade, I guess that means health is improving...
2. "The guide highlights that medications have shown better efficacy than psychotherapy. Stimulants like methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamines (not registered in America) are used."
Yeah, right. Why bother with talking, therapy, or any of that other crap when you've got drugs where the mechanics are a total mystery?
3. "Professor Eric Taylor from the American Psychiatric Association claims that even in its mildest form, ADHD affects 5% of children worldwide, but it is either overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed."
Man, it would be pretty great if things like gangrene were "overdiagnosed"! Then everyone would be walking around on crutches. Or take testicular cancer, breast cancer, liver cirrhosis, AIDS, typhus, hemorrhoids, leukemia, stomach ulcers, hepatitis, a double compound leg fracture, bladder infections, night blindness, obesity, diabetic coma, rheumatic fever, encephalitis, rabies, yeast infections, uterine tumors... or what if *those* diseases were underdiagnosed?
4. "Most children won't use these medications long-term. By early adolescence, almost half of those treated will no longer need therapy."
Then why even give them those damn meds in the first place if they won't even need them in a few years?! Seriously, who wants to wait years and deal with the chaos with a kid? I don't know if parents realize their kids won't just get kicked out of school, since public education is mandatory in the US and schools HAVE to teach them by law. Parents, don't let them play you! Leave the kids to the people who are actually paid and legally required to educate them...
(these four quotes are from the website
www.pfizerhealth.com)
You can find similar nonsense commenting on other "mental health issues" they cover on Pfizer's pages...
http://psychoblog.com
Let me start with the heavy stuff before I get into the random bits... my folks fought their way into a split and just stopped talking altogether. When my old man passed away, everything was kept super quiet—except for the fact that he was dead. I was just a kid, so I didn't really wrap my head around it. I just felt this massive weight of guilt because he was gone. And honestly, that’s not some psychological cliché, it’s just how it is. Maybe things would've been different if he’d stayed with us? I don't know... who knows. Guilt is a brutal thing, especially when someone's dead and there's no way to fix it. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say they needed "just a little more time" to talk to a parent or grandparent, but time ran out. There’s no fixing that. If you weren't good enough to someone, even if that person was your own father, all the years of catching up later won't balance those scales. Just accept it as a reality. You gotta deal with guilt fast, otherwise it serves zero purpose except making you suffer... or making everyone around you miserable too. My girlfriend has tried to take her own life a few times, and it's hard to admit, but she did that to herself, not to me. It's true, even if I can't say it out loud... Anyway, moving on to the unimportant stuff. This guy Carl Hernandez2 has been popping up lately—total Linux and car enthusiast, but privately he's just a low-level ignoramus who acts shocked every time someone tries to give him some friendly advice to stop talking nonsense. And Carl Hernandez2 is always like: "Do I seriously need to be an expert to talk about a topic?!"... Yes, honey, yes you do. Look, Carl Hernandez2, I'm no PhD, no Master's, and I didn't go to med school or study psychology. You don't need a course on relaxation techniques or any fancy training to think. You don't even need a high school diploma. None of that matters. All you need is common sense, a little daily reflection, and not too much booze, mindless music, or crappy TV shows. Listen to people who actually have experience and have lived through things. Man, you don't need a degree to listen and think; you just need something cheaper than paper—your own two-cent brain. Also, stay far away from WebMD or those junk health sites, because they post so many idiotic articles about psychiatry and stuff that the sheer consistency of stupidity is actually impressive.
David made a solid point there. If you can, just try to work through it on your own... figure things out yourself. Whatever you do, just DO NOT go looking for "professional" help, like some psychologist or psychiatrist. You could seriously overcomplicate everything or just totally wreck your life... instead, just vent to a buddy about it. Ideally someone super close. Or maybe talk to a girlfriend or a guy you're seeing... or even someone who’s dealing with similar stuff. I’m serious: stay away from the "experts," no matter how smart, nice, or well-meaning they seem to be. And definitely skip those flashy, colorful self-help books you see everywhere.
http://psychologytoday.com/blog/