Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Brandon Lopez6 said:First time I've ever heard of the VA running psychotherapy sessions.

Why wouldn't they be able to? There is a legitimate medical basis for it, so they just enroll in a training course.🤷I suppose I would love to take that course myself if my finances ever allowed for it. It seems you just need a medical degree or something in a related field—some places even let you in if you have a background in the humanities... though, I guess anything is possible if one has enough money ($$). But whatever.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/us/education

This just goes to show—once again—exactly how much "value" there really is in this kind of psychotherapy.🙄😲😲

shadowbear9 said:Why wouldn't they be able to? There is a legitimate medical basis for it, so they just enroll in a training course.🤷I suppose I would love to take that course myself if my finances ever allowed for it. It seems you just need a medical degree or something in a related field—some places even let you in if you have a background in the humanities... though, I guess anything is possible if one has enough money ($$). But whatever.

Cognitive therapy actually works. The whole idea is for the therapist to train the patient during sessions so they can eventually function without needing constant help. That’s how the framework is designed. Usually, it lasts about 10 to 14 weeks, depending on how deep the issues go.
The other issue is people peddling courses just to line their own pockets. It ends up being watered down and frankly useless.
I have the book by Judith S. Beck, *Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond*.
I’d recommend it to anyone actually willing to take responsibility for their own situation... read it cover to cover... start over from page one with a notebook... take it step by step... essentially become your own doctor.

So, my psychiatrist doesn't actually do psychotherapy. She told me straight up that she went into psychiatry specifically because she wanted to practice therapy, but apparently, to get properly qualified, she’d have to spend five years undergoing intensive therapy herself right here in Washington, D.C., three times a week. And, well, she just can't swing that kind of cost...

Five whole years, three times a week—just to be considered a legitimate psychotherapist.

In that case, how on earth are we supposed to expect anyone who just breezes through some quick littletraining course to actually do a quality job??

redranger2 said:Milligram is really the one who pioneered this discussion, so he ought to be the one to officially start a thread about it.😍

Haha, so now you're trying to pass the buck to me. I've always been a pretty direct person—I tend to say what's on my mind, I guess... regardless, I don't see myself opening a whole new topic here because there really isn't a solution to be found. Maybe if you just quit drinking, you wouldn't act like a high-strung engine running at full throttle all the time—you can't even walk through a grocery store without everyone noticing the jittery energy. Just an observation!😉

Kenneth Scott41 said:Haha, so now you're trying to pass the buck to me. I've always been a pretty direct person—I tend to say what's on my mind, I guess... regardless, I don't see myself opening a whole new topic here because there really isn't a solution to be found. Maybe if you just quit drinking, you wouldn't act like a high-strung engine running at full throttle all the time—you can't even walk through a grocery store without everyone noticing the jittery energy. Just an observation!😉

I'm on a combination of Zoloft and Wellbutrin, and honestly, I feel more irritable more often than I did before I started taking anything at all.. 😍

shadowbear9 said:Why wouldn't they be able to? There is a legitimate medical basis for it, so they just enroll in a training course.🤷I suppose I would love to take that course myself if my finances ever allowed for it. It seems you just need a medical degree or something in a related field—some places even let you in if you have a background in the humanities... though, I guess anything is possible if one has enough money ($$). But whatever.

I don't agree either, though if it helps you, go for it. But the idea that someone working in an unlicensed field can just take a course and bypass five years of psychology school plus years of training to become a therapist or psychiatrist—someone who actually spent a decade specializing—doesn't make sense. I get it, some unlicensed practitioners love to overstep and act like they know everything. Years ago, my kid hurt their ankle and this guy from a local wellness center tried to apply a cast himself without a doctor or an X-ray. I wasn't having it... he was convinced he was on par with a surgeon. Honestly, don't be mad, but I'm with the others: that kind of therapy from an unlicensed person is baseless. I have a liberal arts degree myself, and even then, I wouldn't dream of practicing psychotherapy... not that my degree worked wonders for me either.

Paul Newman5 said:I don't agree either, though if it helps you, go for it. But the idea that someone working in an unlicensed field can just take a course and bypass five years of psychology school plus years of training to become a therapist or psychiatrist—someone who actually spent a decade specializing—doesn't make sense. I get it, some unlicensed practitioners love to overstep and act like they know everything. Years ago, my kid hurt their ankle and this guy from a local wellness center tried to apply a cast himself without a doctor or an X-ray. I wasn't having it... he was convinced he was on par with a surgeon. Honestly, don't be mad, but I'm with the others: that kind of therapy from an unlicensed person is baseless. I have a liberal arts degree myself, and even then, I wouldn't dream of practicing psychotherapy... not that my degree worked wonders for me either.

All of that holds water, but I honestly don't see any reason why I would oppose her or go looking for conflict, doubt, or questioning. It won't cause any harm... and yet, I still feel that having a sense of trust and a solid relationship with my doctor is vital.

shadowbear9 said:All of that holds water, but I honestly don't see any reason why I would oppose her or go looking for conflict, doubt, or questioning. It won't cause any harm... and yet, I still feel that having a sense of trust and a solid relationship with my doctor is vital.

I never meant you should doubt anyone or pick fights. If it works for you, go for it. But looking at your posts, it doesn't seem like it's helping much if you're still feeling on edge after five months of AD. I wasn't trying to be critical—just sharing my take. Personally, I'm all for trying everything; I've been through therapists, advice from the Mayo Clinic, bioenergy, and meds. It just felt weird to me that an organization would offer that kind of therapy alongside a course. Sorry if I stepped on any toes... didn't mean to. I just want everyone here, including myself, to actually get better or at least find decent treatment.😉

Hey, anyone around? I was wondering if anyone here has tried Coaxial for depression and what your experience has been like. I’ve been on it for four days now, and I’m really hoping it kicks in soon because this depression is making it impossible to function—I'm basically just crying and sleeping all day. :-(

I’m curious—does anyone else find that benzos actually make you feel even more on edge?
So, I woke up at 3:00 AM last night and took a cherry for sleep along with 5 mg of Ativan. It calmed me down enough to drift off, but I only lasted about an hour and a half or two before my heart started racing again.
It feels like I’d need massive doses just to get any relief, and I really don't want to go down that road.
How do you guys deal with anxiety when you wake up in the middle of the night?

Elizabeth Alvarez5 said:Hey, anyone around? I was wondering if anyone here has tried Coaxial for depression and what your experience has been like. I’ve been on it for four days now, and I’m really hoping it kicks in soon because this depression is making it impossible to function—I'm basically just crying and sleeping all day. :-(

I'm on Coaxial. Day 12 for me. Not sure what to tell you. It totally sedates me; my legs feel like cooked carrots, if that makes sense. Muscle sensation is weird. Honestly, it’s a bit better than when I first started, but the anxiety and nerves hit harder than the depression itself. It just seems to knock me straight into bed. There should be others on the forum who've used it, so maybe someone else will chime in. How are you feeling so far? Any side effects? What's your daily dose? And is it anxiety too, or just the depression?

Dennis Turner6 said:I’m curious—does anyone else find that benzos actually make you feel even more on edge?
So, I woke up at 3:00 AM last night and took a cherry for sleep along with 5 mg of Ativan. It calmed me down enough to drift off, but I only lasted about an hour and a half or two before my heart started racing again.
It feels like I’d need massive doses just to get any relief, and I really don't want to go down that road.
How do you guys deal with anxiety when you wake up in the middle of the night?

I deal with anxiety and nerves too. Right now, I take 4.5 mg of Ativan and 0.25 mg of Mayer in the evening, and I mostly sleep fine—maybe even better than before this whole mess started. For me, Mayer doesn't fully settle me like people on these forums claim; Ativan is the real winner. If I really need to crash, I have to mix the Mayer and Ativan. My doctor knows, and my psychiatrist said it was okay, though they usually push the Mayer. With Mayer, it feels incomplete, like it calms me but leaves a lingering edge of anxiety. Once I take the Ativan, though, I'm totally steady. As for the heart palpitations, Ormidol helps—I take half of a 25mg dose in the morning. A cardiologist prescribed that last year when I was running through doctors thinking I had a physical ailment, until I realized it was all mental. That's just how it goes for me. I'm on Coaxial right now, too, but we'll see if it actually does anything. Are you taking any antidepressants?

I’m not on any antidepressants—just an occasional anti-anxiety med if things get really bad. I don't take anything during the day, just at night if I'm feeling super restless.
Even my psychiatrist didn't bring up antidepressants when we first started my treatment plan.
Half of what you wrote here is totally new to me 🤣
Let me go Google this. Thanks for the info! 😁

Dennis Turner6 said:I’m not on any antidepressants—just an occasional anti-anxiety med if things get really bad. I don't take anything during the day, just at night if I'm feeling super restless.
Even my psychiatrist didn't bring up antidepressants when we first started my treatment plan.
Half of what you wrote here is totally new to me 🤣
Let me go Google this. Thanks for the info! 😁

No worries. Honestly, I wish none of this was familiar to me either. A year ago, I wasn't on anything and wondered why people even needed meds to deal with life. Then reality hit me too, unfortunately, so now I know the drill. Plus, everyone reacts to medication differently. It's all individual. For me, mornings are the worst; afternoons and evenings are easier to manage. That first hour after waking up is always the hardest.

Paul Newman5 said:No worries. Honestly, I wish none of this was familiar to me either. A year ago, I wasn't on anything and wondered why people even needed meds to deal with life. Then reality hit me too, unfortunately, so now I know the drill. Plus, everyone reacts to medication differently. It's all individual. For me, mornings are the worst; afternoons and evenings are easier to manage. That first hour after waking up is always the hardest.

That’s pretty standard for those of us dealing with depression and anxiety, unfortunately. Mornings are almost always the hardest part of the battle.

fadedbear92 said:That’s pretty standard for those of us dealing with depression and anxiety, unfortunately. Mornings are almost always the hardest part of the battle.

Exactly. When you actually need to be productive at work, you just feel like a wet noodle.🤣Though I’ll be a little petty—it makes tomorrow easier knowing I won't be the only one struggling in the morning.😂Thinking of you.

fadedbear92 said:That’s pretty standard for those of us dealing with depression and anxiety, unfortunately. Mornings are almost always the hardest part of the battle.

But seriously. Are you on any antidepressants? I can't keep track of everything, I forget, and I actually want to know how you feel in the morning and how long it lingers. Just curious.

Paul Newman5 said:No worries. Honestly, I wish none of this was familiar to me either. A year ago, I wasn't on anything and wondered why people even needed meds to deal with life. Then reality hit me too, unfortunately, so now I know the drill. Plus, everyone reacts to medication differently. It's all individual. For me, mornings are the worst; afternoons and evenings are easier to manage. That first hour after waking up is always the hardest.

My mornings are a complete fog, a total nightmare where I can barely drag myself into consciousness. Then comes that sensation—those fluttering butterflies in the stomach, which I suspect is just the anxiety migrating through my system. It’s a heavy, paralyzing feeling that makes getting out of bed feel like an uphill battle against gravity itself. I eventually force myself up, grab a coffee, and try to find some semblance of stability, but that process takes at least an hour. And without fail, before I even think about stepping foot outside the house, I have to take some xanax.

I’m actually functional in the mornings; I live for my coffee ritual, those 45-60 minutes are basically sacred to me.
But then this anxiety bullshit starts creeping in during the afternoon... just hits me out of nowhere.
That's been the pattern for the last few years—it's nothing compared to how things used to be, when it was a constant, 24/7/365 nightmare
Maybe it's because I started taking my AD in the morning, who knows...

That last nasty depressive episode totally wrecked me back in January; it was pure hell for days on end, and absolutely nothing seemed to touch it.