Are you on meds?

Are you taking meds?

  • Yes

    Votes: 32 37.2%

  • No

    Votes: 37 43.0%

  • Tried, no benefits

    Votes: 17 19.8%
  • Total voters
    86
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Enialis227

Well-known member
Emily_G said:
Yes, but I'd still feel like I'm trying to hide the problem. I did that, very successfully, until I was about 19...and I hated every minute of it. IDK, just how I am I guess.
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If you feel like you would have the capability to tackle a problem on your own, then I believe that is ultimately a good thing.
However, medication isn't really a "crutch", it is a viable solution, or part of a solution, to a problem.

What I don't like is people complaining about how a mental problem is ruining their lives, but the same people are unwilling to try medication because of some ignorant (ignorant as in not informed; I don't mean it as stupid) reason or another.
If you have tried medication honestly, and then decided to quit, then that is completely different.

I want to know what causes people to have such negative feelings about something that could ultimately negate their problems.
 
Noca

Noca

Banned
What I've always said in regards to the choice to take medication is that with ANY medication you must first weigh the benefits and risks. Only when the benefits outweigh the risks do you take a medication.
 
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Emily_G

Well-known member
Enialis227 said:
If you feel like you would have the capability to tackle a problem on your own, then I believe that is ultimately a good thing.
However, medication isn't really a "crutch", it is a viable solution, or part of a solution, to a problem.

What I don't like is people complaining about how a mental problem is ruining their lives, but the same people are unwilling to try medication because of some ignorant (ignorant as in not informed; I don't mean it as stupid) reason or another.
If you have tried medication honestly, and then decided to quit, then that is completely different.

I want to know what causes people to have such negative feelings about something that could ultimately negate their problems.
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I'm not sure I view stuttering as a disablity that can be "tackled". I am constantly learning how to cope with it, but it will never go away or probably even get better.

I never said I view meds as a crutch. Stuttering does kind of ruin my life, but only because I allow it to.

I just want to be true to myself, not try to hide it anymore and just learn to accept it and love myself for who I am. That plus there aren't many medications for stuttering.....plus the side effects of putting chemicals in my body....
 
BlueDays

BlueDays

1
For some people anti depressants are keeping them breathing, myself included. It is a bit difficult to work out your problems mentally if you are no longer breathing.
 
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Enialis227

Well-known member
Emily_G said:
I'm not sure I view stuttering as a disablity that can be "tackled". I am constantly learning how to cope with it, but it will never go away or probably even get better.

I never said I view meds as a crutch. Stuttering does kind of ruin my life, but only because I allow it to.

I just want to be true to myself, not try to hide it anymore and just learn to accept it and love myself for who I am. That plus there aren't many medications for stuttering.....plus the side effects of putting chemicals in my body....
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My bad, I didn't mean to imply that you said that, but it really looks like I did, sorry. Overall, I get where you are coming from.
 
nicknamehere

nicknamehere

Well-known member
Thanks for the replies, very interesting.

I've tried several medications, where none have really made any benefits for me, except for 2 where once the side effects got so severe I had to see a doctor. With that horror experience aside, it really turned me off to try other meds from this point on. My body just seems to get the worst reactions from most medications I've tried rather than the mild effects.
 
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ou2saved2

Active member
I am so glad I can answer this one because it is so important to everyone.
Taking meds is a part of healing the phobia if you can find the right ones, yes it usually takes atleast 2, I think because you must supply your brain with the chemical that it doesn't produce on its own and you need a solid
anti-deppressant to pull the brain back from the downward spiral. It is very dangerous to let yourself fall too much. I know the roller coaster of emotions
are hard to describe, I think mainly due to the way we try so hard to bring ourselves around once we do feel better that we dont record our patterns and you must know the patterns once you are on meds because you need to know what to tell the doctor once he perscribes you the meds and it is up to you to tell him what you feel so find a doctor that you can talk to. Taking meds becomes even more difficult when you have S.P. due to the fear of
communicating to someone new. but all in all if you can find a med that works
you will heal the brain over time. I tried a lot of meds and I take Zanax XR
for anxiety and Elavil for depression. Once you find the one that works for you you will know it because it is a really a difference between Night and day.
I once had S.P. so bad that I could not stop by a store without driving by atleast 3 times to get comfortable and familiar enough to stop in. I could not drive up to a red light without having
major panic attacks due to me thinking that I was being watched and judged by how I prepared for the green light! Wow right? I now enjoy the freedom of
the few and have no evidence of fear from people. I do and will always have
anxiety it is how I am wired I stopped trying to get rid of all anxiety when
I was imprisoned for my 5th D.W.I. 5 years of my life I ate, drank, and slept with the very thing I was trying to advoid- "people". but it was the prison doc who gave me the elavil and in two weeks I knew it was over, I will never be held or harmed by my fears again.
 
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hoddesdon

hoddesdon

Well-known member
Remus said:
What I meant is that something like bi-polar or schizophrenia are illnesses where medication helps with chemical imbalances in the brain. Social anxiety does not fall into that category as it's just a behavioural disorder, I was wondering if the OP meant people with "just SA or anxiety" or was incorporating people with all kinds of illnesses treated by meds.
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As explained to me by a psychologist, it is a combination of genetics and environment. The genetic dimension is that there is a chemical imbalance in the brain, as in bi-polar or schizophrenia (lack of dopamine). However, it is possible to have the genetic inheritance without developing social phobia - an environmental trigger is needed. Presumably the lack of dopamine means there is insufficient resilience to "get over it".

In Behavioural Cognitive Therapy there is the concept of a "core belief". The core belief can vary in its details, but the unifying theme seems to be lack of self-endorsement, which springs from adverse experiences (the details Remus has volunteered fit with this). On this site you can see statements like "no-one would ever find me attractive" etc. There is clearly a learning component here.

Someone with adequate dopamine and\or seratonin etc would presumably be able to deal with adverse experiences without learning to behave in the characteristic way.

Lyricalliaisons is basically right in my opinion, but Remus is also right in saying that there is a "learned behaviour" component.
 
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Elenwen

Elenwen

1
I'm on a LOT of different meds at the moment, none specifically for social anxiety. However, I've noticed that a combination of Benedryl and Ativan work wonders to calm me down enough to talk to doctors/nurses I've never met and actually make sense. And of course, the pain meds they have me on make me very friendly towards everyone, ha.
 
Kiwong

Kiwong

Well-known member
I took zoloft for a week once. However, the GP I saw offered no other treatment options such as CBT, so I didn't go back to that doctor.
 
Forgotten-Children

Forgotten-Children

Well-known member
Well technically I still am but I refuse to take them. I hate medication. The last anti-depressants, called Paxil, I was on, they just plastered a fake smile on my face while inside I was still depressed. And these don't really do a damn thing for me. The only reason I got out of the ward is because I PRETENDED to feel good and that I loved myself and all that crap. I mean... I'll admit, at the moment, I'm not suicidal but I think that's because when I first came home, I NEEDED to know if my boyfriend was still going to well... be my boyfriend.

The only time when I take Celxa which are the new meds I "should" be taking now is whenever I'm extremely depressed, only for the idea that I may feel OK afterwards, and that hasn't happened lately so... Woo.
 
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3lefts

3lefts

Well-known member
The first time I ever tried to go to a therapist they wanted to put me on meds. My mom really wanted me to for the longest time as well. . . I don't even take medicine when I'm sick. It's just not for me. Although I have to admit the idea of Beta blockers were temporarily tempting.
 
N0D

N0D

Banned
I've had other problems other than social anxiety so I've been on a handful. I'm finally almost off everything.

I'm highly skeptical of meds.

Sure some people see positive short term effects, but most meds are rather new and haven't been studied enough. That's why everything has a list of side effects 10 miles long, because they don't really know how these drugs effect different people and they want to make sure they aren't liable should anything go wrong.
 
LadyWench

LadyWench

Well-known member
I've tried quite a few different anti-depressants. Most of them haven't helped. I'm currently on 40MG of Lexapro for depression, anxiety and obsessive worrying. It worked great for me in the beginning, but its effects are starting to wear off, unfortunately. I'm still going to take it, though. I have SOME benefits from it, I guess. My OCD still exists, but isn't as severe. I suppose that's a good enough reason to continue it. I'm also on Klonopin for panic attacks, but I don't take it regularly. Just as needed.

I actually hate being on medication and having to depend on it. Especially since I'm STILL not fixed. Hell, I'm not even at the point of being able to hold a job or function like a normal human being. Meh. I don't know what the answer is.
 
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