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Medication vs no medication

2angelsSenior Contributor20 Oct 2016, 9:08 am AEDT

Medication vs no medication

I admire people who can maintain their mental health without drugs. For me despite medication and using cbt, dbt, therapy, I can still at times battle with my mental health. No I don't like the side effects but the alternative is much worse. I want to stay sane for my daughter & avoid yet more hospitalisations ans constant instability.
There's so much misunderstanding about MI in the community thinking it is cured by taking drugs and no consideration to side effects.
What has been your experience? There's a lot of judgement about "non-compliance" but can you understand why people would stop their meds? Have you tried it? Or are you like me with break through symptoms even on meds and couldn't imagine taking away that help?

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In response to: Medication vs no medication

2angelsSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 2:42 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

@PeppiPatti thank you for your thoughtful response. I spose it's one thing going through our struggles & another seeing our children go through it. Luckily my daughter is young so I have all that to look forward to. But I'll just try to enjoy her as she is without worrying to much about the future! Sending loving thoughts your way

In response to: Re: Medication vs no medication

PeppiPattySenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 2:55 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

every time I read your messages @2angels you just have another layer of interest ....

A daughter.lucky you. Never did Ithink that I was going to be so lucky to have such strong sons....And that my oldest wold make the mature decision to see qualifies Psychotherapists where he lives.

Nighty night @2angels

Please keep up starting up threads and talk to everyone...you are so interesting.....

In response to: Medication vs no medication

pipSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 6:15 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

Hi@2angels. Quite often when the depression is mild or temporary, having a job can be beneficial. However when the depression is caused by other factors, such as bipolar/OCD/BPD, that's when trying to hold a job or even just talking becomes more difficult. The other mental health issues the person suffers, means they become suspicious and tend to cover by trying to act differently. Dealing with long term MI, plus OCD, bipolar, BPD, can be extremely frustrating as the patient and their immediate families have to learn to cope with severe mood swings, suspicion etc. While medication helps to stabilize the condition, nothing seems to help for long. Toxic people do not help, but recognizing toxicity is difficult, as you say, when you are living with it. I only 'saw' how toxic it was when my bf opened my eyes. Because he saw what I couldn't, or refused to believe, it was harder to accept. Once I got out of it, and thought about it, I realized what it was. I'd heard of 'toxic' people, but never experienced it first hand.

In response to: Medication vs no medication

pipSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 7:53 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

Hi @Kurra. Excuse the interruption, my ex BIL has bipolar, not sure whether bipolar 1 or 2, don't know the difference. When he is 'good' for lack of another word, he can 'rule'. However when he 'falls', which apparently is frequently, he literally crashes. He shakes uncontrollably, the bed becomes his best friend, he can't hold a conversation. I know some of the meds he has taken over the years, but with the downs, he suffers. I presume the shaking would indicate the bipolar is at it's worse. Can I ask if this is usual bipolar behaviour or could there be some other factor? Every so often his meds are reviewed/changed/altered. As I mentioned, when he is 'up' he is 'king'. He has little/no self confidence, can't read, write. At the same time he has owned several businesses, owns one as I write this. His wife my ex SIL has cancer, terminal, she has been having chemo nearly 2 years and this does also affect him naturally, but whether it would make it worse.

In response to: Re: Medication vs no medication

2angelsSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 10:31 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

@PeppiPattyDid you draw that? What a beautiful picture! Thank you for your kind words. We all have such experiences and it's great to have a forum like this to share our experiences. I'm glad your son is making mature decisions - what I want for my own... xx

In response to: Re: Medication vs no medication

2angelsSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 10:31 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

@pip thank you for your insights!

In response to: Medication vs no medication

DecadianSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 10:58 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

, they do not ease the pain of ignorant uneducated people who advise you to 'get a job', 'get over it', 'snap out of it'. You're looking for sympathy, is another saying I had to deal with.

Hi @pip

I have a strange little joke I use sometimes

There was an old man sitting by the side of the road looking unhappy and helpless - and someone came up to him and said

"Mate - you have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps"

And man was holding his boots and looked up replying

"I would too - but I can't get them on over my bunions"

So yes - being told to snap out of it - etc - is not going to help - if it would no one would ever say that

And getting a job helps with the finances but it goes no where near helping with the depression and sympathy - hellsbells - why should we not want a little sympathy?

Alas and alack - how can we live in a parallel universe with some of the people handing out pretty but useless little cards with unhelpful comments - to those of us with mental and emotional disorders - but are very happy to send someone recently bereaved beautiful cards saying wonderful things - what's the difference

Once loss can be seen and understood - others mean madness -

This is a strange world -

As @2angels has said - would we give filtered water to someone with a broken leg? - Well yes - I like filtered water and I don't need to have a broken leg - but it is unlikely to heal the broken leg - anymore than it would to heal a broken heart -

How I wish I could gather up the broken hearted and heal their wounds

Decadian

In response to: Re: Medication vs no medication

pipSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 11:05 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

@Decadian. All I can add here is AMEN. Possibly wrong phrase, but to quote the Beach Boys, 'wouldn't it be nice' if there was a way to heal the broken.

In response to: Re: Medication vs no medication

DecadianSenior Contributor22 Oct 2016, 11:20 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

Thanks @pip

Dec

In response to: Re: Medication vs no medication

PeppiPattySenior Contributor23 Oct 2016, 1:05 am AEDT

Re: Medication vs no medication

Hi All, "Good Vibrations,' would be one of my most favourite record of all time. I love imagining one of Brian W.ilson's brothers handing him 10 cheeseburgers and he would churn out top breaking songs in exchange......

Unbelieveable that he's the only surviving one.....

Thanks @2angels for the compliment of my picture of a rose, I've realised that my drawing has become more concrete since being online on Sane forums. I get very tired easily ....but Im cleaning out my oungeroom tonight and cleaning out all my junk into piles of junk so I'm supposed to be more organised with my piles of junk art now......

What are you doing Ms @Decadian ? YOu sare a very clever lady, you keep me thinking. Today, me nd hubby had lunch with his Mum at a restruant and I had garlic prawns. yummy yummy yummy.......

Whats everyone elses favourite food?

I love crackers with heaps of butter on em too.....

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