Posted by Bonnie_CA on May 31, 2006, at 6:51:10
In reply to Re: Best social anxiety meds? - Meds do work, posted by RobertDavid on May 28, 2006, at 19:52:43
You summed it up in a really great story Rob. We all have similar stories of some sort, and I don't feel like putting my whole thing out. But I'll add my two cents or so.
I think the reason people like Sparky feel the way they do is because they had no business being on the medication in the first place. I'm bothered by the hostile tone of that person's post... and I'm not sure exactly what was supposed to be accomplished by posting that way. Anyone who has been to a GP about mysterious problems HAS indeed had a full gambit of tests done, if that doctor is worth their salary. When I went to the doc 8 years ago with mysterious motion problems (airplane feeling during class, nearly fainting in class, random dizziness),I had EVERYTHING tested, even if it was a long shot. Every major organ, blood sugar and hormones, EKG... and it was a written test that tipped it off. I had no idea that there was an actual anxiety disorder until I started taking this test... and I was picking my answers, thinking "Do other people think like this? Wow!" To my amazement, there are people with crushing anxiety disorder, where your body is healthy as can be and your brain is loopy! I scored extremely high, and thus diagnosing me with generalized anxiety disorder.
Doctors need to take more care in diagnosing mental impairments, because when they're wrong, we get angry people like Sparky. I'd be pretty ticked if my diagnosis was wrong too. While that person's anger is very much misdirected (directing anger at the drugs and drug companies instead of the person's own doctor for misdiagnosing), it is what will cause extreme scrunity about the mental health profession. For those people that actually need the medication, it does not make us "crazy". In fact, it is quite the opposite. Believe me, if you want crazy... take my schizophrenic uncle off of his drugs. Then I'll send him over to your house. Tell that guy that his drugs make him crazy. LOL He's really a fabulous guy, and when he's off his rocker he isn't dangerous (which is why it is so hard to get him committed when he's off!), but he is extremely messed up without drugs.
Saying the drugs make a person crazy is like saying a special education class makes a person slow. If it weren't for medications, I wouldn't have finished college, I wouldn't be able to hold a job, I wouldn't be able to HAVE SEX (triggered panic), I wouldn't be able to get married and move across the country... I wouldn't have my life. And I'm a musician and a teacher, I need to be able to leave my house and function. People say "remove the stress"... but what is the point of living if you have to remove pretty much everything out of your life in an effort to "reduce stress"? When getting out of bed in the morning is stressful, that would definitely be an anxiety disorder. And all the talking in the world can only do so much. I am grateful that there are medications to help people with mental impairments. Just think, my sweet uncle would have been just thrown in an asylum a century ago. Because of medication, he got to graduate from college, have a life, be with his family... you can't deny that.
I hope that someday there is better education for all people about mental health.
-Bonnie
poster:Bonnie_CA
thread:643467
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060530/msgs/650853.html