Posted by ElaineM on June 27, 2006, at 13:47:19
In reply to Re: Can psych treatments cure us? (need inspiratio, posted by Michael83 on June 26, 2006, at 22:36:11
> Do you feel like a "different" person when you take the meds, or just more "relaxed"?
> I have never taken any medication. One of my fears of it is that it basically make me "someone else."I don't think that medications make you someone else really. If anything, perhaps a different version of yourself. Like part of you can function at a better level. The core-you is still you. (If that makes any sense) I never really think of the type of fear you have of meds. For me, I never wanted to try them because I was hoping they would make me a throughly different person, (I wanted them to), and didn't want to risk finding out that I'd still be only me.
> My problem is that I just need to relax. My brain starts going 100mph.
If you have alot of anxiety, I do think benzo's can help a bit with that. I've tried Risperdal and Klonopin but I didn't feel any benefits. I do however take Ativan for insomnia, and sometimes it does tone down my anxiety at little. I don't respond well (or haven't yet) to meds in general. I have many things wrong with me, but I think a huge part is loneliness and feeling empty, and I don't think medication can cure that. I guess that's where the therapy part comes in to play.> I don't want to be "dumbed down," I just want to be "hey, relax a little." I just want my brain to be more reasonable. Less "black and white."
Seeing a pdoc would be worth a try. I think anti-anxiety meds sometimes slow me down enough to see the grey in situations, instead of only black and white. Sometimes.
And in terms of therapy, when I was seeing my old T, there were days when the connection I felt with her, the being heard, the sharing of my most intense sadness,...helped me, and lifted me up more than any bouts of meds did. I don't know, I guess its such an individual thing - a continuum of success. I'm learning there's ALOT of trial and error involved. And if a complete "cure" doesn't come (if it exists at all), "success" can be marked by little changes and the improvement they can bring. They're important too. Don't give up.
Take care, ELaine
poster:ElaineM
thread:661741
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20060623/msgs/661862.html