Psych meds discussion

I know somebody's going to disagree, but my medical doctor was telling me every single one of the psychiatric medicines are bad for you, which most of us already know. This is coming from my family practitioner, not a psychiatrist. What they told me it was there's actually no medicine that is safe and that's why there are so called side effects, because side effects are your body telling you it doesn't agree. They said that's what side effects are, your body having bad reactions. It's not from the medicine.  It's your body's reaction to the medicine. So it doesn't matter if medicine is controlled or not controlled or addictive or not addictive, it's not good for you either way. So there's really no reason to stop taking benzos and start taking antidepressants. You might as well keep taking benzos if they work. So hopefully everybody can get off of all of the psychiatric meds, and heal naturally. I guess that would be the ultimate goal for everybody, never see a doctor again and relax out in the country or on the beach or in the mountains or something. And live a productive fulfilled life. Obviously for some it's not that easy, and it might never work. But I wish everybody the best regardless, and hope that everybody is chemical free eventually.

 

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I was once polydrugged. I totally agree. My life is better without meds.

Side effects from dugs typically has to do with your dna and enzymes needed to metabolize a drug. Most people have genetic mutations to at least a few drugs some people have several mutations 

The other reason for side effects is other underlying issues not yet known or interaction with other meds/toxins/etc.

when I got off chew I could tolerate meds I couldn’t before.

 

All drugs have risk but so people absolutely need meds. In a ideal world no but some people have to have them. There a people out there that are bi polar and can manage with therapy and others are dangerous to themselves and others with out it.

 

He area that needs improved is not giving these drugs for occasional panic attacks and/or sleep issues. These pts should be warned of the long effects and need to be told the best thing is to try therapy first.

Unfortunately this can be very expensive. Some may need 1-2k of therapy compared to $5 a month and a easier short term fix.

 

In my case because I was young having DR/DP, burning pains, stuttered speech, panic attacks, etc I still would be fine with a AD but only short term until therapy was involved and I was back to working out, sleeping and tapered off. This was not the case, I was on a AD  for 8 years before any doctor ever suggested therapy. That’s insane. I had a bad doc but had no idea. I was told I got medicine and it helped so no reason to stop and given 6 months of refills after a 2 month visit. This was in my early 20’s, I had no history of using meds much and I knew nothing other than what the doctor was telling me.

Drugs aren’t the biggest problem, bad doctors, insurance and a poor set up in this country for  mental health issues are

Side effects from dugs typically has to do with your dna and enzymes needed to metabolize a drug. Most people have genetic mutations to at least a few drugs some people have several mutations 

The other reason for side effects is other underlying issues not yet known or interaction with other meds/toxins/etc.

when I got off chew I could tolerate meds I couldn’t before.

 

All drugs have risk but so people absolutely need meds. In a ideal world no but some people have to have them. There a people out there that are bi polar and can manage with therapy and others are dangerous to themselves and others with out it.

 

He area that needs improved is not giving these drugs for occasional panic attacks and/or sleep issues. These pts should be warned of the long effects and need to be told the best thing is to try therapy first.

Unfortunately this can be very expensive. Some may need 1-2k of therapy compared to $5 a month and a easier short term fix.

 

In my case because I was young having DR/DP, burning pains, stuttered speech, panic attacks, etc I still would be fine with a AD but only short term until therapy was involved and I was back to working out, sleeping and tapered off. This was not the case, I was on a AD  for 8 years before any doctor ever suggested therapy. That’s insane. I had a bad doc but had no idea. I was told I got medicine and it helped so no reason to stop and given 6 months of refills after a 2 month visit. This was in my early 20’s, I had no history of using meds much and I knew nothing other than what the doctor was telling me.

Drugs aren’t the biggest problem, bad doctors, insurance and a poor set up in this country for  mental health issues are

 

Wow. This is just ONE opinion. I have the opposite one. You should add "my opinion" if you post. Thanks.

What actually defines a Psych Med from other meds..?? Where and how do we draw that line..??

 

I certainly wish I had not stopped 20 years of diazepam that I took with no side effects, updosing, tolerence etc.

 

 

A psych med is a med that you take for psychiatric conditions. I don't remember who asked, but yeah. And sometimes I wish I'd just kept taking benzos too, but too late. Thing is, it would have been better to never need anything at all in the first place, which is why they need to pay us money for time and suffering. And whoever said something about genes, that too. I think that's what my doctor meant about having a bad reaction to certain meds. In my case, I can't take any AD's. They make me worse.

A psych med is a med that you take for psychiatric conditions. I don't remember who asked, but yeah. And sometimes I wish I'd just kept taking benzos too, but too late. Thing is, it would have been better to never need anything at all in the first place, which is why they need to pay us money for time and suffering. And whoever said something about genes, that too. I think that's what my doctor meant about having a bad reaction to certain meds. In my case, I can't take any AD's. They make me worse.

Oh, ok then, I have never taken a psych med, -asides a few days of failed AD start-ups here n there.. 

I kinda thought a psych med was something that modulated neurochemistry, but I guess thats just a Med in general then...

 

 

(Like!)

For sure. And technically benzos are psych meds as well (used for anxiety conditions much of the time), but are used for muscles, neurology, stomachs, sweating, etc. as well. I generally consider antipsychotics and ADs and mood stabilizers to be psych meds, but it really doesn't make a difference at the end of the day. Fact is, they are ALL bad at the end, whether from money lost, or physical health lost from time down due to them. Which is why my doctor said they are ALL bad, and helped me with disability instead, which now I'm waiting on my appeal again after years of not getting them the correct info, which was another problem they caused, and now off them, I'm thinking better.

They are all bad, but some are worse than others. Benzos are especially bad because GABA is so fundamental. A disorder in utilizing GABA (which is what benzo withdrawal is) therefore affects every part of your nervous system. Which is why benzo withdrawal is so very brutal with so many symptoms.

 

BTW, "psych drugs" should also include substances such as alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, cocaine, opiods, magic mushrooms, ... as well as the variety of crap prescribed by psychiatrists (benzos, SSRI's, antipsychotics, etc). A psych drug is just a drug that affects your nervous system, typically by mucking with neurotransmitters. Whether we as a society happen to make it legal/illegal or prescription/OTC is largely a matter of history and a matter of who gets to make money selling the crap. They are all addictive to some degree, but some more than others. Benzos are particularly addictive, again because GABA is so fundamental as the *one* "slow it down" neurotransmitter in our nervous systems.

 

Take care!

 

Chessplayer

That's a great point, and sugar from our food is the most addictive maybe. That's a drug with bad consequences, psychological addiction and dependence, and physical dependence, with its own withdrawal. Sugar withdrawal is similar to opiate withdrawal. I just never looked at it like a drug. And yes marijuana is definitely a psychiatric drug, because it's prescribed. It's even prescribed for PTSD, which is what I had my medical card for. And it can actually give you anxiety even though it regulates glutamate. It kind of takes it away and gives it to you at the same time. Even if you smoke Indica like people think, it will still give you anxiety if you smoke enough. I was at the dispensary everyday for 2 years straight getting different strains, and even the ones with CBD, you have to be careful. Otherwise you will start getting anxiety and you won't know why. So yeah basically you have to be careful with everything, but you still have to have fun. I just don't play around with Gaba drugs and alcohol anymore, which might just be the worst out of them all. But it's legal because everybody likes it so much. Anyways, good luck.

It's funny when people say they aren't addicted to any drug yet cannot give up caffeine, which is a DRUG. It's just legal and cheap, that's all. 

Yeah, it's a legal stimulant. So caffeine get you jacked up, sugar makes you feel good, nicotine also gets you jacked up, alcohol calms you down and get you jacked up at the same time sometimes, even l-theanine is a drug. So green tea as well. Are all drugs. Some are just better than others. Or maybe you could say some are worse than others. But it wasn't too long ago I was watching a video from a doctor and they were explaining how sugar works just like opiates. You get the same pleasure response and the withdrawal is really identical, but it's not the same as what they were making it out to be. You're going to feel much worse coming off of Oxycontin or methadone then you would coming off of sugar. But I get where they're coming from.

Yeah, it's a legal stimulant. So caffeine get you jacked up, sugar makes you feel good, nicotine also gets you jacked up, alcohol calms you down and get you jacked up at the same time sometimes, even l-theanine is a drug. So green tea as well. Are all drugs. Some are just better than others. Or maybe you could say some are worse than others. But it wasn't too long ago I was watching a video from a doctor and they were explaining how sugar works just like opiates. You get the same pleasure response and the withdrawal is really identical, but it's not the same as what they were making it out to be. You're going to feel much worse coming off of Oxycontin or methadone then you would coming off of sugar. But I get where they're coming from.

 

I agree with all you say except the bit about sugar. Sugar is not a drug, it's a nutrient. That said, consuming too much (as nearly all Americans do) could make it act like a drug, and of course has bad consequences. The effect of excessive sugar is not as simple as you describe; it depends on age and on where you are in the spectrum of diabetes development. See this book https://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Pills-Needles-Re-Think-Diabetes-ebook/dp/B07DT9P32K/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Tom+Jelinek&qid=1586284466&sr=8-1 for a scientific explanation of sugar metabolism.

That's a great point, and sugar from our food is the most addictive maybe. That's a drug with bad consequences, psychological addiction and dependence, and physical dependence, with its own withdrawal. Sugar withdrawal is similar to opiate withdrawal. I just never looked at it like a drug. And yes marijuana is definitely a psychiatric drug, because it's prescribed. It's even prescribed for PTSD, which is what I had my medical card for. And it can actually give you anxiety even though it regulates glutamate. It kind of takes it away and gives it to you at the same time. Even if you smoke Indica like people think, it will still give you anxiety if you smoke enough. I was at the dispensary everyday for 2 years straight getting different strains, and even the ones with CBD, you have to be careful. Otherwise you will start getting anxiety and you won't know why. So yeah basically you have to be careful with everything, but you still have to have fun. I just don't play around with Gaba drugs and alcohol anymore, which might just be the worst out of them all. But it's legal because everybody likes it so much. Anyways, good luck.

 

Cannabis is a psychiatric drug, not because it is by prescription, but because it acts on the cannaboid receptors, Some people report anxiety, but that is not its main effect. I myself do not get anxiety from cannabis. I think it *is* addictive, though not as much as benzos. I guess I'll find out if I run out while we're still in lockdown with cannabis shops closed...

Well, it's hard to say if the shops will run out or not. When I lived in Colorado, they had plenty but then again they were going to work. I don't know if they are going to stop working because of coronavirus, because it's a medical necessity. The place I had gotten a job at was a 50,000 square foot facility in Denver Colorado, and it would be really hard to start running those places dry. But then again, there's more dispensaries than Starbucks. But yeah, it will give you anxiety if you smoke enough sativa, or if you're one of those people that everything works backwards, if you smoke enough Indica it will. If you don't believe me, get a couple ounces of dabs. Then again, that's not very good medical advice, but if you don't get any anxiety at all, that's not normal. I've been smoking my whole life and there's good strains and then there's strains that don't agree so well. And some people get really bad anxiety with edibles, but Edibles always gave me a calming effect instead of a tripping High affect. So who knows, everybody's body is different with those also. My favorite strains were Flo and OG Kush and Gorilla Glue and pre 98 Bubba Kush and things like that. I stick to the old school strains, not the top shelf newer ones with crazy amounts of THC. Because once you start getting into those strains, there's less medical benefits.

Well, it's hard to say if the shops will run out or not. When I lived in Colorado, they had plenty but then again they were going to work. I don't know if they are going to stop working because of coronavirus, because it's a medical necessity. The place I had gotten a job at was a 50,000 square foot facility in Denver Colorado, and it would be really hard to start running those places dry. But then again, there's more dispensaries than Starbucks. But yeah, it will give you anxiety if you smoke enough sativa, or if you're one of those people that everything works backwards, if you smoke enough Indica it will. If you don't believe me, get a couple ounces of dabs. Then again, that's not very good medical advice, but if you don't get any anxiety at all, that's not normal. I've been smoking my whole life and there's good strains and then there's strains that don't agree so well. And some people get really bad anxiety with edibles, but Edibles always gave me a calming effect instead of a tripping High affect. So who knows, everybody's body is different with those also. My favorite strains were Flo and OG Kush and Gorilla Glue and pre 98 Bubba Kush and things like that. I stick to the old school strains, not the top shelf newer ones with crazy amounts of THC. Because once you start getting into those strains, there's less medical benefits.

 

I only do edibles because smoke bothers my lungs. I only get calming effect from edibles.

 

Here (New Hampshire) the only cannabis for sale is medical. In neighboring MA they have both medicinal and recreational, but during the COVID lockdown only medical is available. I don't have a prescription and had been buying recreational in MA. I am not going to fly to Colorado to get edibles during COVID lockdown, so I hope my supply lasts through the lockdown. I think it will, unless we are locked down for a long long time.

I hear you on that. Too bad I didn't just grow up on Cape Cod or Martha's Vineyard smoking pot from a dispensary instead of taking benzos. But you know, things happened. Whenever I move to Colorado, everybody told me you could get better Medical and it was cheaper than recreational, so I went to the doctor and got a medical card from the state and all that stuff. Only to find out, there's really good deals on Rec also. The taxes are extremely high and you're always paying about 50 bucks more per ounce at least, but it's really not that much different. Washington is the same way. Florida where I used to live finally legalized, but it's really expensive Medical. And where I'm at now, in North Carolina, it's going to be a long time. I really wish they would hurry up though.

Please remember that Benzo Buddies is not an anti med, anti psychiatry forum.  While you can discuss your personal issues taking these types of drugs, it is not permissible to speak negatively in general. I have zero tolerance for AD's and such but I do know people who have done well on them and needed them for certain reasons.

 

Please review forum policy in regards to this:

 

Whilst some of our members report negative experiences with doctors, psychiatrists, or the wider medical profession, and although we do not wish to outlaw comments about how members feel let down or mistreated in their personal medical care, you are not permitted to use this community as a platform to spread general anti-doctor or anti-psychiatry propaganda. Nor should you, unless you are posting a recommendation, name those involved in your healthcare. For more about this policy, please read our Anti-doctor, Anti-psychiatrist and Anti-medicine Comments notice.

pianogirl

That's a great point, and sugar from our food is the most addictive maybe. That's a drug with bad consequences, psychological addiction and dependence, and physical dependence, with its own withdrawal. Sugar withdrawal is similar to opiate withdrawal. I just never looked at it like a drug. And yes marijuana is definitely a psychiatric drug, because it's prescribed. It's even prescribed for PTSD, which is what I had my medical card for. And it can actually give you anxiety even though it regulates glutamate. It kind of takes it away and gives it to you at the same time. Even if you smoke Indica like people think, it will still give you anxiety if you smoke enough. I was at the dispensary everyday for 2 years straight getting different strains, and even the ones with CBD, you have to be careful. Otherwise you will start getting anxiety and you won't know why. So yeah basically you have to be careful with everything, but you still have to have fun. I just don't play around with Gaba drugs and alcohol anymore, which might just be the worst out of them all. But it's legal because everybody likes it so much. Anyways, good luck.

 

Cannabis is a psychiatric drug, not because it is by prescription, but because it acts on the cannaboid receptors, Some people report anxiety, but that is not its main effect. I myself do not get anxiety from cannabis. I think it *is* addictive, though not as much as benzos. I guess I'll find out if I run out while we're still in lockdown with cannabis shops closed...

 

Ours are open in California...considered essential. As are liquor stores. 

I don't think they're all bad.  They're a tool, which if used properly can temporarily provide some desired outcome.  Problem is that they're way over-prescribed - both in terms of dose and duration.

 

I tend to be a lumper (not a splitter), and see many drugs and foods as having some impact on the mind.  If sugar or alcohol makes you calm or happy, then I guess they're psych drugs to some extent (yes, sugar's also a food, same for alcohol).  A little sugar (or alcohol) has it's place, but again, they're often used inappropriately (chronic use often evolves to some level of dependence). 

 

However, I think the discussion is intended to be about substances that are usually taken for some perceived psychological shortcoming for which I'll return to paragraph #1.

All drugs have risk but so people absolutely need meds. In a ideal world no but some people have to have them. There a people out there that are bi polar and can manage with therapy and others are dangerous to themselves and others with out it.

 

Hmmm....I wonder how the world got along for tens of thousands of years without them then.

 

I also wonder why the incidence of mental illness has skyrocketed with the advent of psych drugs.

 

You would think that if these drugs were "needed" or even "beneficial" that we would certainly see much less mental illness, but the fact is that it's exactly the opposite.

 

This is explained in detail in the book Anatomy of an Epidemic. There are also tons of youtube videos by the author, Robert Whitaker. I highly recommend all of his work. It will give you a new perspective on psych drugs.

 

As far as sugar goes, I absolutely look at it as a drug. It stimulates the brain similar to the way hard drugs do. https://www.mic.com/articles/88015/what-happens-to-your-brain-on-sugar-explained-by-science

 

Humans aren't wired to be able to handle all of the sugar we have in the modern world, both from a physiological and a psychological perspective. It probably wasn't a big deal 10,000 years ago when we were eating some occasional honey and some natural fruits that hadn't been bred for excess sugar content, but how that refined sugar is dirt cheap and literally everywhere, it's hard to avoid it and hard to resist it.

 

The average American consumes 57 pounds of added sugar every year. It is literally killing us. Our rational brain knows that it isn't good for us but it's hard to resist that dopamine rush.

And in regards to dopamine, supposedly our dopamine is really low during benzo withdrawal. I can't remember where I saw it but there was some kind of science behind it. So we're doing pretty good considering the science behind everything. Low Gaba and high glutamate and low dopamine. And we're still communicating on the internet. I guess that's pretty good

Please remember that Benzo Buddies is not an anti med, anti psychiatry forum.  While you can discuss your personal issues taking these types of drugs, it is not permissible to speak negatively in general. I have zero tolerance for AD's and such but I do know people who have done well on them and needed them for certain reasons.

 

Please review forum policy in regards to this:

 

Whilst some of our members report negative experiences with doctors, psychiatrists, or the wider medical profession, and although we do not wish to outlaw comments about how members feel let down or mistreated in their personal medical care, you are not permitted to use this community as a platform to spread general anti-doctor or anti-psychiatry propaganda. Nor should you, unless you are posting a recommendation, name those involved in your healthcare. For more about this policy, please read our Anti-doctor, Anti-psychiatrist and Anti-medicine Comments notice.

pianogirl

 

If you are going to cite that rule (which is a stupid rule IMO) then you might as well shut down the whole thread, Piano. No discussion is possible on the topic raised here.