I know how the world thinks of prescription drugs, believe me. There are far too many who believe meds are a sign of some sort of weakness. "I shouldn't need pills to be happy." Well, unfortunately, many of us do. They're looked at in a very negative manor, but here's the breakdown: not all brains are optimized for pleasant means of living. If you have an eating disorder, there is a very good chance that yours is one that is not. They've showed proof of anorexia on brain scans. Mental disorder or not, there is a physical side to every disease.
I, myself, have a chemical imbalance. It runs in my family, it is not my fault, and I do what I need to in order to enjoy my life the way I deserve to. The imbalance leads to anxiety, panic, depression.. That means that twice a day, I need to take a stabilizer so that my brain can make the right amount of serotonin, just like anyone who needs a pill to keep their blood pressure down. It's all body chemistry.
I know they suck to take. My T & NP will be the first to tell you that I really blow at taking my meds, but I can tell you that my life has become much more livable since I've learned that going off of them or being erratic about it is the worst idea possible. I have very minimal anxiety and haven't shown symptoms of depression in almost a year, now. It's a tool, and it only works if you use it properly.
Now, I am no doctor. I do believe medication is a very necessary tool for recovery from any mental disease/disorder*, but I also know that not all people respond the same to prescription drugs. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor. They are also not a miracle fix. I remember, a year ago, telling my NP that I was still in a lot of pain, to which he responded, "Well, of course.. you're still human." If a pill numbs you out of pain, it's going to numb you out of every other emotion, as well. If that's the case, you should probably get off it immediately. It's all about trial and error.
A resource you may want to start with might be somethingfishy.org - a list of some of the more common scripts, what they do, common side effects. Of course, you should be careful about the urge to self-diagnose yourself, as I've had problems with in the past. This should, again, be discussed with your doctor above all else.
*there are currently no prescriptions to treat eating disorders.
medication can be used to treat the symptoms that usually accompany EDs,
4 comments:
I wish you could get my husband to believe this. He is adement that no meds are better then being on meds. Idiot.
Love you girl! Keep posting. I love reading. xo
ugh, don't tell me this.
i'm still pissed about what he said the other day to you about J.
tell him to read this post! :P
I totally disagree... Unless there is a medical reason that you are dependant on those drugs (which it sounds like there is, in your case), then I don't believe anyone should use drugs to recover from a mental illness. They have tons of side effects, and the long term effects have not been adequately studied... there's no reason to use drugs as crutches, except in a case such as yours with a diagnosed hormonal imbalance.
i don't think i understand. mental illness *is* a medical reason..
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