Benzos daily for life

[BluMac81]

So today I saw my psychiatrist and we talked about the current pill regiment. As some of you know, I was on Xanax 6mg/day at first with this VA doctor, and suddenly ran out of it, thought nothing of it, only to experience this horrible withdrawl which will forever haunt me. After that expeirence I told him I want off of Xanax, and I'll be tapering off 1mg a week. Well, I got down to about 1.5mg a day, then a move happened, then a new school semester started, then financial problems occured, then heated fights with my roommate popped up, and I found myself back at 6mg a day, usually in two sets of 3mg doses (before anxiety-provoking events.)

Now, I called my psychiatrist immediately when I noticed I was taking 6mg a day and not 4mg as perscribed, and he immeidately upped my dosage to that 6mg a day with two sets of 3mg twice a day. I asked him today, "Is this safe?", he said yes and that he has several clients who take benzos in this amount for life, with no ill effects (other than withdrawl if you run out). So I figure, why not? This drug, Xanax, and well, any other benzo, is the only psych drug that has ever helped me. It has helped me get through first days of school at college, firsts of many things, helped me simply get out into the real world and enjoy life, and without it most likely I would be locking myself away in my room the majority of the time due to social phobia.

Only thing as of now that I worry about is if I run out of Xanax, cause I know how bad withdrawl can get. And no, I can't take it on an as-needed basis because, lets say, I have four anxiety-provoking days in a row in which I take 6mg/day, and then two non-anxiety provoking days in which I take 0mg. Withdrawl will occur, thus I have to stay on said drug to the exact amount perscribed daily even if I am not feeling anxious or facing an anxiety provoking incident. I also wonder.... and my doc told me nothing about this, about the long-term effects of 6mg/day benzo intake? What will I be like in 10 years? In 20? In 30? In 40? Will it make me senile in my old age or something?

And I'm sorry but Prozac, only the, I dunno, 12th anti-depressant I've tried did nothing but give me negative side effects, hence I am finished with them and will be focusing instead on DBT therapy with my psycologist, which she has introduced to me recently, and after reading the therapy overview, I find it fits my condition perfectly.

Just wondering about your thoughts on all this

 

[Jazzey]

When I read your post, I get the impression that YOU think you'll be on the xanax at this prescribed amount of 6mg indefinitely. Yet, as you start in this post, you were in the process of diminishing the dosage...I don't know a lot about xanax. Your questions are all questions that would definitely pop into my mind but they wouldn't stay there long - I would ask my psychiatrist .

And like you - I tend to think way ahead of myself sometimes. For right now, the xanax is what's making you better because of your current life situations. But who knows where you'll be in 6 mths, in 1 year.

Seems to me, BluMac that in simply writing your post today, you actually answered your own question even though you aren't yet recognizing it...

 

[Retired]

Your situation might improve over time, requiring changes in your prescribed medications. As Jazzey suggests, deal with the present and as situations change, deal with those changes as they occur.

You may also want to reconsider your position on using other types of medications like the SSRI's or SNRI's. Your response to a particular medication within this group does not necessarily predict your response at a later date.

As for your Xanax supplu, knowing what you do about potential withdrawl effects, you need to ensure you have a few extras on hand or that you renew your prescription before you run out.

Have you spoken to your doctor or pharmacist about drugs to avoid or to use with caution while taking Xanax which has the potential for drug/drug interactions?

 

[amastie]

Hi BluMac,

probably of most people here my own regime most closely resembles yours but I've been on them for much longer. I started on Valium in 1975 when they finally realized that the Lithium wasn't working, and that I wasn't Manic Depressive. I've also taken over the past 34 years a variety of anti-psychotic meds - sometimes by well-meaning GPs (not psychiatrists) who thought that my experience of "other people inside me" was the same as hearing voices and that such a thing would respond to those drugs. They didn't. There was also the hope by some psychiatists that a small dose of Largactil would help improve the effectiveness of the benzos. It didn't. I took SSRI's for years but always after what seemed like an initial effect tapered off and they ended up not helpoing at all, even on high dosages. Two drugs only have ever helped me consistently and that is Valium and then Xanax.

Unlike you, I have always taken them on an as-needed basis but am having to look at them more closely now because my level of tolerance is increasing more rapidly. I stopped taking Valium some years ago only because I was (after 25 years) needing such high doses to have effect - though I never at any time felt like I was hanging out for them, and neither do it on the Xanax. I swiched from Valium to Xanax because, as it was reported (and, indeed, as has been my experience of them) they are 10 times stronger than Valium so I only need a smaller dose. But I have developed a level of tolerance to it and am now taking between 2mg and 3.75mg per dose, usually once a day now - rarely twice a day. The issue of my taking a medication which is known to develop psychologic addiction has never been a concern for my psychiatrist. I worry about it more than she does, but it is true. I've been exrtraordinary lucky with all drugs. Have never had much in the way of side-effects of any kind - only bad feelings on the psychotropics and, once, poor sleep on an antidepessant. As far as the Xanax goes, if I am only "high" I need less of it. My "highs" are not those of bipolar, but anxiety driven and they respond more quickly to the benzos than any other part of my experience. If I am oppressed, I need more. If I've not had any in a few days, I need less. It varies. One thing i do which, I believe, is not common, is that since starting to take Valium in April of 1975, I keep a strict record of all medications. I was *so* worried about becoming addicted to the Valium (which was prescribed like lollies in those days, that I swore that I would never take it unless I kept a record not only of how much I took but *why*. (But then keeping what has become an even more detailed record - and maitained on computer - suits my natually obsessive personality. I'm a "happy obsessive" - obessive in practical ways that balance my impulsivity. I actually function better as a result of it But fuinctioning is relative and, overall, my functioning has taken a dive over the years - not because of my use of benzos, but because I'm not free of those issues for which I need to take them <lol>

You ask if takign the benzos over a long time has a disadvantage in respect of one's state of mind or behaviour. Speaking for myself, I have no such side effects at all. In fact, as I understand it, the benzos have the safest profile of most any drugs. At a time when I was taking on average 1mg a day for many months, I became well for a period of a few weeks and didn't take any and, for me, I had absolutely not effects from that. I also had no withdrawal effects from coming off Prozac cold turkey, so I don't know if I have a stronger constitution in some ways, but, no, I *don't* have alzheimers for taking the Valium and then the Xanax for so many years. In fact, they are life-savers for me. They are the *only* medication which frees meof the different, troubling parts of my experience (apart from a practice of meditation, which also calms me)

As for withdrawal symptoms from coming off the benzos - especially Xanax - I saw an excellent article written by a doctor who writes at great length exactly what amount of Valium (I think it was) that you much substitute for Xanax (because Valium is supposed to be longer-acting) and how then to cut down on the Valium to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

This is the site:
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm

it would seem to be a site which strongly argues against taking benzos at all. I wouldn't get caught up in the hype and, of course, don't do *anything* without conferring with your therapist. He/she knows how your system works better than anyone.

Anyway, as usual I've talked a lot but hope that some of it is of help

 

[Charity]

I think I wish I had your doctor!

I've also found that Xanax is an enormous help to me. Unfortunately, I have to try to take as little as possible to avoid building tolerance to it. My doctor holds the opinion that even three or four mg a day is too much to continue long-term, and he only ever lets me have enough for 1mg a day. Sometimes I need a lot more than that, and I'll end up taking 3 or 4 mg, and then I'm "behind" and have to deprive myself for a day or two, taking maybe only 1/2mg or so. Otherwise, I'll run out before I'm "supposed" to, and he won't let me have more.

That's the main problem I see with staying on it long-term-- the fact that our bodies will develop a tolerance, and it gradually takes more and more of the drug to have the same effect. Once upon a time, 1mg was enough to knock me knto a total stupor. Nowadays, I'm tossing back a handful of pills just for a little relief if I find myself in a bad situation...

I strongly agree with TSOW about making really damn sure that you have an emergency supply! It's rotten to be at the mercy of a medicine that has to be taken to avoid withdrawals, I know...

 

[amastie]

I often do thank my psychiatirst for how good she is. I feel *very* sorry that you and others must experience the effects of not having enough :heart: :support:
Take good care :

 

[BluMac81]

This is the site:
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm

it would seem to be a site which strongly argues against taking benzos at all. I wouldn't get caught up in the hype and, of course, don't do *anything* without conferring with your therapist. He/she knows how your system works better than anyone.

Anyway, as usual I've talked a lot but hope that some of it is of help

Hi there Amast, and thanks for the input and the website That chart was quite interesting, and I realized on there that I am taking the 'supposed' strongest benzo (Xanax) and strongest hypnotic (Lunesta) out there. I wonder why doctors and psychiatrists often START you on such afformentioned overly strong drugs instead of work you up to the stronger drugs (namley benzos) considering their strength. Obviously the article is in large disagreement with the medical community.

As a patient and student of neuroscience, I find that there are several flaws in the article. For one, I have taken temazapam before, according to the chart, 10mg temazapam is worth 0.5mg of xanax, and therefore to equal my daily perscribed dose of 6mg xanax i would take 120mg of temazapam. I tell you now, that would kill me. So that is definitely not accurate.

Moreover, they do stress the interactions and side effects of said benzos, yet have never experienced such a thing. Even when combining xanax with lunesta (as perscribed), I experience no 'hangover' effects and feel well rested in the morning. That's not to mention (kids don't do this at home) last sunday when I had taken 4mg of xanax in the morning, went to a superbowl party and downed 4 beers, and did not feel any more drunk than if i had not taken xanax, in addition I can even tell you what were the names of the beers I drank that night, so there was no memory impairment, nor over-inhibitory effects, I drove home after a few glasses of water and feeling sober, just fine. GRANTED, my tolerance to both xanax and alcohol is very high, and I fully realize that if my said tolerance was not as high it could have been very dangerous. That is why I will agree with this article in this statement that xanax and alcohol should not be taken together, namely for those who have no tolerance built up for either said substances.

Finally, I made another note at the accusation of memory loss upon usage of high doses of benzos. I have been taken benzos at high doses regularly for years now, and over these last three semesters of college, I have earned an A in every single class I've been to, needless to say, college classes take a great deal of memorization to complete successfully let alone excel at. Nay, I would argue the reverse when it comes to taking perscribed benzos, especially in those with illnesses such as social phobia, in taking said benzos before the class to ease the anxiety and allow the student to focus on the material. This has rang true for me, as I have tried going to class with and without taking said benzos (usually 3mg xanax beforehand) and I notice that my concentration level with the benzos as well as comprehension of the material given in lectures was increased. Why? Because, as a person with social phobia myself, I was not distracted by the fact that I was sitting in a room with 20+ of my peers, not worrying about what they think about me in the least. As a matter of fact, I have already gained a reputation in all of my classes to ask the most questions to the professor (no matter how 'stupid' I may look), and thus, again, my comprehension level of the material is increased. This is compared with way back in high school (95-99) when I did not take benzos, and would be enormously preoccupied with 'what others thought of me' so much to the point that it affected my grades. I did graduate high school with a 3.2 gpa, but not without failing English once, my teacher stating on her report that I was "withdrawn", which was indeed true as all my focus was on not doing something to provoke a insult from a peer or to be perceived in a negative away.

Those are the facts my friends, as I know them. Thanks again for that article, I will finish reading it later, man I can just lap all that neuroscience stuff up, so interesting

 

[amastie]

Hi there Amast, and thanks for the input and the website... That chart was quite interesting, and I realized on there that I am taking the 'supposed' strongest benzo (Xanax) and strongest hypnotic (Lunesta) out there. I wonder why doctors and psychiatrists often START you on such afformentioned overly strong drugs instead of work you up to the stronger drugs (namley benzos) considering their strength....

In my experience, doctors *do* start people up on the lowest possible strength meds before pushing up the strength as needed.

..Obviously the article is in large disagreement with the medical community....

I don't think I know enough to know how much so, only that the website suggests it is anti benzos.

I wonder if different people's systems metabolize these drugs (and others) at different rates. For example, BluMac, Xanax is primarily prescribed here for panic disorder which would assume that it is needed to take effect very quickly. A friend who experiences panic attacks finds that to be true. However, I find that it takes at least an hour before it has any effect at all, then another hour or two to have strongest effect. My psychiatrist was very surprised at this. The only thing I can think of is that I read online that the taking of Xanax with food slows down the rate of absorption. Having said that it takes 2-2.5hrs generally to have maximum effect, its effect stays with me for a long time - so that generally, one dose a day is enough.

...I have taken temazepam before, according to the chart, 10mg temazepam is worth 0.5mg of xanax, and therefore to equal my daily prescribed dose of 6mg xanax i would take 120mg of temazepam. I tell you now, that would kill me. So that is definitely not accurate....

I've taken temazepam and found it not to be as strong as Valium. When I took some to help me sleep it had absolutely no effect. It wouldn't surprise me if it really was that weak in my system, but since I don't take 6mg of Xanax, but usually around 3 - 3.5 on average that would make the amount of Temazepam much lower than it would be for you.

...when combining xanax with lunesta (as perscribed), I experience no 'hangover' effects and feel well rested in the morning....

I"ve never taken Lunesta. Would yould you recommend it to help one sleep? (I would have thought that the Xanax would have that effect. I've used it effectively for that.)

...my tolerance to both xanax and alcohol is very high...

I don't know about Xanax, but I understand that a high level of tolerance for alcohol suggests that someone is a very heavy drinker. I don't mean to offend you, but it is that you drink a lot or is that your metabolism works in a different way? Is it a problem for you? <I don't mean to offend and it's ok if you don't wan to answer >

... Finally, I made another note at the accusation of memory loss upon usage of high doses of benzos. ... I would argue the reverse when it comes to taking perscribed benzos, especially in those with illnesses such as social phobia, in taking said benzos before the class to ease the anxiety and allow the student to focus on the material.... as a person with social phobia myself, I was not distracted by the fact that I was sitting in a room with 20+ of my peers, not worrying about what they think about me in the least....

Now *that* I can definitely place! (although the nature of our fears is, I think, just a little different, the result is the same. I too have no trouble with memory loss as a result of the benzos - though some might argue that point since my primary diagnosis is dissociation which does bring with it a degree of memory loss - even for me (though not as obvious as in the case of the more extreme forms of dissociation - called Dissociative Identidy Disorder.

...As a matter of fact, I have already gained a reputation in all of my classes to ask the most questions to the professor (no matter how 'stupid' I may look..

Boy, can I relate! Except that I usually gained a reputation for seeing things in greater detail - which earned me both the frustration as well, often, as the admiration of teachers and students alike. Other students would express gratitude for asking the questions they were afraid to ask. Often, the questions were obvious but also, quite often, they left the teacher frustrated because they weren't obvious at all. Much of the time, I don't see trees as much as i see the small, mottled brown patch which sits astride the deep green ridge along the left side of the centre of the mostly green, small green-purple leaf to the left of the darkening branch of the uppermost part of the trunk, which itself is partially shaded by the pink and white flower alongside it.... [Get it?] As a result of such analyticl tbinking, I was capable of excellent grades and also very poor grades because, being led to obsessiveness by my anxiety, I would often not let go of needing to reconcile that patch of mottled brown on the leaf to the more luxuriant foliage on the tree. (Having long sidetracked the subject of the class - which was the tree!)

Sometimes, when I obsess in that way, I think I may have something in common with those people who are autistic - that, if I am let go to follow the dirction of my deepening analysis, I might find at the end of my journey something new, exciting and worthwhile. (Or maybe not ) But I *Iove* the exploration. In those moments, I feel that I understand what palaentolgoists must feel when they sift through minute bits of sand on the way to discovering something not before seen, or at least, to see it differently. Nothing is better than that!

For me, study - at is best - was always a journey of exploration into the unknown. I always preferred to share it, but of course no-one could be expected to share my vision of caves that go on for miles. Meanwhile, my teacher needed me to see the trees. That was hard, and not nearly so interesting. Sadly, I failed more often than I passed, despite my capabilities. (It was my obsessiveness and, more than that, my retreating into *not* knowing that ensured that) Still, I've never stopped carrrying in my heart the vision of a paleentologist, not of fossils, but of relatioshiips of one picture to another, one meaning to another.

[Sorry, it so happens that I get onto a personal bandwagon and am taken into a place where it's diffiult for me to leave and come back to the original point - again, the trees. :blush: ]

.. Those are the facts my friends, as I know them. Thanks again for that article, I will finish reading it later, man I can just lap all that neuroscience stuff up, so interesting

You're welcome :high5:

 

[Charity]

Now I will agree with the memory loss bit, unlike you guys... I've definitely noticed that if I take more than two mg or so at a time, I will later have some memory loss for the time that was spent under the influence of the drug. The higher the dose, the more complete the memory loss will be. It's not a major problem for me; I just keep in mind that I shouldn't take a lot of Xanax right before something that I'll want to remember later! Funny how drugs affect people in such different ways.

 

[amastie]

...I just keep in mind that I shouldn't take a lot of Xanax right before something that I'll want to remember later! Funny how drugs affect people in such different ways.

Yes, your right.

I took 3.75mg two hours ago because my diet (as it does occasionally) leaves me physically weak and emotionally fragile, my mood caught in waves of gregarious disinhibition and tearful recognition that I'm not acting in a mature and emotially present way. I'm sorry, Charity, that your memory is affected by the Xanax. I cannot honest say that mine is. The 3.74mg taken earlier is just starting to have effect, mainly making me tired (it doesn'tmake me tired unless I was tired to begin with and moodswing had hidden that).

While I can, want to reply to some posts before hopping into bed.

Be well

 

[prayerbear]

Xanax is highly addictive! I would be very careful. I take Klonopin only as needed!
Also, I am curious, have you allowed the antidepressants to take effect after one full month? They need time to go through your system. And I read that people who do not respond to antidepressants are possibly bipolar.They call it treatment resistant depression!

 

[BluMac81]

Prayerbear, Xanax is only addictive in the external sense, not internal, like alchohol is. This is my psychiatrist that perscribed me 6mg/day, and I am the one repeatedly asking him 'is this safe?' and he repeatedly says yes. He is the professional. And I am a responsible patient. Today I had a horrible morning and ended up taking 5mg xanax by 1pm, and now it being nearly 9pm, I took only 1 more to satisfy my 6mg/day perscription. I have learned all to well to always follow doctor's perscriptions to the T and never fall into what is drug abuse. That xanax got me through the day.

I may be bipolar and the psychiatrists and psycologists have been debating about it with me for ages, but what I have is a morning/afternoon mania, then a huge depressive slump in the evening/night (around 6pm). It happens daily, therefore can't be classified as bipolar via the DSM-IV.

Yes, I'll admit that some of these SSRI's I did not give a full month in trying, but that's only because the side effects were so bad that even if it did help me mentally I wouldn't want those side effects to last even if it means remaining depressed and anxious. I have tried one anti-psychotic, I didn't notice anything. All these drugs, save the benzos, do absolutely nothing for me. Nothing.

 

[ladylore]

Xanax is only addictive in the external sense

What do you mean by that BluMac?

 

[Daniel E.]

Perhaps psychologically addictive rather than inherently physically addictive?

Of course, many people consider coffee physically addictive, so addiction is a term that is sometimes used pretty loosely It seems to me that coffee can both cause drug tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.

 

[BluMac81]

Ya that's what I meant Daniel. Thanks.
Sorry, not in my right mind tonight

 

[amastie]

Hi

I've just been talking on another thread about my "highs" that, like you BluMac, don't rise to the categroy of bipolar - and are clearly *not* diagnosed at that by many psychiatrists over very many years.

As for the antidepressants, I've been on many, all for months or years at at time - mainly because I didn't know if going off them would leave me feeling worse. At an early age, was put on the tricyclics. Hardly recall their effect. Couldn't have been too positive since I wasn't left on them. Was on Zoloft for many months, prob over a year, on increasiong dosages until my father took seriously ill and it seemed no longer to have effect. Then I was put on another drug for months (forgot which) then, finally, Prozac which I was on for a few years until, one day before Xmas, I ran out of them. The psychiatrist wasn't around at that time of year to prescribe more and I forgot to follow up. A week went by, then another, and another without any effect. Rang the psychiatrist when she returned five weeks later. "I ran out of the Prozac five weeks ago". "Any effect from not taking them?" "No" "Ok. May as well go off them". Not been on antidepressants since. Sometimes I have this fantasy that there will be a medicatioin which will fit me perfectly. I dream of having bipolar that fits Lithium so well that I never need to look elsewhere again. But that's all it is - a dream. I've jokingly asked my psychiatrist to give me a diagnosis that will perfectly fit a medication, but she refuses to co-operate. <She's such a nuisance > And as for Lithium, I was on that as well back in the 70's, for two years. Nope, no effect and a belated "By the way, you're not manic depressive" What is it with these psychiatrists that won't diagnose you with something that comes with a bottle marked "Fixes this perfectly". (I'm really joking here too because I know that bipolar can be resistant to Lithium just as depression can be resistant to anti-depressants) - but it doesn't stop my fantasizing <lol>

Finally, as for the Xanax (and also for Valium), I must say that no other medication has even remotely come close to *being* a perfect fit for me. Neither have they ever posed a problem of forming a physical or psychological addiction. I can go without Xanax for days without any withdrawal symptoms, and did so many times even when on 20mg of Valium when taken as needed. I've never taken any anti-anxiety med on a routine basis, have kept a (typically) obsessive record of its use (when, why, how much) so that I never take it without giving it a lot of thought.

The one thing that I have had to watch is the building of tolerance - both to Valiium when I took that and, now, to Xanax. It is something that I frequently bring up with my psychiatrist.

Another question I keep asking her is - "Ok, what's the latest meds? Let me know when they bring out that "fits this woman perfectly", "greatest things since slliced bread", "no side-effects and no tolerance".

I dream on ..

 

[BluMac81]

Haha, fascinating tale amast. I too, have never been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder, or any of that. Just GAD, Social Phobia, Panic Disorder, Insomnia, and Depression. But all of these things happen off and on and are conditional, they act, as if in a bi-polar way!

You know, it's interesting, I made a youtube vlog recently talking about some of this, and this guy sends me a response stating:

Use YouTube to uncover the roots of psychiatry and its claims. Chemical Imbalances? Thats marketing. They don't have patients, they have customers, and usually once hooked they are customers for life. There's a guy, i think his youtube name is psychtruth that helps- talks about how the depressions we experience are natural and serve a purpose. Introducing psychotropic meds into the picture muddies the waters and takes away the self validation that you can get thru it on your own.
uhhgg and you're using their labels - "manic" and such are concepts they've created, psychiatry i mean. Its an industry that first creates the problem and also create the medicine to "fix" it. Social Anxiety is their latest...what a sham. A book called "Selling Sickness" talks about all this.

And so today I went to the library and checked out the book "Selling Sickness", will read it later, but the only two psychiatric disorders it lists in chapters as 'shams' are depression and social phobia. Interesting. Now I don't believe in the least that psychiatry is a sham nor chemical imbalances do not exist (HELLO, there is scientific proof of such things.) But I do believe that there is something there to what he said. Granted it is quite overexagerrated but, especially with these 'new and improved' anti-depressants, companies sure spend a tremendous amount of money to tell you to talk to your doctor about them. Perhaps that does indeed revolve around money in the pharmaceutical industry. And those same anti-depressants are also used to treat social anxiety and GAD. And from my experience, (especially civilian sector doctors and psychiatrists) push heavily on taking anti-depressants and cringe when you mention benzos or lithium, or some other old school drug. But oh are they ever so quick to hand out those free samples of SSRI's. So yes there is something afoot here. And notice that I mentioned this mostly occurs with civilian psychiatrists, you know, the guys with their own private practice, out there with no fixed income except in what drugs they push and patients they treat. VA and military doctors on fixed incomes however, are quick to hand out several bottles of 360 one mg xanax pills. Something to think about.

And indeed he is on to something when he states that in avoiding said mental disorders by perscribing a pill for it, we do not 'learn the lesson' or rather 'develop as individuals properly'. It could be very well hypothisized that social phobia is a default state everyone is born into, and avoidance of said disorder through labeling it as an illness prevents the social phobia from being cured. From personal experience, the only way to cure social phobia is to get out there, feel the fear, and do it anyway. Courage and a few benzos help with that. Depression is another story, because I mean, the opposite of depression is happiness, happiness is the cure for depression, and in the end, isn't that what EVERY business person's product is trying to sell? Anti-depressants are simply much more direct. I'll get back to you about that book, needless to say, it is worth looking into further.

 

[Into The Light]

i really doubt there is some kind of conspiracy happening within the pharmaceutical industry. development of these drugs costs money, and yes, of course they want to make some kind of profit. how else would it be a viable business? those people need to make a living too.

anyway, i have no doubt there are people out there that are quick to prescribe a pill, just as there are people out there who are quick to ask for that prescription. but there are many people who don't too.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

i really doubt there is some kind of conspiracy happening within the pharmaceutical industry

I agree. If you read some of these anti-pharmaceutical and anti-psychiatry sites and blogs, you'll come away with the impression that the pharmaceutical industry is responsible for everything from global warming to the JFK assassination.

Some people just aren't happy without a conspiracy theory to debate.

 

[Daniel E.]

Also, I would suggest reading Peter Kramer to balance out the anti-medication, anti-diagnosis perspectives.

Here is one excerpt by Dr. Kramer:

Setting mental suffering and impairment aside (and why should we do that?), have we lost sight of the many conditions for which depression is a risk factor or that depression complicates gravely: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arguably, yes, certain cancers? Surely these illnesses are not on the "trivial" list. Here, I am alluding to a small fragment of an argument I make at length elsewhere.

No Respect | Psychology Today Blogs

To give you some credit, BluMac, I do wish more psychiatrists gave out prescriptions for exercise (in addition to the SSRIs, etc.). However, I don't think most therapists, psychiatrists, or most patients are relying on a purely medical model of depression, anxiety, etc.