Depression Medications

[melissa_blackbull]

;)

Originally posted by rezdaisy
I don't know why I'm depressed and I am. I have been most of my life, maybe one day the depression will be gone and I'll be able to live life without MEDICATION. I've been blessed with good doctors, ones who listen to what I tell them. Ones who keep current and learn about what their clients are going through. If I don't take my medication, I am irritable, forget tons of things, and eventually don't feel like getting out of bed. Life looses it's color, it's worth, it's joy...and soon so do I. I guess my bottom line is, if you haven't had to walk down this road, BE GRATEFUL. Let those of us who need medication take it , and if you don't have a decent doctor, find another one. He or she can make all the difference in the world.

I AGREE! :dancer:

[Blackfeetwonderwoman]

I don't know why I'm depressed and I am. I have been most of my life, maybe one day the depression will be gone and I'll be able to live life without MEDICATION. I've been blessed with good doctors, ones who listen to what I tell them. Ones who keep current and learn about what their clients are going through. If I don't take my medication, I am irritable, forget tons of things, and eventually don't feel like getting out of bed. Life looses it's color, it's worth, it's joy...and soon so do I. I guess my bottom line is, if you haven't had to walk down this road, BE GRATEFUL. Let those of us who need medication take it , and if you don't have a decent doctor, find another one. He or she can make all the difference in the world.

[melissa_blackbull]

I AGREE:Cry

Originally posted by MikmaqRose
This is actually my very first post......
I just want to say that, in my opinion, avoid psychotropic medication if you can help it. I am dual diagnosis - Bipolar I/substance abuse and have to take approximately 8 medications. They've been added gradually because the meds that are truly necessary have caused major medical problems. I have such incredible highs and lows and other problems because of this illness that I have to be on certain medications. That, of course, leads me to my point. Life is not always wonderful and sometimes you may need a little help, but if you don't need to be on drugs don't be because you don't just want to see life, you want to be able to feel it too. :Angel2

:Cry I AGREE WITH YOU.. PAXIL EFFECTS EVERY ONE IN DIFF. WAYS. IT DID NOT HELP ME AS MUCH AS OTHERS. I TO LIVE WITH BEING BIPOLAR. IT IS HARD VERY HARD FOR MOST PEOPLE. MOST PEOPLE NEED DRUGS TO HELP WITH THERE PROB. SOME TIMES IT IS CHEMICAL PROBLEMS IN THE BRAIN UNABLE TO BE HELPED FROM JUST TALKING ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS. SOME TIMES THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM JUST CANT BE HELPED ANY OTHER WAY.. JUST MY THOUGHTS.. :supperhap

[azurebreeze]

While yes traditional medicine provides a significant basis of spirituality for those who choose to walk that path, that in of itself is not a cure for clinical depression. Statistics show Native American people have the highest rate of mental illness, post traumatic stress disorder, manic-depressive, depression, suicide, etc. I have talked to many medicine people and they say they don't have ceremonies to meet the current mental health needs of it's people. That is why many are talking and working on creating new ceremonies rooted in traditional ways to meet modern problems. Like the "Wiping Away the Tear" ceremony was recently created to help those truamatized by foster care and separation due adoption lost of identity and tribal culture. Other medicine people say there are no healing lodges or healing ceremonies targeted specifically to sexually assaulted native americans. Statisically native american women have the highest rate of violence and sexual assault inflicted upon them than any other race. Many native families are reeling with the damage caused by sexual assaults caused in boarding schools that triggered sexual assault to occur generationally witihin the families. Also contributing factors to clinical depression

[One Hot Mama]

Creator made our bodies and brains very complex, and even slight imbalances in our systems can cause major problems. Medications, therapy, diet and exercise, reducing stress, substance abuse problems(even past ones) all effect people in different ways.

The problems with Western(white man's) medicinal practice and therapies are that they minimize or ignore the spiritual part of the individual, and that they have been very slow to recognize variant levels of effect between racial groups, genders, etc. When your therapist is white, he/she often does not understand how you think/perceive things and probably is unable to connect with you at even the peripheral levels of thought processes. My therapist thougth I was delusional because I told her I see spirits and hear the voices of the wind, waters, trees, and other "non-sentient" things in creation. Nor was she able to understand how it was I could feel the wounds of my ancestors in my spirit, feel the hurt of people I "didn't know" for things I'd "never" experienced. Her suggestion was that I should just "get over" what had happened to my people in the past, and even suggested that perhaps my culture was the root of my depression. I got another therapist, an African guy from Nigeria.

Traditional healing strives for balance between the part of a person: mind, heart, spirit, body. All of the person is treated at the same time, and while this may go more slowly, the results are usually better. Traditional healing methods work better for us Natives, especially when using modern drugs such as Paxil, Zoloft, or the others. It is important not to mix any medications, such as taking Zoloft along with St. John's wort. I do know of several traditional medicines for depression(what my great-gramma used to call dark humors), but these have to be mixed according to the individual, and I'm not qualified to do that.

The other part of that is the spiritual/emotional/mental part and this is where our traditional ceremonies and spiritual searching is so important. Seeking the Creator is healing in itself, and who better to understand just what healing you need than the One who made you? Traditional rituals provide a framework, a rhythm of stability. Prayer opens us up to the Mystery and help us to come to an awareness which changes our thought processes at the deepest levels of consciousness. Therapy isn't just about finding the cause of the problem, but also about establishing healthy habits to change behaviors and unhealthy ways of thinking.

Our traditional cultures gave us healthy ways to live, think, and deal with things, keeping us in touch with the marrow of our souls. Disconnectedness within oneself brings disconnectedness with others, and that is, I believe, a major cause in the increased rates of depression and mental illness in general, but especially in our people.

this is a complicated issue. anyone else have an insight?

[azurebreeze]

Crisis Planning

I feel very strongly that anyone who has ever experienced psychiatric symptoms & is on psych medications needs to develop for themselves, while they are well, a crisis plan such as the one that follows. This plan allows those of us who experience psychiatric symptoms to maintain some degree of control over our lives, even when it feels like everything is out of control.

Developing such a plan takes time-don't expect to do it in one sitting. Work on it with family members or friends, your counselor, case manager or psychiatrist-whoever feels comfortable to you. It will help you to tell your family important things like the medications you are on and medications your allegeric too, etc.

The hardest part for me was uncovering those symptoms that indicate I need others to take over for me. It brought up memories of very hard times in the past. I did it very slowly with lots of support.~Wenona



Crisis Planning

http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/crisis.html

Print out this page or download the PDF Crisis Plan. Once you have completed the plan, keep a copy for yourself, and give copies to all your supporters.

Update it whenever you need to.

Downloadable Forms

The Crisis Plan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CRISIS PLAN

When I am feeling well, I am (describe yourself when you are feeling well):



The following symptoms indicate that I am no longer able to make decisions for myself, that I am no longer able to be responsible for myself or to make appropriate decisions.



When I clearly have some of the above symptoms, I want the following people to make decisions for me, see that I get appropriate treatment and to give me care and support:



I do not want the following people involved in any way in my care or treatment. List names and (optionally) why you do not want them involved:



Preferred medications and why:



Acceptable medications and why:



Unacceptable medications and why:



Acceptable treatments and why:



Unacceptable treatments and why:



Home/Community Care/Respite Options:



Preferred treatment facilities and why:



Unacceptable treatment facilities and why:



What I want from my supporters when I am experiencing these symptoms:



What I don’t want from my supporters when I am experiencing these symptoms:



What I want my supporters to do if I'm a danger to myself or others:



Things I need others to do for me and who I want to do it:



How I want disagreements between my supporters settled:



Things I can do for myself:



I (give, do not give) permission for my supporters to talk with each other about my symptoms and to make plans on how to assist me.



Indicators that supporters no longer need to use this plan:



I developed this document myself with the help and support of:



Signed: Date:
Attorney: Date:
Witness: Date:
Witness: Date:

Depressants

:Angel2 What ever you do agree to take jus be careful, plz read the PDR that comes with the Meds..and let those around you know what you're on and the good and bad side affects.

I say this because a lady almost died on 1 of my flights from DC to LAX. She had take a depressant early that morning, forgot & took another on board. When we prepared to land in in LA, she didn't move, she was Unconscious, hardly had a pulse, and her daughter who was with her DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE'D TAKEN, but knew she took something. She was almost DOA, except a Fed. Paramedic (they deal with drug smugglers) was on board
& he gave her somethng right in her heart to bring her around. When the FD met our flight they said they don't carry whatever he gave her and said she would've died in a few minutes w/o it.

Later we were told that because she hadn't eaten since the night b/4 & then took a double dose, a med she was used to taking put her under. So plzzzzzz read ALL the PDR that comes with ANY med especially if you are going to get on a plane cause the pressurization makes drunks, drunker and meds can react completely different under pressurization.

Love yall, enjoy your NY's and stay safe

[azurebreeze]

There are more than one anti-depressant. And no two people respond to the same anti-depressant the same way because every body has a unique chemistry. For example, some respond to Prozac, while others it does absolutely nothing for but maybe Paxil will work.

[wyo_rose]

My youngest daughter was on depression meds for over a year. She didn't get better until she went to a rehab center that banned all meds.

Just my two cents.

i dont think ppl need to take meds for depression because ya risk side effects sometimes just good old fashiioned therapy cures depression and praying...i went through a total melt down once at a time i felt like i was looseing everything my ex-fiance and i broke up cuz he cheated on me and other nameless things and my dads death sent me over the cliff...he was only 47 and died from cancer...i couldnt trust anyone,couldnt sleep my grades went from a 4.0 to a 1.9 i lost alotta weight and became extremely distant..always crying...but i went to school therapy and ladies at the moon ceremonies i go to helped me out a great deal to get outta this depression...if it wasnt for them and my faith in the creator and therapy i would still be in depression and be anarexic by now...ppl think that ya gotta be weird to be in depression and thats wrong sometimes things happen and ya cant control it so sometimes its always good for someone to be your support...-becca

[azurebreeze]

Creating them and taking them though are completely different things. You have no personal experience walking around and seeing & experiencing the world while on these drugs especially when you are prescribed to take two or more psych medications at once.

And it's especially true for those people who don't even get a say on what medicatons they want to take because they are court ordered meaning you can't stop taking them even if you don't like how they make you feel or impairs your ability to function in the world by adverse side effects.

[Gache]

No for six years I created your medications. We would identify if it shut down the brain receptors to eliminate the effects of your condition.
But all I care about is that your not following blind.

[azurebreeze]

I hold the opinions of my traditional medicine people highly. And you are not the only one who has access to top scientists.

You may have read about this in some book...but I am the one actually walking the path. And I do not do that with my eyes shut.

[Gache]

Look its your problem not mine if you want to follow blindly what people tell you thats up to you. If you didnt try it you wont know despite what people tell you.

[azurebreeze]

"I can vouch for alot of people who cured all kinds of mental diseases by eliminating western food and lifestyle."

Look I have been dealing with this for over 15 years using both traditional native medicine people and western medicine and both say no diet and excercise is not going to cure this.