Heroin Do I tell my psychiatrist about my drug abuse?

[Burnt Offerings]

You got to understand though, the insomnia and depression and anxiety issues are directly correlated with the addiction issues and substance abuse. It's a vicious circle. You won't really know where you are psychologically as far as depression, anxiety, and insomnia go until you taper off all substances and are clean for at least a month. It is a vicious circle, that is why we get so addicted to these substances, they solve the problem that they themselves keep making worse. I'm not sure if anti-depressants are a good idea, they have a lot of really awful side effects and generally have been proven to not be very effective. And then you are addicted to another substance that is also incredibly hard to come off. May I suggest trying to change your diet so you eat more healthily (lot's of fruits and vegetables), exercise daily even if it is just a 20 minute walk around the block, and consider trying meditation. Do some research on it, there is a lot of evidence that shows it is great for anxiety and depression, and is considerate "moderately" effective against depression, which is the same as effectiveness that anti-depressant drugs rated.

I wish you good luck and it's really good that you are trying to seek help from a psychiatrist, that is a big first step.

During the summer months I quit all drugs, exercise hard (as part of my job which is physically-intensive) and eat better than probably 90% of America, with a diet rich in fresh salmon and garden vegetables, yet I'm still depressed and plagued with anxiety. What solution is open for me then?

 

[Burnt Offerings]

I've told head shrinkers that I've done drugs, though. I really have no interest in the drugs they'd even give me anyway...fuck the government, I buy those street drugs

They do seem to get kind of grumpy and distant when you tell them that you've shot heroin in the past, though. I have no idea why. You'd think that junkies would be the very people they'd be most interested in helping & would try to be as engaged as possible.

 

[pbuilder]

During the summer months I quit all drugs, exercise hard (as part of my job which is physically-intensive) and eat better than probably 90% of America, with a diet rich in fresh salmon and garden vegetables, yet I'm still depressed and plagued with anxiety. What solution is open for me then?

I do recommend trying meditation, or yoga or something else of that nature to connect you to your spirituality more and to uncover some of the feelings we try to suppress during our every day life. Are you happy with your job, do you feel like you are doing fulfilling work, are you following your passions and dreams etc?

The truth is this society that we live in with this concept of a boring 9-5 office job or some other job you hate just so we can afford to buy a house, with the white picket fence, and 2 cars, is one that generally suppresses who we really are deep down. We do things that we hate or that completely bore us just to fit into this mold that is generally accepted in society as "normal". I myself have found this is where my depression seems to stem from. I'm trying to shed off all the non-sense in my life, live more simply, following my passions and dreams.

Don't get me wrong, anti-depressants might work for you but from the horror stories I have read from them, I would tread lightly and carefully.

I may sound like a hippy nutcase lol.

Diet wise you can try to eat more healthy carb sources. Lots of fruit, and complex carbs like from quinoa, whole grain pasta, oatmeal etc.

The body and brain are primarily fueled by glucose. If your glucose reserves are running low, you'll feel sluggish and likely more foggy mimded and depressed.

 

[pbuilder]

I've told head shrinkers that I've done drugs, though. I really have no interest in the drugs they'd even give me anyway...fuck the government, I buy those street drugs

They do seem to get kind of grumpy and distant when you tell them that you've shot heroin in the past, though. I have no idea why. You'd think that junkies would be the very people they'd be most interested in helping & would try to be as engaged as possible.

I agree. It's probably because it is considered so taboo and against societal norms. But i think the reason most people (myself included) have shot heroin is because they have some serious issues to work through, which is exactly what shrinks are
supposed to be helping people to. I think if the shrink immediately becomes a fucking asshole when you mention the substance abuse though then you should tell them to fuck off and not be a judgemental asshole which is the entire point of there job, and just leave and find another one, because there are good and understanding shrinks out there.

Also, i think rather than a psychiatrist which profits from pushing crappy drugs, people could try things like cognitive behavioral therapy or a psychotherapist which is basically the same thing as a shrink but they don't try to solve emotional issues with drugs as they don't prescribe them. I think the whole chemical imbalance thing is misunderstood. Most mental illnesses stem from some type of mental abuse, or traumatic event or something else like that at some point in the persons life. No drug will ever simply just be able to fix that, you have to talk through the issues, really peel back the layers. Drugs will never work in the long term, the brain adapts, tolerance developes and we become worse off.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/12/psychiatric-drugs-more-harm-than-good-expert

 

[tantric]

when i was trying to make a disability claim, i told my shrink i tried to smoke pot to help me sleep, but i quit after a few days. the judge read that and denied my claim based on it

 

[Burnt Offerings]

Many times I just feel like the "solution" to depression that's posed constantly on this website is too simplistic. Healthy diet, exercise, CBT and/or "mindfulness". Boom, depression/anxiety treated. When, speaking personally, all of those things don't necessarily work for everyone. For me, simply the nature of life itself makes me unhappy...the fact that I have a medical condition that will be with me for the rest of my life, the fact that life is relatively short & is marked by suffering pain and loss, the fact that everyone I love will either leave me or die. People can and do deal with such things in various ways, whether through religion or meditation or drug abuse or what have you, but they still exist and just seem to permeate my life, regardless of the nutritional balance of my diet, or whether I happen to be "clean" or not.

in the words of one of my favorite films, Dellamorte Dellamore: "oh well...we all do what we can to forget about life."

I'm not really an advocate of anti-depressants as a class of drug, either. Hardly the solution for me. I took Celexa for about four weeks, never again.

 

[GolemGolem]

^ Yeah,
I've been done with psychiatry for my self for well over a decade now. I'm still depressed, for the most part I've always been, since I was a wee little boy. I hate most shrinks and have a very hard time trusting them. I got my own way of dealing with things, and until my way breaks down and I start overly concerning my wife - I refuse to take on the addictions they want me to have.

Op though, Op thinks they may be of use for him, and he may be right.
I ain't gonna shit on that.

 

[pbuilder]

Many times I just feel like the "solution" to depression that's posed constantly on this website is too simplistic. Healthy diet, exercise, CBT and/or "mindfulness". Boom, depression/anxiety treated. When, speaking personally, all of those things don't necessarily work for everyone. For me, simply the nature of life itself makes me unhappy...the fact that I have a medical condition that will be with me for the rest of my life, the fact that life is relatively short & is marked by suffering pain and loss, the fact that everyone I love will either leave me or die. People can and do deal with such things in various ways, whether through religion or meditation or drug abuse or what have you, but they still exist and just seem to permeate my life, regardless of the nutritional balance of my diet, or whether I happen to be "clean" or not.

in the words of one of my favorite films, Dellamorte Dellamore: "oh well...we all do what we can to forget about life."

I'm not really an advocate of anti-depressants as a class of drug, either. Hardly the solution for me. I took Celexa for about four weeks, never again.

All of those things combined with some good therapy are your best chance of overcoming them at least.

 

[shadowstryker]

So am I the only person who's been told by multiple psychs that they wouldn't prescribe me anything because of my history with substance abuse?

I've told head shrinkers that I've done drugs, though. I really have no interest in the drugs they'd even give me anyway...fuck the government, I buy those street drugs

They do seem to get kind of grumpy and distant when you tell them that you've shot heroin in the past, though. I have no idea why. You'd think that junkies would be the very people they'd be most interested in helping & would try to be as engaged as possible.

when i was trying to make a disability claim, i told my shrink i tried to smoke pot to help me sleep, but i quit after a few days. the judge read that and denied my claim based on it

Okay, well from what I'm hearing I don't think I'll tell her about my heroin use or my benzo use. Now I'm worried telling her about the alcohol may prevent me from getting scripts as well...

I'm not really an advocate of anti-depressants as a class of drug, either. Hardly the solution for me. I took Celexa for about four weeks, never again.

Out of curiosity, why never again? I keep hearing about how antidepressants have terrible side effects but I've never heard about the bad side effects themselves, nor do I know anyone who's taken antidepressants that has experienced bad effects.

 

[tacodude]

Look up brain zaps

 

[morphine-dreams]

Shadow, I'm in a similar situation. The insomnia thing is so spot on, not being able to sleep til 10am...

I haven't told my psych about my substance abuse, and I don't plan to. I actually have ADHD, insomnia, and chronic pain which would look pretty bad if I had a known history of substance abuse. And despite the fact that the I actually have all these conditions, it's still not easy to get meds. Actually, she's ready to prescribe the stims no problem once we figure out the insomnia but I still don't have an rx for any sleeping pills, so I'm glad I didn't bring up substance abuse and addiction to make it even harder. I've been on mirtazapine for a while which is only somewhat helpful for sleep for me, but very effective as an antidepressant. It also makes drug cravings a lot easier to ignore, so it might be something to look in to. CBT has been, to my surprise, very effective for the insomnia as well. Psychedelics have helped me a great deal with "soul searching" and resolved many of the things that were causing me severe anxiety. Good luck dude, anxiety and insomnia are the fucking worst.

 

[mysafehome01]

You 100% have to tell them absolutely everything. Without it they can never make an accurate diagnosis/ or help you in any way.

Please don't be that guy who wastes psychiatrists time by hiding the truth.

 

[mysafehome01]

You 100% have to tell them absolutely everything. Without it they can never make an accurate diagnosis/ or help you in any way.

Please don't be that guy who wastes psychiatrists time by hiding the truth.

Unless you're just going to see a Psychiatrist to get more drugs. That I won't help you with.

 

[GolemGolem]

Out of curiosity, why never again? I keep hearing about how antidepressants have terrible side effects but I've never heard about the bad side effects themselves, nor do I know anyone who's taken antidepressants that has experienced bad effects.

I wont take SSRIs again because I tried a whole bunch of them and the only one with any noticeable benefit was Prozac, and that was slight. I tended to get all the obnoxious side effects of all of them though, and I normally tolerate drugs quite well. Sweaty, even more distant than usual, more and longer lasting intrusive suicidal thoughts than usual, brain zaps like a car battery, oh yeah and they all broke my dick.

Every time I get a new GP I have to go through the "No thanks, I tried that, and that, and that, and that..oh there's a new one? It works like the old ones? not interested" Shit it's the only time a doctor will talk to me for more than five min....I've been left bitter, but no lasting damage as far as I know.

You might respond better, it's worth a shot anyway. In a few months you'll know if you're one of the lucky ones or if it's time to spin the wheel again.

 

[crzydiamond]

You 100% have to tell them absolutely everything. Without it they can never make an accurate diagnosis/ or help you in any way.

Please don't be that guy who wastes psychiatrists time by hiding the truth.

While in a perfect world this is how it *should* be (tell them everything and get the help you need), in reality doctors/psychiatrists are human too and have their judgements and biases. And while you may get lucky and get that rare one who you can be 100% honest with and s/he will help you, unfortunately most of the time disclosing such info gets you labeled a drug abuser.

Sometimes you have to develop a rapport with the doctor first and see how s/he stands on addiction issues. There is no reason he can't get help without disclosing every substance he has taken. If he chooses to tell them he is abusing alcohol and not heroin, the psychiatrist would treat the addictive behavior the same regardless of substance. It just avoids the stigma some people have as soon as they hear the word "heroin".

Now like I said, ideally yes, the psych should know everything to help you the max possible. But at the same time it's not always ideal to disclose everything right off the bat...

 

[weekend addiction]

Now like I said, ideally yes, the psych should know everything to help you the max possible. But at the same time it's not always ideal to disclose everything right off the bat...

Yep. There are four basic things a shrink can give you and the break down is like this:

anti-depressants- only descent one for me anyway is mirtazapine. Does fuck all for depression for me in doses from 7.5-30 never tried more. Helps me sleep. Tell a doc you shoot meth in your eyeballs everyday they'll still give you the shit. A lot of people find one that works for them but they have to go through fucking 10 of them to find one and most addicts don't get help from these drugs I think they are too "mild" and of course things like erectile dysfunction and weight gain can cancel out any benefit. Being fat and barely able to get a boner is depressing when your in your early 20's (when I tried them) or any age so even if they helped me fuck off with that shit. Nefazodone actually gave me a raging hard on which is a common side-effect its an old ass AD but it might be worth a shot I'd try it before some boner killing Zoloft any day.

anti-psychotics- Seroquel worked for me for a while and it works for a lot of recovering addicts temporarily cause it at least helps you sleep and numbs you out a bit and kills cravings. Again don't matter if your a hardcore addict if anything they are more than likely to give you the shit. Side effects are out the ass but some people get help. I took Risperdal just last night to sleep...other than that these things drain your will to live IMO.

Stimulants- Your adhd meds are somewhere in the middle docs are WAY more likely to give them to you than other drugs though its socially acceptable to be amped up all day.

GABAergics- Anti-anxiety drugs which you can only get if your doc thinks your clean or your real lucky. I've had a doc prescribe me 2 times of amphetamines while afraid to increase my Neurontin dose from a measly 900mg for fear of addiction... 900mg Neurontin even all at once is about like drinking a 40 oz its good for a couple hours and then it does fuck all. 900mg while on 2 types of amphetamines is SO canceled out it isn't even funny.

So I don't see a doc anymore and I drink a 12 pack a day and smoke alotta pot instead. Taking etizolam or other shit whenever I can afford it. It isn't perfect but it beats no meds and it beats anything they would give me at the doc office. One day I'll drink myself to death I'm sure of it but what else can I do?

I'm fucking SICK of hearing people talk about exercise. I was working in a high-end kitchen over 40 hours a week and biking 12 miles a day eating healthy and I still wanted to put a gun in my mouth. Fish oil doesn't hurt and I take it as much as possible but for soul-crushing depression if you think a vitamin is gonna make a noticeable difference your fucking retarded.

 

[GolemGolem]

I'm fucking SICK of hearing people talk about exercise. I was working in a high-end kitchen over 40 hours a week and biking 12 miles a day eating healthy and I still wanted to put a gun in my mouth. Fish oil doesn't hurt and I take it as much as possible but for soul-crushing depression if you think a vitamin is gonna make a noticeable difference your fucking retarded.

Lol! Damn brother that's me, right down to the cooking, biking and wanting to put a gun in my mouth specifically.

 

[shadowstryker]

Yep. There are four basic things a shrink can give you and the break down is like this:

anti-depressants- only descent one for me anyway is mirtazapine. Does fuck all for depression for me in doses from 7.5-30 never tried more. Helps me sleep. Tell a doc you shoot meth in your eyeballs everyday they'll still give you the shit. A lot of people find one that works for them but they have to go through fucking 10 of them to find one and most addicts don't get help from these drugs I think they are too "mild" and of course things like erectile dysfunction and weight gain can cancel out any benefit. Being fat and barely able to get a boner is depressing when your in your early 20's (when I tried them) or any age so even if they helped me fuck off with that shit. Nefazodone actually gave me a raging hard on which is a common side-effect its an old ass AD but it might be worth a shot I'd try it before some boner killing Zoloft any day.

anti-psychotics- Seroquel worked for me for a while and it works for a lot of recovering addicts temporarily cause it at least helps you sleep and numbs you out a bit and kills cravings. Again don't matter if your a hardcore addict if anything they are more than likely to give you the shit. Side effects are out the ass but some people get help. I took Risperdal just last night to sleep...other than that these things drain your will to live IMO.

Stimulants- Your adhd meds are somewhere in the middle docs are WAY more likely to give them to you than other drugs though its socially acceptable to be amped up all day.

GABAergics- Anti-anxiety drugs which you can only get if your doc thinks your clean or your real lucky. I've had a doc prescribe me 2 times of amphetamines while afraid to increase my Neurontin dose from a measly 900mg for fear of addiction... 900mg Neurontin even all at once is about like drinking a 40 oz its good for a couple hours and then it does fuck all. 900mg while on 2 types of amphetamines is SO canceled out it isn't even funny.

So I don't see a doc anymore and I drink a 12 pack a day and smoke alotta pot instead. Taking etizolam or other shit whenever I can afford it. It isn't perfect but it beats no meds and it beats anything they would give me at the doc office. One day I'll drink myself to death I'm sure of it but what else can I do?

I'm fucking SICK of hearing people talk about exercise. I was working in a high-end kitchen over 40 hours a week and biking 12 miles a day eating healthy and I still wanted to put a gun in my mouth. Fish oil doesn't hurt and I take it as much as possible but for soul-crushing depression if you think a vitamin is gonna make a noticeable difference your fucking retarded.

I feel you on the drinking/Etizolam part. I've got some Etizolam coming in tomorrow hopefully, and drinking helps pass the time/helps me sleep.

From all the posts in this thread I'm thinking I might tell the psych I don't want SSRIs just based on all the bad effects I'm hearing about. I don't know if there are alternatives, but all the bad effects seem to outweigh the good for SSRIs. Since I started using H again and I'm honestly coming out of the depression I was in I don't know if I even want antidepressants anymore unless using H won't interfere with it. I feel like an xr benzo may still help with anxiety/sleep, but if I don't get prescribed something for sleep I'll continue to self medicate.