The EADD Mental Health Support Thread

[wcote]

Im correct in thinking you life in St Pauls cherry, I think I know which copper you on about.

A complete and utter twat..... Like all police who enter St Pauls, gotta act tough, blah blah blah.

 

[rockstar 69]

Sam
Oh yeah - I know you're not fighting as such, and I know better than many how important it can feel to get the last word in, but could you two (brimz and rockstar I mean) take any further exchanges to PMs, or at least out of this thread?

No problem Sam. I've already made my point anyway anything further is pointless.

 

[Myshkin]

Cheers Rockstar. I know it's not that far removed from stuff we'd turn a blind eye to elsewhere, and neither of you resorted to "you cunt, blah, blah, blah" but it just isn't the thread for it. I know you're both with me on that.

 

[SpecialK_]

Think this is my first post in this thread, heads fried to say the least! Aint been on any drugs today and I'm starting to really be fucked over by that in my routine I'm realizing. Weed is actually aiding me in functioning throughout the day if I atleast get that toke in the evening, otherwise I can't sleep, appetite just isn't as present either all typical. Weed smoking doesn't really do long term damage does it? I intend to keep it this way, I think I'm gonah switch to a vape soon to give my lungs a break. Don't want to start into benzos as they seem to really put my head up my hole, temporary only for me and I don't want a daily habit with those things as I like my MDMA and Acid too much.

I've gotta be up at about 6.30-7 in the morning and sleep just aint appearing these days. Thank fuck it's nearly Friday as well, but to be honest at the moment it'll be my mates this weekend that are gonah need the mental support rather than me. Feel sorry for the situations some of my mates are in at the minute, their heads aint in a good place and as always drugs are self-destructive
Choices in life are difficult at the minute too, really starting to question what I'm doing with myself like and whether effort is worth putting in or not. Anyone out there got a wealthy job and regret it? Or anyone out there regret not having that wealthy job? Is it really worth putting in those extra hours to get that promotion?
Hate money, but I seem forced to deal with more and more of it each day. Can't even get a part time job at the moment and I'm looking to get a new house or something in the next few months. It'd be a lot easier if I was willing to live with others but I'd just prefer a one bedroom. Starting to feel really burnt out with things at the minute, been there done that kind of approach and need some new freshness. Acid was providing it for a while but I don't think it's a good idea personally to take it in that way.

All my coin is just being swallowed by drugs at the moment as I'm terrible for saving, the money I save I spend in dribs and drabs on drugs and it's ridiculous ones like weed and alcohol too. Wanted to get a digital DJ setup but now realized I'd love vinyl just for the sound but no way I'm gonah have cash for speakers let alone this stuff when I'm trying to sort out a house. Think I might take myself off in summer somewhere driving distance and just chill out for a few days. Unfortunately that's a while off.

I hope by this time next year, I've got a new house and enough coin to satisfy my drug use but also leave room for other things to enjoy because at the moment its the complete opposite and I think that's what's frying the old head.

I've a real struggle at the moment with time and any advice would be appreciated. I constantly feel as if I don't have enough time in my day and it's restraining me from doing things as I feel like I'm missing out on other things, really I'm not I'm wasting it sitting here on a bloody laptop. Any tips on just getting yourself to slow down in general and realize that time doesn't actually fly that fast? I know I have all the time in the world, but I feel like I don't. My head feels like it's constantly needing to plan, be productive and organize everything that I'm doing.

Feel like I'm just starting to write nonsense now (mental health eh) and I hope noone takes my rant here as a bad thing. I reckon a lot of you guys have it a lot worse than me right now so hope you're all well and sorry for filling this space with pointless nonsense - I'll probably feel better in the morning. Hard for me to express my feelings into words, so thought'd be good to just discuss what's on my mind.

We got three million miles to reach the moon, so lets start getting happy now - dunno why but these lyrics infact this entire song never ceases to cheer me up even if its only slightly.

 

[rockstar 69]

How are you supporting your drug habbit at the moment? Jobseekers? Doesn't really sound like your going to be getting a flat anytime soon unless you find a job. Which I'd also say will put a lot of these thoughts aside.

 

[Ismene]

Now you know that's just not true, some research has shown that but then again some research has shown all sorts of things that we now know to be untrue

Bit of reading that gives you a quick overview of all the research that's been done. The most striking stuff for me is how the pharmacy industry hid all the evidence showing SSRI's are no more effective than a sugar pill.

The fact that the class of antidepressants known as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are basically useless in treating depression in children and adults is not news to the FDA. Back on September 23, 2004, during testimony at a hearing before the House Oversight and Investigations Committee on Energy and Commerce, Dr Robert Temple, the FDA's Director of the Office of Medical Policy, discussed the agency's review on the efficacy of SSRIs with the children.

He noted that it was important in a risk-benefit equation to understand the benefit side. "Of the seven products studied in pediatric MDD (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Serzone and Remeron)," he testified, "FDA's reviews of the effectiveness data resulted in only one approval (Prozac) for pediatric MDD."

"Overall," Dr Temple said, "the efficacy results from 15 studies in pediatric MDD do not support the effectiveness of these drugs in pediatric populations."

Also in 2004, a study of previously hidden unpublished data as well as published studies on five SSRIs, was conducted by Tim Kendall, deputy director of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research Unit in London, to help analyze research to draw up the clinical guidelines for British regulators, and published in the Lancet.

Following his evaluation, Mr Kendall stated: "This data confirms what we found in adults with mild to moderate depression: SSRIs are no better than placebo, and there is no point in using something that increases the risk of suicide."

In 2005, the British Medical Journal published another study that concluded that SSRIs are no more effective than a placebo and do not reduce depression.

In December 2006, at the most recent FDA advisory committee meeting held to review studies on SSRI use with adults, SSRI expert, Dr David Healy, author of, "The Antidepressant Era," told the panel that the efficacy of SSRIs has been greatly exaggerated, while the actual studies reveal that only one in ten patients responds specifically to an SSRI rather than a nonspecific factor or placebo.

Critics complain that industry funded studies are presented in ways to exaggerate benefits and obscure side effects. "These include failure to publish negative results, the use of multiple outcome measures, and selective presentation of ones that are positive, multiple publication of positive study results, and the exclusion of subjects from the analysis," according to the paper, "Is Psychiatry For Sale," by Joanna Moncrieff, in People's Voice.
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/ssri_birth_defects/ssri-secret-00642.html

 

[Mugz]

I was prescribed olanzepine by my doctor as a non addictive anxiolytic while I go back onto my benzo tapering schedule. For the last 4ish months I've been self-medicating instead of going to the doctor. Today we restarted me on 30mg diaz a day with 5mg olanzepine for nighttime, seeing her again next thursday to discuss the tapering schedule properly.

Was just wondering if anyone had any experience with olanzepine??

 

[effie]

Mugz, I do second hand, I'll PM you tomorrow.

There are bad sides and good sides to taking medications like that, and you can get a skewed perspective from the internet. You can from doctors too but I think it is really important to make your own mind up about these things and see if they help you. I am really glad you are seeing a doctor rather than self prescribing

Will write more tomorrow, exhausted now. Glad to hear from you

 

[brimz]

If this thread is going to be resurected then i think their should be some guidlines suchas no

NO Potential TRiggering & General Drug talk 4 a start

This thread almost drove me insane last time n thats not why i started it

I started it so pe4ople could talk about things like Mugz last post for instance

 

[Mugz]

Thanks effie, will look forward to the pm. I don't like the thought of taking an anti-psychotic, my doctor laughed when I said that because of my abuse of recreational drugs and my two hospital admissions because of them, I agreed it was stupid to not want to take them because of any stigma attached to them, going to go and see if the pharmacy is open now or I'll have to wait till tomorrow.

Is it stupid to not want to take anti-psychotics even if they are being prescribed for anxiety?

Oh, and brimz I think that this time around the thread will be respected, I don't think extra rules for it are needed, just for everyone to be respectful of each other and realise that this isn't another social/piss-take/argumentative thread.

 

[Allein]

Hey Mugz I dint comment before because I've never taken olanzepine, but I was on Chlorpromazine for quite a while, I wasn't overly keen on the effects but at the time I got put it them I needed it to just kind of switch some of the shit in my head off for a bit so I could take a breather. I know it's not the same drug but I suffered no issues on stopping CT.

 

[Mugz]

thanks atm, maybe it will be worth it if it gets me off benzos finally, will also prevent me doing stims as they wont work properly if I'm on olanzepine, with mxe gone too it might get me recreational drugg free entirely for a decent amount of time

 

[scrooloose]

Anyone had any luck/success with Sertraline? I drove to work today and felt an immediate mental slump. I just didn't want to be there. Went up to my boss and said i don't feel well,got back in my car and drove back home.

Lately i have been feeling angry,demotivated and depressed,Can't sleep. (Considering reducing drug useage)

I have had on/off mental issues from late teens,now 43. Late teens,severe depression with with tinges of psychoses,borderline schizophrenic two bouts of ECT,first bout put me on cloud nine for about 2 months,second bout felt like my brain had been frazzled. I remember cycling to shrink (first bout) thanking him for making me feel 'alive'.

Lost count of antidepressants tried and failed. Every single one gave me restlessnsess and agitation.

They gave me depixol injections and the agitation was so severe i felt like i could have demolished a house with my bare hands.Doctor came out and injected something to reverse the effects.The relief felt heavenly.

Anyway,went to docs (same one who helped me with the depixol incident) and he has prescripted sertraline,with 28 2mg diaz. They won't give me proper sleepers because a couple of years ago i told them i used G for sleep,thinking honesty is the best policy.

Has anyone on here had any luck with these for sleep/anxiety/anger issues?

 

[Allein]

I was on Sertraline for a bit but not that long maybe 2-3 months tops, I don't seem to tolerate SSRIs and I actually had an internal bleed whilst on the stuff so stopped CT. I wasn't getting much out of it mentally either, possibly a little more stable but along with the emotional compression that seems to come with all ADs I've used. But apart from the bleed it was the better of any of the SSRIs I'd taken as far as mental effects go, I can't really judge if it helped my GAD and Depression, its to subjective.

I'm on Venlafaxine at the moment and it has definitely had a positive effect along side a course of CBT, I am aiming to slowly get off this over the next 12 months if all goes well.

The variation in peoples reaction to ADs is so diverse recommendations seem pointless, I can only assume that not only are we all different in the nuances of our brain chemistry but that the actual causes of anxiety and depression are equally diverse.

We are about the same age and i know my issues go way back before my teens even but I didn't seek any help or fully breakdown until about 3 years ago, it sounds like you've been round the block and back again more than once.

Hope things get better for you, best wishes

 

[monstanoodle]

Scrooloose - Sertraline seems, for many that have taken it, to be one of the more "successful" SSRIs.
I don't think I've ever tried it....
It's supposed to be on par with Tricyclic Antideps (TCAs) but with less side effects and better toleration. And TCAs have been the group of Antideps that have helped me the most.
Obviously, they're no cure for me. To be honest I doubt any med can be a cure...
Well it's even stupid of me to be even speaking about it, as it's stupidly obvious 8)
Anyway - Tangent there - I was going to say that they allow me to cope better. They help with my sleep (even if I do need a litre of water beside my bed, terrible cotton mouth bizniz they create), my Anxiety is slightly dampened, Depression lifted sometimes.

I guess I just feel like there's nothing else that will work as well for me as Amitriptyline, so I'm scared to try any other class.
They either do nothing, make my Anxiety rise to stupid levels, turn me into a morbid zombie-type, take away my fear of death, cause me suicidal ideat.... Blah blah blah the list goes on.

.... Again, a tangent...

Sertraline! So yea, if you've not been able to handle TCAs side effects (if you've tried them) then it sounds to have a good chance of helping you out mate
I wish you luck with it

Oh, as for the anger issues, I'm not sure at all. I think therapy would be the best healer instead of medication when it comes to that.
But the med may allow you to become more calm so you can properly go into the ins and outs / details of the root(s) of yer anger.
Wow, that sounded well Dr. Phil 8(

Anyway, again - Good luck good sir

atm23 - I'm very glad to hear that Venlafaxine is working well for you. Sometimes the smallest amount of help from a med can allow you to get the most out of therapy. And from most forms of therapy I've gone through I arrive feeling shit, then leave feeling.... Urg..... The amount worse is astounding
So that's also wicked that CBT's going well man

 

[auto448]

Counting the days till my latest diaz binge wears off. Usually takes about 3 weeks for sleep and just general happiness to get back to normal. I just feel bored out of my mind. Theres only so much TV you can watch.

Having to much time on my hands isn't helping but a jobs out of the question at the minuter as my memory and just general mental health aren't 100%. I swear to fuck I'll never touch those fucking evil wee bastards again. People need to be educated about them more. Tolerance got totally out of control with me taking upwards of 1/2 a g a day. All the side efects without any of the goodins (was there ever I wonder?)

Never continuously thank fuck.

Been cycling/walking like mad and am making a serious attempt to cut the booze down as its effecting my health (waiting on blood tests)

Good luck to you all.

 

[YellowPolkaDotHalo]

Something about that post is so transparent and honest scrooloose. I want to say more in response but am not feeling v wordy today so here y are instead

To everyone else finding life a struggle at the moment, it sounds hackneyed, but you'll get through it and find yourself stronger and wiser at the end

 

[Allein]

Bit of reading that gives you a quick overview of all the research that's been done. The most striking stuff for me is how the pharmacy industry hid all the evidence showing SSRI's are no more effective than a sugar pill.

You are not representing the actual evidence in a fair manner, in many ways you are being just as misleading as the very people you are saying have mislead the public in the past.

You persistently try and suggest that SSRIs have no value in the treatment of Anxiety and Depression in any group of people, or at least it certainly comes over that way. This is simply not backed up by studies and evidence, just because a Pharm company suppresses information around a particular study based on a specific study group and criteria for commercial reasons does not mean that that drug has no value.

There are numerous studies that show SSRIs are of use in certain groups with certain conditions :-

This link gives some interesting information - http://charltonteaching.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/ssri-story-corruption-of-medical.html

Or if you want a bit of complication:- http://blogs.psychcentral.com/bipolar/2011/07/nsaid-ssri-antidepressant/

This quote says quite allot for me about the FDA situation and the work of Professor Kirsch "More broadly, we have to be careful about drawing conclusions from a single piece of work. There's no doubt how high the stakes are for everyone: Professor Irving Kirsch has built a career on showing the power of the placebo effect, pharmaceutical companies have built their fortunes on studies proclaiming the benefits of SSRI antidepressants, while patients are stuck in the middle.

Despite this, the evidence does seem to be mounting up against SSRI antidepressants. Although previous studies seemed to show SSRIs were effective, recent work has suggested this might be due to a bias in the way research is reported (Turner et al., 2008). Studies which show no effect have a tendency to be 'filed' rather than being submitted for publication. This can result in a much more rosy picture being painted of a drug's effectiveness than is really the case.

Either way, considering the number of people worldwide currently taking SSRI antidepressants, we can be sure this isn't the end of the story."


Whilst SSRIs are not effective for me due to acute side effects, pretty much all the information and studies I've looked at suggest that in some adults suffering from acute Anxiety and/or Depression there is evidence they have a positive effect.

 

[knock]

Six weeks ago I felt life was utterly pointless. I went on fluoxetine (prozac) and now it's only mostly pointless Not 100% sure of cause and effect but I'm sticking with my SSRIs for the time being.

EDIT I don't attribute my depression to low serotonin levels, I put it down to shitty events and life circumstances. I see the fluoxetine as buying me time while I sort out those things.

 

[mydrugbuddy]

Six weeks ago I felt life was utterly pointless. I went on fluoxetine (prozac) and now it's only mostly pointless Not 100% sure of cause and effect but I'm sticking with my SSRIs for the time being.

EDIT I don't attribute my depression to low serotonin levels, I put it down to shitty events and life circumstances. I see the fluoxetine as buying me time while I sort out those things.

Yeah, I find that SSRIs at least help prevent the lows from becoming too low and long lasting, or lower than they would have been otherwise. There's still ups and downs but they somehow seem to help prevent that 'bottom fallen out of the world' feeling.