Hi Iris,
Mine helps. I currently take 10mg Lexapro daily. I am irrational when not on it. I took Welbutrin which many people tolerate well but I did not. I use xanax also as needed or often to go to sleep. I fight the idea of these things...or used to but "family" notices a difference when I use anti-depressants.

I take just enough to "take the edge off." I could actually go down to 5mg but I feel like I would have a lot more fatigue and other symptoms. I hope that helps some.

Take care,
Hopeful

Thank you so much for sharing, Hopeful. I'm glad you find meds helpful.
I think I've felt pushed into a corner over taking meds in the past, but not by this T.
I'm trying to work out of my response is irrational or if there is any anecdotal evidence that having formed an attachment, an antidepressant might help.
Still really upset she brought it up - not sure what that's all about at all...
Thank you again x

Hi Iris

I've found my T's advice regarding my med's to be very useful. I started on antidepressants about a month before I began therapy and it was T who noticed that my improvement began to plateau out and suggest I ask my doctor to change the medication.

I currently take 50mg of Lustral (Zoloft? in the US) daily, and have found that that combination of med's and talk therapy works best for me. In fact, were it not for the fact that i went onto med's first I doubt I would have started therapy at all.

FWIW, I think your T's advice is sound. Certainly my being on an SSRI medication has helped me stay connected.

Well for my two pennys worth I think every one reacts in their own way when it comes to med's.
If the advice is to try something then you can be sure it may be worth your time. It may be necessary to chop and change untill one is found to work for you. At lest that was the way for me. I can not for the life off me recall what I was first put on though
at the moment I am on seroquil and cymbalta.
I well take what I am given and if I find its not doing much I well say so.
All the best.
ND

I have been in a similar situation last spring. All of a sudden T suggested that it might be a good idea if I maybe start taking meds.

It felt like she gave up on me, that she saw me as a lost case she couldn't help anymore. I was really devastated.

I remember posting this on here in a more general topic and Attachment Girl came back with some words that I found extremely helpful. Let me quote this, maybe it helps you a bit as well.

AG wrote the following:

quote:

I was really freaked the first time my (first) T recommended medication many years ago. But when I finally did start taking AD's a year later (yes, I was both scared and stubborn) they helped immensely. Mainly because they helped regulate my emotions enough that I could divert energy from managing my feelings to healing. Medications are just another tool in the tool box and as such are something you may or may not use, but are part of solution. A solution which can include many resources: your therapist, your spiritual practices, this forum, your friends, books and information, etc. The more we can lay hold of to help us heal, the more stable we can be and the faster we can heal. So instead of seeing this as your T saying you are so sick I cannot heal you, could you look at it as your T saying "we're heading into stormy weather, how about we put on rain gear and get under an umbrella?"

That said, I have decided not to take meds yet, I just don't feel it's the right thing yet (I have been on SSRI's for a while before which didn't do much except for causing side effects.)

You don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable with. It can be a good aid for some but maybe it's just not the right thing for you.

My counsellor has not suggested ADs but the ED nurse specialist suggested several times. I am stubborn and refuse to believe that I am depressed, I suppose I know I am really but just can't face the reality of it.

Scared of the so called side effects of the drugs. Had one for 5 days 2 years ago and it was the worst 5 days ever and it was on the lowest dose.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Avoidant - I think I'm dubious as to how it'll help me to hold onto the connection. I don't remember how I felt when I was on meds before in relation to that but perhaps that's because I hadn't experienced a true connection!

ND - I'm not good at doing as I'm told... But you're right, it's not forever and I can say how it's going.

JenDark - really helpful reminder, thank you. I completely understand why you haven't decided yet!

Scars - I'm not sure if I'm depressed or not and I'm not sure it matters as it's more about our experience of life. I've had a bad reaction to meds too and a battle to come off them so it's understandable there's reluctance!

Am now going to search journals to see if there's any scientific basis for T's suggestion!

Take care everyone and thanks for responding xx

Hey,

My T suggested something for anxiety, and also anti depressants, early on in therapy. I was struggling a lot and she said she thought they could help to make things easier while I did the work of therapy. I chose not to take them and I did end up improving significantly with therapy alone. Won't say it was easy, but I didn't want to deal with the side effects and was also afraid of experiencing a "numbed out" feeling I've heard people complain about. On the flip side, it seems that people who prescribe these things say that is a dosage issue which can usually be tweaked and corrected.

I don't know. It's a personal decision. I'd be leery of any T (or other health professional) who seemed to be pushing them on you unless there was very good reason. Suggesting is one thing. I believe for some people medication does become a necessity; I was never quite at that point. Only you can know what is best for you.

I did ask my regular doctor (actually my OB/GYN) what she thought of this notion. She wanted to know why I thought I needed them, and I said I didn't really, but that I was seeing a therapist for some family of origin issues and she suggested I might benefit from them. My doc wanted to know if I was eating and sleeping all right, and I said yes, and she told me that I was fine, that if I really needed them I would have come to her about it, and that the idea never would have occurred to me if T hadn't planted it in my head.

LOL! That was a little condescending of her and not a very nice reflection on my T, but it did make me feel reassured to know another health professional (who for what it's worth has known me longer than my T) agreed with my choice.

That's another thought, you can always get a second opinion on this if you want and are comfortable doing so.

Hi Iris,
Sounds to me like you don't believe meds are right for you. That's based on your experience with them and how you feel these days. You know yourself best.
Medication is a different experience for different people. I have been on prozac and zoloft in the past and my experience was it disconnected me from my feelings and from other people. Id think it was funny that my 5 yo hurt his finger or my ex screamed at me or pushed me. Even though my body was nervous (drug induced) I couldn't connect to that emotionally. I also had hallucinations. And this was the low dose, nothing else. I tried wellbutrin also which made me irritable for no reason.
If you take medication you are drugged. Not more connected to yourself.
Trust yourself.

(And if you need literature to back you up http://www.omsj.org/corruption/jama-reports-ssri-scam)