My Babbling Psychology Rant

[Piebald]

I just found some writings of mine on my computer that are deeply humiliating. In the truest sense--very humbling. Before 2004 I was struggling with serious mental health issues. Not schizophrenia or anything involving hallucinations or something like that. Icy stabs of depression, severe lapses into sinful behavior*, crying/screaming fits, and awful, awful mistakes. I had the emotional stability of a one-legged chicken carrying a basket full of eggs across hot coals. This rarely (if at all) leaked into my online forum life, thank heavens, but I did keep journals/e-mail close friends about this stuff. In 2003 or so I finally got medical insurance so I was able to get psychotherapy as well as access to medication (specifically Paxil). After about a year of this I became an actual living human being. The opressive mental health issues practically vanished. As a result I've become very interested in psychology/psychiatry. The brain is the most delicate part of the human body, and when it is damaged in any way it really sabotages your life.

Has anyone else had any experience with Paxil? For the record I believe that it was both Paxil and Psychotherapy (specifically Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and not just the swallowing of a drug that 'cured' me. In America we probably over-indulge in drugs, but when you actually need one it's nice to know that they are there.


*I was fully culpable for my behavior. However it is easier to fall into sin when you are suffering than when you are completely healthy, imo

[learning]

What you describe is so much like what I have read in a book about the brain, called 'Synaptic Self' by Joseph LeDoux, in that medication helps to get the right synapses working in the brain (and therefore the right chemicals are able to flow how they should) but in the chapter called 'Synaptic Sickness' which covers things like depression, they find that a pill to help often isn't enough, that cognitive thinking, or thinking 'right' (whether that's about oneself or situations, whatever) has to be learned. However, the pills that help usually help to make the mind or brain more open or able to learn new thinking, and therefore, both are needed.

I like what you say about being responsible for your actions, and agree that we are tempted or more prone to fall into wrong thinking and therefore actions, when we are weak or thinking wrongly. I consider it like how one is more prone to injury if one is unfit.

[keith]

I just found some writings of mine on my computer that are deeply humiliating. In the truest sense--very humbling. Before 2004 I was struggling with serious mental health issues. Not schizophrenia or anything involving hallucinations or something like that. Icy stabs of depression, severe lapses into sinful behavior*, crying/screaming fits, and awful, awful mistakes. I had the emotional stability of a one-legged chicken carrying a basket full of eggs across hot coals. This rarely (if at all) leaked into my online forum life, thank heavens, but I did keep journals/e-mail close friends about this stuff. In 2003 or so I finally got medical insurance so I was able to get psychotherapy as well as access to medication (specifically Paxil). After about a year of this I became an actual living human being. The opressive mental health issues practically vanished. As a result I've become very interested in psychology/psychiatry. The brain is the most delicate part of the human body, and when it is damaged in any way it really sabotages your life.

Has anyone else had any experience with Paxil? For the record I believe that it was both Paxil and Psychotherapy (specifically Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and not just the swallowing of a drug that 'cured' me. In America we probably over-indulge in drugs, but when you actually need one it's nice to know that they are there.


*I was fully culpable for my behavior. However it is easier to fall into sin when you are suffering than when you are completely healthy, imo

Hi there

Thanks for having the courage to put your story out there for all to see. It is good to hear a positive outcome, more often one hears about the disasters. As a psychotherapist in a (secular)hospital setting I have worked with people who are on antidepressants like fluoxetine or paroxetine and I would agree that sometimes it is necessary to use these medications to introduce a little stability. I am sceptical of the ability of any drug to produce long term changes in thinking and behavior without combining some reflective work such as therapy.

You mentioned Paxil specifically and I am glad you had a positive result. Here in the UK the medicine paroxetine is sold under a different brand name - Seroxat- and has been the subject of some controversy due to adverse side effects in a minority of users. In the interest of fairness I thought it might be useful for anyone thinking of taking paxil/seroxat to have access to both sides of the story. The GSK official website can be found at www.paxil.com (http://www.paxil.com) and for those who would like to see an alternative perspective there is an interesting UK site caller www.seroxatusergroup.org.uk (http://www.seroxatusergroup.org.uk).

Blessings :smile:

Keith

[Piebald]

You mentioned Paxil specifically and I am glad you had a positive result. Here in the UK the medicine paroxetine is sold under a different brand name - Seroxat- and has been the subject of some controversy due to adverse side effects in a minority of users. In the interest of fairness I thought it might be useful for anyone thinking of taking paxil/seroxat to have access to both sides of the story. The GSK official website can be found at www.paxil.com (http://www.paxil.com) and for those who would like to see an alternative perspective there is an interesting UK site caller www.seroxatusergroup.org.uk (http://www.seroxatusergroup.org.uk).

Oh, yes, I definitely think that people should consider the risks. I was on a really low dose that I was getting for free from my physician, before I got health insurance, and I abruptly stopped because I thought I was "better." I actually had a suicide attempt! It was really scary. Apparently suicide attempts are common when people stop taking it, particularly with young people. Drugs like Paxil are serious business and when you take them you have to be very careful and very serious. It has helped loads but it also has the potential for great harm if mis-used.

[DawnBat]

Heyo, Hamster. I'm on Paxil myself. I went off it for a while after I started school. I found that when I was immersed in a truly caring community of geniune believers, I could survive without the Paxil... but just barely.

My family has a history of bi-polar, but my doctor says that can't be what I have if the Paxil cures it.

I also keep extensive journals, and hoo boy! When I read the crap that was going through my mind in those days...