Posted by finelinebob on September 5, 2006, at 20:29:25
In reply to New to all this!, posted by chickey on September 5, 2006, at 14:44:01
> I have been taken Effexor XR for a month and am now becoming scared I will be on it forever after reading all the posts! My husband doesn't think I should be on anything and I just feel I need someone to talk to. Thanks
Why are you taking it? Is it in response to some recent trauma? Looking for help for something that hasn't "felt right" for a long time?
If something happened **to** you that gave you cause to go on the med, then yeah, talking to a T **and** taking the med will help you get through it. It might be a month or two or six. But that might be enough.
If it's also something that is **a part** of you, like it's in your genetics, then yeah, you may need to take them all your life. But do NOT consider that a verdict against your character -- that's BS. Do NOT think you can simply talk it away or pull yourself up by your bootstraps -- that's BS too. DO seek specialized help beyond what your GP can do. If you work with a T and the "fit" doesn't seem right, don't feel guilty about looking for someone else.
If you take my family for an example, I can see untreated (and one case, other than me, treated) depression in just about every family member. My youngest brother seemed unaffected, tho, until a recent intense bout of "stress" led to panic attacks, crying bouts, stuff like that. I sent him to my PDoc at the time, and my PDoc's response was "Here's a prescription that will last you two weeks to get you through the 'event' ... if you're still having issues then, come back and see me." My brother didn't have any more issues, talking to my PDoc, me and his wife for support helped him understand what he was feeling, and he hardly took any of the meds. He never went back, and he flushed the remainder of the prescription when he felt he was back "on track".
For me, it was a combination of my T and my GP to get me to a PDoc and get me on the right meds (which took some time to figure out). I'll be on meds the rest of my life. Does it scare me? At one time, sure. Right now, not one bit. I accept it as assistence in containing the Beast inside me, and I'm grateful that I found a combination of meds (I'm on four) that work so well. Because of how much they help me, I look forward to doing things I wouldn't be able to do without the meds. In an important way, they are a blessing, not some indication of my "weakness" or any other garbage like that.
Most of all -- look at this board and look beyond the talk of meds. You'll find a lot of trouble people at the "start" of their journeys, you'll find some who appear to be stuck in a maze and need help to find their way through. But you'll find a TON of very helpful, supportive, caring people wherever you look. If that cannot convince you that you are who you are, and that the meds and/or therapy carry with them hope of improving on who you are, then I don't know what will.
Short term or long term, welcome to Babble. Know that we care about you and you can depend on us. Feel free to share what's in your mind and/or your heart. Lend support or ask for it. If you want it to be, Babble is your community and we're all richer for you joining.
poster:finelinebob
thread:683385
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/newbs/20060108/msgs/683485.html