To not understand why people are so anti medication?

[Tambatamba]

Specifically for mental health issues.

My 19 year old daughter has been really unwell and seems to have panic disorder. Finally, after not being able to start uni again because she was having 5 panic attacks a day, the GP agreed to give her some fluoxetine and TG it seems to be helping. I could cry, actually because it has been so hard watching her struggle.

The thing is that as a family, we all seem to suffer with MH. Quite a few of us also have autism (she doesn't though). Most of us are on SSRIs. I've been on sertraline for 10 years and even kept taking a low dose whilst I was pregnant.

All I hear, though is people sending me articles about how awful the side effects are. You 'can't take them forever.' Why can't you? If you lack enough serotonin to feel well why is it not ok to take meds to help this?

I feel like we haven't moved on much in terms of understanding that MH illness is not any different from having physical illness.

The serotonin theory has been debunked recently which has led to increased criticism of anti depressants - but that doesn't mean that many people aren't helped by them.
If they work for you and you are happy taking them then ignore what other people say.

I'm all for medication for people who find it effective, but I've had a lot of serious/extremely unpleasant side effects from a quite a few drugs, so I tend to choose other options if they are available/reasonably effective. Not in a "drugs are bad" way, but in a "my body really doesn't tend to react well to drugs" way.

It's rude to send articles like that to begin with. It's up to the individual to research for themselves. If SSRIs work for you that's great. For many they have harmful side effects. I can't take them and I have severe mental health issues. There's not a lot of other options either. It's very rough. I would never think to tell someone else they shouldn't take them however. If they asked, or if I was sharing my experience I'd talk about it, but trying to influence someone else's choices is crossing a line. I'd take it up with who ever sent you the stuff. I hope your DD feels better soon! It's wonderful you're there for her.

Yes my mum is like this. She had a horrible reaction to fluoxetine.

I think there needs to be more research into these drugs and how they affect individuals and why there’s a difference?

DH takes pain meds - I’ve never needed them bar an odd pain killer - even after operations.

This means we react differently.

I've been taking them on and off for most of my adult life. Whenever I come off them, my mental health plummets.
I've been on them nonstop now for the last 13 yrs.

My husband had a very bad breakdown involving a 3 week stay in a locked ward and has been on anti depressants ever since as his is a chemical imbalance depression . I had a breakdown due to work 3 years ago and needed to take antidepressants for about 9 months but was able to come off them once I was out of the work situation.
Mine and my husband's situation are different and he will be on them for life . His dose has reduced but he's on a maintenance dose now.
A supposed friend said to my husband that antidepressants are useful if you are the feeble minded person who needs a crutch. That person who apart from the fact isn't obviously a true friend has severe mental health issues himself but because he won't take medication it gets worse year on year and he can no longer work and his life is unraveling, but no antidepressants are for feeble minded people supposedly.

I think any medication should be considered seriously and I’m in “be careful “ camp for all of them. I was prescribed setraline once but the list of possible side effects was quite scary so I delayed (we were about to go on holiday) and then I felt a bit better and decided against it. In my case there was also feeling that instead of looking carefully into all possible medical aspects GP just prescribed AD. She didn’t check my vitamins level, blood, etc. I suppose I fitted certain profile: early 40s, exhausted anxious mum of disabled child of course I needed AD to cope with my difficult life. There was no counseling available just Silver Cloud online, unsupported - so not much choice.
My point is that I’m not against medication for MH, however I feel that in some cases medications for MH issues are prescribed too quickly. I’m for careful checking of all medical aspects and offering to patients a range of options. But this is my approach for all medications, I don’t discriminate against e.g AD in particular.

@Ahwig it’s such a horrible thing to say and completely untrue.

Even for physical illness
I get "oh you should take vitamins for that"
If a vitamin worked for my immune system I wouldn't be injecting a bone marrow drug would I?!

Or "oh I could never take a drug with those side effects/increased cancer risk"
It wasn't really an option...

@Tambatamba, I can identify with you - one of my DCs had to drop out of sixth form due to extremely poor mental health. Mental health services here were, at the time, absolutely useless (kept downgrading the referral, eventually offered a telephone call seven months later, which DC would not take as they were so anxious).

Somewhere around two years after the initial 'breakdown', they, eventually, were receptive to the idea of medication (they had looked it up on the internet and all of the advice was to not be medicated).

Two and a half years down the line, after starting fluoxetine, things gradually started to improve - so much so that recovery meant wanting to do something with their life, starting to study an A level of their choice, but then going on to do an apprenticeship in the same subject.

It's a couple of years on now, DC was successful in their apprenticeship, now has a permanent job, and is lined up to do the next stage of their qualification (via another apprenticeship), which will then mean they can work for themself if they want.

It's been amazing. We've gone from the days of not even being able to get dressed to go to school, to DC living and working independently.
It was awful at the time and took a toll on my own mental health.

In answer to your question, I think that poor mental health seems to have a stigma still, and that if you suffer from it, you are somehow lesser. That's not true of course, and totally negates what those experiencing it and their families go through.
Meanwhile, I am taking antidepressants - I started back on them when DC was going through their bad patch, and then came off them afterwards, but am now taking them again due to a life-changing diagnosis which impacts my daily life.
I'm not ashamed of it. Life has given me a few hard knocks and I've found it difficult to deal with. Many people don't feel comfortable in saying that, I know.

That was a huge word bundle, but in essence, I think you're a fabulous mum for sticking with it for your DD. I know how tough it is.

I took various psychiatric medicines and whilst they probably saved my life, one caused substantial weight gain and the other triggered a lifelong neurological condition. So whilst I am glad they saved my life,.they definitely aren't something I would take lightly.

Same with any medicine, I recently became desperately ill and eventually doctors worked out it was the medication I was taking.

So yes, medicines are sometimes necessary but a degree of caution is sensible too

Any decision about medication is between you and your doctor
Nobody else's business

Even if they prefer to rub themselves with crystals and run widdershins around a rowan tree or whatever best of luck to them
Personally I will stick with the meds that help me
Your body ( and mind), your choice

I don't really agree with what you say in the OP: 'MH illness is not any different from having physical illness'. Perhaps some mental illnesses can be compared to complex issues like autoimmune conditions or post viral fatigue, but I don't think depression or anxiety can be compared to a broken leg or a bout of pneumonia. They are not as well understood, have complex causes and effects, and are often more difficult to diagnose. Doctors understand how antibiotics or ivermectin work (of course nothing is 100%), but the working of the human brain is very complicated, poorly understood, and poorly controlled.

@Greenfinch7, can you clarify your post please? I'm not sure whether you are saying that mental illnesses are not comparable to physical illnesses, or that mental illnesses are more difficult to diagnose (or maybe both)?

This, the same for me too.

I have a medication induced neurological involuntary movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia that was caused by some prescribed off label antipsychotic during a breakdown after a head injury and post concussion syndrome.

Unfortunately, after nearly a decade of living with this shitty disorder where literally parts of my body will move on their own without my control - like my tongue in my mouth - I have a few hang ups about psychotropic drugs, as you can imagine.

Plus, I have had terrible adverse effects from seemingly innocuous substances too after, including things like antifungal creams like Canesten - so you can see why I am not so in love with medication.

But of course, this is just my opinion and is subjective. If I'd never been injured by psychotropic meds, I'd not be so biased or against them.

Me too. Can I ask you what the neurological condition you have is please? Mine is called tardive dyskinesia and it was caused by an off label first generation typical antipsychotic called Pericyazine.

Myasthenia gravis

I'm saying both. When people say to take medication for mental illness because you wouldn't hesitate to take antibiotics for an infection or ibuprofen for pain, I just find myself thinking: the brain is even more complex than the rest of the body, and the treatments are not as well understood.

Sorry to all those who are suffering.

I'm supposed to take AD's but don't because I'm ashamed and also believe I deserve to suffer rather than take them and maybe feel better.

Debunked, really?

You should have a read of this, from the very reputable BMJ:

https://www.bmj.com/content/381/bmj.p1419

I dislike taking medication myself for physical pain, I only do if it's really bad. For regular coughs and colds I just ride it out. Personal choice though. Very fortunately I've never had issues with mental health but I absolutely wouldn't judge anyone taking medication for it.

I agree with your sentiments op. My DD has had her later teens saved by medication and who knows possibly her life.
I have always seen it as the same as physical medication as we learn more about the brain and hormonal/chemical issues.
Of course there are those that worry I do too but I can see the benefits and am grateful for that.
I also appreciate medication for mental health is not always for everyone and respect their choice.
My DD's psychiatrist said you can't expect a teen to think themselves out of a mental health crisis anymore than you could think yourself better from a chest infection, you need help to fight.
Then you can build in strategies and so on as they feel less under attack.

Ooh, I got tardive dyskinesia too, from fluoxetine, but I was lucky as mine cleared up shortly after I came off the fluoxetine.

Thanks @DirectionToPerfection
(I take them.)