Is There Anyone Else Not Taking Meds?

[alrite]

I have refused meds from the beginning. Though I do have a couple beer sometimes to take the edge off like some people use ativan. I don't recomend it (to difficult to manage the dose) just being honest.
why no meds? I've read to much and seen too much. When some one says they can ballance brain chemicals they cannot measure??? I call BS.
I am already good at repressing, for me fear and avoidance are the problem. Facing the memories and feeling is the cure. Med may make the illness nore barable while preventing recovery.
That said its a persoan choice. I don't know if this is a path that leads to recovery. I hare great support & a lot of skills. A lot of time i'm ballancing on a ball, just getting by. I doubt I could have done this 10 or 20 years ago. So I don't judge people who use meds, it just not an option for me.
All the best with your recovery.

 

[Changing4Best]

Well, I do take meds, but I am running into some problems that I believe may be associated with them. First of these is the memory problems. I have noticed recently that my memory is being effected a lot. I have trouble recalling things, including what I just read 5-10 minutes ago! I have to backtrack when I am reading, also, because my mind starts to wander while I am reading. This also happens to me as I listen to others! It has gotten to be annoying, to say the least.

Then I noticed that I am losing a lot of hair. My therapist told me that this is due to stress, and that makes sense, but I also looked this up on WebMD and it said there that some meds cause this. I wonder if I will be bald and need to wear a wig by the time I reach age 65! (I am 60 yrs old).

How was is getting off of your meds, or did you ever take a bunch of them regularly? I've thought about going off of them, but there is a problem. I take some of them for physical problems. For instance, I take amitriptyline for Restless Leg Syndrome. As it is now, I often don't get enough sleep. If stopped taking that drug, who knows if I would get ANY sleep! I also take 2 stomach meds. I have tried to even go off one of these and I feared I would get an ulcer, the pain was bad. SO I take them both reluctantly.

 

[DarkSideOfTheSoul]

@SheilaKathy ,
Were you referring to me, as to how it was getting off meds?
Blessings.

 

[Changing4Best]

@DarkSideOfTheSoul yes, I guess I was, though I don't recall exactly why. My memory being what it is (and mostly isn't!). I don't want to have to give up my meds, on one level and I wish I had never ever agreed to start taking them at the same time! I am on 9 of them in all, and one of them just got upped, but that still didn't help me to be able to sleep well last night or the night before.... I have only been getting like 4-5-6 hours of sleep a night. And that is WITH meds that help me to sleep. I wonder if we stopped that medicine altogether, how would I sleep, not at all?

 

[intothelight]

@Saint Nik I need to clarify before I start that I do take one prescribed medication, but it is a chemotherapy drug and has nothing to do with my PTSD. The only other medication is an 81mg aspirin to prevent possible blood clots, which are a side effect of the chemotherapy drug.

I have chosen not to take any other medications as at this time I did other things to manage my own PTSD. I eat a organic diet, rich in whole fruits, vegetables and grains and my protein of choice is fish. I drink at a minimum 60+ ounces of water, get at least two hours of exercise (aerobic, weights, yoga (hiking, biking, swimming (as much outdoors as possible as I find nature rejuvenating), regularly get 7 to 8 hours of sleep, and have found a balance between meaningful work, fun, rest and socializing. By feeling optimal physically, I found that my mental state followed. I am a firm believer a mind/body continuum and you treat the whole person, not just parts.

The tools I found most effective were Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and changing the way that I think. Identify and overcoming the distortions that were crippling me mentally and emotionally. I also live and breathe mindfulness and stay in the present and look for the beauty and pleasure in just about everything. (Even dish soap suds cast little rainbows when the light is right. :))

I have not processed my trauma as many others have, because I don't have a lot of memories. Things I remember I have process in terms of learning they are the past and are not present and the emotions tied to them are allowed to be assigned to them and not to the things in my present. When they pop up, I deal with them and then move on to living as fully in the moment as I can. I haven't disassociated for a few years now, no longer have suicidal ideation, worked through most of my triggers, but also recognize my limits and don't allow myself to get overly stressed, tired, and live true to myself.

My life is busy, demanding, and just plain old life. However, I do now make my health a priority and I also know that I need down time. I allow myself time to quietly read daily as that is something I enjoy. I also take frequent mini vacations and get away from the every day. A weekend camping or just a day of hiking and a picnic can do wonders to increase a person's peace.

Hope this helps a bit. The good part is that it is low cost and there is nothing that can hurt you.

 

[mightyinkkedone]

Hello folks (again!) :)

Just a few quick questions about medication. Is there anyone else like myself...

I understand about not wanting to take the meds bur for me it's because I'm a recovering addict and I've been clean for 19 years now and still not easy for me