I think my one caution maybe even to someone like you . . .
well . . . some background first . . .
My PhD training included MUCH MORE instruction from the fellow who taught the MD psychiatrists at UCSD their psychoactive drug tract . . . on such psychoactive drugs than he gave them in terms of the number of hours of such instruction.
And, I used to be a pretty . . . standard psychologist type on such matters. When certain symptom criteria reached certain levels and other means had been tried, meds were the only and most fitting alternative.
AND THAT CAN STILL BE THE CASE.
I have since learned, however, that things are often a bit more complicated.
1. The drugs are not that problem free and need to be monitored a lot. Some range of drugs often needs to be tried until the specific drug and specific dosage are finely tuned to the person.
2. MANY TIMES, drugs may not be necessary over the long term
IF
IF
IF
the person can be successfully trained to manage their feelings, relationships, choices WITH GUARDING THEIR THOUGHTS; THEIR SELF-TALK; THEIR DAILY CHOICES; THEIR FEELINGS MUCH MORE SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT MEDS.
And USUALLY, that can be done in even some incredibly difficult cases
IF
IF
IF
IF
the patient/cleint will PERSIST in doggedly working at the behavioral shaping—especially in guarding their thoughts and words and emotions, attitudes like a precious treasure.
To keep it short—I’ll stop there. LOL. I still need to do grades for one more class.
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you have said here Quix. It was definitely a last resort for me. I won’t get into specifics, and I wasn’t as “bad off” as many people I’ve known through my life (no suicidal thoughts or anything like that), but the very small dosage of the meds I am on were enough to allow me to get a hold of the “self-talk”, and stop me from sliding back into the agony I experienced as a young adult trying to recover from sexual/physical/emotional abuse. (Triggered again by being sexually assaulted several years ago). There were many other physical factors I was dealing with as well that contributed to my depression (painful physical problems with my back and neck that required months of procedures and therapies, etc... that also cause “flashbacks” of a sort that reminded me of the pain I experienced when being physically abused, etc...).
The meds have allowed me to get back on track as far as being able to recognize when I was beginning to “slide” and allowed me to again use the tools I have gained through my life that correct the erroneous patterns of behavior set up by my father in my childhood...
I greatly appreciate your wisdom, and your willingness to discuss these issues... I hope that by my sharing such as well that others will be less afraid to discuss these things throughout our society... THAT I feel is what is necessary to truly help those in our world who are suffering like this young man, and hopefully have the best shot at preventing tragedies like these from occurring in the future...