What are your views on psychiatry?

[Techless]

Sorry - forgot to mention: I'm Tri-Polar.

Not sure what category that falls under but leave it to me to create a 'good' reason to conjure up the next one. (we are all secretly VERY good at that - eh?) Why not? 50 years of discussion on the matter has not brought abut anything fruitful beyond what has/had already been talked over many million years before I was around.

Really? I think talking bout psychiatry is about as useful as talking about Scn. Yes, endless fascinating tidbits to discuss over, but to what means and why? I've not seen much, in either arena, to warrant much other than a casual gloss-over...and then: let's just get on with it...

... Please?

Seems the best things in life are here because the ones that created them just did it, despite infinite opposition...some did better than others

so easy to get wrapped into talking about, instead of doing-

A-duh

TL

 

[White Rabbit]

I didn't read the entire thread, but since I recently started on Ativan and Zoloft I figured I would weigh in.

I was diagnosed with PTSD and depression. I have a problem with anxiety in my daily life. I have panic attacks, I have problems focusing and I tend to overreact and even become belligerent.

The meds I am taking have helped me out with those symptoms a lot. I can sleep normally and even though I have vivid dreams they aren't nightmares anymore. I can function at work and I am more confident and assertive. I can interact with people more now without getting annoyed or nervous. I am also more willing to leave the house and actually do things now. Where before I just wanted to lay in bed all day and do nothing because I was just too sad.

I've only been on the meds for a couple of weeks, but they are making a marked difference for the better in my life. I am really able to live a higher quality of life and enjoy my life more now because of them. We'll see if that continues in the future, but I can't see it suddenly getting worse.

Thank you for sharing, and I'm really happy to hear that you're doing well.

As you know, but others may not, I also suffer from PTSD. I have also found Ativan to be very helpful for my anxiety. I have not yet tried other medicines, but I also suffer from frequent vivid nightmares, and I haven't tried any Rx's for it since the literature is inconclusive. Your post gives me hope that there may be a way to treat this very troubling symptom.

It's also worth noting that PTSD shares many symptoms with other mental illnesses, but it is unique in that it is born of trauma. I point this out because PTSD tends not to respond as well to medications in general, and also because it's not uncommon for therapists to misdiagnose it, leading to a long process of trying different treatments that may or may not help. My ultimate point is that it's important to work with a professional to get to the bottom of any symptoms, and then to weigh all of the pros and cons of the various available treatments - basically, the very thing that Scientology forbid us from doing!!!

 

[Mark A. Baker]

Very scary - I've been there...

Yeah, it is. And it's hard to comprehend unless you have.


Mark A. Baker

 

[Abletu]

How scientologists tend to accuse psychiatry of the source of everything that can go wrong they're responsible.

Jesus said it is not what goes in the mouth that is evil, but what comes out, for what comes out comes from the heart.

or You can't give away what you don't have.

Psychiatry must really fill their hearts constantly, its replacing the scientology that could have been there.

Its like the pot over a camp fire calling the kettle black.

weird what idolatry can do to people's socio/psycho skills.

 

[SpecialFrog]

To back up Mark's statement, over prescription of psychiatric medication is less of an issue in countries with public healthcare. From a US insurance point of view, psychiatrists exists to perform med checks and prescribe drugs. Anything else should be done by someone cheaper.

However, the key thing about psychiatry is that it is, at least now, a form of evidence-based medicine. The more we learn, the more it improves.

Obviously we still have a lot to learn about how the brain works, but I don't see another approach being likely to yield better results.

 

[The_Fixer]

To back up Mark's statement, over prescription of psychiatric medication is less of an issue in countries with public healthcare. From a US insurance point of view, psychiatrists exists to perform med checks and prescribe drugs. Anything else should be done by someone cheaper.

However, the key thing about psychiatry is that it is, at least now, a form of evidence-based medicine. The more we learn, the more it improves.

Obviously we still have a lot to learn about how the brain works, but I don't see another approach being likely to yield better results.

Yeah, especially not from Scientology.

But many of us need to learn that we have been indoctrinated by the church's so called beliefs and need to review it from a different perspective.

In all seriousness, why do we still hang on to it?

 

[Adam7986]

Antidepressants work wonders for some people, I know several people who take them and have very positive results similar to yours, unfortunately they do not work for everyone and tend to be over prescribed mainly because it's far less expensive to write a prescription than it is to engage in therapy. Consequently people who do not respond to antidepressants usually just end up getting prescribed a different anti-depressent every time they visit their doctor and never end up getting any better.

These are all things that the prescribing doctor had make completely clear to me when he was offering me the prescriptions. He also insisted that while some people take the "prescription-only" route that he did not feel that I would benefit from such treatment. He suggested that the best long term solution for me was to continue my talk therapy while also using medications as short-term relief.

He made it very clear that being on anti-depressants is a long term commitment and that it takes about 6 weeks to feel the full effects of them.

The main thing that my doctor said that finally made me agree to the treatment was this, "You are suffering right now as a result of everything you've been through with Scientology and your family. I don't think you deserve to suffer like this and that is why I am recommending you take these medications."

Some people may feel that psychiatrists are cold and without compassion and anxious to get you on the next medication. But that statement told me otherwise.

 

[Adam7986]

I too was diagnosed with PTSD. Every symptom you described also affected me! A family mrmber finally drug me out of my house and insisted I see someone. Although she did prescribe s very low dose of Paxil she also was facinated about my years in Scientology. What a difference it made!

That was almost a year ago. I am now off all meds (except what I saved and took last Saturday to get thru that horrendous fiasco called LRH Birthday event!!)

I now go in once a week to talk things out and update her on whats happening. She is now reading Jenna's book and plans on reading Blown for Good next. Thank goodness I can now "lend" my kindle books.

Perhaps my experience is an exception but it does show to me there are good "Psyches" out there who do care.

The doctor that I am seeing told me that I would be on a similar short-term program for about a year. He said that the medications would help abate the symptoms of PTSD and also help me to learn how to cope with the stresses of every day life in the mean time. That way, by the time I come off them, I am able to handle stress without them.

I'm telling you I was almost ready to quit my job because I couldn't take the stress anymore. It was driving me insane. I didn't want to hang out with my friends or go anywhere. Now I am actually excited to go out and see new places again.

 

[Jquepublic]

I didn't read the entire thread, but since I recently started on Ativan and Zoloft I figured I would weigh in.

I was diagnosed with PTSD and depression. I have a problem with anxiety in my daily life. I have panic attacks, I have problems focusing and I tend to overreact and even become belligerent.

The meds I am taking have helped me out with those symptoms a lot. I can sleep normally and even though I have vivid dreams they aren't nightmares anymore. I can function at work and I am more confident and assertive. I can interact with people more now without getting annoyed or nervous. I am also more willing to leave the house and actually do things now. Where before I just wanted to lay in bed all day and do nothing because I was just too sad.

I've only been on the meds for a couple of weeks, but they are making a marked difference for the better in my life. I am really able to live a higher quality of life and enjoy my life more now because of them. We'll see if that continues in the future, but I can't see it suddenly getting worse.

This thread is kind of a follow up to our previous discussion of psych meds - I'm really glad that you're doing well!

I decided at the beginning of the year to try flying solo, so I weaned myself off meds. I'd been using an antidepressant to manage the symptoms of my own PTSD for a couple of years but I've been doing a lot of work on myself and wanted to stop taking meds so that I could gauge my own progress. I still have some hypervigilance, but no nightmares and no real depression. I'm making progress!

For the OP: I think, as with anything else, medication can be a huge benefit provided you don't consider it the solution to the problems you're addressing. Ultimately your goal should always be to stand on your own two feet. If you have a broken limb, you'll wear a cast, if you cut yourself, you'll wear a bandage - there is no difference between these examples and psychic trauma and medication, IMO. Re: psyches themselves I can't really offer an educated comment - I've never seen a psych. My meds were prescribed by my medical provider and my therapy was art and meditation.

 

[Adam7986]

The fact that mass shooters may have been prescribed medications shouldn't surprise anyone. Someone with that kind of serious mental health problem probably would have been seeing a therapist in an attempt to help them. However the therapy was obviously unsuccessful.

Additionally, a prescription to medication does not serve as evidence that medication was being taken.

 

[Adam7986]

This thread is kind of a follow up to our previous discussion of psych meds - I'm really glad that you're doing well!

I decided at the beginning of the year to try flying solo, so I weaned myself off meds. I'd been using an antidepressant to manage the symptoms of my own PTSD for a couple of years but I've been doing a lot of work on myself and wanted to stop taking meds so that I could gauge my own progress. I still have some hypervigilance, but no nightmares and no real depression. I'm making progress!

For the OP: I think, as with anything else, medication can be a huge benefit provided you don't consider it the solution to the problems you're addressing. Ultimately your goal should always be to stand on your own two feet. If you have a broken limb, you'll wear a cast, if you cut yourself, you'll wear a bandage - there is no difference between these examples and psychic trauma and medication, IMO. Re: psyches themselves I can't really offer an educated comment - I've never seen a psych. My meds were prescribed by my medical provider and my therapy was art and meditation.

I am so glad to hear you are doing well! I am looking for a discipline as well, like meditation.

My doctor says that the medications are for the short term, a year or so, and then I'll come off of them. He said it's just to help relieve my suffering in the short term and that I will eventually be able to learn to cope and function normally in the long-term without them.

 

[Lurker5]

The doctor that I am seeing told me that I would be on a similar short-term program for about a year. He said that the medications would help abate the symptoms of PTSD and also help me to learn how to cope with the stresses of every day life in the mean time. That way, by the time I come off them, I am able to handle stress without them.

I'm telling you I was almost ready to quit my job because I couldn't take the stress anymore. It was driving me insane. I didn't want to hang out with my friends or go anywhere. Now I am actually excited to go out and see new places again.

Adam, it sounds to me you are on a good course, with a good doctor. This is how it is supposed to go. Hang in there, and always always always pay attention to what your intuition is telling you. Even good docs can get in wrong once in awhile. Trust yours enough to be honest about fears and feelings, about your treatment too. If something feels OFF, talk about it, and if the doc is not up to hearing it, then bring the doc books written by exes from the cult, and/or ask for a referral to an expert on cult exiting. But for now, it sounds like you have found what you need. Keep getting better, and keep growing/ learning - about what happened to you - and about your self. It gets better. And better.

 

[Jquepublic]

I am so glad to hear you are doing well! I am looking for a discipline as well, like meditation.

My doctor says that the medications are for the short term, a year or so, and then I'll come off of them. He said it's just to help relieve my suffering in the short term and that I will eventually be able to learn to cope and function normally in the long-term without them.

I know that you will - you're a fighter.

It took me a while to figure out what really worked for me as far as coping techniques and stress reduction. Now that I'm med free I see that I need to do a little more work on it. I'm finding that I'm a little more short-fused and my emotions are louder, for lack of a better word, without the tempering the medication gave them. Still, it's worth the effort to live my life without a buffer. And it's so much fun to figure out what works for you! I can't even tell you how many new things I've tried in the process. I feel like an active participant in my life for the first time in a long time.

 

[Adam7986]

I know that you will - you're a fighter.

It took me a while to figure out what really worked for me as far as coping techniques and stress reduction. Now that I'm med free I see that I need to do a little more work on it. I'm finding that I'm a little more short-fused and my emotions are louder, for lack of a better word, without the tempering the medication gave them. Still, it's worth the effort to live my life without a buffer. And it's so much fun to figure out what works for you! I can't even tell you how many new things I've tried in the process. I feel like an active participant in my life for the first time in a long time.

One of the biggest, most immediate changes I have noticed is that I am a lot more assertive. I am more willing to be confrontational when it comes to people acting abusively, encroaching on my boundaries or trying to take advantage of me. Before I would get nervous, apprehensive and tongue-tied. I'd usually end up being unable to stick up for myself.

 

[Jquepublic]

One of the biggest, most immediate changes I have noticed is that I am a lot more assertive. I am more willing to be confrontational when it comes to people acting abusively, encroaching on my boundaries or trying to take advantage of me. Before I would get nervous, apprehensive and tongue-tied. I'd usually end up being unable to stick up for myself.

I think a lot of us have that same issue coming out into the real world - the things you mention trigger the staff experience IMO, and there really is no defending oneself against an abusive senior in CoS. We're all conditioned to accept it without reaction. It's hard to gain back the ability to take up for oneself.

I'm glad you're working on a course of treatment that is bringing you relief and that you're already seeing improvement. I hope you'll keep updating us here!

 

[Lori]

The doctor that I am seeing told me that I would be on a similar short-term program for about a year. He said that the medications would help abate the symptoms of PTSD and also help me to learn how to cope with the stresses of every day life in the mean time. That way, by the time I come off them, I am able to handle stress without them.

I'm telling you I was almost ready to quit my job because I couldn't take the stress anymore. It was driving me insane. I didn't want to hang out with my friends or go anywhere. Now I am actually excited to go out and see new places again.

Adam
I understand completely. I couldn't bring myself to even go out of the house to look for a job at all. Before Scientology.... outgoing, confident, goal oriented workaholic. After.........recluse, terrified, withdrawn shell.

Thank God I still had funds to survive on these 3 years and for friends and family that recognized I needed help desperately!

I am in awe of you and others raised in that quagmire of insanity. In my humble opinion you, and every other ex scientologist poster on this board need a standing ovation for the strength and perseverance you posess. I can only imagine and strive to have a fraction of that strength of character!

Thank you.

 

[Commander Birdsong]

Scn'ers have been conditioned to view psychiatry as an evil , an enemy , so I think in the most there is no actual analysis. It is a conditioned response.

yes

that is in fact "the party line" in CoS

i never follow or reccommend any party line

but psychiatry is pretty rotten

i have twice been incarcerated without warrant and TORTURED!

and as a psych patient i am branded and stigmatized and the primary reason i have been successfully blockaded from my sons for 33 years is that i am labeled "mental"

well yeah, i am crazy and hell yeah! at times i am batshit crazy

but these are my good points

in 1971 i made a magickal and eventful journey from the bay area to mardi gras in nawlins and one ride i picked up was a college girl going back to austin. she told a story of a classmate in high school who had been a lively artistic 60's type kid. for one thing he'd built a kid's clubhouse on the back forty and the wall facing west was fashioned of cement and bottles with their bottoms flush to the inside so the setting sun would light up all the different colors. kid did lots of stuff like that. of course he questioned the vietnm war to the distress of his father. one of his classmates was drafted and his father gave him this bit of "why can't you be like..." news and when he heard it he wept. appalled at is son's unmanly conduct he put the kid in a psychiatric facility and signed the paper for electroshock. he came out. the girl said he seemed like he'd been put back to where he was at the age of fourteen. that was my true introduction to psychiatric horror and it was part of my approach to scientology which study i began when i returned

CoS outright demonizes psychiatry which is not entirely right. there are some truly decent people who are practitioners. but. some massive and often lethal horrors occur. fewer today and psychiatric reform has been greatly assisted by students of dianetics and CoS often working with psychiatrists such as thomas szasz and peter breggin

 

[Claire Swazey]

I've seen and heard of some very bad shit with psychiatry. But I think it's also helped a lot of people. It varies widely.

 

[Jay Pea]

I've seen and heard of some very bad shit with psychiatry. But I think it's also helped a lot of people. It varies widely.

Conversely, I've seen and heard of some very bad things (shit) with scientology. Has it helped anybody........really beyond the Hub hype? I do like that a conversation exists on behavioral and medical science plane vs. the whole religion and church scam.

 

[Adam7986]

If you are against psychiatry because of bad psychiatrists then you should also be against school because of bad teachers or against medicine because of bad doctors.

There are a lot of horror stories out there about bad medical treatment, but people still go to doctors when they need help.

I don't know why psychiatry is suddenly set aside from every other profession where mistakes are made? Hell yeah there are horror stories in psychiatry, just like there are horror stories about everything else in life.