I am curious, how many people use medication for mental health such as for depression / anxiety? How do people like it? Do you actually feel better or does it open up a whole new world of issues ? What kinds do you like/not like ?
Any advice? Thanks!
Personally I won't take them any more, especially now that I know that I am autistic and that my anxiety mainly results from sensory issues. Simply not enough research has been done about the effect they have on autistic brains.
I've always been against medication, due to observing the severe impact they had on my mum throughout my childhood. Years before I was born she was hospitalised with a 'nervous breakdown' and prescribed both antidepressants and benzodiazepines for anxiety. She remained on high doses of both for many years for anxiety (which I now believe was part of undiagnosed autism). I believe that I was born suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms from the benzodiazepines. Back then nothing was known about how addictive they were or the effects of taking them during pregnancy.
Years ago I was reluctantly persuaded to take SSRI antidepressants by my GP. He assured me they were good for anxiety, but that they might make it worse at first. What followed was absolutely horrendous. Whilst taking them the anxiety became so bad I was in a constant state of sheer panic, suffering major panic attacks multiple times every day, unable to sleep. That's normal I was assured by my GP and urged to continue taking them. It continued to get worse for several months, until I couldn't take any more and became suicidal (even though I hadn't been prescribed them for depression). I was switched to a different one but the side effects I suffered from those were horrendous, probably partly withdrawal effects from coming off the first ones. I was then prescribed another type, but they didn't help either and also had horrendous side effects.
Finally I happened to see a temporary locum GP, who recognised that being on antidepressants was not helping me at all and was actually making my anxiety much worse. I came off them but when my own GP found out he wasn't happy at all, and kept trying to persuade me to try another type.
I'd be interested to know if there are medications, other than antidepressants, which autistic people have found helpful. I've been offered benzodiazepines, but obviously declined those due to my early experiences. I've also been offered beta blockers but I didn't like the sound of those at all.
Personally I won't take them any more, especially now that I know that I am autistic and that my anxiety mainly results from sensory issues. Simply not enough research has been done about the effect they have on autistic brains.
I've always been against medication, due to observing the severe impact they had on my mum throughout my childhood. Years before I was born she was hospitalised with a 'nervous breakdown' and prescribed both antidepressants and benzodiazepines for anxiety. She remained on high doses of both for many years for anxiety (which I now believe was part of undiagnosed autism). I believe that I was born suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms from the benzodiazepines. Back then nothing was known about how addictive they were or the effects of taking them during pregnancy.
Years ago I was reluctantly persuaded to take SSRI antidepressants by my GP. He assured me they were good for anxiety, but that they might make it worse at first. What followed was absolutely horrendous. Whilst taking them the anxiety became so bad I was in a constant state of sheer panic, suffering major panic attacks multiple times every day, unable to sleep. That's normal I was assured by my GP and urged to continue taking them. It continued to get worse for several months, until I couldn't take any more and became suicidal (even though I hadn't been prescribed them for depression). I was switched to a different one but the side effects I suffered from those were horrendous, probably partly withdrawal effects from coming off the first ones. I was then prescribed another type, but they didn't help either and also had horrendous side effects.
Finally I happened to see a temporary locum GP, who recognised that being on antidepressants was not helping me at all and was actually making my anxiety much worse. I came off them but when my own GP found out he wasn't happy at all, and kept trying to persuade me to try another type.
I'd be interested to know if there are medications, other than antidepressants, which autistic people have found helpful. I've been offered benzodiazepines, but obviously declined those due to my early experiences. I've also been offered beta blockers but I didn't like the sound of those at all.
