Depression Forums

General => Medication => Topic started by: plumb on July 10, 2012, 09:09:31 PM

Title: Justifying Medication
Post by: plumb on July 10, 2012, 09:09:31 PM
There is, as we know, a lot  of stigma attached to taking medication. Its seen as the last resort, a weakness or giving in to depression. A friend likened meds to armbands and i have now made the connection which i want to share in the hope it will give others clarity or inspiration. 

We, the depressed are being forced to learn to swim in life's pool of misfortune. The one with the the scary whirlpool.  We need help to stop  us being sucked in and drowning.  Medication are the armbands for our swimming lesson. They will be worn when needed and hopefully we can let them down a little at a time so we can eventually swim without them. It is obviously personally humiliating to have to ask for them and for people to know we are wearing them as we may also be teased, judged or bullied, often by those we look up to or respect. The thing is those people are probably to scared to even admit they cant swim at at all or are lucky enough to have never found themselves well and truly up the wrong river and out  of depth.
 I ironically have never been a strong swimmer however i have waded through a lot of life's strong rivers with plenty of determination and bravery. I now wear armbands everyday and a lot of people know, who only seem interested in when i can take them off. I didn't  ask or choose to jump into the  the pool, i just seemed to wade up the wrong branch in life's river and before i knew it i was suddenly being sucked into the whirlpool and drowning. I kidded myself i could swim to the side but i didn't get far at all.  I was wise and brave enough to cry out and ask for armbands and they slowly gave me the confidence to bob around in the pool and no longer fear it. But I know it is still there.  That is how i intend to stay for a while. Bobbing around watching others thrashing around me, too foolish to see the dangers even though i am waving a big sign at them and showing how well i can swim with armbands, but like me they will have to learn the hard way and I have to save myself before others.   
Often i get a heavy weight on my shoulders and i feel myself going under again and in a scary way drawn towards the whirlpool. My initial thought is to get bigger armbands but after thrashing around in the water for a few days i manage to cope without them  and see how i let the weight settle on me and only myself could have prevented it. If i had, or do choose bigger or even a different buoyancy aid the weight will still come back one day even heavier and so the swimming lesson will never be learned. We dont have to give the armbands back and i think far too many of us take them off too soon. If we can learn to swim and take them off one day we can always keep them in our locker but i don't think we ever will live without them unless we can see where that big weight comes from and learn to let it sink to the bottom, without us.
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: Zaf on July 10, 2012, 09:14:11 PM
Thats beautifully put plumb  _)_

Z xxx
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: KateG on July 10, 2012, 09:28:47 PM
That's a really good explanation of what we all go through Plumb
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: woozywoo on July 10, 2012, 09:29:14 PM
Very well written Plumb, one that i totally agree with.

Its funny actually cos just over the last few days i have been thinking about medication. I have had to take a reduced dose  for the last 5 days because i forgot my prescription and was away visiting family. I plumeted and had a really horrible, tearful, sad few days. I have since been punishing myself that i cant cope without medication. Why i am so weak and useless??

I talked this through with my psychiatrist today and like she said 'no you shouldnt need to take the medication, but you just do, your brain doesnt produce enough seratonin therefore you need medication.' She made me view it differently and i know that i have been on them a long time, will be on them for a lot more time maybe even indefiently. But i am coming around the idea that it is postivie for me, because without i would have a very miserable life.

So i am keeping my armbands well and truly attached and inflated for the forseeable furture at least.

 =+-
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: Zaf on July 10, 2012, 09:34:23 PM
My doctor explained it in a similar way when I said I really didnt want to take them long term woozy, he asked if I'd feel the same if I had to take insulin for diabetes so it put it in perspective for me. 

Z x
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: Sweetpea on July 10, 2012, 09:45:42 PM
Same with me, I tried to come off my meds and went down with a big bump.  My dr has said I will probably be on them for the rest of my life.  Others take meds for other conditions so we should not feel like failures for needing ours for our condition.

That was such a lovely way of putting it Plumb  $%$.

S x x x x
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: Buttercup on July 10, 2012, 11:08:28 PM
That really was a lovely way to put it Plumb.

My Dr uses the insulin analogy too.
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: Ducky on July 11, 2012, 07:32:58 AM
I feel no shame nor stigma whatsoever in taking meds - if there is something available that can make one feel better/reduce the pain/sadness/cure an illness or whatever, take it. Life is too short to suffer all the time; if my son had been given the Hep B vaccination, he may well be alive today. :'(
Title: Re: Justifying Medication
Post by: Owl on July 12, 2012, 11:18:43 AM
Hey plumb,

Thanks for this. It came at a time when I needed it most and feel like I want to give up on treatment. It has given me a little lift and is beautifully put.

Fox
X