I used to be very firmly against all sort of depression meds, etc... I still have concerns over people being misdiagnosed, over zealous precribing by doctors who do NOT follow-up or even suggest counseling, etc.. etc... However, I now realize that these medications are good when prescribed and taken properly within a network of good doctors and support people.
After I was sexually assaulted (not raped), a few years ago, and then moved I found that I was still experiencing what has now been diagnosed as PTSD (I thought by moving out of the area it happened would help, but it didn’t).
It was a very hard thing to deal with as I pride myself on being a very “strong” person who has dealt with a lot in my relatively short life (I’m 35 years old). Asking for help was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life — even counting all the horrible things I’ve been through. I am currently taking Zoloft (a relatively small dosage), and it was literally a godsend to me.
Hence, I find it very hard to be patient with people who want to blame these medications for acts of this sort. It offends me personally. The vast majority of us who take these medications would NEVER even contemplate committing these evil acts...
I truly think that some of these people would still commit acts of this kind even if they were NOT on medications etc... I think it has more to do with what is in a person’s heart frankly.
For instance, you can have two people grow up in the same abusive home experiencing the exact same type of physical and mental/emotional abuse — and one person who realizes how horrendous the actions of the abuser are and would NEVER consider abusing someone else, but the other person in the same home continues the cycle of abuse when they grow up. Why is that? How can it be that two people have such different reactions to the exact same abuse? I think it’s how some people are “wired” frankly... I don’t pretend to understand it all, but it happens and the only thing I can explain it by is understanding that there are those people who don’t “get it” and others that “do”...
(Sorry if this was sort of hard to understand. I understandably get a little emotional when talking about these issues and sometimes it affects the clarity of my explanations. :) )
Don’t worry, hon. I understand exactly what you’re saying, and I totally agree with you.
Sometimes we need a little help to get through rough spots, because even if it starts out psychological, it becomes medical in that your brain chemistry gets thrown out of whack. The medication gives you a break, so to speak, and helps get your brain chemistry back on track. I’m glad the Zoloft is working for you.
First, let me say Bless You, as you have had to deal with much pain.
I came from a emotionally abusive family, as did my younger brother. I have not done as well as I would like, but have managed to do better than I thought I could. My brother has never recovered. He never will. He does not hurt others (other than me, as I try to clean up the messes he makes), but he is destroying himself.
You ask how two kids from the same family can take from it two totally different views of how to live. Different people, I guess.
MOgirl