Question:
It seems that many USA sufferers seem to be prescribed Drugs to treat
the problems (or disguise them). Would it be fair to say (I am in UK), that from my (albeit limited
experience), that there is less willingness by Doctors in UK to resort
to drugs. Would it be therefore controversial to say, that the longer people are
on these drugs, then it is not surprising that years on, when they try
and reduce the dose/come off, it is practically impossible?
Answer:
Yes if you just rely on meds, you would never get better.
That is why we *must* face our fears , get help via a therapist
etc. Meds can aid our wounds , not cure them.
..........and could you also tell us what it is like to have gone through a
frontal lobotomy? It's PARTLY fair to say that. I have some mixed feelings on this topic.
There was a time when I was anxious enough that I NEEDED a daily dose
of medication, and I couldn't get it (this was before PD was a recognized
disorder in the US). I often wonder if I'd still be on a daily dose today
had the option been available to me all those years ago. I make NO moral judgements about this whatever. The ONLY reason I'm glad
I'm not on daily meds is that they're damned hard to get where I am.
That the benzophobia of doctors frightens me, and I don't see it getting
much better. I'm glad I don't have to get on one knee before a white coat
to live a normal life.
In my case is, I finally was able to get a little Xanax on an as-
needed basis. It literally changed my life--if for no other reason than
I finally had CONTROL of my PAs. The amounts I took were small and
I took them seldom...and less and less as time went on.
I have now been free of PAs for about two years. I still take the
occasional tablet of Xanax when I do something especially stressful
...such as speaking in a business meeting or flying. To give you some
idea of how little and how seldom, I recent took a round-trip by plane
that was seven hours in each direction (no snickering in the back,
there!). It took .5 of Xanax to get there, and .25 to get back.
If I had to, I could probably flush the rest of my alprazolam today.
But they still serve a psychological function for me and...and...oh,
heck PLEASE don't make me flush the Blessed One!
What I'm saying is...I refuse to use the word "cured". I know I'll
have problems again in my life. But in my PARTICULAR case, medication
was a short-term crutch that, within two years, gave me back a life
I hadn't dreamed of since 1980.
I think some people DO get better without medications. And some are on
medications all their lives. And some do a little of both. And some
get better all by themselves. And some have repeated bouts and get
better in-between. And some are utterly miserable all their lives no
matter what they take and what they try. Life isn't fair and PD is a HORRIBLE bully of a disorder and...well,
we all do what we have to do to get by. I won't pass judgements and
I won't criticize what ANYBODY does if they think it helps (as long as
they don't insist I have to do it, too).
Far more likely the first instance, as you will learn, if you hang around
here for a while. Panic and Anxiety Disorders are not something you can
'disguise,' at least not for long. From what I've read on this group, doctors there are less willing to use
benzodiazepines, and in some cases, (as here in the US) to even refuse to
admit that such a thing as Panic or Anxiety Disorders exist. Well, how 'controversial' you are considered depends on how willing you
might be to learn more about the subject, and not hold on to the old
thinking about not treating these conditions with drugs, and just allowing
people to suffer through them as best they can. You are correct --- it IS a battle, and it can be a nasty one. Personally,
I would rather be on tablets the rest of my life than have any more panic
attacks. You will find that many people here say that same thing. You don't have to suffer, though, this isn't the Dark Ages, and there are
many things available that can help you.
There is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and gradual exposure ( I think it's a
Dr. Bourke? wrote a Do It Yourself workbook -- Julie, can you tell us what
it is? That's just one of a number.) There are herbal remedies that work
for a few people. There are anti-depressants, some of which are working
well for some of our posters, here. There are the benzodiazepines, which
work well for some. (I would say "most," even.) Read and ask questions, and
know that whatever you're going through, there's likely at least one of us
who has done something close to it, too. We're all in somewhat the same
boat.
Yea, I guess I am a scottbot - whatever that means. I assume it has something to
do with modems? No, a scottbot would be very hard to explain, because you hadta be there,
and I wasn't, so I won't even try!! CW was referring to S...@calvin.gawd,
because you are sharp-witted, and came up with a good troll zinger, the way
the other Scott occasionally (*very* occasionally does!)
But, if you ever need to know about modems, that would be the Scott to
talk to.
