Poll #2: Same question, with broader characteristics. Please read post before answering poll.

[Aurelia]

I decided that I probably need a larger sample size, so I broadened the criteria that I'm using for sampling. The question/topic remains the same: How effective are psychiatric medications for treating mental disorders?

Okay, so here are the characteristics I'm using to obtain a population sample (geographical location is no longer a factor):

- Adults between the ages of 18-64
- Formally diagnosed with a mental health disorder
- Are currently taking (or have taken in the past) psychiatric medication on a daily basis

If you fit these criteria, please answer the poll (just so I know who you are in case I need to ask you any follow-up questions).

Also, please post your answers to these questions as well if you've answered the poll.

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
4. How old are you?
5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?

 

[Witty_Sarcasm]

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
No, not that I can recall.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
I don't think I have.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
Not sure if therapy is an evaluation.

4. How old are you?
35

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
Almost 5 1/2 years.

 

[HappyKitty]

I would love to answer this qn for you. 😺

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
Yes. One of its major side effects is depression when in the beginning, my doc wanted to treat my “GAD” for my insonmia after first psychiatric evaluation from ssri as which I’ve told you briefly about it before. Now, I’m on a break from the meds, I still have along its depression episodes (psychotherapist confirms and told me to watch out for it) even if I don’t fit in the criteria of anxiety and depression. One of the best meds that helped better than ssri was anti-psychotic though. (my denxit) And I still wonder why they won’t let me have it afterwards.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
Yes. I defaulted my psychologist after 2nd session for insonmia cause he’s an ass so then I continued the medication alone itself for like almost a year before I called crisis line and found the right therapist for back up if my current psychotherapist ever fails.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
Yes twice, I’m going in for the third time soon which you knew what. 😺

4. How old are you?
26

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
I took my ssri almost a year equally without psychologists and changed it for 2-3 times in ssri family then to anti-psychotic. Now finding new one. In few more weeks, I’m due for my new meds after the third psychiatric evaluation.

 

[Sunspots]

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
I've had to come off of one medication due to ongoing nausea.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
In the past, yes. I've had several periods over the years where I've been on medication with no other support. Probably around 8 years over 3 or 4 periods.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
Yes. Three.

4. How old are you?
51

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
I've been on medication again for four years and three months. I've been on this current combination for six months.

 

[cymbele]

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?

Got addicted to Ambien/Ativan separately. I don't know if that counts. Had some dizzy spells when getting used to Effexor. Other than that no much in the way of negative side effects.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
I''m so stable I can get by without psychotherapy. Lately I have been down but getting therapy which I will end soon. My pdoc checks in every two months.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years? I don't think so.
4. How old are you? 60
5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)? Well, I've been seeing the present doc for 11 years and it was before that. However, I am a senior , old in body, young in spirit. I hope at any rate

 

[Auri]

So I'll focus on the last combination of medications I've taken, which worked, but if necessary I could also answer these for the meds that didn't work so well for me... The answers would be different.

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
Yes, but not much at all compared to the positive effects. The most important one was shaking hands and body in general, it was really severe at times to the point where I couldn't drink from a glass because I'd drop it. It didn't directly interfere with my treatment though, I guess.
The withdrawal symptoms were more important for sure and did have a negative impact on my mental health.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
I was on therapy, but it was not "deep" at all nor useful so I could very well answer I was purely on medication that whole time. In particular, it never addressed ptsd for example nor suicide, we stayed very superficial and it was just shite, lol... So I'd say I was purely on meds for 19 months.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
I'm not sure what this includes. If you mean in depth psychiatric/psychological tests, then no, my diagnoses have always been quite "clear" and I never needed more than that. I've only been to the psychiatrist and we examined my "state" regularly, adjusted meds, etc.

4. How old are you?
You know. ^^

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
The ones I'm talking about here were the last combo of meds I've taken and I was on them for 19 months - so about a year and a half.

 

[Aurelia]

Thank you to all of you so far who have answered. SF is most likely going to be my main population sample, but I've also considered perhaps using some other resources to obtain a larger sample of people. And in future assignments for this course, I'll be doing charts, graphs, etc. So those of you who voted and might be interested in seeing the data collection from my study in the future, let me know.

 

[Walker]

I feel a bit rude reading other responses here so I've skipped ahead so hopefully this is enough of a reply

Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?

Two parts: I used to take meds before and the side effects were enough to stop them, yes.
This time I have no real side effects (aside of them making me sleep which is good / bad) so no, the side effects aren't enough to make me stop taking them so do with that what you like

Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?

Ever? Yes. As preciously stated I used to do therapy and meds combined and it was ... well, fine.
This time I do no therapy and am doing well. I think the nearly 20 year age gap here was more effective than the therapy as the reason though tbh.

Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?

Yes. I see someone for psych meds (a psych nurse) so I have a dx but not receiving "tx" per se

How old are you?

That's rude of you to ask a lady! *gasp!
I'm 44, nearing 45

How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?

I've been on my current regime for 18 months? That's after the prior 20 year break from any (psych) meds.

 

[Freya]

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
I take a PRN diazepam occasionally that gives me serious bounceback anxiety. So it is a matter of taking it because I feel like I need it, knowing that tomorrow I am going to have anxiety for no reason at all other than that I took it. It is quite a balancing act. I also experienced significant weight gain from Mirtazepine (I did not change my eating habits so I do not believe it 'just' makes you hungry!) and given that a large part of my mental health problem was around self-esteem, this was not helpful. However, I had tried three other anti-depressants prior to that and none had done a thing.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
Yes. I have never had psychotherapy (NHS gotta love it) I have taken antiD's on and off since I was 18 so... 20 years. The longest continuous time was probably 2.5 years.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
Nope

4. How old are you?
39

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
See question 2

<3

 

[Witty_Sarcasm]

That's rude of you to ask a lady! *gasp!
I'm 44, nearing 45

Rude to ask a chimpanzee...fixed that for you

 

[Walker]

Rude to ask a chimpanzee...fixed that for you

aw thanks always got my back

 

[Aurelia]

aw thanks always got my back

Or perhaps a lady chimpanzee? I found a photo from Walker's portfolio during his career as a high fashion supermodel.

Either he was just having some fun at a photo shoot or maybe the director stole the bananas he brought with him to work (that little twat) to eat on his lunch break, and dude's actually got the balls to sit there and eat them in front of him, too.

Director: "Oh yeah, we definitely have some good shots here. Lets keep that momentum going, eh? Go to your happy place and give me a facial expression that says 'Seductive, yet mysterious'."


Walker:



Director: Um, no...that's definitely not it. Let's try it one more time.

Walker: Unhand those bananas this instant or the next facial expression you get will be this:

 

[Nick]

So I don't know if this will throw things off for you are not. My current meds just happen to double as psych meds, but that is not the reason I am taking them. They happen to make at least enough of a difference it is noticeable, so I'd say that is something, even if not their intended purpose.

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
My history with psych meds is a disaster. After my last experience where they were actually trying to use them for mood/mental disorders it was decided not to continue down the medication route. For whatever reason I have severe physical and/or mental side effects from most meds. Even what I'm on now. They increased the dosage, for the purpose I am taking them for, and I lost my damn mind! Other meds stopped my heart. There is a long list of issues that I can go into further if you need.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
Yes, I there were many years we were trying various med combos without any therapy. I'd say it was for about 10 years. I'm currently not in any therapy, and mentally am better than when I was in therapy. I think we can blame that on the particular therapist.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
Yes. They have many things to say about this brain.

4. How old are you?
My age is not public knowledge! If you must know I'll tell you in PM.

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
I've been on and off various meds for 25yrs. The ones I'm taking now I've been on since early November last year, so about 11 months. Though we had the episode where we jacked with the dosage in Jan/Feb and that took awhile to stabilize from.

 

[Walker]

You are so not right in the head @Aurelia lol

 

[Aurelia]

You are so not right in the head @Aurelia lol

LOL. Was it the monkey in a dress or Michael Myers that convinced you? Or the combination of the two? 😉

 

[sinking_ship]

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
I don't think so, no.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
Only times when I was in between therapists, so like a few months max?

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
Yeah

4. How old are you?
36

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
Hm, depends on the med. I haven't changed anything up in almost a year though.

 

[bag_of_struggles]

1. Have you had any negative side effects from the medication(s) which interfered with your recovery/treatment?
No, but I know so many people who have which made me feel abnormal for not having side effects.

2. Have you ever taken medication by itself (without psychotherapy)? If so, for how long?
Never. Or at least not prescription.

3. Have you had a psychiatric evaluation in the past 5 years?
Yes.

4. How old are you?
21

5. How long have (or had) you been taking your medication (# of days, weeks, months, or years)?
Upwards or a year to no discernible effect.

 

[Walker]

LOL. Was it the monkey in a dress or Michael Myers that convinced you? Or the combination of the two? 😉

It definitely wasn't the monkey. I'm going with the combination here. I hope you can get yourself some psychotherapy in exchange with a peer lol

 

[Aurelia]

It definitely wasn't the monkey. I'm going with the combination here. I hope you can get yourself some psychotherapy in exchange with a peer lol

Yeah...I'm working on that, lol. Wish me luck. :P

 

[Walker]

Yeah...I'm working on that, lol. Wish me luck. :P

You know I'm rooting for you in all the things T