Join a Community That Understands You

Get answers from those who share your health journey

Left Image 1Middle Image 1Right Image 1
avatar

E_belli

Updated 10mo ago

Do Psych Meds Help or Hurt You?

Do your psych meds help or hurt you? Do you live better with or without? Has your life improved or gotten worse since you started taking them? I was watching a YouTube video by an influencer I really like. And she was saying how she quit her meds cold turkey and talked about how great she feels without them. And how they were probs unnecessary. Which for her is excellent. She was not bashing meds by any means but that was just her experience and other ppl commented agreeing with her. Which is totally cool, no judgment. Meds are for sure not for everyone. And if you don't have to take them- more power to you. I had the opposite feeling as the others. I was grossly overmedicated (terrible psychiatrists) for a long time and was a zombie and my marriage sucked and I got into a bad car accident. Then went thru the process of finding the right cocktail. And am off over half of the meds. Which is still quite a few. But after finding the right mix, I feel the best I've ever felt. My life has drastically changed since being on meds. And things aren't perfect, of course- some things suck and are hard. But I feel more alert, rational, and smarter (well having more access to my thoughts and processing faster) and also I don't sleep 16 hrs a day. I actually enjoy most days. And I'm alive and finally functioning at my best. Sobriety helps a lot too. Admittedly, there were many very bad years of crippling side effects and untreated symptoms. But after finding the right meds, everything is great. No noticeable side effects that I can remember at this moment. I mostly am happy with my life as a whole. Again, not perfect but great. How do you feel about your meds?

Can you help? Connect today

Your Alikes say
AI-generated answer based on the text from previous posts and comments

Some people in the provided context have mentioned that they cannot function without their meds and that their lives have improved since finding the right medication. Others have expressed a love-hate...See More

avatar

Keisha

1y

i’m not sure. i don’t think i’ve found the right cocktail for me. i can feel the difference when i forget to take my meds, i’m way more depressed, but my anxiety stays the same. i’d also like to say, please be careful going cold turkey on your meds if you ever decide to do so, some are dangerous to do so. stay safe 💕
avatar

E_belli

1y

it does take time! It took me many many years to get it right. I've been trying since 2015 and only about 5 months ago did I feel the best. Oh yes, I should have ended with that, I'm sorry! Definitely do NOT do cold turkey. It's actually pretty dangerous! Especially the more meds you are on it is even more so. Tapering while under a psychiatrist's care is the best way to do it. And I'm similar. When I am late or forget it isn't a good feeling. My meds help most everything except my general anxiety. It helps other anxiety but not all of it.
avatar

Magpie42

1y

I love my meds. I've been stable for 17 years. SEVENTEEN YEARS. I've had some rough patches and we've adjusted along the way, of course. But I have a normalish (neurospicy with ADHD as well) life. I have a family and a home and a job that I enjoy and none of that would be possible without my meds. Also, I want to note that cold turkey quitting any psych med is extremely dangerous. I'm glad that the creator you follow is okay. But please, don't ever go cold turkey.
avatar

E_belli

1y

17 years is a long time!! Kudos!! That is so amazing! A success story! I would consider myself *mostly* stable since 2017 ish. My last hospitalization was end of 2015. I've had my bad moments but nothing that extreme. Thank goodness. I've held my job that a absolutely love for 9 years and have my house and 2 puppers. Life is solid. For once in my entire life I feel like a functional and content human! I have relationships with my family. And like you- It's is great and only bc of meds.
avatar

Bella.ella

1y

I love my meds!! I wouldn’t be able to live my life with out them. Being bipolar made my life miserable. I hope my meds always work it makes me nervous if they ever stop working because I don’t trust myself.
avatar

E_belli

1y

I agree with that! Lithium was a killer in almost every way. But without it, I wouldn't be alive. So I guess it served its purpose too. But very very happy to be off of it. I hope the same thing! I know meds won't work forever in some people. But I think it does for others. So hoping I'm one of those!
avatar

malachai

1y

I love my meds. When I was released from my inpatient mental hospital stay, they'd put me on some largely unnecessary meds, one that made me sleep 16+ hours a day. The withdrawals were absolute hell once my psychiatrist decided we needed to take me off of them, but I would do it a thousand times over, because she found my perfect cocktail, and now, I don't sleep all day, my intrusive thoughts are at bay, my manic episodes are managed, my borderline personality disorder is the most stable it's been in over a decade, my anxiety is managed the best it's been in my entire life, I haven't experienced suicidality in almost 2 whole years, my relationships have improved, I'm able to be around others, I'm recovering from my eating disorder, learning self love, and I'm the best version of myself that I've ever known The only downside to the meds is I'll probably need to get an IUD instead of hormonal birth control due to how much the pill can harm mental health, but I'm honestly okay with that if it means I'll stay mentally okay
avatar

klazikel

1y

My psych meds have helped keep me stable for over four years with very few side effects, so I appreciate that. Before that, I spent years trying to find meds that worked without difficult side effects. There was weight gain, nausea, sedation, flat affect, dehydration, and impacting my kidney function. I was non-complient with my meds for years in my 20s, often forgetting to take them regularly. Today, I need lots of reminders and careful scheduling to ensure that I take them every morning and night. I had to grow to accept that I would need to take these for the rest of my life to be well. That can be frustrating at times, but the alternative is unacceptable. I'm so grateful for my stability.
avatar

pandasss

1y

I know I haven't found the right combination yet but it depends on which meds you take. If you take certain ones towards your disorder it can help or it could hurt you. It depends on your chemistry. Some people work best without meds but I work better with meds. It's the only way I can stop psychosis. (I've had it twice in one year and both while I was off meds). It has also helped me in many other aspects of my life! It can be hard switching meds to find the right combo but once you find it, it'll save your life and you'll feel better than ever!

The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

feed-footer-0

Free unlimited access

to all community content

feed-footer-1

Find others who are

medically similar to you

feed-footer-2

Pose questions and join

meaningful discussions

pp-logo

Alike is a transformative platform that goes beyond just bringing together patients; it meticulously connects individuals based on multiple critical factors, such as age, gender, comorbidities, medications, diet, and more, fostering a community of knowledge, support and empathy.

appStoreBtngooglePlayBtn

© 2020-2024 Alike, Inc