Hi. I endured a very traumatic series of events a few years ago that pretty much caused me to have what I see as a nervous breakdown. I sought therapy at the mental health clinic, but after the screening I was referred to a psychiatrist, no therapy. However, on the island of Hawaii there's a serious shortage of all types of medical professionals and the Mental Health Clinic had no permanent psychiatrist at that time...so I was given appointments with a variety of temporary shrinks who were in Hawaii on vacation and worked a few days/week at the clinic so they could write their vacations off as business expenses.
I saw 4 different shrinks in the first 2.5 months, none more than twice. They all had different opinions and prescribed me different drugs. First it was PTSD with depression and anxiety. Later, one of the temp docs, who only spoke with me twice for a total of 1.5 hours, decided to label me Bipolar. Between those 4 docs I was prescribed about a dozen various psychotropic drugs, none of which helped my condition, all of which caused major bad side effects, including hearing voices that weren't there, gaining 20 lbs in a month, buckling knees and stumbling, and worst of all, stuttering. I took myself off all meds after about 8 months of them making me worse, but the stuttering is now a permanent condition that arises whenever I get over fatigued or really stressed out.
My PCP, who only sees me when I'm not well, bought the Bipolar theory (without any diagnostic tests at all) and keeps telling me I "have to take the drugs for treatment", even though she knows how badly they affect me. I refuse to take them because they only harm me, they don't help me in any way at all. I also don't buy the Bipolar idea either, because after the traumatic events I was very depressed and afraid and unable to function -- but those were normal reactions, I think, to life threatening and then life altering events. There were no "manic" moments, as I understand mania, never in my life...unless being animated and talkative when in good moods is mania.
I feel all the docs I've seen are pushed for time, they don't take the time to listen to all of my "symptoms" or the circumstances surrounding their appearance, or to thoroughly examine and evaluate my situation / condition. They all just want to give me drugs, like some guinnea pig, hoping one will work. They also ignore the horrible side effects I tell them about. I think they're all taking the easy way out of doing their jobs because such drugs are becoming socially accepted and more widely prescribed. I personally think way too many Americans are prescribed drugs, many unnecessarily, and about half the country is becoming drug-regulated just because the other half the country doesn't like some non-harmful personality trait. Seems everything's a "disorder" these days.
Where can I get more data on the excessive prescribing of psychotropic drugs and their side effects to show my doctor(s)?
Julie (not verified)
June 8, 2006 - 13:54Hi. I endured a very traumatic series of events a few years ago that pretty much caused me to have what I see as a nervous breakdown. I sought therapy at the mental health clinic, but after the screening I was referred to a psychiatrist, no therapy. However, on the island of Hawaii there's a serious shortage of all types of medical professionals and the Mental Health Clinic had no permanent psychiatrist at that time...so I was given appointments with a variety of temporary shrinks who were in Hawaii on vacation and worked a few days/week at the clinic so they could write their vacations off as business expenses.
I saw 4 different shrinks in the first 2.5 months, none more than twice. They all had different opinions and prescribed me different drugs. First it was PTSD with depression and anxiety. Later, one of the temp docs, who only spoke with me twice for a total of 1.5 hours, decided to label me Bipolar. Between those 4 docs I was prescribed about a dozen various psychotropic drugs, none of which helped my condition, all of which caused major bad side effects, including hearing voices that weren't there, gaining 20 lbs in a month, buckling knees and stumbling, and worst of all, stuttering. I took myself off all meds after about 8 months of them making me worse, but the stuttering is now a permanent condition that arises whenever I get over fatigued or really stressed out.
My PCP, who only sees me when I'm not well, bought the Bipolar theory (without any diagnostic tests at all) and keeps telling me I "have to take the drugs for treatment", even though she knows how badly they affect me. I refuse to take them because they only harm me, they don't help me in any way at all. I also don't buy the Bipolar idea either, because after the traumatic events I was very depressed and afraid and unable to function -- but those were normal reactions, I think, to life threatening and then life altering events. There were no "manic" moments, as I understand mania, never in my life...unless being animated and talkative when in good moods is mania.
I feel all the docs I've seen are pushed for time, they don't take the time to listen to all of my "symptoms" or the circumstances surrounding their appearance, or to thoroughly examine and evaluate my situation / condition. They all just want to give me drugs, like some guinnea pig, hoping one will work. They also ignore the horrible side effects I tell them about. I think they're all taking the easy way out of doing their jobs because such drugs are becoming socially accepted and more widely prescribed. I personally think way too many Americans are prescribed drugs, many unnecessarily, and about half the country is becoming drug-regulated just because the other half the country doesn't like some non-harmful personality trait. Seems everything's a "disorder" these days.
Where can I get more data on the excessive prescribing of psychotropic drugs and their side effects to show my doctor(s)?
»