Posted by KathrynLex on January 23, 2016, at 23:19:38
In reply to Should I start medication?, posted by john locke on January 23, 2016, at 0:27:52
John,
At the end of the day, you probably know what's going to be best for you. So I'll offer my opinion, but please discard any part of it that doesn't resonate with you. Too often people give advice with the best of intentions, and it ends up being more harmful than useful.
My personal gauge of whether or not to take medication is this: are my depression and anxiety having such a negative impact on me that they significantly lower the quality of my life? If the answer is yes, then it feels appropriate for me to take medication.
I'm a huge advocate for taking medication because it's helped me SO much, but I know that everyone has a different path. From your previous posts and this one, it sounds like you would prefer to try other forms of treatment first. And I think there are a lot of benefits to this approach. Besides CBT, there are also natural remedies, yoga, meditation, diet changes etc. that could possibly be very beneficial to you. And all those things are all worth trying because you just never know - a combination of CBT and time in the woods could be exactly what you need, and you might never have to take medication to treat your anxiety, OCD, and depression.
If you do ultimately decide you need medication, just be sure to find a psychiatrist who really gets you. It might take some shopping around, but a good psychiatrist can make all the difference in the world.
I wish you the very best, and happy trails!
Kathryn
poster:KathrynLex
thread:1085660
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20151225/msgs/1085683.html