Psychiatric Drugs

I've done some personal research into the drug - therapy connection, and am finding that therapy without drug use can, in fact, be much more successful. In reading an interview with Dr. Betram Karon, Professor at Michigan State University, about the effects of Schizophrenia and therapy, with and without medication use, I've come to question my own being medicated (for Borderline Personality Disorder).

There was a study done by a NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) grant using center city Detroit schizophrenic patients. They were separated into three groups: pyschoanalytic therapy with no medication, psychoanalytic therapy combined with medication, or medication and support given by a group of psychiatrists in a good hospital.

The outcome of this study showed that the group that recovered, fully recovered from schizophrenia, was the group that had psychoanalytic therapy and RECEIVED NO MEDICATION.

It's been my personal experience, thus far, that medication helps. It helps deal with the emotions and situations (ie stress) that a person goes through during therapy. What I'm beginning to wonder, and from the sounds of it, Dr. Karon supports this, if the medication isn't doing more harm than good.

A quote from Dr. Karon in the aforementioned interview states: There is no such thing as a spontaneous anxiety or an endogenous depression. If a patient is anxious, there is something to be scared of. If a patient is depressed, there is something to be depressed about. If it is not in consciousness, then it is unconscious. If it is not in the present, then it is in the past and something in the present symbolizes it. This makes perfect sense, if you think about it.₁

Another good source that I've done some reading from is Dr. Peter Breggin, who conducts a private practice of Psychiatry in Ithaca, New York, and is the author of several books, including Toxic Psychiatry and Your Drug May Be Your Problem: How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications. I haven't read either book (yet), but did read exerpts from both. One of the things that Dr. Breggin points out early in Your Drug May Be Your Problem is that regardless of whether you or your doctor realize it, taking psychiatric medications could be causing you serious mental, emotional, or physical harm. Your doctor may fail to realize that some of your problems are actually caused by the medication and instead mistakenly increase your dosage or prescribe yet another medication to counter-act the side effects of the first. This cycle happens often, and could expose you to a higher risk of adverse drug effects.₂

I know that I personally have been on, in the past two years, Cymbalta and Abilify (not at the same time). My experience (my experience only) with Cymbalta was very destructive. It didn't help with the depression or impulse control, and I actually dissociated more. Abilify has been good to me, if you don't consider the fact that I am also diabetic, and my blood sugar has been sky-high (a side effect of Abilify). At present, I'm considering going off all medication and trying something natural instead. I am also fortunate enough to be seeing a very good therapist.

I think I'm going to take Dr. Karon's suggestions, and try the therapy without medication...AFTER consulting my doctor and therapist, of course. Wish me luck!

1. http://spiritualrecoveries.blogspot.com/2007/03/dr-bertram-karon-schizophrenia-recovery.html

2."Your Drug May be Your Problem" by Dr. Peter Breggin, p 16