Sorry I haven't been writing

I want to apologize for not posting in a while. I guess when you leave someone with ADD on their own to keep-up with something, it can happen sometimes :) In all seriousness, I've been busy with some things in my life that I'm not at liberty to discuss in a public forum such as this but I did want to get something on here before Sunday. So here's a couple responses I have in response to some discussion questions in regards to medication on the Bring Change 2 Mind's Facebook page.


Again please take note of the disclosures on my "About Me" section, thank yo and enjoy.

The first one is in response to someone having emotional issues with taking medications for their mental disorder. Here was my response.

Overall I've come to see my psychiatric medications the same way I see the medication I took to recover from an injury earlier this year or the way a diabetic views their insulin shots.

Its something I need to allow me to have a full life and good quality of life. Without it, I'm a grouchy antisocial hermit who hides under the bed for most of his life. The medications don't change me, they simply allow me to be a better me. But they do not in any way change who "Mike" really is. They just allow "Mike" to more easily function.

But I do understand. As I share my story with others, seems like everyone including myself have made the mistake of quitting the medication at one point or another.

For me, I got to a point where I was having a very rough patch and family and close friends kept repeatedly asking me "Are you still taking your medication" and few things piss me off more !! 1. I wanted to scream "So what if I am ? Why can't I just have a bad bleeping day !!!". 2. I felt that no one was ever taking me seriously simply because I was on anxiety medication. 3. Since I really disagreed with them on the particular topic of discussion and they were asking me if I was still on my meds so much I started questioning that statement, " The medications don't change me, they simply allow me to be a better me. But they do not in any way change who "Mike" really is. They just allow "Mike" to more easily function." and instead were reprogramming me into some kind of trained drone they could control.

I've been using my medication for about again for over a year now. But I had to walk right to the very edge of the cliff of self destruction, look over the edge and realize I was about to fall off; it before I started using them again.


The next response was to someone who was expressing frustration over the fact that they were taking medicine and nothing was getting better at all.

T my gut reaction to that question is that you might now be getting the right help. I would urge you to talk to your doctor about it or get a second opinion. Again that too is a path I have traveled down.

Since 2002 I was being treated for generalized anxiety but after things got much worse back this past spring I had to admit that it was not working. In hindsight it never 100% effective. The shrink I was seeing at the time took all of 10 minutes to conclude that I was bi-polar and put me on some really powerful drugs that turned me into a brain dead zombie. Fortunately my mother was with me at that appointment and this doctor set her bull sh&% detector off very loudly.

So she got hooked-up with a wonderful organization called NAMI and became educated on what one should expect from a mental health care provider. In a nutshell you should expect and demand the same level and quality of medical care as you would of say a doctor who specializes in cancer treatment. Chief among those credentials being a very through analysis before the doctor officially diagnoses you. This doctor had not done his due diligence in that regard according to my mother's opinion.

So I took her advice and got a second opinion. The next psychiatrist I saw had me fill out a 5 page single spaced questionnaire which he went over with me in an interview that lasted an hour and a half. It was only then that he told me "This bi-polar diagnosis is a load of crap !! You're ADD not bi-polar !! Give me six weeks and I''ll get you feeling dramatically better and in 6 months you'll be hitting on all 6 cylinders". At first I was highly suspicious but was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt given all the work he put into diagnosing me.

In the end that doctor delivered in full on his promise and I'm in a much better place now, that I was even seven years ago !

Which is a long way of saying, if you still are wanting to jump off the cliff of self destruction, I doubt you are getting treated correctly and I would urge you to go talk to your mental health care provider. Also I would not hesitate to get a second, third or sixth opinion if you don't feel the doctor is doing you justice. Its a common theme among those who've shared their stories with me.

Personally I would recommend bring a trusted friend or family member to these consultations because when you are in that emotional state, its hard to objectively see what's going on. I know I would not have noticed there was a problem had my mother not come with me to an appointment.

I know of a handful of people who had to go to five different doctors before they found one who could help them. Again expect the same standard of care that you would of a cancer doctor.

And do not give up !! Life doe not have to be that way for you, most mental illnesses are highly treatable !!!

Until next time, this is The RedHeaded Rambler signing off.