Are You Addicted To Anti-Depressants?

Prepare to be shocked! Years ago an elderly neighbour overheard me expressing my frustration about a family matter. I will never forget her sincere remark: ‘İrem’cim’ she said. ‘Take this anti-depressant, I have been using it for many years, it really helps me a lot.’ I remember being shocked and surprised with this comment. Hear the most commonly asked question to me online and offline at all times: ‘How can I live without anti-depressants?’

Word of Caution

Let’s be clear there is a time one has to go to a psychiatrist and take the prescribed medication. What I am about to say is not for the depressed individual who is suicidal, nor for the psychotic person who is so disconnected that they cannot take responsibility for the danger they create for themselves and others.

Mental health experts report that 80% of the population are exhibiting at least one symptom of psychopathology. Alarm bells are ringing for humanity. We become ill when we do not change anything even though we experience dis-ease. Taking anti-depressants is an attempt to be OK by manipulating your natural hormones. It works sometimes, to a certain extent, as long as the medication is continued. When you stop the medication, sometimes even while you are taking it the problems reoccur.

The best results are reached when the medication gives respite from problems whilst the person uses therapy to heal, to change and strengthen. Unfortunately it is very rare for a psychiatrist to refer their patients for therapy.

Let me tell you why a majority of us are unwell.

The World We Live In

I want to bring to your attention some of my assumptions and a critic of our times:

• We cannot understand the individual without reference to its environment.
• Capitalism spread around the world through education and manipulative commerce during the Industrial and Post-industrial age
• Through urbanisation our sense of community was systematically corrupted.
• The sense of safety that comes from belonging to a community has been replaced by an individualistic, competitive, ‘everyone for oneself’ attitude. As a result we feel alone and frightened. Therefore we are vulnerable to various forms of advertising propaganda and manipulation.
• Using this vulnerability we are manipulated by very organised persuasion systems to adopt a way of life that includes how we earn and spend money, how we educate our children and how we enjoy ourselves.
• Psychiatry by creating diagnostic criteria and treatment for the individual represents the rising values of this era. As the authority on mental health, psychiatrists are expected to prescribe medication to alleviate the pain created by this system.
• Health has become an industry. Illness and healing, devoid of ethics are reduced to money making opportunities.

What Can You Do?

If our choices are merely ideas planted to benefit the owners of industries, and wherever we turn for help we meet someone who is hypnotised by this corrupt system, what can we do? Here is what you can do:

1. Take charge of your healing.
2. Question everything and everybody around you.
3. Question your beliefs.
4. Separate your identity from things like your education, career and finances.
5. Live within your budget.
6. Find joy in nature and in simple things that do not require money necessarily.
7. Take charge of your children’s education as much as you can.
8. Create a community of like-minded people around you, even if the numbers are small.

When you do even a few of these, you may well discover that your environment is toxic and you still do not know how to protect yourself.

Think about this: You can only take the right action if you know it. You can only know it if you are well. So the key is to stay centered and keep your life in order even when there is chaos and confusion around you. You will know the right actions to take and not need anti-depressants.

One more point: When you stop anti-depressants after using them for a long period be aware you will experience withdrawal symptoms. Give yourself some time to find your natural rhythm and balance.

Ask a trusted friend to help you through this, or consult a resource such as narcotics anonymous.

Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)image:Jamie