Your experiences with psychiatric medications?

[dopeman420]

no

[Vulture]

My experiences:

Every SSRI is ineffective.
Antipsychotics literally make you a braindead zombie.
Abilify = tardive dyskinesia.
Mood stabilizers are only useful when you've been manic for so long that you start falling apart.

Effective meds: SNDRIs, amphetamines, benzos, MAOIs.

[Umbrella Corp]

I've heard alot of warnings about MAOIs but have never been prescribed one.. never knew anybody that was, either.

So what is up with those?  Can u get fucked up on them?

[RustyShackleford]

Don't do them.

[Vulture]

Most prescription MAOIs work, but come with so much baggage, so many interactions that could kill you. I was prescribed phenelzine after a dozen failed SSRIs but I stopped when I started college. It did work.

You can get around most of the restrictions using a partial MAOI like harmala. The worst you'll normally get from harmala is a bad headache.

*EDIT: No, you can't get fucked up on them to my knowledge. They do potentiate a bunch of other drugs though.

[equanimity]

My experiences:

Every SSRI is ineffective.
Antipsychotics literally make you a braindead zombie.
Abilify = tardive dyskinesia.
Mood stabilizers are only useful when you've been manic for so long that you start falling apart.

Effective meds: SNDRIs, amphetamines, benzos, MAOIs.

Hmm.  My experiences have been pretty similar.

The only combination that I remember being somewhat effective was effexor + lithium.  Mostly I think it was the lithium, and I say somewhat effective because the suicidal thoughts were all but gone.  Was pretty zombified though, and did absolutely nothing for those months I was on them :/

Have never been prescribed an MAOI or SNDRI though.  Suppose effexor was 2/3 there lol.  What SNDRIs are commonly prescribed?  MAOIs aren't given out much from what I can tell.

[Vulture]

Most common SNDRI is probably wellbutrin. I've been on that and geodon (not an SNDRI, but close).

[equanimity]

Most common SNDRI is probably wellbutrin. I've been on that and geodon (not an SNDRI, but close).

Looks interesting.  Maybe even promising, if the effexor was maybe sorta kinda helpful in the past.  How did your treatments with wellbutrin and geodon go, if you don't mind me asking?  An ex of mine was on geodon for a while but it didn't seem to help.

[Vulture]

...I'm still alive. The majority of my suicidal urges were the result of failing to do things I knew I was capable of, mostly in college. Wellbutrin addressed this and I've kept it since.

Geodon was back in high school. I wasn't suicidal then, just... doing weird shit... Like sploo but without syncans and in a school with bars on the windows. It made me normal again, like... I was okay with jibing with authority while learning to subvert it vs constantly combating it.

[equanimity]

Oh, neat.  Thanks!  Wellbutrin may be worth a shot

[kroz]

my experience is it makes my dick limp, hair fall out, and feel like even more of a numb nut than before

[Umbrella Corp]

Dicks are limp like 98% of the time. 

[kroz]

My experiences:
.
Antipsychotics literally make you a braindead zombie.

so you actually get decaying skin and start getting an urge to feed on brains?

[kroz]

Dicks are limp like 98% of the time.

maybe yours is numb nut

[Hades]

I'm seeing a counselor yeah.  Think she's getting sick of me though lol.  And I've been through the medication game before, with psychiatrists doing their waiting x many months before making changes thing and being frustrated.  Suppose it's a worthwhile exercise in patience.

Mostly I'm hoping for success stories from this largely cynical crowd because I want something that might actually work this time.  It's no good when I decide to turn to meds.  Means I'm desperate.

Had good results with SSRI's (Paroxetine)... Might be a good idea to go see a decent psychiatrist... in my experience general practitioners see anti depressants like a flu pill... "take for 6 days and you'll feel better" kinda thing...
SSRI's aren't instant happy pills either, it takes time to take effect and more importantly, they won't make you happy.  They make you less depressed though.  If sucessful, they make you less depressed to a point where you can start digging out of your hole (eg with help of your counselor, cos that's just as important as the meds)..
As for side effects, the only effect i have is occasional sweatiness...  I think it's worth it.