I agree that anti depressants for some people can and will be the only treatment that is effective for them.

I think though that in todays society, Dr's are more eager to just had out a script and we as patients just get them filled. We have become a nation of pill poppers.

Relying on drugs to ease the symptoms.... Is just that. It eases the symptoms. It doesn't make them go away or lessen. Only therapy, and working toward healing can and will do that.

I guess it comes down to a personal choice, to take the meds or not. I have done both......

I guess the issue for me is more about my symptoms - depression specifically - has gotten worse. The problem is, is it the meds or am I going through a depression? I definitely don't think the meds are miracle pills that will make me happy, however my depression is worse, but the rages are more manageable. I'm trading one for the other and I don't think that it's supposed to work that way.

I've been on paxil for several years now and it has done wonders for my depression. I think you ought to give it a try. JMO

Depression is my biggest struggle now. I totally understand where you are coming from......Rachel, you need to deal with this issue the best way for YOU.......

For me. It was dealing with my trauma and issues. That did wonders for my anger and rage. I no long get like a raging lunatic.

Hugs....

You are right, they do save some lives, however; people look for medication the moment they feel a little out of sorts. Suicidal ideation is something that comes with not only depression. You do not have to be depressed to have ideation, far from it. You can have suicidal ideation because you sick of flashbacks, nightmares or no sleep. You may start thinking that killing yourself is easier than dealing with that crap day after day. You don't need to be depressed to have it.

Major depressive disorder is a part of the PTSD diagnosis, no disagreement with that one. Very few people though actually have major depressive disorder uniquely from the induced symptoms of PTSD. When you heal the trauma you remove the symptoms of PTSD. PTSD will always produce some minor symptoms or issues even when controlled, hence its incurable aspect.

If you get depressed though five times a year, does that warrant taking an anti-depressant for the entire year? For some they may be able to justify that.... for other they cannot. It is a personal thing and there is no right answer. The only right or wrongs to medication is side effects and then some of the nonsense physicians pull with patients in prescribing them, ie. prescribing two or three medications to counter side effects of a primary medication, is not ethical or warranted. The right answer is to change the primary medication to one that produces less side effects for that person, not prescribe more medications to create a concoction of disastrous proportion and a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and go wrong.

Those are about the only right vs. wrong issues.

So, how have others here dealt with being on meds while going through therapy? Since PTSD has so many symptoms that go along with it, and since certain side-effects from meds can mimic some PTSD symptoms, how have others been able to tell whether what they were feeling was PTSD related or med related?

For me.....I had increased anxiety 24/7 while on meds. Plus my mouth felt like the bottom of a birdcage in the desert...... I knew it was the meds. When I came off the meds, my anxiety level went down. Not gone, but down to a manageable level.

Rachel, excellent point. For me, I didn't know until I went of meds to discover my real feelings in order to know exactly what I did have left to work upon. Whilst medicated though I didn't work on symptom based matters, I just worked at the trauma regardless what symptoms where doing. That is what I suggest others do here, always have actually.... just go at the trauma then work out the rest once the biggest parts are sorted first.

Excellent point though.... be interesting to see the experience shared. I guess what you ask is the reason for this forum though, in that to stop others learning from such drawn out experience and learn from others mistakes, to trust what so many have done the long way to discover a shorter method in which to manage and heal PTSD.

Rachel ~ for me it is having a T who is very in tune with me and able to "translate" quite often what is med reactions with what is PTSD, etc. She is also in contact with my psychiatrist as I try new meds. I would be very, very careful about writing off anti-depressants completely - especially if you have a clinical depression diagnosis. Finding the right mix is hell but I hear it is possible. =)

I am on a med while in therapy. It took almost two years of mucking about with meds to find one that works. It has zero side effects for me (a bonus in life!) The meds have reduced my symptoms to manageable so that I can do therapy. I wasn't put on meds for depression. I am on meds for rages, anxiety and hypervigilence. With the meds lowering my symptom bar, it enables me to work on the actual issues, instead of fighting symptoms constantly. Not to say I don't have symptoms, because I do. Every day. It's just down to managing them, so that therapy is left for what it was meant for. Dealing with the trauma. For me this works beautifully. However I am lucky that I found a singular med that does what it should. Most don't.

bec