That last post exhausted me. Maybe it’s just because I’m tired. I got my period last night, the pain of endometriosis keeping me awake all night and then dealing with the pain all day. As many of my supporters pointed out I am also mourning.
I just want to say I’m going to be more liberal about deleting comments and keeping people on moderation.
I’m not interested in arguing with people who aren’t interested in learning about alternative perspectives. I’M WELL AWARE OF THE TRADITIONAL one and so are most of my readers and we don’t need people reminding us of it. It nearly killed me—pharmaceutical crap and lies RUINED my life so all of you who want to convince me that psychiatry and pharma is so grand you don’t have a forum anymore. So unless you have an honest interest in exploring alternative views. I don’t want to hear from you.
All my readers who take meds are more than welcome here. I do not judge anyone who chooses to take meds. But what I offer is hope of alternatives and recovery stories of people without drugs and my own journey off meds.
This is a sanctuary for people who want something different. I am as of this moment naming it that.
My blog, my rules.
I’ll make a call on each comment that questions. Honest questions from people who are curious to LEARN something other than pharma bullshit will be graciously accepted. If you have an agenda to knock us over the head with what is available on 99% of mental health sites, (propaganda most of it) I have no interest in conversing. You ain’t teaching me anything new— I know it all, I worked in the field for 12 years…I probably know it better than you do. But we might be able to teach you a thing or two if you care to listen or follow a link or two.
As far as I can tell neither of the disruptive folks in the last thread even tried to see the alternatives or consider their value.
You know this incident coincides with a record day and a record month in stats. I imagine this is all growing pains…as have been my harassers in the past…I’m making a few people a little uncomfortable. I don’t know why taking our health into our own hands is so threatening to some people.
Thanks so much to all of you who have helped make this a successful site.
thank you bipolarlife…
I’ve never heard of two people agreeing with everything anyone says!! I’m glad you get something from my blog…
And I hope you find health in whatever way makes sense for you.
Gianna,
I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for writing about your experiences and for hosting the experiences of others who have chosen to go off/are going off psych medications. While I admit that it I do not agree with everything written here it is inspiring to read about others who are willing to make the hard choices necessary to follow the path to a healthy mind. I hope in time to be there myself.
I am sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. You do not need the additional stress of dealing with rude people posting on your blog.
Peace to you and your family.
Well I fulfilled my duty as a human guinea pig yesterday, filling out 2 hrs worth of questionnaires to document my improvement using [whoo-hoo!] THERAPY only…
Phase 2 means I will be “randomized” to one of 3 groups: control group (watch & wait), therapy group (continue CBT at a less-intensive frequency), or “medication” (that means I could either receive Prozac or a placebo).
Although I signed all their forms, I lied through my teeth when I said I didn’t have a prob w/taking Prozac. Any pills they give me will go straight down the toilet! [& no, we’re not on city sewer, so I won’t be contaminating anything but our own backyard; guess we *might* potentially have some happy earthworms ;-)!]
Gianna,
And the “standard psychiatric fare” is 99.99 percent of what’ out there….
All road (nothwithstanding this one and a few others) lead back to NAMI….
I hope you stay with the policy Gianna.
Anyone can get that other stuff anywhere….
The world ain’t flat, and pscyh drugs don’t work.
Duane
Larry,
you are free to delete my comment…but the stats I site do hold up…
I made clear my comment policy…
I simply don’t want to argue here…
We like our alternate universe here…that’s why we don’t need the standard party line. It’s very easy to go get that everywhere else. And I do go out into that territory when I feel like it. But not here—That’s why I called this a sanctuary.
so, welcome, feel free to browse and perhaps we can share a thing or two…
but I won’t make exceptions for anyone if they cross the line and want to tow a line that we aren’t here for.
you can make the same rule on your blog…I certainly won’t take it personally. the biggest reason I do this here, is because we are inundated everywhere else with the standard psychiatric fare…
Sanctuary…
Gianna:
Very sorry about your MIL.
Since we are fated to disagree on the merits, I won’t push that. Instead, I wanted to ask you about your new comment policy.
I could have deleted your comment from my very differently oriented blog, but I didn’t. I hope you will offer me the same courtesy.
BTW, you are right about visitors learning. The discussion here is truly like an alternate universe to me — almost, but not quite, incomprehensible.
I need to remind readers that Gianna has an assistant moderating her comments here.
Take a deep breath Gianna, and take care of yourself.
Please take heart from all the people who comment on the positiveness of alternative Mental Health. For thirty years I took tablets. I did not understand the strenght of the tablet and what it actually was doing to me. I was the sick person with the label. One did not speak about the illness, about how I felt, how my mind was so out of whack, I did not understand or like who I was. I lived like that for thirty years. In the last number of years I have started going to counselling, have had a year of being without my Lithium and have enjoyed having my emotions back and all that went with that. I would say that I had been taken out of the Deep Freeze, My one year experience was beautiful, I was myself me and my thoughts. Unfortunately, I had to go back on the Lithium, and I am currently coming off it this time very very slowly. I have grown up so much in the last couple of years – now I know it is up to me to help myself, in what I do, in how I sleep, in what I consume and all that goes with giving myself the best chance in Life Love and happiness.
I come to the computer and read your postings. It is great to meet up with you and your friends and just read your stories. What you are doing is simply briallant. I log in and can hear it first hand of your experiences. When my consellor put the question to me about coming off meds , I had no information to look up, your site has given me such encouragement, and support, and information. You have a lovely way of expressing yourself, your site is presented in a very helpful manner.
Thank you for bringing your story, your ups and downs to the public eye. For the people who do not want to go the alternate route, let them be, but they are going into your site, they too have an interest, but are blocked into the old way of psychiatry. Their pathways are different. Nobody has the right to deny me or any human being the fullness of life, of being who I am. No so called doctor has the right to lock up my emotions for the rest of my life. My being sick is like a cry for help , the response to which I got from Psych Doctors was to sedate my mind. I have a right to life, alternate psych gives me that right. Sorry for going on, but maybe I just need applaud your site and what you are sharing with us is so beneficial.
Gianna,
Hope you’re doing okay – in your mourning and all the things you are dealing with…
Also, thanks for your kind words in response to my email – they meant a lot to me….
Kinda worn out myself Gianna – what affected you had an impact on me – on us….feels good to have things come down to a more peaceful level again….
“Sanctuary”? – perfect. It hits the nail on the head, it says it all…..
I think you’re wise to edit your own site – you’re hardly a ‘censor’ – the best papers on the planet have good editors – they keep subject matter at hand, and create good dialogue through editing…editing can be good…
I’ve never known you to dismiss someone who felt differently – this has always been a place for those on psych drugs, getting off psych drugs, and learning about psych drugs…but, you gotta protect yourself from those who become abusive…..you just have to….you’re worth it!
You’ve taken on a lot – with this site, with all that you do….the “research chair” in the world of natural mental wellness blogging…..that’s how I see you…
Thanks for all that you’ve taught so many of us – and for being such a good friend.
Hang in there –
Duane
T’is true 🙂 In 2005, Celexa pooped out. I was crying uncontrollably and was pretty much disabled by my mood. My former p-doc started me on Cymbalta, stopped Celexa at the same time and i had horrible side effects (and withdrawal from Celexa).
Two years later, I was still complaining of many major side effects. She wanted to switch me to Effexor(!). I went googling to see if I could find some home remedy for side effect or easing the transition because I didn’t want to lose another job. I didn’t even know about w/d or poop-out or ANYTHING. Since 1990, I pooped out on and switched medications (adding a few along the way), thinking that I was relapsing into anxious depression.
Then, I stumbled on your blog. Then on Catherine C’s website…and others. You and Philip Dawdy keep me going because of the level of discourse and thoughtfulness on your blogs. And the amazing, sensitive, smart folks who comment. I don’t feel alone with my “illness” anymore. And I don’t feel crazy for disagreeing with mainstream western medicine.
I don’t know what I would do without you.
ng,
it’s on the Depression is not an Illness post…I guess that wasn’t yesterdays post…
Deborah,
I had no idea I was the inspiration that put you on this journey. I’m so glad you’re healing.
I have to say in that particular exchange Steven, much more than I, shown bright.
thanks for your kind words.
thanks so much Duane and Marissa. And Duane, I didn’t feel you were inappropriate…anger is not “unspiritual” you made no attacks…
me again. I just finished reading the entire debate following yesterday’s post instead of “working from home.” I am again totally impressed with the level of knowledge and the quality of writing that you, Gianna, and folks like Steven offer to those of us who read this blog.
You are all so generous with your information. You are so kind.
The chemical imbalance story is still doing grave damage. I wonder how many people are continuing to do themselves harm because they bought that story and their psychiatrists or doctors never corrected their mistake.
Gianna – you go, girl. You are a source of huge inspiration and information to me. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I didn’t KNOW there were alternatives to taking ADs and anxiolytics for my “mental illness” until I stumbled on your blog in April 2007.
I am not taking benzos or beta blockers anymore. I’m tapering off of cymbalta – at a snail’s pace – because I found out here that another path was open.
I am very grateful for the continuing flow of good energy from you.
Thank you so much.
Hi,
Did a bunch of posts get up on the board that are now deleted? I feel like I missed something here.
Gianna,
What I want to say, is please forgive me for adding fuel to the flame, and for any way I might have made things worse.
I hope you have a peaceful day.
Duane
Gianna,
You and your husband are dealing with a loss, and grief.
In my best efforts, I fell short yesterday….
Ready to run the bully off the playground –
Forgetting that you’re a woman who is quite capable of handling herself – a lot tougher than me in many ways…
Anwyay, I would just like to say I feel badly about how I handled the entire situation – I hope you know it came with the best of intentions….not wanting to see you have to deal with someone who was obviously giving you bait – trying to hook you in….
Unfortunately, I took the bait – hook, line, and sinker…
With an effort to protect a friend who was (momentarily) in a vulnerable spot….
The ramblings on about politics, and other areas – these came from my own personal hurts – this is another area where I really fell short – as a friend.
I hope you know that I’ve had you and your husband in my prayers all day, and hope you can focus on more important issues at hand – your recovery, and grief as a couple who lost a family member – these are the things that are important….
Thanks Jane and Steven for reminding me of spirit – the need to reconcile, and find peace – your comments were greatly appreciated – and reminded me that I still have miles to go….
There was a bully in the playground yesterday, and I acted like a kid myself….
Peace Gianna,
Duane
Geez. The title is called “Beyond Meds.” I don’t think you could get anymore blunt than that. *rolls eyes*
Gianna, don’t pay attention to those foolish people. There are some people who just like to be hurtful because it’s the Internet and they can be anonymous so they feel free to say whatever pops into their minds — no filter required. Even though I take meds, I enjoy reading about your therapy and alternative treatments. Your journey could very well inspire me to take a similar one someday.
Keep on keepin’ on, girl!