Mad in America has a bit more reach than I’m used to. After asking the question, Is depression unhappiness? in a new post on my blog over there, I had some people coming at me in social media which really doesn’t happen all that often. I don’t suppose I’ll be writing or commenting on Mad in America again for a while.
I speak to my need for careful boundaries here: Brief note to my readers. I’m still needing to take good care of myself. Healing includes not overworking or getting too emotionally stimulated. On occasion I still inadvertently over-extend myself and realize I need to be more careful. More here about that: Autonomic nervous system dysfunction, protracted psych drug withdrawal, CFS, Fibromyalgia and why I still limit engagement on the internet
So these are a couple of conversations that went down on twitter. These two exchanges didn’t actually bother me much. I can’t take this sort of stuff personally, really. It’s so clearly not about me at all. Still in combination with everything else that happened throughout social media yesterday, I do need to slow things down again. I will be less available again for a while. Among other things I quit a couple of email groups.
@BeyondMeds @giles_fraser @Mad_In_America Very dangerous to suggest to some people with psychosis like Bipolar that they can give up drugs.
— Liz Vizard (@lizzieviz) August 13, 2013
@lizzieviz @giles_fraser @Mad_In_America because we’re all too crazy too make our own decisions, right? — Monica Cassani (@BeyondMeds) August 13, 2013
* @lizzieviz @giles_fraser @Mad_In_America Drug free recovery from depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc… http://t.co/DJ525OgoZJ — Monica Cassani (@BeyondMeds) August 13, 2013
@lizzieviz @giles_fraser @Mad_In_America it’s possible to heal from such diagnosis…I know 1000s now and then there was this: — Monica Cassani (@BeyondMeds) August 13, 2013
Well that ended there. I’ve not heard back from her. I suppose that may still happen.
To highlight my over-engagement in social media yesterday and also respond to the complaint above I’ll cut and paste what I wrote on Stuart Shipko’s post at Mad in America which raised a stir in the psych drug withdrawal communities and got me working a bit too hard in the comments. You can visit the post for context:
To be clear, I have never suggested people should come off meds without very careful consideration and instead often write posts about the fact that I do not think it’s wise to suggest to others that they come off of them. There is far too much pressure in some circles, I agree.
Here are three posts in which I am explicit about this:
and this one, in which (Dr. Shipko’s) work is actually featured:
I’m well aware that many cannot and should not be face with what I’ve faced. (I am not a fan of the If I can do it, so can you, mantra — I go into detail there as to why) I’m grateful to have taken this on because of what I’ve been able to learn about the condition of protracted withdrawal syndrome and therefore how I am able to help people learn about the risks etc. I feel this has been my vocation…I by no means recommend it for others!
I have been profoundly lucky to have a husband who has provided a safe and healing environment while I’ve gone through something no one should ever have to go through. But since I have gone through it, I’m putting it to damn good use and will do all I can to help others make safe, wholesome and healing CHOICES…
stopping drugs should never be imposed on anyone…ever…
I cringe when those who are anti-med act coercive about these things…that makes us no different than those who push medications.
of course, I do support people coming off psych meds when they choose to and personally have no regrets in spite of the great suffering I’ve endured and continue to endure. I made this choice very consciously and everyone needs a lot of information so that they might do that too.
I offer everything I offer on the blog as information so that people can truly make informed choices. My life is a glaring example of the risks involved.
And then there was this (also on twitter):
— Monica Cassani (@BeyondMeds) August 13, 2013
@BeyondMeds @giles_fraser @mad_in_america I am fine, functioning, thanks to Prozac. negative attitudes towards meds do not help. — Juliet Swann (@muteswann) August 13, 2013
@muteswann @giles_fraser @Mad_In_America they almost killed me. I think I’ve a right to question their use for myself. I have no issue w you — Monica Cassani (@BeyondMeds) August 13, 2013
@muteswann @giles_fraser @Mad_In_America what do you propose those of us who lose all well-being as a result of meds do. Hide in a closet? — Monica Cassani (@BeyondMeds) August 13, 2013
@muteswann @giles_fraser @Mad_In_America we have a right to speak about our experience just as you do.
— Monica Cassani (@BeyondMeds) August 13, 2013
To her credit @muteswann did come around and acknowledge I had a point. I do have a right to talk about what happened to me. It’s worth calmly discussing why we do what we do. And it’s worth reading the following too: To my friends and readers who still take psych drugs (and to the whole spectrum of folks on and off meds too) because I greatly respect people’s choices around the issue to take psych meds or not.
Cheers. I’m hoping to be quiet for a bit. You may not see me around the intertubes quite so much in the next few days. Or however long it takes me to rejuvenate. I’ll continue posting as usual.
