I find that doctors are too keen on prescribing medication for depression and anxiety. My GP prescribed a drug, its a SSRI which blocks serotonin. Interestingly its the same way LSD works. After taking it for 2 months I didn't notice any difference and wanted to stop taking them but my GP forced me to keep taking them.
I was sent to prison for 2 weeks for driving unlicensed several times. It was mentally challenging as I went through huge moments of trauma, shock, stress, depression, anxiety and helplessness. They didn't supply the medication and so I didn't take it for those 2 weeks.
The first night of my release, as I was trying to fall asleep I kept getting woken up by a very loud noise, a bang, a scream, a whistle, someone calling my name, a smash. I later found that this is known as exploding head syndrome.
The next night I went to go to the toilet in the early morning, as I woke and got out of bed I was confronted by an old man standing beside my bed, right in front of me. I freaked out and ran out of my room screaming. I was so freaked, I know it wasn't a dream, I was awake. I recognized the old man as my cell mate in prison.
The following night as I was falling asleep I saw a blue string of light dancing and floating in my room. Again I was completely scared, I panicked and ran out of my bedroom screaming again. I slept that nigh on the sofa in my living room. Seeing something that isn't there is quite frightening.
I thought I was going insane until I found a scientific explanation. They are called sleep hallucinations and occur when your waking up or falling asleep. But why had this happened? I'm sure the psychological effects of being incarcerated played a part. But then I had a closer look at the side effects of my medication and was shocked at what found. Along with hallucinations and delusions there was a huge range of side effects, the worse ones being; manic episodes, trouble breathing, seizures, convulsions, coma, loss of consciousness, changes in blood pressure and heart rate, dizziness, suicidal thoughts and attempts, acting on dangerous impulses, panic attacks, new or worse depression and/or anxiety. These side effects also occur during withdrawal.
I went to my GP and told her about my hallucinations to see what she would say. Her reaction was to label me a schizophrenic, double the dosage and send me to a mental home. I told her no way, its the alteration of my serotonin levels that has bought this on and asked her to take me off the medication.
There was no need to medicate me in the first place. Everyone feels depressed or anxious at some point in there lives, they're just normal emotions. So in order to make someone feel better doctors are willing to take huge risks with medications that are not very well understood to alter the chemical composition of our brains which is also not very well understood.
