How Psychotherapy saved my life - after being on medications for 10 years

[MentalHealthismypriority]

I’ve never used beyond blue before until now. For the past 10 years I was seeing a psychiatrist who I believe was doing the best it thought he new. By the end I was on a cocktail of medication- 6 different antipsychotics and antidepressants and off-label used medication. After several suicide attempts And more in patient hospital visits that I can count, I new I needed to change course. I changed psychiatrists - I started seeing a woman who works using ACT therapy and in the past year I have been slowly tappering off all of my medication whilst seeing an incredible psychologist to help we develop vital DBT skills - to make a life worth living. After 10 years of feeling like a zombie and not being able to have any stable relationships. I feel like I am almost back.. or my eyes have been opened. I was diagnosed with everything over that 10 year period and to think now that I never needed any medication that whole time - just life skills still blows my mind. I am almost completely off my last antidepressant- we all know the joys of those withdrawals but what’s getting me through is the skills I have learnt and learning about how serotonin literally effects everything in your body. My life has never been better I’m so lucky - now approaching 30 that I have discovered a new way of treatment. I encourage every single person in the world to see a psychologist once in their life for any reason - you have to put a lot of work in every day but in the long run it pays off. I’d rather take the good and the bad emotions any day then be stuck like a zombie for the rest of my life. I don’t know if anyone will read this but I just felt like I wanted to tell someone that there are SOOO many options out there. Do your research. Your doctors are just people at the end of the day and they do not know everything.

[Tay100]

Hi Sleepy21

Yep, I totally agree! Sometimes, you get along with the doctor as a person and there is a good connection, but their modality is not helping you as much as you might need. Recognising and doing something about that can be hard, but empowering. Sometimes being honest with the doctor can be good if you feel like you trust them, as they can use their resources to help you find a new modality/service that is better suited to your needs.

Tay100