27 Comments

1. Debbie said,

   August 13, 2006 at 7:45 pm

   I actually have thoughts on this. :-)

   I think lots of people take meds. so they don’t have to deal with their problems.

   However, I think sometimes you just can’t deal with them as quickly as you need to.

   So…I think that as long as people have counselling with their meds…so as to learn to deal with their issues in a healthy way…then they can get off of them hopefully when they’ve learned to deal…That’s ok.

   I do know that there are some people whose issues are bigger than that…and they can never figure it out. bipolar stuff is very difficult to deal with…and certainly not somebody’s fault…I’m not talking about those people.

   But it really bothers me to see people pop a XANAX when they are stressed out instead of processing through their issues.

2. kris said,

   August 13, 2006 at 7:46 pm

   I love this upside down picture of you!

   My thoughts on the medication is I would exhaust every other avenue I could think of before I took medication and since I cured my own severe anxiety naturally (and quite by accident) I know it can be done

3. Magnanimity said,

   August 13, 2006 at 8:07 pm

   depends on the cause and duration and how much I was getting on everyone else’s nerves. Most of my biggest “down” times in life were due to personal agitation over God not “doing something” he needed to do to meet a need in my life. I grew very squirmy, agitated, and impatient. I could have taken something, but the pain would have still been underneath it all. If it’s just a chemical imbalance…go for it.

4. Jeff M. Miller said,

   August 13, 2006 at 8:20 pm

   Card carrying member of the Zoloft takers club here.

   Yeah, I agree with the above comments. Exhaust every other means first. Check your relationship with the Lord first, then with your spouse / family / co-workers / church family. Make sure sin is confessed and repented of. That’s what I went through. Let’s just say I had five of the top ten stressors on my life at the time, and looking at my spiritual life and seeing that everything was fine just made it worse for me since I couldn’t find the cause.

   Confide in someone you trust. My spouse and pastor for me. Find a doctor you trust, preferrably a
   Christian, and maybe even one who’s been through it as well (I was blessed in this way). Above all, get a Christian counselor who will help you through. Get an accountability partner if you don’t have one already.

   I was on the meds for a month, and I can truly say they helped me, but I never felt they were absolutely necessary for my continued well being. I knew they were for a short season, and I found it easy to get off of them when their time was through.

5. sharibrown said,

   August 13, 2006 at 9:07 pm

   I am not against medication for illness. If you have diabetes insulin may be required along with a healthy diet and an exercise regimine. Your blood glucose levels are then evalutaed on a routine basis. I believe you can look at any health issue in a similar manner. If I were dealing with depression I would take some baseline data. -Are there specific times when I am feeling blue? - have my sleeping patterns changed? -Have I had major life changes such as a job change, move, or death in my family that have contributed to my mood? I would look at my spiritual life. -Am I spending time in the word and prayer, and in fellowship with the body? Am I in touch with God and searching for His guidance?
   Then depending on what feedback I got from my baseline, I would try to evaluate, is this perhaps a season I am going through or is this a chemical imbalance that needs some attention? I would then go to my general practitioner and seek advice. Just some thoughts,
   shari

6. Crystal Renaud said,

   August 13, 2006 at 9:53 pm

   there are definate benefits to medication for chemical imbalance. whether Tom Cruise believes it or not - it is very real and very scary if you are facing the difficulties.

   personal experience i have been on Zoloft for less than 6 months to help bring me out of a very a difficult anxiety issue. i don’t however, feel like medication should be used for long-term treatment - in fact i am weening off of it now.

   before seeking medication i sought friends, christian counseling and of course my heavenly Father to pull me out of my nearly 3 year anxiety trap, but ultimately it was the honesty, prayer and the meds that really helped me to unblur my vision and repair my chemical imbalance.

7. Jennifer Suter said,

   August 13, 2006 at 10:10 pm

   Let me preface my comment with the fact that my mother is bi-polar. I am firmly for taking medication for depression and anxiety. Sometimes depression is simply a chemical imbalance. This cannot be corrected with just therapy. It requires drugs to restore the correct balance of neurotransmitters in your brain. Anxiety is the same way. I think these type of medications have gotten a bad rap (and Tom Cruise didn’t help any). My mom was crazy (and that’s not an exaggeration) without her meds. She can function “normally” with them.

8. Los said,

   August 14, 2006 at 3:02 am

   Paxil here. For 2 years I took it.
   I struggled majorly with anxiety a few years ago. The combination of paxil and counseling helped me tremendously. I got TONS of the “Christian”, Just eat, excercise, and pray. But I had worked my life into such a stress ball that I was beyond that. I also KNOW that MANY people are dancing on the line of anxiety and depression without even knowing it. Our bodies WILL respond to how we treat them and mine responded with anxiety.
   I feel I will struggle with it the rest of my life and when medication is necessary, I will take it. Anxiety and Depression is the church’s dirty little secret.
   My 2 Cents.

9. brian said,

   August 14, 2006 at 9:36 am

   why not take stuff? I think it’s a taboo the church has made up maybe from the catholic church’s stance on birth control? I don’t know. I do sometimes think the doctors might prescribe to easily, and sometimes God is just taking you through a valley of sorts. But, if you have multiple personalities or think you are having a heart attack because of anxiety like my boy Los, then pop the pill. Just like you need a doctor to have a baby, some insulin for your diabetes, and an advil for your headache, you might need some other pill for whatever is medically wrong with you. coupled with counseling, I have seen several friends overcome some big stuff.

10. Nicole Green said,

    August 14, 2006 at 9:40 am

    Like some of the others posted before me, I too have taken an anti-depressant before. I had a really, REALLY rough few years. I don’t think that anyone who would sit and listen to all I went through would think any less of me for taking an anti-depressant. However, I went through the appropriate avenues first. I didn’t have a church home at the time and unfortunately many of my “Christian” friends were no where to be found, including pastoral friends. Sad as that is, it doesn’t mean God wasn’t there. Not only did I turn to God first, but I had family and other friends to turn to as well. I think the next biggest help prior to the anti-depressant was a Christian counselor. I found a counselor I was comfortable with, who I trusted and who always included God in our talks. Eventually and only for a short time I decided to take Wellbutrin for a few reasons. It helped treat my chronic pain (just another thing depressing me) but also someone, I don’t remember who, explained it to me like this: It’s like a crutch for a broken leg. You need crutches to walk, but only with all the other peices: the cast, the doctor, the medicine etc. Sometimes you just need a little help when you’ve got nothing left. The meds helped my body and brain start to have more energy, which in turn gave me the energy to forge ahead in working towards independance. Like the energy to go to work, and church, and bible studies and counseling and everything else I needed. In the end I only took it for I think 2 months and that was all I needed. I continued with counseling etc. afterwards until I came to a point where I could deal with life sensibly. I think what it comes down to is the individual and their relationship with God. Only you and God know what is right for you and I don’t think it’s for others to judge.

    Something else interesting to see a poll on would be people’s opinions on marijuana for pain treatment. If it were legal, should Christians be for or against it?

11. the mungle said,

    August 14, 2006 at 9:53 am

    I am 100% against it. I had a DR. try to put me on it a few years ago. First words out of his mouth. Almost like a “be done with it” statement. Take the money and run. I refused. I then cut out all caffeine from my diet and it was a 100% turnaround. My body needed less caffeine, not more drugs. Has to be other things to try then medication.

12. Kristiapplesauce said,

    August 14, 2006 at 11:04 am

    I agree and disagree with everyone here. I think it is strange that in commercials and magazine ads they advertise for drugs like they are a new cars or new shoes. What? Our bodies are designed with an immune system that regulates and distributes the chemicals we need. Thus, balanced with nutrition and exercise….we end up healthy. But nope, we are in a society of excess, and then all of us are the way we are. Unhealthy and pill popping. I personally think that there are natural alternatives….(massage, vitamins, yoga). But take what you need to be healthy. If that means going to the Dr. to get medication for your ailments…then get it. Why is this discussion turning into a confessional? Hello my name is Kristi and I take fill in the blank?

13. Rich Kirkpatrick said,

    August 14, 2006 at 11:27 am

    sign me up!

    well…I hate taking pills…but as a singer if I did not take the newly prescribed acid reflux pill the doc gave me I would still be losing the higher notes in my range. Of couse, diet is being watched and so forth…but stress is stress and I guess my body is just not reacting to rolaids any longer as I age

    so…depression might work that way, too. At first you can deal with it, but there may be short seasons where medication can “help” rather than solve the issue. As Christians we hate to truly talk about our weaknesses. Mine are MANY so I will not confess them all right now…but, we are broken people reliant on Christ. It is not ungodly to prudently take medicine for depression in my opinion. I regret not doing so a couple times in my life. (Or, those around me regret it?)

14. Los said,

    August 14, 2006 at 12:15 pm

    I love this topic because I am the poster child. I know I gave 2 cents before, but I’ll drop another penny. Yea. I hate the mainstream commercials of the meds. And Kaiser (my care) will prescribe this stuff if you say you cried at your dad’s funeral. So you have to be informed. But if you look at our society today. We live in a 24/7 world. How many of us get up at 8. Work till 5. Come home. Have dinner with the fam around the table. Read a magazine. And go to sleep at 9? Our society is killing us. Our culture of go go go is killing us. And if we do not watch out our bodies and minds will catch up with us. And knock us down. Opinions are plenty. It is up to each individual and their current situation.

15. Kevin Leggett said,

    August 14, 2006 at 12:18 pm

    Hmm. Tough issue. On the one end, I think that Christ can definitely save you from any and every addiction. And taking anything that affects the mind like that really bothers me. I can’t think of a scripture that supports either side. So in the end, I would pray for some conviction from the Holy Spirit and wherever He leads you…go for it.

16. Jules said,

    August 14, 2006 at 1:42 pm

    I liked los’s comment on society killing us. Not just socially, but physically as well. Think about the way we did things in 1900. We ate foods grown and process naturally. I am not a tree hugger here, but foods were grown without changing their chemical and physiological make-up. Things were picked ripened on the vine and tree. Cattle were raised without steroids. We are making our lives easier, but killing off essential nutrients our bodies need to function properly. Hence, cancer, diabetes and perhaps chemical brain disruption. Ok, factor in the stress now. Stress can even effect wether your gums bleed or not. That would be only a minor result of stress on our bodies. Any one of us could name 10 more results of stress. Their is no way to go back to the early 1900’s, but we have to come up with solutions that bring us back to a healthy way of life. Look at all the disease we have in this country, yet we are the wealthiest and most technically advanced nation.yikes..

17. candyce said,

    August 14, 2006 at 10:03 pm

    mental health issues like depression and anxiety are things that can at least put a damper on one’s ability to live life to the fullest, life as God intended, and at worst… well, i don’t even want to think about ‘at worst.’ so for the sake of the calling God has on each of our lives, i think people should take a ‘by any means necessary’ approach to dealing with these kinds of life issues. of course ‘by any means necessary’ means that one also needs to take time to investigate and establish what’s actually necessary. as some have mentioned here, some doctors are too quick to prescribe medication. and i think for people who are insured, we’re sometimes too quick to take on some new health measure (if it’s not a medication for mental health or allergies or ED, it’s a nighttime mouthguard or something like that) because we know it’s covered rather than thinking through whether it will actually be good for us and being educated about that. but if someone’s dealing with his/her issues at a root level (i think meds without counseling probably leaves one missing out on an opportunity for deep healing), and she/he’s gone as far as possible without meds, and still needs further help, one shouldn’t feel guilty about it. i agree that it’s a lot like a diabetic taking insulin or some other medication related to diabetes. some can manage diabetes with just exercise and diet. for others, it can be life-threatening if they don’t take the meds. it’s not that they haven’t prayed enough or spent enough time at the doctor’s office, unpacking why their bodies can’t properly metabolize sugar. it’s just a different case calling for different treatment measures.

18. Crystal Renaud said,

    August 14, 2006 at 11:22 pm

    true. society and culture will kill us if we don’t learn to take care of ourselves. meds are not an escape from reality, but it is a tool used to help us get cope and get regulated and our vision unblurred. sure eating right, exercising and massage might help, but so much of depression and anxiety is situational and circumstance-driven. post-traumatic is a huge part of any of it. a massage or good diet, although may make your body feel better, it isn’t going to regulate a chemical imbalance.

    i am not an advocate of longterm use of drugs, but to remove you from a season of crap… then go for it… but truly… exhaust other means first.

    this turned into a confessional because so many of us have our own experiences with meds or deciding not to take meds and feel we have to tell our own stories to give an opinion worth considering. if you haven’t experienced the need or situation of deciding for or against meds for depression or anxiety then you really have no true experience or usuable opinion - there’s my nickel and dime.

19. Tim said,

    August 15, 2006 at 8:46 am

    Zoloft here for a month and a half. I was really against the idea of taking medication. I always thought of it as a way of escaping your reality and choosing not to deal with your issues, like some people have mentioned above. I think I got over that when I was sitting in a in-patient pysh unit getting evaluated. I spoke with my therapist the next week and he told me that I have been self-medicating myself for years though my sexual addiction, and it might be better if I tried doing it through prescribed medication.
    I have to admit, since the day I started taking medication I have yet to sexually act out in my addiction. I struggle sometimes wondering, and I am reminded by people who just don’t understand, if it is I who is beating my addiction or the nightly pill pop. I will say this, My Doctor gave me a choice of two medications, I went with Zoloft because one side effect is the lowering of your libido. Whatever the case maybe, by not acting out in over a month and half I have been able to look at my issues at a deeper level. A saying that we go by in Avenue is that you can’t work under the hood until the engine has been turned off. If the medication has been able to help facilitate my recovery by the stopping of my engine, then so be it, I am better for it.

20. Tim said,

    August 15, 2006 at 8:59 am

    Oh, one other thing. My original thought against taking medication was a long the similiar lines of some other people who commented. I thought that taking medication was saying that Christ couldn’t meet the need that I have, and that I had to look somewhere else. I know Christ can take care of any issue; He can heal any disease, He can feed 5000 with a little amount of food, but that isn’t a reason to not take medication. That would be like saying don’t eat food, because God can provide food to fall from the sky, or don’t have a job, because God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. God can do all, but God has always made a way for us through his Grace and Sovereignty to provide for ourselves.

21. Kristiapplesauce said,

    August 15, 2006 at 9:26 am

    I think you missed the second part of what I said. If it means going to the Dr. to get the pills you need to get healthy, then do that. I think that God gave us brains, use them. I just don’t think that it should be our first or second or even third choice. I am so NOT against medication, I just think that our bodies are designed with an immune system for a reason and we don’t allow it to work properly. Obviously getting a massage isn’t going to cure everything, but studies do prove that over a period of time, it can change the course of our chemical imbalances. Preventive maintenance if you will. For anxiety and depression and fatigue and a whole slue of digestion issues. But no, we as a society would rather take our coveted Zoloft because it is 25 dollars and convenient. But whatever…I just think it is upsurd the way they advertize and make it like you are buying a new car. It is so dumb. I think this whole thing is becoming TRENDY. If you are where you need to be and it is working for you then who am I to tell you otherwise? Whatever.

22. Steve said,

    August 15, 2006 at 11:51 am

    We all medicate ourselves. As Tim mentioned, some use sex, others use alcohol, others use volunteeing in church, or even getting married. If medication keeps people from acting out in other unhealthy ways, and others avenues have been exhausted, then go for it.

23. Tim said,

    August 15, 2006 at 3:01 pm

    Kristi, I completely agree with you in most areas. I can’t stand all the commercials as well. It doesn’t quite make since why advertisments are being made to patients and not the people who prescribe the medication. Well I guess it does, it creates the idea of need for someone to then go to the Doctor. Anyhow, I don’t plan on taking Zoloft for the rest of my life. I believe my recovery is Mind Body and Soul. Medication is just part of the equation.

24. Los said,

    August 17, 2006 at 2:51 am

    I think Anne needs a V-8

25. jonny said,

    August 18, 2006 at 12:28 pm

    Gods a pretty funnying guy:)

26. Kristiapplesauce said,

    August 21, 2006 at 11:38 am

    Back to you Tim….I am one of your biggest fans in that you have overcome so many obsticles and have done so in the face of many people not standing in your corner. In this particular case of medication…I personally don’t think it is any of my buisness what you and your Dr. have decided, BUT since we are already talking about it, you are one of those cases where it seems to be a healthy choice to take it. So take that for what it is worth. But again, I usually don’t have a clue to what I am talking about…bla bla bla.

27. Annuities Affect Tvm said,

    October 3, 2006 at 6:24 am

    great blog, keep it comming.

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