Screw the FDA...

[matrixrefugee]

Come to find out that the FDA has taken 5-HTP off the market because it caused high blood pressure in a few people. And the stuff was the only thing that kept my depression in line. I hope whatever wonk decided to do that dies a slow, painful, miserable death, hopefully involving rabid rats and flesh-eating bacteria. I wonder how they'd feel if the one person it worked for killed herself, and they could have prevented it if they hadn't taken the stuff off the market. Probably just send my parents a polite letter of condolence, instead of doing something proactive.

And for the love of God, do *NOT* tell me I should go on pharmaceuticals. The side-effects are horrible. I'd rather be depressed than go through that.

What else? My hours got cut *AGAIN*, even after I specifically asked for *MORE* Hours. I guess "more" means "less" in whatever language Nosferatu the Second speaks. And oh yeah, the faction I started in MxO is folding, which might actually make it easier for me to just cancel the account, since I won't be able to afford it anyway.

Comments

[nightofcydonia.livejournal.com]

*agree on view of pharmaceuticals* I may not have any first hand experience, but I've picked up enough info over the years (amongst other things I have an A-level in psychology), for me to know that they can mess you up. It's also one of the reasons I refuse to see anyone about my own psychological oddities.
~Weaver

[(Anonymous)]

You might want to try seeing another therapist: hear me out, from what I've gleaned from reading your LJ you seem to have been going to the same one for quite awhile and they don't seem to be doing you much good. I've had my own experiences with therapy (I haven't gone *willingly*, exactly, but when I was put into rehab, therapy was a mandatory part of it) and it seems like if you're going to the same person and it's not doing you any good, then you should "shop around".
Personally, I have depression and anxiety, have for years (the drug/alcohol issues in my teens did NOT help), and bad enough to send me to hospital on quite a few occasions due to panic attacks. I'm not on medication but I am personally not adverse to pharmaceuticals. You might want to try herbal supplements or 'alternative' medicine if you're not doing that already: my family swears by traditional Arabic/Pakistani/Indian medicine. If you'd like, I could ask them what they'd use for depression and anxiety.
~Ruby

[matrixrefugee.livejournal.com]

Things with my therapist were going well for a good while there; everything went to hell as soon as I turned thirty. On top of that, there were budgeting cuts in Catholic Charities, which she works for -- thank you, abuse victims who sued the diocese -- so she isn't able to see me as often as she was, for some reason or other (I think she had to take on a higher case load because they had to lay off one of their other therapists). I'm afraid to shop around for another therapist, after the disaster with the nurse practitioner who kept trying to shove me into getting a career -- which would have trebled my stress level -- when I'm more of a laid-back sort who likes a simple life. Once burned, twice scared, or so they say.

And believe me, I'm about to see if I can't get help from a faith healer in Salem at this point. I'm open to any and all options, so I'd love to see what kind of traditional remedies are out there.

[nightofcydonia.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I know that St. John's Wort is used to treat depression, but that's about it. I'll have a look on google and e-mail you anything of interest.
~Weaver

[matrixrefugee.livejournal.com]

I was taking St. John's Wort for a while some years back, but for some reason, it wasn't working as well as it did.