Terrified to take medication

[Justified_By_Christ_Alone]

I suffer from OCD. I am seeing a psychiatrist soon and I am just terrified of being put on medication due to all of the stories I've heard. Not just from a spiritual stance, but even a secular one. I heard that medication messes up your brain that they put bad stuff in them. And then even worse on top of that I've got the whole "lack of faith" in the back of my mind if I were to take medication that so many Christians preach. I wholeheartedly do not deny the supernatural and the evil spirits are at play, yet at the same time maybe medication will help? I'm still very nervous about it though. I took SSRIs for a year a long time ago when I was in a bad place and I wasn't a believer back then and I hated the side effects. That's another thing I'm scared of, the side effects. Do you still think I should consider taking it if therapy doesn't work? My OCD is pretty extreme and does get in the way of day-to-day functioning. I am optimistic I can do without. But I am terrified if I can't and if I have to be put on them.

 

[Strathos]

I suffer from OCD and have been taking Prozac for years. I can't say for sure that it helps, but I haven't noticed any negative side effects.

 

[Brightmoon]

I think you’re going to have to have a long serious talk with your doctor . It’s not really appropriate to ask us about a medical condition that you know you have . Believing in woo never makes this stuff better either

 

[Justified_By_Christ_Alone]

Believing in woo never makes this stuff better either

I don't know what "woo" means, but I believe in the bible because it's the truth... It's not about me. It's about truth, plain and simple, that will never change ever.

 

[Leet]

My OCD is pretty extreme and does get in the way of day-to-day functioning. I am optimistic I can do without. But I am terrified if I can't and if I have to be put on them.

To me this says, take the meds. You'll be the better for them.

 

[Junia]

I suffer from OCD. I am seeing a psychiatrist soon and I am just terrified of being put on medication due to all of the stories I've heard. Not just from a spiritual stance, but even a secular one. I heard that medication messes up your brain that they put bad stuff in them. And then even worse on top of that I've got the whole "lack of faith" in the back of my mind if I were to take medication that so many Christians preach. I wholeheartedly do not deny the supernatural and the evil spirits are at play, yet at the same time maybe medication will help? I'm still very nervous about it though. I took SSRIs for a year a long time ago when I was in a bad place and I wasn't a believer back then and I hated the side effects. That's another thing I'm scared of, the side effects. Do you still think I should consider taking it if therapy doesn't work? My OCD is pretty extreme and does get in the way of day-to-day functioning. I am optimistic I can do without. But I am terrified if I can't and if I have to be put on them.

I

The view thAt medication is sinful or spirituAlly harmful is not supported by the bible. It is the opinion of some Christian but we.go by the word of God not whAt some.Christians say

 

[Junia]

I don't know what "woo" means, but I believe in the bible because it's the truth... It's not about me. It's about truth, plain and simple, that will never change ever.

I

The Bible doesn't address this issue so it is for you to make the choice based on what is best for you?

 

[Junia]

I suffer from OCD. I am seeing a psychiatrist soon and I am just terrified of being put on medication due to all of the stories I've heard. Not just from a spiritual stance, but even a secular one. I heard that medication messes up your brain that they put bad stuff in them. And then even worse on top of that I've got the whole "lack of faith" in the back of my mind if I were to take medication that so many Christians preach. I wholeheartedly do not deny the supernatural and the evil spirits are at play, yet at the same time maybe medication will help? I'm still very nervous about it though. I took SSRIs for a year a long time ago when I was in a bad place and I wasn't a believer back then and I hated the side effects. That's another thing I'm scared of, the side effects. Do you still think I should consider taking it if therapy doesn't work? My OCD is pretty extreme and does get in the way of day-to-day functioning. I am optimistic I can do without. But I am terrified if I can't and if I have to be put on them.

lack of faith? That is your illness talking. I have OCD, more.than one kind and one of the kinds i have is scrupulosity. The sense that I didn't hAve enough faith is oFf of the illness

what helped.me.is being taught that when we are saved there is no condemnation for us...so if you are beating yourself up for not having one enough faith, guess what? God isn't putting that thought in your head

 

[Junia]

God convicts. He doesnt condemn. He is love. PEeace. Joy.

 

[Dendy]

I would definitely do what the doctor says. I have been on an SSRI medication for years and I truly believe it is a miracle from God Himself that this medication was developed in my lifetime. I would not be able to function without the medication. I have no fearful side effects.

 

[Novis]

God created all the things that the medication would be made from, He is not at all surprised that they can be combined in such a way to help people with a problem.

You’d also be making a statement, that this challenge doesn’t define you.

 

[Not Perfect]

Don't let the "lack of faith" thing bother you. The Bible advocates using medicine. When Timothy had stomach problems, Paul didn't tell him to power through or pray for a miracle. He told him to take some wine to calm his stomach. I know that people who say that mental illnesses shouldn't be treated with drugs mean well, but every time I meet someone like that, I want to clock them upside the head with a science textbook.

On the other hand, I totally get not wanting to take drugs, especially because most OCD treatments require such high doses. It can feel risky to be putting so many chemicals into your body, especially when even the best-practice treatments have a pretty low success rate, all things considered. However, that doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't try; drugs have helped a lot of people, and not everyone has problems with side effects.

Ultimately, this is a personal decision between you and your doctor. Find a psychiatrist that takes a holistic approach to things. You don't want someone who will just drug you up and send you on your way. Drugs in conjunction with therapy tends to have the best results, so find someone who either practices Cognitive Behavioral Therapy themself (or another type of therapy specifically directed at OCD), or else is willing to work closely with a therapist who can. In addition, it might be good to bring your issues up with your primary care doctor, as lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and exercise can lessen the severity of your symptoms, or at least improve your mood, supplementing the work that the drugs and therapy are doing.

Find a psychiatrist that is willing to work with you. Tell them about your previous bad experience with SSRI's and inquire about other options. A good doctor will tailor your treatment plan to you. Also do your research. Ask your psychiatrist about the effectiveness of the drugs you are prescribed. Are there any potential side effects? Do the side effects get better or worse over time? If you stop taking the drug, are there any lasting effects? (As far as I know, most OCD drugs have no long-term effects after you stop taking them, but you should definitely ask) Would the doctor be willing to first try drugs with fewer side effects, but a lower chance of success, and then re-evaluate if those don't work? Remember, you don't have to consent to any treatment. You might as well get checked out and explore your options.

Another option is to go see a naturalist doctor. Some naturalist treatments have shown promise, but because they are not very lucrative, there have not been many studies on them. If you go with that option, be very careful and do your homework before you consent to any treatment; there are a lot of quacks out there. I would recommend going with a conventional doctor, but most natural treatments are pretty low-risk and cheap. It doesn't work for many people, but if it makes you feel better, you could explore that option first. Ultimately, this is something that only you and your doctor can decide.

 

[Olivet]

Know how u feel

 

[Mari17]

Know how u feel

How have you been doing, Olivet?

 

[Soyeong]

I suffer from OCD. I am seeing a psychiatrist soon and I am just terrified of being put on medication due to all of the stories I've heard. Not just from a spiritual stance, but even a secular one. I heard that medication messes up your brain that they put bad stuff in them. And then even worse on top of that I've got the whole "lack of faith" in the back of my mind if I were to take medication that so many Christians preach. I wholeheartedly do not deny the supernatural and the evil spirits are at play, yet at the same time maybe medication will help? I'm still very nervous about it though. I took SSRIs for a year a long time ago when I was in a bad place and I wasn't a believer back then and I hated the side effects. That's another thing I'm scared of, the side effects. Do you still think I should consider taking it if therapy doesn't work? My OCD is pretty extreme and does get in the way of day-to-day functioning. I am optimistic I can do without. But I am terrified if I can't and if I have to be put on them.

I'm not a psychiatrist and you should be cautious with taking advice from on related matters from someone who is not a psychiatrist. That being said, I used to volunteer at a Christian crisis counselling hotline and a good portion of our calls came from people who had been completely messed up by psychiatric meds, and I do think that there is a spiritual aspect to them, though I have also spoken with people who claim to have been helped by them, so I think that it is a big risk and that you should only take psychiatric meds as a last resort.

I'm not a nutritionist either, but I think that people tend to greatly underestimate how much what we eat affects our physical and mental health. Sadly, most people would rather take a pill than change their diet, but I think that changing our diet tends to be a much better solution for those who are will to do that, so I would first try doing some research on ways that our diet affects our mental health experimenting with making changes your diet to see if it helps.

 

[Crabcake]

I suffer from OCD. I am seeing a psychiatrist soon and I am just terrified of being put on medication due to all of the stories I've heard. Not just from a spiritual stance, but even a secular one. I heard that medication messes up your brain that they put bad stuff in them. And then even worse on top of that I've got the whole "lack of faith" in the back of my mind if I were to take medication that so many Christians preach. I wholeheartedly do not deny the supernatural and the evil spirits are at play, yet at the same time maybe medication will help? I'm still very nervous about it though. I took SSRIs for a year a long time ago when I was in a bad place and I wasn't a believer back then and I hated the side effects. That's another thing I'm scared of, the side effects. Do you still think I should consider taking it if therapy doesn't work? My OCD is pretty extreme and does get in the way of day-to-day functioning. I am optimistic I can do without. But I am terrified if I can't and if I have to be put on them.

I had similar worries. I can tell you it's not a lack of faith to get your leg fixed at the hospital if you broke it. Similarly, our minds are physically broken. I do understand the spiritual concern, but it's not a lack of faith to seek out medical treatment. You can pray that God will free you from these things too. There's no guarantee your medication will work. There's no guarantee the cast on your leg will make it heal properly. You can pray that those medical methods will work. If they do, then praise be to God!

I'd say work this out with God and seek His answer, but when we have OCD, we can be tricked into thinking we shouldn't seek help. Of course talk to Him about it, but if God is really telling you not to seek medication, then He's going to tell you, and He won't tell you by causing you immense anxiety over getting medication. He'll let you know. He's not a God of confusion.

Thankfully in my case, God blessed me so that just therapy worked for me and I haven't taken medication for OCD. I did try an SSRI and it was horrible for me, but I was also in my early 20s. I didn't stay on for long. Certain medications can make things worse, but some medications are good fits and it's a trial and error thing if you don't get genetic testing. I highly recommend you get therapy, whether you're on the medication or not. That's like getting heart surgery rather than just hiding symptoms with medication, but some people actually need medication so they can GET to therapy. I'm not saying medication isn't a valid method, but therapy really gets to the core of the issue. You learn the tools to fight your OCD with in therapy, so it's helpful for the long run and, if you're like me, you don't like the idea of being on medication. But I take allergy medicine because I need it. It's just in this case, I personally don't need OCD medication right now. I pray you are healed from your OCD and find that your sufferings turn you more Christlike! I know it's a lot of pain and anguish now, but God can turn the suffering into good things!

Keep on in the faith!

 

[Unqualified]

Sometimes it helpful to take meds. It depends how much you want help. There is almost nothing immediate out there. What is your determination. How much do you want to hang in there. I have always had good luck with them. I couldn’t have lived without the help.sz. Slowing down things, taking the edge off, no freaking out- some benefits. Go to schizophrenia.com. They say yes and are trying a lot of other things to help. For the masses of poor there is nothing else as fast. Some churches complain about it, I’ve found it’s the mind that is my enemy. You can rebuke it and rebuke it but the mean things don’t leave. They are the first line of defence against MI. There are other things but not so available. The Lord works powerfully in some people’s lives. Some can’t wait.