The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Mental Health - SSRI's?

Most of my adult has has been one giant cycle of up and downs. There will be periods of managing stress via coping with activities followed by periods of “Nothing matters in life”. My wife pointed out that every time around this year, I start to gain weight and lose motivation. She is absolutely correct. Most people decide to fatten up a little in the winter, and lose it in the spring. But I am the opposite. I somehow find the desire and motivation to improve my life towards the end of the fall, through winter and when spring comes, I tend to fall back into a lazy period.

Weight is just one example, however. But, I started looking into it. I think differently than most people, I am well aware of this. I make jumps of logic that make total sense to me, but that others cannot follow, because I found a shortcut and didn’t explain it. So often others are not sure how I came to my conclusion. Yet, I could go back and explain, but I typically don’t, nor take the time. Because, well, it just isn’t worth it to me. For example, in math. My mother would be going through math homework with me and I would skip the answer, because I did much of it in my head. I would blurt out the answer and she would say “No, and then work out the next few steps and arrive at yes, how did you know?” She didn’t make the connection until she finished out all the steps in the equation. I decided to shortcut based on what I saw to come up with the answer, hence not showing my work. No, I am not some prodigy, I just think in a different way and am always looking for a more efficient way to go about a problem.

I am hyper focused to the point that I can completely ignore others while I am writing and typing or doing some activity. I am almost “Never” there when people talk to me, they think I am out to lunch. I interrupt people when they say something that triggers my memory, because I won’t remember if I don’t tell them.

I get bored extremely easy. I only like to do complex things. When I research, I dedicate hours with no break.

I come to discover these are all signs of ADD. I was raised by a mother who believes all forms of mental illness are spiritually related and the drugs are not the solution. I took a negative view of them and never considered them. That is changing, however, as I see just how non-functional I am during these cycles of the year.

The only time I have freedom from this condition (I am constantly agitated, low motivation to do something unless there is a deadline) is when I eat ultra healthy, eliminate caffeine and sugar and exercise like a bandit. I dieted down to 7% BF this winter, got ultra lean and fit, even to the point of others saying “Are you a triathlete?”… No, sorry, just a gym rat. But I was hyperfocused on one thing and one thing only: The best, fittest and leanest possible version of myself. Well, of course, biology gets in the way, hunger rebounds, burn-out comes and over the course of the next few months I creep back up to 15-18% BF and lose much of my athletic ability. I am eating way more than I should, even though I know I should not (must be coping) and I have zero motivation in life. I am literally a worthless pile of crap. I work my 40 hours job, play with my kids when I get home and just sleep and waste time doing nothing. I have no desire to do anything. I don’t want to exercise ever again. I don’t want to play games. I only get off the couch to play with my son because he asks me too. If it were up to me, I’d sleep and sleep and sleep.

There is absolutely no doubt that I have ADD. I guess my question is this: Does anyone here have experience with SSRI’s or dealing with this type of mental health issue? I don’t have a lot of faith in the Mental Health industry, because it seems like much of it is ‘trial and error’ and though I appreciate the fact that it is a practice, I don’t want to screw my life up worse than it is. I just want a normal life where I don’t always seek out hyper stimulation. I am always going from one ultra focused activity to another and am very agitated just sitting around. I perform my best when I am pressured and under the gun. But with no pressure, I am lazy and reclusive. Unfortunately, people think “Just get up and do something”… It doesn’t work like that. I equate it with this: Imagine running as fast as you can in the 100m. Do that 3-4 times. Eventually you will become so exhausted that you can’t/won’t run. That is how I feel. It isn’t that I couldn’t do something if someone put a gun to my head, it is that, practically speaking, I have no energy to do it. Only adrenaline will give me this energy, hence gun to head would get me going. No gun? Then, no way. I am sitting here being non-productive.

Interesting, I have OCD too. In fact, I have had so many forms of it (The object of fear keeps morphing on me) that I eventually beat it. Well, let’s be honest, no one ever beats it. We can sometimes find a way to mitigate it, but it comes back. Although I left this out of my post, I have very bad OCD when it comes back. That said, thankfully, it has not returned in a while. Hopefully it doesn’t trigger back up… I hate OCD. I am very glad you are doing better. The only thing that worked for me was an “Ah Ha” moment in regards to how it works. “It’s just fear” and I would continue to expose myself to the fear. Eventually you are desensitized via explosure to it to it and you forget. Well, that is the ‘ideal’ anyway. It is scary as hell to face it. I personally have come to believe that OCD thrives in most forms due to misattribution of the anxiety/fear emotion caused by the pink elephant syndrome. I can’t remember where I read, but after all my research, I decided to try it. I always thought 'desensitization was a ‘bad’ thing, but turns out, it is generally a good thing. Though, obviously it is bad in some situations. Anyhow, thanks for the information. Glad the medications help a bit.

Hi Gabe. I have two friends, who are experts in the field.

One is a lifelong member, of the Greek Orthodox Church. She is a licensed counselor, with her masters, from the University of Chicago. And a PhD from Oxford. She has worked successfully, with such cases.
The other is a retired, Roman Catholic, licensed counselor, with a PhD. from Northwestern.

The starting point is to talk to a GP (i.e. general practitioner) and trusted clergy member. Ask their opinion and have them refer you, to the appropriate, licensed therapist. Look at this article, for example:

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

One can also take courses in and practice, meditation, yoga and tai chi. Often at a local, park district.

I have also seen such disorders, treated by homeopathy. But I insist…folks seeking this healing modality… only use homeopaths, that are also licensed medical doctors. Why? Because they can order the medical tests needed and refer people to hospitals and specialists - if needed.

I have also seen this treated by spiritual healing. Like what the Native Americans, Sufis and Bruno Groening Circle of Friends (which has every published healing, verified medically), have to offer.

Currently, I had a medical crisis, that is stronger then homeopathic medicine (and also traditional medicine). So I have worked with such folks,

As the medicine man in Native American Healing
The Sufi healers
The Bruno Groening Circle of Friends
Partaking of the sacred pipe ceremony, of the Native Americans
Having the Catholic groups for St. Jude and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, say healing masses

And guess what? This stuff works. And gets everything to the point, where the appropriate homeopathic remedies - can work.

Just a couple of footnotes here:

The spiritual power of a Sufi saint, is called Baraka. This is covered in the book Embattled Saints: My Year with the Sufis of Afghanistan by Kenneth P. Lizzio
The Native American pipe is covered in Path of the Sacred Pipe: Journey of Love, Power and Healing by Jay Cleve, PhD

I hung out for many years, with the Two Feathers Medicine Clan. They disbanded, once their leader - Joseph Big Feather - passed away. But I noticed that they were doing a spiritual healing, for a fellow native member. But this person was also seeing the traditional doctors, for his heart problem. I asked a Lakota sun dancer later, why use both systems. He said the spiritual healing, helps the medicines work better. Not sure if this is a true understanding. But I found this interesting. But I do know that medical tests and exams, would also verify any healing endeavor.

It ties the healing to Christianity - this way. There is Holy Spirit healing. But the Eastern Orthodox, talk about God’s essence and energies. We can’t know his essence, but we can know his energies. Tapping into God’s energies, is what produces RC and EO saints. But a Sufi master, can tap into the energies, and use them for passing on spiritual transformation - to students. A healer like the German healer, Bruno Groening, can use this energy for healing purposes.And some sacred items, can concentrate this energy. Like an awakened, Native American pipe. Or the Christian Eucharist - when properly concentrated.

Let me share an interesting story from the Sunil Bali blog at sunilbali.com/blog/

Well, time to watch TV evangelist, Joel Osteen. Which is probably a good idea, for folks here to regularly follow. :smiley:

I’ve been ‘on’ zoloft or its generic ssri for about 25 years. Each of those years, I gird my loins and say to myself: wean yourself off. Every year I try, and every year I fail - at that particular task.

So, I was diagnosed severely depressed (geez I could have told them that), got the Rx, and basically, to quote somebody - I’m now at the general level of depression of the rest of the population. I’ll take that. I did not want a ‘feel-good’ pill, just a chance to get to a place where I could deal with things, take responsibilities, show up and be there (wherever) and this seems to do it.
I’m no St. Paul, but I’ve prayed hundreds of times to ‘just’ be healed of this ‘thorn in my flesh", and those prayers have been answered ‘no’ - well I know our Father in heaven knows what He is doing, and I’m trusting that. I"ll take the meds and keep on keepin’ on.

So I say - listen to the docs. Listen to another one. See if they agree.
As to the OCD - a small dose of Lorazapam twice a day, 25 years or so, same experience as with the zoloft. It is not a happy pill - I don’t really notice it at all unless I stop taking it. And I have enough experience with it to know that it is not withdrawal that sets in, it is the panic that often accompanies a deep depression.

The two meds work for me. The OCD is much better, panic is gone, depression - well it could be better, but has been a whole lot worse. I feel blessed to live in this time when alleviation of symptoms is possible.

Good luck, I"m sure you will find the right fit.

Just a footnote here:

Some of my friends and relatives, believe that only modern medicine heals.

That goes against everything I have learned in life. Yes, it has its place. And it has its purpose.

But how did folks get healed, before modern medicine came alone?

They got healed by the herbal traditions of Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and the herbal lore, of Native American herbs.

Or they get healed by the proper homeopathic remedy. Where I studied for years, under a master homeopath

Or they get healed by spiritual healing traditions, of the Native Americans. Where I spent years, with the Two Features Medicine Clan. Participating in their ceremonies (i.e. Like the pipe ceremony). I have felt the power myself.

Or by a Roman Catholic priest, with the gift of healing. Whom I attended his healing masses - for years. Of which I have felt the power, of his touch of the Holy Spirit.

Or doing the healing meditation, of the Bruno Groening Circle of Friends. Where every published healing, is medically verified.

Or with healers and masters, from the East. Where I have hung around such folks, as Dhyan Yogi Madhusudan .And I know many people, healed by mantras he gave them.(see book on Amazon, This House is On Fire by Shri Anandi Ma (Author) or Beyond the Lodge of the Sun: Inner Mysteries of the Native American Way by Chokecherry Gall Eagle. Or the biography of Native American medicine man and Holy person - Fools Crow, written by Lutheran minister Thomas E. Mails (Author).

Actually, if I wasn’t doing some of this things, things would have been much worse.

Either the things I have experienced are quite real. Or they are not. There is no in between.

Which means that Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saints do not heal. The Charismatic church tradition is a hoax. Mantras from the east and the Native American pipe ceremony - can’t heal. All the cases in the Bruno Groening schooling letters are baloney.

I haven’t experienced that.

But on the other hand, I have no problems, also working with modern medicine. Especially when it’s cost affordable (i.e. like a Medicare advantage plan). Or some country has universal health care.

It ties the healing to Christianity - this way. There is Holy Spirit healing. But the Eastern Orthodox, talk about God’s essence and energies. We can’t know his essence, but we can know his energies. Tapping into God’s energies, is what produces RC and EO saints. But a Sufi master, can tap into the energies, and use them for passing on spiritual transformation - to students. A healer like the German healer, Bruno Groening, can use this energy for healing purposes.And some sacred items, can concentrate this energy. Like an awakened, Native American pipe. Or the Christian Eucharist - when properly concentrated.

Ultimately, God is the healer. But he works through both modern medicine, alternative medicine, prayer and healers.

After all, look at Luke in the bible. He saw all the healing miracles of Christ, Paul and the Apostles. But he was a physician also and never renounced being one.

Thanks you three for giving your thoughts. Much to think about.

I’ve been off of mood stabilizers for eight months now. I’m cool calm and collective. I take Omega 3’s for mood

Ultimate Omega

1,200 mg of EPA

900 mg of DHA

other Omega 3’s 300 mg

I also take B-Complex and Brewers Yeast

On the brighter side, I think we all have obsessive compulsive behaviors. It all boils down to whether or not the behavior is good for you. I have to wonder what would happen if all the Starbucks suddenly closed their doors, or if cell phone service went out. The world just might fall apart.