So anti-vaxxers rightly get a lot of backlash from the mainstream, but I keep thinking about how parents that dont "believe" In either mental illness, or in the many scientifically tested ways of treating mental illness, deprive their children of mental healthcare.... And thats just......... Normal. It's totally different if it's something parents can't afford (which is itself a horror and injustice). I know there are side effects to many psychiatric meds, especially for minors, but there are very safe ways of trying medications, and lots of alternatives, like therapy. Im just talking sorry, this keeps bothering me, especially when people talk about the anti-vaxxers. I wish there was that same energy behind childrens mental health.

Username: lehamleham

Date posted: 5y ago

Wow I hadn’t even thought about it from this perspective, but you’re so right. Makes me upset too. A lot of things could have been better for me if I had started to get treatment 12 years ago.

Username: stfstf

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 5y ago

You are right, it's not the same thing. After posting this, I started to think about how after I was diagnosed, a doctor gave me a prescription for Xanax even though I wasnt getting panic attacks back then. I was 16! Later in life, I was prescribed benzos again, and I was on them for years, which is common in America, but always dangeeous. I had to vo through horrible withdrawal after they stopped working and I keot having to up my dose. There is irresponsible and uneducated drug pushing, and the science in psychiatry is definitely less solid than it is for vaccines. Im sorry you had these experiences. Therapy is really the best treatment for OCD. It's pretty socially acceptable to believe therapy does nothing, and lots of people make fun of therapy and think it's just privileged people whining about their problems. I just think about what my OCD was like before I got treatment, and I feel horrible for people who are denied ANY treatment, because their parents dont believe In it. Treatment isn't a luxury, OCD takes away your life. But in reality, as it always is, it's complicated.

Username: hyzenthlayhyzenthlay

Date posted: 5y ago

I know. My parents are among that crowd and they still try to talk me out of taking medications, they won't listen to me when I tell them that the pills are working.

Username: SquidgerySquidgery

Date posted: 5y ago

I hadn't thought of that tbh, it's a really good point. I had therapy as an adult without even telling my dad since I knew he'd be against it. One time I said I'd had a panic attack recently and he said 'How did I raise such weak children?'

Username: JinJin

Date posted: 5y ago

I don‘t think this is the same thing. While vaccinations are really working, psych meds have a high placebo effect, a lot of side effect and there are a lot of non responders. Psychiatrie systematically avoids talking about the physical dependency and the hardships of withdrawl, which exist for certain. I know many people getting worse on psych meds, including me, and only non mainstream scientists who talk about it, while the mainstream psychiatric studies are broadly sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. This is not denying the problems that are labeled „mental illness“ as some parents seem to do. But there are a lot of people out there where psychiatric treatment did harm and I hate this fact is mostly denied. While I agree completely it‘s horrible that some people can‘t afford any treatment at all.

Username: JinJin

Date posted: 5y ago

stf really sorry to hear your med story. I know the prescription of psych drugs is even more in the US (I can speak for Germany), but also here it‘s irresponsible and makes me angry. But I get your point about parents denying the phenomena labeled „mental ilness“, maybe saying things like „get yourself together“, right? That is also not helpful and ignorant, I agree. On the other hand there are parents blaming the problem on the child and too soon and to trusting in „the experts“ give their children to doctors which is also questionable. Yes, no treatment is horrible, and being poor is one of the main predictors and maintaining causes of mental problems. It‘s the world we live in. Good you had treatment that helped you!

Username: Genny

Date posted: 6y ago

My dad told me that all you have to do to get rid of a mental illness is to pray to God and worship him. But I told him I tried that and I don’t even remember what happened after that but he basically kept going on and on about how there’s different demons for everything and now I’m starting to doubt myself and my struggles and idk I’ve got into this subject myself and researched it and there are other Christians who struggle with mental illness who have prayed and also take medication and go to therapy so uh idk my dad just he’s ugh I mean I like him more than my mom but sometimes he can be eh Yaknow what I’m saying

Username: Faye June

Date posted: 3y ago

Is anyone else just blown away at the price of therapy? It’s like... £/$250-300 per hour!? And upwards from that! No wonder people don’t reach out for help, because as a student whose from a less financially stable family, I just can’t afford that. I’m not attacking the therapists/psychologists, but there’s something sinister about the pricing. I feel like all I ever hear in the media is “reach out for help”, yet when you reach, 100’s are being snatched out of the same hand. It’s just sad. This isn’t directly related to money, but I was reading an article about a girl who had been referred to the hospital from her school counsellor because she was conveying that she was in a very low place, and I’m assuming explaining a suicidal ideation. She went to the hospital and waited 8 HOURS. 8. After the 8 hours, she had a 15 minute conversation with a psychiatrist who diagnosed her with depression & anxiety and sent her on her way. She was given no further advice aside from her diagnosis, and was told by the psychiatrist that her and her father should look for therapies in their area. 1 week later, this poor girl took her own life. A week. I don’t think any of the people who were directly involved in the lead up to the girls suicide should be berated and ostracised, but the system that they work within should. If that isn’t a reflection of the state of mental health support, I don’t know what is. These sorts of occurrences need to stop, and there should be ways in which individuals can get ample support when they don’t have the finances to go privately. Being less economically advantaged means that individuals who are struggling have to receive below the bar support. It just saddens me. For those of you out there who don’t have the means to receive the support you need, know that you are seen and heard. You’re not alone.

Username: squirrelobse...

Date posted: 1y ago

Curious (just ranting)

So I take psychology at college and on one of the topics we learned that some research tells us that OCD has been discovered to be due to a chemical imbalance in the brain and that biological reasons behind things can be treated with biological methods (e.g medication). I guess I just wondered that, is there really any point in therapies and things when medication could be so ground breaking and change someone's life completely? 😭😭 I know I don't even know half of the facts but I guess I have always wanted someone to just give me meds and then my life would get back to some semblance of normal, but nobody seems to have recognised ocd in me despite it, imo, being glaringly obvious, and I just want to feel better and get on with life. I'm also on the pill and when I stop taking it per the instructions, my worries, whether genuine or irrational, seem to get so much more intense, which makes me wonder even more about the biological aspect of it all. I'm by no means an expert and I know therapies and ERP have worked so well for some people so honestly I'm just ranting tbh.

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