I think it’s safe to say from the gate that this one belongs in GD, for it will surely end up there.
Reading this thread left me with some vaguely disturbing philosophical questions. I want to point out that I have the deepest respect & regard for twickster and her views. But I am curious what people will say.
There is a concern expressed about psychological addiction to dexedrine taken at very low doses over time. (with a doctor’s prescription and supervision.) The dexedrine is taken in conjunction with an SSRI for depression.
What I want to know is this: Both substances are prescribed as being helpful to, er, readjusting neurochemistry towards a goal of producing a functional person. My impression is that SSRIs are not usually a short-term solution; they are something one expects to continue to take indefinitely so as not to return to the dysfunctional condition. SO— dexedrine is a mood-altering substance. SSRIs are mood-altering substances. Why does no one worry about physical or psychological dependence on the SSRI?
In other words, if the expectation is that the two drugs will be taken therapeutically for an indefinite period of time, what is the qualitative difference between the two that makes it okay to be reliant on the one for psychological health, yet not okay to be reliant on the other?
I’m not a medical person at all, but I do use maintenance antidepressants at a low dose and the differences I see are:
-I don’t get any kind of high off the meds the way that user described their reaction. They take the edge off the lows and allow me to process emotions without spinning into anxiety and panic, hence making me more functional, but they don’t make me happy.
-It’s possible that the dosage would need to change over time, or the meds themselves change, but not because I get high and need more and more for the same high, the way I believe an addictive substance works.
-It’s true that coming off SSRIs does have withdrawal symptoms but these can be managed by weaning off slowly with medical supervision. I don’t think that’s the same as trying to go without a substance one is addicted to. So, I’d rather not stop but I could manage to if I had to without devstating effects.
The anti-depressants are not primary mood-altering drugs. Taking a dose or three will not change someone’s mood. Regular use over time seems to facilitate a return to normal mood and reactions, rather than abnormal mood and reactions.
The drugs of abuse are primary mood-altering drugs. A single dose can significantly change the way a person feels, quite often by making them feel great even if they have no real reason to feel great. This is not an effective way to treat abnormal moods; substituting one abnormal mood for another.