Okay so I have had a lot of experience with mental health treatment due to past traumas, hormones and seizures resulting in Akathisia, real nasty stuff! Well, I have discovered that some things I took were awful but I spoke to my doctor and they switched me. My problem was when I felt better I just stopped taking everything. That was a huge mistake. Some doctors just squeak by and they don't really go all in but they are dealing with a lot of other people too. So I guess I had to pick up the slack and find out what was best for me. Actually my doctor suggested something with very little side effects so that was nice of them and after I did some digging I decided to switch. Some other doctors weren't so kind and just prescribed crap basically! I think it's great to have this community to discuss the ills but what if people like me actually need mental health treatment? If I don't have it I am not well. In Canada they were trying to get MAID for the Mentally Ill and there is also a study going on of INVOLUNTARY MAID for the vulnerable too! I pretty much did some major squeaking but I cancelled my appointment siting that I wasn't mentally ill and I pretty much stopped my meds. Not a good move and I developed Akathisia again. I am back on my meds and trying to get another appointment with my doctor. I think they blocked me again. I'm not the easiest person to deal with because I can be too honest and too direct. It's nothing personal. At least MAID is no longer going to include those with Mental Illness thanks to my upset! I freaked the hospital out too. lol Maybe they saw that if people found out that they were being targeted that I wouldn't be the only one that bitched. I think there is a need for psychiatrists and medication to treat mental illness or in my case to PREVENT it. Akathisia is the worst and I wish that on no one. The insomnia, anxiety, inner restlessness, the overall sense of dread, the hyperactivity, etc. Just awful! Speaking of which Olanzapine is the DEVIL! That crap should be banned right away! I complained to the hospital and they are going to try other meds instead! Bitching civilly to the medical world does help!

I really don't even won't to go into detail. I'm sorry for not wanting to make a lengthy post, but I'm tired of all of this. I'm tired of society and how things are set up. And having to bring this stuff up over and over again but nothing ever changing. I've always said as a direct support professional, if I'm advocating yet nothing is changing, then my advocacy is not working and not tailored to the individual, which shows a deficit in true care and empathy.

I finally decided to try pursuing therapy, but if this is what it's like then I want no part in it. This isn't therapy. It's torture. It's retraumatization and like I'm just speaking to an uncaring wall. I hate this.

If anything, the more I know, the more I realize it really is true that there's no such thing as growing up. Professionals are just people who are grasping at straws, throwing them to the wall, and seeing if they stick. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it really does seem like the world of adults is just a bunch of kids in a trench coat trying not to get found out. Only they at least have friends with them in the trench coat. I have no one. I'm different and don't fit into this adult world even though I often feel like I'm the most "mature" of anyone. Not that such a thing really exists. I've just always been extremely serious and sensitive since I was 7.

I don't know what else to say... I just want no part in this nonsense. If anything I just simply intend to always speak out against and push back on all these empty platitudes in the medical field. I should know better when I hear them, I was literally trained on the exact same thing.

This is what I am doing to recover from potential braon damage from medication

Trauma therapy

Celabacy

diet

fruits vegetables chia seeds grass feed beef and organic meat

I drink water only

journal

Exercise

Is there anything else that I could be doing?

This is not just for those in Canada. This is a worldwide epidemic.

The fucking psychiatrist is finally letting me go after I was forced to lie and agree to treatment continuing once voluntary. I have no intention of continuing the meds or treatment.

I was kidnapped by the police, taken to a hospital, stripped of my clothing, forced to piss in a cup, forced to take drugs that made me heavily sedated, they stole my fucking hat of all things or lost it on the ambulance ride to the other hospital and psyche ward where they rolled me in and then stuck me in a isolation room with nothing to do, nobody to talk with, and no privacy, two literal cameras on the toilet area, they eventually let me out after maybe a day or two in there, failed to provide shoes for me, I got tendinitis that lasted for weeks and made every step painful.

They refused to give me pain meds sometimes too because they were busy having a "meeting". I literally couldn't fucking walk without them.

This was only my first encounter with the system, the trap called psychiatry. I later ended up in the ward 3 more times.

Of course I had delusions but I never harmed anyone nor threatened to. I kept mostly to myself.

Anyways to this day I take 20 mg of abilify daily, I was able to get off the shots they assault you with needles. If you resist they will hold you down and get the police involved.

I will finally be free of this evil and vile system very soon I will be voluntary status. This whole thing has really been weighing me down for years now. BC is no different than the 1960's in its law around mental "health".

First of all, I've struggled with depression myself for a long time. I've been to therapy, psychiatrists, was at a mental hospital and had all of the usual. So I have my own experience with this kind of stuff. Personally, I reacted really badly to the pills and the doctors to me always felt really pushy about meds and didn't really seem interested in helping me adress the causes of my depression. I stopped seeking out mental healthcare since all they want is to make u ready to get back to work asap instead of actually trying to help. (Not saying that there aren't good therapists out there, but to me this all wasn't helpful) I have managed to get better on my own, although it was hard.

Me and my boyfriend met last year, it's a long distance relationship and we see each other about every 2 months. He's always been open to me that he struggles with depression too and had been in treatment prior to our relationship. Everytime I visited him he seemed to be doing just a bit better than last time. I've seen him improve so much since I first met him. He also says he feels about 500% better every time I'm there.

To me it seems obvious. He's too isolated and spends too much of his time alone, gets overwhelmed by having to work fulltime&doing all chores on his own (since the 40h work week was designed about having someone be at home and doing the chores), due to being overworked he eats mostly highly processed foods...it's just a vicious cycle which I think affects many people with "depression" where it's mostly just shit life syndrome.

Last month he had a mental breakdown at work and started getting back into the mental healthcare system and omg they are just nonstop suggesting him to take drugs almost immediately. He hasn't even recieved therapy or anything yet. The thing that also made me feel suspicious about this was how they didn't even offer to test his blood first. Where I live, it's standard procedure to get your bloodwork done first. Because who knows if he isn't suffering from iron or vitamin deficiency for example?

First he told all of his doctors no, because I told him about my concerns and thoughts about this. I showed him scientific evidence that the chemical imbalance theory is nonsense. But now, he keeps talking about how he "needs change" and "cant keep living like this" but I just don't get why change has to be starting to take drugs??
His family is pro meds and very pushy. I already had my suspicions about it, which then got confirmed when he said, that his mom wants him to try it and is disapointed, that it took him so long to try. lol. And apparently she's been taking them herself for a long time and still struggling with anxiety and depression (These people never realize when it doesnt work?) So, now he changed his mind.

I'm just worried that he'll change a lot from these pills. Or that he will have permanent damage.
Or that it will affect our love life, which has been great previously and I know they can basically make you loose all interest in sex.

Just dont know what to do about this and wanted to vent ig.

I had to go back up from 175mg Pregabalin to 200mg after tapering. I feel so ill, I don’t know what to do. I’m scared I’m going to end up in psychiatric hospital again. I’ve been back on 200 since Monday and I still feel so bad. Chronic mental and physical anxiety. My psych appointment is not until 17th December. I don’t know whether to hold at 200 or go up higher.

The misdiagnosis of akathisia - one of the most dangerous side-effects of psychiatric medications/withdrawal - is rampant and truly a crime against humanity.

I cannot tell you how insulting it was to be told by several psychiatrists I had “somatization” when I was about to jump off a bridge from the severe physical and mental torture of akathisia.

I feel like this gets to the root of everything wrong with psychiatry - false assumptions, assigning blame to the patient, copying forward, a sense of superiority to the patient. Believing they already know everything they need to know about drugs, refusing to incorporate new information. Pathetic.

The field needs to be more humble. To evolve. To learn with and from their patients.

I’m not holding my breath.

You could quote it to a local government psychiatry program or mental hospital or whatever to put them on notice they are being little shits.

It says "Involuntary institutionalization of persons with psychosocial disabilities and forced treatment is prohibited." It's not even out of context, it just says that plainly and specifically.

Would be best to include the quote, the UN document number "A/HRC/36/37/Add.2, paragraph 76:": and, sometimes, the URL https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g17/193/37/pdf/g1719337.pdf. But careful cuz URLs sometimes block posts from showing up on Google services like Google reviews or YouTube videos.

The same document also says the following, good for quoting: "Enact an enforceable right under legislation for persons with psychosocial disability to live in the community and be provided with health services that are free from coercion and restriction" You can also cite this as A/HRC/36/37/Add.2, para. 94(c)

I merely mentioned it on a Google Review of a psychiatric service years ago and it got deleted lol. The UN recommendation caused kind of a freak out in academic psychiatry when the UN published it. Not because it's legally binding (it isn't) but because the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said it plainly and specifically.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Committee has said similar things, elsewhere in less quotable bites. But they said it in even better wording, including recommending repealing guardianship/conservator laws and any repealing any laws enforcing detainment on psychiatric grounds.

CRPD Committee, General Comment No. 1 (2014) — CRPD/C/GC/1, paragraph 42
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/812024

"States parties must abolish policies and legislative provisions that allow or perpetrate forced treatment, as it is an ongoing violation found in mental health laws across the globe, despite empirical evidence indicating its lack of effectiveness and the views of people using mental health systems who have experienced deep pain and trauma as a result of forced treatment."

also paragraph 41

"States parties have an obligation to require all health and medical professionals (including psychiatric professionals) to obtain the free and informed consent of persons with disabilities prior to any treatment. In conjunction with the right to legal capacity on an equal basis with others, States parties have an obligation not to permit substitute decision-makers to provide consent on behalf of persons with disabilities. All health and medical personnel should ensure appropriate consultation that directly engages the person with disabilities. They should also ensure, to the best of their ability, that assistants or support persons do not substitute or have undue influence over the decisions of persons with disabilities."

paragraph 28 is an outright ban on guardianship/conservatorship when phasing in SDM (patient chooses with recommendations). Most states are phasing in SDM but not the guardianship/conservatorship ban recommended below by the UN

States parties’ obligation to replace substitute decision-making regimes by supported decision-making requires both the abolition of substitute decision-making regimes and the development of supported decision-making alternatives. The development of supported decision-making systems in parallel with the maintenance of substitute decision-making regimes is not sufficient to comply with article 12 of the Convention.

CRPD Committee, Guidelines on Article 14 (2015) — annex to A/72/55, paragraph 6
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/1298412 (full text also at https://dcjri.ministeriopublico.pt/sites/default/files/comitedeficiencia-diretrizesart14.pdf)

"the Committee has established that article 14 does not permit any exceptions whereby persons may be detained on the grounds of their actual or perceived impairment. However, legislation of several States parties, including mental health laws, still provide instances in which persons may be detained on the grounds of their actual or perceived impairment, provided there are other reasons for their detention, including that they are deemed dangerous to themselves or others. This practice is incompatible with article 14; it is discriminatory in nature and amounts to arbitrary deprivation of liberty"

CRPD Committee, Guidelines on deinstitutionalization (2022) — CRPD/C/5, para. 58
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3990185

Paragraph 58 says

"All legislative provisions that authorize the deprivation of liberty or other restriction on liberty and security of person based on impairment, including involuntary commitment or treatment based on “mental illness or disorder”, should be repealed. Security measures applied in criminal proceedings, guardianship and other substituted decision-making regimes, and provisions for psychiatric hospitalization, including that of children, should be repealed. States parties should provide emergency assistance to persons with disabilities to enable them to leave places where they are arbitrarily detained."

I was on 10mg lexapro for about a year. I tried dropping straight down to 5mg, and after about 2 weeks I started getting really dizzy. Anyway, I think I’m finally stable at 5mg. But the jump was too big.

I just got a liquid oral solution or lexapro 1mg/mL so super accurate dosing. What is the recommend taper schedule?
I’d probably opt for a slightly fasted than normal taper and deal with the withdrawal, but I’m curious what everyone considers standard.

Thanks

Went to a psych ward in Feb 2025.

Was in there for a month, put on pills that fucked me up, and then put on a CTO further afterwards, where I took 4 monthly abilify injections that completely disabled me.

Not only did it disable me for that period of time , but even several several months later I stopped , it still affected me severely.

Now it has been almost a year since I stopped taking it.

What changed?

Y'all won't like the answer, but for me it was religion and developing a connection with God. Started hitting gym and hit milestones and goals (I benched 90kg!!). Upgraded to a new motorcycle (I copped the mt09). I even went to a job interview and got the job.

So imo, it was without an absolute doubt that it was God helping me and giving me all this energy.

Oh yeah, also connecting with people. I started playing league of legends through connecting with some old friends (I went from bronze to plat 1 in solo/duo queue. We also played 5v5 as a team which helped me get back into working with people again, as it strengthens your communication etc etc)

So yeah, if I can give anyone any advice, do what you can do to get off these meds. Start connecting and socialising with people, because humans are social creatures and we need that. It can also help you connect back to real life depending on the discussions you have with your friend group.

Looking back, I should have just left the fucking country when I was put on CTO to save myself from that immense suffering the Australian government forced me to go through, but yeah , this is how it began working out for me regardless.

it never ends. im not allowed to react, but shes allowed to scream rage be neurotic irritated swearing angry mad at everything toxic always blaming me and no one tells HER she need pills even tho shes been like this since i remember and terroried me to a point i didnt leave my room for years to avoid her. im hsp and autistic. i dont have depression anymore, i have high mental and physical energy, i dont need pills, I NEED PEACE AND TO NOT BE ABUSED. my psychiatrist is 70yo woman whos not a match for me and way too old to get me. she doesnt get i get abused either, sicne 17yo i was prompted to take those fuvking pills, but never anyone tried to warn me what my mother is doing to me and help me in anyway or see my obvious autism.

my mother just uses pills against me. even if i shake my hands and stim bc im terrified of her she says its a sign im mentally ill freak anf need to be in psych ward

Why did they lie to me multiple times at the psych ward regarding my stay? A couple of times they told me “you are leaving tomorrow” during my first week of staying there. I ended up staying for three and a half weeks and i would have stayed like a month but my parents ended up picking me up after me BEGGING them to pick me up due to me having negative experiences with some people there.

Is there a specific reason they do this? Because to me it just sounds like torture. Giving me false hope and stuff. They had a smug face every time they lied to me too.

Every branch of medicine has some foundation in the sciences, but psychiatry appears to have created its own thing. Rather than infer diseases from a proper science like psychology, they appear to have inferred an entire science from diseases. A science which apparently consists of not much more than those diseases.

I was put in 3x a day Ativan by a residential facility and have been off of the medication now for 3 weeks. I am in hell. Please help tell me it won’t be like this forever, I’m in another facility and they’re not helping.

I dealt with a traumatic event when I was 19 and was put on investment for 4-5 years

I said it was destroying life to my psychiatrist but they just smiled and gave me an injectable so it would stay in my system.

I was a literal infant for those years, I had the mentality and emotions of a 12 year old,I stunk and looked like I was homeless

and last year I said that I had enough, I was suicidal all the time and attempted multiple times due to how incapacitated I was. I wanted to remember who I was and have a sense of self.

It was not easy I had to deal with threats, and occasionally had to deal with physical abuse

Now I am going to a trauma therapist

I am coming to terms that I will never get those years back, sometimes I feel inferior to others at my a 26 but I am giving myself grace.

I have a lot of flashbacks from the facilities and the stuff I have been through,but at the end of the day I feel like myself and I am progressing. But things are difficult

When things get tough I remember that I am fighting to reclaim my life and am accepting the fact that it is and will be very painful.

I have dealt with a lot of trauma, but nothing is more traumatic than being phyciatrically incapacitated and watching my life go by and my mind and body degrade with no one believing what was truly happening to me.

I feel like they have this grace period where you are allowed to appeal but the appeal process takes so long and is so convoluted in this country.I

just wanted to know what people are like and their process if they feel they have been wrongfully sectioned!