are more psychiatrists becoming holistic ?

[annm4peace]

my cousin has been Effexor for 10 years and got off with a regular Dr's help.
it was ok until 2 month ago ahd she had been off it 2 months and the got hit with anxiety and depression.

She found a psychiatrist/psychologist. He thinks she should read a book "Unstuck" and do meditation, exercise and talk therapy instead of going back on the drugs.

It has only been a couple weeks but I'm worried about her.. she is so anxiety and depressed but she can still manage to go to work.

She is doing the guided meditation on CD.. from some book and CD a friend told her about. MIndful Meditation out of Depression.

Anyone every get off Effexor and used Medtation instead ?

[elleng]

1. No, I got off it 'cold turkey'

when I learned/recognized that cause of my depression was being under the thumb of a sociopath (my estranged husband.) Fortunate, I think.

Best to your cousin.

[Denninmi]

3. Damn, I didn't know.

You have been so great to me, I never knew you had your own issues.

I will send all my best thoughts to you.

[elleng]

6. Thanks, Den.

We ALL have issues, part of LIFE!

[mopinko]

4. why did they take her off the meds?

was there a problem, or was she just tired of taking pills, or....
and why wasn't she under a psychiatrist's care for this?
is he a psychiatrist or a psychologist? you don't usually see someone who is both. if he is a psychologist, he can't prescribe, so maybe he just has a bias to keep patients to himself or ?
yeah, i see a lot of red flags here. she should at least be getting something for that anxiety. and depression kills.

[annm4peace]

7. The Dr is a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist

He has a degree in both.

There are others Dr's that have both.

[mopinko]

8. a rare thing.

[HereSince1628]

5. Something in your post doesn't seem quite right, and it may be important to understanding...

Psychiatrists are MDs, they can prescribe medication, Pyschologists are usually PHDs although some Masters in Social Work with counseling credentials also function as therapists and are taken to be psychologists.

It might be useful to determine the actual credential of the person promoting medi-TATION over medi-CATION. If the person isn't really an MD the only things they can offer are going to be non pharmaceutical therapies.

[momto3]

9. My psychiatrist is a mix.

I am on meds and he has never suggested that I stop taking them. But, he has also suggested many holistic type therapies for me to try also. If it helps, it can't be all bad.

I wold be concerned that the doc took her of her meds. Most of MI is due to chemical imbalances in the brain which are controlled, to a certain extent, by medications. I would try to get her to a different psychiatrist for a second opinion.

Good luck.