SELF-MEDICATING, OVER-MEDICATION & SUBSTANCE ABUSE

SELF-MEDICATING, OVER-MEDICATION & SUBSTANCE ABUSE

by Colleen M. Crary, M.A.

SELF-MEDICATING FOR TRAUMA

Undiagnosed, fearful and anxious, those with trauma may try to get themselves “calmed down” through the use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, prescription drugs, marijuana, alcohol or other substances. This may temporarily relieve anxiety, but it is not a lasting method for treating PTSD. In fact, self-medication may compound trauma, make symptoms worse, increase depression and negatively impact one’s physical and mental health, making a correct diagnosis of PTSD more difficult. Alcohol and marijuana in particular can worsen PTSD symptoms, the former being a strong depressant, and the latter being an hallucinogen which can intensify memory flashbacks and possibly re-traumatize. Marijuana also increases feelings of fear, even paranoia, and distorts psychological memory processing.

In addition, many of these substances dull social development, making reconnection with others difficult and reconnection with the community is an important part of PTSD recovery.

OVER-PRESCRIBING FOR TRAUMA

Physicians and prescribing mental health professionals often cannot recognize PTSD or do not accurately assess a patient. PTSD physical and behavioral symptoms, plus the tendency for patients to suppress or numb to any memory of trauma, can make PTSD appear at first blush to be any number of physical and mental conditions, from colitis to severe back pain. After seeing a number of specialists or going from doctor to doctor in search of relief from (as yet undiagnosed) PTSD symptoms a patient can eventually end up on six to twelve-plus prescription medications. This is a heavy, toxic load for the human system which will not help in trauma recovery.

Many medications in combination have a negative synergistic effect on perception, and the side effects of these meds can lead to even more prescriptions for drugs to counteract side effects. Many of these prescription drugs are highly addictive, and reducing intake can be a slow, painful process.

--This interferes with getting to a correct diagnosis and treating trauma, for which time is a crucial element in intervention and recovery. The longer PTSD is left untreated, the more complicated and chronic it becomes, making recovery a life-long struggle in some cases.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Sometimes, self-medicating or the use of certain prescription medications for undiagnosed trauma can lead to drug dependency. The use of a substance has become part of a *lifestyle*. 

“Doctor shopping” is a practice by substance abusers who see a number of doctors, who do not communicate with each other, to accrue large quantities of prescription drugs to self medicate anxiety, depression, and physical pain associated with untreated PTSD. Street drugs like methamphetamine and heroin, as well as prescription painkillers, are highly addictive and delay the treatment of trauma—for which time is a crucial element.

***PLEASE NOTE: Research has recently shown that the administration of morphine immediately (within hours) after a traumatic event may decrease one’s chances of developing PTSD. This is a short-term dosage schedule, and under no circumstances should be taken to mean that “morphine is good for treating PTSD”!!!

The research merely shows that taking morphine after a traumatic event, and ONLY taking it in that window of time, *may* slow the brain’s reaction to trauma so that memories can be stored properly in verbal centers of the brain, rather than nonverbal areas, so that expression and processing of the event can be undertaken in a more natural and healthy way through discussion with a therapist.

SO...

• ASK QUESTIONS EARLY AND OFTEN ABOUT YOUR MEDICATIONS.

• SPEAK UP IF A MEDICATION IS DOING NOTHING FOR YOUR SYMPTOMS, OR IS MERELY MASKING THEM.

• DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK, GOOGLE OR RESEARCH THE MEDICATIONS YOU ARE TAKING FOR POSSIBLE CONTRAINDICATIONS (SIDE EFFECTS).

• TAKE YOUR LIST OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS, OTC MEDICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS (INCLUDING HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS, VITAMINS, AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS SUCH AS CREATINE) TO YOUR PHARMACIST FOR A REVIEW OF POSSIBLE DRUG INTERACTIONS THAT ARE TROUBLING OR EVEN DANGEROUS.

YOU ARE NOT A PASSIVE PARTICIPANT IN YOUR RECOVERY. TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE YOU ARE GETTING THE MOST CORRECT AND ACCURATE TREATMENT POSSIBLE.

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YOUR PHARMACIST IS YOUR BEST FRIEND WHEN YOU ARE ON MEDS!!!

AVOID TOXIC SYNERGISTIC SIDE EFFECTS AND MISSED CONTRAINDICATIONS WITH YOUR MEDS +++PLUS-PLUS-PLUS +++ ANY OVER-THE COUNTER MEDS (antihistimines, pain killers, anything!!!), SUPPLEMENTS (vitamins, minerals, herbals, etc), and YOUR MEDICATIONS--ALL OF THEM--PRESCIBED BY ONE OR SEVERAL DOCTORS!

Physicians and prescribing mental health professionals often cannot recognize PTSD or do not accurately assess a patient. PTSD physical and behavioral symptoms, plus the tendency for patients to suppress or numb to any memory of trauma, can make PTSD appear at first blush to be any number of physical and mental conditions, from colitis to severe back pain. After seeing a number of specialists or going from doctor to doctor in search of relief from (as yet undiagnosed) PTSD symptoms a patient can eventually end up on six to twelve-plus prescription medications. This is a heavy, toxic load for the human system which will not help in trauma recovery.

Many medications in combination have a negative synergistic effect on perception, and the side effects of these meds can lead to even more prescriptions for drugs to counteract side effects. Many of these prescription drugs are highly addictive, and reducing intake can be a slow, painful process.

--This interferes with getting to a correct diagnosis and treating trauma, for which time is a crucial element in intervention and recovery. The longer PTSD is left untreated, the more complicated and chronic it becomes, making recovery a life-long struggle in some cases.

   
            TAKE YOUR LIST OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS, OTC MEDICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS (INCLUDING HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS, VITAMINS, AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS SUCH AS CREATINE) TO YOUR PHARMACIST FOR A REVIEW OF POSSIBLE DRUG INTERACTIONS THAT ARE TROUBLING OR EVEN DANGEROUS.

    YOU ARE NOT A PASSIVE PARTICIPANT IN YOUR RECOVERY. TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE YOU ARE GETTING THE MOST CORRECT AND ACCURATE TREATMENT POSSIBLE.

************************************

SELF-MEDICATING, OVER-MEDICATION & SUBSTANCE ABUSE

SELF-MEDICATING, OVER-MEDICATION & SUBSTANCE ABUSE

by Colleen M. Crary, M.A.

SELF-MEDICATING FOR TRAUMA

Undiagnosed, fearful and anxious, those with trauma may try to get themselves “calmed down” through the use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, prescription drugs, marijuana, alcohol or other substances. This may temporarily relieve anxiety, but it is not a lasting method for treating PTSD. In fact, self-medication may compound trauma, make symptoms worse, increase depression and negatively impact one’s physical and mental health, making a correct diagnosis of PTSD more difficult. Alcohol and marijuana in particular can worsen PTSD symptoms, the former being a strong depressant, and the latter being an hallucinogen which can intensify memory flashbacks and possibly re-traumatize. Marijuana also increases feelings of fear, even paranoia, and distorts psychological memory processing.

In addition, many of these substances dull social development, making reconnection with others difficult and reconnection with the community is an important part of PTSD recovery.

OVER-PRESCRIBING FOR TRAUMA

Physicians and prescribing mental health professionals often cannot recognize PTSD or do not accurately assess a patient. PTSD physical and behavioral symptoms, plus the tendency for patients to suppress or numb to any memory of trauma, can make PTSD appear at first blush to be any number of physical and mental conditions, from colitis to severe back pain. After seeing a number of specialists or going from doctor to doctor in search of relief from (as yet undiagnosed) PTSD symptoms a patient can eventually end up on six to twelve-plus prescription medications. This is a heavy, toxic load for the human system which will not help in trauma recovery.

Many medications in combination have a negative synergistic effect on perception, and the side effects of these meds can lead to even more prescriptions for drugs to counteract side effects. Many of these prescription drugs are highly addictive, and reducing intake can be a slow, painful process.

--This interferes with getting to a correct diagnosis and treating trauma, for which time is a crucial element in intervention and recovery. The longer PTSD is left untreated, the more complicated and chronic it becomes, making recovery a life-long struggle in some cases.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Sometimes, self-medicating or the use of certain prescription medications for undiagnosed trauma can lead to drug dependency. The use of a substance has become part of a *lifestyle*. 

“Doctor shopping” is a practice by substance abusers who see a number of doctors, who do not communicate with each other, to accrue large quantities of prescription drugs to self medicate anxiety, depression, and physical pain associated with untreated PTSD. Street drugs like methamphetamine and heroin, as well as prescription painkillers, are highly addictive and delay the treatment of trauma—for which time is a crucial element.

***PLEASE NOTE: Research has recently shown that the administration of morphine immediately (within hours) after a traumatic event may decrease one’s chances of developing PTSD. This is a short-term dosage schedule, and under no circumstances should be taken to mean that “morphine is good for treating PTSD”!!!

The research merely shows that taking morphine after a traumatic event, and ONLY taking it in that window of time, *may* slow the brain’s reaction to trauma so that memories can be stored properly in verbal centers of the brain, rather than nonverbal areas, so that expression and processing of the event can be undertaken in a more natural and healthy way through discussion with a therapist.

SO...

• ASK QUESTIONS EARLY AND OFTEN ABOUT YOUR MEDICATIONS.

• SPEAK UP IF A MEDICATION IS DOING NOTHING FOR YOUR SYMPTOMS, OR IS MERELY MASKING THEM.

• DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK, GOOGLE OR RESEARCH THE MEDICATIONS YOU ARE TAKING FOR POSSIBLE CONTRAINDICATIONS (SIDE EFFECTS).

• TAKE YOUR LIST OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS, OTC MEDICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS (INCLUDING HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS, VITAMINS, AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS SUCH AS CREATINE) TO YOUR PHARMACIST FOR A REVIEW OF POSSIBLE DRUG INTERACTIONS THAT ARE TROUBLING OR EVEN DANGEROUS.

YOU ARE NOT A PASSIVE PARTICIPANT IN YOUR RECOVERY. TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE YOU ARE GETTING THE MOST CORRECT AND ACCURATE TREATMENT POSSIBLE.

WHAT'S IN A NAME? 

The Great Search for a New Name for "People with PTSD"

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I was chatting with my friend, artist Glenn Fitzpatrick, and I referred to "people with PTSD" as "PTSDers". Right off, Glenn said, "I don't like that term, it makes it sound like we are defined by PTSD."  I agreed. I only used it because I hate terms like "sufferer", "survivor", or "victim"... and I really hate the terms "patient", or the condition described as a "disease"

So we decided to get a discussion going -- maybe even a contest of sorts to see what "people with PTSD" might like to be called. Vote on the top names we create on a survey online...There's no prize--other than the eternal gratitude of fellow "people of trauma" who would like to be called something else.

Join the discussion! Let's revolutionize the world with a better name, one that is more promising, inclusive, shows us as the strong, resilient individuals we are. A name that doesn't let our past define us, but shows that we've earned our experiences, own them, and that we are in control of our shared condition.

(If someone would like to sponsor a prize or prizes for people who come up with the most popular names, by all means we welcome the support for this endeavor! Contact Colleen Crary at BeFearlessToday@gmail.com )

We're off !    :-D

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