{"id":4785,"date":"2018-04-09T11:49:32","date_gmt":"2018-04-09T15:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healwritenow.com\/?p=4785"},"modified":"2018-04-09T11:49:32","modified_gmt":"2018-04-09T15:49:32","slug":"many-people-taking-antidepressants-discover-they-cannot-quit-www-nytimes-com-commentary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healwritenow.com\/many-people-taking-antidepressants-discover-they-cannot-quit-www-nytimes-com-commentary\/","title":{"rendered":"Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit (www.nytimes.com) & Commentary"},"content":{"rendered":"

My note: We know antidepressants are widely prescribed. We know there’s a dose-response curve which indicates that as ACE scores go up so do prescriptions for these and anti-anxiety medications.\u00a0<\/em>We know a lot less about the process and complications of tapering or stopping these medications, in general,\u00a0and as relates to those with ACEs.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

This\u00a0New York Times<\/a>\u00a0story written by\u00a0Benedict Carey and Robert Gebeloff and published a few days ago. It already has over 1,000 comments.\u00a0Here are some excerpts:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

and<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Here’s the\u00a0link to the full article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cissy’s\u00a0commentary:\u00a0I learned of this story this morning when it was shared by\u00a0the survivor, storyteller, and\u00a0advocate,\u00a0Leah Harris<\/a>, with this comment.<\/p>\n

\n

“THIS IS NOT NEWS. Researchers and survivors have known of and spoken loudly about the withdrawal syndrome for decades. We were seen as “fringe,” “discouraging people from seeking treatment,” or “med-shaming” simply for pointing out the harms and risks of antidepressants. Glad these truths are finally getting some cred in the mainstream.”<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

She’s right.<\/p>\n

Survivors and some researchers have been addressing this for years and years and years, in our professional work and in our personal lives – or both.\u00a0But often, our experiences are treated as symptoms rather than as the crucial feedback.<\/p>\n

Listening to survivors isn’t only about making survivors feel seen, heard and believed, as though it’s some act of overdue kindness,\u00a0some should now be trained to provide. It’s not about soliciting the “lived experience” of survivors but of recognizing all experiences is lived and that’s true for all of us.<\/p>\n

It’s about our resilience movement understanding it too needs to be more attuned, regulated and informed – with others and not in isolation.\u00a0All of our experiences must be considered as valuable, real and raw data.<\/p>\n

Too often survivor experiences are relegated only to pathology or symptoms to be discussed or studied by others, as though we are intimately acquainted with our needs, issues, burdens and also our tremendous resourcefulness.<\/p>\n

Survivors as central = essential and that means survivors of adverse community and childhood experiences have to be involved, included, represented and with power and influence everywhere. It’s relationships that the trauma-informed movement is obsessed with talking about. But there need to way more relationships with survivors and community members by those making trauma-informed policy or it will just be that – policy.<\/p>\n

Discussions about what the community needs should not be had without the community. Decisions that impact the community should be made by those most impacted. Is there a dose-response curve for ACE scorer representation in conversations about ACE-related matters? We need that.<\/p>\n

When boards, staffers, and coalitions don’t look, sound, or relate directly to the community itself – what changes? If we all don’t feel the community is us, it’s not ours – not our community. If we all don’t feel trauma-informed policies and procedures speak to and for and about us – all of us – they don’t and won’t.<\/p>\n

Here’s one fact I can’t stop thinking about as I’m right here in MA. We know that people of color are disproportionately impacted by ACEs, the pair of ACEs but even just the original ACE study ACEs. And yet, who leads our own non-profits and our efforts towards social justice and change? Are we walking the trauma-informed talk when it comes to our own organizations are organized?<\/p>\n

We need leaders who have expertise in all types of ACEs, and who can talk about ACEs as though they impact all of us and not some others? Is it possible that we don’t know this yet? It is.<\/p>\n

People are often still making this case as though this is also news. And, to be fair, it is news to some of us but only those of us with privilege.\u00a0 And I’m in my early 50’s and I’m still learning so much about so much. That’s never going to stop.\u00a0That said, we have to start to at least use what we know, practice what we preach, and help each other get up to speed.<\/p>\n

Here are a few good articles for learning more.<\/p>\n