Looking for a Drug-Free Psych Doctor for My Son.?
Question by Dawn: Looking for a drug-free Psych doctor for my son.?
My son who is 22 has taken long-term medications for his OCD, one anti-psychotic for nearly seven years! In the last few months, his Psych. doc has had to change his SSRI medication over and over, due to side effects as well, but these seem to be causing more side effects and problems. He is either manic or can barely keep his eyes open. I am seeking a Psychiatrist who can wean my son off of all of his meds under supervision (my son’s desire as well) and treat his issues drug-free if possible. Prefer a doctor in Washington state (where we live), Oregon or Northern California. The Psych docs here (we are in a small town) in the last few days, have only wanted to sub new meds for the old, many of these drugs have long-term serious health risks. Please help us if you have any leads for us. Thank you all so very much.
Best answer:
Answer by Kate the Lionhearted
I live in Seattle. I found this website about alternative mental health and practitioners willing to help. It’ll be in the source section. Hope this helps and gives you a good lead.
Answer by Jody
It’s a sad fact that Psychiatrists cannot stay in business if they do not prescribe drugs – it’s what they do for a living.
Get rid of the psychiatrist and get him a good psychologist. Psychologists do not prescribe drugs. They can teach him cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which makes lasting, permanent changes in thinking, emotions and behavior for people with OCD. Behavioral Therapy (BT) and CBT are the first line of treatment for OCD – which I have and no longer take any medication.
The best option for your son is to get him into a hospital detox center so he can be monitored while he goes through withdrawals of the meds he’s on. That’s what I did, and it was a very painful 6-day detox but I got through it and so will he. The withdrawal syndrome and side effects that follow from antipsychotics and SSRIs can last up to a year, but he will improve week by week.
If he needs it, (not all people do) there are also 28-day inpatient drug and alcohol detox programs he can attend that will provide longer term outpatient programs that teach BT and CBT when he finishes the 28 days. I stayed in outpatient care for 12 months by my own choice. I never wanted to be medicated like that again, that was 12 years ago. It was the best decision I ever made. Drug rehabs are seeing a 75% increase in patients who are detoxing from psychotropic medications including antipsychotics and benzodiazepines over the past 15 years all across America. Innocent people who got addicted just like your son.
Antipsychotics are very dangerous to the human brain in a short amount of time, and he should not be on them for OCD as they can cause permanent tics, sexual dysfunction and brain damage. The detox is difficult as I said, I thought I was going to lose my mind – but it is better than the alternative, which is to actually lose a healthy mind.
Many, many people with OCD function well without medication after learning BT or CBT. Unfortunately most of them have gone thru the ringer with psychiatrists and addictive medications that were once thought to be non-addictive and safe, but are now known to be dangerous, causing early onset Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and many other permanent and irreversible side-effects.
Your son is very lucky to have a mom like you that cares about him and is checking into his treatment. Good luck to both of you.
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