I recently realized that some people view me as being "against meds".   It's true I  refused anti-depressants for my PMS and again for my postpartum mood disorder (PPMD).  Finally at my wits' end with the PMS I took Zoloft for 6 weeks before throwing them out!  It may surprise you to know that I'm not anti-meds. What I am "for", however, is doctors providing patients <strong>all the alternatives.  I am for treating the cause. </strong>

Obviously many people are helped by taking anti-depressants.  Lives are saved by such medications.  But did you know about 1 in 4 people are made worse by taking SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)? There are studies showing a placebo effect may be at play for some people - this suggestion is controversial.  But here's the thing - the number of SSRI's being prescribed for everything from acne to PMS to hot flashes has me concerned.  Anti-depressants aren't just being prescribed for depression.  Did you know they are even formulating a new SSRI specifically to treat low libido in women?

These stats may surprise you:
<ul>
	<li>Anti-depressant use in America is up 400 percent in two decades!!</li>
	<li>11% of Americans take an anti-depressant</li>
	<li>23% of women age 40 - 59 take antidepressants</li>
	<li>Anti-depressants are the third most prescribed drug in America</li>
	<li>14% of people taking an anti-depressant are taking more than one type</li>
</ul>
I don't think my situation is unique -  I wasn't offered alternatives and I was offered anti-depressants for PMS and later for PPMD.  So my position is that year after year, health issue after health issue I was never "treated" I was just "prescribed".  That's what I am against.

Women's health issues are being painted with a mental health brush all too often.   Here's how I know this to be true:
<ul>
	<li>Millions of women with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and misdiagnosed.</li>
	<li>Hormone imbalances can be the culprit in mood disorders</li>
	<li>Studies show Postpartum Psychosis may be a symptom of an auto-immune thyroid disease (AITD) - a small study in the Netherlands in 2011 showed that 19% of women with postpartum psychosis had an AITD.  So are 19% of postpartum psychosis sufferers being given the wrong meds for their condition?  It appears my friend Courtney is one of those women - <a title="BeePea" href="http://beepea.com/2012/04/16/postpartum-ocd-yes-ocd/" target="_blank">she almost didn't survive her son's first year</a>.</li>
	<li>Women, like <a title="BeePea.com" href="http://beepea.com/2013/02/14/more-answers/" target="_blank">my friend Courtney</a> and t<a title="HypoThyroidMom" href="http://hypothyroidmom.com/mental-disorder-or-undiagnosed-hypothyroidism/" target="_blank">his woman Jana</a>, are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when, in fact, they have Hashimoto's Thyroid Disorder.  There's a problem with that - a big one in fact - the Lithium prescribed for bipolar destroys their thyroid gland.</li>
</ul>
Instead of opening the Endocrine Manual, doctors are scouring the pages of the DSM-IV searching for our mental illness.   Instead of investigating for hormone imbalance or metabolic disorders, prescriptions for anti-depressants and other similar drugs are being written for women in record numbers.

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Disclaimer:  The information provided on this site is not intended as medical advice  - <strong>seek medical advice from a doctor</strong>.  If you take medication it is not advisable to stop taking them without the supervision of your doctor.  Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you or someone you know is suffering seek medical attention immediately.

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