This is subject is close to my heart. I have friends and family members that had made this type of choice at one time or another in their life. It is not that I am against going holistic or that of taking medication prescribed by Physicians . What concerns me is the transition from one to the other or none at all. Here are some facts that I have came up with in my research about this:
Cold Turkey
The actions of a person who gives up a habit or addiction all at once — that is, rather than gradually easing the process through gradual reduction or by using replacement medication.
The supposed advantage is that by not actively using supplemental methods, the person avoids thinking about the habit and its temptation, and avoids further feeding the chemical addiction. The supposed disadvantages related to the abuse of drugs such as alcohol, benzodiazepines, and heroin are unbearable withdrawal symptoms from the total absence, which may cause tremendous stress on the heart and blood vessels (and, in a worst case scenario, possible stroke or heart failure).
Sudden withdrawal from drugs such as alcohol, benzodiazepines and barbiturates can be extremely dangerous, leading to potentially fatal seizures. In long-term alcoholics, going cold turkey can cause life-threatening delirium tremendous and thus is not an appropriate method for breaking an alcohol addiction.
In the case of dependence upon certain drugs, including opiates such as heroin, going cold turkey may be extremely unpleasant, but less dangerous.
Think it’s a good idea to stop taking your antidepressant medication without first consulting your physician? Think again. According to a recent study, there are several risks involved in rapid antidepressant withdrawal. Sudden withdrawal from antidepressants not only results in the manifestations of withdrawal symptoms, but it also increases the risk of having their disorder re-emerge sooner and more often. For this reason, doctors often advise their patients not to stop taking their medications on their own, since they need to be gradually weaned from these medications over a certain amount of time.
Researchers followed 398 patients who were diagnosed with either major depressive disorder, bipolar disorders, and panic disorder, who were taking antidepressants for about 8.5 months. Of these patients, 261 were women and 137 were men, with an average age of 42. In the study, 188 stopped taking their antidepressant medications rapidly (in 7 days or less), and 210 underwent gradual or slow discontinuation process (in 14 days or more). They were then followed-up for nearly three years.
Results from the study revealed that stopping antidepressant medications rapidly can increase the likelihood of a new panic or a new major depression episode. According to the experts, this finding was similar to that of previous studies done in schizophrenic patients who abruptly stopped anti psychotic therapy. The same was also true in people with bipolar disorders who rapidly discontinued lithium intake. In those patients, there was also an earlier, and even more severe, recurrence of their illness, and at shorter intervals than what was expected.
These findings have important implications in the clinical setting. Physicians may now have to warn their patients at the start of their treatment about the effects of rapid antidepressant withdrawal. Apparently, there exists a need to emphasize that rapidly stopping intake of antidepressants can put patients at increased risks of illness recurrence.
St John's wort also known as Tipton's Weed, Chase-devil, or Klamath Weed. Can be used as an herbal treatment for depression. In some countries, such as Germany, it is commonly prescribed for mild depression, especially in children and adolescents.
A report from the Cochrane Review states,
The available evidence suggests that the Hypericum extracts tested in the included trials a) are superior to placebo in patients with major depression; b) are similarly effective as standard antidepressants; and c) have fewer side-effects than standard antidepressants.
There are two issues that complicate the interpretation of our findings:
1) While the influence of precision on study results in placebo-controlled trials is less pronounced in this updated version of our review compared to the previous version (Linde 2005a), results from more precise trials still show smaller effects over placebo than less precise trials.
2) Results from German-language countries are considerably more favorable for hypericum than trials from other countries.
Standardized extracts are generally available over the counter, though in some countries (such as the Republic of Ireland) a prescription is required. Extracts are usually in tablet or capsule form, and also in teabags and tinctures. Herbalists are more likely to use a fluid extract than a tincture. Hypericum was prescribed in ancient Greece,and it has been used ever since.
St John's wort may also contribute to serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening adverse drug reaction, in combination with other drugs that may elevate 5-HT (serotonin) levels in the central nervous system (CNS).
Drugs that may contribute to serotonin syndrome with St John's wort ClassDrugs Antidepressants MAOIs, TCAs, SSRIs, mirtazapine, venlafaxine Opioids tramadol, pethidine CNS stimulants phentermine, diethylpropion, amphetamines, sibutramine, cocaine 5-HT1 agonists triptans Psychedelic drugs methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin/psilocin Others selegiline, tryptophan, buspirone, lithium, linezolid, dextromethorphan, 5-HTP
If you do decide to stop medication from your Physician to try Holistic then do it safely. Make informed dissensions that is right for you. It is better to wing off medication slowly, Then wait a period of time before introducing anything new into your system. This also goes in reverse , If you decide to stop Holistic and take medication consult your physician ,wing off slowly, then wait a period of time before introducing new drug. Please do not fall in the trap so many have done before, Cold Turkey may work for one, but do you want to take the chance it will work for you without causing damage to your body or even end up in death? (With all types medications and holistic alike,( BE RESPONSIBLE ) take it as prescribed and do not mix them with anything that will cause the medication to work poorly or not at all.) This is IMHO
