Do pshychiatric medications numb the prayer life?

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sdrucker

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I am a 45 year old man taking psychiatric medications for anxiety and depression going on approximately 7 years. I was hospitalized once in 2012 but I cannot remember why (2012 may not even be the correct year 🤷). I used to have a robust prayer life and was active in the Church volunteering my time with teenagers who were preparing for Confirmation and I would attend daily Mass and Adoration.

But something has gone terribly wrong in the last 7 years and I rarely step foot in a church anymore? The joy of a 4am prayer with God is gone–I do not have a recollection of what that felt like. I feel as if I have forgotten everything I knew about prayer and practice and the spiritual mysteries of the Church. I have forgotten God.

My question is have psychiatric medications numbed and completely obliterated my prayer life? Or has my not taking part in prayer and spiritual relationship been some sort of choice on my part? I have prayed very sparingly during the past 5 years and I think I only went to Sunday Mass during the first 2. I may not have the correct time frames but I really cannot remember when I stopped praying and going to Mass on my own. I would (and will) take my elderly mother to church when she is in town but my heart was rarely there. I do remember a time when I reacted angrily (internally) to receiving the Eucharist and just left the church and my mother in the pew and sat in the car.

Does anyone have thoughts, ideas, or prayer on this one? This is my first post and first outreach in prayer in a very long time?

Steve
Madison, WI US
 
Hi Friend,
I too have been taking medications for years for an anxiety disorder that seems to run in my family. Psychiatric medications have gotten bad press in recent years due to a few law suits and some ambitious lawyers.

What you don’t hear much about since it isn’t nearly as “news worthy” is all the lives that have been transformed by medications. People who once were afraid to even leave the house have been given new lives, have careers, and raise families thanks to new medications.

We also have to keep in mind that as one of my confessors is so fond of saying, "God knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows of our struggles and crosses. It is through the grace of God that people with God given talents have put their gifts to use in order to find and develop the very medications we are taking.

For most people, the ideal fit for a psychiatric medication is to make them feel normal. This might not always be possible for everyone all the time, in which case they should discuss this with their doctor. New drugs are coming out all the time.

The only other thing I can add is, that my prayer life is at it’s best when I frequent the sacraments. Spiritual reading helps a great deal as well.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.
 
They can numb prayer. So can mental illness, and it can change manifestations over a lifetime. It might be worth talking to your doctor.

In the meantime - just try. Any little thing, even if it’s saying 1 Hail Mary, is a start. God understands. Mental illness is an illness just like the physical, and God understands that difficulty.

And know that you’re not alone here - there are others of us who’ve struggled with this.
 
sdrucker said:
I am a 45 year old man taking psychiatric medications for anxiety and depression going on approximately 7 years. I was hospitalized once in 2012 but I cannot remember why (2012 may not even be the correct year 🤷). I used to have a robust prayer life and was active in the Church volunteering my time with teenagers who were preparing for Confirmation and I would attend daily Mass and Adoration.

But something has gone terribly wrong in the last 7 years and I rarely step foot in a church anymore? The joy of a 4am prayer with God is gone–I do not have a recollection of what that felt like. I feel as if I have forgotten everything I knew about prayer and practice and the spiritual mysteries of the Church. I have forgotten God.

My question is have psychiatric medications numbed and completely obliterated my prayer life? Or has my not taking part in prayer and spiritual relationship been some sort of choice on my part? I have prayed very sparingly during the past 5 years and I think I only went to Sunday Mass during the first 2. I may not have the correct time frames but I really cannot remember when I stopped praying and going to Mass on my own. I would (and will) take my elderly mother to church when she is in town but my heart was rarely there. I do remember a time when I reacted angrily (internally) to receiving the Eucharist and just left the church and my mother in the pew and sat in the car.

Does anyone have thoughts, ideas, or prayer on this one? This is my first post and first outreach in prayer in a very long time?

Steve
Madison, WI US
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I would consider mediating on your love of God and desire for Heaven as often and for as long as you can.
 
I would say you should talk to your doctor and priest instead of people on the internet. I take medications for depression, OCD and anxiety. I wouldn’t ask strangers on a forum for advice.
 
Thats mean. Heres what I might say.

“I take medications for depression, OCD and anxiety. I wouldn’t primarily rely on strangers, but we can certainly support your desire for better spiritual and mental health. You can pray ANYWHERE. You dont even need words. But dont forsake God. He misses you. Try early a.m. Sunday Mass. Way less people.”
 
Based on your post, I am not getting the idea that you made a free choice to step away from God and the sacraments. If you did, you’d remember more about the whys and wherefores. It sounds more like you were struggling with your own mental health, and your Church attendance and prayer life went by the wayside while you were focusing your energies on your health.

Your doctor is the one who can tell you if this might have been due to medication, the effects of your illness, or something else. All I can say is God is still there for you, even when you were off “taking a break”, and he totally understands you’ve had a lot on your plate. If you want to circle back to Him, just do whatever feels easy and comfortable to get started again, whether that’s meditating on God’s love for a few minutes a day, saying a Hail Mary, attending a quiet uncrowded Mass, or anything else that works for you. I’ll pray for you. Good luck.
 
DaddyGirl said:
I’m no doctor…but I have various friends/family taking medications for anxiety and depression and seems to me (and what they describe) that in general, these medications sort of “temper” one’s emotions…or to repeat the word you use, “numb” them somewhat.
So that may affect many things a person does, include praying.

If a person, for example, at one time prayed a lot in order to relieve anxiety…but then that person takes a medication that *eases *that anxiety…then perhaps the desire or need to pray is lessened.
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It is not uncommon for medications to over-numb beyond what is intended, in a way that may not be helpful to the person.
 
Thank you to everyone who replied–I had to chew on (so-to-speak) what everyone said and it helps to know that people are praying for everyone on this site even when it is difficult for the individual to do so. 🙂

My fundamental difficulty is “wanting” to pray, and I liked one of the responses of just saying one Hail Mary to start and that “God knows you better than you do.”

A big thank you and prayer goes out to all of you!
 
StudentMI said:
I would say you should talk to your doctor and priest instead of people on the internet. I take medications for depression, OCD and anxiety. I wouldn’t ask strangers on a forum for advice.
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I agree
 
StudentMI said:
I would say you should talk to your doctor and priest instead of people on the internet. I take medications for depression, OCD and anxiety. I wouldn’t ask strangers on a forum for advice.
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I dunno, I’ve had a pretty good track run with strangers on the internet sometimes.

Simply put, often doctors don’t know anything about spirituality and priests don’t know much about mental illness.
 
I do know, from experience, that one of the side effects of some antidepressants is a “numbing” or “blunting” of the emotions. Along with the effects of the illness, this can be quite distressing, and one of the reasons I asked to be weaned off if possible, although they worked very well for me otherwise.

However, this is something you should discuss with your doctor, as depression and anxiety itself can have those effects, and one should never try to quit these medications on one’s own. He is the one qualified to evaluate your condition.

But prayer does not depend on emotion or religious “feeling”, etc. It is a choice, and sometimes can become quite difficult, even for the most devout among us. Mother Theresa wrote about her doubt at times, and not feeling the presence of God for 20 or so years. If i remember right, so did St. Therese of Lisieux. So perhaps you could determine to make yourself pray anyway, and trust that God is hearing you. Also do not skip Mass. See if that helps, and talk to your doctor about this.
 
sdrucker said:
I am a 45 year old man taking psychiatric medications for anxiety and depression going on approximately 7 years. I was hospitalized once in 2012 but I cannot remember why (2012 may not even be the correct year 🤷). I used to have a robust prayer life and was active in the Church volunteering my time with teenagers who were preparing for Confirmation and I would attend daily Mass and Adoration.

But something has gone terribly wrong in the last 7 years and I rarely step foot in a church anymore? The joy of a 4am prayer with God is gone–I do not have a recollection of what that felt like. I feel as if I have forgotten everything I knew about prayer and practice and the spiritual mysteries of the Church. I have forgotten God.

My question is have psychiatric medications numbed and completely obliterated my prayer life? Or has my not taking part in prayer and spiritual relationship been some sort of choice on my part? I have prayed very sparingly during the past 5 years and I think I only went to Sunday Mass during the first 2. I may not have the correct time frames but I really cannot remember when I stopped praying and going to Mass on my own. I would (and will) take my elderly mother to church when she is in town but my heart was rarely there. I do remember a time when I reacted angrily (internally) to receiving the Eucharist and just left the church and my mother in the pew and sat in the car.

Does anyone have thoughts, ideas, or prayer on this one? This is my first post and first outreach in prayer in a very long time?

Steve
Madison, WI US
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I can ONLY share my own experience and emphasise that this is MY experience.

I was on psych meds on a misdiagnosis for years and lost touch with church and with everything associated with church.

When I got the diagnosis sorted I spent a year getting clear of meds; mainly benzos and anti ds.
And there came a tremendous spiritual awakening that changed my life. It was as clear and simple as that.
As if and as was that the drugs had blocked my soul. As if God could not reach me. Of course He had and had held me safe
 
CB_Catholic said:
I do know, from experience, that one of the side effects of some antidepressants is a “numbing” or “blunting” of the emotions. Along with the effects of the illness, this can be quite distressing, and one of the reasons I asked to be weaned off if possible, although they worked very well for me otherwise.

However, this is something you should discuss with your doctor, as depression and anxiety itself can have those effects, and one should never try to quit these medications on one’s own. He is the one qualified to evaluate your condition.
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I would add the caveat - don’t be afraid to dump a doctor if they’re not willing to work towards your goals. I’ve found some mental health professionals can be dismissive of such things or don’t understand how spirituality works very well. (The “don’t use should statements” thing has been the bane of my life here.)
 
DarkLight said:
I would add the caveat - don’t be afraid to dump a doctor if they’re not willing to work towards your goals. I’ve found some mental health professionals can be dismissive of such things or don’t understand how spirituality works very well.
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^^^
this

And the reverse as well, if they think everything can be solved with prayer, with no room for pharmaceutical intervention for metabolic imbalances.
 
DarkLight said:
I would add the caveat - don’t be afraid to dump a doctor if they’re not willing to work towards your goals. I’ve found some mental health professionals can be dismissive of such things or don’t understand how spirituality works very well. (The “don’t use should statements” thing has been the bane of my life here.)
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I was very fortunate in having a doctor who used the least amount of medication as possible, and he never once told me I would be on the meds forever. He also believed that I would be the best judge of how I felt . I did, foolishly, try to take myself off without guidance, and that did not work out at all–so my Dr. gave me a sort of weaning schedule to follow, and that was successful and I haven’t had any meds for at least 14 or 15 years. He was a Jewish psychiatrist, and also recognized the role my faith played in my life, and encouraged me in that area if I felt it helped me.

Every person is different, and I believe the best Drs. recognize that and work with the patients on an individual basis.
 
Psych meds do suppress the spiritual functioning of your mind, yes.
 
I’ve been on a variety of meds and I always felt spiritual, but I can see where mental illness like major depression could easily have a negative effect on spirituality.
 
Robert_Sock said:
I’ve been on a variety of meds and I always felt spiritual, but I can see where mental illness like major depression could easily have a negative effect on spirituality.
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It’s more common with medicines that have a lot of mood stabilizing effects. The purpose is to damp down harmful emotional extremes, but often they end up affecting any sort of strong feeling.
 
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