"The peace of God" vs. the peace of drugs

[The_New_Sage]

A little background. I have depression and generalized anxiety disorder, for which I take medication. So I’m not talking about LSD or marijuana or anything.

When I pray, I feel this incredible connection with God, like everything is going to be all right and I needn’t worry, it’s all up to Him and He’s taking care of me. As soon as I re-enter the real world, though, that fades pretty quick.

So sometimes during the day I have to take 0.25mg Xanax because the anxiety gets so bad that I can’t stand it any longer. It does help with that, and often I feel at peace and more comfortable with God as well, although I’m not actively praying at the time.

This actually bothers me. How can I know if my peace comes from God (and the anxiety was just clouding or blocking it), or the pills? I like to think that my non-depressed, non-anxious self is the “real me” that God is able to communicate with. But I’m just not sure.

Btw, if you’re considering saying something like, “Why not just go off the pills?”, DON’T. Never, EVER tell anyone to stop taking prescription medication. Even if you think God will cure them. Don’t. Don’t do it.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

God gave the doctors and scientists the knowledge and capability to create this drug and prescribe it to you, to help you with your medical condition. It is just another mechanism for God to help you.

With respect to “the real me”, all of you is “the real you”. You may feel that your non-depressed and non-anxious self is your best you, but the states where you aren’t at your best because of your medical issue are also “you”. God can communicate with you in any state. It may be that you just have to listen in a different way to “hear” Him.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Btw, if you’re considering saying something like, “Why not just go off the pills?”, DON’T. Never, EVER tell anyone to stop taking prescription medication. Even if you think God will cure them. Don’t. Don’t do it.

Also, why would you expect a Catholic to say this? We aren’t Christian Scientists; we don’t go around advising people to reject medical treatment against doctors’ advice.

 

[The_New_Sage]

It’s just rare for me to be on any message board upon which at least one person doesn’t say that.

 

[ToeInTheWater]

Also, why would you expect a Catholic to say this? We aren’t Christian Scientists; we don’t go around advising people to reject medical treatment against doctors’ advice.

Actually, as someone who’s been checking CAF out off and on for the last 10 years, it IS actually pretty common for CAF posters to recommend people stop taking psychiatric medications. Even more common for them to advise them AGAINST seeking any psychiatric help in the first place, because “all those quacks do is put you on drugs, they don’t do anything to really solve the underlying problem”.

Even more common is that for posters to make snide remarks about the field, only to defensively deny actually believing psychiatrists are quacks if called out about it.

Likely not the majority by any means, but there is a substantial number of posters who essentially find the whole field of psychiatry to be a fraud, and think prayer is the only cure for mental illness.

 

[Crusaderbear]

Stay on your meds, it’s the right thing to do…also pray whenever you feel anxious. You don’t need to pray out loud, just internally. Hail Mary’s work well for me…

Our Father
Hail Mary x10
Glory Be
Fatima
Amen

 

[Sarcelle]

A little background. I have depression and generalized anxiety disorder, for which I take medication. So I’m not talking about LSD or marijuana or anything.

When I pray, I feel this incredible connection with God, like everything is going to be all right and I needn’t worry, it’s all up to Him and He’s taking care of me. As soon as I re-enter the real world, though, that fades pretty quick.

So sometimes during the day I have to take 0.25mg Xanax because the anxiety gets so bad that I can’t stand it any longer. It does help with that, and often I feel at peace and more comfortable with God as well, although I’m not actively praying at the time.

This actually bothers me. How can I know if my peace comes from God (and the anxiety was just clouding or blocking it), or the pills? I like to think that my non-depressed, non-anxious self is the “real me” that God is able to communicate with. But I’m just not sure.

Btw, if you’re considering saying something like, “Why not just go off the pills?”, DON’T. Never, EVER tell anyone to stop taking prescription medication. Even if you think God will cure them. Don’t. Don’t do it.

Work with your physician in this.

Catholicism is not against taking medicine under the direction and oversight of your doctor.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Actually, as someone who’s been checking CAF out off and on for the last 10 years, it IS actually pretty common for CAF posters to recommend people stop taking psychiatric medications. Even more common for them to advise them AGAINST seeking any psychiatric help in the first place, because “all those quacks do is put you on drugs, they don’t do anything to really solve the underlying problem”.

Even more common is that for posters to make snide remarks about the field, only to defensively deny actually believing psychiatrists are quacks if called out about it.

Likely not the majority by any means, but there is a substantial number of posters who essentially find the whole field of psychiatry to be a fraud, and think prayer is the only cure for mental illness.

I’ll take your word for it, but I just wanted to note it is not a Catholic position to say “throw your drugs away and let God cure you.”

I’m always amazed by the number of people who suddenly graduated from the Internet School of Medicine and feel qualified to give doctor’s advice on forums. Likewise for the Internet School of Law.

 

[egretps]

Sometimes that Peace you feel when praying is a beautiful consolation from God. A gift, sort of like a hug.

Many times now, I don’t get the feeling as often as I used to.

The peace you feel from the necessary medication is a gift too. It helps you get through the day and not have to deal with unnecessary anxiety.

I thank God that we are alive today. We have medical help for many things that ail us. I’m glad we have anesthesia and medical technology. Those meds that help your anxiety is a Gift of modern medicine and science.

 

[ToeInTheWater]

I’ll take your word for it, but I just wanted to note it is not a Catholic position to say “throw your drugs away and let God cure you.”

Most posters skeptical of psychiatry are much more subtle than this. Usually they will express their disdain for “overmedicated modern America” or claim that people are too easy to blame evil on mental illness or whatever, but backtrack when asked to clarify their remarks and most would concede there are indeed some with severe mental illness who require medication. But many would still find it “weak” for someone who’s “just depressed” to “pop Prozac” instead of “trusting that God will guide them through life’s trials”.

I am also aware that a large proportion of CAF posters have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness or another. I have no idea what the exact percentage is but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s at least 40%, at times I wonder if it might be over 50%.

I’m always amazed by the number of people who suddenly graduated from the Internet School of Medicine and feel qualified to give doctor’s advice on forums. Likewise for the Internet School of Law.

Giving medical advice is actually against Forum rules, and (unlike some others) this rule is actually more consistently enforced now than it used to be. There was a time the mods appeared to accept the “childbirth is not a disease” assertion and allow a lot of posters to push for “natural childbirth” and rant about the risks of “medicalized birth”, same for breastfeeding, but I haven’t seen that recently.

I am not sure if legal advice is prohibited but I certainly wouldn’t advise anyone to make legal decisions based on what they read on CAF.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I am also aware that a large proportion of CAF posters have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness or another. I have no idea what the exact percentage is but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s at least 40%, at times I wonder if it might be over 50%.

I am active in various other non-religious forums and social media and I would say that at least 50 percent and perhaps the majority of people I meet online through all the forums and media have been diagnosed with a mental illness, usually depression and/or anxiety, at some point. Probably also a good handful who have suffered from these conditions but not sought a formal diagnosis for one reason or another.

I’m not sure if that’s because people with these conditions just feel more free to discuss it on Internet forums than, say, at the office or a cocktail party, or if the activities I engage in draw a higher percentage of people with these conditions, but that’s how it is and it has been that way since the late 90s when I started spending time online.

 

[Beryllos]

… So sometimes during the day I have to take 0.25mg Xanax because the anxiety gets so bad that I can’t stand it any longer. It does help with that, and often I feel at peace and more comfortable with God as well, although I’m not actively praying at the time.

This actually bothers me. How can I know if my peace comes from God (and the anxiety was just clouding or blocking it), or the pills? I like to think that my non-depressed, non-anxious self is the “real me” that God is able to communicate with. But I’m just not sure…

It is one of the mysteries of human existence, that our feelings and emotions are affected by our physical health as well as spiritual health. The body is not just a container for the soul. A human being is body and soul. Somehow they are connected together, and that is the “real you.”

So I think it is not necessary to sort out where your peace comes from. It is influenced by bodily factors and spiritual factors, but it is one peace for the one you. Give thanks and praise to God!

 

[MaryT777]

God gave the doctors and scientists the knowledge and capability to create this drug and prescribe it to you, to help you with your medical condition. It is just another mechanism for God to help you.

With respect to “the real me”, all of you is “the real you”. You may feel that your non-depressed and non-anxious self is your best you, but the states where you aren’t at your best because of your medical issue are also “you”. God can communicate with you in any state. It may be that you just have to listen in a different way to “hear” Him.

This is an excellent answer.

The problem is it seems from your post you are on a lot of message board looking for answers. You will indeed receive a variety of answers some dangerous like as you have noted “Go off you meds.”

It is against Catholic answer forums rules to give medical advice and anyone who does so should be reported.

Please get off the Internet and see a priest/minister about your spiritual concerns. Going on many message boards won’t help, could confuse you and make you feel bad about your medication.

Work with your physician as well.

Make an appointment with your priest/minister today and move forward with the “professionals” not strangers, on the Internet that may be well meaning but should not take the place of your physician and minister.

We also have a prayer intentions forum where many would love to pray for you and any intention you may have. Try that!~

Best wishes to you and God Bless.

Mary.

Mary.

 

[The_New_Sage]

I have a priest but he honestly hasn’t been the best at ministering recently. He seems to resent me for not being “obedient” enough to him.

Recently my anxiety has been worse, and I’ve noticed that it’s making my prayer time worse as well. What was once a time of peace and assuredness has transformed into a state of high agitation and second-guessing. It’s gotten so bad that I feel like God’s will for me is essentially to torture me. When I’m NOT praying, it’s even worse. Again, my only recourse is to take Xanax and whatever else my shrink recommends (probably something like Buspar).

But that in itself makes me nervous. How do I know that the peace I receive in prayer is from God and not exactly like the “communion with the cosmos” that people that smoke marijuana or take LSD claim to feel? If I need to take a drug to be at peace enough to pray and commune with God, is that communion ultimately based in that drug?