The Myth of Low-Serotonin & Antidepressants - Dr. Mark Horowitz

[@AfterSkool]

Big thank you to Dr. Mark Horowitz for this enlightening study. I hope this presentation brings value to you and your loved ones. If you enjoyed this video and if you want to help create more, please consider supporting After Skool on Patreon. Thank you. www.patreon.com/AfterSkool

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@sayumuaTTV]

Is there a way to fund your videos to translate them to spanish? it will be very helpful since a lot of latin people are unaware of this and many other topics...

[@judylandry302]

Thank you for making this video. As a former exploited patient, I am a complete example, of what Dr. HOROWITZ talked about in describing the damage the Pharmaceutical Industry, via the VA, can do to destroy one person. Change your diets, folks. Eat clean whole nutritious food and exercise. Your brain needs good fats and nutrients to function. Refined sugar and carbs are DRUGS. Processed foods are addictive chemicals. Doing this takes work on your part. But aren't you worth it? It is cheaper to buy quality food, than synthetic petroleum based chemical Pharmaceuticals Good food is medicine. You don't need a Doctor. You need your brain.

[@schuylergeery-zink1923]

I’ve found more benefit from L-tryptophan and St John’s Wort (also listening to music) than Lexapro. Walking in nature and cooking/eating healthy food. Hugging my husband. All of these so much more helpful.

[@outrohealth]

Powerful message that needs to be shared. Thanks for having Dr. Horowitz on!

[@PWizz91]

SSRIs helped me through a horrific part of my life, I was on them for just under a year….. My doctor gave me the best answer ‘ It isn’t going to be these pills that cure you, it’s up to you to resolve the pain in your life, these will just make it easier to bridge that gap’

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

Yes that's what psych meds can do. They can't fix the conditions in your life that are contributing to your mental state, but they can help you cope with them better. Used correctly they can be lifesaving. But of course like anything, finding the correct and proper use is key.

[@andreastarks2780]

You had a good and wise doctor

[@outrohealth]

We need more doctors like this.

[@anappll4944]

Me too. I had the same experience. My doctor was very wise and said it was not magical and it wasnt going to fix it without my own help

[@spanqueluv9er]

@@anappll4944 That’s otherwise known as victim blaming. It’s not wise, it’s abuse.🤡🤷‍♂️💩🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🙄👎

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@dylan3657]

great point

[@mostafasherif9209]

🌹🌹

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

An extremely perceptive quote. I'd have to agree.

[@LoLeanderx]

Nah, this narrative that "society is responsible for the way you feel" is just as unhealthy as the chemical imbalance one. They both encourage you to give away power to something else, be it chemicals or society as a whole, when really the power is in *your* own hands. No social situation or other human being can make you feel X or Y. It is your own perception of things that is generating the emotion and the matching brain chemistry. Thing is, that when you live your life based on learned patterns of behavior, you tend to think that it is environment that is responsible. It isn't. It's YOU. It's just that you've been choosing these negative emotional states unconsciously, by mere inertia. Despite all that, you can still choose to act, think and feel differently. The moment you embrace and realize this truth deeply, it is the most liberating thing ever, because you can make choices for yourself, but not for others. You can shift your perspective; you can choose to see the beauty instead of the ugly; you can choose calmness instead of anxiety; you can choose joy instead of misery. And even if you're stuck on a pool of misery that you've generated for years, know that you are powerful enough to ride that wave of emotions and get on the other side. But you have to believe it's possible and that it is in your own hands. Cheers!

[@Holly-jp6vr]

They create the problem, then they get the reaction and offer the solution. We just saw this very thing unfold with the C 💉.

[@rorrschach8339]

One problem with anti-depressants is that the withdrawal is worse than the depression, which is then mistaken for your actual depression. The withdrawal hits and you think "Gee this must be what my depression really feels like. I better stay on the drugs so I don't feel this bad all the time." I was on SSRIs for 15 years, absolutely zombied out of my mind and incapable of doing anything, just waiting for something to change. Long story short I stopped the drugs and when the withdrawal hit I had to remind myself "This is the withdrawal, not the depression." After 6 months I started to feel the difference, and after 9 months my depression was gone.

[@sps174]

That is good to hear. I'm going through it now. I'm having mood swings all over the place. Sadness, depression, anger, crying spells. I keep telling myself every day is one day closer to being better. I'm hope my issues resolve like yours did.

[@rorrschach8339]

@@sps174 Might I suggest something. Set a goal of 6 months. Just make it through those 6 months and then see how you feel. A time goal is important to define so you're not necessarily waiting in perpetuity for something to change.

[@frankclements1431]

I took an antidepressant for 25 yrs. I gradually reduced my dosage by 50% without any problems. I quickly reduced and stopped taking the rest. Now I am in a deep depression and very anxious. I'm in a mess. I suspected this was just the result of redrawal. I'm also expriencing a few difficult issues and that is making it worse. I have an appointment to see a health care professionsl,(so called), in one month. I keep telling myself to hang on hope is on the way. Maybe in a months time the redrawal will ease up. This is one of the very few encouraging videos I'v see.

[@frogstock2597]

I'm with you... It's just very difficult to keep reminding yourself that even after 3-4 weeks, the reason you feel shit and your judgement and moods are all over the place...that this is just withdrawal... The withdrawal is definitely worse than the down moods. Well done for getting clean then

[@PrekshitBhargava-kl8xe]

how r u now... are there any withdrawal symptoms u r facing

[@LytosOfficial]

Almost everything you said can be applied to benzodiazepines as well. I can't find ANY doctor with the right knowledge about how to properly taper off my medication... So I found myself forced to go from doctor to doctor, storing the medication, and with a lot of research and effort do my own taper off plan. They always think they know better than you because they are doctors and you're not, but they lack empathy and experience. I almost died, and also a friend of mine, from the benzo withdrawal symptoms and I can assure you I'm not going to go through that again just because of someone's arrogance. Thank you for this video and for spreading the message. Best Regards.

[@morpheus3140]

" they are doctors and you're not" yeah... most Doctors act like that they know more then you even though the spent 10 min with you in the office, and they see you in three months... like at least see me ever 2 to 3 weeks and call my other doctors.. one doc told me I need to stop not fearing doctors and I told him its not about doctors it's about capitalism and he got all upset about his job and said he does not get paid that much and bla bla all the stuff the capitalist say when they get trigged when you talk about capitalism.-

[@HK_on_YT]

That's because officially(!) you cannot taper off benzos. Check Jordan Peterson's experience who despite being famous and having enough money to rent the best private doctor 24/7 was told by every doctor in North America that they would not be able to help him taper it off. He had to be flown to Russia and put in an artificial coma with serious neurological damage as the result of finally stopping to take benzos (he was taking high doses of benzos for years). It's obvious benzos are the worst drug in existence if you can't even stop taking it officially. Yet, doctors prescribe it as if it was a harmless drug. Any doctor prescribing it should be held accountable with long prison sentences due to gross professional negligence in all cases! (since there are better alternatives even in extreme and dangerous cases of anxiety and suicidal ideation)

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

@@bradleylehman3346 omg I'm so sorry. We live in dark times. Unthinking or unscrupulous doctors have all become legal drug pushers. This is so harmful. I'm very glad to hear you're in a better place now.

[@jordan8293]

I went to a doctor and they made me tick some boxes on a piece of paper to determine if I had depression or anxiety and then asked me to consider anti depressants, like how is that going to help me, doctors just have no idea.

[@doomguy9049]

Yeah man the way most medical professionals handle benzo, alcohol, barbiturate dependency is unconscionable: especially when they've known how to wean people from them with minimal suffering for 40+ years now. Best of luck to you coming off the benzos, I know it's tough and might take you a long time to get there but be patient and strong and you'll get there.

[@chestercopperpot3793]

Just want to take a minute to appreciate the outstanding work of the illustrator!

[@lexalot8337]

I took anti-depressants for two and a half years to deal with severe social anxiety stemming from ASD. I've been coming off them for the past two months. Honestly, it hasn't been too bad. I've suffered from insomnia and gastric upset on occasion, but emotionally, I feel better than ever. Here's to a better future 🎉

[@Manifestwithmegan]

Wait until you hit the 6 month to 1 year mark. 😢

[@completesentences2125]

Congrats! Keep up the great work!

[@ShareeMonique]

Keep that positivity!!! Love to hear your doing well!! Anxiety and depression is no joke!

[@tehhdjsj]

Hey happy to hear it is going well. If you don’t mind, what was your dose and what has your taper been like? My doc had my reduce by 50mg which was intense

[@lexalot8337]

@@tehhdjsj Started at 30mg of citalopram, now I'm at 10mg. A drop of 50mg sounds really bad, yeah. I've forgotten to take my meds before and it sucks. I was all shaky and light-headed.

[@hermeticsource1824]

You know you live in clown world when psychedelics that have a higher safety rating than coffee are made as illigal as heroin while also having the most potent long term anti depressant effects ever seen in human history.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

The hidden truth 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@jsnel9185]

Dig the name HermeticSource. As above, so below.

[@CesarM780]

Lsd is not safer than coffee

[@johnllewlyndavies222]

​@@CesarM780 I note the poster doesn't post under his or her name. Addicts like Harry always think their drug is a good thing, when they're clearly bonkers.

[@humanbeans7952]

Thank you for this, i'm a therapist and often feel undermined by the field of psychiatry. In my role we're expected to encourage people to take medication, then we're never supposed to talk about side effects or them getting off medication.

[@SitChoahhDownTV]

Thank you for your profession choices as a therapist. You guys are the real super heros. Take care God bless.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

Sadly big pharma rules all. They just want to sell meds, they don't care how many people they harm. But you know what's right. If you care about your patients then you can choose to heed your own judgment when it comes to the field of pharmaceuticals.

[@Justfor2day10]

I wished I’d of never gotten on SSRI’s! They’re hell coming off of but I’m slowly doing it. I don’t need them anymore.

[@username4441]

@@youtube-Name111 yep, it doesnt bother em' enough to stop collecting the paychecks

[@jenniferr5934]

You can tell people that. I do!

[@sarahpersonalexcellenceguide]

I thought I had depression 11 years ago. I numbed myself with Wellbutrin about 3 months before I was like, NOPE! I just had a terrible boss/job, bad habits, and the wrong attitude. I changed jobs, started exercising and taking vitamins, stopped eating bread, paid off my college debt, made friends through bicycling clubs, and got into personal development. That whole body/mind/lifestyle tactic changed my life! Depression isn’t because something’s wrong with you, it’s a red flag that something’s not right. We’ve gotta stop internalizing the ugliness of our society’s way of life/employment and blaming ourselves for feeling unhappy in a world that cares about money more than well-being.

[@TheSopheom]

So true.

[@troy3423]

That's great that you moved past that, however, generalizing your experience and saying thats how everyone else should feel is a myopic and unrealistic view on the world

[@CopiousAmountsOfDerp]

I'm the opposite, everything started out fine, then depression came on through prolonged isolation. And now I just want to watch the world burn.

[@spencerlukay5809]

@@CopiousAmountsOfDerp Same. I’d give anything to live again before a certain harsh isolation. Now the world can fuck off and die for all I care.

[@AURORAFIELDS]

I've started Wellbutrin (or rather Buproprion under another brand name to be precise) about 4 months ago, and honestly I can say that it is one of the few things that have actually helped me put my life more together, and it also has helped me get energised and more ready to take on the challenges of life. I have been able to make friends, eat more healthily, and just enjoy life far more. I don't really see myself as taking it for very long, but just having the energy and right attitude to making my life better is absolutely invaluable and wouldn't have been possible without Wellbutrin. Everyone is different and different things work for different people. I certainly wasn't a person that was very receptive to antidepressants because of terrible past experiences, but what my doctor told me and what I read online made me feel it was worth the shot. Now I know what actually works for me and I'm never touching a SSRI in my life. What I experience is anything but numbing as well, actually feel much less numb than before

[@michealsmith2093]

I've never heard my EXACT frustrations, thoughts, fears, or internal dialogue so perfectly captured as in this video. I emailed my doc before I was even finished watching because this was/is SO spot on to the last 8 years or so of my life, SPECIFICALLY, the last 2 years trying but failing to wean off my SSRI. Thank you so much for making this video!! I have a new sense of hope that I had lost before seeing this ✨️

[@JorgeBrown]

Michael, I am happy for you! That's a new light in this situation where the root causes are kept hidden by the big-pharma! Trust you'll get rid of this chemicals in a baby step mode! Cheers 🤗👍🏼💪🏻

[@americanhealthcaresurvivor]

That's awesome, MIchael. I lost 16 years of wellness and happiness due to psychiatry's lies and am now trying to help others avoid that. Are you familiar with the surviving antidepressants and mad in america websites? They have resources that should help you taper off safely. Also, the website for the film "Medicating Normal" has resources. Other things that helped me were a Mediterranean diet, bright light therapy in the morning, and the books "The Depression Cure" by Dr. Ilardi and "Lost Connections" by Johann Hari. I wish you health and happiness.

[@AmandaIsAwesome]

Wishing all the best for you on this journey. Stick it out. It’s rough but it’s worth it and it gets better ❤

[@pysq8]

Research 5-htp. Be blessed!

[@ShowMeYoBoob]

i was feeling depressed out of nowhere even when everything was perfect. And i don't care what anyone says Wellbutrin saved my life. If anybody is against these drugs that's because they don't have depression. So from my own experience i believe that depression is either something u are born with and it "wakes up" later as u grow up or your brain got damaged from bad situations/events in life

[@carleyfries9804]

I was so overmedicated as a child. I needed help with my trauma, not to be fed prescriptions and told this was just how I am.

[@MeganGarzaWellness]

I believe you and your feelings and experiences are valid ❤️ I hope you're on the path to healing

[@web3wizard381]

everyone including your parents, society etc are trying to avoid responsibility for why the kids are depressed

[@doyen101]

Beware of labels from medical professionals. We will likely live up to what we are labeled. I have seen this with many told they were biploar.

[@porckhop]

This. I was told I have ADHD my whole life. That something was wrong with me. I now know that it was never something wrong with me. society wants to make us into worker bees, and if you can’t follow the rules and stay in line, they lobotomize you with meds.

[@NerdymamaNurse]

​@@web3wizard381ok? I have a child who was assaulted 6 times at 3 different schools after we moved 3 years ago. He went from being the kid that teachers described as "everyone's friend." to being constantly bullied, even by those who called him friend (ibe came up behind him and tried to choke him) none of the schools did anything! I went all the way up to the school board and received no action. One of the schools (a private school we had placed him in after the first 2 assaults in a public school) "quietly removec" my son, but not the kid who came up behind him and tried to choke him while screaming "you think you can just talk *@%* about me?" There were even 4 kids who witnessed it. But the director said each of their stories were a little different. Yeah ok? Wouldn't it seem practiced if they were exactly the same. Spoke to the kids father 6 months later who had no clue any of that happened). My son was 11 at the time. He has been in and out of therapy since 9 (autism, separation anxiety, and situational anxiety). I can recall him having anxiety attacks at 8. I would sit up with him at night trying to calm him as he cried uncontrollably for hours because he thought acteacher misunderstood what he said, or he misunderstood and he didn't fo an assignment correctly. Once he cried for 2 hours because "what if" he decided to sign up for a team sport sometime and didn't like the coach. Could I be the coach? What about his uncle? But that school district was awesome. They kept me informed if he was struggling. Allowed him to have fidgets (he wasn't even diagnosed with autism yet) warned him when there was going to be a fire drill (because one the noise was terrifying to him. We had to put an extra lock on our screen door as a precaution, because if our smoke detector went off he would scream and bolt out of the house and into the street. Two because one time they had an active shooter drill the teacher said to act like it was the real thing, and he misunderstood and thought it was real and kept refusing to go back to school). They let him exit the school thtough the side of the building at the end of the day because the main entrance was loud and overwhelming. They let his older brother meet him there when he didn't want to be at the door alone. But the new district did nothing about the assaults or even followed his 504. He blamed himself and attempted suicide. He had multiple attempts. He was 11. He had 5 psychiatric stays in 40 days. He went into a 3 month residential facility (which was hard for both of us. He is my little velcro child, and it was three hours away so I could only visit once a month. I had another child with ADHD who did not do well in the car ride). He is doing so much better. He doesn't become dysregulated so quickly and when he does he has an easier time stabilizing. He can reconize his emotions a little better, and has developed his own unique form of communication. BUT without his medication we would be lost (I stress we). I am both a survior of child abuse/neglect and abuse as an adult. I am a mother of a child with autism who has suffered trauma. I am also a Board Certified Psychiatric nurse practitioner who has worked with both children and adults dealing with trauma (infact the only time I ever precribed a benzo that wasn't a one time dose was for a 15 yo who saw her brother hang himself and at night would hallucinate him standing next to her telling her to do the same). Children of trauma need medication. They also need therapy. Therapy is 80% of healing, but if you can't hear the therapist because you are dissociating, hallucinating, paranoid, can't focus dt depression, or any other reason medication helps clear that fog and allows you to work! I take Prazosin at night or I wake up screaming from nightmares related to childhood trauma that will even lead to hallucinations. Unless you are a parent watching someone you love more than anything in the world hurt like this and feel unbelievably helpless and desperate because you are afraid of losing them then you can shut your judgmental mouth and sit down.

[@ritagordon9859]

I was on anti depressants for 25 years! My doctor said I could wean off within 4 weeks and I said no ways as “who was I without them) so I did it over 6 months as I was on a high doze. Been off for years now as was best thing I ever did. Saying that, whether placebo or not, the pill supported me whilst stuck in my trauma cycle I’m a huge fan of meditation and actually feeling the feelings (not the pain story) as it literally changed my life 8 years ago.

[@dario2rnr]

I was on SSRI's for 20 years. Microdosing and low dosing psilocybin and Amanita Muscaria mushrooms has replaced SSRIs. It's been over a year ago, with no side effects.

[@paulo0e]

That sounds awesome! I need to do something as well. I’ve been on antidepressants, initially SSRIs and later till this day one SNRI and bupropion (the dopamine one), for 16 years now. And as I watch this video and read some comments I feel like I’ve been rudely betrayed. My first psychiatrist told me antidepressants wouldn’t do anything to a healthy person and that I would never have problems on the long term use. Lies! They do, my friends need to remind me what I did on special occasions because the antidepressants' numbness is so severe that memory can’t register good events properly, right? I’ve been taking twice the dose I was used to before pandemics and I feel kinda helpless about this, weakly emotive and slow in general. I don’t know if or when I’ll be able to get rid of these drugs, but I do want do begin lowering them now! Can’t take this BS any longer… :/

[@thepresentmoment369]

Wow I love your comment. How did you wean off? Also I'm a big fan of meditation too. Humans are meant to feel emotions and process them. Effexor took away my emotions and made me emotionally numb. I can't wait to get off.

[@DakotaFord592]

​@@dario2rnr I tried those mushrooms. They did absolutely nothing! 😅😅😅

[@NerdymamaNurse]

​@@thepresentmoment369 Effexor is a horrible medication. I am going to take a stab in the dark and say a primary care physician prescribed it. No self respecting psych prescriber, including myself, will prescribe that trash. It has a half like of 8-10 hours which means if you don't take it at the same time everyday you have withdrawal symptoms. Its also very very difficult to come off of.

[@55tranquility]

To be fair my Dr told me we don’t really know how SSRIs work and most of what is accepted comes from marketing and was only ever theory, all we know is some people find them useful, some not much and some not at all. She also said they may give me a lift that would then enable me to make changes in my life which would actually be the things that make the difference. She was a fairly young Dr and i appreciated her up front honesty giving the facts.

[@mikeknowles8017]

I've told people for years that there is no evidence to support the idea that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and they look at me like I'm crazy. To this day I believe that my little brother killed himself due to withdrawal symptoms from these meds. I am so grateful for this video and I'm going to spread it around as much as I can.

[@33333Tarun]

I still am of the opinion that brain chemistry is important to our wellbeing... dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA, etc. They are there for a reason.. because the science is young and has been abused by Pharma doesn't mean there is merit there. Of course therapy is good too. But there are plenty of natural supplements that help as well. The choice is not between Big Pharma and nothing.

[@bovinityleak2066]

The brain and body is run by chemicals. Thats why people ingest drugs for recreation as well as emotion management. It just makes sense that chemical imbalances in the brain can exist even though “imbalance” may not be the exact correct word.

[@MMelanie963]

So sorry to hear about the loss of your brother, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if you are right, big hug x I can speak from experience, have been on this train for 19 years, I finally managed to wiggle out of this by carefully tapering myself off in 2015 and I am convinced this has damaged me for life, as I am still feeling similar, especially brain fog

[@mikeknowles8017]

@@MMelanie963 Hang in there!

[@Everythingismeaningless344]

I'm so sorry Mike for your loss. I am one month off Wellbutrin and it is not a walk in the park. Again, as a brother, I am so sorry what medical negligence did to your brother and your family.

[@titanomachy2217]

My mental well-being improved dramatically when I decided I didn't believe in the "chemical imbalance" hypothesis any longer, and simply decided that I wasn't going to allow anyone to pigeonhole me as someone that is naturally unhappy. I realized there is nothing wrong with me, I just live in a soul-crushing time and place. The postmodern consumerist society we live in simply isn't conducive to long-term contentment. To be well-adjusted to a sick society is no sign of sanity, quite the opposite really.

[@anastasiamurawski6179]

I don't think it's society that is causing the mental illness. It doesn't help , but i don't think it's the root cause. i had some repressed memories about trauma that occured when I was a child , I think dealing with that is helping some but I don't know. I'm told I have bipolar 2 and it's hereditary(that I know is a fact) , I shouldn't be on Prozac because it can make it worse, but I can't get off them, the withdrawals are pure hell, I am not going through that again, so I just stay on a low dosage of prozac along with Abilify and that is probably going to be for life. Mood stabilizers don't seem to do a thing. if my depression dips too low I am considering magnetic therapy. My doc says there is always shock therapy (different from the old days, it's not like it was in the movie One Flew over the Cukoo's nest where you are zapped hard and end up a drooling zombie) but I want to avoid doing that if I can. If it's not chemical, than why do many drugs cause depression and suicidal ideation? It can't be just life's difficulties or a messed up society if a drug can change how you feel.

[@titanomachy2217]

@@anastasiamurawski6179 Psychiatry is probably less effective than shamanism, and that was literally just a zany guy taking drugs and having visions and telling you what to do based on them. Still, the connection with a member of your tribe is a powerful thing. Your connection with your psychiatrist is likely tenuous, built upon mere money. I mean, they might care, but they would stop seeing you if you stopped being able to pay. Your family and, if you have them, friends may care for you, but a professional will always hold you at arm's length. I know it wasn't solicited, but if you want my advice, it would be to stop ruminating on the things you think are wrong with you. If everyone did that, everyone would fine SOME disorder or other than would at least seem to match their personality. I did the same thing as a teenager, I looked up all the different personality disorders and mood disorders and convinced myself of any number of different things, and went to a shrink and was diagnosed with depression and ADD, just like every other teenager that ever saw a shrink, except maybe the ones that were actually severely mentally ill with some legit shit, like schizophrenia. But as far as I'm concerned, I don't see a diagnosis of depression or whatever as helpful, quite the opposite really. I lived with a grey cloud of negativity over my head for years, culminating in suicide attempts that resulted in permanent damage to my health. None of the therapy helped, none of the drugs helped, in fact they compounded my problems tenfold, making me into an addict. What is a teenager being given Adderall and Xanax and Ambien going to do other than get addicted? That's literally obvious. Doctors aren't magical, just because you are taking a medication as prescribed doesn't mean you aren't addicted. Benzodiazepines are some of the most physically addictive drugs on Earth, I woke up with tremors for a good two years or so after weaning off of them. I think I would have been better off if I hadn't been pushed down the path of viewing myself as mentally ill. I mean, it's such a subjective thing, and how you view yourself becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I think what helped me in the end was, oddly enough, the hardships I faced as a result of my addictions: getting kicked out of my dorm in university, getting criminal charges for pot possession and public intoxication on my pills, like I would take Xanax and Ambien and black out and do stupid shit or just pass out in public and get in trouble, and finally I had to flee the country because I was going to do some jail time and I had already done two months and was not willing to be hit with my three year suspended sentence for the original pot possession charge, which I figured would have gone into effect since I violated probation by getting more charges. When I came to Canada I had $40 in my wallet and I lived on the streets for around two years. I just didn't have time to focus on what might be wrong with my brain. When you internalize the belief that there is something wrong with you, it makes it something you feel like you cannot change, something that can only be helped through medication for the rest of your life, and it allows this sick society and the oligarchs that run it to pass off the emptiness and anomie that has literally become the norm in our totally soul-crushing civilization as some kind of chemical imbalance that just you have, when really, almost everyone in the developed world feels like their lives are empty and lonely. We have an epidemic of misery, and it isn't unusual to feel bad in a bad situation. What I'm saying is, basically, there's like a 90% chance there's basically nothing fundamentally wrong with you. If you were capable of happiness in a society like this, you would pretty much have to be either an idiot with a very low IQ (and thus having no need for any meaning in life, just hedonism will do, as they live the unexamined life, like animals, just going about their activities without the monologue in their heads that people with higher IQs tend to have) or an amoral sadist that enjoys the competitiveness of it, enjoys seeing all of the homeless people that have been turned into vegetables by fentanyl, enjoys seeing a generation of young women being turned into Only Fans porn stars, enjoys seeing the degradation of mankind, and being able to pay for the most disgusting things imaginable. This is a good time to be a pimp, pedophile, or drug dealer, and a bad time to be a person that cares about the well-being of your fellow man. It is a time of parasites and cowards, an age of lies. Be strong, sister. Humanity is made of harder stuff than you know, and you are among them. We have all, as humans, been granted a wonderful gift. Human consciousness is a painful gift to receive, but there is meaning in that pain, and there is glory in that struggle, and man can endure so long as he has a purpose. We all have the potential to be any number of people, and it is up to each of us to decide who that person is going to be, at least within reason. It is a curious thing to me that so many in the younger generation believe a man can become a woman or vice-versa or even transmute their human spirit into that of an animal (not that I have anything against transsexuals), but the idea that a sad person could become content without resorting to psychiatry seems to allude them. It really isn't that hard. You don't need a shrink or drugs. You need the will to thrive, the understanding of just how erroneous the concept of being "neurotypical" is, and to view yourself in a positive light. I've never even met a girl my age that wasn't supposedly mentally ill, and out of all of them, only like two or three actually struck me as truly mentally ILL.

[@titanomachy2217]

@@anastasiamurawski6179 Psychiatry is probably less effective than shamanism, and that was literally just a zany guy taking drugs and having visions and telling you what to do based on them. Still, the connection with a member of your tribe is a powerful thing. Your connection with your psychiatrist is likely tenuous, built upon mere money. I mean, they might care, but they would stop seeing you if you stopped being able to pay. Your family and, if you have them, friends may care for you, but a professional will always hold you at arm's length. I know it wasn't solicited, but if you want my advice, it would be to stop ruminating on the things you think are wrong with you. If everyone did that, everyone would fine SOME disorder or other than would at least seem to match their personality. I did the same thing as a teenager, I looked up all the different personality disorders and mood disorders and convinced myself of any number of different things, and went to a shrink and was diagnosed with depression and ADD, just like every other teenager that ever saw a shrink, except maybe the ones that were actually severely mentally ill with some legit shit, like schizophrenia. But as far as I'm concerned, I don't see a diagnosis of depression or whatever as helpful, quite the opposite really. I lived with a grey cloud of negativity over my head for years, culminating in suicide attempts that resulted in permanent damage to my health. None of the therapy helped, none of the drugs helped, in fact they compounded my problems tenfold, making me into an addict. What is a teenager being given Adderall and Xanax and Ambien going to do other than get addicted? That's literally obvious. Doctors aren't magical, just because you are taking a medication as prescribed doesn't mean you aren't addicted. Benzodiazepines are some of the most physically addictive drugs on Earth, I woke up with tremors for a good two years or so after weaning off of them. I think I would have been better off if I hadn't been pushed down the path of viewing myself as mentally ill. I mean, it's such a subjective thing, and how you view yourself becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I think what helped me in the end was, oddly enough, the hardships I faced as a result of my addictions: getting kicked out of my dorm in university, getting criminal charges for pot possession and public intoxication on my pills, like I would take Xanax and Ambien and black out and do stupid shit or just pass out in public and get in trouble, and finally I had to flee the country because I was going to do some jail time and I had already done two months and was not willing to be hit with my three year suspended sentence for the original pot possession charge, which I figured would have gone into effect since I violated probation by getting more charges. When I came to Canada I had $40 in my wallet and I lived on the streets for around two years. I just didn't have time to focus on what might be wrong with my brain. When you internalize the belief that there is something wrong with you, it makes it something you feel like you cannot change, something that can only be helped through medication for the rest of your life, and it allows this sick society and the oligarchs that run it to pass off the emptiness and anomie that has literally become the norm in our totally soul-crushing civilization as some kind of chemical imbalance that just you have, when really, almost everyone in the developed world feels like their lives are empty and lonely. We have an epidemic of misery, and it isn't unusual to feel bad in a bad situation. What I'm saying is, basically, there's like a 90% chance there's basically nothing fundamentally wrong with you. If you were capable of happiness in a society like this, you would pretty much have to be either an idiot with a very low IQ (and thus having no need for any meaning in life, just hedonism will do, as they live the unexamined life, like animals, just going about their activities without the monologue in their heads that people with higher IQs tend to have) or an amoral sadist that enjoys the competitiveness of it, enjoys seeing all of the homeless people that have been turned into vegetables by fentanyl, enjoys seeing a generation of young women being turned into Only Fans p0rn stars, enjoys seeing a generation of boys emasculated and chemically feminized by the goddamn tapwater (that's not just a meme it's actually true, tap water has significant amounts of estrogen in it from birth control run-off, it doesn't get filtered out like the larger particles do), enjoys seeing the degradation of mankind, and being able to pay for the most disgusting things imaginable. This is a good time to be a p¡mp, ped0phile, or drug dealer, and a bad time to be a person that cares about the well-being of your fellow man. It is a time of parasites and cowards, an age of lies. Be strong, sister. Humanity is made of harder stuff than you know, and you are among them. We have all, as humans, been granted a wonderful gift. Human consciousness is a painful gift to receive, but there is meaning in that pain, and there is glory in that struggle, and man can endure so long as he has a purpose. We all have the potential to be any number of people, and it is up to each of us to decide who that person is going to be, at least within reason. It is a curious thing to me that so many in the younger generation believe a man can become a woman or vice-versa or even transmute their human spirit into that of an animal (not that I have anything against transsexuals), but the idea that a sad person could become content without resorting to psychiatry seems to allude them. It really isn't that hard. You don't need a shrink or drugs. You need the will to thrive, the understanding of just how erroneous the concept of being "neurotypical" is, and to view yourself in a positive light. I've never even met a girl my age that wasn't supposedly mentally ill, and out of all of them, only like two or three actually struck me as truly mentally ILL.

[@titanomachy2217]

@@anastasiamurawski6179 (Had to cut my comment in two cuz it was too long, and then I had to go back and edit some words to keep the algorithm from censoring it) You don't have an illness because you feel happy on some days and sad on others, you have the human condition, which is a persistent concern to all humans with enough intelligence to have recursive thinking. Psychiatrists and psychologists are just fallible humans, their pronouncements are no more objective or set in stone than those of priests. The only kind of people that never feel any concerns over whether or not they are mentally ill these days are grug-brained cavemen types, like I said, people that just do stuff, they lack self-consciousness and don't really think in any abstract sense. We go through life assuming we are weird and different for having anxieties and bad days or weeks or months or years, but that's actually the norm, it's the happy-go-lucky Pollyanna types that are the odd ones out. You don't think most people would be met with the psychiatrist going "Well, it looks like you are perfectly mentally healthy. You don't need my services." if they walked into a shrink's office for an appointment, do you? Everyone that goes to a psychologist or psychiatrist gets SOME diagnosis, sooner or later, the only people that don't are people that never go to a shrink. I didn't have some mental disorder that was treated by powerful stimulant drugs like Amphetamine and Methylphenidate, I was a teenager than needed his sleep that had to get up at six AM every weekday, so I was too exhausted to pay attention in my early morning classes. I suspect I'm not alone in that situation. I didn't have an anxiety disorder that was treated by benzodiazepines, I had the fairly typical feelings of anxiety that most young people feel, and the drugs made me feel good, just like everyone else drinks at social functions, to loosen their lips and make it easier to socialize. Psychiatrists are glorified drug dealers. They may care about their patients, but there are plenty of drug dealers that care about their customers, that doesn't change what they are though. I don't want to sound like I am telling you to just "Suck it up" or pull yourself up by your bootstraps, but what I am saying is that what has worked pretty well for me has been faking it til I make it. I always look for the silver lining in a bad situation and try to remember that it could be a lot worse. It can feel a bit hollow and like coping at times, to start with, but as you continue to make light of bad situations and endure more and more hardships as you age, it becomes a habit, and you start to really feel the way you used to just try to look like you felt. Ruminating on the things you see as being wrong with your mind or what you see as your shortcomings in general is like picking at a wound. You have to look to the horizon, get your mind outside of yourself, per se, like I have found that I don't worry about my life so much if I focus on the big picture. And lastly, comparing yourself to other people never helps. There will always be someone that is richer, has a better romantic life, has a better body, is stronger or faster or what have you. If it weren't for the way we compare ourselves to others, the average middle class Westerner would realize their material quality of life is off the charts in terms of opulence, like the kind of luxury ancient emperors couldn't have hoped to experience. I don't think economics is really that big a problem facing the developed world today, at least, not the amount of money flowing through our economy, it's more about the extremely top-heavy distribution of wealth that is propped up by exploitative practices which are protected by the puppets of the mega-rich in governments. But an even greater problem than the tons of people that haven't been given any incentive to be part of the workforce and the tons of people that are too poor to own a house or even rent an apartment is the complete lack of community and reliable connections like loyal romantic partnerships or friendships and the fact that families are more loosely-knit than ever, not to mention the ongoing process of general moral inversion being carried out via pop culture, the education system, and politics. For non-Dark Triad types, to be truly rich in joy and meaning isn't to accrue a ton of wealth, but rather to be needed, to have a place in the world and people that love you and you love in return. It doesn't have to be a conventional family, it could even be a monastery full of monks, but people need some kind of sense of having a purpose and community, generally speaking. Most people aren't cut out for isolation. I wish people could just reach out to one another. The world is more populous than ever, and yet there is more loneliness than ever. If you have someone, you should be grateful and not let them go on a whim. The way love has been cheapened and treated as mere recreation with no intrinsic, transcendent value attached really saddens me. Breaking a heart is a serious matter, and I wish I could have been told that when I was a boy. As a society, we place too much emphasis on money, status, and success in one's career and too little emphasis on loyalty, courage, honor, family, nation, and God, and I say this as someone that was raised in an atheist, Marxist household. Every life-affirming pro-adaptive development universally promoted by the ancients has now been subverted, inverted, or destroyed entirely. The spiritual abolition of mankind is almost complete, and morality has successfully been supplanted by political orthodoxy.

[@BL-sd2qw]

YES to all of what you said!!! Decolonize your mind and create class consciousness!!!

[@JH-ex6mb]

As a person who suffered from anxiety and depression and who was on an anti-depression for about 18 months and made the decision to get off it about 4 years ago, I very much appreciated this video. The drug had me put on weight, lose my sex drive and made me feel like I was in a fog. I decided that I did not want to live that way and was weened off the drug over a 6 month period. I am doing good and glad for my decision. THANK YOU

[@Skoopyghost]

I'm happy for you. In this horrid mental health system. I'm against medications. Against long term use of it completetly. Really happy for you.

[@mordecaiissad8529]

Have you been seeing a doctor that whole time regularly? My psychiatrist urged me to go to therapy and is tapering me off as soon as I was stable enough to do so. The first anti depressant I was on, messed with my weight and my doc changed it immediately. We are both hoping this tapering will be the end of taking my meds. I'm doing a lot better now, while I still feel a little shaky I am far from the hole of depression I was in two years ago.

[@Skoopyghost]

@@mordecaiissad8529 I needed to go to Rehab coming off benzos what I have been told recently. The with drawls were that bad. My doctor was a scumbag. I could have died.

[@mordecaiissad8529]

@@Skoopyghost oh hell, benzos and their family are very dangerous for long term use. No where near antidepressants. I'm sorry that happened to you. I only know two people who were prescribed meds in that family and both times (different doctors) it was stressed use is only for a month max to stabilize temporarily to allow for other work to be done. Benzos are well known highly addictive depressants.

[@ShowMeYoBoob]

@@Skoopyghost i was feeling depressed out of nowhere even when everything was perfect. And i don't care what anyone says Wellbutrin saved my life. If anybody is against these drugs that's because they don't have depression. So from my own experience i believe that depression is either something u are born with and it "wakes up" later as u grow up or your brain got damaged from bad situations/events in life

[@Oskar-S-]

Depression is literaly hell on earth. It is a battle against the mind. The chase of escaping pain. For anyone out there battling, remember nothing lasts forever. Hand on there ❤❤. All the love all the power

[@martinharris5017]

Great talk Mark. very balanced and respectful. I have two relatives with anxiety/depression issues. One takes meds, and finds them helpful. One refuses to take meds and seeks drug-free management solutions. I support both as everyone is different.

[@andreathiessen]

I'm sure that these medications are overprescribed, and many people could resolve their problems through lifestyle changes or therapy, but I don't think that's the case for everyone. I have struggled with cycling depression (occurring several times a year) and nearly constant anxiety and OCD for over 20 years. I have had a very stable life and always been physically healthy, and these problems persist whether I love my job or not, whether I am alone or have a good relationship, etc. Obviously difficulties in life can make my struggles worse, but they never go away. Since I was 14 I have tried various forms of therapy, diet changes, exercise, meditation, spiritual pursuits, vitamins, naturopathy, etc. Literally everything except medication, as I had many fears about it. Finally this past year I tried it as a last resort, and the difference is incredible. It makes me wonder what my life could have been like if I had tried it earlier, if I would have had more success or better experiences. For me it was the right choice. This may not be the case for everyone, and I certainly don't think it should be the first line of treatment, but I'm happy these meds exist for those that need them.

[@gaboqv]

I am glad you had found finally something that has helped you, I wonder if you where prescribed SSRIs? as it seems your symptons relate more to anxiety

[@andreathiessen]

@@gaboqv Yes, SSRIs and stimulants, anxiety is definitely my main struggle. And thank you, things have definitely been improving for me!

[@andreathiessen]

@@BT-dl8kq Vyvanse and Zoloft, I would talk to your doctor though as everyone is different. I'm skeptical of keto and am currently vegan

[@janetashbrook5614]

So much of depression is due to life events that are exerperienced by many people and medication is not the answer though people may benefit to begin with. I had depression when young though did not know what it was. My family was what today is called dysfunctional . When i was fifteen my mother left home without explanation and it was to be with a man she had been having an affair with. I had met my now husband at that time and his family allowed me to stay at their house I was pregnant soon after! From being a 15 year old school girl in a matter of months my mother had left and being in the days when it was abortion adoption or marriage was married at 16. My world had changed quickly and with hindsight it was no wonder that it was too much to cope with. I suffered till about 21 on and off but did not consider medication and wonder if should have but what was needed was the recognition that it had been a traumatic time that came much later in my life. I do think that when had it always susceptible to it again whether that is because of changes in the brain from it or for psychological reasons I do not know. We do not allow for normal reactions to life events . My daughter has Long Covid and says that she crys for no reason and has antipressants. I say you do have a reason to cry allow yourself to cry and mourn for the life you have lost. What have we become that we are not able to be human and medication to cure it.

[@andreathiessen]

@@janetashbrook5614 I'm very sorry you went through so many hardships in life. I agree that many people experience depression as a normal reaction to life events. But I don't believe that is the case for everyone. I had no such traumatic life events, and I have suffered consistently since about 13. When I was sad or anxious it almost never had a cause. Now I'm doing well most days, but my medication doesn't keep me from feeling sad when something sad happens, and that's how I want it to be. Some people are just genuinely mentally ill, and we can't paint everyone with the same brush. Different people need different treatment.

[@ShanaAlversonFitness]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this. Was able to help my mother get off her antidepressants - the well-known, adverse effect of suicidal ideation caused by the drug had her calling me threatening to slit her wrists - would have been so much easier if we’d had this information first! She’s been off for over a year and is actually LESS depressed now and getting better. Thank you so much for sharing- SO IMPORTANT!! 🙏🙏🙏

[@Lyrielonwind]

I have complex PTSD and I have been arguing with doctors about not feeling any better but worse taking antidepressants to not avail. Two months ago I was prescribed Amitriptyline 25 mg for unknown neuropathic pain in my bladder. It has relieved the symptoms until a week ago; I just couldn't get up from the couch in days so I have decided to reduce the dose (I have had to do this a few times in my life but this time was for physical pain) slowly because I prefer taking pain killer until they found out what's the underlying problem which could be somatic or not ( I have appointments in two months for testing, etc). I have noticed the numbing of the tongue without keeping it in my mouth and I agree it numbs bad but also good emotions. I live alone and I can't keep myself unable to get up from the couch potato for chemical reasons. I rather take pain killers than a medication which is depressing me even more and to the point of not being able to get up from the couch.

[@AlexReynard]

I can't help but feel this crushing rage, empathizing with the uncountable number of people who have been hurt by the lies of pharmaceutical companies. If you're told one thing is a solution when it isn't, that's not just a lie, but it's robbing that person of the path to finding a solution that *does* work.

[@Uther1313]

I quit my meds cold turkey in 1999. It was the most horrible time of my life for months. I'm lucky to be alive actually. I was completely ignorant and had no idea what the side effects were or could be and I didn't even know what the effects of the drugs were in the first place. I had been going through a challenging time a year before and had insomnia, the Dr. gave me antidepressants as a quick fix. I moved away to a new city and didn't have a prescription and didn't feel like I needed meds any longer, so I had no idea what was coming.

[@gandalf2256]

From one Gandalf to another, God bless you.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

I'm glad you made it through. Sorry you had to deal with such a difficult time.

[@ikisolde1]

Hope you are ok❤

[@yamiletsoler3464]

We are never prepared for this horror. I don't desire this pain to anyone. I'm glad that you made it.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

@kinglouistexas I wish you strength and uplift Louis. I'm sure you have something to live for. Have you considered the new doctor - monitored treatments with psychedelics and MDMA that help reset the brain? One I've heard of is mindbloom. There are others. If you'd like more info just google the heck out of those and I'd bet you'll get tons of useful info.

[@robertcrouse1187]

As a therapist i work hard to help people find alternative ways of dealing with their struggles without drugs. This video is perfect to help them make an informed consent. Thank you for all the work you put into this video.

[@samanthachildress1091]

Robert, do you do virtual therapy? Im looking for an understanding therapist like yourself, they are hard to come by!

[@spacecat8511]

I personally can’t take anti anxiety/depression drugs or lyrica ‘cause messing with my serotonin actually makes things WORSE. Like prolly mild serotonin syndrome worse. And I fought to get a gene study done on the hope there was Something that could work but. Pretty much everything either messes with serotonin and/OR aren’t used as widely anymore ‘cause they’re kinda considered riskier for a reason. “Do you have bipolar?” “No.” [checks the diagnostic handbook with therapist Just In Case I need to pursue that diagnosis] “Still no. (And anything that looks Maaayyybeeee?? is also a definite adhd and cptsd thing, but the score’s still too low anyway.)” …yeah. I’ll just have to stick with CBT and IFS/Narrative therapy, and try to fight through my symptoms and adhd to find life enjoyable again

[@barneyronnie]

Trilafon, Citalopram, Triazolam and Dilaudid work for me😮

[@NerdymamaNurse]

​@@barneyronnieonly one of those is psych...

[@APOLLINAIREBARTHOLOMIEU]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[@Jennifer-bw7ku]

Yes, dr.sporessss I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.

[@Jennifer-bw7ku]

Yes he is. dr.sporessss

[@AnjeloValeriano]

Microdosing helped me get out of the pit of my worst depressive episode, a three year long episode, enough to start working on my mental health.

[@elizabethwilliams6651]

Can Dr. sporessss send to me in UK?

[@Jennifer-bw7ku]

Absolutely, his offerings extend to global delivery, prioritizing complete confidentiality for individuals valuing their privacy.

[@nickaoke]

My 13 years of experience with depression teached me a hard but freeing lesson: there's NO PILL that'll fix a broken lifestyle. Create a VISION for your life, create an identity aligned with that vision and start living your days from that new identity. When you change who you are (identity), you change how you act through life, which changes the results you get. This has been the cure of my depression.

[@rizzwyy]

love you mwutheeeeee

[@singularmusing970]

Just recently discovered this myself. Wise words.

[@bmxer4life3187]

I was on zoloft in highschool and almost didn't live through it. My grandpa got on ssris in his 80s and after a month had a suicide attempt. This was a man who lost family to suicide and was always trying to help everyone around him. After getting off the ssri he stepped out in front of a train and ended his life. Full life, never had a problem with depression or any type of self harm. Little over a month on an ssri he was gone. Exercise, and eat well.

[@annabell3385]

Why did they give him ssri's if he never had a problem with depression? I'm sorry for your loss.

[@americanhealthcaresurvivor]

I'm so sorry for your loss. This sounds like akithisia induced by withdrawal from the SSRI. I pray for a day of justice for victims of psychiatry/big pharma.

[@g.s777]

Pretty soon everyone is going to have to go to school and become there own doctor basically. I'm going to have to call my local college and start reading up on all the medical books. Pretty much I'm already doing this. I don't even feel safe taking Tylenol Jesus you really just can't trust anyone because everyone is brainwashed can't even trust your self because what you read in books or online is bullshit we have to read countless reddits and Quora comments to see what you've felt and what's going on with you.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

I've heard other similar bad things from Zoloft unfortunately. I wonder if they still prescribe it. It seems too unstable of a medication. I wonder if anyone feels they have received stabilization from it.

[@thilde2337]

​@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago I am taking the medication and when I began there was a big difference. A common side effect is worse symptoms in the beginning of usage, which happened to me too, but the symptoms can also seem worse to others because you are acting out more on the medication while the depression stopped you before. From what I know it is more common with suicide attempts when the depression is getting better and stops you less from acting out.

[@christosegkos]

Such incredible job in this video; well done, Dr. Horowitz. The field needs more professionals like you. Please continue to advocate for what's right in this broken system and spread awareness.

[@drewetpa]

Thanks for making this video. I was prescribed SSRI, but I never took them. I overcame depression and anxiety by working hard at it and learning about them. Time helped as I think both were in large part symptoms of Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. PAWS. I took up yoga, meditation, and indoor climbing. I improved my diet. I spent time in the Sun. I walked in nature. I asked for and was given help. I learnt a lot of coping strategies from Recovery College in the UK. I did my best to connect with people. I took Open University courses to learn more about them. I researched neuroendocrinology. I watched university lectures and read academic papers. Know thyself and thy enemy. Difficult when you are also your enemy. I am so pleased that I never took my SSRI.

[@tacocat8608]

I am not an expert or well educated in science or medicine, but this presentation aligns with everything I've ever believed or experienced when it comes to depression, anxiety, and medication. I am glad I listened to my gut instincts all these years. Thank you for sharing this important information.

[@DADela-ht6ux]

I struggled with anxiety after loosing a high stress job and spending 6 months unemployed. During this awful period - and being the sceptical person I am - I talked to at least 6 different psychiatrists. Each one of them had a different take on my situation and treatment. I decided I'd probably have better luck going to talk to a gypsy psychic. The SSRIs made me numb. I threw them out after 9 months. My emotions returned slowly. Sad at first but after 3 months, I felt like my old self again. I gained 40 lbs, lost my libido, half of my friends and my wife left me. All in 9 months. I'm just glad to be back to my normal crazy self. Lol. Thanks for this great info! Love to all...

[@GoonSquadLifeMember]

Testosterone, especially if over 40: 1 cc directly into the thigh muscle, once every 7-10 days. It won't turn you into an angry 400 lb gorilla, but mos-def helps eliminate brain fog.

[@DADela-ht6ux]

@@GoonSquadLifeMember it does. I just lift heavy weights. I leg press a stack that's 650lbs. Keeps the testosterone levels up.

[@bruderlein8514]

I greatly appreciate that not only is this video linked to the study he and his colleagues performed, but that he took the time after the study to explain it to us. We need more of this. As someone living with Bipolar II with depression comorbidity, I say, we need MORE research into this, and the information needs to be better disseminated and explained. Thank you, doctor, and all your colleagues, for this.

[@netto6681]

Before I took an SSRI I wasn’t strictly depressed, but I did worry too much about things, to the extent it was debilitating. I’m a lot happier now, and I couldn’t really care less whether that’s a type of intoxication, my life is better.

[@mosalami1548]

Well, some box breathing would have serve you the same probably

[@netto6681]

@@mosalami1548 ok, gonna tell my psychiatrist some guy called Mo Salami on KZbin has put me right.

[@ashleighsparkle8810]

This is me too. The rumination over small slights, small conflicts was so intense for me that it was debilitating. The “ what does it say about society” type thing when someone would hurt me was just too much

[@mosalami1548]

@@netto6681 well, this passive aggressive answer kinda tell me that you still have Problems. A non anxious person never, never ever, look at kids, answer passive aggressive. I still will explain it to you because I know it’s not you, it’s the anxiety making you that way: SSRI increases GABA through a serotonergic pathway, GABA calms the nervous system down, mainly through decreasing Noradrenalin and Adrenaline, to some extend Dopamine and Acetylcholine (but both increases again after some good sleep). This led you sleep deeply and restart your nervous system and refresh your stress resistance (you don’t need that much Nor-Adrenaline to cope with stress when you sleep good because your receptor will be sensitive again). The whole Point is: the Brain Areas which are responsible for your breathing (and other things to have no conscious control) do not develop resistance to Neurotransmitter, which means that when you your nervous system doesn’t restart it’s sensitivity through good sleep your Nor-Adrenaline will go higher and higher to maintain function. It’s a devil’s circle. Breathing exercises, especially Box Breathing, will increase your Tolerance to CO2, and it’s CO2 which calms you down and releases GABA. Stress increase your intolerance to CO2, you need high level of oxygen to stay calm, which of course it’s not endless possible because to tissue can’t more saturated than 100% (or what your iron metabolism is able Handle). Doing Box Breathing will reset your calmness, sleep and your nervous system, without using the serotonergic pathway, which won’t enhances your oxygen use (which is critical to regenerate truly). Only CO2 allows Oxygen to be released from hemoglobin. Whatsoever, I can only recommend you, from my the bottom of my heart, to try it. It’s magic once you let it be. You have nothin to lose.

[@netto6681]

@@ashleighsparkle8810 Yep they weren’t even really conflicts with me, more perceived slights which made me worry for ages about what I’d done wrong. It took being on sertraline to realise people weren’t out to get me and that I didn’t care so much if they were anyway.

[@cynthiaennis3107]

This MD had been through this himself! Thank goodness he learned about this & it prompted him to do research! Thank you, Dr. Mark Horowitz!💎🙏🏼 I wish there were more like you in the US!

[@peternicholsonu6090]

I am 75 and have been on an antidepressant the latter half of my life. First quarter of my life I suffered with a chronic fatigue before it was discovered and given that name. In my youth I fought the fatigue thinking it was just basic laziness which I abhor. Multiple good GPs could not help. Finally my GP suggested I could be suffering depression. He referred me to a specialist because GPs cannot prescribe such drugs in Australia. The Psychiatrist revealed my symptoms as “classic depression “ which did not affect the pleasure centre of my brain. I have a renowned sense of humour which is constant even when ill. Trial of different antidepressants resulted in one which took away the huge physical effort to fight my fatigue. The side effects I can live with. The exhaustive trials of testing popular drugs to failure was par for course to me. So now at 75 am planning to live to 100+ I was devastated losing to cancer my darling wife of 44yrs but came through it as would be expected of those like me who are optimistic by nature and have faith in the Creator. I could not go back to that chronic fatigue by whatever medical terminology. Appreciate the review given by your thoughtful presentation.....

[@peternicholsonu6090]

@S L Thankyou SL. Yes I do have difficulties with short term memory ie going from one room to another not occasionally but every time. One learns to work around these things.

[@domwarren3051]

Which antidepressant was the one that worked for you? Cheers from a fellow fatigued aussie

[@peternicholsonu6090]

@@domwarren3051 Lexapro. Which suits my metabolism. It does not help with others which is why the medicos try a number of types to find the one suited. All the best.

[@kenmastersmaster]

I'm on prozac and still have fatigue

[@peternicholsonu6090]

@@kenmastersmaster Ken. I happen to be here within minutes of your text. I'm not a professional nor into alternative therapies. But it took a lot of convincing for me to accept that I MAY be suffering depression. It's been 20-30 yrs since diagnosis and I took professional advice and went through different drugs to get one that eased my distress. That meant 6weeks easing off one drug, 6 weeks building up the next drug in my system untill I found the best I could get. Tried an old potent drug Nardil which made me manic and nearly killed me. As you know we have to work with medication and not expect everything to suddenly get fixed. I started at 16 when my mother died and am now 76. I work with the drug which makes life easier and feel grateful I have 2 legs, 2 arms, has best wife and 4 children who are totally independent of me. So a positive attitude is working with my daily dosage. It took me years to get here so be patient and learn to see the best in life. Also 2 little old ladies called at my door and gave me a hope that I can see my girl again one day...if they call on you listen to them .....

[@NekoArts]

I spent essentially my entire childhood and part of my early adulthood in therapy for anxiety and depression. I was bullied in school and abused at home, but these facts were conveniently glossed over and pushed to the side by the many psychologists and psychiatrists that I saw during that time, in favor of the "chemical imbalance"-explanation. I agreed to try anti-depressants as a tween but quickly went off them (cold turkey) when I found myself growing numb and turning into what I can only describe as a "zombie". That feeling absolutely terrified me (still does) and when I first brought it up with the doctor, his solution was to up the dose. So I quit. Fast-forward a few years and I can't think of a single psychologist or psychiatrist I've seen that hasn't more or less tried to force me or blackmail me into getting back on the anti-depressants boldly stating that it's a chemical imbalance causing my problems and not the abuse or bullying I'm suffering through on a daily basis. I frankly think that this gaslighting and dismissal of my actual issues were only making my depression and anxiety worse. A little more than 10 years ago, I was so deep in my depression that I was desperate. Something inside of me was telling me to just go and so I did. I "ran away" (in loss of a better term) to the other side of the world and after a lot of hard work, I was able to put both my abusive family and all of that behind me. I still have rough days and a lot of hard work to get through to recover, but removing myself from that situation was the best decision of my life, in terms of my health (both mental and physical). Looking back, it angers me how those drugs were pushed so hard on me most of my life while the real problems were so easily dismissed and overlooked. I don't doubt that there are good psychologists and psychiatrists out there, but from my own experience, it feels like most of the medical profession today consists of nothing but drug-salesmen for big pharma, and the psych-industry is unfortunately no different. Looking at what is being done especially to children today in the name of "health", part of me feels like I got off lightly. Things only seem to be getting worse and worse and I frankly fear for what's waiting for future generations.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

Thank you for telling your story. Yes unfortunately today it seems Big pharma has captured all. Seems psych counselors should know better than to just assume a magic pill will fix everything, but then again they may be getting kickbacks or favors for the meds they push. It's unfortunately common. Plus it's human nature to want the quick easy fix for someone or themselves instead of seeking the true cause of an issue, which is often much harder to fix, though not impossible, and a messier problem. We all want the magic bullet. Kudos to you for being rightfully suspicious and not passively accepting their view as the default correct one. In the right circumstances I'm sure meds can be a lifesaver but they can also become a crutch and a shield from our true feelings. They also can have unwanted side effects. I too think it's insane how quickly we are drugging our kids today. If it's absolutely necessary than fine, I can accept it, there are always extreme cases where a child may need medication, but there's no way anyone can convince me it's a good idea or justified to have this many children on pharmaceuticals.

[@mitch5222]

How did u fix your life? I am trying but beeing alone doesnt help much.

[@summerwarrior458]

Yes!! You survived. 💪💪💪

[@yehmen29]

Well done, as you put it, removing yourself from the situation was the best decision of your life. I moved to a different country when I was in my early 30s, as my family were still trying to get me back. What you went through is no business of mine, but you might find Dr Ramani's and The Crappy Childhood Fairy's KZbin channels of interest, as well as the books written by Susan Forward (Toxic Parents) and Pete Walker (Complex PTSD). Spending time in nature, and doing physical exercise, is also a great help, as are pets (cats, dogs etc.). One of my life goals has always been to get a pet, once I am financially stable and have suitable housing. Best wishes Niko!

[@virginiamontaldo440]

Yup, unfortunately most psychiatrists are little more than drug peddlers and gaslighters. Not all but in my experience, most of the profession.

[@aaronogden9900]

Coming off SSRIs after 15 years on them was painful but still one of the best decisions I ever made. I had withdrawal symptoms for more than a year and they where severe for at least 6 months. I don’t take any medication and don’t particularly suffer with depression or anxiety anymore. I worked out how to control my thoughts in a way I later realised was my own clunky version of stoicism.

[@lauraandrew7440]

This is us what i need to learn

[@aaronogden9900]

@@lauraandrew7440 einzelganger KZbin channel is a good place to start.

[@kimwarburton8490]

@@lauraandrew7440 learn the list of cognitive distortions and logical fallacies. Learn to recognise when ur doing them, change the narrative, see the potential alternatives/positives, distract yourself, rinse and repeat is the basics iv learned, not that im good at it yet XD i skipped last 2 yrs cos citalopram XD

[@thepresentmoment369]

Wow congratulations!!! I've been on effexor for 16 years now. Wanting to get off. Have been emotionally numb almost this whole time. How did you go about getting off yours?

[@snowps1]

I'm in that boat now. Off Lexapro for almost two months. My mood is up and down a lot and it makes me think that's just the way I am and need to stay on the meds, but I don't want the side effects anymore. My temper is pretty quick now, too, which just adds to my stress.

[@TylerMcMahan]

I’ve worked with college students for 15 years. I feel like I’m fighting against psychiatrists and therapists prescribing these SSRIs. For 99% of students, quitting porn and social media for 3 months is all that’s needed for regulation and normalization of emotions.

[@marcodallolio9746]

Yeah but those pills wont push themselves. And children must be kept on social media and porn at all costs, that's what our society wants for itself, we decided

[@theeccentric7263]

Boomer

[@brianmeen2158]

The biggest problem is people want the quick fix and they see medication as just that. I’m struck by how many people that are unhappy(and usually overweight) yet resort to taking ssris before trying any other tactics like improving their diet and exercising.

[@thepresentmoment369]

People have no idea how dangerous these drugs are. The longer a person is on them the harder the withdrawal will be. Oh and they destroy a person's emotions essentially turning them into a robot.

[@hamon_master1390]

​@@theeccentric7263how so?

[@marianneellman1139]

This should be played on all entertainment channels for people to learn about!!! A very good explanation for how antidepressant s work!

[@NerdymamaNurse]

I think you should Google this article that he referrances...you will find a better article that discusses all the failures of this study

[@Atheria444]

Honestly, the world is so awful now...and getting worse...it's difficult to be happy. But, a quote that hit me years ago is, "Depression is your soul's way of letting you know you're on the wrong path." I've never felt that medication was the answer, although I know it does help some people.

[@GeraltOfRivia99]

I agree the world has got kind of scary. I see so much more drug use, depression. Anxiety, people talking to themself, honelessness you name it such a huge increase in the past 15 years. Ssris helped me greatly for my 20s but now im back to struggling so finding the right treatment can be super frustrating

[@Atheria444]

@@GeraltOfRivia99 I wish I had some wisdom, but this world is a mess right now. It's hard to feel truly hopeful. My gut tells me that people have turned too far away from their souls and gotten caught up in technology, social media, FAKE connections, etc. I think if people ditched phones and camped in nature, it would be a blessing.

[@kj5250]

@@Atheria444❤

[@bozbozman1575]

This video is very accurate and I hope one day people figure out a better way to quit this drug. You have given me hope. Thanks

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

The hidden truth 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@EricKolotyluk]

Thank you for some excellent insight. From personal experience, I was misdiagnosed and on SSRI medications for years, which has contributed to my CPTSD. I am a Highly Sensitive Person with Sensory Processing Sensitivity, where over-arousal was mistaken for depression. Doctors are astonishingly eager to prescribe SSRIs without concern for the harm they can cause.

[@liamlynch2115]

There are a lot of people commenting here that clearly have not experienced clinical depression. It’s not a choice. Life circumstances can play a role but “eat better, get sunlight, workout” is not as simple and not as much a cure as you seem to think.

[@WrinkledPlatypus]

I recently got myself off of an SSRI. Took a while to get over the brain zaps, which I was expecting, just not for as long as I experienced them. My SSRI "worked" as it addressed some of the symptoms I was experiencing at the time but it came with side effects that were not ideal and helped influence my ultimate decision to get off it. My recommendation before getting on an SSRI: there's probably other life choices that are causing you issues, address them first.

[@patricklapointe4979]

Sounds like effexor, that shit is the devil. The VA had me on that for years after a difficult deployment, I was barely present in my own life.

[@nerdygrl647]

Have you tried taking fish oil once a day? My husband did this after going off Lexapro and it took care of the zaps.

[@chameleon-dream-band-official]

As someone who experienced clinical depression for several years, it seems very clear to me now that the root cause of depression is environmental, spiritual, and existential stressors, not chemical imbalances (the koala cartoon says it all). At least, if the brain and body chemistry is messed up, this is an effect, not a cause. SSRIs may be helpful in giving a person some head space to address these stressors, but will never solve the root cause.

[@spanqueluv9er]

@chameleon-dream-band-official Literally numbing out your emotion center in your brain is not “giving head space” you fuqwit. Jesus.🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️💩🤡

[@skateboston420]

I feel like dopamine or noripeniephrine have more of a roll than low serotonin, I'm going to switch to an NDRI from an SSRI.

[@skateboston420]

Wellbutrin/Bupropion is a non recreational amphetamine, a substituted cathinone like mephedrone, also works as a subtle stimulant like Ritalin and a smoking cessation tool. It's an interesting chemical. There's a new medication that is really interesting, it's called Auvelity, it's a combo of bupropion +'20 mgs of DXM aka dextromethorphan so it's working on dopamine receptors and norpinephrine receptors + NMDA receptors like ketamine. It's a cathinone + a dissociative anesthetic/morphinan so it's almost like a cheap legal version of a combo of MDMA/4-MMC/mephedrone + ketamine + codeine so it's a very novel antidepressant. Should far surpass a drug like Prozac, a medication that had horrifying side effects, in middle school Prozac/Zoloft + Ritalin/methylphenidate + Adderall turned me into a semi-sociopath and violent bully. There's a few kids I absolutely tortured. Basically ruined my life + stunted my growth as a person. I was a good, smart, nice kid before the medications. I remember I was like 10-11 on the morning bus not realizing I was having an intense amphetamine rush, I didn't understand what I was feeling. So fucked, it's all about money but Auvelity has much more science behind it. Gives me a bit of hope. A few tears ago I finally got off Prozac and woke up one morning and felt better than I had felt in years, the next day I came down with chronic pancreatitis, it was so stressful I caved in and got back in Prozac. SSRIs and antipsychotics/mood stabilizers make you feel totally numb + zombified. I'm unfortunately still on Latuda, Prozac, Gabapentin, clonidine and Suboxone, numb as all fuck 👇.

[@warpedweirdo]

I consider SSRIs to be like aspirin; they sooth the symptoms but do nothing about the underlying cause.

[@chloerose1342]

spiritual..? Lol

[@alexc7789]

Recently on an SSRI, more for anxiety than for depression and it has made a massive difference. I've been a very anxious person my whole life and the meds have reduced my anxiety and helped calm my mind from constantly worrying and thinking about scenarios that will never happen anyway

[@papapatriarchy5372]

As much as I agree with some of the content in this video the honest truth is SSRIs can significantly improve GAD symptoms--I'm also living proof of this. Hope things go well for you and may I suggest therapy to complement the medication--that's really seemingly the best solution (apart from reaching a point where you can live life comfortably and confidently).

[@alexc7789]

@@papapatriarchy5372 I want to start therapy but I don't even know where to start with that. Feels overwhelming

[@papapatriarchy5372]

@Alex C have a look at what local therapists/ therapy clinics there are in your city/area and dive into the reviews. They usually have their own website that introduces the therapist and what they specialize in and simply book an appointment. Try to find someone who is tailored to your needs based off what their description is and also take a moment to come up with what goals you want to achieve with getting better mentally and bring that to the appointment and tell them. As you know with anxiety the biggest bitch is just getting there and sitting across from a stranger. You can do it--their job is to treat you like a human being and allow you to confide your deepest thoughts so that they can help you get better mentally and give you input on how to reframe your thinking. I believe in you, just do a bit of research, set up the appointment and show up. Turn that big annoying brain off. Good luck and remember, there's tons of us with this overwhelming struggle--you're not alone. We owe it to ourselves to put in the work to actually enjoy life.

[@eijeurwass2076]

Nice. Only problem now is You’re addicted to a drug and high 24/7.

[@Joerpg84]

My family are against meds but SSRI’s at low doses have been a major life changer for them and have increased their quality of life, improved constant worry, anxiety, and able to go back to work and function better. It depends where you look, who you talk to and will see good and bad experiences for everything. It’s good to be aware, but never good to fear monger as something being bad either when it makes a huge impact on many people’s lives.

[@jackiemargaret437]

Thankyou for discussing this. I am 74 now and looking back I am facing the fact that the real symptoms I have had over the years have been masked by my doctors through being given anti depressants instead of treating serious real time illness.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@Jimnyyyyyyyyyy]

I have been dealing with heavy amounts of anxiety with panick attacks everyday and couldnt deal with it anymore so i went to the emergencies in hospital and they gave me anti-depressants and sos panick medication, i am now on almost a week in this medication and can control better my anxiety plus i dont have anymore anxiety physical ticks, but a feel a depression running all over me and I am now dealing with these two things that seem that wont ever end, I believe this is deep rooted in our childhood traumas and a lack of education regarding on how to deal with emotions, i would say i have reached my rock bottom and everyday is a day of survival in which i hope i can live trough, it will be hard work and this videos showed me that I am not alone and this is a relief. Praying that everybody that deals with horrific thoughts, anxiety and depression can have a little hope like myself and this is all part of some cosmic and karmic work, at least that conforts me. Blessings to everybody and Be Here Now, love.

[@mitch5222]

Same. It is hard. Asking myself what is the point of this life.

[@GeraltOfRivia99]

I've seen antidepressants be great for many it can take time. Also diet and lifestyle. How are you foing now? I myself have struggled greatly with the same issues

[@JohnGeorge-pw2xo]

I suffered severe depression 16 years ago as a teenage. Spent my whole life fighting depression, mental illness and relying on antidepressants. I got diagnosed with OCD. Not until my mom recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.

[@ErnestoHorner88]

Hey mates! Can you help with the source? I suffer severe anxiety, panic and depression and I usually take prescription medicine, but they don't always help. Where can I find those psilocybin mushrooms? I'm really interested in treating my mental health without Rxs. I live in Australia don't know much about these. I'm so glad they helped you. I can't wait to get them too. Really need a reliable source 🙏

[@DonnDenisse]

YES very sure of Dr.alishrooms. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.

[@Mcdogmom288]

100% agree I used to have Psychosis and paranoid thoughts like "people thinking about me talking about me etc. Very odd behavior after getting off Adderall from 7-16. Antidepressants at 18-29. 31 now. I took way to much, but took about 20g of Gold caps (Psilocybin containing mushroom) I analyzed my entire life. The emotions that came out helped me understand behavior etc more. Wont ever need to do it again because I'm happy and contempt forever, but I wish more people did this to alter their perception of reality. Would help with healing much trauma

[@LucasRobert-ns3nj]

How do I reach out to him? Is he on insta

[@MarcWilliams-dz7ik]

Yes he's Dr.alishrooms.Shrooms to me is a natrual healer. I know a guy who has used mushrooms in the same way and they have really helped him. mah dudes have safe trips all.

[@Myst165]

Thank you for covering this topic. People have been misled for too long.

[@User-de2rr]

Serotonin is mainly build in your stomach, through food. A healthy diet is actually a must.

[@NerdymamaNurse]

Close. The receptors are in the gut (you stomach doesn't absorb food btw. It only breaks down food, but does absorb B12 through the parital cells, but all nutrients are absorbed through the walls of the small intestine. With the exception of triglycerides which are to big so they are broken down into a monoglyceride and two free floating fatty acids) but primary serotonin production is in the raphe nuclei of the brain. If you want to eat healthy for serotonin production make sure you have enough B12 and folate as they are important coenzymes in serotonin production #womeninstem

[@czanderrr]

As someone who has had depression and anxiety his whole life and only finally started taking medication in his 30s, I'm sooo glad I did. Lexapro makes me feel normal, just without the likelihood I'll have a panic attack or be anxious all day for no reason.

[@MrWestopher]

Anti-depressants are one of the worst things that a youth can muddle their still-growing brain with

[@katiekane5247]

I want to see how many school sh**ters are on them!

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

The hidden truth 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@The_Salty_Siren]

Youth don’t do it to themselves 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

And withdrawal is worse

[@britnimarie6679]

YESSSSS!!! I love the transparency. Thank you for your wisdom and for sharing your own intimate story. Much love and light to Dr. Mark Horowitz and After Skool!

[@lindseycassella3015]

I was on SSRI'S from 1995-2017 for GAD and OCD. I recently realized how much it was emotionally numbing me. I am taking an anxyilotic currently and it can only do so much. My emotions are so overwhelming sometimes I consider going back. I'm glad I found this video for more insight.

[@ot4kon]

seems like losing the ability to cope, after many years of not needing to cope the pain for all the emotional blunting. it happened to me during the 3rd year, the numbing was very frustrating.

[@BodyMusicification]

I was prescribed anti-depressants as a teenager. But less than a week later I stopped taking them. I'm so glad my teenage brain made that decision!

[@eldenfindley186]

You weren’t even on them long enough to feel them lmao

[@BodyMusicification]

@Elden Findley Yes, that was the point-I remember thinking I didn't want to change the way I think. The neurologist had no basis for prescribing them to me imo. I didn't go in asking for them either. So I just stopped before anything changed. It didn't seem worth the risk

[@eldenfindley186]

@@BodyMusicification it doesn’t “change the way you think” bro. I’ve been on them for different periods throughout my life, and I’m still my own person. Don’t listen to the BS.

[@BodyMusicification]

@Elden Findley Well either way it prevented me from staying on them and I'm glad for that-I obviously didn't have all the answers as a teenager

[@MoodyMickey]

I was prescribed antidepressants when I was 14, but I didn’t want to take them to begin with. My mom kept trying to talk me into taking them because my physician had mentioned and prescribed them for my anxiety. I felt like I didn’t get to say no at the doctors, but I’m kinda glad I ended up not taking them. I felt like I was being forced to try them when I never seriously considered taking them. I’m glad I sort of stood up for myself, but it was still painful how my mom kept telling me I needed fixing and didn’t seem to care when I said no, or that I was uncomfortable with the idea of taking meds for my anxiety. I might take antidepressants at some point in the future but I really don’t like the idea of taking them because of how I was treated before when it came to them P.S. sorry for the rant

[@clairepedersen2114]

I had no idea there were so many people (1 in 4!) people on anti-depressants. I have often experienced clinical depression, but always refused anti-depressants, preferring to deal with the depression my own way, or just to ride it out until recovery, even to the point of discharging myself from hospital when they wanted to put me on them. So glad I did this!

[@skateboston420]

It's the majority of adults in America who are on at least 1 antidepressant, like 55-65%, there's something deeply wrong here.

[@richiejohnson]

@@skateboston420 you are quite sure of your statistic?

[@kelseakimble7280]

I was in antidepressants for 4-5 years and experienced most of the side effects. I decided enough is enough and decided to wean off of them. I experienced severe withdrawals from it and thankfully after about 1.5 years am starting to feel normal again. However, due to my long history of depression and anxiety (about a decade), it never fails that my doctor tries to put me back on them whenever I go to the doctor, no matter what the visit is about. I'm a huge advocate for getting to the root cause of the mental health issues instead of drugging everyone. I'm in this process right now. I wish healing yourself holistically was more widely accepted in western medicine. Unfortunately we love in a world of drugged up, unaware people. Sad sad world

[@Afura33]

I am glad to hear that you are much better, but seriously change your doctor if he doesn't stop pushing this crap on to you, sounds like he is paid by the pharma industry to prescribe this crap.

[@pdcdesign9632]

I noticed when I'm on vacation and have nothing to worry about most of my anxiety symptoms go away 🙃 The problem is I can't afford to be on permanent vacation and have to work for a living 😫

[@kelseakimble7280]

@@pdcdesign9632 I had this same experience in January also! I went to Florida for 5 days and had zero anxiety. I felt great! As soon as I got back home, my anxiety came back tenfold! We aren't meant to live a life full of stress and working our lives away. It's sad, truly

[@130rne]

I feel you. I was prescribed SSRIs on and off for 10 years, turns out I don't have enough dopamine which was the major source of depression/lack of motivation and that should have been obvious since I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and never put on meds. Not a single doctor suggested it in over a decade. I had to research and ask for Wellbutrin on my own.

[@dcorgard]

Thanks Dr. Horowitz. Couldn't have been said any better. Thanks After Skool! Amazing art as always.

[@wmad33]

Thank you! I'm 3 years in from coming off long term antidepressants and I'm still adjusting, however, I'm finally able to cry and sit with emotions after being numb for years.

[@ericindallas2847]

Dr. Peter Breggin (author of "The Anti-Depressant Fact Book" among others, and he has several youtube videos posted) has been making these same points since the 90's when Prozac exploded onto the scene. Glad to hear Dr. Horowitz picking up the torch...

[@phoenixxavier9615]

If anyone is unhappy with their life, then they need to change their life. Move house, change job, get a hobby that they enjoy etc.. Pills will never change anything, just mask the problems that are causing the unhappiness.

[@tslinger21]

You’ve obviously never been properly depressed.

[@wandringjoule4x]

Pills never saved your life

[@American-Jello]

I cannot express enough how grateful I am to Dr. Horowitz and After Skool for this information. I had no idea about ANY of this. My daughter suffers from depression and has since she was a child, and she has resisted being on medication for it for years, instead choosing to fight through it in her own way; now I am so grateful she has. Thank you again. Your work will help many, Dr. Horowitz.

[@peggleblastlover]

I take Prozac for OCD and that kind of “numbing effect” it provides has been such a huge relief for my obsessive intrusive thoughts! It’s so interesting how SSRIs work on different disorders. Great video 😁

[@kalvinkalvarino9536]

This may sound crazy but psilocybin works for OCD. after I just started a micro dosing regime. After Just one dose and I felt 10 tens times better. It just kicked my OCDs ass. Like it was its job. It’s very effective. I don’t recommend anyone do the trip part, just the micro dose. ( I messed around with it back in college and it can be very scary to a mentally Ill mind so don’t do it.) It’s still effective and you don’t have to trip for it to work. You also don’t have to take it everyday, you do a regimen for a bit and it should last 6 to 12 months. This is easier said than done. It’s considered very illegal still thanks to Nixon’s zealous anti hippie campaign back in the early 70s. They pretty much banned all psychedelics without one thought if any of it could be beneficial. It’s very hard to find so sourcing is difficult. Check it out. It’s very promising. But if you can find a legit plug, I recommend trying .25g to .5 g doses. You really don’t start a trip until you take 1.0gms. Then it’s a very mild trip. But you don’t need to bother with it if you are nervous about it. I used to take Prozac before and this works like Prozac on steroids. It’s worth checking out.

[@thepresentmoment369]

So you like not having any emotions? Because that's what effexor has done for me.

[@normahostetler7859]

Vit B1 for OCD

[@ChillyIllie]

​@@thepresentmoment369but they aren't you.

[@MickisMom]

I came off anti-depressants on my own as they did nothing for me. I took six months to do it and had no withdrawal symptoms, fortunately.

[@annekary6190]

It’s too emotional to say my story and all the life that was stolen from me. I’m so glad this info is out

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

The hidden truth 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@aaronboyum5985]

Favorite illustration was the character looking longingly into the coffee cup! Nailed it!

[@joannadalton6240]

Your presentation is exactly what I needed as I taper off current antidepressant Effexor. I follow the advice of an extremely helpful support group for this purpose which refers to much of what you have said here. To hear someone from the medical community explain the rôle of antidepressants in such an intelligible manner is a relief. I’ve been on a variety of these drugs for 23 years following a poorly diagnosed & treated TBI. I discovered the extent of the damage 15 years after the event when I finally had an MRI after a seizure. I was told by my psychiatrist that I would probably need to be on venlafaxine for life. I‘m about to start my next 10% taper from 150mg to 56mg. Your video & the support from the group I’m in make me well up; I have thought I was crazy when in fact I don’t need this medication, though it seemed to help at times. Coping strategies are vital to live a healthy, fulfilling life & manage inevitable sad or difficult times. Thank you so much 😊

[@chris4charity191]

It's going to be a difficult 6 months for you. Taper slowly, even up to a year and at your own pace. Remember, it's okay to have down days during this period. You can do this 💪 good luck

[@france7678]

Bon succès sur ce chemin 💛

[@shedshow1439]

I recently tried and failed to get off Effexor.

[@joannadalton6240]

@@france7678 merci beaucoup. Ce n’est pas façile avec quelques psychiatres…

[@hikikomori8150]

Good video. This vid should be shown before starting SSRI. I stopped cold turkey, it was quite an experience...5years later still recovering. But its good to be clean

[@peterjones6321]

Thank you for posting this. I stopped my SSRI meds last September, after 10 months of linear reduction in the medication dose. The drop from 10mg to zero has caused me dreadful problems with my mood. Like, the worst I have experienced in my 54 years of life. I have an underlying mood problem, the cause of which I understand, but the mood swings into depression over the last 8 months have been the most severe and protracted I have had. To the point of being unbearable. Just watching this video has given me sufficient insight such that I now have some idea of what has been going on in my head. And no matter how I'd handled my reduction, because it was linear that the last drop was always going to be the worst, by far. It's a SIGNIFICANT help to actually see a graph of the hyperbolic reduction. It was like a light coming on, for me. Ohhhhhhh! I seeeeeee. So, genuinely, Thank You.

[@AmandaIsAwesome]

This is so accurate!! I just finished tapering off Zoloft after 7 years and was going down by the same dose weekly for 8 weeks ( that was the slowest option. My dr offered me a 3 week option 🤯). Week 1,2 we’re dizzy, INSANE dreams very anxious. Week 3-8 kind of a blur every week feeling like I want to get off the roller coaster sort of get used to it then Friday comes and I reduce again!! Mon, tues were the worst tapering fridays. Gah! Find the things that help you. Headphones for silence, prioritize sleep and self care and eating well. The 2.5 weeks following the 0 dose were the worst for not being able to think, or drive, or process info or sleep. And the entire time there was a ton of working through issues that had been numbed for years. Just posting to give hope to anyone considering coming off. It’s worth doing (thinking clearer, feeling less numb, able to handle stress better) but def think of it like healing from a brain injury. It’s not easy, or instant. But you can do it ❤

[@AmandaIsAwesome]

Have to add vitamin D and vitamin B made a huge difference too!!

[@outrohealth]

Coming off antidepressants can be so daunting, especially when healthcare providers don't know how to support (or sometimes don't want to). Glad you found some things that helped you! ❤

[@jasondashney]

That's a really interesting point about having to suddenly face all the issues that were pinched in the hose for years. You get blasted with them while at a vulnerable time. Wow. Hope you're in a better place now.

[@chucksigler5400]

Excellent! Well done, Dr. Mark. you put an incredible amount of information into this video. I've read your recent study with Dr. Moncrieff and read her book, "The Myth of the Chemical Cure."

[@JaredWarrenGardner]

God bless you Mark and After Skool. I thank God for you both. This means so much to the mental health community. Alot under the mental health system, both past and present hoped to see this day come and I am so glad that it has. Many have longed for someone with authority to speak on these matters that we speak about all the time for decades now but largely arent listened to. Thank you for giving us hope again that truth shall prevail and have the victory in mental health. Please continue your exceptional work. You have many more friends than foes in those under the mental health system. Thank you for your bravery.

[@shadyganem5448]

The only way to beat anxiety is to accept it. Accept everything that is happening to you in life and it magically goes away. Live courageously

[@iamthefiremanjj]

Yes

[@NerdymamaNurse]

Ok, thanks. I wi tell that to my patients that are abuse survivors, lost their home, lost a loved one to suicide... What a sheltered privileged life you live

[@shadyganem5448]

@NerdymamaNurse acceptance is the only cure. It's not easy.

[@iamthefiremanjj]

@@shadyganem5448 i agree and lifestyle changes

[@kcpetite1]

Thank you SO much for making this video Mark. It's easy for my members to watch and follow while learning the truth how these drugs are marketed, etc.

[@willmurphy6663]

Thanks Mark, very clear, informative, evidence based... spoken with humility and sense 'theres more to learn'. The problem of power, vested interest and powerful groups not helping the less powerful distressed has been a common theme through the history of mental distress. Information, education, self empowerment is helpful in combating this....

[@mustlearnmore4884]

Speaking from personal experience, I can say that coming off high-dose SSRIs after several years was perhaps the worst experience of my life. NHS guidelines here in the UK state that only 4 weeks are required to come off them, which is what my GP recommended despite my concern that this was a very short period. When returning to my GP to explain my horrific experience, he simply said "Why don't you just go back on them?" If the c0v1d debacle wasn't enough to destroy my faith in the British medical system, that certainly was.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction It is already happening to some extent in our own society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable.” - Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

Had a similar experience with Zoloft . It’s almost like these medications are designed to make you crazy

[@dubjay3802]

@@VeganSemihCyprus33 hard facts !

[@Tonytonytony1234]

Same experience here, had a bad reaction to my SSRI after having massive brain trauma, and the doc said “just stop taking it, there are no withdrawals” leading to the most difficult six months of my entire life.

[@internetfasting80085]

​@@VeganSemihCyprus33 Or use simple game theory to make subject/citizens go from "sad/scared" to "happy/calm" using PROVEN methods: like if sad, send cats, or smokes, or vodka, or a playstation, or etc proven dopamine feedback systems and basic biology, everybody like cookies, brownies, icecream, etc whatever sell is as a policy of UBI, or freedom dividend, or "super american love patriot republican tweet fuel" idk idc , have fun with the justification model for secret santa world order 😂😂😂

[@chantalc5246]

More than anything, this video was very informative on HOW to get off the medication effectively when/if that is the way you decide to go. Even if only a placebo effect, it's still beneficial for many. However, not everybody on them wants to be on them forever. This was an excellent explaination video.

[@georgiewinter8795]

My daughter was prescribed Zoloft aged 12. Turns out she is autistic and was burnt out - not depressed. Luckily her mental health nurse was well informed and followed the regime you describe exactly here to help her come off the pills. It was lengthy and involved going down to minute amounts at the end (1ml of liquid Zoloft in a tiny syringe) but it worked for her. So I think mental health practitioners are becoming more aware here in the UK at least.

[@JamalFuckinKilla]

Check out the book Lost Connections by John Harari? Might be an interesting read.

[@luvinsingin07]

Zoloft is a monster! Glad you were able to identify the underlying cause and your daughter was able to come off it. Had to do my own research on tapering and request the liquid.

[@VTM_isawesome]

Giving a developing brain a drug like that is irresponsible

[@JorgeBrown]

Dr Horowitz, you have done such a clear approach to a very blurry area of the medical/big-pharma realm! You've hit the bull's eye from miles‼️ Every single word you've said here is well based, well balanced and full of compassion. I think most of healthy people around the world over 40 have experienced some sort of depression (myself included). However, detaching ourselves from that troubled time may reveal some actual causes for the depression symptoms. These causes can easily be assembled into: work, relationship, physical heath, isolation, social media aggression and other "new" phsycological disorders created by the brainless, heartless and scrupleless media. I might be forgetting some causes but I do believe what I have cited here might cover the majority of depression symptoms not related to chemical unbalance in the brain or whatever chemical cause. You have clarified and illuminated a murky and dark region of my astronomical ignorance! Thanks heaps, all the very best and pls, keep up the great work‼️🤗

[@eshamerita5970]

Beautiful. Spread that beautiful clarity that you see projected in Horowitz' work, brother 🙌♥️🙏

[@comet1618]

eloquently put

[@ashleywhispers4331]

Diet too. Our foods are loaded with sugar which is highly addictive and addiction can cause depression

[@curtiste3235]

Mind Blowing...! Simple, evidence based presentation. Thank you so much!!! Way to change the paradigm!

[@RikisVlogs]

TW!!! I am a first generation immigrant that went through a very difficult childhood. Abandonment, a lot neglect, and s3xual abus3. I lived in trauma until my early 20s and I was always told I had chemical imbalance, but I knew it wasn’t that exactly. I was put on so many SSRIs that just numbed me. I had difficulties speaking up to my psychiatrists and telling them that I no longer wanted to find the “correct” anti depressant. I eventually started kickboxing and that opened so many doors to other realities to me. I’m still struggling to eat healthier, but I am much more physical and go outside more, even if I’m just by myself. Understood that being alone all the time isn’t “quirky” and learned to be part of a community. Try that thing that you have always wanted to try. Life is about having challenges and overcoming them. Humans are so strong and resilient and we forget that !

[@deku3i]

I’m a second generation immigrant and I can relate to growing up in a dysfunctional home with abandonment & s3xual abuse, I wish more people realized trauma shapes your brain and has long-term effects on people. Medication isn’t anyways the answer, working on your issues, being part of the community, hobbies, etc. can be far more helpful. I wish you the best I hope things get better for you

[@joeymupewa5795]

Respects to you. You stepping out of your comfort zone and moving with faith despite the symptoms is a sign of true self-love, belief and strength. This is inspiring.

[@viktorberzinsky4781]

Two things can be simultaneously true. I know people who have had their lives saved by their medications. You can have a genuine mental illness and have it's symptoms made exponentially worse by the conditions you live in. If you abolish all the abuses propagated by our current society you might still be depressed, however the symptoms might be easier to manage.

[@flafaloon]

none of that is true, there is no such thing as mental illness, there are only different movements of life playing on a screen of awareness. Mind, doesnt exist. Time? Doesnt exist, past, neither, future, neither, distance? BS. Its all a story, there is an appearance of that but its a story, and for somoene to tell anyone you have a mental disorder, is the biggest fallacy of our times. There is no mind, there is only Being. What is reading this is Life, quite simply, Life. Everything Is, always only in this moment, allways now, allways here. Distance is an appearance, all is illusion including your own self. I just opened up a big can of Truth, so Hey guys, now go back to the dream and enjoy, catch ya later.

[@matchbox420.]

@@flafaloon so souls don’t exist? Feelings don’t exist? What DOES exist? I’m sure you think you live in a huge expansive world, but it sure sounds limited to me.

[@l3eatalphal3eatalpha]

​@@flafaloon Apart from the first and last sentences I can agree with a lot of the more Buddhist sentiments.

[@martinlutherkingjr.5582]

@@flafaloonne could argue there is no mental illness because all mental processes are physical in nature as far as we know. Mental illness = physical illness.

[@evanabt8578]

@@flafaloon my crazy af mentally Ill wife says you are a lier. 🤓

[@jomamacallinyou]

Excellent presentation. I've taken a wide variety of drugs for depression for almost 40 years. The main effect has always been mind-numbing. Depression never went away. The worst part of these drugs has always been what they call a side effect. Suicidal thought was more of the primary effect than side effect. I have had thoughts of ending my life for decades. It wasn't until I finally decided these weren't helping that after going off of them that these thoughts have almost disappeared.

[@justinkoreska]

I appreciate the insights. This aligns with my experience except that I don't think you can dismiss some kind of faulty wiring in all cases. In my case the depression can creep in without me realizing, irrespective of environmental conditions. Suddenly my mind tricks me into losing interest in the things I love or ruminating on flaws in relationships even though everything else is going well. I know that SS/NRI nightmare ride and fully subscribe to mindfulness and absurdism and psilocybin, now. But I strongly suspect it can, in some cases, truly be an underlying condition and not a temporary one like getting fired or a bad year or pandemic (not to diminish those cases).

[@sayumuaTTV]

Thank you so much for this information. I have been dealing with mental illness since I was a kid. My mom has BPD and she uses antidepressants all of her life. Watching her suffer with drugs behold me from taking them, was very scared to have the same symptoms. Now I know also having BPD instead of reaching for drugs, decided to do mindfulness... big impact on my conduct mental illness. No need to take any drug.

[@dmystfy]

Good for you. I wish you the best🎉

[@JB-ku7kv]

BPD isnt even real, neither are any of the “person disorders”. They are lies built on broken people with poor coping mechanisms and poor thought habits, and character flaws. Every human has those things. You have accepted a clever lie, and was made to believe you’re a victim. But You’re not.

[@tatianaboutkova3835]

This is mind blowing !!!! I can’t thank you enough for this explanation!!! It finally made all the sense!!!! You literally changed my life! THANK YOU

[@astang1072]

I was pressured by family and some church counselors to get on SSRI’s. I knew I had specific emotional traumas that needed time to heal. There were specific things happening in my life that were hard to manage. The idea of the side effects caused me great anxiety, and I took them for a few weeks. As I’ve heard Jordan Peterson say “It’s important to distinguish between clinical depression and an abundance of negative emotions”. I’m SO f--ing glad I did not let them talk me into taking these!

[@pokefriend13]

As a pharmacist in the making, this man is spitting FACTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@firstlast9280]

How far are you?

[@Equalenemy]

I am so glad that there are doctors dedicate their lives to studying the brain and teaching other people that the tv, your phone and other doctors are in fact, not always telling the truth.

[@onba7726]

I was on anti-depressants and I do believe they helped me but getting off them definitely made me have serious anxiety. As a result I was told to go back on, which I did but I still wanted off eventually. Never got any help or advice on that from a doctor or my psychiatrist so I tried and fail three times. I'm off now and much better then before the anti-depressants but they would of kept me on them forever if I hadn't taken matters into my own hands.

[@sarabell2030]

Hey there! I'm looking to getting off of mine pretty soon due to some anxiety. i fear that it may get worse without being on medication, but I no longer feel the need to take it. what were some things that assisted with your anxiety during that time?

[@godisnotgr8]

Absolutely fantastic video. Thank you so much for producing this ❤️

[@TheDirthound]

Luckily I had good results when taking SSRI's at certain points in my life. My sympathies to those who suffer with clinical depression and who are looking to get well.

[@lizblock9593]

Thanks so much for spreading the word on this! Doctors never suggest you get off a med. Researched for myself to find that paroxetine has among the worst withdrawal symptoms. The only help the doc gave me was changing my prescription amounts. I reduced dosages over six months and went through withdrawal hell. I felt like I was going crazy. The worst part is I'm pretty sure the withdrawal triggered Chronic Fatigue Symptom (ME/CFS). Now I work hard every day to regulate my mental outlook because my lifestyle has become so depressingly limited. So thanks big pharma and medical science!

[@BrianButterworth-s4z]

Look into vitamins. Many people have vitamin deficiencies or get them after taking prescriptions. Hope you are doing well!

[@ticktick6585]

This was a very, very informative video! A simple explanation that gave so much clarity. 👏

[@KW_FlyFishing]

This is the most helpful video I've watched in a long time. Thank you!

[@rdmd]

To be sure, it is in medicine's best interest for clinicians to remain vigilant and skeptical of pharmacological interventions. That said, everyone who has ever written a paper for high school or college knows that you have to reference your material. When anyone (student/resident/attending) references an umbrella term such as "depression" or "antidepressants" as though they exist as a singular mechanism, it should set off alarm bells. It is the equivalent of talking about "cancer" and "chemotherapy in blanket terms." Getting patients riled up in an anecdotal echo chamber won't impart clinical changes. Instead, one must make their argument, cite their sources, define their verbiage, and make a pre-emptive rebuttal against potential criticisms. Otherwise, this is simply adding to the disinformation and arguably doing harm.

[@nobodysbaby5048]

It is well known that antidepressants only work 25% of the time. If they are medical professionals THEY should have already researched this fact and not just accepted whatever claptrap the pharma rep sold them. Because we all know where THAT leads.

[@pidgepagonis]

So beautifully stated. Thank you!

[@billschannel8214]

I've been on SSRI's for decades. I've always wondered if I'm experiencing a true chemical effect or a placebo effect, as mood can't be measured, like blood pressure for example. But it HAS been helpful to me, either way. I like that this doctor makes that point at around 2:50. Whether it's good for you long term, or just another cash cow for big pharma, is another question.

[@StarPony-dw3wv]

This is the best summary I have watched of the several trauma psychology books I've read.

[@haleymoore6684]

Depression is the bodies way of ALERTING ME SOMETHING IN MY ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO CHANGE. THE INABILITY TO FINANCIALLY AFFORD THE CHANGE IS MOST PEOPLE'S ISSUE

[@adrianD4]

no, they cannot accept reality is what the problem is, you can always change your surrounding and the way you respond to it. most western people grow up being told they can be anything and when reality hits them they get depressed, which turns out that is actually just an excuse.

[@BaBaYaga1999-p7u]

OH WOWOW

[@stevensmileyprod]

No.

[@johnsmits2494]

In quite a few cases, including mine, absolutely. The helpless feeling of being stuck because of some important financial consideration can really make you depressed. Not I can’t buy a BMW, but I can’t put my car back on the road, for example.

[@celaeno919]

@@stevensmileyprod Yes.