This past week, I have come to recognize and grasp a new concept that I call, "medication trauma." For me, it's a breakthrough in understanding the effects of exposure to medications (any medication, not just psychotropic medications) that may ease the withdrawal process and lessen the risk of relapse.
The concept of medication trauma requires several paradigm shifts for me:
Understanding medication exposure holistically and energetically and not just biologically and functionally.
Recognizing that even when a physical medication is no longer prescribed/present, complicated effects from its exposure may linger.
Differentiating between past medication traumas and current medication withdrawal issues.
Read on for further clarification on medication trauma and how to treat it.
Have a wonderful week!
Resolving Past Medication Trauma
Another breakthrough in medication withdrawal
Although J. L. had a surprisingly smooth and easy medication taper from both Mertazapine and Sertraline, she began experiencing insomnia soon after stopping her last tiny dose of Sertraline.
My testing results indicated that she had more than enough serotonin, and she didn't feel depressed. Initially, I added some additional supplements to support withdrawal from her medications, but her condition didn't improve.
Finally, after putting J. L. back on the two medications that she had laboriously withdrawn from, I assumed her "withdrawal" symptoms would lessen. Instead, her insomnia worsened to sleeping just 1.5 hours per night, and she began to have signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome.
At this point in her treatment, I shifted my focus from her withdrawal from Mirtazapine and Sertraline to other possible causes for her struggles. J. L. had been prescribed Tramadol 50 mg twice per day from 2007 to 7/2019.
Tramadol works both as an opioid and as an antidepressant (a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.) It is highly addictive, and J. L. had somehow tapered off of it and stopped using it in 7/2019. At the time, her withdrawal symptoms included severe insomnia, depression, and anxiety, which resolved after adding Sertraline to her Mirtazapine.
Now, although J. L. didn't feel depressed, her insomnia and anxiety were reminiscent of Tramadol withdrawal. Could J. L. have healed from her need for antidepressants but neglected to entirely clear other aspects of Tramadol withdrawal? Could J. L.'s symptoms be due to underlying causes for insomnia and anxiety that 22 years of medications failed to heal?
My working hypothesis was that the masking effects of J. L.'s Mirtazapine and Sertraline were masking the masking effects of Tramadol. Beneath all of it, of course, were the underlying causes of her insomnia that clearly had not healed despite over 22 years of medications. In other words, Mirtazapine and Sertraline served as "crutches" to help J. L. function despite the "fracture in her leg" (Tramadol withdrawal + other underlying causes for insomnia).
I intervened aggressively with both functional and energy medicine supports. J. L.'s sleep improved immediately and dramatically. After five days of daily appointment sessions, she reported that she was doing "much better," sleeping from 10 pm to 8 am, with one nighttime awakening. Her serotonin syndrome, which included blood pressure and temperature dysregulation, resolved in two days, and she was able to eat and drink normally once again.
Here's what we did to help J. L.:
Functionally/biologically:
Discontinued her use of Sertraline and SeroPlus immediately to stop her serotonin syndrome while checking her blood pressure regularly (hypertension and flushing of her cheeks resolved after two days).
Stopped Mirtazapine because she was starting to have a hypersensitivity reaction to it (on energy testing).
Began a broad-spectrum CBD oil 20 mg/ml at a dosage of 0.2 ml/ 0.2 ml/ 0.3 ml per day, to help with sleep, inflammation, and anxiety.
Ordered Cortisol Manager by Integrative Therapeutics to help her heal from those bothersome 3:00 am awakenings due to chronic stress. (Initially, we thought it was due to "rebound insomnia" from Mirtazapine or an inflammatory reaction to Mirtazapine, but when it continued even without Mirtazapine, we learned that chronic stress can cause it and supporting the adrenal/cortisol function can help heal it. Also, another article suggested using Seriphos to help with adrenal support.)
Used coffee enemas daily to help with detoxification, glutathione levels, and parasympathetic nervous system support, and to heal underlying causes for anxiety.
EET + Logosynthesis (energy work) on the following issues:
The co-dependent reactions of my body that cause me to have remaining deficiencies and dysfunctions due to Tramadol withdrawal.
Hypersensitivity and negative immune response to Sertraline and Mirtazapine that create oxidative stress and inflammation.
Rebound insomnia due to Mirtazapine withdrawal.
Any remaining inflammation, deficiencies, and dysfunctions due to Sertraline and Mirtazapine exposure or withdrawal.
The negative health effects of chronic stress on my thyroid, pancreas, and adrenals.
All the fear and anxiety from being traumatized by not sleeping for three months after my son was born.
Identifying with being someone who has anxiety.
The belief that I need to take medications in order to go to work.
Not knowing who I am without my medications.
Hatred towards my anxiety and the power it has over me.
As you can see, the effects of taking medications go far beyond just the physical. It can rob us of our identity and self-confidence.
I have learned that the lingering energetic and emotional effects of exposure to past medications not only affected J. L. but are a pervasive problem for all the patients I've tested for this phenomenon. In fact, all medications that have harmed the body in some way (e.g. chemotherapy or antibiotics) also need to be healed at the energy level (psychologically and biologically).
Here's the bottom line: treat the damaging, traumatic effects of medication use (past and present) like they were psychological traumas and not just as biological phenomenon. Unblock these medication traumas through EET + Logosynthesis, or other effective energy medicine interventions. If ignored or neglected, these invisible wounds can interfere with the long-term success of medication withdrawal.
Hope these insights help. Have a wonderful week!