medication and its effect on personality type

[Creepy-inquisitor]

has anyone seen or read any studies describing the effects of medication on one's myers-briggs/socionics personality type? i'm not talking about substances such as alcohol or hard drugs that cause intoxication and eventual cognitive decay, but psychotropic drugs such as ssris (prozac, zoloft, paxil, etc.) and various types of adhd medication. in many cases their effects on one's behavior are very subtle, but in other cases these effects are very pronounced. any thoughts? muchos gracias.
~ a curious infp

[Creepy-]

In my experience...

I've taken 2 psych meds (fluoxetine hydrochloride, dexamphetamine sulphate) and 1 other (prochlorperazine) an anti-emetic which is sometimes used as a psych med.

I was allergic to fluoxetine, so we'll ignore that one.

Prochlorperazine was rather horrible, I wasn't on it for very long so I don't know whether my experience will be useful or not, but anyway.... it didn't affect my personality but it induced paranoia, hypomania and panic.

Dexamphetamine doesn't affect the personality but the effects are quite obvious in the amount I'm able to control my behaviour and sustain attention etc.

Is that what you were looking for?

[Creepy-pokeball]

I wonder if 5-HTP would, well, since regular tryptophan was banned.

[snowyc]

psycho-active medication is another method of control for those who have strong minds that resist most other methods of non-biological methods such as media hypocrisy.

[Creepy-pokeball]

LOL! I love it.

[Joy]

During my Adderall misadventure I was more introverted and intuitive. I suppose at the beginning I used more and I certainly used more . Before I started taking medication I was different, but I'm not entirely sure how except that I was even more inconsistant.

Higher levels of dopamine are VERY connection with seeing patterns. Low levels of norepinephrine often creat a desire to increase epineprhine (adreniline) to compensate, taking the form or conflict or adventure seeking behavior. Depression causes people to be more introverted, and then there's OCD and schizophrenia and all of that stuff...

No, meds don't change type. However, they do change the functions you predominantly use.

[snowyc]

No, meds don't change type. However, they do change the functions you predominantly use.

I agree.

It can become a real challenge to wean yourself off any meds to become your 'normal' self again.

[Waddlesworth]

If you look at type as an overall physiological state involving an integration of the strengths and weaknesses of the mind and body I would say that type never changes with medication. I've used Ritalin in order to increase focus(although it isn't something I needed to take), but the products of such focus seem to only show an exercising of the creative function rather than a switching of the dominant over the auxiliary.

methylphenidate is a Central nervous system stimulant, so i would assume that it increases the impression our environment has on us, rather than type itself.

SSRI's like lexapro and i think zoloft are serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which means that they inhibit the neurons reuptake of serotonin, which when not "reuptaken" are believed to regulate mood and keep us happy. I'm not sure if any given type is likely to have more neurotransmitters of a given form than another.

[Creepy-]

psycho-active medication is another method of control for those who have strong minds that resist most other methods of non-biological methods such as media hypocrisy.

[Joy]

Bottom line: Psychiatric medications are very powerful tools that, when not used optimally can create greater imbalances and personality extremes than what they were intended to treat, HOWEVER, through trial and error it is possible to find the correct medications in the correcct dosages, and when that happens, MEDICATION CORRECTS IMBALANACES THAT MAKE US SOMEONE WE AREN'T, THEREFORE PEOPLE WHO ARE APPROPRIATELY MEDICATED ARE THEIR "NORMAL" OR HEALTHY SELF WHILE IN TREATMENT. Anyone who tells me that the way I was before taking Wellbutrin is the way I am supposed to be can kiss my ass.

I do, however, feel that medication can be temporary, and that once the brain has been taught how to operate properly it's possible for many to wean off of medications and have their brain balance chemistry itself with the support of a healthy lifestyle.

[Creepy-]

Right on, Joy!

Can we all agree that SI, hallucinations, derealisation and depression are not healthy? The next person IRL who shoves a conspiracy theory in my face will get a very rude response.

[snowyc]

Conspiracy Theory, sorry, that's the trouble with a little Ne that spins out of control.

[Creepy-]

Conspiracy Theory, sorry, that's the trouble with a little Ne that spins out of control.

Forgiven.

[Joy]

I'm having a realization... I think....

(Ni) ************************************************ (48.6)
(Ne) *********************************************** (47.6)
(Ti) ****************************************** (42.7)
(Fi) ***************************** (29.1)
(Te) ************************ (24.2)
(Se) ******************** (20.2)
(Fe) ****************** (18)
(Si) ********* (9.6)

(Ne) ********************************************** (46.8)
(Ni) *************************************** (39.5)
(Ti) ************************************** (38.7)
(Fi) ****************************** (30.6)
(Fe) *************************** (27.4)
(Se) *********************** (23.5)
(Si) ****************** (18)
(Te) **************** (16.1)

Why do these look so similar?

The top is an ENTp and the bottom is an INFp, both on ADD meds which raise dopamine levels... Now...

Dopamine is what enables us to see patterns... essentially:

dopamine = Ne

wtf???

[snowyc]

Dopamine is perhaps linked with Creativity.

If you take a blocker, you essentially become dopey and apathetic. If you stimulate it say with alcohol, you can have a eureeka moment of creativity.

Too much dopamine may cause insomnia.

Find the balance I'd say.

[Gilly]

That explains alot.


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