Antidepressants - Experiences.. good or bad?

SkinnyMsFitness

Hi!

I saw this and 'had' to reply!!! I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder 5+ yrs ago - I deal with heightened anxiety 24/7/365. I'm glad that you're against medication!!! I'll tell you a little about my story.

First off, anxiety and depression disorders are sister disorders - literally - I studied a bit of psychology... But when I was diagnosed, the doctor put me on medication right away! I thought, okay, I'll give it a try... After 3 months of use, the pills were working, but I could tell they were losing efficiency. I talked to my doctor again and he wanted to increase the dosage and potency. That's when I quit!

My boyfriend was diagnosed with a depression disorder years ago and was on pills - which he swore didn't work so he's been managing without medication for 10+ yrs now. His mother, who has diabetes, parkinsons, and a few other health issues, has been on several pills for over 10 yrs now. Well, today, she has cirrhosis of the liver - b/c of the pills!

That being said, I've made the choice to deal with my anxiety issues medication free. Yes, some days are pretty difficult, but I've been dealing for some time now. I've learned that exercising helps counteract my feelings. I try to avoid stimulants (i.e. nicotine, caffeine, etc) b/c they can make it worse.

And try not to be harsh on your mom (or other loved ones) if they're recommending you to do something or just don't understand what you're going through. In my experiences, people that have not obtained higher education about mental illnesses and they do not have one seldom understand what you're going through.

Well, I guess you're not saying you have a depression disorder...do you think you do? Or are you just going through a rough place right now? Nonetheless, the tactics I listed should help you manage.

Good luck and take it easy!! :-)

BflSaberfan

. I dont believe in antidepressants at all. I know so many people that are over drugged...There are so many natural things you can do to deal with stress. I personally would get a weekly massage or something.

I went through a very dark depression 2 years ago but thank you for assuming I didn't know what I was talking about :flowerforyou:

Getting a massage for a chemical imbalance isn't logical. I'm sorry for what you went through, but your experience (especially if it was situational rather than biological) isn't everyone's.

I did not say that it was. I specifically said I am not a doctor. I didn't say hey everyone this will work for you no matter what. I said what worked for me. She clearly is reluctant to take pills so I offered an alternative.....she said she was depressed and stressed because of personal and work related problems. Did you not read the post? When people have things going on around them that clearly are causing the stress and depression I do not think drugs are the answer. I dont think you read my post either.

butterflyluv1218

I have been on three different ones. The first one was Paxil. I call this the devils drug because I literally found myself on the bathroom floor, heart racing, pale, sweating, etc. I couldn't move. I thought I was going to die. Then they tried me on Lexapro and that one was okay except for the fact that it made me not care about anything. Someone could have been killed in front of me and I would have just said "that sucks" and shrugged my shoulders. The last one was Prozac. This was the best out of all of them. It really helped with my anxiety too. The crappy thing is all of these effect people so differently. You just gotta try it until you find something that works for you. Good luck.

slepygrl

I've been on all of them. Some worked for a little bit, then wore off. Some didn't do anything. I'm not on anything now. I got tired of spending money to feel like crap. I found Vitamin B Complex works well. It gives me a little pep in my step, I don't feel drunk or like a zombie.
BUT!! If you feel like you need meds. Go for it! SSRI's help millions of people.

Good luck honey!

BflSaberfan

I am not a doctor so that for what it is worth. I dont believe in antidepressants at all. I know so many people that are over drugged. If you have personal and work related issues that are causing your stress it is OKAY and GOOD to feel those emotions. Our society is now taking drugs for grieving...these are normal responses to what is going on around you. If there was no stress and you were still depressed/emotional/ whatever for seemingly no reason I would say maybe look into it but even then there are so many natural things you can do to deal with stress. I personally would get a weekly massage or something.

I appreciate your kindly worded post, but stress doesn't make you think about driving your car into an overpass support post, going into a swimming pool and never surfacing, or stand on the edge of a drop off and hope your balance fails you so it was an accidental death.

Depression is real and true. It makes you think that someone held a door opened and smiled at you because they pity you. It makes you think that your friends calling to check on you makes you a burden on them. It makes you think that yelling at your child for something they've done wrong makes you the worst mother on the planet and your child is doomed. It causes your entire world to become hell. You can't bother to spend money on yourself because you aren't worth it. You can't call a friend to talk because you shouldn't weigh them down with your worries. Hell, I didn't make it to a therapist until my 3rd try, because during my depression, my mind told me it wasn't worth it, that it wouldn't help, that I would never find hope or joy again.

Therapists do tell you what else helps -- exercise, something like a massage for enjoyment, spending time with friends. But those things come hand in hand with the therapy to get you well again.

I was depressed. I know what its like to think about those things on a daily basis. I didnt talk to anyone outside of my home for almost a full year - I shut everyone out. Exercise and massage worked for me, which is what I suggested.....

KatLifter

I did not say that it was. I specifically said I am not a doctor. I didn't say hey everyone this will work for you no matter what. I said what worked for me. She clearly is reluctant to take pills so I offered an alternative.....she said she was depressed and stressed because of personal and work related problems. Did you not read the post?

Sure I did. But I can also be fairly confident that this isn't the whole story.
From my perspective, things must be pretty uncomfortable and her depression may be worse that as described in a post such as this if the mother is pushing for her to get help. They say people with the same last name (aka family) are usually hurt the worst.
Stressed --> depressed can mean many different things. Shaming people who need mental health services doesn't do anyone any good. Saying you are against medication for mental health problems is akin to saying you are against medication for physical health problems. Oh, diabetes? Heart disease? Herbs and massages will fix that. Nope, you don't often hear that.

1princesswarrior

I've been on antidepressents ever since I can remember. They really help me but I'm bipolar and are part of my regimented treatment (along with Zumba and lots of other exercise). The key is to finding the right one for you. I was on one that stopped working, on another that didn't work, and on one that turned my life upside down. Sometimes it's a guessing game and you have to be patient.

I take Effexor now and I'm doing great on it. I'm not numb to emotions and I feel normal, no crazy mood swings and it does not send me into any bipolar highs.

However, I would try seeing a therapist first or finding better coping skills if you can.

JDBLY11

I take 100mgs Zoloft and have not noticed any problems. My sex drive is fine. I am losing weight fine. I don't feel extremely hungry. I don't feel numb or zombie like. I take it more for anxiety than depression. It is okay at that.

What is frustrating about what I have experienced of the mental health world is that after I was hospitalized because of a psychotic break where I was very anxious and delusional ( I lost my head- though I was not suicidal or homicidal) they have never really talked about my history or diagnosis again. Also, I never had any brain imaging or anything done to see what was going on in my brain. I recently went to a psychologist and he actually talked about my history with me and found that my diagnosis was probably incorrect because I did not fit the basic definition for what I am diagnosed with by my psychiatrist. He also thought I needed more help for anxiety because that was my major issue from the time I was young. I was not really able to communicate my history at the time of my break. So, I am kind of confused now about what I have and am iffy about the whole process of putting people on meds just for symptoms without any real physical evidence and not knowing how the psychoactive substances work.

I think taking Zoloft ( and another medicine) has helped me. I do not have any of the issues I had at the time of my hospitalization except social anxiety. I am not sure if it is personal choice or if the medicines worked out a problem in my brain. I don't like the all in one community clinic I am going to. I would like to go somewhere else that has more individualized treatment like I had from the psychologist.

halflife1978

I've had good experiences with it. Wellbutrin 300mg, zero side effects. Unfortunately, in some cases because it's said to increase libido (does not for me) and aid in weight loss (I have to work as hard as ever).

The only difference is that my mind is clearer and I can actually get work done and take care of my family and even have desire to exercise whereas before I had absolutely none of that.

I'm not super gloriously happy and euphoric, but I don't think that any working mom of two kids under 5 feels that way much.

chunkydunk714

So for all the people saying they're against people taking medication. #1 You're not a doctor #2 look at all the suicides...THEY.DIDNT.GET.HELP Help meaning medication & proper therapy! Now what? They should have known better? They should have ate better? What is it? I swear society views on what is "right" is all screwed up.

If medication is what helps ones mind & soul...LET IT FKN BE....& mind your own damn business!

michellechawner

I used to be on fluoxetine (Prozac) until I broke out in a rash... stopped that one and was on Celexa for about 2 years. I felt better but eventually my psychiatrist noticed I was making good changes and took me off of them, I haven't been on any antidepressants for over 3 years now.

Don't let anyone tell you it's in your head. I've been hearing that for years and finally when I get proper diagnosies I just tell everyone "see? It wasn't in my head". I have Fibro, and for 3 years the doctors kept telling me "go see pysch" You know what? I'm in pain, and it's not in my head. When I can't even pull covers over myself because of the excruciating pain, and the tests show nothing, dig more.

singlefemalelawyer

I was on Citalopram (which I think is the same as Celexa) for about a year and a half when I was dealing with anxiety and depression.

I gained over 30 lbs on the medication and did not feel like myself anymore (very withdrawn, depressed, always tired, etc.). I decided to stop taking it a few months ago (my situation had changed a lot from when I was first prescribed the meds, i changed jobs and I felt like it was time to deal with things on my own again) and weened off slowly as per my doctor's instructions. It went well, but I had terrible withdrawals for a few weeks after I stopped taking it completely (brain zaps, dizziness, irritability/emotional, increased anxiety) but once I got through it, I realized the hold that the drug had on me and noticed some of the bad side effects that I hadn't noticed before. I wasn't able to lose weight when on the meds and in fact gained a lot, mostly in the stomach area (after researching online I found that is a very common side effect because of the levels of cortisol/hormones in the meds).

I've been off the meds for over 2 months now and I feel better than I have in years. With diet and exercise my mood has greatly improved and I feel like myself again. My mind is clearer, I feel less lethargic and can get up in the mornings without hitting snooze a hundred times. And I am losing weight (slowly). I know that it probably did help me get through a rough time and if you feel like you need help, please don't be too proud to get it. However, I didn't want to take the meds but was basically told that I would lose my job if I didn't. I was at a point where I couldn't manage the anxiety anymore (having panic attacks randomly, even when not in a stressful situation). So I did what I had to do to get by at the time.

If you think you can deal without the meds I would encourage you to try other alternatives as for me, the side effects outweighed the good. I just became a different person. I find doctors are super eager to prescribe when it's not always necessary. Just be careful and aware. I wouldn't wish what I went through on anyone. I have also learned the hard way that people don't understand mental health and people you think are friends may not be there for you when you need them the most.

AlexThreeClaw

I'm on Fluoxetine again at the moment. (Prozac) I've been on it twice before in the past. The first time my depression had gotten so debilitating that I couldn't even summon up the effort to make notes on how it was affecting me. I felt kinda numb on it for a long time but it helped me get back on my feet and cope with basic tasks.

Last year I'd been off it for a long time and was slipping back, feeling hopeless and persecuted. I was struggling with way too much stress. It's not a miracle cure, though it did feel like it when I went back on it this winter! Within a week I went from not even caring if I brushed my teeth or not, to looking out the window and thinking "I'd like to go for a walk."

I found it helps level me out so that I can think more rationally and therefore take better care of myself. As with any medication, there are potential side effects, and you'll have to have a good discussion with your doctor and be prepared to try different medication, and different doses, every one has different reactions.

My pros / cons balance looks a little like this.
Pros
- It lifts that black cloud that crowds my thoughts with pure negativity. Stopping me from focusing on criticism, and from being my worst critic, always thinking that I'm a worthless failure.
Breaks the chains of lethargy, helping me to actually get up, go out, and do things.

Cons - The side effects I get include -
Occasional sensitivity to light.
Diarrhea once or twice a month.
And a massive drop in libido. (Seriously massive. Gone from being randy twice daily to more like twice monthly and it's much tougher to get my rocks off.)

It's worth it for me. Levels things out until I get back on track. Of course, I'm pretty lucky in that I don't think I'll be on medication forever.
It hope you can get yourself sorted out, take care and best of luck

JDBLY11

I did not say that it was. I specifically said I am not a doctor. I didn't say hey everyone this will work for you no matter what. I said what worked for me. She clearly is reluctant to take pills so I offered an alternative.....she said she was depressed and stressed because of personal and work related problems. Did you not read the post?

Sure I did. But I can also be fairly confident that this isn't the whole story.
From my perspective, things must be pretty uncomfortable and her depression may be worse that as described in a post such as this if the mother is pushing for her to get help. They say people with the same last name (aka family) are usually hurt the worst.
Stressed --> depressed can mean many different things. Shaming people who need mental health services doesn't do anyone any good. Saying you are against medication for mental health problems is akin to saying you are against medication for physical health problems. Oh, diabetes? Heart disease? Herbs and massages will fix that. Nope, you don't often hear that.

They are actually not treated the same. A psychiatrist or doctor goes basically by what you tell them your symptoms are. For most diseases and problems they will do a test to confirm the diagnosis and be able to point to exactly what is wrong through this process. With mental health treatment that is not the case. They treat the symptoms with things that seem to work even though they don't know you have a chemical imbalance through testing. It is a very odd process and very different from other types of medical care- and very subjective.

BflSaberfan

I did not say that it was. I specifically said I am not a doctor. I didn't say hey everyone this will work for you no matter what. I said what worked for me. She clearly is reluctant to take pills so I offered an alternative.....she said she was depressed and stressed because of personal and work related problems. Did you not read the post?

Sure I did. But I can also be fairly confident that this isn't the whole story.
From my perspective, things must be pretty uncomfortable and her depression may be worse that as described in a post such as this if the mother is pushing for her to get help. They say people with the same last name (aka family) are usually hurt the worst.
Stressed --> depressed can mean many different things. Shaming people who need mental health services doesn't do anyone any good. Saying you are against medication for mental health problems is akin to saying you are against medication for physical health problems. Oh, diabetes? Heart disease? Herbs and massages will fix that. Nope, you don't often hear that.

I also said if the depression was not caused by SOMETHING to maybe look into it. I was hardly shaming any one.

BflSaberfan

So for all the people saying they're against people taking medication. #1 You're not a doctor #2 look at all the suicides...THEY.DIDNT.GET.HELP Help meaning medication & proper therapy! Now what? They should have known better? They should have ate better? What is it? I swear society views on what is "right" is all screwed up.

If medication is what helps ones mind & soul...LET IT FKN BE....& mind your own damn business!

1, I specifically said I was not a doctor. 2. Suicide hits very close to home for me and his suicide was linked to taking these types of drugs.

She asked for experiences, I offered mine that did not involve drugs. I dont see what is wrong with that.

JDBLY11

I am not a doctor so that for what it is worth. I dont believe in antidepressants at all. I know so many people that are over drugged. If you have personal and work related issues that are causing your stress it is OKAY and GOOD to feel those emotions. Our society is now taking drugs for grieving...these are normal responses to what is going on around you. If there was no stress and you were still depressed/emotional/ whatever for seemingly no reason I would say maybe look into it but even then there are so many natural things you can do to deal with stress. I personally would get a weekly massage or something.

I agree to a point. When I see people have issues after going through a difficult divorce or bereavement or something similar, I am not surprised that they have emotional issues after. That seems really normal. Why is it expected that you should be fine and emotionally even keel when things are going very badly around you? It seems unnatural to expect that.

KatLifter

I am not a doctor so that for what it is worth. I dont believe in antidepressants at all. I know so many people that are over drugged. If you have personal and work related issues that are causing your stress it is OKAY and GOOD to feel those emotions. Our society is now taking drugs for grieving...these are normal responses to what is going on around you. If there was no stress and you were still depressed/emotional/ whatever for seemingly no reason I would say maybe look into it but even then there are so many natural things you can do to deal with stress. I personally would get a weekly massage or something.

I agree to a point. When I see people have issues after going through a difficult divorce or bereavement or something similar, I am not surprised that they have emotional issues after. That seems really normal. Why is it expected that you should be fine and emotionally even keel when things are going very badly around you? It seems unnatural to expect that.

I agree with you. What I tool issue with is the quote above says she doesn't believe in them AT ALL.
I'm on Celexa (as noted above with my story), but when my father suddenly passed away about 3 months ago I felt it. I was sad, I grieved, I cried. That's all normal, and you can still feel those feelings when you are on anti-depressants (or at least I can). I was situationally unstable for a solid month. Then, as these things do, they get a little better each day.

britttttx3

I think it is something to really look into. I am on Zoloft for anxiety and it was like a miracle drug for me. I no longer have panic attacks and can actually meet new people without the social anxiety i used to have. However, I do have a slight dependence because I think I am afraid to stop taking them. It works for some, others it does not. I would first check out St. John's Wort if you are iffy about taking medication (I have always been, but you gotta do what you gotta do!). If that doesn't work, I would give it a try. I tried to fight my anxiety without medication for about 4 years, I am now the happiest and taking care of myself more than ever. Good luck in your journey, and I hope that you find something that suits you as well:)

BflSaberfan

I am not a doctor so that for what it is worth. I dont believe in antidepressants at all. I know so many people that are over drugged. If you have personal and work related issues that are causing your stress it is OKAY and GOOD to feel those emotions. Our society is now taking drugs for grieving...these are normal responses to what is going on around you. If there was no stress and you were still depressed/emotional/ whatever for seemingly no reason I would say maybe look into it but even then there are so many natural things you can do to deal with stress. I personally would get a weekly massage or something.

I agree to a point. When I see people have issues after going through a difficult divorce or bereavement or something similar, I am not surprised that they have emotional issues after. That seems really normal. Why is it expected that you should be fine and emotionally even keel when things are going very badly around you? It seems unnatural to expect that.

That is all I was trying to say. I know so many people that take them for normal responses to stressful situations. Which to me that is what is suppose to happen. Showing and experiencing those emotions just means you're human and most likely mentally healthy. I completely understand there are mental illness that require medication....absolutely.