Antidepressants

[Intense]

I voted no, Im generally an upbeat guy. Im mostly positive about things and generally happy about where my life is headed.

I think though its because I dont dwell on things, if I get mad or upset, Im over it in a few minutes.

I still dwell on shit from like when i was 13 i have such an insane and paranoid way of thinking. like little things make me flip out and punch people and shit

I dunno, I think a lot of the way we are and how we deal with situations are directly related to how you were raised and how you react to them based on your personality (That may be a NO SHIT SHERLOCK statement). Itd be easy and stupid for me to be like "yeah just dont do that to yourself," but some people dont or cant control that. Which isnt me trying to insult anyone, it is what it is.

[Axil]

I voted no, Im generally an upbeat guy. Im mostly positive about things and generally happy about where my life is headed.

I think though its because I dont dwell on things, if I get mad or upset, Im over it in a few minutes.

I still dwell on shit from like when i was 13 i have such an insane and paranoid way of thinking. like little things make me flip out and punch people and shit

I dunno, I think a lot of the way we are and how we deal with situations are directly related to how you were raised and how you react to them based on your personality (That may be a NO SHIT SHERLOCK statement). Itd be easy and stupid for me to be like "yeah just dont do that to yourself," but some people dont or cant control that. Which isnt me trying to insult anyone, it is what it is.

youre absolutely right

[SephYuyX]

I dont think anti-depresents are nessisary, if a person is depressed its most likely your own fault, and you also have the power to stop it. I think medicine in general for a lot of things are dumb, sleep pills for example, they just arnt needed. Maybe if everyone in the world wasnt cracked up on caffine, you wouldnt have problems going to sleep.

[Credos]

I've always thought that the problems in today's society were always around since the beginning of time. The only difference is that western culture has resorted to making pharmaceutical companies the new snake oil salesmen of the world. People have always had problems sleeping, been anxious, nervous or depressed.

If people stopped popping pills and instead trying to resolve their issues on their own, they would be much stronger and it'd be a step towards passing blame on a "condition".

[Miji]

I voted no, Im generally an upbeat guy. Im mostly positive about things and generally happy about where my life is headed.

I think though its because I dont dwell on things, if I get mad or upset, Im over it in a few minutes.

I still dwell on shit from like when i was 13 i have such an insane and paranoid way of thinking. like little things make me flip out and punch people and shit

I dunno, I think a lot of the way we are and how we deal with situations are directly related to how you were raised and how you react to them based on your personality (That may be a NO SHIT SHERLOCK statement). Itd be easy and stupid for me to be like "yeah just dont do that to yourself," but some people dont or cant control that. Which isnt me trying to insult anyone, it is what it is.

The problem is that so many people use antidepressants as the cure to their depression. They aren't really meant for long-term use, but more as a catalyst for figuring out why you're in the state you're in and taking action against your condition. I'm doubting a proper psychiatrist would prescribe medication with a "you're going to need these for the rest of your life" mindset, or that most people who are on antidepressants were even prescribed them by a psychiatrist. I'd guess at least half of people on these medications were probably prescribed by a GP or someone otherwise less qualified. That being said, I don't doubt the changes antidepressants can make in someone's life, but they typically aren't meant to be a long-term solution. People need to take action against their condition when clarity of mind is afforded to them.

[Not Kuno]

I don't and I don't know anyone in my family that does.

[Nirokun!]

I dont think anti-depresents are nessisary, if a person is depressed its most likely your own fault, and you also have the power to stop it. I think medicine in general for a lot of things are dumb, sleep pills for example, they just arnt needed. Maybe if everyone in the world wasnt cracked up on caffine, you wouldnt have problems going to sleep.

Thats sad. I know i should be studying, but i feel like i should be responding to this Its hard not to get depressed when you have constant family issues for years on end, you know, the shit you cant escape because you family will always be with you. From the time when i was about 7-8, til now (going on 21) i've been depressed. Over that time, i've had countless bouts with suicidal thoughts (some more persistant that others) and over that time, i had forgotten what it feels like to -feel- good. It sounds really corny

But i talked about it one day with my mom around the xmas of my 19th year (i tend to get a little extra depressed [probably due to stress from forced social interaction at home] for no reason around xmas) about how i felt, and she came clean that she's been taking anti-depressants for decades (?i believe), and that depression is largely hereditary. So i began to think i wasnt crazy, but the way i felt wasnt normal either. She told me that i should make an appt. with the clinic thing on base, and that she'd take me to see someone. So i boiled over it for a few days until i decided "i deserve to feel better than this" and i called up their appointment line. And i was really nervous.. and i dont know what happened (i have my theories) but the lady at the appointment desk told me to seek help online instead of giving me an appointment. my little heart was broken

So i told my mom about that, and we just decided to try out St. John's Wort before a 2nd try with that appointment line. I was apprehensive about taking something, and was afraid it would change the person that i am, and that i would no longer be me, but again, i thought "i deserve to feel better than this." So i got a bottle. 2 pills, 3 times a day. First couple days, i didnt notice anything, and i wasnt suprised that these hokey (sp?) all-natural OTC pills werent doing anything. Then came the night when i really noticed the change.

I was in my room, with my roommate, and a friend came over. He was wearing a hat, and they were both playing WoW i think. Me, being completely retarded, thought it would be funny to tell him how much i hate how guys wear their hats backwards, with the plastic(?) expander thing right between their eyebrows. Then i took his hat, and showed him what i meant... and for some reason (probably me being completely retarded) i found that funny. And i was surprised... i had laughed for years and never felt like this, but i definately remember feeling like this at some point in my life; i felt great. When i laughed, i -felt- it, and that wasnt something i've felt in a really, really long time.

Then i laid my head on my bed, no pillow, just the bed, and you know what? it -felt- good. i could feel my bed, but this time it -felt- good, against my cheek, my head resting on my bed, something i've done twice a day (I'M A HABITUAL NAPPER!) since i was in middle school. I was convinced something had changed. And i was really (pardon the pun) happy about that.


Some of the effects that i've noticed while being on these pills: some gas (worth it), general feel-goodeyness (outwardly, im one of those happy-go-lucky people, and now, inwardly too ), and something else important: an inability to hold on to those bad thoughts i have throughout the day.

Old me waiting at the register:
"I cant do this. I cant do this, im going to mess up. I dont have enough money, they're gonna laugh at me, everyone's gonna laugh at me. I cant do this, i dont want to be here, i was i was alone, why do i feel this way? please dont look at me! i hope nobody sees this, why do i feel this way? I want to leave, i dont want to buy this anymore, but came here for it! why does it hurt? i cant do this, i cant do this, i cant do this, oh my god."

me today, at the register:
"I cant do this... :O he's so ho~t! (*'-') dont look this wa~y! omg shh shhh! quiet!" "hi, just this. Thank you~"

(no the cashier is not hot, just something else im able to focus on that helps me carry on with my day.)

[Eaglestrike]

Never been on medication, though I was pretty depressed for a bit. My mother had a major episode over the summer, I had to take her to the hospital so she'd be safe from committing suicide, lovely experience that was.

[Miji]

Niro, I feel obligated to ask if you are relying solely on your medication for your condition. Before you end up relying on it for decades like your mother, seek professional help to learn how to better cope with your surroundings. This is not meant as an attack. If people really have problems, then they really need to seek help. There are people who spend 7-8 years of their post-graduate education learning how to remedy these problems.

[Nirokun!]

i wanted to talk to someone about it, but for right now, these pills are working for me. I've been on them for a little over a year (year+2months) and i can see the sunshine (*'-')

im still covered by the military for all these things, so its not a money issue. part of me doesnt want to be deferred to the damn internet self-help website, part of me doesnt feel the need for help because i think its a neurotransmitter thing up there [my mom takes welbutrin, and i wiki'd it as a SSRI], and part of me doesnt want to keep discussing something i feel like im "over." I tried for myself, to see if coming off the pills (i ran out) would have any change (few days-week, dont remember), and boy did it ever. I had those feelings come back, and that general numb/detatched(sp) feeling, and those heavy thoughts fill my mind.

I dont want to come off the pills But i may seek some form of therapy (even if i dont think it will do anything ) someday. But for right now, its 'fixed' and i dont want to fuss with it too much ))

[Hilander]

Jesus fuck some people need medication and some people don't. You can't just control everything.

[Intense]

Jesus fuck some people need medication and some people don't. You can't just control everything.

And there you have it folks, thread over!

[Keltiks]

Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil, Wellbrutrin didn't work for me.

Currently taking Effexor, Zyprexa (anti-manic), and Adderall (adhd) and I still feel depressed and emo. Trying to stick with it, been 8 months now. Maybe someone can give some words of encouragement.

[Boyiee]

I treat a fuckton of people on anti-depressents, but more commonly now it's more of an anti-social thing they are unable to control themselves and not necessarily "depression" but its same drugs so it's usually written as depression in the script and chart.

For a while I was helping alot of depression patients, now it seems more common for anger/distraught anxiety and abnormal reactions in public. Taking fucking drugs for saying the wrong things sometimes, I guess it's ok for some but there are way too many people on these unsafe medications then there should be. It's great you are better in public, grats, see you again in 3 years when i'm trying to save your liver your liver and scraping scarring off and trying to rejuvinate your intestinal tract so you dont end up with a fucking colostomy bag at the age of 30.

[Caocao]

Yes. I'm currently on Prozac. I started taking it a couple weeks ago, and there already is a huge change, I'm not down anymore, etc, it's really nice. And it is really effective..

You'd be better suited with psychotherapy; Prozac is a horribly inefficient and dangerous drug.

Noob, stop trying to practice medicine on the interwebs without a license. There have been many studies suggesting that psychotherapy and medications combined are more effective than either alone. Lurk moar.

Zomg and looking at your other posts...

You cannot make a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder over the internet. And Lithium is NOT first line treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder. Lithium isn't even a first line mood stabilizer because it has many side effects and must be very carefully monitored.

Oh yeah, and good job with Wiki'ing the definition of MDD, but antidepressant medications are used for a lot more than just depression. They're also used to treat anxiety disorders, like PTSD and OCD, for example. There's lots of reasons that a person might have a rx for "an antidepressant" other than being emo.

You and SephirothYuyX should really stop trying to dispense medical advice over the internet before either of you hurts someone. Seriously. Just because you may have taken a psych class in undergrad doesn't mean you're a licensed psychiatrist and are qualified to give advice on this issue. Even if you WERE licensed and qualified, it is unethical to do so over the internet. Everyone who is reading this and is struggling with this issue deserves to talk to a professional in person who can help them, especially if they've ever had thoughts of hurting themselves or someone else.

Depression is a real illness with biochemical components that current biomedical science doesn't understand, but there is a real and proven role for the use of antidepressant medications in its treatment. BY DEFINITION, Major Depressive Disorder is not something you can just "work through." We are not talking about the type of depression that you can just "snap yourself out of." MDD is a different, very real, and potentially lethal illness, and it's just as worthy of treatment by a licensed physician as any other serious illness.

[Axil]

I seriously have voices in my head telling me to hurt myself and I have no control over them, I really dont know what the fuck to do. After seeing my dad and sister in the looney bin I DONT want to have to check in there. But Im for all intents and purposes going insane.

[ono]

I was diagnosed as having adjustment disorder several years ago, when I was down about various things going on. Basically just went to counselling for a few months, no medications and I just deal with life as it comes. However, I do have family members that are on different medications, and have nothing against them or what they're taking, it's just what they need for themselves.

And then I have a couple friends that fake symptoms to get perscribed Adderal and I think Xanax...

[Ace-o-fire]

I have been said I need them. bad shit happens yea w/e

I dont feel like they will do the trick. My problem was, i was getting up everyday to see the day after that. No goals or anything. So i said when i hit 18 get out of high school, I'm moving as close as i can to NYC. Did that then set another goal to reach.

It has really helped me to have goals set up for me to get too.

I'm not a big fan of taking pills.

[Keno]

Yes. I'm currently on Prozac. I started taking it a couple weeks ago, and there already is a huge change, I'm not down anymore, etc, it's really nice. And it is really effective..

You'd be better suited with psychotherapy; Prozac is a horribly inefficient and dangerous drug.

Noob, stop trying to practice medicine on the interwebs without a license. There have been many studies suggesting that psychotherapy and medications combined are more effective than either alone. Lurk moar.

Zomg and looking at your other posts...

You cannot make a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder over the internet. And Lithium is NOT first line treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder. Lithium isn't even a first line mood stabilizer because it has many side effects and must be very carefully monitored.

Oh yeah, and good job with Wiki'ing the definition of MDD, but antidepressant medications are used for a lot more than just depression. They're also used to treat anxiety disorders, like PTSD and OCD, for example. There's lots of reasons that a person might have a rx for "an antidepressant" other than being emo.

You and SephirothYuyX should really stop trying to dispense medical advice over the internet before either of you hurts someone. Seriously. Just because you may have taken a psych class in undergrad doesn't mean you're a licensed psychiatrist and are qualified to give advice on this issue. Even if you WERE licensed and qualified, it is unethical to do so over the internet. Everyone who is reading this and is struggling with this issue deserves to talk to a professional in person who can help them, especially if they've ever had thoughts of hurting themselves or someone else.

Depression is a real illness with biochemical components that current biomedical science doesn't understand, but there is a real and proven role for the use of antidepressant medications in its treatment. BY DEFINITION, Major Depressive Disorder is not something you can just "work through." We are not talking about the type of depression that you can just "snap yourself out of." MDD is a different, very real, and potentially lethal illness, and it's just as worthy of treatment by a licensed physician as any other serious illness.

lol if you're taking anti-depressants for anxiety, somethings wrong. Anti-Anxiety meds are completely different from anti-depressent meds; they work in two completely separate parts of the brain. While ADs can be used to treat panic disorder (only one of the multiple anxiety disorders), the most common treatment for anxiety disorders is a mixture of beta-blockers, azaspirones, and barbiturates (the last not used as widely due to the possibly harmful and addictive side effects). And if you think I wiki'd this shit then you're just straight up wrong. I'm a semester away from my bachelors in Abnormal Psych and I'm going to grad school next year to start my PhD training, so I think I know a little more about it than you do.

And no, lithium does not have horrible side effects. The only REAL problem with lithium is that it has a small difference between the effective dose and the toxic dose, so some people feel that giving it to depressed people is like handing them a loaded gun. Theres actually a very small percentage of people of whom lithium won't work.

And to anyone who thinks that just taking these AD or AA pills will make your life back to normal, it won't. No treatment without psychotherapy will be fully effective, because theres both a body and mind aspect to why you're depressed. If you don't take care of the underlying problem you'll never really get better.

And to Axil: So what, you're going to wait before you shoot someone in the face because "the voices told you to" before you get help?

[Galen]

Well....I have a lot to say to the previous posters due to my background in psychology (minor in college) and major in Pharmacy (B=basically, there are mental conditions that are remedied by medication, because they are due to a chemical/receptor dysfunction in the brain. "Sucking it up" won't stop your panic attacks or depression.) , but I'd rather just share my story.

Five years ago when I started college, my anxious personality blew up into a full blown disorder where I could hardly leave my dorm room without feeling like something terrible was going to happen to me (some tragedy like getting hit by a trolley crossing the street, falling down the stairs, choking on my food, or building crashing down on me). This is the point where I sought help. They diagnosed me with pretty much everything- seperation anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and most importantly panic disorder. I tried Zoloft, Lexapro, Effexor, and Welbutrin. The first three made me extremely sedated and destroyed my libido. Sure, I was not as anxious and pretty happy, but I didn't want to get out of bed and never wanted to have sex. Last one, well I only took it for a few days, because it was like crack. I didn't sleep for 3 days, at all....and I didn't even feel tired. This was kind of cool but I knew it was unhealthy so I just discontinued those. I'm not sure what made me discontinue them in the end, but I was pretty stable for a few years.

Then in the last year, my anxiety turned into a specific phobia (needles, blood). It was so bad that I turned down an excellent job offer because I refused to give them a blood sample (would be making chemotherapy agents and they needed a baseline CBC). At the job I did take, I could hardly fill syringes without feeling lightheaded, and once school started up again, I was having full-blown panic attacks multiple times a day. I couldn't even pay attention in lecture due to the material we were studying (a lot of information on IV medications). I knew it was time for me to get some help again. I went to see a counselor and picked up some self-help books. The counselor didn't really help at all, but the books were decent (by author Lucinda Bassett). This time they put me on Prozac. I started at the lowest dose but still had some nasty side effects (strangly enough, I slept very well before, but now I can't stay asleep and have horrible nightmares, besides still feeling the decreased libido and sedation). They also gave me a rescue medication (Ativan) which I try to avoid taking at all costs. Ativan really is an amazing anti-anxiety medication, but it makes me feel really groggy and I'm afraid of the addictive potential.