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Antidepressants

Do they work? I know that it changes from person to person. I was on them for 10 days, gave up on them, i know they take longer than that to work, but i got scared about being on them. I'm trying counselling, but it doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. Are anti depressants good for you, will they work? Anyone had any experiences with them? Do they have any side effects? (I've booked an appointment with some Doctor already, for next week).

Reply 1

Monkey_Maiden

11

Hiya, I've been diagnosed with depression, I tried counselling and it wasn't my type of thing, I just didn't feel comfortable talking to a stranger about my isssues but most of my friends that have seen one have said it helped :smile:

So definatly give that a try.
I've been given antidepressants and am contemplating whether or not to take them, it takes a couple of weeks to see any effects but I took one the other day, I developed a headache and started shaking which wouldn't stop. I know its not good to take one and juststop but the effects were scary, I'm still really depressed so wondering if I should just ignore the effects and take them.

Reply 2

dave

Yes, anti-depressants can have side effects, but these vary from person to person. Some will experience little or no side effects, some will experience a lot.
The more common ones are listed here.

Reply 3

brunswick

Yes they work, and are very effective. The link that Dave gave lists possible side-effects, which can vary greatly between individuals, and the leaflet that came inside the packet of antidepressants you were prescribed should also have them listed, as well as possibly having the chances of suffering from any of them. As you said, 10 days isn't enough time for them to take effect, so go back to your doctor and talk to him/her about starting again. Also talk to him about different kinds of talking treatments, as counselling isn't the only option available, and you may find others that suit you better :smile:

There's nothing to be scared of with them, if you're concerned about any withdrawal symptoms when you finish, you have to gradually decrease your dosage when coming off them, and this helps to prevent any such symptoms. Although your concerns are perfectly natural, you have to remember that your doctor considered the benefits of you taking them far outweighing any negatives.

Reply 4

white_haired_wizard

16

It's a very complicated area, depression. I've only ever had bad bad depression the once, it was due to a drug i was taking for my skin, roaccutane - i initially thought i was depressed due to poor diet, but no, it turned out it was the drug roaccutane, as i came off it, i improved and wasn't depressed.

However, regarding susceptibility to depression - is it a biological trait passed down, inheritance of a 'depressive' gene? For example, if my lifestyle, for example, food and drink, poor diet, goes all over the shop, just for say 3-4 days, i can feel very low, not depressed but very low, a small dividing line for me.

I have never resorted to any drugs regarding anti-depressant, a family friend is on them, and you hear stories for example, addictions and reliance to them. So taking anti-depressants is solving the problem, or for some people, is the depression so biological that even changes in the environment, i.e. friendship situations, social affairs, changes for the better regarding external influences....doesn't make a blind bit of difference? So can people have depression for example, even when their social life is excellent, and their food and drink intake is sensible and healthy?

For me when i get mild depression, buying and the consumption of healthy food helps an awful lot, so do people think that opting for anti depressants could be argued to be seen as the lazy (wo)mans way to sort of disguise poor, unhealthy lifestyle regimes? akin to say, women having liposuction, fat taken off stomachs rather than employment of a strong, independent work ethic and discipline to slim down and lose weight thus not having to resort to perhaps 'cheating'? Don't take this as me slagging off the depressed, i'm just curious because i don't know precisely what anti depressants do to the human body when employed, for example, is there serotonin in anti depressants like there is in say chocolate and bannanas? What is the difference between say, a very healthy diet, will all the right vits and minerals, and anti depressants? Do anti depressants provide something you don't get in diet? Also depression is wholly a biological condition ok...so how can say a poor, depressing social life impact upon the biological...i.e. nothing from socialization goes into the body and affects various functioning of organs...so is there such a thing as 'social depression' or does this result from poor diet ("you are what you eat")? So social depression, in social context is never a truly independent entity? or is it? please enlighten me.

Hmm...sorry if i've waffled...

Reply 5

Anonymous #2

Depression can either be from chemical imbalance or more mental issues. I know that doctors won't readily subscribe anti-depressants if they suspect you have balanced Serotonin levels and they'll send you around the block before giving you anything.

So in reply to do they work? If you have im-balances in your serotonin levels the SSRI's will help. If it's mental depression and issues that are making you unhappy the anti-depressants are not going to solve it; just place a veil over it.

Reply 6

white_haired_wizard

16

Anonymous

Depression can either be from chemical imbalance or more mental issues. I know that doctors won't readily subscribe anti-depressants if they suspect you have balanced Serotonin levels and they'll send you around the block before giving you anything.

So in reply to do they work? If you have im-balances in your serotonin levels the SSRI's will help. If it's mental depression and issues that are making you unhappy the anti-depressants are not going to solve it; just place a veil over it.

ok, so are these chemical imbalances due to poor diet? or can it be wholly independent, i.e. an imbalance not at all related to poor diet? if it is due to a poor diet, lacking serotonin and other essentials, surely the doctors recommend transitions in lifestyle aspects, healthier diet and the alike? so in what specific circumstances are anti-depressants handed out? i.e. recovering drug addicts? people with innate depressive genetic make-up? because if its all just 'placing a veil over things', surely its not the right course of action to take, taking anti-dps that is?

Reply 7

pixiepeep

13

I was on them for three months turning to them as a last resort (i'd done councelling through college and things like that). They really helped me (at the time I didn't realise it was a physical illness as well as a mental one, so i'd been going down the routes that i thought would cheer me up) and I lucky didn't have many side effects. I came off them 3 months early however because I felt like it was a forced kind of happiness, and, with a healthier outlook on life, I started changing my diet and things while I was still on them. I've not needed them since, and I came off them about 8 months ago now.

Reply 8

RieLouise

1

Anonymous

Depression can either be from chemical imbalance or more mental issues. I know that doctors won't readily subscribe anti-depressants if they suspect you have balanced Serotonin levels and they'll send you around the block before giving you anything.

So in reply to do they work? If you have im-balances in your serotonin levels the SSRI's will help. If it's mental depression and issues that are making you unhappy the anti-depressants are not going to solve it; just place a veil over it.

What you're thinking of is the difference between exogenous and endogenous depression. I am on Efexor and it seems to be working fine for me. I was on Fluvoxamine but that stopped working.

Reply 9

white_haired_wizard

16

pixiepeep

I was on them for three months turning to them as a last resort (i'd done councelling through college and things like that). They really helped me (at the time I didn't realise it was a physical illness as well as a mental one, so i'd been going down the routes that i thought would cheer me up) and I lucky didn't have many side effects. I came off them 3 months early however because I felt like it was a forced kind of happiness, and, with a healthier outlook on life, I started changing my diet and things while I was still on them. I've not needed them since, and I came off them about 8 months ago now.

surely mental and physical are the same thing? your mind is a physical thing surely. I may cause some controversy here now, but would some argue that the taking of anti depressents helps those perhaps too lazy, wanting a quick fix instead of getting at the crux of problems and dealing with them? Would some agree with this? Do some here feel doctors hand out anti depressants willy nilly @ times? I appreciate some types of depression are incredibly difficult to cope with, mine was due to the drug roaccutane, and i was mentally and physically ****ed in a big way, seriously considered quitting uni when i was half way through second yr, even when you think you are thinking straight, you really are not. Hence, i'm sure many peoples taking of anti depressants is wholly justifiable, but are there alot of cases which aren't as such?

Reply 10

RieLouise

1

wizard

(snipped)
For me when i get mild depression, buying and the consumption of healthy food helps an awful lot, so do people think that opting for anti depressants could be argued to be seen as the lazy (wo)mans way to sort of disguise poor, unhealthy lifestyle regimes? akin to say, women having liposuction, fat taken off stomachs rather than employment of a strong, independent work ethic and discipline to slim down and lose weight thus not having to resort to perhaps 'cheating'? Don't take this as me slagging off the depressed, i'm just curious because i don't know precisely what anti depressants do to the human body when employed, for example, is there serotonin in anti depressants like there is in say chocolate and bannanas? What is the difference between say, a very healthy diet, will all the right vits and minerals, and anti depressants? Do anti depressants provide something you don't get in diet? Also depression is wholly a biological condition ok...so how can say a poor, depressing social life impact upon the biological...i.e. nothing from socialization goes into the body and affects various functioning of organs...so is there such a thing as 'social depression' or does this result from poor diet ("you are what you eat")? So social depression, in social context is never a truly independent entity? or is it? please enlighten me.

Hmm...sorry if i've waffled...

You say you don't intend to be insulting but the phrase I've emboldened indicates otherwise.

Reply 11

pixiepeep

13

The mental side is where it's more of an emotional problem. The physical is where there is a hormone deficiency. My seratonin levels were extemely low, therefore my depression was most likely caused by this rather than emotional issues.

I suffered with depression for three years before I went on anti-depressants, and the dr's were still wary of giving them too me. And as I said, I chose them as a last resort.

I'm sure there are those who go on anti-depressants thinking that it'll be a quick fix and they'll feel happier, but I'm also sure most Dr's would discourage giving them AD's in the first place.

Reply 12

pixiepeep

13

So can people have depression for example, even when their social life is excellent, and their food and drink intake is sensible and healthy?

Yes. Very easily. When my depression started I was in a loving relationship, my family situation had been the best it had been for years and I was exercising regularly. I've always had a healthy diet.

It attacks some people randomly.

People do seem to forget that depression is not just a mental state, it is an illness.

Reply 13

white_haired_wizard

16

BellaCat

You say you don't intend to be insulting but the phrase I've emboldened indicates otherwise.

no you misunderstand - i wanted to use that, to involve women as well, as women can feel left out if i only use the phrase "lazy mans" - it's to involve both sexes in it all. All encompassing so to speak, you've completely misinterpreted.

Reply 14

white_haired_wizard

16

pixiepeep

The mental side is where it's more of an emotional problem. The physical is where there is a hormone deficiency. My seratonin levels were extemely low, therefore my depression was most likely caused by this rather than emotional issues.

I suffered with depression for three years before I went on anti-depressants, and the dr's were still wary of giving them too me. And as I said, I chose them as a last resort.

I'm sure there are those who go on anti-depressants thinking that it'll be a quick fix and they'll feel happier, but I'm also sure most Dr's would discourage giving them AD's in the first place.

yes, but aren't hormones involved in the emotions, hence the mental side? I can't see how they are seperable entities.

Reply 15

white_haired_wizard

16

I think that social depression is there, for example, a death of a loved one, poor examination results, bullying and so on - but this social dimension only gets to the depression stage through changes in the biology as a result of such damaging social experiences, emotions/blows...i.e. as a result of the death of a cousin in car accident aged only 18 (just a random example), this social situation hurts the biology, you feel horrible, lethargic and apathetic, lifestyle changes hence the biology changes and is impacted upon, lack self care, for example, no longer indulge in exercise, eat unhealthy, i.e. fast foods, frozen foods, not so healthy for the biology...

Reply 16

pixiepeep

13

wizard

yes, but aren't hormones involved in the emotions, hence the mental side? I can't see how they are seperable entities.

What i meant by emotional (and appologies for not explaining clearer) is when somethinghas upset the person and they have a REASON for being depressed. Breakup of a relationship, a death in the family etc. Physical depression needs no reason. As I said before, my life was nigh-perfect before it hit me.

Reply 17

Sweet Adeline

I wouldn't recommend taking them if there is anything else that could help, they tend to not help the underlying reasons for depression, although of course things like this vary from person to person. Doctors do tend to prescribe the common anti-depressants fairly liberally, as well (well, my local practice certainly does) which is just something to bear in mind. I'm not saying you should ignore your doctor but you should probably ask about alternatives such as counselling or a change of diet.

On the one hand, they can make you gain wait, or can lower your attention span, or aggravate other mood disorders if wrongly diagnosed, there are many potential side-effects and you can't know until you take them yourself, you might not experience any. On the other hand they can also help people cope when everything would otherwise be too overwhelming, for an amount of time at least, and that can be invaluable.

Reply 18

RieLouise

1

wizard

no you misunderstand - i wanted to use that, to involve women as well, as women can feel left out if i only use the phrase "lazy mans" - it's to involve both sexes in it all. All encompassing so to speak, you've completely misinterpreted.

Well, I wouldn't have minded being left out of that. Depression is a legitimate illness, just like physical illnesses such as diabetes or asthma. Without anti-depressants some of us probably wouldn't even be here. It's the stigmatisation of mental illness that prevents some people from seeking help. (Often with disastrous results.)

Reply 19

girl afraid

I was misdiagnosed with depression and I'm addicted to venlafaxine. I've been trying to come off it for 3 years, and I'm so dependant on it that I become withdrawn and violent if I forget to take it. My advice would be to look for other ways to overcome your depression, because pills aren't the answer. :smile: