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Winzer
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Does any here have experience with antidepressants? How long have you taken them? Do they make it harder for you to think? How effective have they been for you?
Nan said:The class most frequently prescribed are SSRI (Selective Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors). For many, these have proven to be very effective for chronic depression with few side-effects. It does take time for this class of anti-depressant to work and finding the most effective dosing level. The MAO class are more serious and require closer monitoring, have more side-effects and are contraindicated with other medications.
Talk these over with your doctor, some prescription medicines have less side effects than others and you should always start off at a low dose and gradually increase. Most are generic now and places like Walmart will fill your prescription for $4. SSRI's aren't addictive.Winzer said:Thank you all for the informative feedback.
I have had thoughts about going to the doctors and seeing if prescribed antidepressants would be right for me. But I am hesitant for the following reasons:
1) Side effects-- I will be a senior in my University's physics program. I fear that if I start taking antidepressants it could effect my academic performance through clouded thoughts and constant sleepiness.
2) Cost-- Antidepressants don't look that cheap according to: http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_Antidepress.pdf. This my not seem like a lot to most people--to me it is. Being a student finance would be difficult.
3)Dependence
Evo said:Talk these over with your doctor, some prescription medicines have less side effects than others and you should always start off at a low dose and gradually increase. Most are generic now and places like Walmart will fill your prescription for $4. SSRI's aren't addictive.
Nan said:Also know this, this too shall pass. Everyone on the planet experiences depression, it is a matter of how profound it is, how long it lasts and if it interferes with ones abilities to perform and engage in life
QUOTE]
And this is where language gets us in trouble. There is a pretty significant difference between the "depression" you are talking about and the condition some people experience. Although of course, nothing lasts forever, there is a good chance major depression, left untreated, will last until the death of the affected organism.
Proton Soup said:define addictive. there are withdrawal symptoms.
jreelawg said:What about people who were in NAZI concentration camps, aren't you glad your not there. How happy they would feel to be in your shoes. Even when things are bad, no reason to waste, and throw away what you do have.
Galteeth said:I think this is a big misunderstanding people have when it comes to these types of problems. Depression isn't about anything. It is not a reaction to external circumstances.
"How happy they would feel to be in your shoes." This is a meaningless statement in this context, because if they were happy, THEY COULD NOT be in your shoes. For reasons that are not understood, the parts of the brain that regulate mood and emotion stop functioning, and your brain becomes unable to produce the subjective states of "happiness", "pleasure" and others. One who is in a state of biological depression is unresponsive to stimulus that would make normal people feel certain emotions. It doesn't matter if you're at disneyland with the hottest babe in the world and a million dollars. It's all the same. It's very difficult to explain in subjective terms. The best analogy I can think of: imagine audio feedback, that screechy whiny sound. If that was being played at a constant level, all the time in your ears, you couldn't enjoy music in the background, it would be completely drowned out. It's sort of like your brain, or at least the part of that is responsible for emotion, is doing that feedback thing all the time. When antidepressants work, they sort of drop the noise level, not that it's gone completely, but that it's more manageable.
Nan said:This is why depression is such a complex issue. Some people can overcome major depression through their own will, perspective and abilities. Depression is a highly individualized problem and why physician assessment is required. Stress/anxiety can become so overwhelming and profound for some people it produces physiological problems in addition to the psychological ones, become a roadblock to reaching goals and functioning especially during critical times in life.
One cannot minimize what another may be experiencing, each situation is unique. When you are ill with the flu and think about those who are ill with cancer, it doesn't mean that you are less ill or miserable with the flu! But I do agree sometimes perspective can help people cope with depression.
Eating well, getting regular and good quality sleep, routine exercise, meditation for some, can all help on the road to recovery from depression. A good support system and talking it over can also help. But for some people, these prove inadequate, that is when medication can help if a physician finds the person meets the criteria. It doesn't mean life-long therapy for everyone but can serve as a bridge to help cope. As I stated before, SSRIs aren't a panacea but merely makes the depression less profound so one can cope better.
A physician assessment also is important to discover it there maybe underlying causes for depression, like other medications or physical problem. If the depression is long-standing and/or is a part of a symptom complex-then the physician can identify if the depression is part of a more profound problem requiring treatment. For example if there is a thyroid dysfunction, it can produce depression; if there is a family history illnesses like bi-polar disorders; then depression could be a symptom of a larger problem. Assessment of depression requires an objective assessment from a professional who can then make recommendations and provide choices.
jreelawg said:That all depends. I would bet that for most people who are depressed, it is a result of life factors, perspective, and attitude. Many people are just lonely, iscolated, maybe ashamed. Some people have diseases, some people lost loved ones. Some people are over worked, over stressed. Many people who are depressed are dealing with guilt. Some people are struggling to make enough money.
My belief is that no matter who you are, depressed, not depressed, whatever. There are things you can do, and actions you can take to try and lead a happier life.
I went through a period in my life where I was very depressed. I was so depressed, that I couldn't fall asleep at night, and didn't want to wake up in the morning, I would sleep most the day, had little motivation to do much of anything. For me, while at school, I found little interest in most of my classes. I had no creative outlet. What helped a lot was to take up woodworking as a hobby which eventually led to being my job. For me, it is something that makes the time fly, a goal, something to focus on, something to keep my wheels turning. Never let your mind go stagnant. Find something to focus on. There is much you can learn about life that can help. Research shows that therapy, talking with someone trying to work out your problems is much more effective on the long term than drugs.
I will disagree here. Sometimes all it takes is an antidepressant for a short while to help a person get over a setback in their life. I know many people that were helped through a depressed period with antidepressants and were able to get off of them once the period finished. Don't deny yourself these medications that can help you.jreelawg said:Anti-depressants should be a last resort. It is hard to stop taking them, as when you stop, your depression is back and even stronger. Your better off finding solutions by examining your problem, your emotions, and figure out what's wrong in your life. It can often be that you just have some things to learn about life, and need to broaden your perspective. Find out what makes it worse, and what makes things better. For example, anger, fear, jealousy, shame etc. Don't encourage yourself to cry or feel bad. A lot of people like to sit and feel sorry for yourself, and add up all the reasons. This is the worst thing to do, so it is simple, don't do it. Why should you punish yourself? Find things which keep you motivated, realize that many many people have it worse than you. What about people who were in NAZI concentration camps, aren't you glad your not there. How happy they would feel to be in your shoes. Even when things are bad, no reason to waste, and throw away what you do have.
Evo said:I will disagree here. Sometimes all it takes is an antidepressant for a short while to help a person get over a setback in their life. I know many people that were helped through a depressed period with antidepressants and were able to get off of them once the period finished. Don't deny yourself these medications that can help you.
It's medications for anxiety (SSRI's that cannot be stopped). This is because the anxiety is usually due to a chemical imbalance that has no quick fix and in fact can't be fixed at all, but just controlled.
mark081 said:I have anxiety and depression and take 5-htp. St. Johns Wort also helped but not as much. You can purchase the 100mg tablets cheaply from vitacost or iherb. They are also available over-the-counter at a pharmacy/ nutrition store without your insurance company knowing.
What's best for fighting depression is aerobic exercise and sun exposure. Both of these cause you to produce serotonin. My advice is to exercise every muscle in your body this will add muscle and serotonin-generating capability. Also some doctors contest that a deficiency in vitamins and nutrients (esp D and C, and omega-3 dha ) can lead to depression and anxiety. The serotonin supplements/drugs are an icing on the cake that get you feeling normal.
Nan said:Please be careful folks when purchasing OTC supplements. They are not regulated by the FDA and may or may not contain the active ingredients claimed. Many are produced in Asia and other countries without any oversight. There may also be other ingredients in OTC supplements that are either useless but in some cases can be harmful and/or contaminated. Be sure to source your products and be wary of claims that are solely based on "testimonials". Remember, being skeptical isn't always a negative quality. Also understand that some OTC products can interact with prescribed medications, if you have an existing condition, there maybe potential side-effects that are either unknown or unlabeled on the product.
mcknia07 said:I, too, was wondering what may be best. I don't not suffer from depression, but I do have some history of anxiety, due to stress at work and school. My NP did a few tests and everything was normal about me. (WELL as normal as I have ever been, lol) She told me the best thing to do was just exercise or do some type of yoga. It calms you down and relieves the stress. The last resort would be medicine, tho, if you take meds, it's best to do research before you start taking them.
What I meant by "you can't stop taking SSRI's" wasn't literally you can't stop taking the medication, but that the medication isn't a cure. It's not like taking an antibiotioc for a bacterial infection. You get rid of the infection and stop taking the antibiotic. This is not so for clinical anxiety, depression, OCD, etc... If you find an SSRI that helps relieve your symptoms, if you stop taking it, the old problems will return. SSRI's are not capable of "curing" anything, they work as long as you take them, they don't work if you don't take them.Nan said:SSRIs can be stopped, but with the supervision of a physician. Just as the initial dosing is gradual so too is the process of coming off SSRIs-a slow reduction.
Evo said:What I meant by "you can't stop taking SSRI's" wasn't literally you can't stop taking the medication, but that the medication isn't a cure. It's not like taking an antibiotioc for a bacterial infection. You get rid of the infection and stop taking the antibiotic. This is not so for clinical anxiety, depression, OCD, etc... If you find an SSRI that helps relieve your symptoms, if you stop taking it, the old problems will return. SSRI's are not capable of "curing" anything, they work as long as you take them, they don't work if you don't take them.
It could very well be that the depression was only temporary to begin with. I'm talking about a person with such severe anxiety that they cannot work, they cannot go out, travel, talk on the phone to people they don't know, they have OCD, etc... After several doctors wouldn't even listen to them, one doctor said they'd put them on SSRI's for a few months, then take them off because it's really all just in their head and they can "get over it" if they want.alxm said:Saying "the old problems will return" is overstating it quite a bit. I've personally gone on SSRIs, had benefit from them, and gone off them without any immediate/related recurrence of depression. Clinical depression isn't typically a persistent condition in most cases/ most people, either. (clinical anxiety/GAD and OCD, on the other hand, usually are).
Besides some weak nausea that I felt during the brief period of withdrawal, I didn't have any problems going off SSRIs. My depression didn't return; quite the contrary. Most people noted a markedly improved mood.
I agree, it takes trial and error, and it's not something you should expect to be on for just a few months. I've seen them help people to some extent, but never 100% and the symptoms return and sometimes seem worse once the medication has stopped, again, it takes a while for the symptoms to return as the medication's effects decrease.Nan said:As I stated before and bears repeating, SSRIs are not a panacea, it takes months for them to become really effective, sometimes people just stop them thinking it does no good. Some folks won't respond but like other problems, it can be a trial and error process to find what does, it requires patience sometimes which is difficult when one is stressed in this way. For some individuals, SSRIs are inadequate or need additional medications but that is only for a physician to determine.