Curious what the take is around here on antidepressants

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In summary, most people don't need antidepressants, but they can be a life-saver for people who do. There are different classes of antidepressants with different mechanisms of action, and it's important to be aware of the risks before taking them.
  • #1
Gale
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Hi all,

Just kinda curious what the take is around here on antidepressants. Myself, i don't like pills of any kind... but maybe they'd be worth the investment for some people. If anyone knows any good articles for or against them, that'd be welcome. But mostly, I'm just looking for individual opinions or experiences.
 
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  • #2
Gale17 said:
i'm just looking for individual opinions or experiences.
I'd be toast without my Wellbutrin and Citalopram. The 'W' alone didn't work, even on a double dose, so I think that seratonin is more of a cuplprit than the other things.
 
  • #3
Wellbutrin works a minor miracle for me - relatively few side effects, possibly an aphrodisiac [caution against potential recreational users], doesn't address anxiety so well, but I thrive on that anyway. I would advise against using SSRIs if you have any history of bipolar disorder, but they can be good for unipolar depression with anxiety. The disadvantage of trying modern antidepressants is the four to six week wait until their maximum effect.
 
  • #4
Don't worry about drugs if a proffessional doesn't say you need them. Not everyone who has emotional problems has them due to a mental condition/chemical imbalance. Or SSRI drugs like Paxil or Zoloft won't necessarily help someone who is depressed due to circumstances or what not but otherwise has regular seretonin levels.

I'm not discrediting the drugs, I'm just saying they're not for everyone. Unfortunatly a psychiatrist will give drugs to anyone even if they don't need it because it's their business with the pharmacuetical industry.
 
  • #5
Whether drugs help is subjective but Paxil didn't help me but a fresh outlook later did. I still have some Paxil samples left if anyone wants I'll mail them. Not really I'm sure that's against the law somehow.
 
  • #6
Gale17 said:
Hi all,

Just kinda curious what the take is around here on antidepressants. Myself, i don't like pills of any kind... but maybe they'd be worth the investment for some people. If anyone knows any good articles for or against them, that'd be welcome. But mostly, I'm just looking for individual opinions or experiences.
If you have a chemical imbalance, you need something that will correct it. There is nothing wrong with that.

If you are talking about tranquilizers, amphetamines or other such drugs, that's completely different.

Can you clarify which type of drugs you are referring to?
 
  • #7
drinking and anti-depressants don't work at all. if you drink alcohol and want to take anti-depressants, be prepared to waste time and money...
 
  • #8
Gale17 said:
Hi all,

Just kinda curious what the take is around here on antidepressants. Myself, i don't like pills of any kind... but maybe they'd be worth the investment for some people. If anyone knows any good articles for or against them, that'd be welcome. But mostly, I'm just looking for individual opinions or experiences.
The literature says they work. There are several classes of antidepressants available with different mechanisms of action, so depending on the cause of the depression, different ones work for different people. That said, taking medication isn't something to take lightly either. When someone has a legitimate reason to be sad, like a recent death of a loved one or a break-up with a long-time boyfriend/girlfriend, then I think the first approach should be just giving yourself some time to work though the grief and some talk therapy can help. But, when the depression lasts a long time and you're not getting over it, or it's getting worse, and it's bad enough to be interferring with living your life (i.e., too lethargic to get your work done or loss of interest in social activities), and other physical causes can be ruled out, the drugs can be a life saver...literally.

There has been recent publicity about teens committing suicide AFTER starting to take antidepressants, but from what I'm familiar with of such cases, what happens is they already have those suicidal thoughts before starting the medication, but don't have the energy to follow through; they're just lying around in a constant funk. When they start the medication, as it's starting to work, but hasn't fully reversed the depression, they reach a stage where they have the energy to carry through on those thoughts while they still have those thoughts. That's the stage where people close to them need to be educated about the risks and to carefully watch them.
 
  • #9
Most people don't need it. It's quite sad how medicated our society is becoming.
 
  • #10
Moonbear said:
There has been recent publicity about teens committing suicide AFTER starting to take antidepressants, but from what I'm familiar with of such cases, what happens is they already have those suicidal thoughts before starting the medication, but don't have the energy to follow through; they're just lying around in a constant funk.

There have been cases like this for other kinds of drugs also. So if someone commits suicide some lawyer thinks, "what drugs were they taking?" so they can make an accusation to get $$ but they don't tie the suicide in with the pill and it's no different than anyone not on meds committing suicide, they're just greedy lawyers fishing and it makes publicity.
 
  • #11
JasonRox said:
Most people don't need it. It's quite sad how medicated our society is becoming.
The thing with SSRI's and similar drugs is that if you don't need it, nothing will happen. If you do not have a chemical imbalance, then there is nothing to correct. You will soon find out if you needed help or if you are truly depressed.

If it's a drug like a tranquilizer or amphetamine, then it is only a temporary "mood alterer" and these can become a problem. They aren't actually correcting a problem, they are just masking your emotions.
 
  • #12
If you have issues I'll tell you EITHER counseling or drugs will help you, but which one that depends.. but problems have different solutions so a pro. therapist could help determine a good path for correction even be it electroshock therapy if that's what you truly need, it really depends on the person.
 
  • #13
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in conjunction with medication has been shown twice as effective as either treatment alone for depression/anxiety.
 
  • #14
Evo said:
You will soon find out if you needed help or if you are truly depressed.
It should also be pointed out here to anyone who doesn't have it that clinical depression doesn't necessarily involve feelings of sadness or bleakness. It can be manifest in so many different ways that it can be very hard to diagnose.
 
  • #15
Loren Booda said:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in conjunction with medication has been shown twice as effective as either treatment alone for depression/anxiety.
For a first time person experiencing anxiety attacks, they need to speak to a professional so they can try to determine which medicine may be most effective. It is usually trial and error for awhile until the right medicine is found.

I had hoped that perhaps some of the feelings of anxiety and depression I had been feeling might be chemical and could be easily gotten riddin of. No such luck, I have no chemical imbalances. :redface: I'm normal. :devil:

The psychlogist I went to (one of the best in Chicago told me that after talking to me that he doesn't think there is anything wrong with me, I have really just had really crappy things happen to me and ANYONE would be depressed if they were me. :bugeye: So no medicine can help Evo. I'm normal, no help for me. :uhh:
 
  • #16
For those who don't need medication for neurochemical adjustments, sometimes exercise or recreation helps.

I was doing a lot of work indoors one summer. I started feeling a bit down, so I quit the inside job and got a construction job outside in the sun. After a few weeks, I felt much better. The construction job did have the added benefit of heavy work - so I got lots of exercise.

Also, getting stuck in a routine, particularly in a job that is stressful or otherwise not much fun, can lead to anxiety and in the extreme, depression.

Taking a short vacation - going somewhere new and fun - but really - shutting off the world for even a day can be very rejuvenating.

I did that one day a few years ago. I was with a very good friend, and I just shut off the world and enjoyed a day walking around a city in Eastern Europe visiting museums and galleries, churches, shops, parks. It was one of the best days of my life.
 
  • #17
Well, i guess it'd be silly of me to pretend i wasn't asking because I'm planningto take them myself... so ya... I've been to therapists before, and meds have casually been mentioned, and I've always refused. I've been trying to work things out on my own, but mostly i become increasingly unfunctional. it doesn't help that I've had additional emotional stress lately, but its definately been a long term problem. I'm planning to see my doctor, and a therapist, and to check my options out. I'm especially worried about how ambitious I'm planning next semester to be. i know i can handle the material, but i just don't have any drive or ambition... ever. every once in a while i get spurts, but mostly i get too depressed and thus lethargic and i just don't do anything... ever.

Also, while we're sort of discussing things. I'm also going to get screened for ADD, and see if perhaps drugs for that might help my situation.

I've just been a very sad, depressed, empty feeling person for so long. and the recent stress in addition to that is brutal. i just want to be fixed and become a functional member of society. i don't like the idea of adding chemicals or hormones to my body, but if it'll really help... then i guess i ought try eh?
 
  • #18
Well to deal with issues don't overload too much work on, leave time for hobbies or whatever stuff you enjoy doing instead of only working and moping; budget your time including the fun stuff. Then for the work stuff you can have motivation because one leads to the other, work and fun coexisting.
 
  • #19
Gale17 said:
I'm also going to get screened for ADD, and see if perhaps drugs for that might help my situation.
I probably should have specified that ADD is what I'm on the antidepressants for. That's what I meant about one not necessarily being depressed in order to have depression. The drugs make a tremendous difference to me, but they're definitely not for everyone.
 
  • #20
you know... funny thing about being depressed... there isn't much i like to for fun any more. i try to do things... but nothing really... i just have to force myself to do "fun" things... and then i feel stupid afterwars or something. course, I'm hardly worried about working too much either... seeing as right now, i don't work at all. I'm just a big waste of space, with no purpose or direction. the worst part is that I'm a smart girl, and i think i could probably amount to something... but its not happening... I'm just wasting my mind doing nothing...
 
  • #21
Gale17 said:
i'm just wasting my mind doing nothing...
That last bit is fairly common among people your age, so don't immediately assume that there's something wrong with you.
 
  • #22
Danger said:
That last bit is fairly common among people your age, so don't immediately assume that there's something wrong with you.

heh, riiiiight... course, let me blame my issues on typical adolescent flaws... I'm in college now, and i know exactly what i want to do. the problem is that even though i want it very much, i still can't bring my self to actually do anything. I've wanted to be a mathematician since i was very young, and i still do. But i get so... i don't even know, i sit there before class and i just... it doesn't matter. i just hate being alive. its all well and good to play with numbers all day, but its everything else... i hate it. and every morning i wake up, and it just doesn't seem worth getting up... I'm miserable... possibly self destructive and maybe bordering along suicidal... again. i want to be happy.. to just enjoy life. to feel like my future matters. I'm tired of driving my car and imagining every car i pass running into me. its depressing...
 
  • #23
Gale17 said:
you know... funny thing about being depressed... there isn't much i like to for fun any more. i try to do things... but nothing really... i just have to force myself to do "fun" things... and then i feel stupid afterwars or something. course, I'm hardly worried about working too much either... seeing as right now, i don't work at all. I'm just a big waste of space, with no purpose or direction. the worst part is that I'm a smart girl, and i think i could probably amount to something... but its not happening... I'm just wasting my mind doing nothing...
Did you feel the same way when you were living on campus this year as you do now? I ask because we know that things aren't always great for you at home, so it would be important to sift out whether you feel crappy because you're in a stressful home environment, or if you felt the same way even when you got out into the dorms and around other people. If you can change your situation and the environment and still feel the same way, then it's certainly worth talking to a professional about medication options. If your feelings change with your environment, you could be perfectly normal and just need to change your environment or learn to cope with the existing one until you can get out. Though, either way, a professional can help you sift out the possibilities to figure out if you should try medication, or a different approach to coping with your environment, or if it's just normal teenage angst.
 
  • #24
it was much less severe when i was at school. i was depressed definetly, but in a very mild way. i just felt the need to sleep all the time because i didn't want to be around people. i felt useless and worthless... but i tried putting on a front... as i usually do in social situations, and so things weren't so bad. at home... its constant feelings of wishing i were anywhere but here. but i pushed away most of my friend because I'm always frontin' and its frustrating to have real feelings and friends who're used to me faking it all the time. i'd much rather be at school... but i was still unhappy there. i failed classes i should've aced. i was a loner, even though I'm extroverted and social... i was just depressed and unmotivated to change things. low self esteem often makes me feel like i deserve to be depressed anyways.
 
  • #25
Gale17 said:
heh, riiiiight... course, let me blame my issues on typical adolescent flaws... I'm in college now, and i know exactly what i want to do. the problem is that even though i want it very much, i still can't bring my self to actually do anything. I've wanted to be a mathematician since i was very young, and i still do. But i get so... i don't even know, i sit there before class and i just... it doesn't matter. i just hate being alive. its all well and good to play with numbers all day, but its everything else... i hate it. and every morning i wake up, and it just doesn't seem worth getting up... I'm miserable... possibly self destructive and maybe bordering along suicidal... again. i want to be happy.. to just enjoy life. to feel like my future matters. I'm tired of driving my car and imagining every car i pass running into me. its depressing...

What I'm reading here are some pretty specific thoughts that sound harmful. How soon can you get an appointment to talk to someone? If they recommend medication, give it a chance.

Keep in mind it's going to take a little time before it fully works, and while they find the right one for you and adjust the dose; make sure they explain all the possible side effects so you know if you have any of them, and make sure your family knows you might act a bit wacky while adjusting. It would be good to start it now if you need it, that way all that adjustment and the weird moods you'll feel as you climb back up to feeling good again will be over with by the time you start back to school in the fall. Then you can just jump right in with a new school year and new outlook (and you'll fit right in with all the other sophomores who suddenly undergo a change of attitude over the summer and start to seriously apply themselves to their studies when they might have screwed up a bit as freshmen :wink:).
 
  • #26
erm, hey look, sorry... i didn't mean to make this another "gale's whining about her life" thread. I've been depressed a long time. I've had an unhappy childhood, and a generally less than happy life. mostly, I'm certain, due to my own perspective and attitude. i definately think that I'm capable of a better life than I'm living, and i think that my refusal for drugs has maybe been not the best idea. i want to get better. so i just want to know how people feel about the drugs.

also, how do you guys feel about people who have to take those drugs? maybe its just me, but i always sort of viewed them as weak... unable to function without meds seems... less than whole... you know what i mean? like... i don't want to have to dependent on something outside me inorder to be normal... makes me feel.. well.. abnormal. and that's depressing...

i think I'm also very worried about that suicide thing.
 
  • #27
i'm just a big waste of space, with no purpose or direction.
Not quite. You seem a bright, intelligent, and sensitive person.

Also, you do not seem to be frontin' with friends here at PF.

So, what's next?

BTW - I placed out of my freshman year and started uni with sophomore math and physics courses. I was loading with 20+ hrs.

Well, I flamed out gloriously by the end of my sophomore year. Tried to recover in the first part of junior year, but then took off a semester to get my head together. Altered states and severe sleep deprivation didn't help at that point, actually they precipitated the decline.

I tried for a 4th year, but quit that school and went elsewhere.

So hang in there. OK?

How's things with home?
 
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  • #28
Gale17 said:
also, how do you guys feel about people who have to take those drugs? maybe its just me, but i always sort of viewed them as weak... unable to function without meds seems... less than whole...
I'm a bit biased, since I'm one of them... but so are a few others around here that seem to be functioning just fine with whatever they're using for treatment. The main thing to keep in mind that it has nothing to do with willpower or anything else under conscious control. It's a specific chemical malfunction in the body, just like diabetes or schizophrenia. You can't be expected to deal with it alone.
 
  • #29
Gale17 said:
erm, hey look, sorry... i didn't mean to make this another "gale's whining about her life" thread. I've been depressed a long time. I've had an unhappy childhood, and a generally less than happy life. mostly, I'm certain, due to my own perspective and attitude. i definately think that I'm capable of a better life than I'm living, and i think that my refusal for drugs has maybe been not the best idea. i want to get better.
We want you to get better too. :smile: There's no need to be sorry for reaching out for help when you need it. It's important to know when to ask for help, and takes a lot of courage to do it.

so i just want to know how people feel about the drugs.

also, how do you guys feel about people who have to take those drugs? maybe its just me, but i always sort of viewed them as weak... unable to function without meds seems... less than whole... you know what i mean? like... i don't want to have to dependent on something outside me inorder to be normal... makes me feel.. well.. abnormal. and that's depressing...
Would you feel oddly about someone who needed to take medication to control their blood pressure or cholesterol or diabetes? It's not a weakness to need medication. For a long time, people didn't understand depression or know that it has physical causes, so it became somewhat stigmatized. Nowadays, we know differently, and realize it's something treatable. Nobody should have to feel crappy all the time when there's a medication to make them feel better. Just wait until you start feeling better and get out of the funk you're in, you won't believe you waited so long to do something about it.

i think I'm also very worried about that suicide thing.
I'm worried about that too. We really treasure having you around here. Can you schedule an appointment with your therapist very soon?
 
  • #30
Astronuc said:
How's things with home?

BAD! if anyone's looking for a roommate, and wouldn't mind a 17 yr old female who's a bit off... let me know. seriously.

Danger said:
I'm a bit biased, since I'm one of them... but so are a few others around here that seem to be functioning just fine with whatever they're using for treatment. The main thing to keep in mind that it has nothing to do with willpower or anything else under conscious control. It's a specific chemical malfunction in the body, just like diabetes or schizophrenia. You can't be expected to deal with it alone.

I dunno... i don't like medicines for any "diseases" or "disorders" ... i know its not rational, but i mean, the body... nature... just doesn't seem right to add pills and shots and all that stuff. i do sort of... i dunno... i should change my views i guess... but i dunno. i'd also like a tummy tuck or a boob job... and that's also so unnatural... i just... how do you draw the line? i don't want to take things that change who i am. god made me this way. or nature made me this way... for a reason eh? i dunno... I'm just so miserable... its hard to stick to my guns.
 
  • #31
Gale17 said:
i don't want to take things that change who i am. god made me this way. or nature made me this way... for a reason eh? i dunno... I'm just so miserable... its hard to stick to my guns.
Keep in mind that a large part of your attitude about that could very well be a symptom of the disorder as well. A lot of schizophrenics who go off of their meds because they feel better don't want to go back on because they think that they're still fine even as they deteriorate.
 
  • #32
Gale17 said:
I dunno... i don't like medicines for any "diseases" or "disorders" ... i know its not rational, but i mean, the body... nature... just doesn't seem right to add pills and shots and all that stuff. i do sort of... i dunno... i should change my views i guess... but i dunno. i'd also like a tummy tuck or a boob job... and that's also so unnatural... i just... how do you draw the line? i don't want to take things that change who i am. god made me this way. or nature made me this way... for a reason eh? i dunno... I'm just so miserable... its hard to stick to my guns.
It can be tough to admit to yourself that you need it. Sometimes our bodies just misfire and we can't just fix ourselves and we want to think we can. There's no reason for you to be miserable all the time. Though, since you're going through it, once you're feeling better, you'll be more understanding of how others feel as well. Maybe it'll be another student in your dorm who needs help, or an employee of yours someday, or just some person you meet in an airport who is at the point you're at now and needs someone understanding to talk to...you can be that person who understands them and helps them get the help they need. That's what the experience is good for, and getting better is the first step toward making something good come out of it.
 
  • #33
Gale,did you misspell the word in the title on purpose...?If not,then maybe you should start taking anitdepressants.

I'm seriosu.

Daelin.
 
  • #34
That's strange.I can never trust pills or psychologist about curing spychological problems.I think we should learn to take life easy.Try to laugh in difficult situations.when I'm depressed,I usually think about what makes me sad or sometimes write them and I feel better.I read my notes which I wrote in the same situation and think about how my concerns weren't as bad as I thought.how problems've solved by passing time.and I sometimes in hard situations say to myself "crying or not won't make any difference.so smile and be happy.Thanks to God, we don't have to live in this world forever.The whole world is a joke.let's feel ourselves beside God and laugh at it like him"and then I feel better.
 

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