ANTIDEPRESSANTS - anybody open minded? Doctor pushes it on you, family dont even wanna hear about it...

Its up to you if you want to take them or not. I've been told that they can be addicting and some people that decide to try them for a while soon realize they can't live without them. Also they sometimes don't help or make things worse but they also can help, sometimes they help for a while. I hope whatever you choose it works out. Stay strong xo Personally I wouldn't go on anti-depressants but that's just my opinion.

@liska ,

I totally understand what you have written. My parents don't want me to take antidepressant , on the other hand the therapist I went to see one time told me to take them, and to tell you the truth the antidepressant she suggested were really horrible(She gave me some meds before which seemed to be effective, but later on she changed them, the new mades made me terribly sick), after that just yesterday I went to visit an internal medicine specialist (really experienced doctor with all the high level degrees), he said that it was wrongof my therapist(one might think that my therapist doesn't have good background, but she's a well known professional one)to give me such high doses. I am totally open for what works , and I can understand when depression hits hard any feasible choice might look promising but I think the concern you have shared is legitimate andwe should be careful with what we put in our body.

Anyways, if the choice for taking meds opens up for you, please notice whether the meds have any weird side-effects, if they have, informyour doctor about and get the meds changed.

As far as my experience with anti-D meds(I've tried taking them for 15 days), I quited taking them when I had really bad side effects, I haven't taken them for a long time.

You are right that depression changes the chemicals in our brain which makes differenthormones go crazy/not helpful. While anti-D meds are supposed to work on it, there are activities/foods which helps the releaseof natural anti-depressanthormones. You can read some stuff in the following links,

i)

http://naturalsociety.com/harvard-reports-use-antidepressants-skyrocketed-5-ways-boost-happiness-naturally/

ii)

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression

iii)http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/mental-health/how-to-boost-your-happy-hormones#Aff9fKSf6CPVcX5K.97 [Not directly relevant, just some info]

I definitely understand your frustration. I have had people, mostly doctors, suggest antidepressants and others (my family) be pretty strongly against them. It's very confusing because for one thing, I don't want to disappoint my family by trying them, and for another, what if I become addicted or get side effects? I have heard that the side effects can worsen your state before improving it, but how do you know if it's normal and worth going through? For me, I think my depression is mostly circumstantial, so what if all I need to do is sort out my problems? Then again, maybe antidepressants would make it easier to do so. I have heard of people whom antidepressants have worked wonderfully for.

Sorry to go on, but all I'm saying is that I can relate to your predicament. However, if your doctor/counselor won't listen to your concerns and work with you, I suggest trying to find one that will. I am currently looking for a therapist and my plan is to do a lot of research and be very cautious in my decision to take antidepressants. I think I would like to try to do without them, but I am open to trying them if I feel I'm not progressing.

This decision is yours to make. I know it's hard when there are so many differing opinions, but I really hope you make the right one for you so you can recover. Best wishes to you.

Ahhh, the medication conundrum. As someone who has taken and benefited from antidepressants, but who also has done a lot of research and can see the other side, I'd be happy to clear up some misconceptions. About 30-40% of depressions respond to medication. No one really truly understands why this is, but I suspect that it is because we currently don't really understand all the mechanisms of depression, and in the cases where it does not help, another underlying source is the cause. Just like autism is a spectrum, not a single condition, I suspect that depression is similar. If you have never watched the presentation on depression by Robert Sapolsky, I highly recommend it as it very clearly outlines the complexity of treating depression, and the various underlying factors at work. It's on you tube.

Antidepressant medications are not addictive in the traditional sense, i.e. you don't feel any overwhelming desire to take them, or feel you "need" them. They are not psychologically addictive, but they are physically addictive. This means that you do go through withdrawl when you stop, so you should NEVER stop cold turkey, even if you are experiencing unpleasant side effects, you should lower your dose gradually to let your body readjust. Many regular doctors do not understand this, but it is crucial. There are some drugs called benzodiazepineswhich are not antidepressants, they are tranquillizers, but are sometimes combined with them - these can lead to dependence, and are not recommended for longer than 2-4 weeks.

There are different kinds of antidepressants that work on different neurotransmitters, some work on seratonin (SSRIs), some work on dopamine and some onnorepinephrine (or a combo of these). There is no test to know which one will work for you, unfortunately it's trial and error at this point. For in depth info and honest discussion about all the different meds on the market, and the real side effects as experienced by patients, check out the website "crazymeds.us" - yeah, but trust me, you will get honest unbiased info there unlike drug company sites, and an honest discussion of whether or not meds are right for you. It's also refreshingly funny to boot.

Finally, the real root of the discussion is what does it mean to take medication for depression? A lot of the stigma comes from this notion that you "should" be able to conquer it "on your own". Another aspect is that medication does not cure depression, it just manages symptoms. And finally, lots of people have tried it and it does not work for them, or they hadextremelynegative experiences, so they will advise against it. My advice? Don't listen to my advice, or their advice, or anyones. Only YOU know how you feel, and only you can decide if you think medication is an avenue you want to explore. If you DO decide to explore trying medication, do your research, learn about what is possible and what side effects to expect. A few more things:

The first 2-3 weeks of taking an antidepressant WILL suck big time. They take time to kick in, and the side effects are usually MUCH WORSE the first 2-3 weeks. So, not only do you have to put up with how much your depression sucks, you ALSO have to put up with a plethora of negative side effects like disturbed sleep (if you were even sleeping regularly), nausea (if you weren't already sick enough!) and feeling hyped or wired or whatever - it depends on your body and how you react to that particular drug. Oh joy. But, after that, when the medication does kick in, a lot of the side effects subside to being barely noticeable, at least for some people.

Yes, it's true that medication does not cure you, it just manages symptoms. It won't make your life or job or perspective any better. BUT for some, it gives you the stability, the energy, and the focus to start making those life changes that get at the roots of your depression. It can create a space or a break from the negative thoughts, the exhaustion, and the devastating sadness to allow the healing to begin. If you can't get out of bed in the morning, it's unlikely you'll have the energy to exercise, do therapy, or the other many things that help this illness. And unfortunately, there is no guarantee that medication will even work for you. For me, it's a tool, one of many, that was worth exploring despite the challenges, but that's me. Only YOU know what's right for you, and if you choose to try it or not try it, no one else's opinion matters.

There are many things to help you with depression and anxiety. Not all help the same. Only you can try and let doctor know hey this help or not this one makes it so it hard to function. For me Ive been battling long time now think I may have my answer 43 years later. Do as directed but let them know this help this doesnt. Dont give up... look for answers try natural ways try your options. Dont let others hinder you from healing no one knows you better then you. Hope this helps. .

I started with antidepressants in 1991, and nothing helped at all. Finally my wife after writing letters got me into Mayo Clinic inpatient where they quickly diagnosed me as borderline personality disorder. Which I was told Medicines mostly do not work for. I have a list a mile long of meds we have tried to no effect. I think our next try is an MAOI, one class I have never tried. After that I am up for ECT or anything else that might cut the pain just a little bit.

So I have the same issue with my family and they are against antidepressants on aggressive way and my therapist is insisting for me to take it. So I started to take it 4 months ago and didn't tell my family. I didn't have much side effects only headache so we tried another 1 and It was better. So the med had muted the negative voice inside my head which made my life easier and I can express my self more. I agreed with my therapist to stop the med for 1 week after 3 months to check if I became addictive. So I tried that and nothing happened so I was okey. The therapist said that med will last minimum 6 months and maximum 2 years depends on my status. So I say give it a try why not :)

Some advice in case anyone is thinking of trying or starting an SSRI for the first time. If you find that you are experiencing unpleasant side effects when you start, try starting at lower doses until your body adjusts - make sure you discuss this with your doctor first though as this will delay the drugs coming to full effect, but might be worth it if you are having difficulty. My body always seems to react harshly at first, so this is what I tried this year and it definitely made a difference, but it was a plan my doctor and I discussed first, and since I was not suicidal or in immediate danger, delaying the full impact of the drug was worth it to me to make the start a bit more gentle. Now I'm no longer experiencing any noticeable side effects, and it is working to restore my energy, my negative thoughts are no longer in control, and I've been able to start exercising again and going out with friends.

A friend suggested I try acupuncturein combination with the drugs, as there has been some promising studies regarding this. So far it seems to be helping, but you'd have to try for yourself to see if it's another avenue you want to explore.

I've only ever tried SSRIs, so I can't speak to other meds, but SSRIs are known to have something called SSRI discontinuation syndrome. You might go through some unpleasant side effects when you stop taking them, especially if you stop cold turkey. I am unfortunate in that this always happens for me, and has done so with the 3 different types I've tried. So now I gradually reduce my dose over time to let my body readjust. SSRIs are not the only drugs out there though, so someone else might have some guidance on their experiences with other meds.

I know exactly how you feel.. My parents, unfortunately, believe meds of any sort for the brain = makes you crazy. This is all because of how the news portrays it. It's no wonder there's such a horrible stigma around taking them. If it was normalized, then people wouldn't have to feel so ashamed about seeking help.

The world needs to be educated.

I know, weird isn't it? Strange how society can accept that any part of the human body can have a medical problemexceptthe brain, which is the most complex organ we have. Consider this, there are more than 3,000 conditions anddisorders of the skin alone, and yet, somehow it's impossible for most people toconceivethat brains can malfunction in any way except for a small handful of conditions such as epilepsy, autism, and brain tumors. Education is so important :)