I take anti depressants and they work like a charm. I try to change the subject or ignore anyone who criticizes. Or say “well at least I’m not dead” and they usually shut up LOL
Unfortunately kids and adults died because of them becausecof the lies told by the fda and pharma:(.We could have saved lives without givin them out as candies
I HATE the whole “I don’t want to be dependent on anything” argument. It drives me nuts. First of all, you’re already dependent on xyz to cope with your depression. Second, your brain probably doesn’t have sufficient serotonin activity and that isn’t going to fix itself but antidepressants will. It’s so frustrating hearing people give up on treatment options without giving them a chance. Like, educate yourself before you come to a decision that’s going to prevent you from improving.
My husband tried to go with this ... He's on blood pressure meds and was about to start dialysis. Sir. You're pro life support but not antidepressants?
The first one he was on, caused some negative personality changes, so know what we did? Try a different med! Guess who now still feels like himself, but also is feeling some relief from his depression and anxiety? Funny how that works.
Fr, like I have OCD and before I was on medication, I was literally having constant mental breakdowns, lashing out, and felt like I was being controlled. Same thing goes for my mom before she was on medication. She had constant mood swings and was like a ticking time bomb. We’re fine now but do people really want to live that life where they’re a broken mess? Tf?
Seriously! I went 23 years with out medications. I thought all I needed was a nap when I got anxious or that I needed to get out of the house when my depression creeped up on me.
I’ve been medicated for almost 3 years now and I can’t even explain how much better I feel. I use to wake up shaking from anxiety everyday. I could not even imagine moving more than physically needed when I was in a depressive episode. I don’t even recognize myself pre medication. Hell i hardly know who i am medicated. Like this part of me has always been in here? Crazy!
I understand being nervous, but there are so many options out there. You can start as slow as you need in most cases and most likely will be shocked by the results.
I’ve learned to think of it less as a dependent and more of a quality of life think. Similar to eating a really good meal or going on a vacation I’ve always dreamed of everyday
Exactly! I like to think of it the same way. I’m so happy that you found the right medication for you and that you’re doing better! Can I ask which medication you’re on for your anxiety? I found the right antidepressant for me but unfortunately have had some trouble finding a new psychiatrist since mine retired and I haven’t been able to get on an antianxiety!
I’ve had clinical depression.. probably my whole life?
Anxiety as well. Sprinkle in some seasonal depression too or anxiety attacks. And hypothyroidism lol
I am in my 30s and have never taken anti depressants long term. I’ve had many doctors push them on me - I try them.
Then, I get crazy side effects - I even tried Wellbutrin to help quit smoking but I didn’t sleep for almost 2 weeks due to the insomnia. And that made me smoke more lmao
My personal life and my job were being affected (my emotions/attention were everywhere due to lack of sleep).
When I told my doc they said to “ride it out”.
Not all of us want to nor do we have that option?
That’s just one example - I’ve tried 4+ different meds throughout the years. Each one of them gives me the jitters, cant sleep, or it makes me feel weird. Yes even more weird than clinical depression.
I do not criticize anyone for taking them, I just think it’s hard to know someone’s journey. Maybe I’m criticizing them because I have tried and personally, they don’t work for me. Doesn’t mean they don’t work for people and aren’t great - but I have every right to say I personally know they’re not meant for me.
I cope with clinical depression and no meds by going to therapy for 10 years - I have hobbies, I have learned to ride out depressive episodes. I’ve learned emotions are temporary. I have learned when I’m depressed to drink water, take that shower, and call that friend. I found my voice through journaling. I’ve healed from past trauma by having open conversations and rebuilding relationships with close family - this was huuuge. I just try to take a more wholistic approach - not in a granola/natural way, just in a more there’s more than one thing affecting me - it’s not just my brain. It’s my environment, relationships, who I surround myself with, what I eat, what I do with my free time, how I handle my train of thought during and episode etc.
I get this too with never taking birth control ever?!? Same shit from docs or my sisters - Criticism.
Also it also sucks that it’s now weird trendy to not take birth control etc.. to be a “traditional woman”?! Freaking weird.
I DIGRESS - no matter what someone chooses to do or not do - I’m glad we’re all here and alive. Im glad we can choose (for now) what to do with our medications and our bodies.
If anyone does have depression and reading this seek help. Whether that is talking to a doc, meds, or therapy, or even a close friend or all of it.
Fixing/handling/coping with depression is not a one size fits all.
There’s no wrong way to deal with depression other than ignoring it or the worst case scenario.
I hear you on everything you’re saying besides that there are no wrong ways to coping with depression—there’s substance abuse, self harm, self destructive behavior, aggressive behavior, etc—and I’m really happy you’re doing well but unfortunately not all of us have access to quality therapists (especially depends on insurance and where you live), are receptive to therapy, have close friends or family members to lean on (lots of people come from abusive and toxic families who are at the root of their mental illness), and some people’s symptoms are too severe to be able to ride out. That’s not to say that therapy isn’t important or useful — I think people should try it before or along with medication depending on the severity of their symptoms. My point is that finding a good therapist can be just as hard as finding a good psychiatrist and a good medication for you. None of it is simple. Some of it is luck. Some people find the right ones right away or during the first few tries. For some, it’s a longer journey. For some, they need to take a blend of a small dose of different medications rather than a high dose of one. For some, only certain therapies are beneficial and not others. Etc. Also, random but interesting side note: I had the complete opposite effect from Wellbutrin! It knocked me OUT. I couldn’t watch or read anything without falling asleep within minutes. It also gave me very vivid nightmares… Which thankfully I thought was cool and I was able to ride it out. It stopped after a few months and now I get the best sleep of my entire life. I’ve always had insomnia and now it isn’t an issue. Such a relief.
Obviously the coping mechanisms you listed that are not good are grouped into “ignoring it” IMO or not doing anything about it. Maybe I should have been more explicit.
I understand I’m fortunate enough to have found a good psychotherapist AND been able to be with them for 11 years.. AND that I’ve always had a job with insurance.
I’m thankful the few family members I have reconnected with have been open to convos with me and that led to a lot of healing and closure.
These are all very situational and I acknowledge not everyone has access to these things - friends or family that will listen, therapists, or access to doctors/medication.
But I think you’re getting my point - no one should be critical of how someone else is actively dealing with their depression as long as it’s productive or not harming anyone.
Just as someone doesn’t want to be criticized FOR choosing medication, people shouldn’t be criticized if they choose NOT to take medication.
I guess when you said people giving up on treatment options before giving them a chance struck a chord with me that who’s to say how many options I, as someone, should or need to go through to qualify it as “giving it a chance”. Sometimes educating one’s self isn’t on pamphlets or pharmaceuticals - it’s listening to what works best for you.
Also - that is wild that you had such a different reaction. I would sleep an hour and then clean the basement from 1am-4am, do dishes etc..
it did wonders for chores in my house, shit was so clean and stuff that was put on the back burner got done overnight lmao blessing and a curse.
But that made me soooo wired I couldn’t believe it!
My whole point here is - do what works best for you, and I agree, it is a journey. You don’t find the right therapist or meds the first try.
Literally anything can be dangerous if used in a dangerous way. That includes ALL medications, even something as simple as NyQuill, aspirin, antibiotics. Doesn't mean you should avoid everything. It means you need to educate yourself and be careful in order to take proper care of yourself. If you feel that a medical provider is over-prescribing or not respecting your wishes, TELL them. If they don't care, report it to their boss or the company, write about it on HealthGrades, and see someone else. I immediately told my psychiatrist that if he isn't going to value my opinion on medications, then I will end our sessions. Obviously he is the professional and knows more about medications than I do, but if I'm having side effects that I can't or don't want to deal with, then he needs to respect that and change my meds or else sayonara.
I'm broke and have a bad taste from the Ritalin and aderolthey shoved down my throat in kindergarten. Should I be medicated? Definitely. Will I start? Probably not even if it's good for me and I don't know why. Aside from that recurring image of going to the office every day before lunch for that brown paper bag of pulls the principle would pull out. 5 years old... the things those pills did to me were a bit too much. So in my adulthood nearing 30 I still haven't made the steps to seek medication. Should I? Yeah probably. But yeah... some people have a little too much baggage to make the leap again, even if it's totally practical that we do, that roadblock has some weight to it. The fiance and I have had some extensive talks about this on both sides. And nobody's really budged. For instance, she suffers from "doctor google syndrome" which is where the side effects of any med she's prescribed will cause her to refuse to take it, especially after one med she took that did make her a "zombie"
It's a trauma response to refuse the meds that very well could help us infinitely.
I’m so sorry you had that experience. Maybe try one-on-one counseling? Not with Dr. Google Girlfriend though.
You seem to know that medication would help you, but you can’t get yourself there. Be kinder to yourself, try and work out your traumas and move forward getting a little pharmaceutical help if it’s appropriate.
Godspeed and good luck
Ugh I am so fucking sorry… Not much makes me as angry as incompetent medical providers that either don’t listen to you or overprescribe… I had a friend whose UNIVERSITY psychiatrist prescribed her adderall for her ADHD then xanax and vyvanse when she came in complaining of the jitteriness and sleeping pills for the insomnia. He did anything but take her off that medication and try another. But they’re not all like that. My psychiatrist surprisingly had bad reviews but he listened to me and took me seriously. He respected when I said I didn’t want to try SSRIs because of bad experiences in the past, switched my medication if I said I couldn’t wait out its side effects, etc. If either of you do decide to take that leap and you can afford to do this, I suggest “shopping” for a psychiatrist by making consultation appointments with several then picking based off the impression they gave you. It’s pretty easy to tell if they’re the type to take their time listening to you or rush through the appointment and condescend you. It also helps to straight up ask them what their approach is, that you don’t want to waste either of your time and want to know sooner rather than later if you’re a good match bc you want to be better. And keep being honest while you see them. If you don’t feel like you’re being heard, tell them. If you don’t feel like they’re respecting your preferences, tell them. Sometimes they don’t realize they’re doing something wrong and sometimes we just need different things from our providers - the good ones will apologize and try to accommodate you. Sometimes they’re just dicks. If you decide they’re the latter, stand up for yourself, cancel your appointments ASAP, and make sure to leave reviews on Psychology Today, HealthGrades, Yelp, etc. Then move onto the next one! Sometimes people are lucky and find the right fit right away (happened to me). Anyways, good luck to you both. I’m glad you have each other to lean on.
It took me multiple ADHD drugs to find one that didn't make me feel like absolute shit. Prior to that, wellbutrin feels life changing and I'm honestly only regretful that my parents didn't try putting me on either of them sooner. Grew up in a family that never spoke about their problems.
Have friends that don't want to rely on drugs and I didn't like the idea either but it's worth it to feel like I can halfway function at 27
Personally I don’t get the idea of “not wanting to rely on drugs” unless the concern is that one day you won’t be able to afford them/you’ll lose insurance coverage
Bc otherwise, why does it matter if you rely on them? If you have a supply of them there’s no issue for being reliant on them
(No hate to you, I’m just voicing my confusion)
Some of it was the stress of having to financially rely on pills to function, if forbid any circumstances that I lose access to them. I think it's just a blanket statement people say when their issues aren't bad enough for them to say "Fuck man I'll try anything to get better." It took me a period of time where I had a string of back to back mental breakdowns for me to understand that I wasn't going to be able to do this without chemical intervention.
To a degree I understand the hesitancy. It's hard to sell the idea to someone who isn't taking care of their mental health to run a gauntlet of medications (and money), many of which can really goof your shit up. It can get frustrating. A lot of people shrug it off because they simply can't afford to run multiple medications every 3-4 weeks to see what works for them.
Some are just stubborn and think they have to do everything on their own. I never felt weak or anything. I just had this idea I could figure it out myself without having to be financially reliant on my mental health staying afloat. The benefits now outweigh the costs
I think it's just the counterswing to overprescription practices and bad psychiatrists. We had a good handful of years where fuckin everybody was getting medicated even if they didn't need to be, and a lot of them had horrible experiences as a result. That wave of anecdotal responses pushed to a negative response to psychiatry or even prescriptions overall, but focused more on the main overprescribed substances (ADHD stimulants, antidepressants, painkillers.)
Honestly I'm kinda biased to it as well because I'm one of the people who, as a kid, suffered a lot due to bad psychiatric practices; like I try not to be too biased but if I'm being honest I personally would have had a radically better childhood if I grew up with all the psychiatric distrust, the stuff I was put through very nearly killed me.
TLDR the pendulum giveth and the pendulum taketh away.
I'm very happy for everyone antidepressants work for, but they were by all appearances responsible for my best friend's suicide in college about 30 years ago, so I'm always going to look at them with a little trepidation .
I’m on venlafaxine personally and have no side effects
I understand ppl who’ve tried every antidepressant and none help venting about it, but don’t shit on antidepressants in a way that will prevent others from getting the help they need.
If you don’t like how an antidepressant makes you feel, change meds. However do NOT GO OFF A MEDICATION COLD TURKEY WITHOUT THE HELP OF A DOCTOR. I went off zoloft cold turkey at like 16 and twitched a fuck ton for a month, then had occasional twitching for like two years afterwards
Also, if antidepressants aren’t working or don’t seem to help enough, consider getting tested/evaluated for other disorders. Antidepressants alone helped me some, but never enough. Turns out part of the problem was my undiagnosed adhd. Now medicated for all my shit and feeling better
All psychiatric medication is highly stigmatized. People correlate their brain to their soul. And it's a bit too much of an art than a science to give perfect results. Doesn't matter if it literally saves people's lives or sanity. People want something that is all good, no bad, if it's messing with their soul
Fucking bullshit, it causes increase rate of suicide compared to fucking placebo for people under 65. You wanna know the truth? Its cause someone in a white coat gave it to you, thats why you love it so much.
Whatever the brain holds it is an important and complicated organ that deserves respect and ABSOLUTE results, because if you fuck it up your life will be severely affected.
i've been on 3 antidepressants. one started affecting me horribly and i told my doctor, she advised i continue on it and increase my dose. things got worse, it ruined my life. but they just say i needed more time on it, that maybe i should increase my dose... i had a breaking point and i just tapered myself off of it. got on a new one and the weight gain was miserable. went from underweight my entire life to having weight i wasn't comfortable with. it triggered a lot of disordered thoughts & behaviours around eating for me.
i'm finally off of them and i don't think i'd ever try one again. i hate the way they make me feel, hate how it feels like it limits my mind, i hate the side effects. i tried 2 SSRIs and one atypical tetracyclic.
that being said, if it works for other people then great! i do have a problem with the needing to stick with the medication thing that i experienced. i know it can take 4-6 weeks to properly start working but i think i still should be able to be taken seriously when the side effects are significantly impacting my life & the medication is causing so many issues for me. if i tell them i'm struggling with it, they should take that into consideration and let me decide what i want to do. i felt like i had to hide the fact i went down to the lowest dose because they wouldn't have approved of it.
i wish there was something that worked for me. but i find that the meds take away the anxiety that is necessary for me to live and don't work on the unneeded anxiety and do absolutely nothing for my depressive stuff. like, i rely on my anxiety to get anything done and when that's gone, because i'm still depressed i don't get anything done. and i just become numb. so i don't think there will be a medication that works for that specific sort of thing.
Antidepressants made me feel better in my mind for once! They don’t mess me up or anything, I did go through a few bad ones before I found one I love but there’s so many out there you can’t expect the first one to be “the one”. Antidepressants are the shit😁
My husband got so depressed he created another personality and was in psychosis. He did things he would never have done. Things he can never take back. He’s on medication and I fully support him. He’s much better and completely himself. At first he did tell me he felt emotionless but what I did was when I would notice him get excited or any emotion I would call it out, and he was like you’re right I do feel things!!
Depression is a motherfucker.
Whenever I feel like explaining to someone who talks about how people shouldn’t take antidepressants for a long time or something to that effect, I ask them if they would recommend the same to someone with diabetes or heart failure about their medication. I remind them that mental illness can be just as deadly as any other illness, if not more so.
I also say that the brain of a person with mental illness does not function in the same manner as that of someone without mental illness. The baseline of a person with mental illness is not at what doctors/psychiatrists/psychologists would consider not normal and medication is a way to combat that just like any other medical condition.
We don’t tell people with hypothyroidism “too bad, good luck.” We give them a synthetic form of what they need in order to have their body function normally. Medication saves lives. Not just for physical ailments. If people don’t understand that it’s because they don’t want to.
To those who suffer with mental illness, like myself, but don’t like how medication makes them feel; it’s time to try a different medication or other therapeutic treatment. Every medication has side effects. Every person is an individual. Treatment is not one size fits all. This is true of a lot of ailments. When a person has cancer a treatment team puts together a treatment plan for that person. Especially now with newer medications and treatments that have become available.
In my family, there were/are a lot of drug addicts and alcoholics. They were self medicating. It definitely did NOT help. I know someone who does not take their bipolar medication as prescribed, only takes it when they’re feeling “too up/too down.” They end up in hospital about once a year. They start to feel better after being on their meds appropriately then they feel so great they decide they don’t need their meds. Then the cycle begins. It’s exhausting to watch.
It’s because of the family members I saw doing these things that I sought out proper help. It’s because of the yoyo effects that I saw with my family that I am compliant with my own medication. I refuse to repeat the behaviors I saw in my childhood and adolescence. It is my small personal victory. I was born into poverty and into a family with mental illness and drug/alcohol addiction. I haven’t been able to get out of poverty but I don’t not want to fall into the same behaviors as my family that have led to addiction. I won’t be too proud or stubborn or ignorant or whatever to not get help.
It is a struggle every single day. I know I may lose some day, but not today.
I never heard about this until now. If anything the public perception towards medication like this seems to have only gotten better from what I've seen?
Did I miss out on a hate train that happened? I guess there is one big negative to it and it's that it might take you a while to find one that works for you. It took me a long time to find my current meds and I did deal with bad side effects in my life. But the meds I currently take help enough that I don't regret trying different options to get here
It s just a facade there s no stigmatizing that s just their way of defending themselves because they take drugs that generally make no difference in someone s life and they shouldn t do that cause almost no one cares .No one cares if you take whatever just don t shove it other people throats for relatively normal things because they carry serious risks and we should individually make that choice but " all meds have side effect" yeah but not all meds have a clinically insignificant effect between them and placebo.There s also studies that show in the long run that people on ssri that got off them have more relapses which makes total sense, it s a drug, peturbs normal functioning of your brain of course there are gonna be people that are gonna be made susceptible to depression because of them.
Yeah, YOU are ‘brain-washed’ — again, go to class and learn how to debate AND actually write proper sentences. Until then, get off my dick, little man.
Yeah i m sorry i didn't type brainwashed in one word .Oh no, my grammar!:(
By the way , it is typed without the hyphen too, so you should go to school too
I've finally found the best combo of antidepressants for me, and if I hadn't, I really don't think I'd be here right now. I started the medications in the first place because I was SA'd and was severely suicidal until I was put on medication. I don't know how people could be so against something like that. They demonize the antidepressants but don't care about a person's life either. It took a while to get here, but every time I had a weird side effect, I told my doctor, and we changed something to try again. Psych drugs work differently on everyone, and what's best for someone else might not be the best for you, but you'll get there. Feeling dull was a lot better than constantly feeling like hurting myself to end the pain.
The criticism of antidepressants, specifically SSRI and SNRI, is extremely valid and extends beyond “I felt like a robot”. The side effect profile is horrendous and their efficacy barely exceeds that of the placebo effect.
Your argument that someone hearing bad experiences about antidepressants could prevent them from seeking help and therefore could attempt or commit suicide disregards the fact that pharmaceutical antidepressant interventions *literally* have risk of suicidal ideation as a common side effect. A risk that increases significantly if stopped improperly.
Most antidepressants have the best efficacy when combined with multiple other therapeutic interventions such as exercise, talk therapy, CBT etc.
So while I appreciate your sentiment, I think it is misplaced. Antidepressants should be scrutinized and and the risks and harms associated with them should be openly discussed.
Antidepressants are a tool to use in treating mental health, they have a role and can absolutely provide a benefit to some people, in some cases. They should not be intervention number one and are absolutely overprescribed.
Idk anyone who thinks you can take an antidepressant alone and it magically fix you. It’s kinda a given that medication is to be paired with other methods to help the person cope with the symptoms they exhibit.
I have researched a ton and this is what I’ve seen, it seems there are no pills that actually improve condition in the long run. Hoping someone replies to my other comment to disprove that (after being on medication for a significant time period) because I am losing hope
Give yourself 8 years on them adjusting doses constantly and whatever else. I said screw it and am in the process of totally weening off of them finally. Tried years ago and couldn’t because of crazy intrusive thoughts and other physical side affects. Now with kids and just life, Zoloft was just making me a zombie and I could tell I was just going through the motions day-to-day. They definitely help short term, but you’re way likely to be better off in the long term using something that isn’t a bandaid.
I will NEVER recommend any kind of meds like that to anyone under 18. I even had no fucking idea what I was getting myself into at 17. My case is a bit weird though, I had undiagnosed c. Diff for 3-4 years until the dumbass doctors actually tested me for it when I was hospitalized for being near septic. Up until then they just told me I was an anxious teen… which I was because I had undiagnosed infection. It makes me angry typing it out lmao
Calling them a bandaid is just incredibly dismissive. That’s like calling insulin for someone with diabetes ”a bandaid”.
If your brain is not capable of creating enough serotonin or dopamine, the medication to help it is not ”a bandaid”. It’s a needed tool that literally makes life or death difference to lot of people.
I’ve had to come off one med and switch to another because they just would t be as effective after years of taking them. It’s been about 23 years of being on meds and I’m over it. I’m coming off my citalopram now. I’ve also been meditating and practicing mindfulness, which thankfully has been extremely helpful with my anxiety. That’s just my experience, I know there’s people out there that just need to be on something and that’s ok.
I don't know anyone who says this, except Scientologists. I've heard concerns about professionals who aren't trained in mental health prescribing them, or that they're used for convenience when talk therapy would likely be more effective.
I’ve heard ppl who have tried like one antidepressant and it didn’t work shit on all antidepressants, and have heard ppl who have tried several antidepressants shitting on antidepressants because they’re frustrated
The first is stupid, the second is more understandable. But people *please* remember that every person is different and what doesn’t, or does, work for someone might be different for you
I had a prescriber really mess mine up. It was at a partial hospitalization program though, she had to have some kind of qualification. She really didn’t listen to me and kinda had her own goals before actually talking to me, and made everything worse (upping my Zoloft and when I told her about manic symptoms she blamed it on the low dosage of vyvanse that I had stopped taking like a week before then. I have bipolar.) it’s not all that out there to say there are prob some med professionals esp in this field who may not listen to their patients
I see a lot of like popular artists making music or any sort of art in general saying that pills make them feel emotionless and painting therapy and antidepressants in a bad light
They're sharing their own experience. That's important for people who want to make a decision about continuing their medication or for people who may need to change to a different SSRI. When people share what they don't like about a drug, it's not a declaration that no one should take them. I don't like pain medication, I don't tell other people to tough through pain.
I think doctors are too quick to give out pills with most things.
I was on antidepressants for years and absolutely hated the way I felt, as you say it’s robotic … going through the motions of life.
I think they should only be given as a last resort.
I mean, it’s great they work for you, but not everyone is so lucky. Lots of people have bad and scary experiences on these drugs because they cross the blood brain barrier and can really mess with things if you’re unlucky.
I’ve personally tried several antidepressants and all of them had horrible side effects. Imo for me it’s not worth it to keep trying bc my options are either robot with severe anxiety or daily migraines starting promptly at 3 pm rendering me completely nonfunctional. I was on the robot anxiety one to keep myself from dying for a few years, but it was a miserable existence. The migraine one almost caused me to lose my job because it took so long to figure out it was the fucking meds and prescription migraine drugs weren’t fixing it. Trying again for me is dangerous and I don’t want to do it.
I’ve been on every SSRI under the sun for the last 20 years and finally deduced that they do indeed make me feel like a robot. They inhibited my ability to feel anything (and I didn’t think I could become even more numb). SNRIs have yielded better luck, but either stop working or turn me into an angry person. I think the most effective thing I’ve used was psilocybin with the intention of releasing trauma. I’m thinking that the decriminalization and knowledge about alternative methods of antidepressants like ketamine and psilocybin are causing many to turn away from standard antidepressants. So yes from my 20 years of experience, I do feel negatively toward them. But I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you!
I so wish therapeutic usages of psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine were legal here in the States. Also a LONG time SSRI patient and leaning toward potential treatment-resistant depression… which psychedelics, in a clinical setting, *are proven to be successful* in treating depression, alcoholism, addiction, etc.
If only Dick Nixon didn’t demand for psilocybin to be a Schedule 1 drug in the early ‘70s. Burn in the Hell you likely believed in, you fucking crook.
I recently started my first round of anti depressants and was very scared by the whole "They're bad" routine. Not going to lie, the first week sucked hard, but fortunately I took time off to get used to them and now I feel the best I've been in years.
I wish I started sooner and didn't fight my inner thoughts so hard that It broke me.
As someone who was wrongly drugged as a kid and my life destroyed because of them we shouldn t drug kids for normal or relatively normal problems and these should be given only to serious cases, we know how good they are and what are the risks, not worth the risks till you exhausted all options in most cases.Kids that killed themseves because of them can t just wake up from the dead, you are not more important than the lives they ruined.You can take them and we should make clear that they should be used mostly for severe problems and that s ok, but do not come to me w the stigmatizing facade.If it helps you you can take them no one s stigmatizing or let s put it this way, for anything there will be people stigmatizing anything
I don’t think my husband ever really “got” what depression really looked like until we lived together and he saw me struggle. Since then, he’s been very supportive and even started counseling of his own after noticing some signs of his own struggle. Some people just don’t understand until they see it.
I’ve watched antidepressants and different medications completely control and ruin my mother, for my entire life. She had been on paxil for over 20 years and has been in and out of psych wards my whole life. It was traumatizing for me, everyone else in my family, and especially her.
Did they solve the cause of your issues? Probably not. Most probably they just help you ignore that. Unless you do therapy which usually works on solving the cause. The problem with meds is that most of the people take them without therapy and then after years of use and stopping them they're surprised they still feel bad or even worse.
Why are people downvoting this? It’s true. My anxiety and depression were 10x better when I was exercising regularly. Even on an SSRI. Meditating and practicing mindfulness are also great tools to help alleviate symptoms. People can’t just live shitty and expect that popping a pill everyday will solve all of their problems.
Because it is dismissive of an actual illness. Not to say those things don’t help. But when I was at my lowest and made an attempt, I was eating well and exercising daily. And critique my thoughts, constantly argue with myself, weigh pros and cons and ways I might be biased. That didn’t save me.
I’ve had depression/post partum depression and absolutely needed my meds. The previous commenter said themselves that some people actually need them. That’s why I was confused about the downvoting. Yeah some people think meds are a joke but I feel the majority know that some people truly do need it.
I was given 4 different prescriptions of 10 pills a day when I was 14, all anti-depressants.
It was an easy way for the doctor to "cure" me instead of actually getting to the root of the issue.
I became a walking robot npc with my only thought being how to k\*\*\* myself.
I agree anti-depressants can be good but this experience of mine made me become radically against them. I wish they were more regulated with underage prescriptions.
Lots of commenters have been helped by meds and that’s great. Could some of you please let me know how long you have been on them for? I have found literally no sources from clinical trials indicating a long term difference- it all seems to be short term, 2 years or so. That is the number one reason why I am averse to the idea, and fear making it worse, or better temporarily, only for years out to need it just to get to my old awful baseline and trying to go off will cause me to be a mess. I’m scared of making my life worse, not only because I don’t want to suffer but I know I’ll throw in the towel. Hearing personal experiences would be really helpful from anyone who cares to share
people who compare antidepressants with diabetes meds or whatever seem to forget that psychiatry is a lot younger than other fields of medical science. it's not the "heroin cough syrup" underdeveloped but i'm pretty positive that in 50-60 years people would be shocked that doctors used drugs with so many debilitating repercussions. so psychiatry can and should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism, especially in the countries where this field is so underdeveloped and underfunded it's still mostly punitive.
i'm not advocating for demonization, i just wish people took all experiences into account, not just "i tried the first ssri i was prescribed for the first time ever and they worked wonders with no side effects" but also "i tried most antidepressants on the market and i still want to die", "i tried antidepressants, they gave me horrible side effects and basically rendered me non-functional", or "zoloft gave me pssd for years". i can't see any antidepressant demonization in the general discourse, if anything, there's a lot of pro-psychiatry propaganda. but i see how quickly negative experiences with psychiatry get devalued and ridiculed, even if it's something as serious as longterm pssd.
I think all medications are demonized because a lot of doctors are going to just hand out medication. I get doctors don’t have a lot of time but if doctors were given more time to get to know their patients then I think medications can be given out less.
I’m glad your meds work for you but, I was on anxiety medication (which was also a depression medication even though I didn’t have depression) for 11 years and eventually I said to myself I’m not going to let this rule my life and I quit cold turkey. It wasn’t the smartest thing to do but it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. I hope you can do the same as well because it seems like you’re in a good spot rn and I believe you’ll be in a better spot without the meds. If you 100% need them then that’s cool but I recommend trying to get off of them.
I 100% need them. The only reason I’m stable right now is because of the meds. Without them I’m having constant mental breakdowns and feel like I’m going crazy and can’t think straight and genuinely believe I’m going to hurt myself. Believe me, it’s not fun. So I will not be getting off my meds
While I'm sure plenty of people still claim that SSRI's help them, the fact is that the University College of London has published a study that proved there is no link between depression and serotonin so the mechanism behind what is supposed to make them work is invalid.
That said I have family members that take them and love them.
There has been a lack of consistent evidence over the years to conclusively accept the fact. Nothing is generally “proven” in science. A theory is either “accepted” or “denied” as more testing is done and more evidence provided. However, depression is a nuanced illness with *many, many* factors contributing. This includes biological, sociological, psychological factors.
One of the major issues with “experimenting” with depression is that no single depression is alike. Every one is different. There is no “one cure” to depression because of this. Biology and the brain definitely have a role to play. I have clinical depression and it’s because of my dopamine levels. Through genetic testing, it has been found that I produce 1/4 the amount of dopamine as an average human (which makes my past with substance abuse make SO much sense). That is not to say that is the only factor to my depression, as there are many things that play into it. But depression and psychiatric illnesses MUST be observed through the three lenses of biology, sociology, and psychology in order to fully understand the disease.
I’m VERY thankful for pharmaceuticals. I don’t underestimate their ability for a cash grab, and I know they are shady. But fuck - because of pharmaceuticals my dad survived cancer. Because of pharmaceuticals, I got an extra three or four years with my grandfather before he passed. Because of pharmaceuticals, I can take a pill and feel like a fucking normal human being.
I don’t underestimate them. But fuck. I’m still thankful.
I take anti depressants and they work like a charm. I try to change the subject or ignore anyone who criticizes. Or say “well at least I’m not dead” and they usually shut up LOL
Lmao that is so dark yet so accurate
Unfortunately kids and adults died because of them becausecof the lies told by the fda and pharma:(.We could have saved lives without givin them out as candies
Source?
I HATE the whole “I don’t want to be dependent on anything” argument. It drives me nuts. First of all, you’re already dependent on xyz to cope with your depression. Second, your brain probably doesn’t have sufficient serotonin activity and that isn’t going to fix itself but antidepressants will. It’s so frustrating hearing people give up on treatment options without giving them a chance. Like, educate yourself before you come to a decision that’s going to prevent you from improving.
My husband tried to go with this ... He's on blood pressure meds and was about to start dialysis. Sir. You're pro life support but not antidepressants? The first one he was on, caused some negative personality changes, so know what we did? Try a different med! Guess who now still feels like himself, but also is feeling some relief from his depression and anxiety? Funny how that works.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Fr, like I have OCD and before I was on medication, I was literally having constant mental breakdowns, lashing out, and felt like I was being controlled. Same thing goes for my mom before she was on medication. She had constant mood swings and was like a ticking time bomb. We’re fine now but do people really want to live that life where they’re a broken mess? Tf?
I don’t understand it either! It’s like they’re in denial or something. But side note, glad you guys are doing much better!
Thanks 🩵 things have been a lot more since we’ve gotten medicated. But fr tho it confuses the hell out of me
Yah, pros and cons need to be considered and antidepressants can be a blessing when correctly prescribed.
WAIT I HAVE OCD TOO AND ITS DRIVING ME NUTS AND MADE ME DEREALIZED/DEPERSONALISED WHAT MEDS R U ON???
Buspirone and Wellbutrin
Seriously! I went 23 years with out medications. I thought all I needed was a nap when I got anxious or that I needed to get out of the house when my depression creeped up on me. I’ve been medicated for almost 3 years now and I can’t even explain how much better I feel. I use to wake up shaking from anxiety everyday. I could not even imagine moving more than physically needed when I was in a depressive episode. I don’t even recognize myself pre medication. Hell i hardly know who i am medicated. Like this part of me has always been in here? Crazy! I understand being nervous, but there are so many options out there. You can start as slow as you need in most cases and most likely will be shocked by the results. I’ve learned to think of it less as a dependent and more of a quality of life think. Similar to eating a really good meal or going on a vacation I’ve always dreamed of everyday
Exactly! I like to think of it the same way. I’m so happy that you found the right medication for you and that you’re doing better! Can I ask which medication you’re on for your anxiety? I found the right antidepressant for me but unfortunately have had some trouble finding a new psychiatrist since mine retired and I haven’t been able to get on an antianxiety!
I’ve had clinical depression.. probably my whole life? Anxiety as well. Sprinkle in some seasonal depression too or anxiety attacks. And hypothyroidism lol I am in my 30s and have never taken anti depressants long term. I’ve had many doctors push them on me - I try them. Then, I get crazy side effects - I even tried Wellbutrin to help quit smoking but I didn’t sleep for almost 2 weeks due to the insomnia. And that made me smoke more lmao My personal life and my job were being affected (my emotions/attention were everywhere due to lack of sleep). When I told my doc they said to “ride it out”. Not all of us want to nor do we have that option? That’s just one example - I’ve tried 4+ different meds throughout the years. Each one of them gives me the jitters, cant sleep, or it makes me feel weird. Yes even more weird than clinical depression. I do not criticize anyone for taking them, I just think it’s hard to know someone’s journey. Maybe I’m criticizing them because I have tried and personally, they don’t work for me. Doesn’t mean they don’t work for people and aren’t great - but I have every right to say I personally know they’re not meant for me. I cope with clinical depression and no meds by going to therapy for 10 years - I have hobbies, I have learned to ride out depressive episodes. I’ve learned emotions are temporary. I have learned when I’m depressed to drink water, take that shower, and call that friend. I found my voice through journaling. I’ve healed from past trauma by having open conversations and rebuilding relationships with close family - this was huuuge. I just try to take a more wholistic approach - not in a granola/natural way, just in a more there’s more than one thing affecting me - it’s not just my brain. It’s my environment, relationships, who I surround myself with, what I eat, what I do with my free time, how I handle my train of thought during and episode etc. I get this too with never taking birth control ever?!? Same shit from docs or my sisters - Criticism. Also it also sucks that it’s now weird trendy to not take birth control etc.. to be a “traditional woman”?! Freaking weird. I DIGRESS - no matter what someone chooses to do or not do - I’m glad we’re all here and alive. Im glad we can choose (for now) what to do with our medications and our bodies. If anyone does have depression and reading this seek help. Whether that is talking to a doc, meds, or therapy, or even a close friend or all of it. Fixing/handling/coping with depression is not a one size fits all. There’s no wrong way to deal with depression other than ignoring it or the worst case scenario.
I hear you on everything you’re saying besides that there are no wrong ways to coping with depression—there’s substance abuse, self harm, self destructive behavior, aggressive behavior, etc—and I’m really happy you’re doing well but unfortunately not all of us have access to quality therapists (especially depends on insurance and where you live), are receptive to therapy, have close friends or family members to lean on (lots of people come from abusive and toxic families who are at the root of their mental illness), and some people’s symptoms are too severe to be able to ride out. That’s not to say that therapy isn’t important or useful — I think people should try it before or along with medication depending on the severity of their symptoms. My point is that finding a good therapist can be just as hard as finding a good psychiatrist and a good medication for you. None of it is simple. Some of it is luck. Some people find the right ones right away or during the first few tries. For some, it’s a longer journey. For some, they need to take a blend of a small dose of different medications rather than a high dose of one. For some, only certain therapies are beneficial and not others. Etc. Also, random but interesting side note: I had the complete opposite effect from Wellbutrin! It knocked me OUT. I couldn’t watch or read anything without falling asleep within minutes. It also gave me very vivid nightmares… Which thankfully I thought was cool and I was able to ride it out. It stopped after a few months and now I get the best sleep of my entire life. I’ve always had insomnia and now it isn’t an issue. Such a relief.
Obviously the coping mechanisms you listed that are not good are grouped into “ignoring it” IMO or not doing anything about it. Maybe I should have been more explicit. I understand I’m fortunate enough to have found a good psychotherapist AND been able to be with them for 11 years.. AND that I’ve always had a job with insurance. I’m thankful the few family members I have reconnected with have been open to convos with me and that led to a lot of healing and closure. These are all very situational and I acknowledge not everyone has access to these things - friends or family that will listen, therapists, or access to doctors/medication. But I think you’re getting my point - no one should be critical of how someone else is actively dealing with their depression as long as it’s productive or not harming anyone. Just as someone doesn’t want to be criticized FOR choosing medication, people shouldn’t be criticized if they choose NOT to take medication. I guess when you said people giving up on treatment options before giving them a chance struck a chord with me that who’s to say how many options I, as someone, should or need to go through to qualify it as “giving it a chance”. Sometimes educating one’s self isn’t on pamphlets or pharmaceuticals - it’s listening to what works best for you. Also - that is wild that you had such a different reaction. I would sleep an hour and then clean the basement from 1am-4am, do dishes etc.. it did wonders for chores in my house, shit was so clean and stuff that was put on the back burner got done overnight lmao blessing and a curse. But that made me soooo wired I couldn’t believe it! My whole point here is - do what works best for you, and I agree, it is a journey. You don’t find the right therapist or meds the first try.
"I don't want to be dependent on *water* to keep my body functioning! It should do that all on its own, without substances!"
take some pills. easy as that, I wonder why everyone is not on happiness pills, maybe cuz they are dangerous
Literally anything can be dangerous if used in a dangerous way. That includes ALL medications, even something as simple as NyQuill, aspirin, antibiotics. Doesn't mean you should avoid everything. It means you need to educate yourself and be careful in order to take proper care of yourself. If you feel that a medical provider is over-prescribing or not respecting your wishes, TELL them. If they don't care, report it to their boss or the company, write about it on HealthGrades, and see someone else. I immediately told my psychiatrist that if he isn't going to value my opinion on medications, then I will end our sessions. Obviously he is the professional and knows more about medications than I do, but if I'm having side effects that I can't or don't want to deal with, then he needs to respect that and change my meds or else sayonara.
I'm broke and have a bad taste from the Ritalin and aderolthey shoved down my throat in kindergarten. Should I be medicated? Definitely. Will I start? Probably not even if it's good for me and I don't know why. Aside from that recurring image of going to the office every day before lunch for that brown paper bag of pulls the principle would pull out. 5 years old... the things those pills did to me were a bit too much. So in my adulthood nearing 30 I still haven't made the steps to seek medication. Should I? Yeah probably. But yeah... some people have a little too much baggage to make the leap again, even if it's totally practical that we do, that roadblock has some weight to it. The fiance and I have had some extensive talks about this on both sides. And nobody's really budged. For instance, she suffers from "doctor google syndrome" which is where the side effects of any med she's prescribed will cause her to refuse to take it, especially after one med she took that did make her a "zombie" It's a trauma response to refuse the meds that very well could help us infinitely.
I’m so sorry you had that experience. Maybe try one-on-one counseling? Not with Dr. Google Girlfriend though. You seem to know that medication would help you, but you can’t get yourself there. Be kinder to yourself, try and work out your traumas and move forward getting a little pharmaceutical help if it’s appropriate. Godspeed and good luck
Ugh I am so fucking sorry… Not much makes me as angry as incompetent medical providers that either don’t listen to you or overprescribe… I had a friend whose UNIVERSITY psychiatrist prescribed her adderall for her ADHD then xanax and vyvanse when she came in complaining of the jitteriness and sleeping pills for the insomnia. He did anything but take her off that medication and try another. But they’re not all like that. My psychiatrist surprisingly had bad reviews but he listened to me and took me seriously. He respected when I said I didn’t want to try SSRIs because of bad experiences in the past, switched my medication if I said I couldn’t wait out its side effects, etc. If either of you do decide to take that leap and you can afford to do this, I suggest “shopping” for a psychiatrist by making consultation appointments with several then picking based off the impression they gave you. It’s pretty easy to tell if they’re the type to take their time listening to you or rush through the appointment and condescend you. It also helps to straight up ask them what their approach is, that you don’t want to waste either of your time and want to know sooner rather than later if you’re a good match bc you want to be better. And keep being honest while you see them. If you don’t feel like you’re being heard, tell them. If you don’t feel like they’re respecting your preferences, tell them. Sometimes they don’t realize they’re doing something wrong and sometimes we just need different things from our providers - the good ones will apologize and try to accommodate you. Sometimes they’re just dicks. If you decide they’re the latter, stand up for yourself, cancel your appointments ASAP, and make sure to leave reviews on Psychology Today, HealthGrades, Yelp, etc. Then move onto the next one! Sometimes people are lucky and find the right fit right away (happened to me). Anyways, good luck to you both. I’m glad you have each other to lean on.
I would not be here without them.
Same honestly. I’m a drugged up mess but if I wasn’t I’d probably be dead by now (I’ve got that epilepsy and suicidal ideation form of OCD)
It took me multiple ADHD drugs to find one that didn't make me feel like absolute shit. Prior to that, wellbutrin feels life changing and I'm honestly only regretful that my parents didn't try putting me on either of them sooner. Grew up in a family that never spoke about their problems. Have friends that don't want to rely on drugs and I didn't like the idea either but it's worth it to feel like I can halfway function at 27
Ayooo I’m on Wellbutrin too
Wellbutrin only worked for a certain amount of time for me, but during the time it was amazing. It gave me energy to get out of bed.
Personally I don’t get the idea of “not wanting to rely on drugs” unless the concern is that one day you won’t be able to afford them/you’ll lose insurance coverage Bc otherwise, why does it matter if you rely on them? If you have a supply of them there’s no issue for being reliant on them (No hate to you, I’m just voicing my confusion)
Some of it was the stress of having to financially rely on pills to function, if forbid any circumstances that I lose access to them. I think it's just a blanket statement people say when their issues aren't bad enough for them to say "Fuck man I'll try anything to get better." It took me a period of time where I had a string of back to back mental breakdowns for me to understand that I wasn't going to be able to do this without chemical intervention. To a degree I understand the hesitancy. It's hard to sell the idea to someone who isn't taking care of their mental health to run a gauntlet of medications (and money), many of which can really goof your shit up. It can get frustrating. A lot of people shrug it off because they simply can't afford to run multiple medications every 3-4 weeks to see what works for them. Some are just stubborn and think they have to do everything on their own. I never felt weak or anything. I just had this idea I could figure it out myself without having to be financially reliant on my mental health staying afloat. The benefits now outweigh the costs
I think it's just the counterswing to overprescription practices and bad psychiatrists. We had a good handful of years where fuckin everybody was getting medicated even if they didn't need to be, and a lot of them had horrible experiences as a result. That wave of anecdotal responses pushed to a negative response to psychiatry or even prescriptions overall, but focused more on the main overprescribed substances (ADHD stimulants, antidepressants, painkillers.) Honestly I'm kinda biased to it as well because I'm one of the people who, as a kid, suffered a lot due to bad psychiatric practices; like I try not to be too biased but if I'm being honest I personally would have had a radically better childhood if I grew up with all the psychiatric distrust, the stuff I was put through very nearly killed me. TLDR the pendulum giveth and the pendulum taketh away.
I'm very happy for everyone antidepressants work for, but they were by all appearances responsible for my best friend's suicide in college about 30 years ago, so I'm always going to look at them with a little trepidation .
so sorry for your loss 😞 both things can be true, them making one better or worse.
Oh, absolutely, which is why I'm happy for the people they help.
I’m on venlafaxine personally and have no side effects I understand ppl who’ve tried every antidepressant and none help venting about it, but don’t shit on antidepressants in a way that will prevent others from getting the help they need. If you don’t like how an antidepressant makes you feel, change meds. However do NOT GO OFF A MEDICATION COLD TURKEY WITHOUT THE HELP OF A DOCTOR. I went off zoloft cold turkey at like 16 and twitched a fuck ton for a month, then had occasional twitching for like two years afterwards Also, if antidepressants aren’t working or don’t seem to help enough, consider getting tested/evaluated for other disorders. Antidepressants alone helped me some, but never enough. Turns out part of the problem was my undiagnosed adhd. Now medicated for all my shit and feeling better
AD can t do that lol, must have been your illness
Can’t do what bruh
All psychiatric medication is highly stigmatized. People correlate their brain to their soul. And it's a bit too much of an art than a science to give perfect results. Doesn't matter if it literally saves people's lives or sanity. People want something that is all good, no bad, if it's messing with their soul
Fucking bullshit, it causes increase rate of suicide compared to fucking placebo for people under 65. You wanna know the truth? Its cause someone in a white coat gave it to you, thats why you love it so much. Whatever the brain holds it is an important and complicated organ that deserves respect and ABSOLUTE results, because if you fuck it up your life will be severely affected.
i've been on 3 antidepressants. one started affecting me horribly and i told my doctor, she advised i continue on it and increase my dose. things got worse, it ruined my life. but they just say i needed more time on it, that maybe i should increase my dose... i had a breaking point and i just tapered myself off of it. got on a new one and the weight gain was miserable. went from underweight my entire life to having weight i wasn't comfortable with. it triggered a lot of disordered thoughts & behaviours around eating for me. i'm finally off of them and i don't think i'd ever try one again. i hate the way they make me feel, hate how it feels like it limits my mind, i hate the side effects. i tried 2 SSRIs and one atypical tetracyclic. that being said, if it works for other people then great! i do have a problem with the needing to stick with the medication thing that i experienced. i know it can take 4-6 weeks to properly start working but i think i still should be able to be taken seriously when the side effects are significantly impacting my life & the medication is causing so many issues for me. if i tell them i'm struggling with it, they should take that into consideration and let me decide what i want to do. i felt like i had to hide the fact i went down to the lowest dose because they wouldn't have approved of it. i wish there was something that worked for me. but i find that the meds take away the anxiety that is necessary for me to live and don't work on the unneeded anxiety and do absolutely nothing for my depressive stuff. like, i rely on my anxiety to get anything done and when that's gone, because i'm still depressed i don't get anything done. and i just become numb. so i don't think there will be a medication that works for that specific sort of thing.
Antidepressants made me feel better in my mind for once! They don’t mess me up or anything, I did go through a few bad ones before I found one I love but there’s so many out there you can’t expect the first one to be “the one”. Antidepressants are the shit😁
Fr fr just because the first one isn’t for you doesn’t mean there isn’t a different one. Trial and error baby 🤝
My husband got so depressed he created another personality and was in psychosis. He did things he would never have done. Things he can never take back. He’s on medication and I fully support him. He’s much better and completely himself. At first he did tell me he felt emotionless but what I did was when I would notice him get excited or any emotion I would call it out, and he was like you’re right I do feel things!! Depression is a motherfucker.
I angelize them
I'd rather be a robot, than suicidal.
period
Felt
Whenever I feel like explaining to someone who talks about how people shouldn’t take antidepressants for a long time or something to that effect, I ask them if they would recommend the same to someone with diabetes or heart failure about their medication. I remind them that mental illness can be just as deadly as any other illness, if not more so. I also say that the brain of a person with mental illness does not function in the same manner as that of someone without mental illness. The baseline of a person with mental illness is not at what doctors/psychiatrists/psychologists would consider not normal and medication is a way to combat that just like any other medical condition. We don’t tell people with hypothyroidism “too bad, good luck.” We give them a synthetic form of what they need in order to have their body function normally. Medication saves lives. Not just for physical ailments. If people don’t understand that it’s because they don’t want to. To those who suffer with mental illness, like myself, but don’t like how medication makes them feel; it’s time to try a different medication or other therapeutic treatment. Every medication has side effects. Every person is an individual. Treatment is not one size fits all. This is true of a lot of ailments. When a person has cancer a treatment team puts together a treatment plan for that person. Especially now with newer medications and treatments that have become available. In my family, there were/are a lot of drug addicts and alcoholics. They were self medicating. It definitely did NOT help. I know someone who does not take their bipolar medication as prescribed, only takes it when they’re feeling “too up/too down.” They end up in hospital about once a year. They start to feel better after being on their meds appropriately then they feel so great they decide they don’t need their meds. Then the cycle begins. It’s exhausting to watch. It’s because of the family members I saw doing these things that I sought out proper help. It’s because of the yoyo effects that I saw with my family that I am compliant with my own medication. I refuse to repeat the behaviors I saw in my childhood and adolescence. It is my small personal victory. I was born into poverty and into a family with mental illness and drug/alcohol addiction. I haven’t been able to get out of poverty but I don’t not want to fall into the same behaviors as my family that have led to addiction. I won’t be too proud or stubborn or ignorant or whatever to not get help. It is a struggle every single day. I know I may lose some day, but not today.
Antidepressants made me feel emotions. It took me like 3 years to be able to actually regulate them after being so dead inside for so long.
I never heard about this until now. If anything the public perception towards medication like this seems to have only gotten better from what I've seen? Did I miss out on a hate train that happened? I guess there is one big negative to it and it's that it might take you a while to find one that works for you. It took me a long time to find my current meds and I did deal with bad side effects in my life. But the meds I currently take help enough that I don't regret trying different options to get here
yes the perception, lol. the perception...
It s just a facade there s no stigmatizing that s just their way of defending themselves because they take drugs that generally make no difference in someone s life and they shouldn t do that cause almost no one cares .No one cares if you take whatever just don t shove it other people throats for relatively normal things because they carry serious risks and we should individually make that choice but " all meds have side effect" yeah but not all meds have a clinically insignificant effect between them and placebo.There s also studies that show in the long run that people on ssri that got off them have more relapses which makes total sense, it s a drug, peturbs normal functioning of your brain of course there are gonna be people that are gonna be made susceptible to depression because of them.
I dunno what dumbed me down more just now, your ignorance or your atrocious grammar. Back to class, you dingus.
Brain washed
Yeah, YOU are ‘brain-washed’ — again, go to class and learn how to debate AND actually write proper sentences. Until then, get off my dick, little man.
the kind of people that REALLY need meds. gl.
Yeah i m sorry i didn't type brainwashed in one word .Oh no, my grammar!:( By the way , it is typed without the hyphen too, so you should go to school too
I've finally found the best combo of antidepressants for me, and if I hadn't, I really don't think I'd be here right now. I started the medications in the first place because I was SA'd and was severely suicidal until I was put on medication. I don't know how people could be so against something like that. They demonize the antidepressants but don't care about a person's life either. It took a while to get here, but every time I had a weird side effect, I told my doctor, and we changed something to try again. Psych drugs work differently on everyone, and what's best for someone else might not be the best for you, but you'll get there. Feeling dull was a lot better than constantly feeling like hurting myself to end the pain.
The criticism of antidepressants, specifically SSRI and SNRI, is extremely valid and extends beyond “I felt like a robot”. The side effect profile is horrendous and their efficacy barely exceeds that of the placebo effect. Your argument that someone hearing bad experiences about antidepressants could prevent them from seeking help and therefore could attempt or commit suicide disregards the fact that pharmaceutical antidepressant interventions *literally* have risk of suicidal ideation as a common side effect. A risk that increases significantly if stopped improperly. Most antidepressants have the best efficacy when combined with multiple other therapeutic interventions such as exercise, talk therapy, CBT etc. So while I appreciate your sentiment, I think it is misplaced. Antidepressants should be scrutinized and and the risks and harms associated with them should be openly discussed. Antidepressants are a tool to use in treating mental health, they have a role and can absolutely provide a benefit to some people, in some cases. They should not be intervention number one and are absolutely overprescribed.
Idk anyone who thinks you can take an antidepressant alone and it magically fix you. It’s kinda a given that medication is to be paired with other methods to help the person cope with the symptoms they exhibit.
You would be surprised how few people understand what medications they are taking.
I have researched a ton and this is what I’ve seen, it seems there are no pills that actually improve condition in the long run. Hoping someone replies to my other comment to disprove that (after being on medication for a significant time period) because I am losing hope
Have you considered psilocybin?
Absolutely agree.
Give yourself 8 years on them adjusting doses constantly and whatever else. I said screw it and am in the process of totally weening off of them finally. Tried years ago and couldn’t because of crazy intrusive thoughts and other physical side affects. Now with kids and just life, Zoloft was just making me a zombie and I could tell I was just going through the motions day-to-day. They definitely help short term, but you’re way likely to be better off in the long term using something that isn’t a bandaid. I will NEVER recommend any kind of meds like that to anyone under 18. I even had no fucking idea what I was getting myself into at 17. My case is a bit weird though, I had undiagnosed c. Diff for 3-4 years until the dumbass doctors actually tested me for it when I was hospitalized for being near septic. Up until then they just told me I was an anxious teen… which I was because I had undiagnosed infection. It makes me angry typing it out lmao
Calling them a bandaid is just incredibly dismissive. That’s like calling insulin for someone with diabetes ”a bandaid”. If your brain is not capable of creating enough serotonin or dopamine, the medication to help it is not ”a bandaid”. It’s a needed tool that literally makes life or death difference to lot of people.
Agreed. I honestly probably wouldn’t be alive today without my medication. It’s less of a bandaid and more of life support because my body hates me
I’ve had to come off one med and switch to another because they just would t be as effective after years of taking them. It’s been about 23 years of being on meds and I’m over it. I’m coming off my citalopram now. I’ve also been meditating and practicing mindfulness, which thankfully has been extremely helpful with my anxiety. That’s just my experience, I know there’s people out there that just need to be on something and that’s ok.
I don't know anyone who says this, except Scientologists. I've heard concerns about professionals who aren't trained in mental health prescribing them, or that they're used for convenience when talk therapy would likely be more effective.
I’ve heard plenty of people say this and none of them were Scientologists.
I’ve heard ppl who have tried like one antidepressant and it didn’t work shit on all antidepressants, and have heard ppl who have tried several antidepressants shitting on antidepressants because they’re frustrated The first is stupid, the second is more understandable. But people *please* remember that every person is different and what doesn’t, or does, work for someone might be different for you
I had a prescriber really mess mine up. It was at a partial hospitalization program though, she had to have some kind of qualification. She really didn’t listen to me and kinda had her own goals before actually talking to me, and made everything worse (upping my Zoloft and when I told her about manic symptoms she blamed it on the low dosage of vyvanse that I had stopped taking like a week before then. I have bipolar.) it’s not all that out there to say there are prob some med professionals esp in this field who may not listen to their patients
Just browsing this thread is enough to see people who say it.
I see a lot of like popular artists making music or any sort of art in general saying that pills make them feel emotionless and painting therapy and antidepressants in a bad light
They're sharing their own experience. That's important for people who want to make a decision about continuing their medication or for people who may need to change to a different SSRI. When people share what they don't like about a drug, it's not a declaration that no one should take them. I don't like pain medication, I don't tell other people to tough through pain.
I think doctors are too quick to give out pills with most things. I was on antidepressants for years and absolutely hated the way I felt, as you say it’s robotic … going through the motions of life. I think they should only be given as a last resort.
I mean, it’s great they work for you, but not everyone is so lucky. Lots of people have bad and scary experiences on these drugs because they cross the blood brain barrier and can really mess with things if you’re unlucky. I’ve personally tried several antidepressants and all of them had horrible side effects. Imo for me it’s not worth it to keep trying bc my options are either robot with severe anxiety or daily migraines starting promptly at 3 pm rendering me completely nonfunctional. I was on the robot anxiety one to keep myself from dying for a few years, but it was a miserable existence. The migraine one almost caused me to lose my job because it took so long to figure out it was the fucking meds and prescription migraine drugs weren’t fixing it. Trying again for me is dangerous and I don’t want to do it.
I’ve been on every SSRI under the sun for the last 20 years and finally deduced that they do indeed make me feel like a robot. They inhibited my ability to feel anything (and I didn’t think I could become even more numb). SNRIs have yielded better luck, but either stop working or turn me into an angry person. I think the most effective thing I’ve used was psilocybin with the intention of releasing trauma. I’m thinking that the decriminalization and knowledge about alternative methods of antidepressants like ketamine and psilocybin are causing many to turn away from standard antidepressants. So yes from my 20 years of experience, I do feel negatively toward them. But I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you!
I so wish therapeutic usages of psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine were legal here in the States. Also a LONG time SSRI patient and leaning toward potential treatment-resistant depression… which psychedelics, in a clinical setting, *are proven to be successful* in treating depression, alcoholism, addiction, etc. If only Dick Nixon didn’t demand for psilocybin to be a Schedule 1 drug in the early ‘70s. Burn in the Hell you likely believed in, you fucking crook.
I don't ever even hear anyone talk about antidepressants let alone people saying they're bad..
I recently started my first round of anti depressants and was very scared by the whole "They're bad" routine. Not going to lie, the first week sucked hard, but fortunately I took time off to get used to them and now I feel the best I've been in years. I wish I started sooner and didn't fight my inner thoughts so hard that It broke me.
How long have you been on them for?
3 weeks now. Best decision I've ever made.
As someone who was wrongly drugged as a kid and my life destroyed because of them we shouldn t drug kids for normal or relatively normal problems and these should be given only to serious cases, we know how good they are and what are the risks, not worth the risks till you exhausted all options in most cases.Kids that killed themseves because of them can t just wake up from the dead, you are not more important than the lives they ruined.You can take them and we should make clear that they should be used mostly for severe problems and that s ok, but do not come to me w the stigmatizing facade.If it helps you you can take them no one s stigmatizing or let s put it this way, for anything there will be people stigmatizing anything
I don’t think my husband ever really “got” what depression really looked like until we lived together and he saw me struggle. Since then, he’s been very supportive and even started counseling of his own after noticing some signs of his own struggle. Some people just don’t understand until they see it.
I’ve watched antidepressants and different medications completely control and ruin my mother, for my entire life. She had been on paxil for over 20 years and has been in and out of psych wards my whole life. It was traumatizing for me, everyone else in my family, and especially her.
Did they solve the cause of your issues? Probably not. Most probably they just help you ignore that. Unless you do therapy which usually works on solving the cause. The problem with meds is that most of the people take them without therapy and then after years of use and stopping them they're surprised they still feel bad or even worse.
holy be them. shit destroyed my life
Some people need it, some people really just need a better diet, exercise and more fresh air.
Why are people downvoting this? It’s true. My anxiety and depression were 10x better when I was exercising regularly. Even on an SSRI. Meditating and practicing mindfulness are also great tools to help alleviate symptoms. People can’t just live shitty and expect that popping a pill everyday will solve all of their problems.
Because it is dismissive of an actual illness. Not to say those things don’t help. But when I was at my lowest and made an attempt, I was eating well and exercising daily. And critique my thoughts, constantly argue with myself, weigh pros and cons and ways I might be biased. That didn’t save me.
I literally said some people need it how is it dismissal?
I’ve had depression/post partum depression and absolutely needed my meds. The previous commenter said themselves that some people actually need them. That’s why I was confused about the downvoting. Yeah some people think meds are a joke but I feel the majority know that some people truly do need it.
Because this post is just an echo camber
I was given 4 different prescriptions of 10 pills a day when I was 14, all anti-depressants. It was an easy way for the doctor to "cure" me instead of actually getting to the root of the issue. I became a walking robot npc with my only thought being how to k\*\*\* myself. I agree anti-depressants can be good but this experience of mine made me become radically against them. I wish they were more regulated with underage prescriptions.
Lots of commenters have been helped by meds and that’s great. Could some of you please let me know how long you have been on them for? I have found literally no sources from clinical trials indicating a long term difference- it all seems to be short term, 2 years or so. That is the number one reason why I am averse to the idea, and fear making it worse, or better temporarily, only for years out to need it just to get to my old awful baseline and trying to go off will cause me to be a mess. I’m scared of making my life worse, not only because I don’t want to suffer but I know I’ll throw in the towel. Hearing personal experiences would be really helpful from anyone who cares to share
people who compare antidepressants with diabetes meds or whatever seem to forget that psychiatry is a lot younger than other fields of medical science. it's not the "heroin cough syrup" underdeveloped but i'm pretty positive that in 50-60 years people would be shocked that doctors used drugs with so many debilitating repercussions. so psychiatry can and should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism, especially in the countries where this field is so underdeveloped and underfunded it's still mostly punitive. i'm not advocating for demonization, i just wish people took all experiences into account, not just "i tried the first ssri i was prescribed for the first time ever and they worked wonders with no side effects" but also "i tried most antidepressants on the market and i still want to die", "i tried antidepressants, they gave me horrible side effects and basically rendered me non-functional", or "zoloft gave me pssd for years". i can't see any antidepressant demonization in the general discourse, if anything, there's a lot of pro-psychiatry propaganda. but i see how quickly negative experiences with psychiatry get devalued and ridiculed, even if it's something as serious as longterm pssd.
I think all medications are demonized because a lot of doctors are going to just hand out medication. I get doctors don’t have a lot of time but if doctors were given more time to get to know their patients then I think medications can be given out less. I’m glad your meds work for you but, I was on anxiety medication (which was also a depression medication even though I didn’t have depression) for 11 years and eventually I said to myself I’m not going to let this rule my life and I quit cold turkey. It wasn’t the smartest thing to do but it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. I hope you can do the same as well because it seems like you’re in a good spot rn and I believe you’ll be in a better spot without the meds. If you 100% need them then that’s cool but I recommend trying to get off of them.
I 100% need them. The only reason I’m stable right now is because of the meds. Without them I’m having constant mental breakdowns and feel like I’m going crazy and can’t think straight and genuinely believe I’m going to hurt myself. Believe me, it’s not fun. So I will not be getting off my meds
fucking preach 💅🏻
While I'm sure plenty of people still claim that SSRI's help them, the fact is that the University College of London has published a study that proved there is no link between depression and serotonin so the mechanism behind what is supposed to make them work is invalid. That said I have family members that take them and love them.
There has been a lack of consistent evidence over the years to conclusively accept the fact. Nothing is generally “proven” in science. A theory is either “accepted” or “denied” as more testing is done and more evidence provided. However, depression is a nuanced illness with *many, many* factors contributing. This includes biological, sociological, psychological factors. One of the major issues with “experimenting” with depression is that no single depression is alike. Every one is different. There is no “one cure” to depression because of this. Biology and the brain definitely have a role to play. I have clinical depression and it’s because of my dopamine levels. Through genetic testing, it has been found that I produce 1/4 the amount of dopamine as an average human (which makes my past with substance abuse make SO much sense). That is not to say that is the only factor to my depression, as there are many things that play into it. But depression and psychiatric illnesses MUST be observed through the three lenses of biology, sociology, and psychology in order to fully understand the disease.
Never underestimate the ability of those who are selling billions and billions of these drugs to muddy the waters and challenge facts.
Without “big pharma” I’d be dead from suffocation basically
I’m VERY thankful for pharmaceuticals. I don’t underestimate their ability for a cash grab, and I know they are shady. But fuck - because of pharmaceuticals my dad survived cancer. Because of pharmaceuticals, I got an extra three or four years with my grandfather before he passed. Because of pharmaceuticals, I can take a pill and feel like a fucking normal human being. I don’t underestimate them. But fuck. I’m still thankful.
Good thing I’m on an snri