do ssri really work?

[Dartz]

Tried 2 different ones over 2 years. They did absolutely jack shit for me. Not just not effective, but no negative effects or side effects either. Same before, during and after. From people I've talked to who've also been on SSRIs, it just seems to be something you try and maybe it'll work you, maybe not.

 

[Quitter]

I was on SSRIs for years, it helped with my mood swings, which meant I couldn't feel extreme feelings like joy or grief, everything was... flat, unchanging.

They stopped working after few years, and things got really bad until I was put on bupropion. Amazing stuff tbh, but on the expensive side, and doesn't play nice with anxiety, so you need something else to deal with that.

I feel like their effect is lessening too but it might be that my life circumstances are beyond what meds can fix.

 

[Rachel74]

Venlafaxine did work well for me for a number of years but sadly no more. I think the right antidepressant can work wonders but it's a battle to find the right one.

 

[Gratefulcorpse]

All the SSRI's just gave me brain zaps and fatigue.

 

[nothingleft]

Didn't work for me when I was put on them at 13. In fact, Prozac made me suicidal. Some psychiatrists offer genetic testing which is what I had done, and it can basically rule out a lot of different antidepressants. You can also find out if you're a fast metabolizer meaning you need a higher dose than normal of a certain drug for it to work.

 

[eve2004]

Large scale unbiased studies show they can't outperform a placebo and for many cause severe dependency and withdrawael and lot's of side effects. If someone feels that SSRI's are the only alternative to suicide then I'm all for it, but in general the newest research show that SSRI's are just not safe and effective as they are marketed.

And not everyone knows why they have the depression, even if it's circumstantial. All else may be ok in life but there may be reasons why they see CTB as the only way. Not everyone has "problems" in the logistical sense that can be fixed or needs fixing.

Mental illness really is a misnomer and convenient marketing term born out of misrepresenting the research on serotonin then aggressively marketed to you in a bastardised form the original researchers don't approve of. All moved into the public conscious by cartoon depression coats, banding around sciency phrases. Showing equally sciencey footage of neurons firing. Talking about chemical imbalances and serotonin. Like it is a correlated fact and easy as pulling a coat off to be cured, just pop this pill. Not much different to Granola being healthy while having similar sugar content to a pop tart. But those fields of oats touched up by Adobe, really sell it.

The ICD-10 refers to them as mental behaviours and disorders for a reason. Because they don't fit the clinical definition of disease as there is no way to measure as yet. All you are left with is the self-report of the individual. Stating something is wrong that is upsetting the balance in their life. Hence disorder not a disease. Currently, there is no blood test or way to measure biologically at all with any relevance. There are some interesting ghosts of patterns but much of that is in its infancy. Recently what we thought was known about memory in general has been turned on its head completely. Emotion itself is pretty abstract in of itself.

The current view is it likely a big mix of things and understanding of the brain and body is still ongoing. As mental disorder is a broad umbrella term to begin with. It does not have to be an all or nothing binary prospect. Between it is all environmental or all biological. The hereditary angle suggests one thing. If it is purely environmental down to trauma why is there a hereditary aspect at all? But if it is only Biological, why is one risk factor of depression listed as losing your job? I don't know of any understood disease models that have job loss as a risk factor?

Also if you ask some people why they are depressed. They can give you a solid reason for what their source of pain is.
But similarly you can ask another and they won't identify anything just what they feel. Their source of pain then is the depression itself disrupting what they had before.

That is why I am open to it being both. The transition to better understanding dementia is good example why. Much of it came down to advances in imaging technology. Still lack complete understanding but it is paving the way for a preventative.

I feel the environmental factor though is very much downplayed and being medicated seems to be the first response regardless if your reasons are blatantly environmental ones of being vilified for existing. If it wasn't society would have to examine its role in the toxic environment it has normalised. It is interesting to note that many of these drugs are derivatives of street drugs, chemically nudged and patented. Many still have street value, so that says enough to me why they 'work'. Discontinuation syndrome is just sanitised words meaning withdrawal. If you do heroin and feel good, that is not proof you have a lack of heroin imbalance.

Often your tax is involved in research funding. Yet you still wind up paying over the odds. It is all so bizarre. But we are consumer cattle and the law has enshrined legal lying. lobbying itself often plays out no differently to bribery.

I am not a gambling man but if I could go back in time and be as informed as I am now. My first response would likely have been to try other avenues first and not rolled the dice straight away. I have pointed those other avenues out before but just got hostile responses. There was not a recovery section back then. So maybe I will try again.

A great response.
2 things I want to add to the already too many posts I've written here...

1)

Part of the problem with the word 'disabilities' is that it immediately suggests an inability to see or hear or walk or do other things that many of us take for granted. But what of people who can't feel? Or talk about their feelings? Or manage their feelings in constructive ways? What of people who aren't able to form close and strong relationships? And people who cannot find fulfillment in their lives, or those who have lost hope, who live in disappointment and bitterness and find in life no joy, no love? These, it seems to me, are the real disabilities.

Fred Rogers, The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember

2) I'm on Wellbutrin, it's a known stimulant. If it does nothing else, it gets me up out of bed most days and out of the house. If I don't get out, I am going to lie in bed staring at my full drawer of goodies and start getting impulsive and very suicidal in addition to not caring about anything. Bad combination. I agree with the above quote by Fred Rogers... I'm unable to form any relationships (past circumstances) and social anxiety is debilitating. If i wasn't vegan and liked fruits and vegetables which are easy to buy and simple to consume raw, I'd probably not eat anything but coffee, which is a slow ride to the grave....

I've refused to try any ssri, snri, or any other type of sedating anti-depressant because of the side effects.

I guess the pressure, besides on me of course, is on the psychologist or whatever form of talk therapy. I don't see how else recovery can happen. And even then, finding the right therapist is as hard as they claim finding the right ssri is.

 

[Powderedmonster]

SSRIs are why I'm here. Permanent sexual dysfunction and inability to feel emotion, insomnia, memory loss, etc. Whatever they did or didn't do for my OCD and anxiety wasn't worth this.

Exactly the same. Took them for social anxiety and ended up with severe depression, anhedonia, etc thanks to the pills

 

[White_Room293]

Is everything you think you know about depression wrong?

In this extract from his new book, Johann Hari, who took antidepressants for 14 years, calls for a new approach

www.theguardian.com

i recently read this article (was linked here)

They seem to work for some people and have an effect on not only depression but anxiety. I know psychiatry isn't a total joke because, for example, some people have taken drugs like Buspar which directly affect the receptors that anxiety comes from and reduces overall anxiety.

 

[IsadoraBeauxdraps]

Didn't work for me when I was put on them at 13. In fact, Prozac made me suicidal. Some psychiatrists offer genetic testing which is what I had done, and it can basically rule out a lot of different antidepressants. You can also find out if you're a fast metabolizer meaning you need a higher dose than normal of a certain drug for it to work.

Hi nothingleft,
I didn't know genetic testing for antidepressants was possible ! In France, nobody ever told me about that

 

[magick'sgone]

My doctor prescribed them to me when I went through a bad break up as a youngster. He said it was something to "take the edge off". I'd only gone to him because i wanted to be signed off work for a week. Instead I got erectile dysfunction for years and increased thoughts of suicide. While my ex was working her way through my "friends", I was alone with a dead dick. Thanks doc.

 

[RememberWhatUCameFor]

They seem to work for some people and have an effect on not only depression but anxiety. I know psychiatry isn't a total joke because, for example, some people have taken drugs like Buspar which directly affect the receptors that anxiety comes from and reduces overall anxiety.

the point is that placebos are as effective

 

[Elias]

The only thing SSRIs were good at was frying my brain. Since my first venlafaxine capsule, I was never the same again. Never. It robbed me of my ability to keep composure in stressful situations. It made me extremely sensitive to any bad feeling. I hate it and I wish I never listened to my psychiatrist. It may work for some but it should be used with EXTREME CAUTION cause it can ruin lives.

 

[nothingleft]

Hi nothingleft,
I didn't know genetic testing for antidepressants was possible ! In France, nobody ever told me about that

It was done by a company called Genesight if you're interested. Just a simple cheek swab and you send it off in an envelope.

 

[k75]

It was done by a company called Genesight if you're interested. Just a simple cheek swab and you send it off in an envelope.

I had that done last year, and it's an interesting thing if you can get it done. It won't tell you the perfect drug or anything, but it's at least a kind of blueprint to work off of.

I don't know about other countries, but here in the US, my insurance paid for it.

 

[RememberWhatUCameFor]

I had that done last year, and it's an interesting thing if you can get it done. It won't tell you the perfect drug or anything, but it's at least a kind of blueprint to work off of.

I don't know about other countries, but here in the US, my insurance paid for it.

its probably cheaper in the long run

 

[LittleJem]

I just had 2 weeks off depression with a natural MAOI called Polygala Tenuifoila. It is beginning to poop out. So I have two more natural remedies, then back to meds. I currently have dodgy Moclobemide bought on the internet (that comes from Hong Kong), then if that doesn't help, Prozac from the doctor. For me, I would love anything to work. SSRI (Vortioxetine) did decrease my anxiety, which was getting just horrible, panicked and agitated all day long. However, the suicidal ideation stuck around, then after 3 months I was constantly sedated (and still low). So the SSRI did something for me, just not as much as I'd like. Funny enough, the happiest I have ever been is when I'd just come off Vortioxetine, and had a week of peaceful, calm happiness. Which must have been my brain chemicals as they came off the drug...flooding somehow and with something.

My experience - with weed, natural remedies and more - show me that my daily misery is simply related to my brain chemistry -and when I can change it, everything changes. Like the past two weeks I woke up singing the Lighthouse Family!!! Now the Polygala is pooping out, I wake up fantasising about someone stabbing me. So I'm back to normal ;) I am going to keep trying, more remedies, more medication...for as long as I have stamina. Believe me, when the depression comes back, I am so tired of it and want to CTB. But I have a little more fight in me now.

Hope this doesn't ramble too much - I have to have weed to sleep again at the moment, and kind of just venting really.

 

[Élégie]

In my case, they only made things worse. When I was put on antidepressants at 17, I gained a bunch of weight and hated myself even more. Not worth it.

For some people, maybe they can work... But in my opinion, majority of people are depressed because of external factors/life circumstances, so no "magic pills" can fix their problems.

 

[walker]

I think that SSRIs have their place. They're going to work for some people and not for others. You're also talking about an entire class of medications in which some are going to work better than others.
When an SSRI doesn't work there is also tricyclics, MAOI (not used much anymore) and all sorts of other classifications of meds that people are using these days.

When you think about depression, a lot of that is often "in your head" meaning how the switch can often flip for a lot of people if they, fall in love, for instance. They become interested in a person, fall in love and they feel as if they were magically cured of their depression for a time. Person leaves and so does the good feeling associated with that. Thats because you were flooded with all those "feel good" chemicals in your head which is a real mindfuck, right? It's all swirly crap floating around in there making you feel really good --- or really bad. So screwing with those is what helps by taking medication. (or doesn't help, as the case may be)

 

[RememberWhatUCameFor]

In my case, they only made things worse. When I was put on antidepressants at 17, I gained a bunch of weight and hated myself even more. Not worth it.

For some people, maybe they can work... But in my opinion, majority of people are depressed because of external factors/life circumstances, so no "magic pills" can fix their problems.

i think depression can be caused very different kind of factors. the current monocausal explanation "low serotonin" only applies to certain percentage of depressed people which means ssri will work for them but not for the people whose depression is caused by other factors.

we still shockingly unaware of the human body and the brain as the most complex organ of the human body is no exception.

just a small example:

Human Brain Project - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[BPD Barbie]

I was told that after a while you develop almost resistance to them and they either have to up to the dose or mix other drugs in. In my experience, all I can say they have done for me is make me slightly numb to the world. Small inconveniences don't really bother me but I still have insane mood swings.

 

[LittleJem]

Update from me - since I came off Vortioxetine (which is a newer SSRI) I am now trying St John's Wort. So far, it is helping much more than Vortioxetine did - my suicidal thoughts are not loud and constant, though I have still been low. I also have energy to get out of bed and do things. Siberian Ginseng has also helped with energy levels.

I am on day 10, and have had some happy moments. Since yesterday, I am now combining it with DLPA in the morning, and have also read that Creatine and Bacopa can be helpful additions, so am getting my hands on those asap. I am also taking various vitamins.

St John's Wort (brand A. Vogel) - dose 66mg 3x a day (AM, PM and evening).
DLPA (Brand Solgar) - dose 1000 mg in the morning on an empty stomach

I am using Black Seed Oil to calm me and help me sleep - last night I was agitated and the black seed oil helped.

Vitamins I am taking include: Zinc, B12, D3, Folate, B6, Magnesium - can't remember which other ones!

I am also wearing sunblock and sunglasses every day, as St John's Wort makes you sun sensitive. It does combine badly with some other meds (and hormonal birth control) so check your contraindications if you are testing it.

 

[purplemoon]

Define 'work'. If you mean fix a biological problem in the brain then no. If it means improve someone's subjective feeling of well-being: for some people yes but that's mainly due to the placebo-effect.

If it works (lowering the feeling of being depressed) I personally wouldn't care whether it was due to the placebo-effect (the brain healing itself) or some other reason.

I agree... most have side effects (some minor, some major) and while amitryptiline helps me fall asleep and relax more, as soon as it wears off close to my next dose, all my original symptoms have been resurfacing throughout the day increasingly, so there is no cure, at least not for me.

Over the years I've tried Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Bupropion, almost all anti-depressents, neuroleptics, anti-anxiety, etc. and while they work temporarily for a few hours, it's just like a Band-Aid, and the Band-Aid falls off.

Part of the problem is, most people experience the brain either minimizing or even shutting off part of its own natural creation / balance of certain important neural chemicals such as norepinephrine, Serotonin, etc. Or the brain gets confused and doesn't understand what's happening. My first undergraduate degree is in psychology and this topic is one of the many that I had to write a research paper on.

What you want to be aware of and watch out for our any severe symptoms that manifest as mild to moderate tremors, which is one of many symptoms that includes the onset of tardive dyskinesia. It's not necessarily permanent, but do you want to let your physician know right away... i had a bit of that long ago and my dr had me start tapering off carefully.

What's interesting is that they can label a drug as medicine or an illegal drug overtime, they get to dictate. It's hard to find something to cope with if they make everything else illegal except for what they make money off of. Oh how coincidentally convenient for them.

I brought up the point years ago to one shrink telling him that when the environment is constantly stressful and there are other pressures, that I agree partly (yes it affects serotonin), but it's the environment that's the problem, not me, as i am reacting TO a toxic environment.

I also pointed out how certain hormones that are triggered by extreme stress such as cortisol also have a huge effect on people and their health. Even animals have the same types of reactions, do they have mental disorders also? Or is it just trauma from the environment that's the problem? I brought up the point years ago to one shrink telling him that when the environment is constantly stressful and there are other pressures, I partly agree yes it affects serotonin, but it's the environment that's the problem not me. I also pointed out how certain hormones are triggered by extreme stress such as cortisol also have a huge affect on people and their health.

Even animals have the same reactions, do they have "mental disorders" also? Or is it just trauma from the environment that's the problem?

He seemed at a loss for words and couldn't answer the question...
hmmm...

 

[samsrt96]

I got prescribed antidepressants once but I've never taken any. To some people it may sound silly, but I feel like, if I have to rely on drugs just to live, what is the point in carrying on living? I don't want the only reason I'm alive to be because I'm taking drugs that are changing the neurochemistry of my body.

 

[Moonicide]

It can help for some. But even with medication it doesn't solve everything, unfortunately... It just makes things a bit more tolerable, it doesn't fix you.

 

[KiraLittleOwl]

They just limit emotional response in my experience although I never took them more than 3 month.
I really don't like how I feel in SSRIs, like I still have all that feelings and emotions but detached from them if that makes sense.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

They have immediate side effects.
They may help in the short to mid term.
They are likely to stop working in the long term.
They may permanently effect your brain chemistry.

 

[BlueWidow]

I'm not a medical doctor, but most of you on here know that I have a pretty low opinion of most medical doctors due to my own personal experiences. Your experiences may vary.

As far as I can tell, when it comes to SSRIs, people fall into one of three categories:

1) those the drugs help
2) those the drugs have absolutely no effect on, which is the category I'm in
3) and, those who take them and get severe side effects, even to the point of going out and shooting up a school or something. They seem to have some severe effects on some people, making them even worse than they originally were and possibly influencing them to do things that they might not do otherwise.

I've heard it said that part of the reason for the drastic increase in school shootings & mass shootings in the recent 3 decades or so is at least partly due to the introduction of SSRIs. I don't know if that's true or not, but that's what I've heard. It wouldn't surprise me at all. I don't have a very high opinion of the drugs. I think the drug companies keep a lot of the true information about the drugs hidden from the public. It's very good for those that it helps, but from what I can tell, that's the smallest group among the three. And even for the ones that it helps, the effect only seems to be temporary. . . and doctors are constantly pushing them on you, even if you tell them you don't want them and they don't do anything for you.
However, if you're in the small group of people that they actually help, even if temporary, maybe it's a good choice for you.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

I went to my gp years ago asking for grief counselling. He tried to give me Prozac.

 

[LittleJem]

I know anecdotes, because I'm on various FB groups about different meds (mainly Prozac and Zoloft) because I am not sure which one to try next. Some people find SSRIs entirely life changing and life saving, and for others they don't work or make symptoms worse or have intolerable side effects.

I definitely think people should be warned by doctors about withdrawal and side effects, particularly the sexual side effects. In my experience, UK GPs prescribe them with no information given other than what is on the leaflet - so I am all in favour of everyone doing their own research where possible.

I've only tried one med so far and it put me to sleep all day, and I was still really depressed. I'm scared of trying another one, especially because they can raise your anxiety at the beginning. but I am very suicidal and need something, just don't know what to try next.

 

[WingedFallen]

They have worked to improve my life significantly, but every body is different, every brain is different. A lot of it depends on getting a doctor who actually cares for you and will talk to you openly and honestly (something I'm blessed with, I love that woman) and never pushes anything, and in fact cautioned me against staying on them too long if I didn't need them. My problems were more with anxiety than depression, which actually isn't included in the mechanism of action for the medicine I currently take, but the positive effects on that were dramatic. However, I have experienced some downsides. The physical side effects aren't that bad, at least for me, though that varies widely. What makes me consider getting off of them eventually is how it effects my dreams. They have become mundane when they used to be surreal, about real life when they were once fanciful. Honestly they fit the "standard" description of what a dream is a lot more than the trippy psychedelic journey my dreams have been most of my life. I've also been blessed with only having one or two truly bad dreams my whole life. My mental anguish is mainly in my waking hours.

I must mention though that no accurate assessment of the effects an SSRI has on you in the long term can be figured out without doing what the doctor prescribes. The first one I tried was by a doctor that didn't give a shit, who I no longer see, who gave me almost no information at all about what it would do or how important it was not to suddenly stop, which I did. I almost lost my job because of the acting out I'd do at work and came incredibly close to a ctb attempt.

I also wish to extend my sympathy to anyone who has been burned by the mental health field, as I can tell several of you have. I know plenty of people in real life who avoid psychiatric medicine like the plague because of past bad experiences.