Help I’m scared of antidepressants

[emptyenvelopes]

I have been struggling with depression for 2 years now and I am near my breaking point. I've tried over the counter Sam-E 400mg a day and it pushes the grief down a little so I can get out of bed, but I'm still a shell of myself. I am still pained by grief, bitter, unhappy, unmotivated. I've spoken to a mental health professional about this and they said only time or antidepressants will make me better.

I'm scared of antidepressants. I don't want to be reliant on them. If I have to take
them, I want to take them until I get back to my normal self again. Because I used to be happy and then life happened and here I am and I haven't been able to get over it.

Please help, what do I do?

 

[seph25]

Please be aware of the damages they can do to you. I mean the permanent ones.

 

[Onelegman]

This is complicated. Surely what happens is that your brain does not produce dopamine and other substances properly. That is why one takes antidepressants, they help the brain create these substances. But the first 2 weeks suicidal ideas increase (this happens with many psychiatric medications)

Personally, I have been taking antidepressants for more than 15 years. The problem is the following. I don't know if they will work the same there.

The psychiatrist sends you the lightest one, the one that has the fewest side effects and that tends to work for more people. If he doesn't notice it taking effect, he will increase the dose. If you continue the same, you will spend time lowering the dose and eliminating that drug. Then you will start with another, stronger pill and if it does not work, you will increase the dose. And so you continue until you find something that is really effective, even if that makes you a zombie, not all people have the same brain chemistry.

Anxiolytics helped me, but not antidepressants, after so many years I already felt that I wanted CTB more. I talked to the doctor and had them removed. Now I only use anxiolytics and sleeping pills, I'm not a zombie, but CTB will always be with me.

My advice? You don't lose anything by trying, but you will go down a long road until you discover if someone helps you or not.

 

[Praestat_Mori]

What happened? What made you depressed? If this trigger still exists and haunts you and you cannot get over it or eliminate it then even Antidepressants won't help. Time can heal depression when it's not too late and in the early stages (that's what I think, no medical advice!) but whatever caused your depression must be eliminated.

 

[JensenX]

I have been struggling with depression for 2 years now and I am near my breaking point. I've tried over the counter Sam-E 400mg a day and it pushes the grief down a little so I can get out of bed, but I'm still a shell of myself. I am still pained by grief, bitter, unhappy, unmotivated. I've spoken to a mental health professional about this and they said only time or antidepressants will make me better.

I'm scared of antidepressants. I don't want to be reliant on them. If I have to take
them, I want to take them until I get back to my normal self again. Because I used to be happy and then life happened and here I am and I haven't been able to get over it.

Please help, what do I do?

Do you exercise? I mean REALLY work out?

Exercise is a mood elevator, with many other benefits.

Find an exercise you like, and hit it hard, not just casually. While you're exercising you'll probably forget about all your problems. If you exercise hard enough, you'll probably be too tired to think about anything.

It might take some effort to get yourself out of bed to start, but it'll be worth the effort. Make it an obsession. Set some physical goals. Don't even take days off.

I don't take any medicine, as exercise helps reduce or alleviate depression for me.

 

[Linda]

I have been struggling with depression for 2 years now and I am near my breaking point. I've tried over the counter Sam-E 400mg a day and it pushes the grief down a little so I can get out of bed, but I'm still a shell of myself. I am still pained by grief, bitter, unhappy, unmotivated. I've spoken to a mental health professional about this and they said only time or antidepressants will make me better.

I'm scared of antidepressants. I don't want to be reliant on them. If I have to take
them, I want to take them until I get back to my normal self again. Because I used to be happy and then life happened and here I am and I haven't been able to get over it.

Please help, what do I do?

I think you should trust that mental health professional.
It is true that anti-depressants can, occasionally, have very dangerous and permanent side effects. But that is not common.
If your depression was caused by external circumstances, then it will probably vanish when those circumstances change. (Or when they fade into the distance, if they are of that kind.) I think that's what your health worker meant when talking about "time". In that case, you might not need anti-depressants.

 

[qw3rty259]

I think you should be, since some of them list "depression" among their side effects...

 

[JensenX]

I think you should trust that mental health professional.
It is true that anti-depressants can, occasionally, have very dangerous and permanent side effects. But that is not common.
If your depression was caused by external circumstances, then it will probably vanish when those circumstances change. (Or when they fade into the distance, if they are of that kind.) I think that's what your health worker meant when talking about "time". In that case, you might not need anti-depressants.

It's ironic to be pointing out, on this forum, the dangers of drugs. I'm considering using the tricyclic antidepressant, Amitriptyline for my final trip because it is dangerous, cheap, and I can buy it without a prescription. The side effects will indeed be permanent.

 

[Dot]

I have been struggling with depression for 2 years now and I am near my breaking point. I've tried over the counter Sam-E 400mg a day and it pushes the grief down a little so I can get out of bed, but I'm still a shell of myself. I am still pained by grief, bitter, unhappy, unmotivated. I've spoken to a mental health professional about this and they said only time or antidepressants will make me better.

I'm scared of antidepressants. I don't want to be reliant on them. If I have to take
them, I want to take them until I get back to my normal self again. Because I used to be happy and then life happened and here I am and I haven't been able to get over it.

Please help, what do I do?

R u gttng propr therpy

 

[Looking]

Like with taking anything new, you need to weigh the potential pros and cons. Even certain foods needs to have their pros and cons weighed out to people with certain health conditions (Milk to someone who is lactose intolerant as an example.)

I was VERY anti antidepressant for a long time. Now I'm very much pro - to those who are willing to try and shop around for whatever pills works for them, of course. With that being said, it doesn't work for everyone and not every pill is the same.

In my experience, finding the right pill has made life less miserable for me. You can take them however long you want, but if you don't address the root cause of your depression, getting off of the medicine because you're feeling better will only make you regress to how you were previously.

 

[Onelegman]

In my experience, finding the right pill has made life less miserable for me. You can take them however long you want, but if you don't address the root cause of your depression, getting off of the medicine because you're feeling better will only make you regress to how you were previously.

Exactly, magic pills do not exist, only happiness pills, they work during the hours that they take effect, to solve a problem you not only need pills, but also therapy, and the good kind, not the one that many of us have received for years or decades.

 

[KillingPain267]

I've tried Sertraline and Agomelatine. I was scared too (especially of Sertraline), but neither did anything. Thankfully they didn't cause side effects either except for some yawning on Sertraline (which went away after stopping to take it).

 

[emptyenvelopes]

What happened? What made you depressed? If this trigger still exists and haunts you and you cannot get over it or eliminate it then even Antidepressants won't help. Time can heal depression when it's not too late and in the early stages (that's what I think, no medical advice!) but whatever caused your depression must be eliminated.

I have eliminated the trigger. My life circumstances are the way they were before the trigger disrupted it. So theoretically, I should be back to my old self, right? But I'm not. I have this near debilitating grief that no matter what holistic methods I try, I cannot shake.

Do you exercise? I mean REALLY work out?

Exercise is a mood elevator, with many other benefits.

Find an exercise you like, and hit it hard, not just casually. While you're exercising you'll probably forget about all your problems. If you exercise hard enough, you'll probably be too tired to think about anything.

It might take some effort to get yourself out of bed to start, but it'll be worth the effort. Make it an obsession. Set some physical goals. Don't even take days off.

I don't take any medicine, as exercise helps reduce or alleviate depression for me.

I do exercise. I've picked up running and run until I'm too exhausted to think. It helps me immediately after and so I fall asleep quickly. But it does nothing to help me either waking up in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning with a wave of grief so strong sometimes I can't breathe.

Believe me when I say I've tried every holistic method. Meditation, exercise, journaling, talking it out, eating right, having a good cry. I don't know what else to do.

I think you should trust that mental health professional.
It is true that anti-depressants can, occasionally, have very dangerous and permanent side effects. But that is not common.
If your depression was caused by external circumstances, then it will probably vanish when those circumstances change. (Or when they fade into the distance, if they are of that kind.) I think that's what your health worker meant when talking about "time". In that case, you might not need anti-depressants.

What can I do with this "time" to at least build back up my resiliency? I feel so tender and fragile. With the littlest setback I fall apart. I didn't used to be this way. But now the littlest things cause me to spiral into the depression pit.

How can I use this time to be mentally stronger so I'm not so breakable?

R u gttng propr therpy

I was told by the therapist I was seeing that there was nothing they could do for me anymore. That I just need time or antidepressants and "this too shall pass."

Like with taking anything new, you need to weigh the potential pros and cons. Even certain foods needs to have their pros and cons weighed out to people with certain health conditions (Milk to someone who is lactose intolerant as an example.)

I was VERY anti antidepressant for a long time. Now I'm very much pro - to those who are willing to try and shop around for whatever pills works for them, of course. With that being said, it doesn't work for everyone and not every pill is the same.

In my experience, finding the right pill has made life less miserable for me. You can take them however long you want, but if you don't address the root cause of your depression, getting off of the medicine because you're feeling better will only make you regress to how you were previously.

I'm glad you found the right pill and that it worked for you. Were you able to take them for a bit and get off them and not regress? If so, how?

I've tried Sertraline and Agomelatine. I was scared too (especially of Sertraline), but neither did anything. Thankfully they didn't cause side effects either except for some yawning on Sertraline (which went away after stopping to take it).

When you say they didn't do anything- do you mean in terms of side effects or actually treating your depression? Did you find a pill that works and was it worth and possible side effects?

 

[Looking]

I'm glad you found the right pill and that it worked for you. Were you able to take them for a bit and get off them and not regress? If so, how?

I'm afraid not. But that doesn't mean you or others won't be able to.

I'm in a part of my recovery where I've accepted that a big aspect of my depression is genetics/biological/chemical. My life, by most objective measures, kinda sucks. But that my response to that suckiness is amplified by my genetics. I've accepted that I might not ever be truly happy, but that I have no reason to force myself to be miserable and suffer if medicine helps me.

But to be fair, I would stop my medicine after taking it for a years on my previous meds. It's because they didn't help me manage my emotions or thoughts, they gave me a bunch of new issues. That motivation or acceptance to use medicine will not work or help you if it's not actually working for you. So it's more about if the pain of looking for something that works for you that helps you is worth it to you.

I did everything. Everything. I was put in therapy for years and I did every treatment (even did a LOT of different pills) I could put my hands on. None of it worked. Because it was more complicated for me than "my environment sucks" - it was, in part, genetic for me. I still have a million and one issues I need to address, but I'm actually able to address them now instead of being crippled.

I was told by the therapist I was seeing that there was nothing they could do for me anymore. That I just need time or antidepressants and "this too shall pass."

I'm sorry they ever told you that because it seems counterproductive to someone who is actively and ongoingly seeking help. You don't have to, but I would recommend looking for a therapist that's more understanding and adaptive to your needs and situation instead of trying to follow a specific treatment timeline. They were in the wrong, and you're not untreatable or a lost cause (in case you feel that way).

 

[emptyenvelopes]

I'm afraid not. But that doesn't mean you or others won't be able to.

I'm in a part of my recovery where I've accepted that a big aspect of my depression is genetics/biological/chemical. My life, by most objective measures, kinda sucks. But that my response to that suckiness is amplified by my genetics. I've accepted that I might not ever be truly happy, but that I have no reason to force myself to be miserable and suffer if medicine helps me.

But to be fair, I would stop my medicine after taking it for a years on my previous meds. It's because they didn't help me manage my emotions or thoughts, they gave me a bunch of new issues. That motivation or acceptance to use medicine will not work or help you if it's not actually working for you. So it's more about if the pain of looking for something that works for you that helps you is worth it to you.

I did everything. Everything. I was put in therapy for years and I did every treatment (even did a LOT of different pills) I could put my hands on. None of it worked. Because it was more complicated for me than "my environment sucks" - it was, in part, genetic for me. I still have a million and one issues I need to address, but I'm actually able to address them now instead of being crippled.


I'm sorry they ever told you that because it seems counterproductive to someone who is actively and ongoingly seeking help. You don't have to, but I would recommend looking for a therapist that's more understanding and adaptive to your needs and situation instead of trying to follow a specific treatment timeline. They were in the wrong, and you're not untreatable or a lost cause (in case you feel that way).

Ah, I see what you're saying now. Thank you for sharing part of your story. That's a good idea, I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a second therapist's opinion. Thank you for your affirming words, they mean a lot.

 

[Praestat_Mori]

I have eliminated the trigger. My life circumstances are the way they were before the trigger disrupted it. So theoretically, I should be back to my old self, right? But I'm not. I have this near debilitating grief that no matter what holistic methods I try, I cannot shake.

I think you should consult other professionals. Depression is a complex thing that is not really understood that's why it is often so difficult to treat it . I hope you can recover

 

[johnmak]

Well, I had just work and collage related stress and anxiety and after beeing prescribed antidepressants for that I became depressed and suicidal, I took like 6 of them after the first one did this to me and guess what? I feel even worse, I have permanent tinnitus, I suffer from insomnia and have terrible medical ptsd from what was happening with me after taking them… well. And when it comes to your situation. U need to go to therapy and also what's important in my opinion is working with your body. Try acupressure to help your body relax and produce mood boosting chemicals naturally. And excercise is really important. There are studies that show running is more effective than antidepressants. U can also try sauna. There is no magic pill unfortunately. Antidepressants made me totally unmotivated, I can't enjoy anything, everything feels boring. Tbh I would rather take depression rather than this zombie/anhedonic state

 

[emptyenvelopes]

Well, I had just work and collage related stress and anxiety and after beeing prescribed antidepressants for that I became depressed and suicidal, I took like 6 of them after the first one did this to me and guess what? I feel even worse, I have permanent tinnitus, I suffer from insomnia and have terrible medical ptsd from what was happening with me after taking them… well. And when it comes to your situation. U need to go to therapy and also what's important in my opinion is working with your body. Try acupressure to help your body relax and produce mood boosting chemicals naturally. And excercise is really important. There are studies that show running is more effective than antidepressants. U can also try sauna. There is no magic pill unfortunately. Antidepressants made me totally unmotivated, I can't enjoy anything, everything feels boring. Tbh I would rather take depression rather than this zombie/anhedonic state

Wow I am so sorry that happened to you. But thank you for sharing your experience.

 

[johnmak]

Wow I am so sorry that happened to you. But thank you for sharing your experience.

No problem. If u want to try antidepressants you can do some dna testing to see which one shouldn't be dangerous for u from what I've heard