Antidepressants

[Genersis]

A couple of months back my psychotheripist suggested I consider taking antidepressants to which I quickly ruled out due to side effects and the idea of using a drug to change my mentality.
But recently I've been awfully worried with my lack of "progress in life" and am starting to reconsider ADs.
I'm really worried about the long term side affects and such.
This could easily be one of the worst desisions in my life, or it could be one of the best.

Are ADs as effective as they are made out to be?
Do any of you here have any personal expirience with the drugs(you or someone you know) which you would be willing to share?

I know this is a pretty complex subject with very few definates, since everyone reacts slightly diffrent to it.
Thanks in advance.

PS Feel free to ask for more info if needed.

[peterinmalaga]

My son was on antidepressants for quite a while and I think you are wise to be cautious here. He was told by his doctor that the medication was not addictive, which was not true. I suggest you ask your psychotherapist what alternatives there are. In my son's case CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) was much more helpful. This is a form of couselling in which you keep a diary in a particular form and try to assess the day's events in different ways. There is no doubt more to it than that but that is what I saw him doing. He is now happily married with a baby. He has a good job and they are moving into a new house very soon. He has completely turned his life around.

[Genersis]

When It was sugested that I should consider ADs it suprised me that my psychotherapist new little to none about ADs and that I should consult my GP(which I haven't). It has always botherd me how a drug thats so successful(or perhaps just over perscribed?:confused: ) has a whole list of side effects.(well, acording to wikipedia at least)
I will definatly talk to my psychotherapist about CBT, we have talked about it a few times but I'm still not sure if I'm being moved onto it or not.

Glad to hear some good news and wish your son the best of luck.

[sox-and-the-city]

I'm probably not the best person to give advice on this really, seeing as i have a tendency to take these medications recreationally. Obviously this is silly/dangerous/an abuse of medication etc. but frankly i don't care.

Your GP will, depending on how serious your depression is, assess which medication is necessary. Generally they try not to give you the particularly strong, addictive ones unless absolutely necessary. I'd expect something like citalopram to begin with, which isn't massively addicitive and doesn't give you so much of that wonderful, cloudy feeling that makes taking happy pills recreationally fun, it's MUCH more functional It also takes about 17 days (from what i remember of my time on it) to build up a theraputic dosage in your system and thus really see results.

I've been prescribed several of these medications before and have to say i didn't experience most of the side effects. When you recieve the medications you will see them allocated according to risk category (i.e how likely they are to happen). The serious side effects are incredibly rare, and i wouldn't worry about them too much, they just have to name them to cover the bases. It's like all medications (when you look at them) have side-effects, many of them potentially dangerous.

Case in point when i was in Spain and desperately trying to get a diagnosis for my skin condition, which turned out to be pompholyx type eczema, i was given very strongly sedative anti-inflammatory pills by the dermatologist. The list of side-effects was eye-melting!! Alongside advice not operate heavay machinery etc, there was: dry mouth, burning eyes, insomnia, loss of appetite, increased appetite, seizure and permanent damage to the central nervous system to name but a few. But i took them and was fine. Well, i was high as a kite and not in any kind of control of my movements and generally not in any fit state to do anything but i had a whale of a time on them, I kept some, just in case things get rough while i'm in Vienna i've got a backup plan...

When approached sensibly and with caution they can help temporarily while you deal with the root causes of your depression. Try to keep an open mind.

[Genersis]

Thanks for the info Sox:biggrin:
My depression is more constant negative thinking rather than being miserable all the time so I wouldn't say too serious.....but is stopping me from leaving the house so I guess it is?:confused:

PS:Wonder what eye melting feels like?:tongue:
PSS:Actuly maybe I shouldn't joke about it. Someone must of suffered with it for it to be mentioned:eek: .

[sox-and-the-city]

What your GP will do when you go is give you a record sheet to fill in, and have you come back in a week. They'll use that to gauge how serous it is, and give you meds appropriately. Then they'll keep you coming back every so often to check that it's all still working. If you feel something's not right, you have to tell someone immediately.

[fjp999]

[COLOR="Purple"]Which AD has your psychotherapist suggested? *It is actually a good thing that your psychotherapist isnt well versed in ADs and hopefully NOT prescribing them to you.

Of course it could be a different system and your GP could be perfectly knowledgeable on ADs for young people. If your age listed is accurate then ADs in the USA are black boxed. This means ADs could make a situation very bad including death and worse depression leading to suicidal thoughts especially in young adults.

I would never recommend ADs unless there are very sever mental issues taking place. If at all possible you should try to have a consult with a Psychiatrist who specializes with young adults.

If a medical doctor does prescribe ADs to you, you must follow instructions precisely. Usually you will be starting on a lower dose, and usually in the evening before bed, or in the morn when you wake up. This may go on for a week and if there are no ill side effects then a dose change may be ordered. This dose may be the dose you stay on for a month or longer or the dose may be changed in a week or two... but PLEASE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY and as others have said... IF YOU FEEL WORSE IN ANY WAY - dont just stop taking your ADs but call your doc or go to the emergency ward.

As Sox has said already... it does take some time for the meds to build up in your system for full and true effect. Before that time some minor sides may come and go. I felt pretty dizzy for a couple days... then that went away then another small side started and that went away... If a more major side took place I discussed it with my Psychiatrist and we were able to change the dose or even the brand which may be slightly different than the last. BUT YOU MUST NOT STOP unless ordered by your doctor.

From what you have posted it would seem that you should first try an anti-anxiety med which is much more mild and can even be taken as needed.

Not sure how these link things work but I recently posted a bit about my experience with ADs. GaySpeak Gay Forums Community - Rage against bad indiviuals in the LBGT commuinty

if the link doesnt work you can find it in the thread: rage-against-bad-indiviuals-lbgt-commuinty.

I must rush out now but hope this give you some more info to consider.

best of luck.[/COLOR]

[fredv3b]

I'll add my tuppence in non-chronological order, as it were.

My depression is more constant negative thinking rather than being miserable all the time so I wouldn't say too serious.....but is stopping me from leaving the house so I guess it is?

If its stopping you leaving your house then, I'd suggest, its something worth doing something about (something does not necessarily mean anything).

A couple of months back my psychotheripist suggested I consider taking antidepressants to which I quickly ruled out due to side effects and the idea of using a drug to change my mentality.

Why are you adverse to using a drug to change your mentality? Much of the country uses alcohol and caffeine for those purposes? If its OK to take a pill to make your heart or your kidneys work better, why not a pill to make your mind work better? Just something to think about.

Are ADs as effective as they are made out to be?

As who makes them out to be? Obviously their makers would like us to think they are the best thing since sliced bread (as would the makers of everything else). Short answer is they are effective, do they work for everyone, no of course not. Will they work for you that is something you need to talk to your doctor about. There are a lot of different antidepressants, just because one did not work for doesn't mean that all the others won't.

It has always botherd me how a drug thats so successful(or perhaps just over perscribed?:confused: ) has a whole list of side effects.(well, acording to wikipedia at least)

I'm really worried about the long term side affects and such.

As a reasonable rule of thumb, if a drug is powerful enough to do you a significant amount of good it is powerful enough to do you a significant amount of harm. (That does not necessarily mean that it actually will do you any harm or good.) The side effect lists of most drugs are eye watering (proverbially, occasionally literally , Trouble with the wikipedia list is that it gives no indication how often those side effects are. The great majority of drug side effects stop when you stop taking the drug (although it may take a little time for them to fade away). If you experience side effects that are more than mildly annoying/irritating you can always talk to you doc about trying a different antidepressant. In any case the more modern antidepressants are, generally speaking, much better from the side effects point of view. If you are worried about side-effects talk to you doctor about them.

Addiction to antidepressants is not generally a problem. Occasionally there may be people who getter better on antidepressants but then get worse again when they try to stop, but most people who get better then after a period of being well and stable are about to stop taking them without problems. (Addiction to certain anti-anxiety drugs is an issue and quite a few people with depression also have anxiety, so I wonder if this is related to what happened to Peter's son?)

I will definatly talk to my psychotherapist about CBT, we have talked about it a few times but I'm still not sure if I'm being moved onto it or not.

Peter is wise to bring up CBT. It has quite a growing reputation. I'd certainly advise that you talk to your therapist about it. However I know from previous posts of yours that you have also had other problems, which does tend to make things more complicated that someone who has depression and nothing else, so it may be that your therapist thinks that CBT is not right for you.

Good Luck

[Genersis]

Which AD has your psychotherapist suggested? *It is actually a good thing that your psychotherapist isnt well versed in ADs and hopefully NOT prescribing them to you.

I knew that she wouldn't have much medical knowlage on ADs but she seemed to know very little about them dispite her mentioning that a few of her other patiants take them and that she did witness positive changes. Perhaps shes not telling me much incase I get the worng Idea?

psychotherapists are not qualified to perscribe ADs or anything else for that matter(to my knowledge). But are GPs qualified to decided wether or not someones mental condition requires ADs? Perhaps They would arange a meeting with a specialist?

Of course it could be a different system and your GP could be perfectly knowledgeable on ADs for young people. If your age listed is accurate then ADs in the USA are black boxed. This means ADs could make a situation very bad including death and worse depression leading to suicidal thoughts especially in young adults.

My age is correct and what you mentioned does make me wonder why it can have these effects on young adults. Perhaps its the hormones?

I would never recommend ADs unless there are very sever mental issues taking place. If at all possible you should try to have a consult with a Psychiatrist who specializes with young adults.

My psychotherapist does specialise in adolecents and young adults. But psychiatrists are completly diffrent, right?

If a medical doctor does prescribe ADs to you, you must follow instructions precisely. Usually you will be starting on a lower dose, and usually in the evening before bed, or in the morn when you wake up. This may go on for a week and if there are no ill side effects then a dose change may be ordered. This dose may be the dose you stay on for a month or longer or the dose may be changed in a week or two... but PLEASE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY and as others have said... IF YOU FEEL WORSE IN ANY WAY - dont just stop taking your ADs but call your doc or go to the emergency ward.

Intresting how ADs are so volitile. Makes me think of drug, drugs. Although I'm unsure if AD doses need to be incressed over time to get the same effect, i doubt it.

As Sox has said already... it does take some time for the meds to build up in your system for full and true effect. Before that time some minor sides may come and go. I felt pretty dizzy for a couple days... then that went away then another small side started and that went away... If a more major side took place I discussed it with my Psychiatrist and we were able to change the dose or even the brand which may be slightly different than the last. BUT YOU MUST NOT STOP unless ordered by your doctor.

Drugs such as ADs should have there doses reduced over a piriod of time rather than going cold turkey to avoid a sudden depression, often worse than the patient would of been before they had started on ADs that could lead to suicide.

From what you have posted it would seem that you should first try an anti-anxiety med which is much more mild and can even be taken as needed.

I know very little about Anti-anxiety meds. Maybe I should investigate seen as my depression is caused by anxiety.

Not sure how these link things work but I recently posted a bit about my experience with ADs. GaySpeak Gay Forums Community - Rage against bad indiviuals in the LBGT commuinty

if the link doesnt work you can find it in the thread: rage-against-bad-indiviuals-lbgt-commuinty.

I must rush out now but hope this give you some more info to consider.

best of luck.

Thanks for all the info!:biggrin:
A fair bit to digest, hopefully I'll make up my mind soon...

PS: I should be getting a copy of a letter that my psychotherapist is sending to my GP and previous Psychotherapist as like a summary of my condition, maybe I'll post it if anyones intrested?

[Genersis]

I'll add my tuppence in non-chronological order, as it were.



If its stopping you leaving your house then, I'd suggest, its something worth doing something about (something does not necessarily mean anything).



Why are you adverse to using a drug to change your mentality? Much of the country uses alcohol and caffeine for those purposes? If its OK to take a pill to make your heart or your kidneys work better, why not a pill to make your mind work better? Just something to think about.



As who makes them out to be? Obviously their makers would like us to think they are the best thing since sliced bread (as would the makers of everything else). Short answer is they are effective, do they work for everyone, no of course not. Will they work for you that is something you need to talk to your doctor about. There are a lot of different antidepressants, just because one did not work for doesn't mean that all the others won't.





As a reasonable rule of thumb, if a drug is powerful enough to do you a significant amount of good it is powerful enough to do you a significant amount of harm. (That does not necessarily mean that it actually will do you any harm or good.) The side effect lists of most drugs are eye watering (proverbially, occasionally literally , Trouble with the wikipedia list is that it gives no indication how often those side effects are. The great majority of drug side effects stop when you stop taking the drug (although it may take a little time for them to fade away). If you experience side effects that are more than mildly annoying/irritating you can always talk to you doc about trying a different antidepressant. In any case the more modern antidepressants are, generally speaking, much better from the side effects point of view. If you are worried about side-effects talk to you doctor about them.

Addiction to antidepressants is not generally a problem. Occasionally there may be people who getter better on antidepressants but then get worse again when they try to stop, but most people who get better then after a period of being well and stable are about to stop taking them without problems. (Addiction to certain anti-anxiety drugs is an issue and quite a few people with depression also have anxiety, so I wonder if this is related to what happened to Peter's son?)



Peter is wise to bring up CBT. It has quite a growing reputation. I'd certainly advise that you talk to your therapist about it. However I know from previous posts of yours that you have also had other problems, which does tend to make things more complicated that someone who has depression and nothing else, so it may be that your therapist thinks that CBT is not right for you.

Good Luck

To be honest I only belived the drugs to be successful due to how many people I hear take them which doesn't nesasarly mean they work, but I supose its a success for these companise comercaly(which is the only thing they care about).

As for drugs that change mentality. I've just never been comftable with the idea. I am actully quite scared of both being drunk and drunk people because of how much it changes them, many times leading them to say and do things they wish they hadn't.

Thanks a ton for the Input