Do antidepressants help you?

[Worthless_nobody]

That makes two of us. Exactly the same.

OP consider yourself warned: anhedonia and PSSD. Please research these side effects THOROUGHLY before ever using SSRI medications. This goes for anyone else considering them.

3 of us me too :(
It's just so shocking doctors hand this stuff out without any warnings of potential life long life altering side effects.

 

[CTB-London]

Hi,

I've been struggling with depression since I was 13 years old -- I am almost 28 now.

I've never been on antidepressants. I have a LOT of ideation, especially since I moved to another state for graduate school, have no support system, and really have nothing to look forward to because of COVID.

This year has just been a shit show for me. I would really like to just stick with the natural way of doing things (exercise), but some people tell me that I should look into antidepressants.

What do you think?

I understand that they can work for people who have a chemical imbalance in their mind. In my case, my depression is situational so anti-depressants did nothing for me.

In some cases it is necessary to try a few different medications before finding one that works.

 

[RottenDeer]

Well, I think they're doing their job. It's enough to be a functioning member of society. If that's good or bad, I don't know. But I don't know how I would be without them.

 

[jrums]

at this point you have nothing to loose. I would give them a shot. You will probably have to try a few different ones. Give them 4-6 weeks to build up in your system before you dismiss it as not working. If there are issues with things that have happened- antidepressants along with therapy can help. There are negative side affects to all medications. Look those up and be awake it is possible for certain things to happen as a result of each given medication. I hope you find one that works without negative side affects.

Other then your entire humanity nothing to lose. Permanent chemical lobotomy and castration plus other horrific effects no biggie. Seriously as someone who has done it all you'd be better off getting an opiate addiction. Or get a benzo. Unless you have a gun in your mouth right now skip the SSRIs. Even then they likely won't help.

 

[ADruinedmylife]

Take an MAOI, try ketamine or TMS or microdosing shrooms I would not touch SSRIs

 

[Gnip]

Running the gamut of treatments including seven of the eight classes of antidepressants has clinched my lifelong disability status and health care, but aside from eight wonderful months on Prozac and Ritalin in 1996 and 1997, most of what I've taken might as well have been weight gain inducing and libido deadening sugar pills.

If any of that stuff worked on a permanent basis, I wouldn't be here.

 

[AutoTap]

Some work, some don't. When I found one that worked it stopped working after a year go figure. Now I'm looking again.

it's a brutal cycle and will never truly be fixed by meds but I find therapy also doesn't help. Ugh

 

[ovaltinee99]

Mine work amazingly for depression and anxiety (citalopram/ escitalopram). It's the side effects I can't live with. It makes me excessively sleepy all day, which isn't a way to live.

 

[rabbithole]

Venlafaxine with mirtazapine helped me immensely in my early 20s. I was really in a remission from my mental health issues for years. Then circumstances drastically changed and no meds could possibly help me.

 

[ZardozOmega]

I don't know. It's been ages since I was free from ADs. I don't remember how I was without them