Your experience with antidepressants

[notthatguy]

Hi, I've recently come to terms with the fact that I am depressed. previously I thought there was just some other thing wrong with me but I can't deny the signs. I know there's medicine specifically to treat depression. the idea of a drug that can fix everything wrong with me doesn't feel real or feels too good to be true. I want to ask those of you that have taken antidepressants what their experience with them was or is.

 

[Michi_Violeta]

It doesn't fix everything wrong with you. It numbs you and, in particular, certain uncomfortable sensations affecting you so that you are in a position to fix everything wrong with you with help from therapy AND yourself AND life giving you a break.

Fluoxetine did nothing positive for me to be honest and every medication has side effects so, yes, it's too good to be true, but not something to be discarded in case you want to explore all avenues of recover.

 

[SecretDissociation]

Tried SSRI's and an SNRI. They didn't work! You usually pair anti-depressants with therapy since anti-depressants can curb your depression, dim it down a bit, make your head quieter, or make you feel lighter, but it's not the case with everyone. You also need therapy to help manage the maladaptive coping mechanisms that can charge your depression, or low mood or bad mental health or mental illness or whatever!

My experience was that they haven't helped. Hopefully haven't helped, yet, but who knows. There are many to try.

 

[Rynalia]

YMMV. For me they didn't work at all, but I've heard success stories from other people.

 

[apearl]

I have been on like 10 different pills and none of them have really worked.

I think for some people they can be a saving grace and for others its no better then a sugar pill.

 

[Griever]

I've tried so many different antidepressants, but none of them have helped so far

 

[Daenerys Targaryen]

They didn't do anything to me, since the depression is secondary to mental pain and something unknown to psychiatrists and psychologists; they don't even know what I have.

 

[FoxSauce]

Hmm tried a few like : trazodone, wellbutrine, fluxotine, Mirtazapine so far.

They didn't help or made me way sleepy for now Effexor,buspar and lithium has worked.

Ofc is not a garuntee for everyone tho.

 

[LostLily]

it does help calm my mood. It just it takes time to find one that work and doesn't give out major side effects. I tried 3 separate anti-depressants before I found one that both works and doesn't upset my stomach.

Then after 10 years taking that one, I had to switch again because the effectiveness was wearing off.

 

[Irrelevant biologist]

Nothing has helped me and one actually gave me sporadic random muscle twitches. I also couldn't drive as I got dizzy looking over my shoulder. That said, I do enjoy xanax.

 

[cantthinkofusername]

i tried a lot of them before i found one that made me happy but then i realized being happy is just as unbearable as being miserable so i stopped taking medication

 

[milkteacrown]

My issue is very chemical, and therapy does nothing for me. I've been on most antidepressants with no success, but augmenting Cymbalta with Abilify has caused a noticeable shift in my apathy for the better.

 

[iamanavalanche]

my experiences with paroxetine and citalopram has been overall positive. though they have never stopped my suicidal ideation, paroxetine has definitely made me less depressed and citalopram seemed to only cover anxiety bases for me. antidepressants will vary from person to person

 

[used_and_abused]

they make me feel numb inside. Granted i haven't tried all antidepressants but I've tried a few.

 

[J&L383]

Tried SSRI's and an SNRI. They didn't work! You usually pair anti-depressants with therapy since anti-depressants can curb your depression, dim it down a bit, make your head quieter, or make you feel lighter, but it's not the case with everyone. You also need therapy to help manage the maladaptive coping mechanisms that can charge your depression, or low mood or bad mental health or mental illness or whatever!

My experience was that they haven't helped. Hopefully haven't helped, yet, but who knows. There are many to try.

I had a similar experience. (Nothing worked, tried various flavors but the side effects were always concerning) And everything I've read suggest you need therapy coupled with any medications for the best result. That being said, I have a brother and at least one niece on antidepressants (SSRI) who soon to be managing better with them. But they're definitely not a panacea and it will take some time to get the right cocktail. (You usually end up on more than one just one medication). Finally, they're incredibly difficult to get off of if you ever decide you've had enough of them.

 

[real human being]

Antidepressants can be harmful as well, and it isn't talked about enough. They can cause permanent sexual dysfunction even if you don't take them for a long time. They can also be very difficult to quit.

I recommend that you watch this video:

 

[apple0613]

i tried a lot of them before i found one that made me happy but then i realized being happy is just as unbearable as being miserable so i stopped taking medication

Why? Can you share more?

 

[sillycat]

For me I don't think antidepressants helped. I was really hoping that happy pill could get me through this tough period and help me think more positively.

 

[TitianCashew26]

Antidepressants did not help me.

 

[Dejected 55]

I was on Zoloft for a while. It was many years ago when I was seeing the psychiatrist who never wanted to talk except to ask how I felt and when I would say I felt the same as always, he would just up my dosage and say see you next week. After a while of that I got tired of it and told him I could be depressed for free if he wasn't interested in actually trying to help.

I think I ultimately discovered, though, that I don't have a chemical imbalance issue at all. I hoped I might, like maybe a drug could make me "normal" and then I would get along with people and want to do what they think is normal and then women would be attracted to me and I could have a relationship and a family like I always wanted. But, no such luck. I'm just unlovable, for whatever reason, and there isn't a drug that will make a difference or I'd take it.

 

[road2joy]

Never tried. My doctor told me fluoxetine doesn't give you erectile dysfunction meanwhile every avenue online including AI told me otherwise.

 

[MidnightCat]

Tried quite a few, 10+. Nothing worked or at least not enough to justify the secondary effects.

However, my wife and mother take them and it's night and day for them, you can clearly see them happier and more positive towards everything, to the point you can pretty easily tell if they missed a few pills.

So... It really depends on the individual.

 

[dewdrop]

The data here may be slightly skewed. I imagine if SSRIs completely changed someone's life then they might not be so active on a forum like this. SSRIs have been shown in studies to be more effective than a placebo, but it depends on the individual taking them, and overtime as you grow a tolerance they can sometimes stop working as well.

However, this doesn't mean they are not worth a try, and I've heard many stories from people who found significant improvement from taking antidepressants, even just making their mood or anxiety a bit more bearable on a day-to-day basis. I felt very brief improvements in my mood on two antidepressants, but the other two I tried didn't work. 3/4 gave me side effects such as irritation, fatigue, and nausea, so I had to stop. Whether a medication will help or not just depends on the person.

 

[BlueberrySylv]

hey! love your pfp for starters, a pokefur in this place is a raresight.
other than that my experince with anti dep medication is somewhat ok. i am on both imipramine and sertraline (prozac)
and they have worked amazingly for me so far.
i feel a lot better than i once felt. way less depressed and sad, i barely think of suicide anymore i have gotten more functional past few months and i have even started doing my hobbies once again, even started new ones, like reading, drawing, and gotten back to gaming.

generally speaking they make you feel numb at first, then more sad, then slowly less sad, and then more happier.
at least that was the steps for me. its diffrent for everyone anyways.
ive been on them for 3.5 months now. i might stop soon cause of the costs, and yes im worreid but generally speaking if you can.

PLEASE try them.
they might help or might not help but if you have suicidal thoughts and might end up actually hurting yourself they might just be the last hope that you are in need of.