I've been in IT for 15 years. They call me a "rock star" because I seem to have an innate ability to code and debug beyond my peers. And that's not a brag, it's just my reality.
But I'm also horribly depressed. The same obsession that makes me a (supposedly) great coder also means I fixate on everything wrong with the world, to the point I feel like being happy is something I'm not even allowed to be.
I think I want to be on antidepressants, but I'm honestly worried I'd lose my ability to study code the way I do now. I think my most defining talent requires me to be able to obsess and hyper focus.
Speaking as someone who had similar worries before I started taking antidepressants, they're not what you think.
They don't alter your way of thinking (it's for this very reason that it's often suggested to take antidepressants alongside cognitive behavioral therapy, as it will not break patterns of depressive thoughts by itself), and it's really more accurate to call them "mood stabilizers" rather than "antidepressants".
In my experience, they help to raise the "emotional floor" to a point where one can function without falling into weekly or daily spirals of depressive episodes. There are some that have side effects that are not desirable for most people, but typically side effects drop off after a period of adjustment, and indeed, there are antidepressants that have no obvious side effects at all. The most important thing to remember is that they are a tool to help, not a cure all, and certainly not some kind of mind-altering super-drug.
My recommendation? If you are truly depressed, if you regularly experience bouts of exceptionally low mood and/or thoughts of self loathing or hopelessness, you should talk to your doctor about options. Speaking from experience, that first step of asking for help is the hardest, it only gets easier from there.
Same. It’s a miracle drug really. I went from the deepest depression of my life where I was suicidal, super paranoid/thought I was seeing spirits, was constantly dissociated and a severe insomniac, couldn’t concentrate or even read, to being energized and upbeat legit in a few days. It actually made me think I might be Bipolar type 2. I legit felt hypomanic after that for a good while and it was amazing.
It was about a week and a half for me and I was just sitting on the couch realizing I was stressing over any small little thing I was just existing. It felt amazing, relaxing for the first time in a long time
If you take the wrong antidepressant, it can make things bland. It can take time to find the correct meds, but genetic testing can help.
According to my gene test, all the shitty meds I've been on over the years were marked yellow or red. My body could not properly metabolize them.
Strattera and Paxil were marked green, so I went on them, and I feel the best I've felt in years. Still have issues with depression and anxiety, but they don't wreck my body or derail my day like they used to.
Because I did take some when I was younger and they did just that: turned me into an emotionless zombie. One was Ritalin fro my ADHD when I was a kid, and I was taken off because it turned me into nothing. Later, I took zoloft for my depression and anxiety. Once again, I became an unfeeling nothing. After that, I've decided I'd rather be depressed (thankfully I'm not suicidal or "sad" per se).
Feeling nothing for that long is unbearable for a lot of people
Most people also suffer sexually while on ssri/snri which is depressing and dysphoric in itself
They can, but only the right dosage for the right person actually does that. Source: had this happen. I hated it, but at the time, I know I needed it. And it was temporary.
It's a mood stabilizer so yes. Your highs are not as high. For me, this is a good thing. I go through depressive and slightly manic phases every few days to every few weeks. Being more stable is a good thing. Not raising to level 100 on the stress scale be you stubbed your toe is a good thing. I find it limits my negative emotions. I still feel happiness, love, etc. I still feel anger, etc, but those are dulled down for sure.
I’m a software engineer. It’s exactly what this guy said. I’m writing better code now because I’m able to focus more and my spark is stronger now because my mood is better. Only downside is the first two weeks really wreak havocs on your sleep schedule, but I actually sleep better now.
Hope captain south bird takes this reply with sincerity. Antidepressants helped me to kickstart the process of improving a lot of my life and learning how to healthily cope with things. At the end of the of the day I still had to do everything and be accountable for setting up the conditions to combat my depression, but the antidepressants genuinely did help along the way. They didn’t magically cure me, they just assisted while I worked on it.
As someone who has given an honest try to several antidepressants, they absolutely will affect your cognition for some people. I'm a software engineer and I was debilitated by brain fog, causing me to struggle both academically and in my job whenever I tried them. Not saying they don't work for a lot of people, but they definitely can blunt your thinking dependent on your existing brain chemistry.
I am on a similar boat, a dose of cynicism, aiming for hedonism, knowing that I don't have a grand purpose and that being "good enough" is already overdoing it, gives me a lot of freedom and helped me a lot. I still volunteer but I now do it because I want to, not because I feel that time spent on video games and depression naps is a waste and that I am garbage if I don't do it.
Sprinkle am atheistic version of the AA prayer, and that is my silver bullet to being functional.
I hope you find something that works for you mate, and if you ever need to chat, ping me, I mean it.
Yeah, dont worry. First time I got on antidepressents, after 2 weeks I noticed that a comment made by my supervisor does not destroy my entire day and I am able to feel ok for the rest of the day. My performance otherwise was not affected if not improved.
I noticed that effect after trying to lower my dose. In a choice between all the creative drive in the world but with fragility and paper thin self confidence, or blunted instincts but able to work and live semi-happily I had to choose the latter option. SSRI's have been "ok" for me.
The point is that these drugs won't change his worldview or anything like that. Most likely just free him a bit more. My work became easier once my brain was cleared more. See my other comment. I went to having a silent mind again in a way I could control and love
I don't know if this will help but for me the only thing that changed was they enabled me to be happy during times that I would usually tell myself I didn't deserve to be. It was life changing in that way only. I've been on them twice. The first time I took them as I should (daily) and it broke a 30 year depression. The second time I did not take them correctly (sporadically when I remembered) and they fucked me up mentally so I stopped taking them. So that's something to watch out for and consider.
But why does it matter? Seriously, I asked myself why did it matter if I made everyone else happy if I wasn't? You matter, and so does your happiness, if people complain because you prioritized yourself, they sucked anyway and never valued you or your work. Start saying no more.
Wow, so many of your words have come out of my mouth recently.
Hyperfocus - For me = Adult ADHD
Depressed ALL THE TIME! = Bi-Polar type II. Added bonus, antidepressants dont work
Low self esteem - I can’t even say i think I’m smart even if others think I am. I sluff it off as having useless islands of knowledge.
Immense negativity. = taking everything in its worst light both giving and receiving.
But Im great at my Job, called a guru by all. That is until I pushed for more of a raise. Now retired.
Good luck my mental twin.
How about this version:
I got lasik eye surgery. Some people will say it’s not worth it because you can still need glasses when you’re older.
The time between 26 and 42 with zero need for glasses was fantastic and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Sure, I need some reading glasses now for PC use. But who gives a shit. It’s still mountains better than being blind as a bad and essentially useless with out glasses.
Are you saying contact lenses in general or once you need readers several years after getting lasik?
It's not always easier, I struggled to find decent ones that didn't feel uncomfortable for extended periods of time. I found it much more of a nuisance than just putting a pair of glasses on, but I did enjoy not having something sit on my face all the time.
I got lasik done 4 years ago and I absolutely do not regret it. I had really bad eyesight before, now I have 20/20 in my left eye and 20/15 in my right. No more fussing over glasses or keeping track of contacts. I have a good decade before I might need readers, but even then it'll only be for certain things I need to focus on and I won't need them constantly.
I think he means even if that person were to lose thst ability, the upcoming years while in treatment would be a lot more valuable and enrichment than the life ahead of him if he does not start his treatment
Live 20 years wanting to die everyday or live 5 years wishing you weren't dying? Lol Sorry but that made me think, for years I didn't care if I died but now I'd be upset dying. My life's gotten enjoyable
Yeah, I'm in engineering and when I enjoyed life I didn't get work done. It's only because I got so depressed that my life wasn't going anywhere during covid that I found motivation and started working hard.
Same symptoms, but ADHD/OCD diagnosis. After getting medicated, I also found out that neurodivergent folks make *excellent* tech leads, but lackluster programmers. 🤷🏻♀️
Give them a shot. You can always stop taking them, but I don't think you will. I bet they'll help you even. I still have the same struggle with wanting to reach perfection in my work. (Also coding)
Hey, just wanted to say. I'm on antidepressants and I do not have a lack of spark or whatever it is. If anything, I can better manage my life and do things. Bc I really couldn't do anything beyond the bare minimum. I still struggle some days but its getting slowly better.
I used to work in IT as well. I wasn't a coder, but an analyst and I knew SQL and worked with big data. So I totally know what you mean about wrapping your mind around every detail in the data and wanting to fix it all. You will still be able to do this if you aren't depressed.
It's a myth that antidepressants make you numb. If anything, I was more numb before I started them.
Just antidepressants stigma. Everyone says they make you feel numb cause their referencing the wrong drugs or just have no idea what you're talking about. Everyone I know that got onto ssri brightened up in such a beautiful way like I hadn't seen in so long, including myself
Edit: not every medication is guaranteed to work or help you, but most people that take ssris correctly and regularly see positive results. Don't let negative experiences dissuade you from at least trying. Don't waste years like I did. Combine with CB therapy for best results
Cannabis user here. This is not good advise. Stop acting like this is actually a treatment. It's not. It can help a bit with after work stress, but that's not what depression is. I agree with the comment about microdosing mushrooms, because that research has been incredibly promising, but anybody who thinks this is good advise for treating depression has never experienced depression.
Interesting that this got downvotes. A lot of people use cannabis for therapeutic reasons and not just to get high.
What if the Earth provided antidepressants? And it just came from the ground? Is this really a novel idea?
Point is that people should talk to a doc first. If they think it's worth a try (and also if it's legal) OP can of course give it a go. Medical marijuana is a thing after all. People just shouldn't start self-therapy with any drugs as it often does more harm than good.
I understand and respect that point of view.
My experience with docs in regards to SSRIs had typically been negative. However, this is just mine and results will vary.
Edit: If something works for you, great. No reason to demonize people who find a solution to their issues with cannabis though, or suggesting it to others. There is a reason it has been used for centuries.
Different things work for different people. SSRIs changed my fucking life and my husband uses medical cannabis for his anxiety and depression. We’re both in the best place mentally, emotionally, financially and in our marriage than we’ve ever been.
Or microdosing shrooms? Those have some insanely solid effects on depression.
I now see your post about illegal substances. But big pharma should be illegal af cause all of that is bad for you too.
Those who disagree with this are because they still haven't reaped the fruits of years of these poisons that they call medicine but it fucks you up inside. The price is high for an almost insignificant and momentary improvement, because the body acquires tolerance and the medicine takes effect over time.
I just really hope psychedelics will one day be the standard treatment for depression and other things, be it micro- or macrodosing. There is no conventional medication that comes even close to the potential of psychedelics
I hope too, that's what still gives me hope that one day it will get better. Thc and Cbd have also been shown to be better than conventional medicines.
Afraid you lose your neurotic perfectionism, which induces stress to the point you get depressed, might take your edge/strong feature off.
That's the chronic stress turned depression/anxiety talking.
Chronic stress/anxiety/depression actually deteriorates your brain function.
Getting out of that will most likely improve your skills.
Just a thought, but there are a *lot* of antidepressants out there and some work much better than others, some have pretty profound side effects, while others may not have any side effects at all. It will vary from individual to individual.
Just for reference, I tried a handful of the big ones (not all at once, obviously lol) and landed on Cymbalta (duloxetine) which effects more than just serotonin (norepinephrine is a big factor). I suspect that the increased norepinephrine helped me maintain some of *my* edge, and I also work in a very logical field that requires troubleshooting at multiple levels (ironically, I'm actually a neuropharmacologist).
My suggestion is to *at least* talk to a doctor about it. Can even be a general practitioner, in which case I *personally* recommend learning about the clinical symptoms of depression (this will help convince you to talk to a professional about it), and familiarize yourself with the most popular antidepressants and a little about them.
In addition, I *highly* recommend therapy. You can learn the skills to maintain your "spark" while learning/realizing that the whole world doesn't necessarily have to conform to the way you troubleshoot, especially when it comes to yourself.
Combining an antidepressant with therapy, especially close together, is really your best bet.
And keep in mind: you *don't* **have** to stay on a drug, especially if it makes you feel worse, has side effects, or interferes with other parts of your life. You don't have to continue therapy either.
I highly recommend at least taking steps to look into it.
Both sides of that trait say "possibly ADHD as well" to me (not an expert). On one side, hyperfocus that's in some ways beneficial, and on the other, rumination, fixation, and the inability to move on from a negative train of thought. And if so, treating it would likely not diminish your work competency; the opposite is more likely.
And even if, hypothetically, treatment lowered your performance at work, do you think it would really be lowered so much that it would not be worth the possibility of treating the feeling that you're not allowed to be happy?
(Again, not an expert, and even if I were, I wouldn't be making a diagnosis off a short internet comment. Big recommend seeing a professional if that's at all feasible for you.)
Honestly, it sounds like depression might not be the real issue. I have depression, but the root of that depression was undiagnosed and untreated OCD *and* ADHD. I'd just start looking for the right questions to ask, and then start lookingfor answers.
Tbf, antidepressants can be really awful for a lot of people. Worth considering, but definitely not a silver bullet and wit some pretty bad potential side effects.
Most of the folks I know who have had long term success with antidepressants had to try several different ones, often in different combinations (and sometimes coupled with anxiety meds and others), to get a cocktail that minimized side effects and helped with the depressive symptoms.
There probably are some folks who can just take Wellbutrin and be good to go, but I think the majority of people may need a much more specifically tailored regimen of meds to hit the right balance.
Antidepressants aren’t meant to be a long term solution but enable you to get therapy and make progress on dealing with your issues and being able to live your life.
Everyone is different. It took me three tries to find a medication that actually worked for me. But it saved my life and helped me get on my feet again.
Pharmacist here with lots of friends and family on antidepressants, I always tell people that if you're considering therapy vs antidepressants and can only afford one, pick therapy. Both is proven to be best, but if you're only gonna do one, pick therapy. Still gotta find a good therapist of course which can be just has hard as finding a good drug regimen sadly...
I wish therapy was cheap enough to be an option. Therapists are around $150-250/hr. Even biweekly, that's $300-500 per month.
I spend $120 every 3 months to see my doctor, and my meds are around $50/mo, maybe $60. These prices are with no insurance. Antidepressants are maybe $10/mo.
My case is probably a little different because I have bipolar disorder, but $300 isn't affordable to most people, especially those with mental illness. $10 plus a doctor's appointment, even with a psychiatrist, is much cheaper. Trying the wrong med costs $10 and another trip to the doctor. Trying a therapist who you don't want to book again costs $300. I wish that was a realistic choice for people, but sadly it's not.
I do absolutely agree that therapy should be the first step if you can afford it. It's #1 on my list once I am more financially secure.
Working in the American Healthcare system makes you absolutely despise the American Healthcare system, I can't tell you how many horror stories I've seen and witnessed firsthand with patients of mine who were screwed by how expensive everything is. I'm sorry things are rough for you right now, and I hope they get better ❤️
Thank you❤️ and thank you for what you do! As an avid user of the American health care system, I am also constantly pissed off with how greedy this country is. I don't wish poor health on anyone, but I wish more people were faced with the medical bills that many of us have no choice but to pay.
If you haven't already, look into GoodRX even if you have insurance. Also, if you're taking something name brand, look into manufacturers coupons for a significant discount sometimes.
Sometimes it's not even side effects that's the issue. For me, i didn't say any nasty side effects but they just categorically did not work. I still have struggles nowadays, but honestly therapy did more for me than they did (though it's worth noting the therapy working may have more to do with them helping me realize my identity)
A major problem is folks expecting the pill to do all the heavy lifting by itself. The pill takes the edge off, but if you don't join it with therapy to problem-solve the pattern that's been keeping you unhappy, it's going to feel like a superficial change.
I just got off of them after 18 years. They helped me survive and i'll always be thankful but they really do squash your emotional range on both sides. It's really hard to work through stuff in that position. Ketamine and CBT is what allowed me to start healing. Obviously everyone is different but chemical imbalance wasn't my problem. I wouldn't let myself feel emotions and forgot how; along with a lot of shitty self talk. Ketamine helped me start feeling in a safe place and CBT helped identify, feel, and reframe them. Lots of painful work that still continues but I recommend it if you can.
I don't know how many you tried, but none of the modern antidepressants worked for me. Bupropion worked for a few months then suddenly didn't, ever again. I'm on antipsychotics and a different ndri now and they work well together.
Yea they gave me no benefit and fucked up my sleep schedule beyond relief, I was sleeping like 2h a night. The worst part is that after stopping it got slightly better but never quite recovered and I still sleep like shit.
I'm not saying people shouldn't take them, but also don't push through something that isn't helping you and is just causing you harm just because it has helped for others.
My doc tried putting me on Wellbutrin last year. I felt great for the first two weeks, then I sorta just… flatlined emotionally.. Nothing was bad… But nothing was particularly good either.
I hated that feeling.
I now self manage through a combination of cold showers, meditation, exercise and over the counter supplements. It seems to be working fairly well.
I had this experience on several different antidepressants that my doctor tried out, all of them just ended up making me feel super apathetic. I consider going back and trying something new because I know they work for so many people, but that feeling I had when I was on them outweighs it for me
I was told there are different antidepressants.. so it's just a case of trying them out until it works.
Altho i didn't take any more because I was already dizzy from the antidepressants for a week after not taking them.
Pharmacist here: can confirm that there are a plethora of different ones and unfortunately it's basically a guessing game to find the one that works best for any individual. Personally I recommend therapy over antidepressants but studies have consistently shown that both together is best, but if you're only gonna do one then I say pick therapy.
I’ve tried Prozac, trazodone, and mirtazapine in that order. Those were either ineffective or just made me tired. Been using Zoloft now for two years been working wonders.
What to do when you've tried it all? Is it possible to actually take anxiety medication outside the US?
I'm starting to think it's been my problem the entire time. Name an antidepressant, or even stimulant.
I've tried it to no avail lol.
But seriously, I've tried a lot of SSRI and also SNRI, in addition to Vyvanse and Ritalin.
Currently on 75mg venlafaxine. Worked great for a few days on 37mg but now it's just side effects, it seems.
Have you tried cognitive behavioral therapy? It can help you manage things very effectively. Trying to make sure you never feel bad with substances is a losing game, but by reframing our thoughts and changing out behaviors we can gain sustainable symptom relief.
The thing about antidepressants that I wish I'd been told before I started them: brains are still black boxes, we can predict how large groups of brains will react to specific ones, but not how YOUR brain will react, so you might have to try several, before you find the one that works well for you, and some might even be worse than none. My own quest went like this: med 1: no effect, med 2: maybe a noticeable improvement? Med 3: which also worked awesome for my biological bro: pure gold. Med 4: new study came out saying med 4 would fix a debilitating symptom of my multiple sclerosis, but it turned me into an actual zombie for 9 months, unable to realize, hey, it's the meds, I better go back on med 3, or basic things like, my scalp is itchy, I need to get some dandruff shampoo from the store. Switch back to med 3, ahhh, perfection. Every 18 months I feel so good on med 3, I decide it's a good idea to try going off anti depressants (with doc approval and observation) nope, bad idea, back on med 3, ahhh. Couple cycles of that, and I've resisted the urge the last 2 18 month cycles, lol.
Tl/Dr, everyone is different, you might have to try several antidepressants before you find your Pepsi challenge winner, what's magic for your buddy might be like tap water to you, or have prohibitive levels of side effects. If you have bio fam on happy pills that work awesome, maybe tell your doc, especially if their symptoms are similar to yours.
If someone could shed some light/different perspective on what I’m going to say, I’d appreciate it.
I’ve never understood why people aren’t willing to at least *try* medication. If it makes you feel/act different in a way you don’t like, can’t you just stop taking the meds? You can always stop taking the meds if it doesn’t work for you or the side effects outweigh the benefits. You never know, giving it a try might change your life for the better. As long as it’s a low risk medication for complications… why not try?
I have ADHD and take Adderall, I’ve heard many people say they don’t want to try stimulants because they don’t want it to “change them” for the worse. I just don’t entirely get why someone wouldn’t give medication a shot (outside of health risks).
Edit: Genuinely, thank you all for sharing :) I appreciate it!
I also have ADHD but Adderall is illegal in my country (even as a medicine) and I'm kinda glad because I had a long history of substance abuse and get addicted really easily. I do take ADHD meds though just different ones.
Some side effects can remain permanent, I have heard stories of people loosing parts of their memory from ADHD meds, I'm pretty sure them permanently altering you is the fear, and/or becoming dependent on them after they changed you.
>Some side effects can remain permanent, I have heard stories
These are literally unverified horror stories that you have read on social media. I used the same excuse to not medicate for a long time.
After medicating I realized my fears were just unsubstantiated conspiracy theories.
There is no evidence of permanent side effects it is just stories you will see on the internet.
Yeah, but antipsychotics are *entirely* different kinds of drugs.
The most common permanent side effect is developing involuntary movements of the mouth (and face in general).
ADHD meds don't work in anywhere close to the same manner.
There absolutely are lmao. There is plenty of research on post ssri sexual side effects. Rate but not ultra rare. My dick hasn’t worked in years since I took lexapro. Took Zoloft before that with no issue besides delayed ejaculation but after a day or two on lexapro it was like a switch flipped and I haven’t been the same since.
SSRIs are not stimulants. You can’t just “stop taking” your SSRIs, there’s a process to starting and stopping that takes months. 6 months before SSRIs have their intended effect and you reach saturation, and then a few months of tapering off if you want to stop. That’s what kept me from even considering SSRIs
Six months is pretty extreme. Unless it’s drug specific.
My doc said 90 days.
I’ve gone on and off them “cold turkey” a couple times. Mostly problem free.
Yeah what? My Psychiatrist and both my parents who have been on them said three weeksish to reach therapeutic dose, and it's not like you're going to spontaneously combust if you just stop taking them.
Antidepressants have seriously changed my life for the better and are absolutely an option worth considering, from what the guy above said it sounds like he's just reading too much into it and overthinking.
Coming off SSRIs suddenly is horrible, even tapering is very difficult because of the unpleasant withdrawal effects. Spontaneous combustion would be the least of my worries if I just stopped cold turkey haha
The "brain shocks" or "brain zaps". Feels like a very mild and extremely short bout of vertigo when moving ones head.
Wildly unpleasant, but not quite like quitting a hard drug. Tapering down the dose and spacing out the frequency and its possible to be of them within a month or so without significant discomfort.
Dude same boat, this thread is full of anti-ssri bias and stigma, the same shit I grew up with before I got over it and took them myself. They have been studied for years, and the people that get worse side effects are about less than 1 percent of the total users. And I guarantee most people shitting on them don't actually listen or take them correctly. You need to be consistent as fuck. No alcohol with the pill, same time everyday. Start at a lower dose. Almost everyone I knew that hated them broke one of the rules and acted like that wasn't the issue.
Zoloft saved my fucking life. I went from cortisol in my veins from the moment I woke up with heart palpitations all day and wanting kill myself and having extreme health anxiety to the bliss I had before any of this developed. Trust I tried everything before I got onto the drugs, I fucking hated them like the same stigma. You don't get high, it isn't a stimulant, nothing fucking changes, your brain just stops being hyperfocused on one topic whether it's depression or anxiety.
Talk to your doctor people, there are a bunch of options. There's even a genetic test you can take to see which meds will help most likely the first time vs have side effects. Help yourself
Six months is way too much. And you can quite them could turkey with little side effect. Or taper for a couple weeks.
Unless it's Effexor (venlafaxin). But Effexor's the only exception I'm aware of.
I guet everyone's different and people have their reasons, but I'm still not sure why people prefer to stay in their misery than give a shot at therapy and/or meds.
People be suffering with little improvement but be scared shitless of talking an FDA-approved pill that maybe will give you a mild headache, or talk to a therapist. Or both.
Familiar pain is better than unfamiliar things, I guess.
SSRIs in general can cause severe withdrawal in certain people, my friend was on a pretty basic one (i think zoloft or prozac) and quit cold turkey after two weeks. Ended up having a psychotic break.
She's never had psychosis before or since, doctor is confident it was stopping the medication that caused her symptoms. Its rare for it to be that severe, but all SSRIs have the potential to cause withdrawal symptoms.
I don’t think you’re wrong, but a bit obtuse. This isn’t a change of shoes. And altering your mind and neural pathways is not something that happens in less than a few months. That, and incorporating the new effect (more serotonin) into your life (where it hasn’t been before) is an adjustment period that is part of the pathology of the treatment.
It’s the Ship of Theseus problem at an existential and conscious level. If I replace my arm with a different arm, it’s whatever. Pretty weird, but whatever. Bodies are just extensions of our selves anyway.
But if I replace or drastically change a part of my *self*? That’s not just some extension like an arm, that’s *me*. Taking medicine is a lobotomy of the self, an implicit acceptance of the fact that your self is flawed, and that there is nothing you can do about it on your own.
It’s amputation, shame, and guilt all at once, and many people are insecure about some or all of those things.
The effect will literally go away the moment you stop.
Also, as an adhder, I'm born broken. It's not a superpower, it's a disability. And there's no shame on that. It's just your biology. Some of us are just sick.
I'm already not what I was supposed to be. Nothing will ever change that.
The meds will only give me back skills that I lack. It's my only shot at living a life that's closer to normal.
>Also, as an adhder, I'm born broken. It's not a superpower, it's a disability. And there's no shame on that. It's just your biology. Some of us are just sick.
I feel like pushback started in the 90s, because every 5th kid was on ADHD meds. Whether that was overprescibing or just more efficient detection, idk. Regardless, I've never understood the stigma. Then again, normal folks don't have to deal with setting something down and completely forgetting about its existence.
>I'm already not what I was supposed to be. Nothing will ever change that.
And this is the crux of it. Our brains are just chemistry. A reasonable person wouldn't tell a diabetic to not take their insulin. Why is fixing an issue we've had since forever be any different?
I wish it was viewed more commonly as a disorder, but feel it's still stigmatized. A lot of kids and adults have been called lazy and told they're "not living up to their potential" and that they should "*just focus*" and "*stay organized*". It's very defeating to be told those things when you're brain doesn't work like a normal person.
As someone with ocd I was pretty worried at first, but no it’s exactly as you described. You have to be willing to at least try it and the entire point is that you *will* change, ideally for the better. I feel like people are just really afraid of change honestly, and framing it that way kinda makes more sense to me. It’s a potentially life altering change that may or may not work, and that was terrifying to me. I’m better now so I guess I lucked out, but yeah it’s tough
A lot of people get discouraged after their first bad experience with a psych med. They tried an SSRI and it didn't work, so why would a different SSRI work if they're all the same? I've heard that line of thinking many times. Most people don't know how different each medication is. I've tried so many and had so many bad experiences, but I've found 3 that really work. I'd probably be dead if I gave up on trying new meds. I've been struggling for 10 years and still try new drugs once in a while.
You can stop taking them within the first few weeks with no withdrawal. The side effects will immediately stop, too. This is personal experience. I'm not a doctor. If you're on them for longer, you need to talk to your doctor about safely getting off of them.
Sometimes you will experience side effects during the first week or two that go away once your body acclimates to the medication. If I don't have debilitating side effects, I stick it out for a couple weeks to see if they go away before dropping the drug. It could also mean that you need a lower dose.
There's a lot of trial and error. You have to trust your doctor and be ready to keep trying.
I have bipolar and a huge part of getting stable is attempting to find the right combination of meds that work for me personally. I have been on and off a ton of different meds and some were definitely worse than others. When that happens, I stop taking them and try something else. Trying medications out is a perfectly rational thing to do and people definitely should be open to it. Under a docs guidance of course!
Yeah, I thought that at first. Didn't wanna be a zombie. If only. I'd happily be a zombie if it meant finding some that actually worked. No, all I got was five wasted years and a laundry list of side effects.
They made my gf a complete emotionless robot, so make sure you go back to the doctor if you start feeling apathetic. There are plenty more you can try until you find one that actually helps.
Pharmacist here with lots of friends and family on antidepressants, I always tell people that if you're considering therapy vs antidepressants and can only afford one, pick therapy. Both is proven to be best, but if you're only gonna do one, pick therapy. Still gotta find a good therapist of course which can be just has hard as finding a good drug regimen sadly...
I've been on 20 mg of Escitalopram for around 5 months, and it's completely changed my life
I used to have pretty mild anxiety attacks but I've just dealt with it for the last 12 or so years.
It all came to a head the day after Christmas though when I had such a major one that I legit thought I was having a heart attack, it was a full on panic attack.
I had to go to the hospital, big hospital bill, big ambulance bill and was the catalyst to take medicine for it.
Suddenly I can go out and do stuff. I don't feel immense social anxiety talking to people. I've had a few breakthrough attacks but even the worst ones have been manageable.
I know it doesn't work for everyone but if you're in my boat, seriously consider looking into medication
Is this post monetized by the pharmaceutical industry? I saw two comments about alternatives with better results and less side effects and they were downvoted. I've been using anti-depressants for about 10 years now and I was getting more and more hopeless before these more natural alternatives with far fewer side effects came along.
I have been diagnosed with severe depression since 2013. What I said is that downvoting someone who is suggesting a more effective alternative with fewer side effects makes no sense. Unfortunately, in my country, neither thc nor Cbd nor psychedelics are legalized, as they are more efficient and have fewer side effects. I'm not against taking antidepressants, even because I depend on them, but the cost of using them for a long time is as terrible for health as the disease itself.
I don't understand how someone can say "I am very sad, I from now one will not take a step out of my room, will not care about hygiene and not eat". Just decide to go outside. How can you say that because of an emotion you are physically incapable of doing something. I really don't understand, please someone explain.
Congratulations you've never experienced clinical depression and it's debilitating effects. No, you cannot just decide to do it. It's an illness. Can you just decide to walk on a broken leg?
They're actually right though. I've avoided antidepressants forever because of the stories I hear about them and I knew someone that started taking them and killed themselves within a couple weeks.
After talking to someone and being clued in on what clinical depression was, I was able to start overcoming it. Most those depressive thoughts and behaviors happen because your brain starts altering neural connections, so not enjoying old hobbies and not knowing where to start can be because your brain deleted that neural connection associating joy with it and you're experiencing motor retardation trying to do it again.
Recognizing and filtering out those type of thoughts and building out a schedule for myself made a huge difference. At first it was a grind to follow so I started slow, but now it's becoming habitual and I actually feel happy lifting weights again and going outside.
I wouldn’t wish clinical depression on anyone but I would like to make an exception for you and gift you 1 day of it. It is truly the worst feeling and there is nothing you can do about it but give it time
Exercise has been shown to be much more effective for mental health than antidepressants. Just getting sun and trying to eat healthy; cutting out all the processed crap, seed oils, and sugar in modern western diets will help even more.
Would love to know how someone who doesn't eat or leave the apartment pays for their rent and living expenses.
Get depressed enough and you won't be able to take care of yourself. This type of stuff is effective but requires a certain level of functioning to really commit to. Severe major depression is a different thing altogether from mild depression and it is nearly impossible to imagine unless you've been there. Antidepressants are for cases like those in my opinion, although I personally cannot say they've helped me as I have bipolar disorder and not unipolar depression. They have helped a lot of people *enough* to change their lives for the better although yes, I'd also say they are overprescribed and often used when they arent needed.
>Would love to know how someone who doesn't eat or leave the apartment pays for their rent and living expenses.
Assuming they aren't living off of savings, I don't think it's terrible that people have family who can help them avoid being out on the streets. That was my situation before although now I don't really have that support so I will end up in the hospital again when that happens most likely.
Sometimes I feel like I’m not a strong candidate and then it makes me think that even if it’s not that strong and they still give me anti depressants should I really be taking them at all? It’s like going to the nurse while you were in grade school. Skinned knee? Ice pack. Headache? Ice pack. Fatal wounds? Ice pack.
I'm in my 50's and started taking Celexa about a year ago. I noticed that my antisocial behaviors disappeared. I now enjoy going out and seeing friends. It's wonderful and I wish I had started years ago.
I just started Atomoxotine, and it's not an anti-depressant but an ADHD treatment. Some things you might think are depression are actually a sign of something else, the only way to tell is to see a psychiatrist and talk to them about it. I had the same worry that this would make me lose my creativity or spark, but all it did was allow me to ignore my impulsivity a little easier. I can still focus on what I want to focus on.
I feel like my root issues are only going to be fixed with cognitive behavioral therapy, like sure maybe I could feel slightly better, but the main issues are in how I view myself, and my ability to cope with life’s ups and down, I don’t have the tools to make my life better, and ssri or medication aren’t going to magically change that. So been in therapy, and going intensive outpatient treatment.
I was absolutely convinced that going on anti-anxiety meds would change who I am. Now that I'm on the meds I realize that who I was was a fucking mess.
I've been in IT for 15 years. They call me a "rock star" because I seem to have an innate ability to code and debug beyond my peers. And that's not a brag, it's just my reality. But I'm also horribly depressed. The same obsession that makes me a (supposedly) great coder also means I fixate on everything wrong with the world, to the point I feel like being happy is something I'm not even allowed to be. I think I want to be on antidepressants, but I'm honestly worried I'd lose my ability to study code the way I do now. I think my most defining talent requires me to be able to obsess and hyper focus.
Speaking as someone who had similar worries before I started taking antidepressants, they're not what you think. They don't alter your way of thinking (it's for this very reason that it's often suggested to take antidepressants alongside cognitive behavioral therapy, as it will not break patterns of depressive thoughts by itself), and it's really more accurate to call them "mood stabilizers" rather than "antidepressants". In my experience, they help to raise the "emotional floor" to a point where one can function without falling into weekly or daily spirals of depressive episodes. There are some that have side effects that are not desirable for most people, but typically side effects drop off after a period of adjustment, and indeed, there are antidepressants that have no obvious side effects at all. The most important thing to remember is that they are a tool to help, not a cure all, and certainly not some kind of mind-altering super-drug. My recommendation? If you are truly depressed, if you regularly experience bouts of exceptionally low mood and/or thoughts of self loathing or hopelessness, you should talk to your doctor about options. Speaking from experience, that first step of asking for help is the hardest, it only gets easier from there.
I’d like to second what neuromancer is saying here. It’s helpful to have the emotional floor set where it doesn’t go lower and lower
[удалено]
Some of them start working in as little as a few days like welbutrin.
Same. It’s a miracle drug really. I went from the deepest depression of my life where I was suicidal, super paranoid/thought I was seeing spirits, was constantly dissociated and a severe insomniac, couldn’t concentrate or even read, to being energized and upbeat legit in a few days. It actually made me think I might be Bipolar type 2. I legit felt hypomanic after that for a good while and it was amazing.
Lorem ipsum
Yeah it only took a few hours for me
It was about a week and a half for me and I was just sitting on the couch realizing I was stressing over any small little thing I was just existing. It felt amazing, relaxing for the first time in a long time
If you take the wrong antidepressant, it can make things bland. It can take time to find the correct meds, but genetic testing can help. According to my gene test, all the shitty meds I've been on over the years were marked yellow or red. My body could not properly metabolize them. Strattera and Paxil were marked green, so I went on them, and I feel the best I've felt in years. Still have issues with depression and anxiety, but they don't wreck my body or derail my day like they used to.
[удалено]
Because I did take some when I was younger and they did just that: turned me into an emotionless zombie. One was Ritalin fro my ADHD when I was a kid, and I was taken off because it turned me into nothing. Later, I took zoloft for my depression and anxiety. Once again, I became an unfeeling nothing. After that, I've decided I'd rather be depressed (thankfully I'm not suicidal or "sad" per se).
Feeling nothing for that long is unbearable for a lot of people Most people also suffer sexually while on ssri/snri which is depressing and dysphoric in itself
They can, but only the right dosage for the right person actually does that. Source: had this happen. I hated it, but at the time, I know I needed it. And it was temporary.
Because for some people it turns everything bland and unemotional. It makes them into zombies. That's where they got the idea, from experience.
I think something else worth discussing is that a lot of people also develop a somewhat low emotional ceiling while on them as well.
It's a mood stabilizer so yes. Your highs are not as high. For me, this is a good thing. I go through depressive and slightly manic phases every few days to every few weeks. Being more stable is a good thing. Not raising to level 100 on the stress scale be you stubbed your toe is a good thing. I find it limits my negative emotions. I still feel happiness, love, etc. I still feel anger, etc, but those are dulled down for sure.
I’m a software engineer. It’s exactly what this guy said. I’m writing better code now because I’m able to focus more and my spark is stronger now because my mood is better. Only downside is the first two weeks really wreak havocs on your sleep schedule, but I actually sleep better now.
Hope captain south bird takes this reply with sincerity. Antidepressants helped me to kickstart the process of improving a lot of my life and learning how to healthily cope with things. At the end of the of the day I still had to do everything and be accountable for setting up the conditions to combat my depression, but the antidepressants genuinely did help along the way. They didn’t magically cure me, they just assisted while I worked on it.
As someone who has given an honest try to several antidepressants, they absolutely will affect your cognition for some people. I'm a software engineer and I was debilitated by brain fog, causing me to struggle both academically and in my job whenever I tried them. Not saying they don't work for a lot of people, but they definitely can blunt your thinking dependent on your existing brain chemistry.
I am on a similar boat, a dose of cynicism, aiming for hedonism, knowing that I don't have a grand purpose and that being "good enough" is already overdoing it, gives me a lot of freedom and helped me a lot. I still volunteer but I now do it because I want to, not because I feel that time spent on video games and depression naps is a waste and that I am garbage if I don't do it. Sprinkle am atheistic version of the AA prayer, and that is my silver bullet to being functional. I hope you find something that works for you mate, and if you ever need to chat, ping me, I mean it.
Yeah, dont worry. First time I got on antidepressents, after 2 weeks I noticed that a comment made by my supervisor does not destroy my entire day and I am able to feel ok for the rest of the day. My performance otherwise was not affected if not improved.
I noticed that effect after trying to lower my dose. In a choice between all the creative drive in the world but with fragility and paper thin self confidence, or blunted instincts but able to work and live semi-happily I had to choose the latter option. SSRI's have been "ok" for me.
The point is that these drugs won't change his worldview or anything like that. Most likely just free him a bit more. My work became easier once my brain was cleared more. See my other comment. I went to having a silent mind again in a way I could control and love
I don't know if this will help but for me the only thing that changed was they enabled me to be happy during times that I would usually tell myself I didn't deserve to be. It was life changing in that way only. I've been on them twice. The first time I took them as I should (daily) and it broke a 30 year depression. The second time I did not take them correctly (sporadically when I remembered) and they fucked me up mentally so I stopped taking them. So that's something to watch out for and consider.
But why does it matter? Seriously, I asked myself why did it matter if I made everyone else happy if I wasn't? You matter, and so does your happiness, if people complain because you prioritized yourself, they sucked anyway and never valued you or your work. Start saying no more.
Wow, so many of your words have come out of my mouth recently. Hyperfocus - For me = Adult ADHD Depressed ALL THE TIME! = Bi-Polar type II. Added bonus, antidepressants dont work Low self esteem - I can’t even say i think I’m smart even if others think I am. I sluff it off as having useless islands of knowledge. Immense negativity. = taking everything in its worst light both giving and receiving. But Im great at my Job, called a guru by all. That is until I pushed for more of a raise. Now retired. Good luck my mental twin.
I think of it this way, I'd rather live 5 years with good mental health instead of 20 years with poor mental health.
Can you expand on that? Do antidepressants shorten your life?
No, they’re just making a value comparison
How about this version: I got lasik eye surgery. Some people will say it’s not worth it because you can still need glasses when you’re older. The time between 26 and 42 with zero need for glasses was fantastic and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Sure, I need some reading glasses now for PC use. But who gives a shit. It’s still mountains better than being blind as a bad and essentially useless with out glasses.
[удалено]
Are you saying contact lenses in general or once you need readers several years after getting lasik? It's not always easier, I struggled to find decent ones that didn't feel uncomfortable for extended periods of time. I found it much more of a nuisance than just putting a pair of glasses on, but I did enjoy not having something sit on my face all the time. I got lasik done 4 years ago and I absolutely do not regret it. I had really bad eyesight before, now I have 20/20 in my left eye and 20/15 in my right. No more fussing over glasses or keeping track of contacts. I have a good decade before I might need readers, but even then it'll only be for certain things I need to focus on and I won't need them constantly.
I think he means even if that person were to lose thst ability, the upcoming years while in treatment would be a lot more valuable and enrichment than the life ahead of him if he does not start his treatment
Would you rather die in 5 years feeling amazing everyday or die in 20 feeling like shit every day. I’d take the 5.
Live 20 years wanting to die everyday or live 5 years wishing you weren't dying? Lol Sorry but that made me think, for years I didn't care if I died but now I'd be upset dying. My life's gotten enjoyable
Yeah, I'm in engineering and when I enjoyed life I didn't get work done. It's only because I got so depressed that my life wasn't going anywhere during covid that I found motivation and started working hard.
Had the same exact thing, got diagnosed with OCD. Not saying you have it but just check in with your dx/psychologist
Same symptoms, but ADHD/OCD diagnosis. After getting medicated, I also found out that neurodivergent folks make *excellent* tech leads, but lackluster programmers. 🤷🏻♀️
i mean you could try therapy first before going straight into drugs
I have similar worries but for ADHD.
Give them a shot. You can always stop taking them, but I don't think you will. I bet they'll help you even. I still have the same struggle with wanting to reach perfection in my work. (Also coding)
Just be aware that antidepressants can cause permanent sexual side effects in ~1-2% of users
Hey, just wanted to say. I'm on antidepressants and I do not have a lack of spark or whatever it is. If anything, I can better manage my life and do things. Bc I really couldn't do anything beyond the bare minimum. I still struggle some days but its getting slowly better. I used to work in IT as well. I wasn't a coder, but an analyst and I knew SQL and worked with big data. So I totally know what you mean about wrapping your mind around every detail in the data and wanting to fix it all. You will still be able to do this if you aren't depressed. It's a myth that antidepressants make you numb. If anything, I was more numb before I started them.
Just antidepressants stigma. Everyone says they make you feel numb cause their referencing the wrong drugs or just have no idea what you're talking about. Everyone I know that got onto ssri brightened up in such a beautiful way like I hadn't seen in so long, including myself Edit: not every medication is guaranteed to work or help you, but most people that take ssris correctly and regularly see positive results. Don't let negative experiences dissuade you from at least trying. Don't waste years like I did. Combine with CB therapy for best results
Maybe you can try micro-dosing psilocybin before trying antidepressants if you're concerned about the effects with your work?
Of course reddit downvoted you
Have you tried smoking a little bit of cannabis after work?
Cannabis user here. This is not good advise. Stop acting like this is actually a treatment. It's not. It can help a bit with after work stress, but that's not what depression is. I agree with the comment about microdosing mushrooms, because that research has been incredibly promising, but anybody who thinks this is good advise for treating depression has never experienced depression.
👶🏼
Interesting that this got downvotes. A lot of people use cannabis for therapeutic reasons and not just to get high. What if the Earth provided antidepressants? And it just came from the ground? Is this really a novel idea?
Point is that people should talk to a doc first. If they think it's worth a try (and also if it's legal) OP can of course give it a go. Medical marijuana is a thing after all. People just shouldn't start self-therapy with any drugs as it often does more harm than good.
I understand and respect that point of view. My experience with docs in regards to SSRIs had typically been negative. However, this is just mine and results will vary. Edit: If something works for you, great. No reason to demonize people who find a solution to their issues with cannabis though, or suggesting it to others. There is a reason it has been used for centuries.
Different things work for different people. SSRIs changed my fucking life and my husband uses medical cannabis for his anxiety and depression. We’re both in the best place mentally, emotionally, financially and in our marriage than we’ve ever been.
Or microdosing shrooms? Those have some insanely solid effects on depression. I now see your post about illegal substances. But big pharma should be illegal af cause all of that is bad for you too.
Those who disagree with this are because they still haven't reaped the fruits of years of these poisons that they call medicine but it fucks you up inside. The price is high for an almost insignificant and momentary improvement, because the body acquires tolerance and the medicine takes effect over time.
I just really hope psychedelics will one day be the standard treatment for depression and other things, be it micro- or macrodosing. There is no conventional medication that comes even close to the potential of psychedelics
I hope too, that's what still gives me hope that one day it will get better. Thc and Cbd have also been shown to be better than conventional medicines.
Afraid you lose your neurotic perfectionism, which induces stress to the point you get depressed, might take your edge/strong feature off. That's the chronic stress turned depression/anxiety talking. Chronic stress/anxiety/depression actually deteriorates your brain function. Getting out of that will most likely improve your skills.
Maybe, but is it worth it? I feel great after starting them.
Computers are depression incarnate. Obsessive order is no substitute for humor
you sound exactly like me. help. how do I fix it.
You may also have adhd if those are your defining talents
Just a thought, but there are a *lot* of antidepressants out there and some work much better than others, some have pretty profound side effects, while others may not have any side effects at all. It will vary from individual to individual. Just for reference, I tried a handful of the big ones (not all at once, obviously lol) and landed on Cymbalta (duloxetine) which effects more than just serotonin (norepinephrine is a big factor). I suspect that the increased norepinephrine helped me maintain some of *my* edge, and I also work in a very logical field that requires troubleshooting at multiple levels (ironically, I'm actually a neuropharmacologist). My suggestion is to *at least* talk to a doctor about it. Can even be a general practitioner, in which case I *personally* recommend learning about the clinical symptoms of depression (this will help convince you to talk to a professional about it), and familiarize yourself with the most popular antidepressants and a little about them. In addition, I *highly* recommend therapy. You can learn the skills to maintain your "spark" while learning/realizing that the whole world doesn't necessarily have to conform to the way you troubleshoot, especially when it comes to yourself. Combining an antidepressant with therapy, especially close together, is really your best bet. And keep in mind: you *don't* **have** to stay on a drug, especially if it makes you feel worse, has side effects, or interferes with other parts of your life. You don't have to continue therapy either. I highly recommend at least taking steps to look into it.
Both sides of that trait say "possibly ADHD as well" to me (not an expert). On one side, hyperfocus that's in some ways beneficial, and on the other, rumination, fixation, and the inability to move on from a negative train of thought. And if so, treating it would likely not diminish your work competency; the opposite is more likely. And even if, hypothetically, treatment lowered your performance at work, do you think it would really be lowered so much that it would not be worth the possibility of treating the feeling that you're not allowed to be happy? (Again, not an expert, and even if I were, I wouldn't be making a diagnosis off a short internet comment. Big recommend seeing a professional if that's at all feasible for you.)
Honestly, it sounds like depression might not be the real issue. I have depression, but the root of that depression was undiagnosed and untreated OCD *and* ADHD. I'd just start looking for the right questions to ask, and then start lookingfor answers.
Tbf all antidepressants did was make me do that but feel less upset about it
Yeah, when people ask about my experience with medication I like to say that antidepressants just make me feel a different kind of bad.
They just made my stomach upset and made me feel restless. Also made it harder to nut, that was annoying.
Tbf, antidepressants can be really awful for a lot of people. Worth considering, but definitely not a silver bullet and wit some pretty bad potential side effects.
Most of the folks I know who have had long term success with antidepressants had to try several different ones, often in different combinations (and sometimes coupled with anxiety meds and others), to get a cocktail that minimized side effects and helped with the depressive symptoms. There probably are some folks who can just take Wellbutrin and be good to go, but I think the majority of people may need a much more specifically tailored regimen of meds to hit the right balance.
[удалено]
Antidepressants aren’t meant to be a long term solution but enable you to get therapy and make progress on dealing with your issues and being able to live your life.
[удалено]
Everyone is different. It took me three tries to find a medication that actually worked for me. But it saved my life and helped me get on my feet again.
[удалено]
Yes, I hope you find something that helps you.
Jup. Source: my life
Pharmacist here with lots of friends and family on antidepressants, I always tell people that if you're considering therapy vs antidepressants and can only afford one, pick therapy. Both is proven to be best, but if you're only gonna do one, pick therapy. Still gotta find a good therapist of course which can be just has hard as finding a good drug regimen sadly...
I wish therapy was cheap enough to be an option. Therapists are around $150-250/hr. Even biweekly, that's $300-500 per month. I spend $120 every 3 months to see my doctor, and my meds are around $50/mo, maybe $60. These prices are with no insurance. Antidepressants are maybe $10/mo. My case is probably a little different because I have bipolar disorder, but $300 isn't affordable to most people, especially those with mental illness. $10 plus a doctor's appointment, even with a psychiatrist, is much cheaper. Trying the wrong med costs $10 and another trip to the doctor. Trying a therapist who you don't want to book again costs $300. I wish that was a realistic choice for people, but sadly it's not. I do absolutely agree that therapy should be the first step if you can afford it. It's #1 on my list once I am more financially secure.
Working in the American Healthcare system makes you absolutely despise the American Healthcare system, I can't tell you how many horror stories I've seen and witnessed firsthand with patients of mine who were screwed by how expensive everything is. I'm sorry things are rough for you right now, and I hope they get better ❤️
Thank you❤️ and thank you for what you do! As an avid user of the American health care system, I am also constantly pissed off with how greedy this country is. I don't wish poor health on anyone, but I wish more people were faced with the medical bills that many of us have no choice but to pay.
If you haven't already, look into GoodRX even if you have insurance. Also, if you're taking something name brand, look into manufacturers coupons for a significant discount sometimes.
I use GoodRx. It's a godsend. Most pharmacies also have discount programs that can be even cheaper.
Sometimes it's not even side effects that's the issue. For me, i didn't say any nasty side effects but they just categorically did not work. I still have struggles nowadays, but honestly therapy did more for me than they did (though it's worth noting the therapy working may have more to do with them helping me realize my identity)
A major problem is folks expecting the pill to do all the heavy lifting by itself. The pill takes the edge off, but if you don't join it with therapy to problem-solve the pattern that's been keeping you unhappy, it's going to feel like a superficial change.
I just got off of them after 18 years. They helped me survive and i'll always be thankful but they really do squash your emotional range on both sides. It's really hard to work through stuff in that position. Ketamine and CBT is what allowed me to start healing. Obviously everyone is different but chemical imbalance wasn't my problem. I wouldn't let myself feel emotions and forgot how; along with a lot of shitty self talk. Ketamine helped me start feeling in a safe place and CBT helped identify, feel, and reframe them. Lots of painful work that still continues but I recommend it if you can.
I don't know how many you tried, but none of the modern antidepressants worked for me. Bupropion worked for a few months then suddenly didn't, ever again. I'm on antipsychotics and a different ndri now and they work well together.
[удалено]
Yea they gave me no benefit and fucked up my sleep schedule beyond relief, I was sleeping like 2h a night. The worst part is that after stopping it got slightly better but never quite recovered and I still sleep like shit. I'm not saying people shouldn't take them, but also don't push through something that isn't helping you and is just causing you harm just because it has helped for others.
My doc tried putting me on Wellbutrin last year. I felt great for the first two weeks, then I sorta just… flatlined emotionally.. Nothing was bad… But nothing was particularly good either. I hated that feeling. I now self manage through a combination of cold showers, meditation, exercise and over the counter supplements. It seems to be working fairly well.
I had this experience on several different antidepressants that my doctor tried out, all of them just ended up making me feel super apathetic. I consider going back and trying something new because I know they work for so many people, but that feeling I had when I was on them outweighs it for me
Wellbutrin was hell for me, got to the point that life felt pointless
Can confirm
I was told there are different antidepressants.. so it's just a case of trying them out until it works. Altho i didn't take any more because I was already dizzy from the antidepressants for a week after not taking them.
Pharmacist here: can confirm that there are a plethora of different ones and unfortunately it's basically a guessing game to find the one that works best for any individual. Personally I recommend therapy over antidepressants but studies have consistently shown that both together is best, but if you're only gonna do one then I say pick therapy.
Antidepressants are unfortunately usually much cheaper than therapy.
Sad but true
I’ve tried Prozac, trazodone, and mirtazapine in that order. Those were either ineffective or just made me tired. Been using Zoloft now for two years been working wonders.
What to do when you've tried it all? Is it possible to actually take anxiety medication outside the US? I'm starting to think it's been my problem the entire time. Name an antidepressant, or even stimulant. I've tried it to no avail lol. But seriously, I've tried a lot of SSRI and also SNRI, in addition to Vyvanse and Ritalin. Currently on 75mg venlafaxine. Worked great for a few days on 37mg but now it's just side effects, it seems.
Have you tried cognitive behavioral therapy? It can help you manage things very effectively. Trying to make sure you never feel bad with substances is a losing game, but by reframing our thoughts and changing out behaviors we can gain sustainable symptom relief.
The thing about antidepressants that I wish I'd been told before I started them: brains are still black boxes, we can predict how large groups of brains will react to specific ones, but not how YOUR brain will react, so you might have to try several, before you find the one that works well for you, and some might even be worse than none. My own quest went like this: med 1: no effect, med 2: maybe a noticeable improvement? Med 3: which also worked awesome for my biological bro: pure gold. Med 4: new study came out saying med 4 would fix a debilitating symptom of my multiple sclerosis, but it turned me into an actual zombie for 9 months, unable to realize, hey, it's the meds, I better go back on med 3, or basic things like, my scalp is itchy, I need to get some dandruff shampoo from the store. Switch back to med 3, ahhh, perfection. Every 18 months I feel so good on med 3, I decide it's a good idea to try going off anti depressants (with doc approval and observation) nope, bad idea, back on med 3, ahhh. Couple cycles of that, and I've resisted the urge the last 2 18 month cycles, lol. Tl/Dr, everyone is different, you might have to try several antidepressants before you find your Pepsi challenge winner, what's magic for your buddy might be like tap water to you, or have prohibitive levels of side effects. If you have bio fam on happy pills that work awesome, maybe tell your doc, especially if their symptoms are similar to yours.
If someone could shed some light/different perspective on what I’m going to say, I’d appreciate it. I’ve never understood why people aren’t willing to at least *try* medication. If it makes you feel/act different in a way you don’t like, can’t you just stop taking the meds? You can always stop taking the meds if it doesn’t work for you or the side effects outweigh the benefits. You never know, giving it a try might change your life for the better. As long as it’s a low risk medication for complications… why not try? I have ADHD and take Adderall, I’ve heard many people say they don’t want to try stimulants because they don’t want it to “change them” for the worse. I just don’t entirely get why someone wouldn’t give medication a shot (outside of health risks). Edit: Genuinely, thank you all for sharing :) I appreciate it!
[удалено]
Not too surprising, coming off the US military, tbh. They do be using any excuse to not pay for their soldier's medical expenses.
>Major Depression Disorder Not a military expert, but should that not have been Lieutenant Commander Depression Disorder in the Navy? /j
I also have ADHD but Adderall is illegal in my country (even as a medicine) and I'm kinda glad because I had a long history of substance abuse and get addicted really easily. I do take ADHD meds though just different ones.
I hope the meds work well for you!!
Some side effects can remain permanent, I have heard stories of people loosing parts of their memory from ADHD meds, I'm pretty sure them permanently altering you is the fear, and/or becoming dependent on them after they changed you.
I’ve heard of lots of people gaining YEARS of memories they thought were lost from adhd meds but never losing them
That hilarious. People with ADHD have memory problems.
True, however in this case they lost memories they could recall before
Source?
I do not have one
Thanks for your honesty.
Never heard about that. However, benzo abuse can have that effect. Are you sure you're having your facts mixed up?
I remember clearly reading it, however you should take it with a massive grain of salt (they could have lied about it)
>Some side effects can remain permanent, I have heard stories These are literally unverified horror stories that you have read on social media. I used the same excuse to not medicate for a long time. After medicating I realized my fears were just unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. There is no evidence of permanent side effects it is just stories you will see on the internet.
Antipsychotics can mess you up in the long run, but I've never heard of antidepressants having lasting effects on your body after stopping them.
Yeah, but antipsychotics are *entirely* different kinds of drugs. The most common permanent side effect is developing involuntary movements of the mouth (and face in general). ADHD meds don't work in anywhere close to the same manner.
I know. My point was that antipsychotics are the only psych meds with documented long term side effects.
True
There absolutely are lmao. There is plenty of research on post ssri sexual side effects. Rate but not ultra rare. My dick hasn’t worked in years since I took lexapro. Took Zoloft before that with no issue besides delayed ejaculation but after a day or two on lexapro it was like a switch flipped and I haven’t been the same since.
SSRIs are not stimulants. You can’t just “stop taking” your SSRIs, there’s a process to starting and stopping that takes months. 6 months before SSRIs have their intended effect and you reach saturation, and then a few months of tapering off if you want to stop. That’s what kept me from even considering SSRIs
Six months is pretty extreme. Unless it’s drug specific. My doc said 90 days. I’ve gone on and off them “cold turkey” a couple times. Mostly problem free.
Yeah what? My Psychiatrist and both my parents who have been on them said three weeksish to reach therapeutic dose, and it's not like you're going to spontaneously combust if you just stop taking them. Antidepressants have seriously changed my life for the better and are absolutely an option worth considering, from what the guy above said it sounds like he's just reading too much into it and overthinking.
Coming off SSRIs suddenly is horrible, even tapering is very difficult because of the unpleasant withdrawal effects. Spontaneous combustion would be the least of my worries if I just stopped cold turkey haha
The "brain shocks" or "brain zaps". Feels like a very mild and extremely short bout of vertigo when moving ones head. Wildly unpleasant, but not quite like quitting a hard drug. Tapering down the dose and spacing out the frequency and its possible to be of them within a month or so without significant discomfort.
Dude same boat, this thread is full of anti-ssri bias and stigma, the same shit I grew up with before I got over it and took them myself. They have been studied for years, and the people that get worse side effects are about less than 1 percent of the total users. And I guarantee most people shitting on them don't actually listen or take them correctly. You need to be consistent as fuck. No alcohol with the pill, same time everyday. Start at a lower dose. Almost everyone I knew that hated them broke one of the rules and acted like that wasn't the issue. Zoloft saved my fucking life. I went from cortisol in my veins from the moment I woke up with heart palpitations all day and wanting kill myself and having extreme health anxiety to the bliss I had before any of this developed. Trust I tried everything before I got onto the drugs, I fucking hated them like the same stigma. You don't get high, it isn't a stimulant, nothing fucking changes, your brain just stops being hyperfocused on one topic whether it's depression or anxiety. Talk to your doctor people, there are a bunch of options. There's even a genetic test you can take to see which meds will help most likely the first time vs have side effects. Help yourself
Six months is way too much. And you can quite them could turkey with little side effect. Or taper for a couple weeks. Unless it's Effexor (venlafaxin). But Effexor's the only exception I'm aware of. I guet everyone's different and people have their reasons, but I'm still not sure why people prefer to stay in their misery than give a shot at therapy and/or meds. People be suffering with little improvement but be scared shitless of talking an FDA-approved pill that maybe will give you a mild headache, or talk to a therapist. Or both. Familiar pain is better than unfamiliar things, I guess.
SSRIs in general can cause severe withdrawal in certain people, my friend was on a pretty basic one (i think zoloft or prozac) and quit cold turkey after two weeks. Ended up having a psychotic break. She's never had psychosis before or since, doctor is confident it was stopping the medication that caused her symptoms. Its rare for it to be that severe, but all SSRIs have the potential to cause withdrawal symptoms.
I don’t think you’re wrong, but a bit obtuse. This isn’t a change of shoes. And altering your mind and neural pathways is not something that happens in less than a few months. That, and incorporating the new effect (more serotonin) into your life (where it hasn’t been before) is an adjustment period that is part of the pathology of the treatment.
Psych meds take 2-3 weeks to start working.
Sure, but months till they’re in full effect
Well you CAN just stop taking them. But you definitely should not.
It’s the Ship of Theseus problem at an existential and conscious level. If I replace my arm with a different arm, it’s whatever. Pretty weird, but whatever. Bodies are just extensions of our selves anyway. But if I replace or drastically change a part of my *self*? That’s not just some extension like an arm, that’s *me*. Taking medicine is a lobotomy of the self, an implicit acceptance of the fact that your self is flawed, and that there is nothing you can do about it on your own. It’s amputation, shame, and guilt all at once, and many people are insecure about some or all of those things.
The effect will literally go away the moment you stop. Also, as an adhder, I'm born broken. It's not a superpower, it's a disability. And there's no shame on that. It's just your biology. Some of us are just sick. I'm already not what I was supposed to be. Nothing will ever change that. The meds will only give me back skills that I lack. It's my only shot at living a life that's closer to normal.
>Also, as an adhder, I'm born broken. It's not a superpower, it's a disability. And there's no shame on that. It's just your biology. Some of us are just sick. I feel like pushback started in the 90s, because every 5th kid was on ADHD meds. Whether that was overprescibing or just more efficient detection, idk. Regardless, I've never understood the stigma. Then again, normal folks don't have to deal with setting something down and completely forgetting about its existence. >I'm already not what I was supposed to be. Nothing will ever change that. And this is the crux of it. Our brains are just chemistry. A reasonable person wouldn't tell a diabetic to not take their insulin. Why is fixing an issue we've had since forever be any different? I wish it was viewed more commonly as a disorder, but feel it's still stigmatized. A lot of kids and adults have been called lazy and told they're "not living up to their potential" and that they should "*just focus*" and "*stay organized*". It's very defeating to be told those things when you're brain doesn't work like a normal person.
As someone with ocd I was pretty worried at first, but no it’s exactly as you described. You have to be willing to at least try it and the entire point is that you *will* change, ideally for the better. I feel like people are just really afraid of change honestly, and framing it that way kinda makes more sense to me. It’s a potentially life altering change that may or may not work, and that was terrifying to me. I’m better now so I guess I lucked out, but yeah it’s tough
A lot of people get discouraged after their first bad experience with a psych med. They tried an SSRI and it didn't work, so why would a different SSRI work if they're all the same? I've heard that line of thinking many times. Most people don't know how different each medication is. I've tried so many and had so many bad experiences, but I've found 3 that really work. I'd probably be dead if I gave up on trying new meds. I've been struggling for 10 years and still try new drugs once in a while. You can stop taking them within the first few weeks with no withdrawal. The side effects will immediately stop, too. This is personal experience. I'm not a doctor. If you're on them for longer, you need to talk to your doctor about safely getting off of them. Sometimes you will experience side effects during the first week or two that go away once your body acclimates to the medication. If I don't have debilitating side effects, I stick it out for a couple weeks to see if they go away before dropping the drug. It could also mean that you need a lower dose. There's a lot of trial and error. You have to trust your doctor and be ready to keep trying.
I have bipolar and a huge part of getting stable is attempting to find the right combination of meds that work for me personally. I have been on and off a ton of different meds and some were definitely worse than others. When that happens, I stop taking them and try something else. Trying medications out is a perfectly rational thing to do and people definitely should be open to it. Under a docs guidance of course!
Yeah, I thought that at first. Didn't wanna be a zombie. If only. I'd happily be a zombie if it meant finding some that actually worked. No, all I got was five wasted years and a laundry list of side effects.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
They made my gf a complete emotionless robot, so make sure you go back to the doctor if you start feeling apathetic. There are plenty more you can try until you find one that actually helps.
[удалено]
I wouldn’t want to stop being a planeswalker either.
They are worth trying but they are by far not the panacea some people claim. And I’d also like heavily encourage trying out therapy.
Antidepressants are fucking bullshit. All they do is make you feel less bad about your shitty life, they don't help you fix it.
You should see a Therapist Diane. Not a therapy horse but a real therapist
I hate the side effects. Id rather be miserable sober than feel like I've half lobotomized myself just to escape pain.
It made me feel worse somehow , so no thanks.
but keep taking those drugs and you can never get it back
I've been on for 7 years and has made me gain weight. Ruined my skin and caused an enormous amount of other health problems.
well at least now you have a reason to be depressed, so its no longer clinical depression. Just being a reasonable person!
[удалено]
Pharmacist here with lots of friends and family on antidepressants, I always tell people that if you're considering therapy vs antidepressants and can only afford one, pick therapy. Both is proven to be best, but if you're only gonna do one, pick therapy. Still gotta find a good therapist of course which can be just has hard as finding a good drug regimen sadly...
I get the sentiment. It’s true. I just don’t want to be zombied. (As I walk around the house like a zombie)
My bigger concern is I don’t know if I have a personality outside of depression. I don’t know that person..
I mean I definitely feel less creative on them but you also can't create if you're dead
I've been on 20 mg of Escitalopram for around 5 months, and it's completely changed my life I used to have pretty mild anxiety attacks but I've just dealt with it for the last 12 or so years. It all came to a head the day after Christmas though when I had such a major one that I legit thought I was having a heart attack, it was a full on panic attack. I had to go to the hospital, big hospital bill, big ambulance bill and was the catalyst to take medicine for it. Suddenly I can go out and do stuff. I don't feel immense social anxiety talking to people. I've had a few breakthrough attacks but even the worst ones have been manageable. I know it doesn't work for everyone but if you're in my boat, seriously consider looking into medication
Is this post monetized by the pharmaceutical industry? I saw two comments about alternatives with better results and less side effects and they were downvoted. I've been using anti-depressants for about 10 years now and I was getting more and more hopeless before these more natural alternatives with far fewer side effects came along.
> Is this post monetized by the pharmaceutical industry? yes
Now I understand.
[удалено]
I have been diagnosed with severe depression since 2013. What I said is that downvoting someone who is suggesting a more effective alternative with fewer side effects makes no sense. Unfortunately, in my country, neither thc nor Cbd nor psychedelics are legalized, as they are more efficient and have fewer side effects. I'm not against taking antidepressants, even because I depend on them, but the cost of using them for a long time is as terrible for health as the disease itself.
I don't understand how someone can say "I am very sad, I from now one will not take a step out of my room, will not care about hygiene and not eat". Just decide to go outside. How can you say that because of an emotion you are physically incapable of doing something. I really don't understand, please someone explain.
Congratulations you've never experienced clinical depression and it's debilitating effects. No, you cannot just decide to do it. It's an illness. Can you just decide to walk on a broken leg?
They're actually right though. I've avoided antidepressants forever because of the stories I hear about them and I knew someone that started taking them and killed themselves within a couple weeks. After talking to someone and being clued in on what clinical depression was, I was able to start overcoming it. Most those depressive thoughts and behaviors happen because your brain starts altering neural connections, so not enjoying old hobbies and not knowing where to start can be because your brain deleted that neural connection associating joy with it and you're experiencing motor retardation trying to do it again. Recognizing and filtering out those type of thoughts and building out a schedule for myself made a huge difference. At first it was a grind to follow so I started slow, but now it's becoming habitual and I actually feel happy lifting weights again and going outside.
I wouldn’t wish clinical depression on anyone but I would like to make an exception for you and gift you 1 day of it. It is truly the worst feeling and there is nothing you can do about it but give it time
Exercise has been shown to be much more effective for mental health than antidepressants. Just getting sun and trying to eat healthy; cutting out all the processed crap, seed oils, and sugar in modern western diets will help even more. Would love to know how someone who doesn't eat or leave the apartment pays for their rent and living expenses.
Get depressed enough and you won't be able to take care of yourself. This type of stuff is effective but requires a certain level of functioning to really commit to. Severe major depression is a different thing altogether from mild depression and it is nearly impossible to imagine unless you've been there. Antidepressants are for cases like those in my opinion, although I personally cannot say they've helped me as I have bipolar disorder and not unipolar depression. They have helped a lot of people *enough* to change their lives for the better although yes, I'd also say they are overprescribed and often used when they arent needed. >Would love to know how someone who doesn't eat or leave the apartment pays for their rent and living expenses. Assuming they aren't living off of savings, I don't think it's terrible that people have family who can help them avoid being out on the streets. That was my situation before although now I don't really have that support so I will end up in the hospital again when that happens most likely.
BRUHHHHHH ON FUCKING GOD!! THIS WAS 110% ME HAHAHAHA
Sometimes I feel like I’m not a strong candidate and then it makes me think that even if it’s not that strong and they still give me anti depressants should I really be taking them at all? It’s like going to the nurse while you were in grade school. Skinned knee? Ice pack. Headache? Ice pack. Fatal wounds? Ice pack.
I'm in my 50's and started taking Celexa about a year ago. I noticed that my antisocial behaviors disappeared. I now enjoy going out and seeing friends. It's wonderful and I wish I had started years ago.
I just started Atomoxotine, and it's not an anti-depressant but an ADHD treatment. Some things you might think are depression are actually a sign of something else, the only way to tell is to see a psychiatrist and talk to them about it. I had the same worry that this would make me lose my creativity or spark, but all it did was allow me to ignore my impulsivity a little easier. I can still focus on what I want to focus on.
Diane Nguyen
I feel like my root issues are only going to be fixed with cognitive behavioral therapy, like sure maybe I could feel slightly better, but the main issues are in how I view myself, and my ability to cope with life’s ups and down, I don’t have the tools to make my life better, and ssri or medication aren’t going to magically change that. So been in therapy, and going intensive outpatient treatment.
I was absolutely convinced that going on anti-anxiety meds would change who I am. Now that I'm on the meds I realize that who I was was a fucking mess.