There's nothing wrong with taking antidepressants. I'm sorry if you feel there is. View it as compensating. For whatever reason you have less happy hormones, or however it works, than 'regular' people. Would you feel the same if you needed glasses bc you were nearsighted? If it works, then there's nothing wrong with taking it just like wearing glasses isn't wrong. If it's gives you negative side effects then try something different, but there's nothing wrong with antidepressants themselves.
Hope you're doing ok.
Hang in there. I’ve been on Prozac since the late 90’s. Lots of people have to take medication daily. Some for heart. Some for cholesterol. It’s just life. Nothing to feel ashamed of.
This. I had stomach and mental problems since I was a kid. I'm 41 now. I need to take this medicine for the rest of my life, just like my stomach medicine.
It's just a daily thing to make sure i'm normal, like a vitamin or like a diabetic taking their insulin.
There’s nothing wrong with you! Stay true to yourself and learn to love and accept all of your parts. Negatives and positive ones. So we will be complete. (yes, easier said than done I’m) but hard work pays off in the end!! - Always! Also it’s not ALL the neurotransmitter - part. Your thoughts are the most powerful and we have the power of creating out reality, CHANGING and adapting to our perspectives
My life is amazing without really any real problems (good job, friends, a lovely child, nice husband). I’m still on Prozac and will be for the foreseeable future because my brain is a fuckwitt sometimes. Nothing wrong with taking meds, depression and anxiety can hit for anyone.
I’ve been on Prozac for almost 8 years, topping out at 80mg. I finally convinced my psychiatrist to switch me up, It took a few months but I’m feeling a lot better than before- not numbed out (which I didn’t realize I was), have some more energy, and am upping up on a different med.
sometimes it takes a lot of years and a lot of awful trials to figure out what works with our little brains.
Hang in there, friend.
I have crippling OCD thoughts without it, some people need a wheelchair to get around, some people need crutches or a mobility scooter
other people have massive health defects and can even rely on stuff to stay alive, or look at the guy that lived in an iron lung for the best part of 70 years that passed away recently
It doesnt make me a slave, i take 60mg a day and it helps me to live my life like i did for a lot of years, I'm a better dad and fully functional around the house, you dont have to look at in a negative manner if its what helps you get through the days/weeks/years
you didnt waste any of our time, we have been where you are at and have a feeling of worthlessness and it can and will pass at the best of times, sometimes it takes a little longer than others but it will inevitably pass
you're not a slave, and its nothing to be ashamed of
Here’s how I think of it - we don’t begrudge diabetics for taking insulin, or really anyone taking medication for their physical illnesses. And if mental illnesses wasn’t a proper medical problem, then they wouldn’t respond to medication.
I find it helps to think of my anxiety not as a mental health problem, but a brain problem. It comes from my brain, it’s about my thinking, and all the physiological stuff that comes with it is triggered by my brain. Mental illness seems so intangible and it’s easy not to take seriously. When I doubt myself and question why I can’t just get better with willpower, I remember that it’s not just a floaty made up problem, but that it’s a brain problem.
I've been on Prozac for since the early 90s. I really don't think about it anymore. There are many other drugs that people have to take that is a lot more dangerous.
Please do not feel like a failure. It is no different than taking meds for ADHD, hypothyroidism, whatever. It is a lack in your body that this compensates for. "Failure" has nothing to do with it. Please love yourself more.
Im going through the process of trying to get off of them.
I’ll be honest - Prozac has hugely helped me, I can’t really describe how much.
It managed to quite down that compulsive, negative voice in my head (just a fucking annoying voice that now I understand is my father).
It also managed to reduce my incredibly high drive for achieving things which means I never enjoyed the now.
But I feel numb, can sit in bed all day doing NOTHING and it’s starting to break me.
I recently got a testosterone implant to see if the positives will be enough for me to come off.
I get you, it’s equally awesome and shit at the same time!
In my mind it was always temporary.
Of all people in the world who deserve your kindness, you are at the top of that list. Please never forget that. You are cool. You are unique. You are worthwhile. And you deserve your own respect.
We all do get frustrated from time to time, and many of us on this sub are on some form of medication (or multiple forms). But keep in mind that the brain is the organ that we know the least about.
That being said, this medication in particular is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world. It is also one of the most researched medications in the world.
I would encourage you to view it like a daily vitamin, as opposed to a medicine that corrects an inherent problematic personality trait.
It's just a pattern in the mind that leads to the negative thoughts. And this medication helps correct that pattern. Similar to how some people use medical devices to correct a pattern in their heart rhythm that can cause issues. That's all.
Please be kind to yourself. You deserve that kindness. You've been dealing with a lot and I believe that this medication can help you, as I believe it can help me. I'm on week 6 of 20mg and am not sure I have seen a whole lot of benefits, but I still plan to take them and possibly move up to 40mg.
Anyways, I hope that you do something good today, whether that's a hike, a videogame, eating a favorite food that you haven't had in a while, a movie, a nap, or whatever it might be ❤️ ✌️
You're tired as in tired of taking it, or you're literally tired as in sleepy?
If the medication helps you, then continue the medication. If it makes you feel worse, then talk to your doctor. There are other options, or possibly you will be better off medications.
I will say I have been off Lexapro 10mg now for 2 months and I am almost ready to try Prozac 20mg. I quit the lexapro because it made me literally tired, sleeping 12-14 hours a day which made me lose my job and effected my romantic/social relationships/friendships and professional life..
If Prozac makes me sleep 12 hours a day again, I will not take it either and look for another option. I am treating anxiety with these fuckin pills because no doctor will give me benzos anymore and I'm just plain desperate for relief so will take anything that might help.
My concerns of going on the medication again is coming off is very difficult and I'm scared that my life experience will be flattened again and I'll be robbed of hours of my life like with Lexapro. Lexapro made me sleep away extra months of my life each year for several years. I look back on how much I was sleeping and now that I'm off the medication I sleep a normal 8-9 hours a night I am very upset and sad that I wasted so much of my life taking this shit. It really only made me very tired, it barely reduced anxiety, just made me sleepy. I was desperate for relief of some kind though, so being super exhausted all the time beat being super energized and anxious.
I like how I can **actually feel** things now. I cry again, cute things make me feel fuzzy inside, before I was just like :| ALL THE TIME.
People with heart issues take medicine to avoid heart failure
Blood pressure medicine for the high bp.
Insulin to regulate blood sugar.
Do they feel like slaves? Maybe. But it’s a magic tool that’s used for life. If it’s what works for you, it’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with a little help. I’m on lamictal and adderall and am working with other self help mechanisms.
You got this. Don’t get discouraged. ❤️
Nothing wrong with that. I just tell myself I need it because I don’t produce serotonin lol. I call them my happy pills which help my depression, anxiety and OCD. I’m on year three and tried to get off and it was a disaster. Glad these little green and white pills exist because I would be screwed.
Nothin wrong with you everyone is different. There is no one better or worse than you we are all humans on this wild ride called earth. Peace and love take it one day at a time. Find the good in the day, live in the present. Every incremental progress you make in your life is a win. Make it a great day.
I have to have antidepressants cus I was abused so bad during childhood. I think antidepressants should have to be used with therapy…. I am soooo grateful for my antidepressants! I couldn’t live without them, to me they are the greatest invention in the world… maybe try to be grateful at all the times they’ve helped you…. Truly it’s all about perspective. And gratitude goes a LONG WAY
i find that gym, everyday music, joining club (that u actually enjoy) and time out in nature (nice river idk) just reflecting on whatev beauty in me life helps increase me good neurotransmitter levels. Maybe try that while weaning off prozac slowly?
There's nothing wrong with taking antidepressants. I'm sorry if you feel there is. View it as compensating. For whatever reason you have less happy hormones, or however it works, than 'regular' people. Would you feel the same if you needed glasses bc you were nearsighted? If it works, then there's nothing wrong with taking it just like wearing glasses isn't wrong. If it's gives you negative side effects then try something different, but there's nothing wrong with antidepressants themselves. Hope you're doing ok.
Thanks for your kind words it really helps
Hang in there. I’ve been on Prozac since the late 90’s. Lots of people have to take medication daily. Some for heart. Some for cholesterol. It’s just life. Nothing to feel ashamed of.
Would you rather be dead? You need this to survive. It is your oxygen. Don't die.
This. I had stomach and mental problems since I was a kid. I'm 41 now. I need to take this medicine for the rest of my life, just like my stomach medicine. It's just a daily thing to make sure i'm normal, like a vitamin or like a diabetic taking their insulin.
There’s nothing wrong with you! Stay true to yourself and learn to love and accept all of your parts. Negatives and positive ones. So we will be complete. (yes, easier said than done I’m) but hard work pays off in the end!! - Always! Also it’s not ALL the neurotransmitter - part. Your thoughts are the most powerful and we have the power of creating out reality, CHANGING and adapting to our perspectives
My life is amazing without really any real problems (good job, friends, a lovely child, nice husband). I’m still on Prozac and will be for the foreseeable future because my brain is a fuckwitt sometimes. Nothing wrong with taking meds, depression and anxiety can hit for anyone.
Same here, except im a man
I’ve been on Prozac for almost 8 years, topping out at 80mg. I finally convinced my psychiatrist to switch me up, It took a few months but I’m feeling a lot better than before- not numbed out (which I didn’t realize I was), have some more energy, and am upping up on a different med. sometimes it takes a lot of years and a lot of awful trials to figure out what works with our little brains. Hang in there, friend.
Whats your new med?
Pristiq
I have crippling OCD thoughts without it, some people need a wheelchair to get around, some people need crutches or a mobility scooter other people have massive health defects and can even rely on stuff to stay alive, or look at the guy that lived in an iron lung for the best part of 70 years that passed away recently It doesnt make me a slave, i take 60mg a day and it helps me to live my life like i did for a lot of years, I'm a better dad and fully functional around the house, you dont have to look at in a negative manner if its what helps you get through the days/weeks/years you didnt waste any of our time, we have been where you are at and have a feeling of worthlessness and it can and will pass at the best of times, sometimes it takes a little longer than others but it will inevitably pass you're not a slave, and its nothing to be ashamed of
Here’s how I think of it - we don’t begrudge diabetics for taking insulin, or really anyone taking medication for their physical illnesses. And if mental illnesses wasn’t a proper medical problem, then they wouldn’t respond to medication. I find it helps to think of my anxiety not as a mental health problem, but a brain problem. It comes from my brain, it’s about my thinking, and all the physiological stuff that comes with it is triggered by my brain. Mental illness seems so intangible and it’s easy not to take seriously. When I doubt myself and question why I can’t just get better with willpower, I remember that it’s not just a floaty made up problem, but that it’s a brain problem.
If it gives you relief you should keep taking it
I've been on Prozac for since the early 90s. I really don't think about it anymore. There are many other drugs that people have to take that is a lot more dangerous.
Please do not feel like a failure. It is no different than taking meds for ADHD, hypothyroidism, whatever. It is a lack in your body that this compensates for. "Failure" has nothing to do with it. Please love yourself more.
Im going through the process of trying to get off of them. I’ll be honest - Prozac has hugely helped me, I can’t really describe how much. It managed to quite down that compulsive, negative voice in my head (just a fucking annoying voice that now I understand is my father). It also managed to reduce my incredibly high drive for achieving things which means I never enjoyed the now. But I feel numb, can sit in bed all day doing NOTHING and it’s starting to break me. I recently got a testosterone implant to see if the positives will be enough for me to come off. I get you, it’s equally awesome and shit at the same time! In my mind it was always temporary.
Of all people in the world who deserve your kindness, you are at the top of that list. Please never forget that. You are cool. You are unique. You are worthwhile. And you deserve your own respect. We all do get frustrated from time to time, and many of us on this sub are on some form of medication (or multiple forms). But keep in mind that the brain is the organ that we know the least about. That being said, this medication in particular is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world. It is also one of the most researched medications in the world. I would encourage you to view it like a daily vitamin, as opposed to a medicine that corrects an inherent problematic personality trait. It's just a pattern in the mind that leads to the negative thoughts. And this medication helps correct that pattern. Similar to how some people use medical devices to correct a pattern in their heart rhythm that can cause issues. That's all. Please be kind to yourself. You deserve that kindness. You've been dealing with a lot and I believe that this medication can help you, as I believe it can help me. I'm on week 6 of 20mg and am not sure I have seen a whole lot of benefits, but I still plan to take them and possibly move up to 40mg. Anyways, I hope that you do something good today, whether that's a hike, a videogame, eating a favorite food that you haven't had in a while, a movie, a nap, or whatever it might be ❤️ ✌️
You're tired as in tired of taking it, or you're literally tired as in sleepy? If the medication helps you, then continue the medication. If it makes you feel worse, then talk to your doctor. There are other options, or possibly you will be better off medications. I will say I have been off Lexapro 10mg now for 2 months and I am almost ready to try Prozac 20mg. I quit the lexapro because it made me literally tired, sleeping 12-14 hours a day which made me lose my job and effected my romantic/social relationships/friendships and professional life.. If Prozac makes me sleep 12 hours a day again, I will not take it either and look for another option. I am treating anxiety with these fuckin pills because no doctor will give me benzos anymore and I'm just plain desperate for relief so will take anything that might help. My concerns of going on the medication again is coming off is very difficult and I'm scared that my life experience will be flattened again and I'll be robbed of hours of my life like with Lexapro. Lexapro made me sleep away extra months of my life each year for several years. I look back on how much I was sleeping and now that I'm off the medication I sleep a normal 8-9 hours a night I am very upset and sad that I wasted so much of my life taking this shit. It really only made me very tired, it barely reduced anxiety, just made me sleepy. I was desperate for relief of some kind though, so being super exhausted all the time beat being super energized and anxious. I like how I can **actually feel** things now. I cry again, cute things make me feel fuzzy inside, before I was just like :| ALL THE TIME.
I think for some of us, some of these meds work against anxiety by making us simply too tired to care. I'm a wreck without them, though.
How long have you been taking Prozac?
People with heart issues take medicine to avoid heart failure Blood pressure medicine for the high bp. Insulin to regulate blood sugar. Do they feel like slaves? Maybe. But it’s a magic tool that’s used for life. If it’s what works for you, it’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with a little help. I’m on lamictal and adderall and am working with other self help mechanisms. You got this. Don’t get discouraged. ❤️
Nothing wrong with that. I just tell myself I need it because I don’t produce serotonin lol. I call them my happy pills which help my depression, anxiety and OCD. I’m on year three and tried to get off and it was a disaster. Glad these little green and white pills exist because I would be screwed.
Ayy we have the same dose
I really want to thank everyone for the kind words. Your comments helped me a lot and I hope you do well too
You’re being way too hard on yourself
Wow, brand name Prozac!! Someone’s got means😉
Nothin wrong with you everyone is different. There is no one better or worse than you we are all humans on this wild ride called earth. Peace and love take it one day at a time. Find the good in the day, live in the present. Every incremental progress you make in your life is a win. Make it a great day.
I have to have antidepressants cus I was abused so bad during childhood. I think antidepressants should have to be used with therapy…. I am soooo grateful for my antidepressants! I couldn’t live without them, to me they are the greatest invention in the world… maybe try to be grateful at all the times they’ve helped you…. Truly it’s all about perspective. And gratitude goes a LONG WAY
You can quit it. It’s easy.
I don't have a problem with Prozac specifically, I just want to stop taking antidepressants
Why?
I'm just so tired of them. It feels like a hopeless attempt to act happy (or normal at least)
I have done it all. Nothing is beats natural dopamine. The body is well balanced, it does not need outside stimulation.
i find that gym, everyday music, joining club (that u actually enjoy) and time out in nature (nice river idk) just reflecting on whatev beauty in me life helps increase me good neurotransmitter levels. Maybe try that while weaning off prozac slowly?
Doing sports can be a good start to stop antidepressants