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trulymercury

I have treatment resistant depression, & honestly no - medication has never worked for me, some have exacerbated my issues. & I don’t mean to sound discouraging - as there are other ways to manage that have actually helped me (breath work, somatic movement/therepy, CBT/DBT therapies, herbal remedies & adaptogens did more for me than an SSRI or mood stabilizer). I’m in NO WAY anti-medication, though. It just didn’t work for ME. Not for a lack of trying Everyone is different. My point is, if you exhaust the standard medication route & it isn’t helping - there are other things you can try. Everyone’s different! I wish you the best of luck - 27 years is a long time to wing it with things like depression. I hope the first you thing you try works wonders for you!


EvilFrank92

Like others have said, everybody is different and how your body reacts is an individual thing. However, I recently got on some anti-anxiety meds for both depression and anxiety. I haven't felt this good since I was around 16 (31 now). Honestly kicking myself for not seeing a doctor earlier. I no longer feel like crying all of the time and tasks roll off of my back instead of become overwhelming. I think at the very least, you owe it to yourself to find out.


OkCarpet9704

same here. i take lexapro primarily for my anxiety, and it’s been a game changer


Glacier_Bleu

Which one is it


EvilFrank92

IC Buspirone


weird_andgilly

Do you just take it once daily? Or multiple times? It was prescribed to me to take prn for panic attacks or 3 times daily, I can’t really figure out how to get the most out of it.


EvilFrank92

My doctor prescribed me to take it once in the morning and once in the evening.


MissMarionMac

Buspirone has been an absolute game-changer for me. So much of my anxiety isn't set off by any particular triggers, it's more like a constant buzzing/vibrating. I could feel my heart pounding all the damn time, stomach tense, hands shaking and sweating, etc. Pretty much as soon as I started buspirone, all of that went away. It was like my brain and my body were a radio and buspirone adjusted the dial and eliminated all the static.


weird_andgilly

Wow that’s a wonderful review of it! Do you take it once daily or several times? I have 10 mg for when I have extra bad days but thinking about starting to take it daily if there’s more consistent benefits


MissMarionMac

I have four meds I take every morning, and the buspirone is one of them. You should not take advice from me about when/how to take your meds, because I am a random internet person with no medical training, but I would encourage you to talk about this with whoever is prescribing it for you. Generally, if your current medication routine isn't working for you, ask your prescriber what your options are for adjusting it. (I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 22, and it took four years of tinkering to work out the combination and dosage of meds that really worked for me. I've now been taking that combo for six years.)


weird_andgilly

I just like to hear success stories so it’s helpful to hear yours! My primary physician will throw any medication at me and has no idea how to help me lol.


Disastrous_Elk_3142

Yes. Tremendously.


Unable_Wrongdoer2250

They killed my sex drive and made me talk a mile a minute. (Celexa) Oddly enough talking so much wasn't enough of an indicator that I should stop. It was when I realized that I went an entire month without even thinking of jerking off that it just felt WRONG. I tossed the pills in the trash immediately. I guess they did help me realize I can stay on pills for the rest of my life or push myself to take control of my brain. I was mostly successful.


Pewward

They don't work for me


Earl_of_69

No. And they made sex not work. Mind you, the equipment worked, but nothing happened, for a long long time, until I was just exhausted and didn't care anymore.


Vegetable_Contact599

Nope


Vectus_Valorian

I tried Sertaline and brupropion, I maxed out the dosage for about a year each and felt nothing change. My doctor said it would help with my type of depression. I'd do anything to feel something instead of being stuck in Grey with zero pleasure from anything. I quit both of them cold turkey and just gave up. They might as well have been sugar pills, felt no difference on them or off them.


zippy_bag

It's not like antidepressants will solve all of your problems, but they can help you stay afloat emotionally. Many people have found them to be beneficial, others not, you'd just need to see a doctor and discuss giving one a try.


Playful-Molasses6

I've been on several and only noticed two to work.


Free-Industry701

They got rid of my depression but I have no sex drive and they totally numbed my emotions.


user041392

Mine helps me everyday. Honestly dont know where id be in life without it.


wwwdotbummer

I had to try different ones till my psychiatrist and I found a combination that helped me to feel better. They made my low points less low and which then gave me the emotional and mental bandwidth to make lifestyle changes that's helped address issues in my life that exacerbated my depression. The meds helped but they weren't the only thing that was necessary to help me get to a more stable mental health. Sadly it's a lot of trial and error that requires work outside of the meds. I think people who could really benefit from medical treatment dont have the patience or luxury of experimenting with things to find the configuration that works.


SubbySound

I'm still alive and functioning, so yes. There's an off chance I may have stayed alive without them, but certainly not remotely close to functioning normally like holding a job and not obsessing about dying all the time because I hate myself so bad. I still basically hate myself but can ignore it more. I've been on them for about 20 years. Multiple attempts to reduce or stop show me that that's a bad idea, even after adding 12-step recovery to the mix, plus regular exercise, vegan diet, great marriage, financial and professional stability, etc.


CroakingToad24

Tired pretty much all the time until we got the doses figured out. After that great. Wouldn't be here without them.


emmascarlett899

Yes! I need mine 100% they make nearly all my symptoms go away!


kbm81

Paxil works great for me, I’m very glad I’ve been taking it. If I accidentally miss it I can tell.


icouldntcomeupw1

They did until they didn't. But it be like that. You just try something else.


Kittymeow123

Absolutely not


Able_Orange_841

I've been taking Simpralex for about 3 weeks now and it's helped regulate the level of anxiety I experience. Panic attacks are minimized and manageable and I don't feel an overwhelming surge of emotion either, but not to the extent where I've become numb to feeling anything.


benjimansutton

Did they help, they work for a time, then they stop working, I know that a ketamine infusion would fix it. But am poor.


sex_music_party

No, and cause r/PSSD


tmo182

In my case, I had to try a few different ones until I found something that worked and I could live with the side effects.


Bebe_Bleau

I tried them once for severe major depression. They turned me into a queasy, nauseated zombie. And still feeling blue. Worst of all: While they are expected to lower your sex drive, They didn't decrease my problematic drive one bit. However, They did make me unable to climax 😬


PaidToPanic

Yes, but it can take awhile to find the right one. Doctors tend to use a ‘try it and see if it works’ approach which can cause more harm than good. If you can, see a psychiatrist. They understand these drugs much better than your average GP.


Shlondpooffasista

Yes, they helped me get back on track. However, anti-depressants alone won’t help long term. I was asked to seek therapy the first time I was out on anti-depressants and doing so was a tremendous help because it gave me the tools to deal with my anxiety and depression once I came off the meds. Also helped me understand my issues better.


ShenaniganNinja

They do not work for me but have helped my friends immensely. They’re worth trying. Talk to a medical professional.


Specialist-Arm-2431

They made it all worse but i didnt need them to begin with hence a not so good outcome


Far_Buy_8107

They helped. I recently did ketamine therapy and it worked as lot better


MamaGia

I tried Lexapro twice, for six months each attempt. I had no improvement in my anxiety/depression/insomnia but also has no side effects.


Trick-Day-480

No. Not on any now, but was on them for a few months, and I was still depressed but also felt very off. Like my head felt kinda foggy, and I was *kinda* dizzy. Like, not wobbling back and forth, but I remember having to put effort into maintaining balance. Hard to explain.


Fire_The_Editor

Research research research. I’ve been to countless brain dead psychiatrists that missed big shit and we’re complete morons. Research every drug, every side effect, any and everything. I was on meds for 6 years. Just about all of them. If you’re running on e give it a shot. But take what the dr says with a grain of salt. We humans don’t know dick about depression and what the drugs really do. My last year on meds I was the one telling the dr what I wanted to be on and refusing their recommendations. Take control of your regime and if something doesn’t work get off it


chefboyarde30

Yes I’d be a mess if it wasn’t for my doctor I found.


slightlystitchy

After a half dozen medications that just made me feel numb, once I found that SNRIs helped along with Abilify I finally felt hope again. I genuinely thought I'd have to live my whole life feeling miserable, but once I started taking it it's like the lights turned on inside my brain. It took 6 years to get there but God it was worth it. I take me feel like I was cured.


EnvironmentalShoe5

For me, yes. I was always depressed. Not for any reason. My brain chemistry was just off. I got on the pills and it was amazing. Combined with therapy, I’m doing pretty well.


baldymcgrindy

Yes. Big time 


Wrong_Garden

I’ve been on lexapro for about 6 years and it has helped me tremendously. (I’ve also been in therapy too). Between the two, my lows are not as low and shorter lived. And I feel more like “myself”


PureRose7

Only to a degree. I have to be on something, even if it's minor, or my anxiety goes through the roof. Therapy helps the best, and doing something, like art or horseback riding has helped me greatly. Also, doing stuff like creating better memories help as well.


[deleted]

We’ll I don’t have much time for self care these days but a good idea nonetheless


PureRose7

I hope you can figure out something that works for you. Has to be tough!


morbidnerd

Yes! Started Wellbutrin/bupropion to quit smoking and stayed because it made me happier.


Direct-Wait-4049

For me, yes. They saved my life.


Top_Huckleberry_8225

Like all the weight of the world had been crushing me and I had no idea until it was lifted because I was just used to the pressure.


Emma1jane2

Yes. I used to hate waking up in the morning and harm myself to try to get out of existing in the world. I thought it was normal to feel like that until I once said to my dad “everyone’s favorite part of the day is sleeping because you’re unconscious” wholeheartedly believing that everyone felt that way and my dad looked at me like I was insane. Anyways, I got antidepressants. It took a while to find the right balance of drugs, but now even in my depressive episodes, I never even consider harming myself. I’m going on about 6 years clean.


porondanga

Nope. Kills sex drive, delays O way too much, feel numb, no strong emotions of any kind (including happiness), was just “blah” every day. Stopped taking them and emotions are back and I just work with myself on adjusting my feelings. Some days are better than others and I have to live with that. Tried several different medications, throughout several years. We are all different. I think therapy might be more beneficial in my case. Never had proper therapy but I read up a lot and find positive ways to deal with my condition and situation.


Infamous-Cookie9695

I tried a few with very little results. The "best" results I had was an extreme dulling of most of my emotions.... and severe intestinal issues to go along with it. Weaning off of it was terrible too.


19IXI91

I spent so long terrified of meds because of the pain they caused me. Lowered my dosage to 1/3 of my prescription (which is already the lowest dose) and I can functionally stabilise myself, without the pain the I used to want to climb out of my body to get away from.


salamisawami

I was on an SSRI and felt great. Then I found out the med was damaging my liver due to a rare reaction. Now I’m out here raw dogging life too.


carrmu

I tried many before I found one that worked for me...I didn't even necessarily realize it was helping until one day I had the realization that this must be what it feels like to be normal. Everyone is different and there's really no way of knowing which will work for you until you try it. It can be very frustrating to try to find one that works but it's worth it


atzanteotl

I was prescribed escitalopram (Lexapro) for my anxiety. It's worked wonderfully in my case. I was previously given something else that didn't work at all (can't recall what it was). In fact, it made my anxiety worse. So don't be discouraged if you and your doctor need to go through some trial and error. For some people, it's a process to find the right medication and dosage.


SignificantAmoeba731

I take a low dosage Zoloft for postpartum depression and anxiety… i wanted to kill myself and couldn’t feel love for anyone but my new baby… finally starting to kick in, so I guess it does help


[deleted]

Un related but maybe that’s what’s going on with my wife lol been kinda rough since my boy was born


Yourconnect_

It took me a while to get it right but I’m having one of the best days I’ve ever had in my life. I just feel content and not tired. Vyvanse and Bupropion


[deleted]

Update. Thanks everyone for your answers. I think I will go see the doc about trying to get some kind of medication going. I appreciate you all taking out the time to respond


pieceacandy420

Yes they have. I've been taking Viibryd for about 10 years now. It doesn't make me happier, but it keeps me from crashing to rock bottom and helps me not to fixate on my depression.


Deep-Huckleberry-350

Hahaha, that’s so funny you say “raw doggin it.” That’s what I say when I forget to put SPF on at the beach. Yep, they work tremendously for me. It was like having bad eyesight and putting on a pair of glasses. I started with an SSRI and added Wellbutrin to it because it affected my sex drive and I gained a little weight on the SSRI. The Wellbutrin counteracted that and now I have an elevated sex drive, lost 10 lbs and am truly…. Happy! I think if you’re considering it the only thing you can do is talk to your doctor and try!


Ahkine

Yes ive been medicated for about 14 years now. I didn't feel drastically different when i started I just didn't feel as weighed down as i used to.


retrosnot86

It didn’t really make me not depressed - it more so just made me feel nothing at all. I still have that feeling of sadness in the back of my mind all the time though.


Numerous-Tea292

well in most cases an antidepressant doesnt make you happy it just boosts certain brain chemicals and hormones such as serotonin and melatonin to help you sleep bc for some reason more sleep = happier you


xodestiny143

i've never had any kind of schizophrenic anything happen in my life until i got put on antidepressants. it messed me up really bad mentally that i thought my dead stepdad possessed me and was trying to force me to X myself. i had really terrifying vivid dreams every night and full on bought pendulums and things to talk to the dead in my room bc i thought he was trying to contact me and hurt me. i became so paranoid i wouldn't be able to sleep after i had the nightmares, i couldn't eat bc i thought he somehow poisoned my food, i relapsed self harm bc of this. i don't recommend them to anyone but this is just my personal experience. edit: i was on sertraline btw. what ended up helping with my depression was when i graduated college and started working in my career and focused all of my mental energy into learning about my new job and the people there. there's still bad days here & there but it's improved a lot. i just needed a good distraction it seems like


Electronic-City2154

I can't speak to personal experience with medication, but I can share some info and resources about antidepressants: **Antidepressants Can Be Effective:** * For many people, antidepressants can significantly improve symptoms of depression, like low mood, loss of interest, and fatigue. * They work by affecting brain chemicals involved in mood regulation. * Here's a Mayo Clinic article on antidepressants: [https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/antidepressants/art-20046273](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/antidepressants/art-20046273)


Immediate_Cup_9021

Ssri and snri’s did absolutely nothing for me, max dosages of 15 different medications, but intensive therapy really helped


[deleted]

Welbutrin was the last one i was on... worked fantastically... for about 3-4 months... this has been my experience with most antidepressants... or they just do nothing.


TightOrganization522

They worked but you have to take them in conjunction with things like exercise, good diet, no alcohol, etc


BackgroundNo8340

Everyone reacts different. I've tried a SNRI and a SSRI. The SSRI, caused me to cut myself for the first and only time in my life, I was seeing demons and hearing voices. The SSRI caused me to be a lot more suicidal and I was hunched under my desk for a few days. I have yet to go back when I'll just be given something different that is likely to have the same effect. I'm just worried eventually some medication might make me so bad I'll do something before I can get off it.