Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I know that these days, people easily turn to anti-depressants for ordinary unhappiness (divorce, job loss, death of a loved one), and therapists often consider it a first resort as well. But then it goes on and on.
If anyone is interested, there was a lengthy article in the NYT about people trying to quit anti-depressants, finding it worse than expected - and I'm also including a very interesting personal story of someone who weaned himself successfully.
Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit
By Benedict Carey and Robert Gebeloff
“Had I been told the risks of trying to come off this drug, I never would have started it,” Ms. Hempel said.
I got myself of Prozac twice and celexa once. I had no issues. I just tapered. Maybe my doses were not high enough.
I took prozac for 3 years went off of it and then went back on for another 3. I was on celexa for about 6 years.
I don't think most people "easily" turn to antidepressants. Everyone I know, including myself, tried to handle the depression without meds before getting a prescription. I am very aware that some people have terrible problems getting off the meds once they've started, but mental health services like counseling vary greatly in terms of availability and quality.
Even the best counseling takes time to see results, and in the meantime most folks have marriages, families, and jobs that require a certain level of functioning. Depression is a misery I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
People who need help should weigh the pros and cons before taking a drug, but they need a balanced view, not a couple of biased, anti med articles.
I don't think most people "easily" turn to antidepressants. Everyone I know, including myself, tried to handle the depression without meds before getting a prescription. I am very aware that some people have terrible problems getting off the meds once they've started, but mental health services like counseling vary greatly in terms of availability and quality.
Even the best counseling takes time to see results, and in the meantime most folks have marriages, families, and jobs that require a certain level of functioning. Depression is a misery I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
People who need help should weigh the pros and cons before taking a drug, but they need a balanced view, not a couple of biased, anti med articles.
Agree...
...no one easily turns to antidepressant therapy. It's an incredibly useful treatment for clinical depression and is not typically prescribed for minor life problems.
There's no way could I live a somewhat normal existence without antidepressants and other psych drugs...
though I've tried...
It's irresponsible to suggest to others to discontinue use of these helpful meds....this type of discussion and information needs to be held only in the medical office of the treating provider. Those who promote biased, anti-medication articles likely have no experience or understanding with serious psychological issues that require therapy and strong, beneficial psychiatric medications.
I don't think most people "easily" turn to antidepressants. Everyone I know, including myself, tried to handle the depression without meds before getting a prescription. I am very aware that some people have terrible problems getting off the meds once they've started, but mental health services like counseling vary greatly in terms of availability and quality.
Even the best counseling takes time to see results, and in the meantime most folks have marriages, families, and jobs that require a certain level of functioning. Depression is a misery I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
People who need help should weigh the pros and cons before taking a drug, but they need a balanced view, not a couple of biased, anti med articles.
My psychologist prescribed me Prozac during my divorce. She probably pulled the trigger too soon to give me those. But they really helped me get out of an emotional downward spiral. I went off when I felt I didn't need to be taking them anymore.
The second time was for debilitating PMS that would send me into such a deep depression that I would be in bed and weeping for days on end. My doctor gave me prozac. It worked and then I went off, I thought menopause was around the corner, I was 42. I was wrong and the PMS symptoms came back with a vengeance. My gyno game me Celexa.
I am very thankful for those antidepressants because they really helped.
My psychologist prescribed me Prozac during my divorce. She probably pulled the trigger too soon to give me those. But they really helped me get out of an emotional downward spiral. I went off when I felt I didn't need to be taking them anymore.
The second time was for debilitating PMS that would send me into such a deep depression that I would be in bed and weeping for days on end. My doctor gave me prozac. It worked and then I went off, I thought menopause was around the corner, I was 42. I was wrong and the PMS symptoms came back with a vengeance. My gyno game me Celexa.
I am very thankful for those antidepressants because they really helped.
People who haven't dealt with clinical depression (NOT situational depression triggered primarily by events) often assume that depression always acts alone in a vacuum. Not that simple. I tend to look at it more as the straw that breaks the camel's back, not a stand alone cause of a person's inability to function. A major shift in a person's life (and I mean a profound shift) could also rebuild that same camel's back to the point medication can be reduced or stopped. What makes it hard is that when an a/d med is working well, the person feels better, capable, and functional. Why wouldn't they want to stop being dependent on a medication after a long time has passed? You can't really tell what part of "functional" is due to the a/d and what is not. So, as many people do, you stop using it. Months or years may go by before they realize they are back where they started again. Or not. In the end, can you blame relapses on the insidious aspects of medication or on the stubborn brain that refuses to drop the depressive response, habit or whatever you choose to call it? I happen to think you can't blame either one by itself.
I have used a/d meds for many years. They definitely kept me walking around on the planet. There have been significant changes in my life over the past 2 years so I started reducing and finally stopped taking them on my own. No obvious trouble for the past year, but time will tell. At least I know the looming signs based on long sad experience. If I end up going back on them again I doubt I'll blame some devious pharma plot for it.
I know that these days, people easily turn to anti-depressants for ordinary unhappiness (divorce, job loss, death of a loved one), and therapists often consider it a first resort as well. But then it goes on and on.
If anyone is interested, there was a lengthy article in the NYT about people trying to quit anti-depressants, finding it worse than expected - and I'm also including a very interesting personal story of someone who weaned himself successfully.
Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit
By Benedict Carey and Robert Gebeloff
“Had I been told the risks of trying to come off this drug, I never would have started it,” Ms. Hempel said.
Your introductory statement is tripe. For a start, therapists aren't prescribers. Therapy is therapy, its not medication - a therapist can't prescribe you drugs unless they also happen to be an MD - which the vast majority of therapists are not. So you are just making up stuff you think sounds right.
Secondly, you'll have to get an MD to prescribe you anti-depressants - and most of the time you are going to have to convince the doc that you actually need them. Are anti-depressants overprescribed? Yes. But generally for the same reason antibiotics are - patient pressure.
Honestly the cr%P people just spew out as "fact". You help no-one with this sort of generalized misleading wishwash.
...no one easily turns to antidepressant therapy. It's an incredibly useful treatment for clinical depression and is not typically prescribed for minor life problems.
There's no way could I live a somewhat normal existence without antidepressants and other psych drugs...
though I've tried...
It's irresponsible to suggest to others to discontinue use of these helpful meds....this type of discussion and information needs to be held only in the medical office of the treating provider. Those who promote biased, anti-medication articles likely have no experience or understanding with serious psychological issues that require therapy and strong, beneficial psychiatric medications.
I wish that I could rep you again for this. I am tired of people that criticize my treatment plan, which includes the use of psych drugs and therapy. The lack of support for people with mental disorders is infuriating and horrifying. Just yesterday I had someone tell me that he doesn't understand why people take meds because HE "has mood swings too, and just deals with it". How he acquired such psychological and pharmacological expertise working in a warehouse is beyond my realm of understanding. The number of people who are resistant to taking their meds FAR dwarfs the number of people that are eager to seek psych meds. I wish that I could get them to trade places with me when I am in a disabling depressive or manic episode. I've tried to explain it until I am blue in the face and all that they have to offer is some anecdote about how someone they know allegedly abuses their prescriptions. I am infuritated and disgusted right now. I tell you, the main reason that I suffer from this disorder is the straight-up ignorant, misguided, and downright harmful "advice" I get from the very people that are supposed to be supportive of me.
I wish that I could rep you again for this. I am tired of people that criticize my treatment plan, which includes the use of psych drugs and therapy. The lack of support for people with mental disorders is infuriating and horrifying. Just yesterday I had someone tell me that he doesn't understand why people take meds because HE "has mood swings too, and just deals with it". How he acquired such psychological and pharmacological expertise working in a warehouse is beyond my realm of understanding. The number of people who are resistant to taking their meds FAR dwarfs the number of people that are eager to seek psych meds. I wish that I could get them to trade places with me when I am in a disabling depressive or manic episode. I've tried to explain it until I am blue in the face and all that they have to offer is some anecdote about how someone they know allegedly abuses their prescriptions. I am infuritated and disgusted right now. I tell you, the main reason that I suffer from this disorder is the straight-up ignorant, misguided, and downright harmful "advice" I get from the very people that are supposed to be supportive of me.
I do hear your frustration and completely understand....that's why mental illness needs to be discussed openly so those ignorant about it, and treatments needed, can possibly learn something.
The know-it-all attitude of those that DON'T have a serious mental health illness is so annoying...it's like me insisting I know all about having diabetes without actually having the disease.
Keep up with the mental health threads....you'll find me there frequently discussing my own mental illnesses and offering encouragement to my fellow travellers...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
