So Im On Anti Depressants....

I am sure the OP will find lots of info on this thread. I have been down the excercise counselling route etc and am fine......done it...got the t shirt! lol....still recommend the tablets for the OP.....
Sincere wishes to The DarkTower you shall overcome this x

Originally posted by Jools
reply to post by smyleegrl

 

Thank you for your very informative post but I have to strongly disagree with the eating side...a lot of depressed and anxious people do NOT want to eat.....same as some might possibly overeat (but percentage wise i would lean on the side of non eating/non activity therefore not needing to eat).....
And everyone;s case is not the same as another's...But falls into the categories you have highlighted.

I know of lots of people who are on anti depressants who did not want to eat, get out of bed etc.......face life etc....

Your post was spot on so please don't be offended at my slight disagreement.....
Now overeating/obesity and reading about those people in the press...yes they have issues...but they seem to be more complex and putting those people on antidepressants compounds their ability to function (I'm referring to the recent spate of 40 stoners- who seem to be wanting to get in the Guinness Book of Records) but they have all told their stories and said it began with depression....I would imagine doping them up would only speed up their demise......so they are just left to eat and eat!...

You are spot on about the eating. There are those of us who get depression and eat everything in sight, and others who won't eat anything. It is a different experience for each person, and even for each episode. One of my worst depressive episodes I ended up losing close to 70 pounds for not eating.

You did not in anyway offend me. Thanks for catching my goof!

reply to post by thedarktower

I really hope you do your own research before eating those pills. Anti depressants not only damage brain/serotonin system, but they are also for quite a few people more addictive than HARD illegal drugs and can led to severe withdrawal symptoms that last for MONTHS after quitting.

Go look up ssri discontinuation syndrome, brain shocks/brain shivers or similar.

Originally posted by JailTales

Originally posted by XXXN3O
The problem with anti depression tablets is that they take away feelings that are there for a reason and the end result is that you change nothing in your life. If you finally do ever feel better enough to stop taking the tablets, you will just slide back into depression and the tablets once again as the cause of the depression is still there in your life.

Speak for yourself.

Well since I am speaking from having previous experience within the pharmaceutical industry (my wife is pretty high up in the industry too) as well as my own life experience.

If that is not speaking for myself, I am not sure what is?

reply to post by thedarktower


I'm only 21 and I was on anxiety and depression medication for about 4 years. I took Xanax and even Zoloft, and some other things.

The medication actually made me more sick than the actual anxiety did. I stopped taking the medicine and, honestly, i feel a lot better.

I would occasionally get a little anxiety here and there but I do a little breathing exercise. Just remember, it's all in the mind.

Pills, in my opinion, are NOT the best answer.. but for some people it works! My mom has been taking medicine since she was probably around 16-18 and now she can't even go without it, quite sad imo.

Look, i am really empathetic to your troubles....
I have had depression off and on for a lifetime, and remain drug free except for a certain unmentionable subject.....
There is a lot of inherent dangers to screwing around with the brains chemicals. period.
The chemical method of treating anxiety isnt the optimum, and it isnt the only substance or method that has worked for others....though it has worked for some....
Nothing is gonna change without the mental work which it takes to deal with depression......
One can medicate,which masks causes and symptoms,but the results usually less effective than actually doing the work .
Though we are speaking in generalities as befits yer spiritual privacy.
For me , Im old now, i just generally forced myself to bull through these patchy sections by forcing my body to keep on going in the desired direction....
Havent cured myself of agraphobia quite, but at least i can work as a roofer....load a huge machine onto a low boy withut freaking too noticably when the excavator comes over the beaver tail etc...
Not that i always could....
i could barley climb to the top of a ladder before....much less let go of it....so i had to try roofing to kill it off....which it has to a great degree....what a feeling too.....
Same goes for many other anxieties and fears..........Claustrophobia gt killed in jail.....i nearly died of it first though....(when they haul your ass to the slam, they put you in a dog kennel sort of, its just big enough for a fat guy to sit in...and everyone else is likewise caged in the transport van....the they drive like maniacs to the facility, passing everything in sight.
By the time i got to jail i was nearly heart attacking.....
I could tell you a lot more but you get the picture.....anyways this showed me how to cure my anxietys.....
I like the advice of trying a step at a time out the door, you can always turn back....but keep trying....
Sure the doctor will prescribe, thats what they do instead of treating the patient as an individual, they shoot them the standard cocktail of drugs, like a basket of currencies...and you get to pick the one you prefer after sometimes many false starts.
Now i look at things from a differen perspective by going where i was petrified to go.....doing things i thought i was incapable of.....Youll find conquering just one little facet of your condition will bouy you better than any meds.....
I wonder of you play any musical instrument?
I found much peace with the guitar and piano....many days it was a trail of clothes to the shower, and then piano till supper time.....by then i could eat and most times keep it down too.....find a way to express your feelings if you cannot exactly talk about them with your speech center
It has a way of deflating their magnitude....drains off the sting a little....
I have always distrusted these quick fix dopings.....try to look beyond right how, and focus on where you want to be then go there....it will be a road you wont regret travelling.....after yove arrived....the next one will be easier though and the one after that even more so....
Every time you win you get strength beyond the feat you have accomplished., and it will encourage ypou to further independance....

Please do not think that i totally disagree with medicating, but i do think its a stop gap that must be simply a tool not a crutch.
Really i think its all a matter of focus....will.....intent....whatever they want to call it....
meantime try to educate yourself to the psychology of depression by studying it through the various media and
get onto a good counsellor if at all possible...
If not dont stop and give over...just keep trucking and sooner or later youll realize this is life........and everyone has the exact same problems, just more or less successful ways of dealing with.....
Nobody promised us a rose garden exactly did they?
Oh and by the way any time you just want to gab u2u s work.....
cheers ............s

I am fortunate I never went onto the stronger stuff...like i say I'm on 10mg of Cipralex which keeps me tickety boo and I take a Vit D tablet everyday (there's some great articles on Vit D- because that can lift your mood and it has many benefits) even obviously as Vit D is made in your body from UV sun...it can ward off cancers....and it's a great mood lifter...So I'm afraid I am an advocator of these meds...However, the Zoloft etc sound a lot stronger than I was on...For a few years I was on Paxil...but after a while for some strange reason (might have been because I was on another med) Can't remember but it ceased to work because I started to get dark thoughts etc and didn't feel right...With the Cipralex I was able to switch without having to withdraw from the Paxil.....
I can't stress enough (and do not want to come over as patrionising in any way) But if you feel suicidal on any anti depressants or feel no better after 3 weeks YOU MUST go to your GP and get them changed as some do not suit some people.
My Mom's Dr put her on Prozac once...and she thought she was going mad!.....so it IS very important to get the right anti-depressant for you. That's why I think some people make comments (not necessarily on here) because the meds may not have been the right ones...Thus, they felt worse.
I think lifestyle and pressure on people these days are some of the factors as well as environmental are to blame for the increase in the use of these medications...and yes I am sure some of you will say the pharmaceutical companies huge profits.....I would also say 'whats in our water?' could we be ingesting meds that are interfering with our psyche......Many questions unanswered...What are our kids ingesting and is this a reason why some are depressed and or autistic....I know I've gone a little off topic...But we don't know all of the causes of people having mental breakdowns/ anxiety/panic attacks/sleeplessness/feelings of hopelessness. Bit of a mess really...and no answers. In my Moms day (she's 83 now) there was not the issues we face now. I was talking to her and she said it was rare for people to be on lithium/valium or whatever.......and she herself only started having problems later in life.......anyways just my two penneth worth...As I said previously I hope the tablets work for the OP and they can get on with their life.....

Brain Zaps won't happen very much if your on low dose. They are worse if you're on the stronger stuff...and they feel a bit weird (I had a few if i was late with dose or occasionally missed a dose)...To me a small price to pay for the horrible feelings of panic and anxiety and once you've had a brain zap it doesn't feel that bad.....because you know what they are,...that's why its also important to take this same time everyday!......I haven't experienced any other side effects...apart from being calmer, happier and blessed.

reply to post by stirling





Starred you for your detailed post.......There was much in it that i must agree with! I strongly

believe that one should push their personal boundries and streach oneself. The resulting

euphoria or natural 'high' you get from achieving even a tiny success is more than worth the

effort!! I know it's not easy but the result is WELL worth it.

One of the things that i do when things get on top of me [ when you're feeling cr@p and you

cant be bothered and everything is piling up] force yourself to clean out your kitchen

cupboards, your drawers, wardrobes, paint a wall, you'll be supprised at the satisfaction you

get from the results

Weather conditions dont allow it all the year around, but gardening is marvellous theraphy my

mother told me that and i don't know why but it realy does work! [natures anti depressent?]

Sorry if you're feeling a little down and anxious. I think you should let it take it's course and wallow for a bit then try to lighten up. That's my advice. If you're seriously ill then get a thorough diagnosis. Don't take the first "script" you're offered.

Just wanted to ask a question of those folk who take anti-depressants. When you get your first prescription, does the doctor tell you how long you'll be on them, or do you ask, or neither?

I was offered prozac once to deal with a muscle problem I have. I binned the prescription because there was no discussion about how the pills were going to help me. I wasn't depressed so what would be "better" when the pills run out?

I'm biased against these sorts of medication because when my gran died my mum got some rashes on her elbows and knees. The doc said it was stress and gave her valium. She should have gotten some ointment, nothing else.

She was on valium, librium, diazepan etc. for the rest of her life and stopping was never ever discussed. That was over 30 years. If she wasn't at work, she slept. That makes me mad.

reply to post by imightbe


thanks for sharing your first post on my thread btw. Im 26, i have had serious relationship problems as well, lost a person to suicide that was close to me, had a bad child hood, drug problems ect ect. I don't want to say this and make people think, ''aww poor you'', cause i know people have had it alot worse than I, but perhaps its part of the overall problem.

i did speak with a mental health profesional but i just couldnt fully open up about everything, and perhaps i do need to do that. I will see my GP in 3 weeks so i will ask about it. Maybe getting this out will help.

also i need to change my life style and other areas of my life too, one step at a time, but hopefully the meds give me a boost. Day one is over as i started the meds today, just got to wait and see how it goes

Originally posted by nuttin4U
I got 2 extreme T and C violations, and one "off topic" notice; and a notice. REALLY? hahhahaha And we expect CHANGE..when we can't even speak the truth, about one of the biggest conspiracies EVER? Oh yeah, but we can talk about prescription drugs, with no censorship....and those same prescription drugs, that we're allowed to promote and talk about; actually kill over 200,000 Americans, yearly. Really?

Oh, stupid me...i forgot...1 is "legal" and the other is not. Riiiiiiiiiight....now i get it! Ok, this ain't about DENYING IGNORANCE. It's about keeping people that way.

Yeah, keep poppin' those pills.....that's the ANSWER for EVERYTHING!

Pfft!

i know, but as i said, your method of help actually makes me worse anyhow

reply to post by XXXN3O


thanks, and i will watch that video when i have the time. I really do understand that diet and exercise will definately help, sometimes just getting out of bed is a struggle for me though, a good kick up the butt is in order for me to get that ball rolling at least

Originally posted by thedarktower
reply to post by imightbe

 

thanks for sharing your first post on my thread btw. Im 26, i have had serious relationship problems as well, lost a person to suicide that was close to me, had a bad child hood, drug problems ect ect. I don't want to say this and make people think, ''aww poor you'', cause i know people have had it alot worse than I, but perhaps its part of the overall problem.

i did speak with a mental health profesional but i just couldnt fully open up about everything, and perhaps i do need to do that. I will see my GP in 3 weeks so i will ask about it. Maybe getting this out will help.

also i need to change my life style and other areas of my life too, one step at a time, but hopefully the meds give me a boost. Day one is over as i started the meds today, just got to wait and see how it goes

We're all rooting for you here! Best of luck

If you feel you need to chat just come on here and talk rubbish with us lot It's a lot easier to tell things to strangers than people you know.

But you really are never alone, even if you don't know them, there are people out there that do care.

Someone mentioned music though, do you play an instrument? If not stick some headphones one and belt out some good tunes... I always use music as therapy now and tailor my music to my moods.. sometimes it's depressive stuff like The Smiths (put it actually improves my moods) or aggressive stuff like Chimaira or even happy stuff, spiritual stuff like Scared Spirit... use music to channel your emotions

Works a treat for me.

Originally posted by thedarktower
reply to post by XXXN3O

 

thanks, and i will watch that video when i have the time. I really do understand that diet and exercise will definately help, sometimes just getting out of bed is a struggle for me though, a good kick up the butt is in order for me to get that ball rolling at least

I know what you mean, but accept that you will have bad days and roll with them Don't beat yourself up about it, if you real feel you can't get out of bed and face the world, stay there

If you can't get out to exercise, how about trying the Wii Fit games or running up and down stairs a couple of times?

Originally posted by Jools


yep, i know there are many areas i need to look at, one of them is definately my diet. I do not eat regular, or eat the correct balance of healthy foods i should. Though sometimes i feel so low i just wont eat or snack instead of eating a good healthy meal. I know i need a kick up the arse to be honest with my eating and exercise, but hopefully one step at a time i can get into that way of living. Thanks for the advice

My reply to dark tower

The diet thing is a true symptom of depression....I would say take the tablets to get your life back...I have been on Cipralex for a long time...thats encitalopram. I started off on 20mgs and have cut down to 10mgs a day and feel very well. It will take 3-6 weeks to kick in...But if you have any dark thoughts you must go back to your Dr and get them changed. My father was naturally serotonin deficient so I have a clinical/medical reason for taking it but 10 mgs is all I need to fulfill my happy life...Panic attacks aren't dangerous but can play havoc with your blood pressure and nerves and who wants to carry on like that not enjoying life?...I am sure I'll get slated on here because of the people who don't agree and think its a quick fix...But they don't have the problem...and you want to enjoy life...and feel normal again ...right?.......

you said it, i do want to enjoy a noormal life, and if the meds do give me that spark to get me there then good. Btw i dont have any of the dark thoughts yet. Its the bloody panic attacks when im out in public that really get me, cause i can't stand still or talk and feel like im going to explode or something. I have had lots of literature on the subject and ways of naturally dealing with them through breathing and such, but it can be too overwhelming at times i just cant cope

reply to post by smyleegrl


thanks very much, that was a well put answer and very good advice, i have never tried meditating so i will look into that.

Originally posted by thedarktower
reply to post by XXXN3O

 

thanks, and i will watch that video when i have the time. I really do understand that diet and exercise will definately help, sometimes just getting out of bed is a struggle for me though, a good kick up the butt is in order for me to get that ball rolling at least

Keep in mind too that this is ATS, and you're going to find people on here who are opposed to all types of Western medicine no matter how effective and beneficial they are.

It's a conspiracy forum and paranoid people are rife.

The truth is that there's many doctors who are kind-hearted and do want to help their patients. It's not all one big pharmaceutical conspiracy.

I had the same reservations and paranoia as you before I took citalopram, and it worked wonders for me. That's not to say it will for you, rather that ATS has a lot of cuckoo members who oppose anything that's deemed "establishment"

If we are to talk about non-medicinal solutions, I would suggest -- and this is just me personally -- perhaps a look at meditation.

Meditation is practically endorsed by Western science now, and has been proven to work. Sam Harris is a prominent neuro-scientist(a legit one, not one of those made-up credential scientists you get on ATS) who practices and has wrote in detail about meditation. He's also part of the "Four horsemen" atheist group, so his endorsement is more significant for that.



Buddhism could help you, both the meditation and Buddhist views on attachment and happiness.

reply to post by thedarktower





Many panic attack sufferers as well as doctors recommend breathing in and out into

a paper bag.

Also google 'panic attacks and breathing' there is a lot of advice on there for coping

stratagies.




SORRY

I didn't qualify that the breathing into the paper bag bit it when you are having an attack! lol