This is more of a notice than a discussion, but some of you might wish to discuss it anyway. I feel it applies to many people I know, including some people on this forum. I found it interesting to say the least. The premise: Anti-depressants are not in any way helpful to the depressed, and are actually harmful in its place. I got this from a friend of mine. Based on this source: http://www.psycheducation.org/bipolar/AntidepressantWithdrawal.htm Looking deeper into the issue, my friend also said this: Have you used these anti-depressants, or would you use them if you were told to? What do you think of them? Do you think that he is right about them? Why or why not? Discuss.
I never believed in using them. If ever depressed, I find it best to occupy my mind with something. With anti-depressant commercials, I kind of laugh at the very idea of showing a person who says "They've never felt better thanks to [Insert Drug Name Here]" and how great their life is thanks to them. While in the background voiceover, they subtly list the dangerous risks; "Warning, may cause increased blood pressure, dry mouth, upset stomach, drowsiness, dizziness, addiction, mild death, blindness, depression, massive heart attack, loss in sexual performance, and erectile disfunction. Call your Doctor to see if [Insert Drug Name Here] is right for you."
I don't believe anti-depressants. I've always thought it was a psychological thing, the medicine. You get into that mindset that it helps you, while it actually doesn't - only makes it worse. I know this; my mother took anti-depressants a little while after I was born, but then, all she would talk about was killing herself. They're silly, mental things like depression. Easily something that can be gotten over of you try hard enough.
That is not always the case; it can be quite hard for people who genuinely have chemical imbalances. It is always possible to fight it, but it is hard to fight your body on the matter when it does not want to feel free. I still feel that anti-depressants are counter-productive, however. About those ads, see if Abilify could help you on top of your anti-depressants. They have gone a step further and listed death as a side effect, and this is something to put on top of your anti-depressants rather than an anti-depressant itself. Please.
People have suggested them to me but I always refuse to touch them (I tend to get depressed during the winter months if I can't get outside). I've known people who have been subscribed anti-depressants and the results vary between them. It works for some but has a negative effect on the rest. I find the best anti-depressant is exercise, good eating and keeping yourself busy/active. I think anti-depressants are a waste of time and money and does nothing but lift the depression slightly without actually fixing the cause. I understand depression is caused by numerous factors but more than often its caused by a lack of care and proper nourishment for your body.
I'm assuming this only applies to SSRIs since it was the only one mentioned. While SSRIs are the most prescribed antidepressants, let it be known that there are other types of antidepressants out there such as MAOIs, TCA, TeCAs, and SNRIs. My knowledge of them is minimal but I'm just putting it out there for now. The source linked in the first post only applies to a specific group of antidepressants, not all of them. From what I've read of SSRIs, they're kind of a mixed bag. This study shows that the magnitude of benefit of antidepressants compared with the placebo are very minimal or non-existent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms. But with patients with very severe depression, the benefit of medications over placebo is substantial. So it isn't that they don't work, it's that their effects depend on the severity of your condition. And as for the cases where the symptoms were only mild(maybe moderate as well although that might be taking a risk), I believe an alternative method could be used instead of antidepressants. As for my personal opinion on antidepressants, I'm sort of neutral on the subject. Both my mom and stepdad use them and they seem to work just fine for them. Comparing how my mom was before she took them and then after she started taking them and taking therapy, I can see that a difference was made. If I were given the choice though, I would prefer not to take them. I don't really like the idea of using drugs to alleviate my mood and I would prefer therapy sessions much more. Taking antidepressants has always seemed like the easy way out for me. You take them and you feel good to go on with your day and you keep taking them so you have some semblance of normal. But I would much rather prefer to take therapy to help me figure out what's really causing me to feel the way I am and what I can do to resolve the problem. I'd much rather have the weight off my back instead of just making the weight lighter.
I figured that it was specific to that type. However, the withdrawal is a major part of the trouble here. Do you have anything to counter the argument for months-long withdrawal period for those who take these anti-depressants?
Have we gotten so used to opposing each other that I have to counter everything you say now? I was just throwing my two cents into the discussion. I'll just add though that the study shown in the first article only applies to those who used antidepressants to prevent catalepsy. Whether or not people who use antidepressants to prevent or alleviate something else experience something similar in effect during withdrawal is an open question and should be researched. Let it also be known that withdrawal symptoms are very common in most drugs and tapering off them as slowly and gradually as possible is recommended by most doctors so symptoms like this don't appear. Quitting cold turkey usually leads to relapse. Breaking free of a dependence on a drug isn't as easy as people think it is and can very much be a lengthy process and for certain substances, it might even take months and require medical supervision.
Bleh,anti-depressants. I tried many different ones,and none worked,supposedly due to my freakishly fast metabolism or something. But in all honesty,they just made me feel worse than I had before. Some of them would put me to sleep for fourteen plus hours,others would take away all my motivation to do anything at all. It was when I made the decision,myself,to get off them (and not actually tell anyone,hid the pills etc) that I started feeling better,more at ease and less,uhm,my old self. So I suppose I do not believe in them,due to my own bad experience. That may be just me however,as a few other people I know have really benefitted from taking them,so meh.
