Anti-Depressants

[DanaC]

I think the important thing to bear in mind here, is that everybody is different. Depression is a highly individual experience and needs dealing with accodingly.

From what anon says, this has not been a swift jump to medication, but rather something arrived at after years of trying other things.

I've had bad experiences of anti-depressants, but I wasn't very good at taking them as prescribed. I have a similar orientation to prescription drugs as a solution to some here. I'm afraid I am very much like the diabetic UT imagines. I have a chronic condition (actually two) but when I am unwell (as I currently am) it can be months before i actually go and see my doctor. I resent the routines and management involved and often fall off the programme.

Keep an eye on how you're doing with the medication, Anon, and you'll likely find they stop making you drowsy or leaving you muggy in the mornings after a few weeks. UT's right about it being a bit of a trial and error routine finding the right dosage etc; but the other advice regarding diet and exericise is really important as well. Like UT, I have had depression on and off thourghout my life, regardless of weight, general happiness, success or otherwise and I have found that diet plays a part in that. That may just be because at the point I start eating well, it usually represents me going back into an upswing and 'taking control'.

Please don't view taking anti-depressants as some kind of personal defeat. They are over-prescribed it is true, but that doesn't mean they aren't sometimes the most appropriate way to deal with what is a very debilitating condition. It's not a matter of 'character', or will-power. It's not a sign of weakness or dependency. It is medication for a medical condition. If you've tried everything else, and are not labouring under unhappy or desperate conditions, which might otherwise explain how you feel, then it's very possible you are one of that minority of people for whom these drugs are prescribed, that actually needs them.

Usually a fair indicator is how successful the treatment is. UT to me sounds like someone for whom the drugs were appropriate and necessary. Most aren't, but that still leaves a fuck of a lot of people who are.

Good luck with it, Anon. Keep popping back in to let us know how you are getting on. Remember that you still have absolute control and are not sliding into something you can't handle. It's just medication, if you aren't happy with it you can always choose not to continue (though I'd advise with the Doctor's involvement). If you try it for a few months you may find that it helps.