will I have to take an anti-depressant forever?

Question

I have been for 6 yrs. and I do wonder if life will ever be joyous again without it.

Answer 1

Some people find taking an antidepressant to be extremely helpful to control depression, and thus are on it for years or for life.

If you think your mood has stabilized and has remained so, or if you've come through a very upsetting situation during which you went on antidepressants and you wanted to try life without them now that the situation has been over for awhile, then DO NOT STOP taking them without talking to your doctor first. Antidepressants have to be stopped gradually and under the supervision of a doctor--the side effects can be VERY unpleasant if you just stop taking them cold-turkey on your own.

Answer 2

Ummm, the anti-depressants are not supposed to interfere with feelings of happiness and pleasure. If your medication seems to make you sort of "middle" emotionally, I'd discuss it with the doctor. And i hope that you do NOT use alcohol - it counters effects of the anti-depressants.

Treatment of depression has progressed a lot in the past 6 years. The chemical and emotional causes are much better understood than before.

You should have been under the care of a psychiatrist the WHOLE time you have been taking medications. Depression may have chemical sources, but it is not completely chemical. Even brain chemistry imbalances affect behavior - and interact with our emotional being.

Psychiatrists are NOT the "egg head" screwballs who want to know about your sexual fantasies and how your parents ruined your life when you were only 2 months old. While sex and familiy events figure strongly in our personalities, those are not everything. Psychiatrists understand much, much more today about human behavior and root issues - AND they are medical doctors specifically trained in the interactions of physciology and psychology.

If you have not been seeing a psychiatrist, then you SHOULD be. This is a medical action covered under insurance, not a therapy program.

Good luck, and don't give up. If you want a little additional insight, go check out an old book about depression in women named, "The Book of Hope."

Answer 3

Yes you can be if you believe it will happen. my parents took me to a psychologist when i was in high school and they gave me Zoloft. I took it only 3 months after that i refused to continue because i knew the root of my problem and i believed that with some time and a change of lifestyle that this would help me get better easier. I knew that i didn't ant to be depressed so i did my best to be positive and stay active. I don't like medicine and i believe only those at great risk should have them. so if you would like to know if you can be living with out the medication first believe that you are going to be ok and that you can be happy because you want to and because you want a good life. just tell your doctor to take you off them slowly first with lower dosage milligrams then once u get to the lower dosage go by taking them once a day, every other day then 1 time every week and so on. so you can do it. it may take long to reach this goal but I'm sure things will be better for you. Good luck coping.

Answer 4

well i take it that the meds must help you with what you admit to your self is depression also backed up by ( quote med facts) so there for what you call depression is in fact just an inability to cope with some things then more and more things get harder to cope with till you are convinced(back up by "med facts"} you have a disorder when in fact i believe its really just a loss of strenght built up more and more till you agree that an anti-depressant will help you so there for the pill becomes your crutch(once again all back up by "med facts") one reference i give you is a person with the same problem without diagnosis will self medicate their self with illegal drugs to cope with their problems which are only figment's of the mind that can be over powered with the will to want to overcome point being is this thing called depression is not an illness its just an easy reason to admit weakness not that you are weak but the ongoing rut of thinking you are weak and have an illness when in fact you can stop all of it anytime you are ready to admit hey the strenght is in me i just have to work hard to keep my mind on the right track some do use religion as a strenght to beat weakness but just don't let the world tell you that you have an illness and need a pill or drug of any kind

Answer 5

Some people have to stay on it long time, others can get off. I was able to get off. I had a hard time when I first got off it, but if you go off, the main thing is to remember to find all things in life that bring you joy. Anti-depressants are just a helper, not a cure.

Answer 6

I am supposed to take an anti-depressant. But I've learned that I can do well without it, as long as I can recognize the signs of depression, and resume taking it when needed.

My doctor and I have had long discussions about this, so I'd advise you do the same BEFORE you try self-medication.

Answer 7

No, I believe God can make you whole.

In the Beginning God created heavens and earth.
God gives you air to breathe and sunshine to enjoy.
God gives you water to drink and food to eat.
God gives you a wonderful body and sound mind, to live.
God loves you, and you are precious to Him.
Son of God died on the Cross to save us from condemnation.
Jesus’ love is boundless and everlasting.
We have the hope of Heaven through Jesus.
Life therefore has fantastic and glorious future!

Answer 8

It depends, but I was on anti-depressants and now I am off and I am perfectly fine. It depends on what you have.

Answer 9

Maybe it may be replaced with Saint-Johnswort? Why to intoxicate oneself? You do not need to smile all the time, sure?

Answer 10

I thought mental disorder is curable. You should be able to wean out the pills.