Are antidepressants the last step?

Question

Im so down and depressed mainly due to stress at work, ive heard terrible stories about feeling worse before you feel better and then how hard it is to get off the tablets and the awful side effects but i dont think i can go on without some help

Answer 1

Actually, suicide is the last step, but it's one that I don't advise. Exercise, sunlight and avoiding alcohol are great for depression. But, if you need antidepressants, you shouldn't feel bad about it. If you broke your arm, it would be natural to get a painkiller. Depression is physical pain and the antidepressants are analogous to painkillers in that way. There is a wide variety of antidepressants available. You may (or may not) have to go through some side effects to get one that works for you. It's not always hard to get off of them, either. Some people take them for a while, just to break the cycle of depression and don't need them anymore. Talk to your doctor about it. Remember, depression is contagious. If you are walking around miserable, the people around you will be miserable, too. You owe it to your loved ones to be well.

Answer 2

I'm not surprised you're stressed and upset - someone is feeding you a load of scare stories and they are not doing you any favours.
None of what you've heard is true. Anti-depressants are to tide you over a rough patch, they just even things out a bit. The downs don't feel so low. You can also get some form of counselling if you feel you need it.
Its not at all difficult to get off the tablets; you don't stop taking them for about 18 months, and only when things are feeling ok. Then you very gradually start to reduce the dose. You do this with your gp. You don't just stop taking them, that can make you feel odd.
But to really solve the problem you need to find some way to deal with the problem at work. Can you get support from a Human Resources department, or anywhere else?
Best of luck to you, for most of us this is temporary. In a few years time you'll look back on it as old news. Til then, grit your teeth and get through it as best you can, but you are not alone.

Answer 3

Have you tried counselling ask your doctor if he can refer you. There may be a waiting list. Have you any friends who you can go out with and let your hair down. You may forget your troubles for a short while. Ask at work if there is any counselling available to you if there is a union they may be able to help. Look for another job as no job is worth getting you down like this. Money is not everything it is better to be poor if you are happy. I would try not to take the tablets if you can manage that is why I suggest counselling. If you need somebody to talk to try your local church or the samaritans. In the short term ask your doctor to sign you off sick for a while to take the stress of the job away. Could you go part time would it help. I should have a look at other jobs to avois the stress in the first place. Good Luck and Best Wishes Take care

Answer 4

Anti depressants can be the first step on the road to recovery. However you must tackle the stress at work as well. All work places should have a stress in the workplace policy.If you work in the public sector you can ask for a referral to occupational health, if you are in a union contact your rep for advice. The samaritans provide a listening ear if you need to talk things through.
I was bullied at work and a short course of prozac enabled me to find the strength to change job. Its not addictive and apart from nausea and some weight loss it was fine.
Take care stress at work is horrible but remember it's only a job and there are plenty more out there.

Answer 5

Why are you so depressed? What is bothering you? answer these questions first so you can earn who you really are and how you can improve your life without poppin' those pills!

So once you figure out what is bothering you write down things you can do to make yourself better! List the things you like to do and things that make you less depressed (besides drinking & drugs)

After you have listed what makes you happy go to the next step the "fun" step, Say you like shopping and that was one of the things you listed. Plan a shopping trip to New York, if money is a bit of a problem for you what you can do is buy one of those gift cards that you put a certain amount of money on them, you can spend it anywhere, and than when they are finished you throw them out, Or take out $500 cash and spend.

If all this doesnt work go to the pills

Answer 6

Have to disagree strongly with cgo.

For me they were the first step on the road to recovery. Over the years I've got the dose down to one tab per day, sometimes one every second day, and sometimes I go several months with no tab. Addicted? My áss.

Side effects? During the high dose periods it's quite hard to access your emotions. But as you recover in other ways you can drop the dose and your emotions come back to you.

During the first two weeks I felt sick as a pregnant parrot. But that passed.

The pills do dampen the libido, to an extent that is annoying but not a matter for panic.

The pill I use is Fluoxetine, aka Prozac. Doesn't suit everyone. There are other pills that might suit you better. You have to be prepared to give any pill a proper go before you judge it. Takes quite a few days before anything remotely good happens. But it's worth it.

Answer 7

There is no reason why you should become dependant on anti-depressants they are not habit forming. What you should bear in mind is that they can only do so much, they can't change the things that made you feel depressed in the first place and unless you do something about the causes the medication will help you feel better, but when you try to come off them thing have not changed so you are likely to feel depressed again. It needs to be a multi pronged attack. Meds have a use, but they do not cure!!!

Answer 8

They are one of the fist steps to feeling better,see a doctor then a therapist,the antidepressants out here available now have fewer side effects and you can find one right for you do not suffer get help.

Answer 9

I use to think the same and believe me, it is only stories. I took the step of seeking professional help and the anti depressant are not giving me no side effects at all.

Answer 10

i think they should be a last resort however if you feel like there is nothing more that can be done than antidepressants really are good there are loads of them and like most tablets there is side effects. if one particular tablet does not work for you then go and try another one