are antidepressants safe to take??

Question

yesterday i was diagnosed with depression and put on medication i am only 21 and dont want to spend my life on tablets. i do feel really low at the moment so have started taking them but ive heard of people who can never get off them. is this true???

im taking fluoxetine 20mg / day is anyone else on this??are they any good??

Answer 1

I understand how you feel; which is similar to how I felt at first.

Look at it this way; if you were suffering from a physical condition, where you needed to take certain medication every day for the rest of your life or you would die, would you have a problem taking meds for that? Probably not.

Psychological pain is real and can cause ireperable damage. It should be treated in a manner which ultimately improves your quality of life - whether it be via medication, psychotherapy or both.

If I told you that your depression would eventually kill you, if you stopped taking meds one day; would you think about not taking them?

If taken properly, under a Dr's supervision; antidepressants can do some great things for you. It's important to understand that there is a natural fear of taking any mind altering drugs, but it's obvious that your Dr feel the benefits of taking the drug against not taking it are substantially greater.

Trust your Dr; educate yourself on how your brain works, your diagnosis, how medication works and speak to others who are in a similar situation. If you do all this, you'll be able to defeat the depression in a very healthy and constructive way and possibly help others too.

You can find all you need to know about antidpressanta at the following page.

http://www.crazymeds.org/antidepressants.html

Answer 2

I have been off and on antidepressants for part of my life. I don't have a hard and fast answer for you, but I can give you some advice.

1. Ask your doctor what the half-life of your medication is and what complications there may be if you stop taking them or miss a dose. There are some anti-depressants (Effexor is the one I had a REALLY bad time with) that cause very bad withdrawal symptoms, even if you take a dose a few hours late. From experience, I think it's a good idea to know how you are going to get off a medication BEFORE you start taking it. It can be difficult and even cause lost work days to stop taking some of these meds. You also need to know how long you can go if you miss a dose before you feel sick. BE INFORMED!

2. Consider that you may need your brain chemistry altered to get through a hard time or a depressive period, but this is not a lifetime diagnosis. No, you do NOT have to take them for the rest of your life! Do make sure that you get help getting off meds though...you will likely need to taper off most medications.

3. Don't be ashsamed at relying on medication if you find they really help. Lots of people fit the criteria for clinical depression at some point in their lives. Taking advantage of medication to help you through this period is NOT a weakness...it's actually pretty smart and resourceful.

4. Question your doctors. If you're unahppy with your diagnosis, see another doctor. Do research on other possible help for depression. Suggest alternatives. Take an active role in your own health!

Good luck! No, depression is not a life sentence. In all likelihood, you will be fine and not have too many problems with medication. Just keep your chin up and remember that you deserve to be happy!

Answer 3

I am 24 and was diagnosed as depressed when I was in 7th grade. My parents didn't want me on medication but after a few years in high school I got worse and I started to take medicine. It wasn't until a year ago that I stopped. Depression is something I have struggled with for most of my life and in my opinion what it all boils down to is balance and control. I recommend taking anti-depressants for people who are at a point where they don't have the time to try and really figure out where the depression is coming from. I took pills for 6 years because I was in college and was trying to make it through--the pills helped a lot. An important word of advice I can offer is don't let your doctor put you on a pill because "it's the newest thing." You want to be on something that isn't going to make you feel anything different, except happier. I noticed a lot of positive results from taking my medicine, but I went through several different kinds before I found one that really worked well for me. It's kind of like birth control, the same pill doesn't work for everyone. I hated paxil and liked zoloft. Like I said, it's all about balance. After I got out of college I started to really do a self-evaluation. Being manic-depressive/bi-polar has always been hard, many of my doctors think it is actually genetic. Something else that also helped me stop taking pills was going to a psychologist once a week. Having someone who isn't going to judge you and will help you talk through your problems is really refreshing and helps tremendously. It's also private and confidential, which means you can talk about anything. The important thing is to understand what it all means and then try and take control. There are always going to be times where you feel like you can't control your emotions or feelings, but if you are on the same pills as I was, you can decide whether or not you need a little extra help that day, and pop your pill. There were some days where I didn't feel like I needed medication. You will learn what triggers your depression, the signs that you may be hitting a low--then you will learn how to avoid those situations and find things that really make you happy. I am living proof that you DO NOT HAVE TO BE ON PILLS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. The people who stay on them the rest of their life don't want to help themselves and want to take the easy way out, others are just too depressed to move on from it. I used to think I was one of those people. Unfortunately being depressed is not easy, but if you know in your heart that it isn't the real you and it's not who you want to be, then in time you will find the person you want to be and accept the parts of you that sometimes hold you back.

Answer 4

You wont get stuck on them forever. However what you must do is take them for a long enough period to enable them to work. Depression is caused by a chemical in the brain running low - the chemical being what allows you to 'feel happy'. What the tablets do is artificially restore the chemical until such time as your body can do it on its own. Its a bit complex to explain here. If you went to the doctor and he said you had low irin levels - you'd happily tke iron pills wouldnt you?? Well anti depressants are similar thing - like iron tablets for the mind so to speak. Dont expect miracles - they can take up to 4 weeks to kick in and you might have to be on them for a year or more. Please dont just stop taking them - honestly, the anti depressants now are not like the old fashioned ones. If you're worried speak to your GP about the tablets he has prescribed. I wish you all the best and hope you're back to your old self very soon xx

Answer 5

Some are hard to come off but you will be monitored the whole time you`re on them and when the time comes when you`re feeling better and thinking of coming off them it will be controlled , its like a weaning process , the dose will be cut gradually and even the tablet may have to be cut in half ... Dont worry though ,you will be fine , its the people who dont understand that make these remarks ...

Good luck ... I have been off and on anti-depressants for the last 12 yrs following the death of my dad ..

I am taking citalopram and its the best thing i could have done ....

There is an anti depressant called Seroxat and it is awful , try and avoid that one !

Answer 6

Please listen... please take your medication as your doctor ordered. Anidepressants are not addictive.

I'll tell you about my experiences. My parents and two brothers would really benefit from taking some. But I am the only family member that is smart/brave enough to say I need help. I have been taking them for 9 years. The meds just take the edge off of stress, frustration, help boost morale and self confidence. Also, I do not want to ever hurt my children. I feel really good (but never drugged), just who I really am. But there has been a few times that I had worked with my doctor and decreased my dose and weaned of my med. I was off for a while. But eventually, I hit really low times again. I knew I had to start taking the meds right away. I am a person that have suicidal thoughts during deep down moments. That is really bad. We have two children and I would never want to ruin their life by doing such a stupid thing. So I know that I have to take it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is giving me my quality of life. I take Cymbalta 60 mg once daily. I started taking an antidepressant at age 24. I also was very concerned about "being to young to have to take medication every day. And would I need to take it the rest of my life.?" But what helped me the most was that my mother-in-law said to me, "God, also heals through the use of medications." It has been a blessing to me to have such a med. Without it, my life would be very limited. Take care of yourself.

Answer 7

If you have a good Doctor you wont be on your anti depressants long enough to become psychologically dependant.
Also your Doctor obviously feels that at this moment in time you will benefit from a course of antidepresents.
If you look at the packaging your medication came in it often lists any possible side effects of the drug.
I am sorry that you are depressed and I hope your medication helps in your recovery.
I would also try to think in the moment and not in terms of the rest of your life.
Get Well Soon

Answer 8

I have been taking them for about 4 weeks now. I haven't suffered any adverseside effects but I have to say I do not feel any better. the root cause of the depression is still there and I just can't stop feeling down.

However, the doctor advised me that they would take some time to kick in then I would be on them for 6 months. Hopefully I won't be on them forever.

Keep looking out for the happy days they are good!

Answer 9

there are some that can be addictive if taken for very long periods but not all. you dont have to spend your life on them. i had a few different ones over four years, one of them gave me really bad side effects but most of the others were ok. i haven't taken any for 5 years now and im fine. it depends what your on really. i mean i knew 2 other people who were taking the one that gave me bad side effects and they were fine on it. and the one that i found the best was no good for other people. also remember that its not an immediate fix, it could be a few weeks before they start working properly and you start to feel any better. try finding some information about the anti depressant you are taking and speak to your gp if your concerned in any way. fluoxetine i took for about 18 months and for me it was the best one, but one of my relatives who took it felt worse. it is different for everyone.

Answer 10

Do it for at least 6 months. If this is the first time you've been put on antdepressants, then your doctor has already scheduled a follow-up visit. I take Lexapro. I can tell the difference if I miss my meds. But you've got to do more than just take meds. You've got to choose to decide to get better. You've got to choose to think good thoughts. You've got to decide that life is indeed worth living, even though the road has potholes. Hitting a pothold DOES NOT mean you're stupid or a bad person. And don't try to do this alone. Find a support group in which you can be comfortable. YOU CAN DO THIS.