what's wrong with anti-depressants?

Question

i am currently on anti-depressants due to OCD and i've read so many posts attacking them.what's the big deal with them?

Answer 1

They are over-prescribed. Especially for teenagers who would probably benefit more from therapy. It's all about the money these days.
Everyone reacts differently to these meds and they really aren't keeping a close enough watch on the people taking them. For some people they are great, but for a lot of others, they can have very serious side effects, including an increased risk of suicide.
Most of these meds haven't even been around long enough for them to know what the really long-term effects might be. I think they should be more of a last resort.

Answer 2

Hello,

The problem with anti depressant drugs is that no.1) they dont deal with the underlying or root causes of the depression IMO. no.2) its a well known and well recognised fact that some anti depressant drugs can be rather habit forming no.3) If someone on anti depressants gets into a habit then thats another problem which ontop of the depression isnt very helpful at all. At best anti depressants shouldnt be taken for the long term unless there is no other viable option.

**Therapy or counselling is preferable than drugs.

**Anti depressants can actually get in the way of the therapy or counselling as they can mask the real feelings.

**The use of anti depressants is still contravertial due to the risk of habit formation & drug dependancy.

IR

Answer 3

I took SSRI antidepressants for five years and coming off them was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
Some of the side effects can be unpleasant. I gained about 40 pounds in weight over the duration of taking this medication and It was practically impossible to lose. My doctor actually admitted after all that time that it was most likely the cause. I came off the pills five months ago and have already lost thirty pounds. I don't think I'm alone in my experience of this.
I guess it might be more of a necessity if you have a problem with OCD so maybe the gains from taking the medication outweighs the problems caused. Everyone reacts differently.

Answer 4

Hi, I don't know what OCD is but anti depressants just mask the problems instead of sorting them out.

They cost the health care trust a lot of money and can be addictive.

If you are able to make small changes to your life each day, then that is a good way to go on.

I would start by taking a 20 minute walk if you can (or jog) each morning, set your alarm and use a planned route, time yourself and keep a note of your times and try to improve them. This will give you a personal target and an appetite.

After this try to eat a really good breakfast, wholemeal bread, Milk, slices of apple and banana on cereal or orange juice and nuts.

Take a bath each evening before bed and try to relax, use the time to float your limbs in the water and chill out, this might help you sleep.

Go to bed early and keep to a routine of getting up at a set time in the mornings.

All these things can help you feel better.

Good luck.

Answer 5

I have to say that antidepressant do have a place and a very valid place for those who have mental health issues.

It is important from the start of the treament that your progress on your medication is monitored by your own GP or referred doctor. It maybe that a particular medication may not suit you and unless you are monitored your doctor is not to know that.


I was on an SSRI Venlafaxine for 3 years and I nearly contemplated suicide I can tell you as this medication did not suit me one little bit. Had I not been monitored when I ws on it I would have suffered even more. Eventually I asked to be taken off of the Venlafaxine and was prescribed another tablet Setraline. The difference was unbelievable but coming off of the venlafaxine was a total nightmare.

Five years later and 40 pounds heavier (setraline known for piling on the pounds) I have eventually with the help of my doctor weaned myself off of the setraline.

Now I know even though the venlafaxine was not for me I would not have survived the Post traumatic syndrome if it had not been for the medication. And I will always be eternally gratefull that the tablets gave me the time to get my life back together. With the support of my GP and husband.

I would sit for hours on end trawling through forums on depression and wirhdrawal from drugs and found that mental health has many facets and most of these facets are as complex
as the word mental itself.

And whilst there is still a lot of ignorance about mental health issues unless we come out of the closet and talk about what in the main is a disabilitating health problem the stigma attached to mental health issues will always remain so.

So what is wrong with anti depressants many things but it up to the individual who is able to ask questions about their medication. And not accept what may not be the right medication for you. Always question and ask.....make yourself a thorough nuisance. However, you must appreciate that your doctor is trying to help and support as best he or she can. And that there comes a time when you have to trust your GP one hundred percent until you are able to take control of your own life once again.

All the best and do not put too much store on the negative side of things be positive and forward thinking. Now I feel that a fog has lifted from my head but I also know that what I needed was time supposrt and good medication.

Answer 6

Maybe because some people think that you should be able to cope without them. For some people, its a matter of principle, they would rather not take them. There is nothing wrong with them, I have just come off them, as I was having a really hard time, and things are better now, and I can cope again. Don't worry about it, if people attack it, as long as you don't abuse them, like every type of medication, they are ok. At the end of the day, its up to you and your Doctor, and if he/she thinks its best for you, then that is a professional opinion, and you should you go with that. Doctors didn't go to Med School for nothing, eh? Good Luck, anyhoo.

Answer 7

Unfortunately mental health issues are not as well understood as some other medical problems. Additionally, some of the old stigmata and prejudices persist. One of the other posters said something like "drugs just mask the problem, don't get to the root cause." This betrays an ongoing ignorance about serious mental illness in the general populace. Serious mental illness like OCD, are genetic and biochemical in origin. Environment does interact with these disorders (as environment does with all illnesses). But the environment is not the cause. You don't have OCD because your mother didn't breast feed you, or you father left you when you were 2.

Answer 8

I think it your decision. I do believe drugs today are too readily prescribed to fix the problem. Many times we not cure the problem, just make it feel good. It like Alcohol or another drug. Heck, if I have an Anxiety attack, I just drink some beers and I good to go. We live in a Drug oriented society, funny how some look down on Marijuana (Which I not smoke) yet drugs advertised on TV have far more side affects.

Answer 9

I haven't really made up my mind. I know some who have been helped by drugs, and some who haven't. And some who have dealt with things without drugs.
Just depends on the illness I suppose.
A lot of people (religious people) against it say that the problems we face psychologically (or even physically) are of the opinion that it is caused by demons, etc.
Others believe that all psychological illnesses (some say all illnesses) are really manifestations/symptoms of spiritual problems and drugs prevent correct diagnosis of these problems.
The idea is that once you accept taking drugs, you lose a certain amount of control over your mind/body. They believe these things are correctable with certain treatments, so they say taking drugs takes responsibility off of you for correcting your condition yourself. Basically, it's a crutch.
I do believe though that there are actual physical causes of some conditions that are best dolved by use of drugs. Not sure how prevalent it should be in our society though. Maybe they are overused, maybe not.

Answer 10

Your condition should be reviewed by your doctor after one month and each month thereafter. You can for a dependepncy upon theese drugs and the more you take the more you have to take. like most othr drugs - in time you have to take more and more of the drug to get the same effect. try the CONNECTS website and tackle the root cause of the depression Try improving your domestic and social conditions and try - say going to swim every other day.
J.P. Dublin.