Umm...Will I ever not get depressed?

Question

O.k so I've been taking antidepressants since May, and I'm feeling much better. I'm making friends, I laugh all the time, I just generally feel good. So if I ever get off the meds will I just go back to being depressed? I hate feeling like I depend on a pill to make me happy, my life was really bad before because i missed my friends after I moved alot AND at the saem time my parents were going through what a professional physcologist said "Was definetly the worst case" he ever saw. Now my life is alot better becuase things have settled down with my parents, and I've made new friends, But will I ever really get better?

Answer 1

I'm glad you're feeling better! :)

Lots of people get worried about that. But it all depends on what your experience with depression has been. Some people experience a depressive episode only once in their lives, usually around a huge upheaval like you experienced and then they're fine after they get off the meds. For others its a chronic illness and a practically permanent chemical imbalance.

I myself am more of the chronic illness type. It sounds like you had a rough time in your life, naturally got depressed about it, and did what you had to do to get out of the episode. Since it sounds like you haven't had lots of depressive episodes in your life I'm guessing that it would be unlikely for you to relapse.

But remember, that's only a guess. You really need to talk to your therapist or psychiatrist about this since they know you much better than any of us here on Y!A.

Answer 2

I lived a really scary life for a while because I was so depressed and I was incredibly unhappy. I started taking antidepressants and I started feeling happy again, something I hadn't felt in a long time. It was great and after 6 months I decided to try my life without it and it's fine. All I relaly needed was to teach my body again how to produce serotonin and how to make myself feel happy by myself without drugs. You may be like me, but don't be ashamed if you need antidepressants, they are a great invention and literally and medical miracle. More than 1/2 the population has taken or does take antidepresssants because of the everyday stresses of life. After a while see if you could go without the medicine for a while and if you can great. I'll probably need medicine again some day just to help my body balance again and there is nothing wrong with that. If just makes me who I am and depression will always be a part of me.

Answer 3

I think that it is possible that you'll be able to come off your medication at some point and live a normal life without depression. It seems that in your situation, your depression stemmed from a lot of bad situations that are now improving and you yourself notice that you are feeling a lot better and happier than you were when everything was going on. I'd definitely talk to your doctor about what he thinks as he's your doctor and he knows your case and knows more about your diagnosis and your potential prognosis.

It's really important that your doctor is involved in a change like stopping your medication. Often with anti depressants, it can be very dangerous just to stop taking them cold turkey, you have to ease off them a little at a time so your body can safely adjust itself. Also, there's a good chance that when you are going off your medication that you might feel pretty down and depressed as your body is so used to having those chemicals controlling your moods but once you adjust to being medication free you'll feel better.

But remember, it's very very important to talk to your doctor and keep him involved before you do anything like this as it's a huge step and you really need a professional opinion from your doctor who knows you.

Answer 4

Yes, as you know. I've been chronically depressed since I was 12 and have truly wanted to die more times than I care to admit. I strode through life like a somnolent automaton, nearly devoid of any ambition or positive emotion. I thankfully have a few things and a few people which can shed some light into the pall of my despondency. I finally was able to stop cutting myself last month, and I've been trying to see things in a more splendid light than I always have. Despite the misery which still plagues me, I truly am thankful and feel blessed for the people in my life that I love, that give me a reason to live and keep me from sinking into a nadir.

Answer 5

I honestly don't think that doctors really help with depression, as for the drugs.... I think definitely a no-no. Do YOU know why you're depressed. You need to look into yourself and be honest with yourself regardless of how bad it may seem to you or anyone else. You do not want to be on constant meds. Take care and good luck.

Remember .... no one can make you happy but you... no friends, money, man, family...... you have to love yourself and believe in yourself because you are most definitely worth it.

Answer 6

sometimes depression goes away on its own and they dont know why..theres so much that is unknown about the brain and depression, i took medicine for a while off and on but don't need it anymore--so yes, it can go away. medication only helps so much, you have to take the time out to really figure out why your suffering from it, lots of things can cause and affect your mood that you may not even realize.diet, sleep, alcohol consumption, the people you are around.

Answer 7

Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain usually a lack of seratonin or and inability to get seratonin into the cells. (reuptake)
You wouldn't go off insulin if you were diabetic, would you? Depression is not a lack of willpower any more than diabetes is.

Answer 8

Nope.
I think that you will soon get a habit to be happy!!!

Answer 9

no