Can antidepressants be helpful?

Question

I was on some a few years ago, and I feel maybe wrongly that they casued me more problems, for the last 3 years I have tried counselling and it seems my depression is getting worse. I want to know if depression is biological, or in the head so to speak, if it is biological then maybe I need a chemical to redress the balance

Answer 1

I'm studying psychology, and I never quite understood depression until I was hit with an episode so severe that I couldn't handle it myself. I'm a big believer in talk therapy, and and different kinds of therapy work best with different kind of disorders/problems. For me, anti-depressents have worked in the past, and I am currently starting them again. If you feel yours weren't working, you might need to on a different kind. Personally, I've seen the studies and I'm a pretty big believer that's a neuro-chemical imbalance that can be exacerbated by environmental causes.

Answer 2

Depression is a BIG subject.

:-O

And no- you are NEVER wrong if you feel something about something affecting YOU!

If you feel that you are not better off for having taken them then, please, do not let anyone lecture you otherwise. The best person to know is YOU. Trust yourself always- because no one has your best interests at heart in quite the same way, whatever you are paying them!

Depression can be quite successfully treated with anti-depressants. Best when they are used to kick-start a natural (if eventual) recovery...

There are those who suffer from depression, go to the doctor and get prescribed something and walk away from that phase in their lives a few months later and are "cured".

But as you have experienced some do not.

The problem is that anti-depressants are "fighting" an effect and NOT the cause.

Your problem is not that you ARE depressed but that you have something going on in your life which is MAKING you depressed.

Do you see the difference?

It is like eating something which gives you a tummy ache and then taking a painkiller to deal with the tummy ache. Instead of NOT eating that food which gave you the tummy ache in the first place!

Is depression biological or is it in the head?

There is no hard and fast answer. It depends on WHY you are depressed.

If you are depressed because you have an underactive thryoid and feel drained as a result then your depression is biological (physically based).

If you are depressed because you lost a loved one then you might say it was a state of mind (though never underestimate the power of the mind by saying it is "all in the mind" If some scientific research is to be believed then the mind can cure cancer by positive thought! More a case of ALL in the mind where the all becomes the operative word!).

In order to cure yourself (yep- the cure is in your hands. The professionals you have seen can only do so much and only if YOU wish them to!) you need to start at the top:

1. Figure out WHY you are depressed. This is the very biggest challenge and three quarters of the battle you will fight. Trust me. Erm- trust yourself! :-)

Look at your life- are you stressed? Stress is the SINGLE biggest problem in (Western) society today. It is the cause of almost every single condition affecting the human mind and/or body where it is not obvious what is the matter.

No matter what age you are or what you do in life you will experience stresses. This is a sign of our times I am afraid, and there is no "cure" for stress existing.

While you cannot stop environmental conditions (outward things as opposed to things coming from within you are considered "environmental- things you do not "control") stressing you you can address HOW you deal with stresses.

This, if stress is where it is at, the beginning of part 2:

2. Once identified (and stress is probably the most likely cause of your depression but NOT the only one- you may find that you are hypo-thyrodic or need to change your lifestyle to a more pro-active (where you act from within to affect stuff happening) the cause can be addressed.

If it is biological (like you have some allergy to certain substances, have an underactive thyroid, heart problems etc etc) then yep- something to address these problems will be advantageous. Once you deal with the cause(s) and treat them the rest can follow with a bit of work.

If it is NOT something tangible or "physical" and it is environmentally caused then you need to address those. Anyway.

What does this mean so far?

It means that if you deal with the CAUSE of your depression, you are, in effect, dealing with your depression.

Curing depression is a long-term plan.

Do not be hard on yourself! It can take years with small plateaux (periods of non-progress) reached all the time when you feel like you are going backwards. Slow down and be religious about your method for recovery. Give yourself encouragement and repeat to yourself that you ARE making progress, however little.

Is this discouraging?

No.

You would be surprised how many people suffer from depression.

Honest.

And some never even know that that is what the problem is. They can go through life not "being happy" and think it is NORMAL to be as they are. And they just put up.

:-)

YOU are lucky! You KNOW you are not feeling "you normal". And you can act on that and recover.

I wish you the very very best and hope that one day you will look back on this phase in your life and think "Wow... I learnt a lot during that time!"

:-)

Answer 3

MY QUESTION IS THIS:

One guy was failed in his school final examination!
He got a sudden psychological
set back/ depression.
And the doctor gives the anti-depressants tablets to him now!
So that, the Doctor and the patient believes that the tablet would travel in to the guy's brain & mind, and it will do all sort of consolation as to, the "failure is not permanent, he too can win", and so on and so forth it seems!!

ANTI DEPRESSANTS ARE MERE SEDATIVE TABLETS,
WHICH GIVES ONE
THE DEEP SLEEP
SO THAT,
FOR THE TIME BEING
HE WOULD NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO THINK ABOUT THE PAST PROBLEM'S & THE ROOT CAUSE, WHICH GIVES HIM THE PAIN!!

My opinion is,

TABLETS OF THESE SUCH CATEGORIES CAN BE USED FOR THE TIME-BEING AND SHALL BE STOPPED WITHIN FEW WEEKS!

AND THEN THE REAL COUNCELLING OR DEEP LEVEL HYPNOTIC INDUCTIONS SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED FOR PERMANENT CURE!!

But, for cognitive disorders how come the tangible medicine could work, I don't know still?

Yes, mind is intangible,
and there are so many fears, anxieties
and expectations-implanted,
are making trouble!

So, one get depressed!

Here,

OUR DOUBT IS,

how come the intangible (immaterial) mind
is reached by
some tangible(material) medicine,
which gives advice, consolation or cure
for the affected patient ?

(That too, there are millions of matrix in the brain, and where only the particular memory, and its pain were encrypted, we do not know. But the diluted tablet do all "007" James bond service and finds out the matrix and cures the same itseems!)

Oh! Great indeed!!
And is it True?

GOD ONLY KNOWS!!

Answer 4

At the risk of being treated like scum on this Yahoo service by others who will answer you're question, the best and finest, most effective and reliable source and organization on the face of planet earth for dealing with, conquering, overcoming and altering forever your particular depression and related issues, is Scientology. Period. Try this link. Read for yourself. Ask questions and I don't mean here on this Yahoo site either. Make an appointment to talk to someone personally. Find out what you need to know for yourself and make your own informed choice. Don't listen to people who are automatically and violently against it. That's probably the best sign that it really works and the last thing some people want is for you, or anyone else, to get better. They'll say and do ANYthing to suppress you.

http://www.scientology.org/

Answer 5

Clinical depression is a medical issue generally involving reduced serotonin activity in the neural synapses. There are some very effective drugs on the market, but they don't work for everybody. The newer SSRI drugs have fewer side affects than the older tri-cyclics. Not sure what you took before, but usually you'll notice the side effects within a day or two while it takes usually a week or two before you begin to feel relief. Most side-effects will go away within 3-6 weeks.

Answer 6

Yes, antidepressants CAN be helpful for some people. The challenge is getting people to follow the protocol for the medication they are on, i.e. not discontinuing it all-of-the-sudden, for example. That is where we run into issues. My recommendation is to have a psychiatrist diagnose whether medication is right for you, and which kind is the best. I know I would want someone more experienced than my family practicioner prescribing something to me that I could potentially be on for many years, or the rest of my life.

Answer 7

Depression can have many causes, some emotional, some biological and you should really speak to your doctor and therapist to find the best balanced plan for you.

Answer 8

Most of all you need to find the RIGHT chemical. It is common that people have to check out 7-8 antidepressants before they find the one that really helps their individual brain chemistry.
I would suggest that you find a psychiatrist - not a counsellor - who is specialized on SRRIs and who can help you from vast experience. All the best.

Answer 9

Sure they can help but remember a lot of Doctors play Psychiatrist you need the help of the latter. I don't have much faith in concealers in your case. Older people especially have chemical and hormone changes and need chemicals to help you over your problems.

Answer 10

Antidepressant drugs are useless. try and take your mind off the problems your having or go out to try and find a job just to keep your mind off things. your just thinking to much. l was like this at one time in my life but l got over lt.