Mum not keen for me to go on anti depressants, what should i do??

Question

i got severe depression and i getting panic attacks now and also not much sleep, confessed to me mum everything and she being supportive but she is a believer in natural health and is not making me feel good about going to the doctors? i feel doctors is needed but she making me doubt weather to go or not

Answer 1

Your mother's beliefs don't seem to be helping you, so a trip to the doctor is indicated. The medications they're giving now are actually quite gentle and they're low dosage. They won't change your personality or behavior, or the way you think about things, but they can lift the worst of the pain and blackness.

The problem is very likely that your mother has no idea what depression actually is like. Test: if she's ever told you to cheer up, or look on the bright side of things, then she doesn't understand and very likely never will. A lot of mental-health professionals are no better, I should add. In any case, you'll have to work around her.

Modern anti-depressants can get you back on your feet and make life thoroughly worth living. I wouldn't be afraid, and tell your mother I said so.

Answer 2

If your depression is severe, natural remedies are not going to do the job. That's like using a natural remedy to treat a heart attack or cancer. There are risks in using pills, but you have to weigh that risk against how severe your depression is. If you have moderate to severe depression, the risk of the pills is almost certainly worth it. And the pills' risks can be monitored to a large extent by having a close person keep an eye on you for behavior changes that aren't intended. You can increase the dosage slowly so if there will be a bad effect from that drug, you can figure it out before anything bad happens. A lot of the advice on here is really good. I think your mom doesn't know how bad it is.

Answer 3

If you think that you need anti deppressants, I think you should go ahead and take it. Natural supplements is good of course but it may take a long time before it starts working and prescription anti depressants starts working in just about 2 weeks and doctors are going to work closely with you to make sure it's the right kind for you. The ones they have now are not habit forming. some people stay on it for just couple of months. You have to make your mum understand that she is not in your position and she has no idea how you are feeling inside. Depression is something people should not have to live with. I hope you go to your doctor and start feeling good. Try to take walks or excercise or call and talk to your friends it really helps

Answer 4

I think you need to listen to what you feel that you really do need. That doesn't mean that you don't value your mom's advice or that natural health alternatives are not useful. There may be a time later when you feel ready to move in that direction, so I don't think you need to assume now that you are just throwing it out the window. After having spent many years in my teens and early twenties with fairly severe depression and anxiety I can very much sympathize with what you are facing. At the time I really did not want to have to go the route of a doctor or medication but there came a point when I said to myself, "No one should have to live this way." I got the help I needed to get myself stabilized. Looking back, I think it was very much the best decision. I say that in spite of the fact that there were times when I was uncomfortable because of side effects with the medications that I did not like. I also didn't like the feeling of being dependent on something to make me feel better. But it was what I need, a place to start. From there I was able to better help myself because I was in a better frame of mind. I was on and off of anti-depressants for about five years until I was ready to live without them. I have taken many other steps since then to overcome depression and anxiety and those have very much been the "natural route" so to speak... developing mindfulness and awareness through meditation kinds of practices, being diciplined in my lifestyle, food and sleeping habits. I tried acupuncture, yoga and qi gong and found them helpful. I also took up exercise and traveled to different parts of the world and did things I might not otherwise have done. Moving out of my old patterns that contributed to my illness was very hard work, but if you are determined you can do it. But for me, it was so helpful to have that boost in the beginning. My story would likely have been very different without it. I wish you the best. I would also add that trusting in yourself and learning how to comfortably make decisions for yourself is one very important step in managing depression. Make a choice for yourself and just know that all your mom wants for you is that you are happy, however you get there.

Answer 5

First, check out any class action lawsuits that might be pending on any medication before taking it. I know there is one for Paxil. My daughter took antidepressants as a teen and now that she is an adult she regrets ever going on them. They gave her crushing headaches at the time. She maintains that they caused permanent muscle tremor which she cannot control, and it messed with her brain. I believe her and if we could go back in time, we would do things differently. She says that the problems she was having at that time were pretty much the normal angst and agony of the teenage years and she wishes she would have handled it with healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and writing journals to help cope with the turmoil. Both Paxil and Zoloft were used on her.
Perhaps a better choice would be something to relax you that you take only as needed for panic attacks, like Xanax. Although I am sure it has its drawbacks, too.
It is a decision you and your mom will have to make, but I hope this helps.

Answer 6

Clinical depression is a serious thing. I hope your mom knows this. You absolutely need to get her to take you to the doctor. The doctor can discuss the treatment options that are best for you. Depression can be helped by a combination of many things - psychotherapy, meditation (like in yoga), exercise, anti-depressants, and many other things. Your mom needs to know that depression is largely biochemical, and often you need the medication to re-set your brain chemistry in order for the other things to be able to work. The dose not have to be high in order for the medication to work. And it does not change your personality or who you are, just let your brain work a bit better for you. Go to the doctor with your mom, so that the doctor can explain all of this to your mom. Natural health is great - but often it is the combination of natural things (meditation, exercise, talking therapy) and antidepressants that works the best to make you very healthy in the long run.

Hope this helps!


PS - If your mom thinks that herbal remedies are better...THEY ARE NOT. Herbal remedies are drugs too...and they are drugs that are unregulated & unproven. Better for you to take a proven, tried, regulated proper antidepressant.
Good luck.

Answer 7

I'm anti medicine too, but there are some disorders that you just can't cure with natural supplements. Panic attacks aren't going to go away with herbs and if they do, they weren't real panic attacks to begin with. I totally understand her concern, but the quality of your life really depends on being on the right meds.
I hope more information will put her mind at ease. Show her studies and get her informed. I bet she'll come around.

Answer 8

Listen if you really think that you need to go and see a doctor and see if you need therapy, and/or anti depessants, then you should really go and not let your mother worry you about what you are doing to help yourself. Sometimes it can be taken care of without med's and sometimes it can't. They really do not want to get you on pills if they do not have to, so you go and don't feel bad about it. You also rememeber that there are no magic pills or magic wand, and working out of depression will take hard work , not just medication.

Answer 9

Go see a doctor and get professional help, Mum is trying to protect you the best she know how but I feel that you need to seek professional help and guidence. Love your Mum, know she loves you too by being supportive but see the doctor.

Your doc may not even prescribe drugs but offer you alternative methods. You are in control of what you feel needs to be done to help but still ask for help from the doctor.. :)

Answer 10

I feel you should do what you feel is right for you and maybe try to explain that to your Mum.

You can always try it her way if you think the drugs are not suited to you.

Some people feel worse on anti depressants and others think there great. The only test is to see if they make you feel better, if they are not helping you can either go back to GP or try a more natural alternative.

Hope you feeling better real soon.

Have lots of feel good days.