do antidepressants actually help?

Question

every example i've seen has had horrible outcomes, getting addicted & having scary side effects trying to get off it & they're still depressed!

Answer 1

It depends entirely on one's diagnosis, etc. The severity of the chemical imbalance, which is what depression actual is, less educated and shall we say close minded STUPID people think it's akin to CRAZY.."OH that persons CRAZY" One has about as much control over their depression as someone who wakes up one day and decides they're going to "WISH" the earths ORBIT into a different alignment OR even closer to home,they're going to "WISH" away diarrhea. Depression can be treated and YES, antidepressants DO HELP in many instances, as stated in the aforementioned DEPENDING on what exactly the problem is. Someone with BIPOLAR disorder will most likely NOT respond to Antidepressants, Other newer antidepressants such as SEROTONIN RE-UPTAKE INHIBITORS, can cause INTENSE SUICIDAL ideation, these are very serious contraindications and the patient needs to be taken OFF these medications with the quickness.

More medications are available to treat depression than ever before. Some antidepressant classes have fallen out of favor, while others have risen in popularity. Currently, the most commonly prescribed antidepressants are drugs that have been developed since the mid-1980s. SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) lead the list in popularity. Some medications don’t fall into one class. They include bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), venlafaxine (Effexor), and duloxetine (Cymbalta).

Two older classes of antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), are still very useful — some people take them without being bothered by side effects — but on average their side effects have made them less appealing as a first-line treatment.

As stated in the aforementioned, many patients go without treatment because of the senseless stigma still attached to depression the same can be said of alcoholism,anorexia bulimia, bulimia nervosa, and all sorts of DISEASES..which is EXACTLY what they are..look at the word..DIS..EASE..they cause problems...however, many patients TOO run out of patience because it takes time to find the RIGHT combination of medications, which the ideal model would be a med that A. does NOT work in a symptomatic way..but treats the depression causematically..meaning the ACTUAL CAUSE, not the symptom...the symptomatic treatment is like putting a band-aide on a CUT...or a gauze on a grotesque type of skin disorder, IT DOESN'T get to the CAUSE of the disorder, ergo, the MOST important thing a patent can do is ONE..realize YES, of course antidepressants work, however, its NOT a quick fix, many of them take MONTHS or weeks to build up what is called a THERAPEUTIC levels in the blood stream. ALSO, sometimes it takes trial and error which often has patients thinking their doctor is an idiot,that is a VERY weird and dangerous way of looking at something because the physician is TRYING to FIND a solution to the problem not just screw someone up.l AND it's SO SO, SO important to STAY on the medication once its been established that it works, one may gain weight or lose their appetite altogether but the most important thing one can realize is, Depression is usually a TEMPORARY problem, it is treatable, and with therapy (a combination of medication AND sometimes 'talk" in a group of people who have the same aliment can be SO powerful. The therapeutic value of one person suffering from the same affliction as another is without parallel.

The people that are still depressed sounds like they[re NOT being open and honest with their doctor. Side affects can be devastating and that needs to be addressed YESTERDAY, as stated earlier in this diatribe (which is NO way meant to be a grandstand, etc. The best thing one can do is SEEK out help immediately, don't listen to people who are NOT doctors, FOR Every HORROR story you hear I can tell you TEN that are not its like listen to the jailhouse lawyers...FRIG EM..do what YOU have to do to get better and it may take some painful things..looking at issues one would rather forget, or keep forgetting, OR drink and drug away,or even worse. Although HUGE in the early 80's, but then thought to be sort of a bogus "diagnosis", repressed memories, inter alia, still can lead to a semblance of recovery and understanding. But for the most part, YES, anti-depressants WORK when one finds the RIGHT combination, etc. It may be an antidepressant and benzodiazepines (sedative/hypnotics medications that assist with relaxation such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (klonazepam), Valium (diazepam), but none the less, these combinations of medication must be monitored closely as should the patient for signs of overtaking, and addiction since the benzodiazepine class medications are VERY addictive,and have been deemed bythe FDA - and their just TOMES of unadulterated WISDOM..um...right.. as Schedule 2 meds, which are very closely monitored, although Alcohol is by FAR the most dangerous DRUG known to MAN and it's LEGAL.

However, the main things to remember.

YES, antipressents work..they just don't do it overnight. THeyre are NO STAR TREK wondercures.

ITS awfully easy for mentally imbalanced (which means usually a person who is depressed does NOT produce enough of an endrophine in the brain that makes most of us feel okay.

Along with many other things, you're USUALLY the last to knwo you're depressed, but in that knowlege is hope,

It's a matter of turint you doctor, but first finding a goood one YOU CAN talk to, ec etc.

It takes time, patience and a certain amount of WILL to wish to get better from depression, but if you do it and come out on the other side..you'll feel like 100 bucks! NO MERD!

Answer 2

They don't help if you don't get additional therapy to solve the problem. That's my opinion anyway. A few years ago I took anti depressants for about six months. I had become depressed after my father died after a struggle against cancer. The antidepressants made it possible for me to talk about everything I felt inside. Before the anti depressants I wasn't able to talk about everything I felt. I didn't really like taking antidepressants because they made me feel numb and not in contact with the rest of the world, but in the end they did help me to communicate about the things I felt and talking about those things is what made me feel better. About the side effects: At night I was sweating like a pig and sometimes I had to change my sheets two or three times a night. I also experienced diarrhea for six months. No fun at all.

Answer 3

Firstly, you can't get physically addicted to SSRI antidepressants as they are so long-acting. It may be more of a psychological addiction if anything (i.e. people use them as a crutch rather than finding alternative healthy coping strategies to deal with their mood changes).

I have also heard that people have a worsening of some symptoms and can get suicidal, but I have not had those experiences. If anything, the antidepressants that I have taken have helped me to concentrate at work, stop ruminating and have improved my ability to interact with people when I would normally want to lie in bed all day in the dark.

I also do therapy so the antidepressants are more of an adjunct treatment as opposed to something I rely on in isolation. I don't think you can count on them in the long-term to solve your problems.

I think you should consider seeing a psychiatrist who will do a complete assessment of you and will be able to suggest the most appropriate treatment whether that is medication, psychotherapy or cognitive-behaviour therapy etc. I wouldn't leave this to a GP. They aren't trained specifically in their use so if anything, that is where the misdiagnosis and over-prescribing of these medications can occur (in my opinion) and may be what is leading to these stories you are hearing about.

Answer 4

Yes!!! Wellbutin is a great one,and most people do not gain weight with wellbutrin.The reasoning behind not seeing results may be because a person also needs therapy.This can help a lot when you see a good therapist they help you see things,and think from a different point of view. Shop around if you or someone you know of ,did not find a great therapist the first time.

Just giving advice.

Answer 5

Yes, they do help. If it were not for antidepressants, I wouldn't be here.
I have never heard of anyone becoming "addicted" to them and yes, there can be some bad side effects, if you try to quit them, on your own. People, who need antidepressants, generally stay on them and function normally. The ones, who quit taking them or take them sporadically, are the ones who tend to run into trouble.
There are physical reasons to some types of depression. Mine, for instance is caused by lack of serotonin. The antidepressants raise the serotonin and I function normally. Without them, I would have beed dead years ago.

Answer 6

I think antidepressants make the problem worse in the long run. It is better to get to the root of the problem than to mask it with pills. Even chemical depression can be combated with changes in diet and lifestyle.

Answer 7

I believe I would have committed suicide when my grown son died if it weren't for Zoloft. I had a wonderful therapist and she suggested them. I, too, was worried about side effects but I have had absolutely no problems. However, part of my problem is also due to my lack of serotonin, so I will probably need to take them for a long time. It is certainly worthwhile to try them, but you may have to try different prescriptions to find what works best for you.

Answer 8

They have helped me. You need to use them along with counseling. You do not necessarily magically get cured. Sometimes there is variance and you may need to be on these medications for a long time, possibly the rest of your life. Any medication you take for an extended period of time should not be stopped without the advice of a physician.

Answer 9

i'm not sure what to say; every person's different. i took zoloft for two days and had some sort of a panic attack and stopped, because i hadn't had one in quite a while before taking it.. it's different for everyone.the psychiatrist in question should really know what they're talking about before prescribing one or another such medicine

Answer 10

For some people ..Not for me