Pro's and Con's of Anti-Depressants?

Question

Considering going on them......................

Answer 1

In my experience you dont consider been on them, When your Depressed you are lost and cant see clarity so your doctor takes that decision for you, They dont solve the real problem at all,If your considering them that tells me you are rational and thinking.Try dealing with your problems without them,believe me there are no rainbows at the end of the tablet tunnel,Im still in it I know !!!

Answer 2

Like any medication, there are side effects, but that does not mean you will experience any of them. They have to list a bunch of crazy stuff so that in case you do get a bad reaction, you can't say that they did not tell you so and then go and sue them. If your doctor prescribed you anti-depressants, you should take them. Just make sure that the doctor starts you off at the lowest dosage possible (5-10mg). Medications for the brain work VERY differently that lets say a medication that cures an upset stomach. Your brain has a shield that naturally blocks chemicals trying to enter the brain to protect you. It will take a while for your brain to get used to the medication. The reason why they say some ant-depressants make the patient want to commit suicide is b/c they were started at a high dosage and you should do that unless you are under 34hour care in a facility. A high dosage of this kind of medication is too much for the brain to handle to begin with.
Definitely consider going on them b/c more damage can be done if you don't. And, the longer you wait, the harder it is to get better.

Answer 3

Pros...

- can relieve & help lift depression (in some severe circumstances can save lifes)
- can relieve symptoms of anxiety
- can reduce & sometimes elliminate panic attacks
- can help you better deal with phobias
- be be helpful in people suffering with ptsd
- can be much less costly than other treatments (psychotherapy, psychologist sessions)

Cons

- The are not the answer to a cure, they just simply mask symptoms
- very often they are unsuccessful at improving peoples conditions
- For people with anxiety disorder, symptoms are temporary much worsened
- can take upto 8 weeks to have maximum benefit
- tolerance can develope & the body will eventually need a greater dose to acheive the same effect
_ unwanted side effects such as nausea, insomnia, lack of libido & many other depending on what type you are taking
- withdrawel from these tablets can be unpleasent
- serotonin syndrome (uncommon)
akesthesia (rare)
- No eveidence to back up that anti depressants are actually effective for longer than a certain period of time

Answer 4

Ok. so they can 'help' u feel better. You feel like all ur feelings have been taken care of. Its a short term treatment. Thats the only Pros i can think of.

Cons.... Suppresses ur feelings and dont actually sort them out. When u come off them u go back to the way u where but sumtimes 10 times worse. U have horrible side effects like tiredness, feeling sick, putting on weight etc.

I dont believe in anti depressant tablets one bit. They close down ur brain and sum can make u act like a zombie. Not good

Answer 5

i have been on and off of anti- depressants for about ten years now. i have a problem with depression that may never go away... with that said when i first started taking them they made me feel like crap all the time. i was still depressed and didn't understand why they didn't help. i finally realised that i had to find out why i was depressed before the meds were going to help. finding out why you have depression will help the docs put you on the correct meds and the right dose. until you find that part out they won't do you any good. they will only cover up a long term problem for a short amount of time... i still take them now when i need them but i don't have to take them all the time. best wishes, and talk to your doctor, he will help you through it.

Answer 6

If it has been suggested that you need them, then I would take the advice of your GP. They do help reduce the symptoms of depression, but they don't actually cure you of it. You need to find the source of the problem which is done by therapy. Some antidepressants have side effects, but these often disappear with time. Be patient.

Answer 7

If you need it do it. Just like if you need something for your heart or insulin for diabetes this is the same thing only for your brain. I've been on antidepressants for about 11+ years.

Just so you know, they don't work over night, it takes about 2-4 weeks for them to take full effect.

Answer 8

Anti-Depressants take away the symptoms of depression but not the cause and for you to say that you are thinking of going on them suggests that you are not depressed, perhaps you anxious or stressed. Go and see you GP and let him/her diagnose you with depression, they aren't given out just because you are thinking of going on them.

Answer 9

Well Im sure they ease some symptoms but they may work and not work for you completly. I think you need to change your life. Find out what is causing this. Most of all it is something in your life than a chemical imbalance, then get rid of it. Either take them for a short time or long time and just get off of them. It is not healthy to be taking these pills forever. They are not good for your body.

Answer 10

Depression is rarely strictly a physical ailment, or a psychological problem. Usually it is a combination. Depression is a physical response to stress, but sometimes that stress is beyond our control. Should you go on medication? If depression is affecting your quality of life, absolutely yes. But, you also need to find out the underlying causes of your depression and work on remedying them as much as possible.