Antidepressants and Emotions?

Question

So antidepressants are suppose to help you "cope" with your feelings. But isn't that denying what you are truly feeling? A lot of people (or it might just be a thing where I live) have been taught growing up that they should share their feelings, and not keep them inside. But how are you suppose to share your feelings when they are being changed - modified - by your medications?

Answer 1

Antidepressants don't really improve one's ability to cope with things.. Taking them is kinda like getting a good night of sleep. The next day, you can function alot better than if you had gone all night with no sleep at all.

Answer 2

Antidepressants are supposed to "take the edge off" your emotions to prevent destructive behaviors and aid in the progression of therapy. For example, someone who experienced a severe trauma may be afraid to talk about it for fear they will be unable to handle the intensity of emotion that comes up. An antidepressant can tone down the emotional response and allow the person to discuss the event with the therapist and subsequently heal. This is the way the medicine was intended to be used.

All too often, however, they are prescribed uneccessarily or inappropriately. Everyone who takes antidepressants SHOULD also see a therapist of some kind, but some Drs. will write a scrip at the drop of a hat. And people will use the meds to mask their feelings and deny they have any problem at all. They may feel better for a time, but they will not GET better until they address the root cause of their depression.

Answer 3

.From personal experience which i can't vouch for everyone your Antidepressant shouldn't numb your pain. It should help you cope with more then one person can handle. After my divorce many years ago i tried a few different medication and i didn't like the fact the medications worked to the point i couldn't even cry when i knew it was appropriate and had absolutely no desire for sex.
I finally found a medication that works well for me. I enjoy life and have no issues with sex. I have gone to talk therapy many times over the years but find i need an extra boost. I come from a long line of alcoholics/drug addicts and have chose to not use any of those tools to self medicate life's woe's. I also choose not to stay on an antidepressants for long periods of time just when life gets a little more over whelming then i can deal with alone. Like many people in the US right now our society can be a little overwhelming and I am also a military spouse who's husband has been sent to the middle east more then once. I work hard to keep my family happy and together as well as myself.
So, in my opinion it might be a better idea to get medical attention with your doctor so that person is aware of your chemical - mental in balance than those who opt to like i said "self medicate" using illegal drugs or alcohol. You can still share your feelings on a proper antidepressant at least this way it gives you some more time to sort things out with out feeling overwhelmed.

Answer 4

Ideally, anti-depressants are prescribed in the more severe cases, where it's not as simple as trying to share your feelings. It's a way to help you cope with feelings so intense they interfere with your everyday life. I avoided meds for a while because I didn't want them to change who I am, but now I know that they don't. They just make the feelings more managable, so you can share and deal with them.

Answer 5

i don't think antidepressants change or modify you very much.when you are given antidepressants it is because you are physically and mentally sick. like if you have not slept for 6 days you feel dizzy weak you tremble when you hear a pin drop you are confused are not sure where you are or what day it is you are in no condition to express any feeling or thoughts you might have. but if you are given antidepressants and they work like they are suppose to you will start sleeping again eating again and your body will recover to the point where you are able to express your thoughts and feeling to other people

Answer 6

Antideprresents and sedatives are to provide a temporary relief of your problem ...doctors prescribe those when you are in a state to need some of those...however those are by no means to change your natural feelings ,emotions and mental conditions,your character,capability of sharing your thoughts and feelings thru social interactions...those are the qualities gifted naturally from you
birth...habitually ...however "depression" and "anxiety" can cause some complex critical bio-chemical changes in human body which can bringforth other diseases as well..so those "anti-depressent"s are applied ...

Answer 7

You have to realize that your biochemistry is kind of like a pair of sunglasses - you can have pink, or blue, or whatever.
Depression makes the lenses not only blue, but distorted as well.
Its a problem of your thinking and feeling organ - so we take it for granted that if we feel one way, it must be true. But thats where the disorder is really insidious....our way of looking at the world is distorted.

Antidepressants dont change your feelings parse - they help your brain biochemically get the smudges off the glass so that we can see more clearly - so that we can (or at least should, theorhetically) address the distortions in our thought processes.
As an example of one of these distortions: "Nobody likes me!!!"
Well, thats not true. X, Y, and Z like me.
I hope that makes sense

Answer 8

Anti-depressant meds are to help with the chemical imbalances you have in your body. Anti-depressant meds do not deal with the environment. You would need to talk to a professional about helping you cope with your daily life.