I have had depression in the past, diagnosed. A few months ago, I stopped taking my medication because I started feeling better. Now, for the second time in my life, I am feeling the pain again. Nothing really bad has happened recently to make these feelings return, but I still suffer from sadness. It has only been the last two weeks. I would rather not take my medication again, because it is highly addictive (one of the high dose high dependency drugs) and when I went off of it last time, I struggled with headaches and dizziness and irritability. It was worse than quitting smoking! Any ideas on how I can manage this depression, or if it isnt depression, any ideas of what it could be? And why all of a sudden is it bad again? Please help, only serious answers, I dont need any crap right now....Thanks so much.
2007-09-26 01:29:14 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Mental Health
You said you stopped taking your medication because you started feeling better. This means you can feel better.
Talk to your doctor. Tell him/her your concerns about taking medicine. There are many anti-depressants to try. You and your doctor can work together to find what is right for you.
Good Luck
2007-09-26 08:34:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Antidepressants are not addictive, so you're either lying about your medication or you're misinformed about discontinuation symptoms.
Therapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy has the same success rate as antidepressant medication. This is true even in cases where the depression is not caused by grief or any other negative situation. Depression is not strictly a brain disorder, but psychology plays a huge casual role, so try CBT before going back on medications. Remember, no one has actually discovered whether or not the chemical imbalance comes first or the depressive thinking and behaviors.
Your depression is returning because you never sought out a cure only a way to mask your depression (medications). Those who go on medication without therapy have a high rate of relapse. Those that do both or just therapy have drastically lessened their chances of experience depression again in their life time.
Meds are hell and finding the right one can actually prolong depression (my depression usually lasts only 6 to 12 months, but it can take that long just to find the right medication can take that long and meanwhile the wrong medications make everything worse) I'd say use medication as a last resort.
Side note, a small population of depression sufferers have chronic or reoccuring depression, they still need therapy, but will probably need medications long term. Most people who suffer from depression once never become depressed again, given that they've gone through proper treatment.
2007-09-26 01:40:42 · answer #2 · answered by some female 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try to stay busy and don't sit around too much. I use to lay around and wallow in self pitty and became even more depressed. I would stay in my room and cry constantly and thing the worst thoughts. I feel better when I go for a long walk or spend time outdoors. I do take prozac though and it has made a positive difference. I don't want to take medication either but right now it is something I feel i need for a while. I've tried to stop it and i would get depressed and anxious all over again. I'm not recommending you should take medication though. Try counseling and excercise and you should see some improvements. Best of luck to you.
2007-09-26 02:53:09 · answer #3 · answered by Darcee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to try and get past this. Do something different by changing your daily routine. It is easy to slip back in the depression "Mode" once the drugs start to wear off. It is possible that you do have a chemical imbalance that cannot be corrected by your body and the drugs do really work. It depends on the state you were in while taking the drugs, were you a zombie or able to cope with things? Sometimes it takes the body some time to adjust, if you came off your medication cold turkey (right away) that could be bad. Sometimes you need to wind down from them gradually. You also need to look at why you are sad. Write it down on paper. What makes you happy. Write that down on paper too. Who is there for you to help in these times and can you go to them. Talking with someone (counselor) is sometimes helpful, also your friends. Good luck.
2007-09-26 01:50:15 · answer #4 · answered by Snuffy Smith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You probably came off the medicine too quickly and too early and you weren't quite better. Just because you felt better doesn't mean you WERE better. Go back to your doctor. Tell him what you've done and voice your concerns about the high-dose-high-dependency drug and he'll explain things to you and probably prescribe you something a bit softer. This time, though, see him regularly while you are taking whatever he gives you and when HE thinks you are ready to stop, he will tell you how to do it....whether it be a sudden stop or a gradual weaning off the pills. Don't worry, you just weren't ready last time. You will feel better and BE better soon.
2007-09-26 01:40:38 · answer #5 · answered by chris n 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well there is a website about juices. Apparently a vegetable mix fruit juices can help relax your body and have less stress and sadness. Or try taking up yoga because it really relaxes your body.
2007-09-26 01:34:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try doing something fun or interesting. maybe even something new to take up some time and get your mind off things
2007-09-26 01:39:53 · answer #7 · answered by primalterozi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
talk to your friends, go to the movies, go walking down a park, tell your friends what's happening you. sometimes it's good to tell someone else what you're going through. Call the suicide hot-line (i know you wouldn't commit suicide, it's just they're too good treating sadness)
Life's beautiful and it's waiting for you to live it.
2007-09-26 01:41:40 · answer #8 · answered by Jhon S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋