Does medication for depression work? I mean you'll never actually get better will you?

Question

Won't you just have to keep taking the medicine indefinitely?
And if it does work, how so?

Answer 1

Hey Lemon,

I hope you got my email replies. I'm not going to repeat everything here, rather I'm just answering the question, from my own experience (15+ years of dealing with depression, dissociation, post-traumatic stress crap).

Medications *can* work. The catch is, for everything we think we know about the brain and how nerves operate, even the best doctors and scientists have to admit that they still *don't know more*. This is important. This can mean the difference between needing meds for a year or less, while you get counseling, or being stuck on them for the rest of your life because other treatments *aren't there* and the law *demands* you stay in a holding pattern to prevent your suicide.

To elaborate: No two people are alike. No two brains are exactly alike either. And depression, that *word* "depression" covers a lot of ground. It can be a symptom of a larger, more physical illness (like cancer, heart disease, or diabetes), or it can be an illness by itself. And there are lots of things, *lots of them* that can go wrong and lead to a depressed mood.

--It can be entirely biological for some folks. This does run in families. Not to mention, hormones, both endocrine ones (thyroid, insulin, estrogen and testosterone, pituitary), and stress-related ones (cortisol, norepinephrine--yes, it's a neuro-transmitter *too*, and oxytocin) play a *huge* role in moods as well. Not to mention *mast cells* and the whole anti-histamine reaction to allergens and stressors (the 2nd generation anti-depressants, the tricyclics, were *modified* anti-histamines originally meant to treat allergies) plays a role too.

So just saying "it's biological" doesn't quite get specific enough to nail it, and say *exactly* what's going on. Research also indicates a history of *concussions*, yes, being hit in the head, can also lead to depression.

--It can be about the lifestyle one lives too. Meaning, if you aren't sleeping, eating right, getting exercise, in touch with friends, family or people who care....it can wreck your moods too. Essentially, the lifestyle stuff boils down to three things:

1) Self care. This is where the eating, sleeping, exercise and hydration come into play....not to mention hygiene and giving yourself "down time" where you can relax and have fun. And this is also where *not* having addictions helps: not smoking, drinking, using illicit drugs, overeating, or having compulsive behaviors in shopping, gambling, or in your sexual life.

2) Social standing. Isolation is the big one here, the big killer. Just look at your average school shooter: when they isolate, and are all alone and *have no friends* to talk to, and trust *no one on earth*, that is when they really go crazy and *act on it*. Other things that matter too are: Being able to keep a job (in the sense that you can relate to others, and that they can relate to you--it's about having *life's work* as well as getting paid), maintaining proper grooming and hygiene and wardrobe (so as to be pleasing to the senses of other people), maintaining proper and appropriate *boundaries* (posture, body language, and ettiquette), and having "a life" (meaning pastimes, hobbies and the like, that you *share with others*--this is in shorter and shorter supply these days).

3) And finally...Locus of Control. How in charge of your own life are you these days? Do you have a say in how you live? If not, do you have *any hope* that this will get better? Basically, what it boils down to is: in much of this world, you either *do things* or have them *done to you*. Being passive in your life and just having things *done to you*, being a victim or an object of other people's behavior, is *not healthy* in the long term. It may seem like the path of least resistance, but the lifestyle is stressful and emotionally draining. And this is true regardless of the *source* of this: it can come from being dirt poor no matter what you do in life, it can come from being a victim of a violent crime, it can come from having friends and family *die suddenly*, it can come from losing your job for no good reason (outsourcing, downsizing).

In short you *need* to feel effective and in control of something in your life to make it worth living. Otherwise, the persistent trends in your life will be expressed in words like: "Nothing works," "I don't matter", "I don't fit in", or "I don't have a place." And the *words* are *not* the issue, the lack of control and effectiveness *is*.

So yeah, it can be "biological", whatever that means *this week*, or it can be a by-product of being *stuck with* an unhealthy lifestyle, in much the same way cancer, diabetes, and heart failure are such by-products. The key words are: Stuck With It. Meaning, it's long-term, and there's little to no hope of changing for the better. People can survive anything short term. It's being *trapped* in things that kills us.

And the meds? They *can* work, provided the doctor *Picks* the right one. And this is a HUGE issue. There is way *way* WAY THE HELL too much Trial and Error going on in modern medicine when it comes to treating mental illness. I think most of this is deliberate: Insurance companies profit *more* by this non-method, and there is the social factor, in that if you try and *fail* and try and *fail* again and again, it wears you down and makes you docile and dependent. Compare this to treatment of *diabetes*: There are specific tests you can take, we *know* how many versions of the disease there are, we *know* what treatment works for *what diabetic condition*. These are known things, because it doesn't make anyone any *money* to have folks *die right away* and to have families *sue*. Pardon my cynicism, but people in the mental health field compare depression to diabetes *all the time* in terms of having to be on meds *all your life*...but mention nothing about the *lack* of precision in mental health treatment compared to diabetic conditions.

And the sad part is...this trial and error business is *now a part* of the problem. Wearing people down does them no good, on principle. Destroying their Locus of Control guarantees their illness *will persist* for the forseeable future. And there's MRI and CT scan evidence that physical *brain structure* gets altered when you take anti-depressants, whether *they work* or not, whether they do the job or not. Regardless of what happens, the drugs leave a *mark* on your brain, permanently...so the trial and error business, arguably, could also be a slow burn lobotomy in disguise.

So, yeah...now you know. -_- Write me again if you want more details and specifics. And I am terribly *sorry* this is so long....but there's a *LOT* to cover. Really.

Thanks for your time and patience. God Bless.

Answer 2

YES, antidepressants work!! They treat depression, which is an illness. They are not a cure, however. Some people with a clinical depression can discontinue their medication successsfully. However, there can be a high risk of relapse. If you have had only one episode of depression, there is already a 50% chance you will eventually relapse. There is a 90% chance of relapse if you have had 3 or more episodes of depression.
The truth is, people have difficulty understanding that major depression is an illness, and not a bad frame of mind or something. Depression is a chronic illness, not unlike diabetes, high blood pressure, low thyroid function, high cholesterol, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, etc. There is no cure, but treatments can help. Fortunately, antidepressants are quite effective. Even if you must take them long-term, you probably will get better, stay better, and live a happy and productive life. Keep an open mind to this, and remember that the end result is what counts. If medication helps you to feel better without troublesome side effects, it's a good deal!!

Answer 3

I have been suffering from post partum depression for the past one year when I gave birth to a baby boy. I couldn't stop thinking about how my husband loves him more than me and how things might be better if he wasn't born at all. Thus, I stayed away from him because I knew that I might do something I will regret for the rest of my life.

Almost instantly I went to a therapist and convince them that I need help. Among other things, I've tried herbal supplements and other book to treat depression but nothing works like the Depression Free Method. So now I'm proud to say I'm one of the happiest mother in the world. My husband loves us both very much and I thank the Lord for the blessing he gave us.

Depression Free Method?

Answer 4

. advantageous track like Switchfoot,they're the acceptable band obtainable.yet hear to track,any track that would not point out reducing or self-destruction or destruction in any respect.attempt to not be on my own all the time the two with the aid of fact so lots greater techniques enter your techniques that are actually not good once you're alon.draw close out with acquaintances that don't get into hardship.bypass to the park.Play an device.Write a music or poem.consult from a chum on the telephone,talk approximately advantageous issues too.I even produce different self injuries besides reducing and that i be attentive to the way it feels.GOD loves you and you should tell him what's incorrect even nonetheless he's familiar with what's incorrect.so some distance as telling your mother and father,perhaps you should.you don't be attentive to their reactions.Their the only human beings who you are able to have confidence different than GOD.they gained't supply up loving you as a daughter over it.they'll seek for help for you nonetheless.yet nonetheless,not all mother and father are a similar.some won't panic and others will call the business enterprise the minute that they hear which you decrease.i'm not likely to candy coat something in any respect.it rather is a real situation.i be attentive to which you would be able to supply up reducing and that i be attentive to which you would be able to triumph over your melancholy too.nicely i in my view wish that I helped you or a minimum of gave you some thoughts.yet for now good success and GOD Bless!

Answer 5

It depends on the type of depression that you have. Some people have major depressive episodes that can be dealt with medications and help that will keep the depression from returning if not for ever than for a long time. I've dealt with depression for 40+ years and there have been lengths of time between episodes as long as ten years with out the need of therapy or medications. Than there have been time like now that I've been on meds for almost 3 years and in therapy for the same amount of time. Alot depends on how things go in the next few months and years while I deal with some issues and now cancer. I might have to be on anti depressants for life but if that's what it take than that's what I deal with.

Answer 6

Many people can stop taking it after about 6 months and be okay. A few people always have to take it. Some people have to take it seasonally. Some people are not effected by medication. They say it works by balancing neurotransmitters in the brain. I think it works in some different ways in some people. SSRIs as a group work for 70% of people. Prozac, Lexapro, and some others work 60% of the time.

Answer 7

See depression treatments, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris in section 2, and consult a doctor, to eliminate thyroid problems, etc. as possible contributing factors. It is your decision, and yours alone, as to whether to take any antidepressants offered, but, before you do, read section 1, and check medications out at www.drugs.com so you will be on the lookout for side effects, like sexual dysfunction. My strong recommendation, however, is to follow the advice of my doctor, his partner, and also Dr. Mercola, at http://www.mercola.com and avoid antidepressants. All of their advice, (except prayer, because many people are not religious) I have incorporated into the "core treatments", including others as options, such as herbal remedies (none of which have been conclusively demonstrated to work with severe depression). If you are diagnosed with clinical (major) depression, antidepressants may be necessary for a while, which will give the treatments time to become effective. The antidepressants themselves need days, or even a few weeks to reach full effectiveness. It's a good idea to taper off them slowly, with medical advice, after several weeks, to several months, because they are only effective in the long term for about 30% of people. I'd just thank the doctor, and pocket the prescription, trying the treatments for several weeks, to see if they are sufficient for you, before considering filling it.

Answer 8

The medication worked for me, so I think it is best to take it if it has been offered to you. After all, when you are depressed you can't think clearly or make smart decisions- you're too tired from not sleeping and too upset/anxious/whatever. Just try it, see if it works, and if it doesn't help you can go off it or try something else. As for having to take it indefintiely that depends on how many times you've had depression, how severe it is (suicidal?) and of course whether the drugs work for you. I would at least speak with your doctor to get their perspective, as everyone's case is different.

Answer 9

Some people just need a kick start for the serotonin to get flowing in the brain and they have to learn a few new skills. Depression need not be permanent. It can be treated and you can eventually get off the meds. It's not meds alone that bring you out, they are just the crutch that holds you up. Now, I am on meds permanently, but I have more than just depression. See my profile.

Answer 10

Some people can take antidepressants for a year and go off them and be fine again,other people need to stay on them for years.This is mostly in part to a chemical imbalance in your brain,and other circumstances in your life that may make you feel depressed.
I have been on them for years,and can say they have helped me, but certain types did not work for me.Sometimes you and your doctor have to find a combination that works for you.
Good luck :)

Answer 11

medications help and you can find other ways to help your depression by trying to find the source of it, what i mean by it helps is makes you feel better, and not sad, given that you are depressed have you seen a doctor or therapist. they can help. don't think that it is something that never goes away because it can with the right help and the right support