will i ever beat depression??? is there a way out of it?? help:(?

Question

i'm 20 and got really depressed about 2 months ago for no certain reason (even though i had always been really sensitive and filosophical). i just woke up one day with a strange 'spacy' feeling (i can compare it with being on drugs even though i've never tried) and anxiety. later on i started crying almost all the time and felt totally hopeless and like nothing made sense anyomore. i was really scared of what was happening to me and at some point -even of my own thoughts. my doctor precribed me seroxat but i was too scared to take it and stopped after 2 days. is there anyone who was once in severe depression and really beat it?? what is the best antidepresant?? help me pls. i feel like dieing anytime (but im also too scared to kill myself).... :(

i know i have to see my psychiatrist again to talk about changing the medication and i also know i should trust him as he must have helped many ppl before me... it's just i'm really scared that antidepressants can be more harmful than my depression... please tell me that they actually are a must and that they're safe to take.... :(

Answer 1

Okay, no amount of telling you to 'get a grip' is going to help, is it? The first thing I would say is to resume Seroxat ... it may work for you and if it does, it will lighten your mood enough to promote recovery. Secondly, you really need support .... from a health professional, counsellor or even a best buddy ... anyone who can let you talk through how you feel. Talking on this occasion is good. Thirdly, accept that you have a depressive illness and then simply accept it .... no magic potion I know but true acceptance will allow you to understand that you are not going mad, the prognosis is good and you will feel better soon ... not tomorrow, perhaps not for a few months, but bit by bit, inch by inch, you will move upwards and onwards. I have this theory that people who suffer depression actually want to climb inside a shell and disappear mentally ... a sort of cop out from life. And we all need that from time to time, don't we? My heart goes out to you .... I know what it's like but somehow have suffered myself in the past, I now feel strong enough to cope with new pressures. Try laughing, even if you don't feel like it .... laughter fills the heart and may even remind you what 'normal' is like. But most of all, create activity in yourself .... instead of moping, do something, anything, even wash up or go for a walk or write poems .... read the paper, spend an afternoon around the shops .... anything to divert your inner attention. I do hope this helps ... as I said, no magic potion, just yourself giving yourself permission to smile again! Go smile Tiger!

Answer 2

Yes and no. To some degree, depression can be a normal state. After all, if you break up with your partner or lose your job, it's reasonable to be depressed. Then there's a depression that's sort of like a flu; it comes and goes and may be due to weather, small changes in sleep patterns, small stressors, and so on. Then there's the depression that may be rooted in past trauma or fears. That depression is harder to deal with, but therapy can help an awful lot. Lastly, there is a biological depression that some people have -- where the brain doesn't release enough seratonin, for instance. That kind of depression needs medication. But, the human body changes over time, and I know a person who was institutionalized as a teenager for depression and then released on heavy psychtropic drugs. After about 7 years on those meds, she worked with her doctor and therapist to get off them and discovered she was no longer severely depressed.

Answer 3

You can beat it with the help of an antidepressant & therapy. Please get back on the Seroxat & don't be afraid to take it. It will make you feel better. Take the Seroxat at night, at the same time, just before you get into bed. Feelings of hopelessness & helplessness are a part of the depresssion. You don't want to feel like that but you do. That's why the medication & therapy go hand & hand, & will help you get through this very difficult time in your life. I can tell you from my own experience, that I was in your shoes not so long ago. I didn't like how I was feeling or what my thoughts were. I went to my doctor, told him how I was feeling & what I was thinking. He immediately gave me samples of Lexapro. It was a God send for me. Like you, I was a little afraid to take the medication, but I had faith in my doctor, when he said it would help me, & I wanted to get better. My doctor said maybe my serotonin levels in the brain were low. All I know, is that within a few days, I began feeling so much better & my anxities begin to subside. I also followed my doctor's advice & got out & walked for an hour daily. It was hard for me to do so because I didn't feel like doing anything, but once I got out, I felt better. It got to the point where I looked forward to my daily walks. It made me feel stronger both mentally & physically. Talking to a therapist helped also. In time, I felt like myself again. Trust me, you can beat this, so get back on your medication now & get therapy. It will get better. I'm still on the Lexapro but no longer need the therapy. Sometimes depression is hereditary, & such may be the case with you, as it was with me. Get the help you need & take the Seroxat. If you feel it isn't helping, ask your doctor for Lexapro.

Answer 4

I've had depression a couple of times in the past. However, I can't take antidepressants as I'm epileptic and apparently, they increase seizures. The first time, I ended up going private and seeing a homoeopath. That got my sleep patterns back to normal, which was the start of my recovery. So what I'm saying is, 'yes - there is a way out of it'. There are over-the-counter things you can buy, like St John's Wort (check with your GP as I think they have side effects) or Bach Rescue Remedy. (I find the latter good for stress.) Does your GP know you stopped the Seroxat? Go back to him for a chat and ask about any alternatives. I also recommend that you ring the Samaritans - 08457 909090. (I was on the verge of phoning them last week as I was pretty stressed but not suicidal, so don't feel you have to be suicidal to ring.) I hope I've helped you here and wish the best of luck for the future.

Answer 5

You CAN beat depression, with help.

Two days is not long enough for the medication to do what it needs to. I understand you are scared but there are some AMAZING anti depressants around now.

Get your doctor to refer you to a psychiatrist NOT because you are 'crazy' but because they are the experts with these medications and the specific dosages.

Read up about VENLAFAXINE (Effexor) - also DULOXETINE (Cymbalta)

These are newer than Seroxat and BETTER.

A psychiatrist will prescribe these with no problem. But they take AT LEAST two weeks to start working. For the first few weeks you might feel strange but do give it time. You must speak regularly to the psychiatrist and he may need to increase the dose; don't do that on your own.

I promise you that with the RIGHT medication, you will feel SO much better!

One thing to be aware of going in: Effexor can be tough to stop. If you are prescribed this one, ask for the slow release version.

Good luck

Answer 6

Run, don't walk, to a counselor but one who can prescribe medication. Your doctor can help refer you to someone. Both talk and medication work, especially in combination. Not all antidepressants work equally well for all people so a medicating psychiatrist can start you on her best guess and monitor your progress to see if either the dosage or medication needs to change. Once you get past the initial period of acclimation the side effects are minimal and manageable.

Depression is something that can be beaten so that you can be restored to a normal life. The worst that can happen is that you might have to take a maintenance dose for the rest of your life to ward off other bouts. It will always be reassuring however to know that you beat one.

Answer 7

I don't believe in drugs. Yes I have tried them no they don't work and some can actually cause a person to go through with suicide. Talk to a therapist. Rule out any medical conditions you might be having like PMMD or even allergies with your medical doctor. Find a bookstore and read up on depression. Journal your thoughts and feelings daily. Get off all junk foods and exercise daily before you jump into the pharmaceutical nightmare. Avoid alcohol at all costs and find a meeting or support group. In the end if nothing helps please use medication carefully and as a last resort. Some homeopathic remedies work like St. Johns Wort and make sure you are not B vitamin deficient. Some people are finding great success with B12 injections...plus take a Multivitamin. Don't oversleep get a routine and involved with the things that you enjoy doing.

Answer 8

2 days isn't enough for an antidepressant to work. I took Lexapro and needed the dosage adjusted a couple of times. It took almost a month to see if it would help. My psychiatrist switched me to Paxil for about 1 1/2 months before taking me completely off the drugs. I was feeling 100% better. The pills kept me alive long enough for counseling to help me deal with things.
I guess everything wasn't all fixed though. I just saw my counselor this week and she suggested I restart taking the antidepressants, so I am starting at the beginning again.
I will beat this, I hate having thoughts that I can't control. They are exactly like persistant pop-ups and there is no pop-up blocker for them except for antidepressants.

Answer 9

I'm almost a teenager and I am so completely depressed...I have an urge to cut right now...the only thing stopping me is the fact that I can't get my hands on a knife at the moment. If you feel like you'll get addicted to the Seroxat if you take it, don't take it. Ask to get Prozac or something less strong. And read the book Go Ask Alice if you're worried about the drug addiction...I'm going to get Cut and Impulse as well. I feel the same way you do at this point...I want to die but I don't want to kill myself...

Answer 10

You sound like your in a very dark place just now, yes i have been in a place of beind depressed, anxiety and suicidal...in the past i've tried many anti depressants without much success until i went for counselling and that turned my life around (there are people that truly care) if your own gp practice don't offer counselling it may be worth while typing in BACP or UKCP these are the two main bodies for counselling and psychotherapy
Sometimes we need help from others who have a good knowledge and experience of these situations
all the best Clark