I think I'm depressed & need medication...?

Question

This is kinda scary to think about and admit.
I am going to make an appointment, but I don't want my husband to know or look at me differently...than he probably already does.
But I have been avoiding social issues~spent christmas alone.
I know I truely don't have anything to be so sad about...but I am.
I just can't shake this feeling of dispair....and its hard to put it in words. I'm concerned about medication, will it turn me into a zombie and will I loose my job from being on medication. Will people think I'm crazy or weak for seeking help. I am already very hard on myself...just looking for advice from people who have been there before.

Honestly I just want the medication...yes, a quick fix, without the therapy! I've heard about the medicine building up in your body and then your fine...that's what I want to happen. I know I have the wrong attitude about therapy..which is..I feel I have thought about everything from every aspect in my past and have accepted the past as the past and moved on. I just truely feel that talking will not help... But I don't want to get on medication and be worse off...

Answer 1

It sounds to me like you are depressed. Going to see someone about it is the best step you can take. It took me a long time to get to a doctor and therapist about my depression, but now I'm on medication and am feeling a lot better than I have in a long time and that I'm on the road to recovery.

I know it's easy to be hard on yourself; I did it for a year or so, telling myself that I didn't really need help, that I just wanted attention or that I would be wasting people's time looking for help. I thought people wouldn't care enough, or that it wasn't serious enough, or that I was strong enough to deal with it by myself.

In my case it was a sharp, sudden decline in my mental health that made me finally go see someone. I had reached the stage where daily life was becoming impossible. In the summer I spent three days teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown, terrified of everyone and everything around me. I was forced to tell other people about what I was going through, regardless of my abject fear of people judging me.

And when I did it I was surprised. The friends I confided in didn't call me 'crazy or weak', even though I felt it. They were (and still are) supportive and understanding, not judging me negatively at all. Good friends have been, I feel, the most important thing in my recovery to date. I've been to support groups and met people like myself, in Exactly the same position with Exactly the same fears. I cannot recall one that has been rejected by their peers for their confession of being depressed.

You see, that's the thing; it's not your fault that you're depressed. It's a chemical imbalance that you have no control over. It's a disease that affects thousands of people.
There's no rational reason to be ashamed of it, even if you feel there is. It feels like a failure on your part but it's not.

Telling our loved ones can be the hardest thing to do, too. To be honest, I haven't told my parents or sister that I'm depressed and on medication nor do I have any plan to, instead telling my friends so that I may find the necessary support in them. But in your case I think you should tell your husband. He loves you, he cares for you, he'll want to help you. How will it feel to him if he finds out once you're better that you didn't want to tell him? This is a matter of trust. Do you trust your husband to accept you sick? If not then you have other problems that need addressing.

On a happier note, I have found medication to be a good thing. It has cleared the fog from my mind well enough to give me a chance to get myself back on my feet and helps to boost your mood noticeably. Admittedly it can have side affects. I found the first couple of weeks of acclimatising to be rather rough in places, but not enough so as to make me unable to work. Indeed, I still have problems with sleep patterns and appetite, but these are getting better. Far from turning me into a zombie, I feel more like myself than I have for a long time and my mind is a good deal clearer than it was. Your employer should be supportive of your illness (as that's what it is), particularly as the medication will probably not cause you to take any sick-leave and will improve your mindset and mood! To be honest, I'm not sure that they're allowed to fire you for being sick, ask your doctor, he'll probably know.

I wish you all the best with your appointment. I hope you get better soon and that it all works out okay. Good luck.

Answer 2

I think something is psychologically difficult for you and what you need is a psychological treatment, i.e. psychotherapy. Medication might make things a bit easier, but if it does it will numb some of your feelings (not turn you into a zombie, but if it's going to damp down the anxiety and despair it will inevitably damp down excitement and interest, too).

I am sure your husband cares about you and will want you to have whatever help you need. Unless he's a bit of a fool, he's not going to think badly of you for acknowledging a problem and seeking help. Similarly, only a tiny minority of people, who are poorly educated and insensitive, will think you are weak or crazy. Most people will think you are courageous and responsible.

You say you don't have anything to be sad about - but you feel sad. This is a clear indication that there is stuff buried underneath, in your unconscious mind, that would need good psychotherapy to work with and help you through. Please try to get that sort of help, whether or not you also get medication. Sometimes, medication can help people calm down enough to cope with psychotherapy, which is a bit of a challenge at first as it involves such different ways of thinking about one's inner world. Then, when you really get into the therapy and begin to feel a bit more on top of things, you can reduce and eventually come off the drugs (always do this under medical supervision).

Being hard on yourself is something that really can make life horribly difficult in going into therapy - but if you take the risk, I am certain you will be very glad you did. But it will take time - the reason so many people only go for medication is that it is a 'quick fix' by comparison, but it won't cure anything and, as you fear, may have side-effects.

EDIT: if you just want to go for medication for now, do it. But be aware that it won't cure. The 'building up in your body' business is just for ANY effect to happen. It won't sort anything out. I know you feel you've been at it from every angle, but the whole point is that we can only THINK inside our own known patterns. That's why you need the psychotherapist there, to enable you to go further and deeper. But it does need commitment and willingness, and this may not be the right time for you. Just bear it in mind for the future, if you can't face it now. The time will come when you realise the medication just is not going to change anything, ultimately.......

Answer 3

I thought the same things, but i did what you are thinking about - went to my regular doc, and brought up depression. He asked a few questions and agreed that i had depression. He then suggested taking Prozac. This changed my mood considerably in about two weeks, but i started having problems with side effects - it really messed with my sleep at night, so i was way too tired in the day. I tinkered with the dose for about 6 months, and finally reached a happy medium by taking the meds every other day, unless side effects reappeared. I did this for about a year and realized that i wasn't getting the full benefit from the medication, so when the prescription ran out, i told the doc about the side effects and he suggested switching to Wellbutrin or trying a combination of Wellbutrin with the prozac. After trying different combinations, i finally settled on Wellbutrin alone, and it works amazingly well - the only side effect is constipation if i don't drink enough water.

So, the upshot is that there is probably one or more antidepressants on the market that will work for you, but you won't know which one is best until you try them. You may have to try 3-4 different meds before you find one that has all the desired effects and none of the side effects. Based on my experience, i recommend starting with Wellbutrin - stick with it at least 3 weeks before passing any judgment on its effects unless it causes unacceptable side effects. If it doesn't do it for you get back with your doc and keep trying out different meds until you find the right one.

Drugs will only cause you to be a zombie if you decide to continue taking drugs that turn you into a zombie - this is entirely under your control.

Answer 4

Sadness and dispair are normal parts of life. However, when they become a regular part of your life then it's time to see a doctor. First of all, the antidepressants today won't turn you into a zombie. Most people tolerate them just fine with minimal side effects. You won't lose your job because today treating depression has become commonplace and doesn't it have the stigma it used to. In fact, your employer would appreciate it if you were treated as your work and homelife will improve.

I've suffered from numerous bouts of depression over the years and have been cured each time. Besides the meds, you should consider counselling as your cure rate goes up with it. I would also like to recommend that you visit NAMI's website and consider attending one of their meetings. They are there to help you if you want to give them a call, also, and have meetings in most cities.

Please don't let the fear of treatment deter you from getting some help as depression is very treatable and not doing anything can be fatal.

Answer 5

I've dealt with clinical depression for over thirty years, and I can tell you that your attitude and how you think about your own mental health issues is what people will reflect back to you. If you are ashamed, they will think you have reason to be and will treat you that way. If on the other hand you think of it like any other medical issue, which truly it is, then others will see that in you and treat you accordingly.
See a psychiatrist, not your family doctor. A psychiatrist is more up to date on the medications, and therapies available to you than any family doctor could possibly be. I am a nurse, and in my profession I have to be alert and in control, antidepressants helped me achieve this for a very long time. I also participated in cognitive behavioral therapy for eight years.
I understand the feeling of despair, the sadness for no apparent reason, the withdrawal from social expectations...been there done all that. You can get better, you just have to invest enough in yourself to do the work necessary to do it. If I can help you in any way, email me.

Answer 6

i take cymbalta 60 mg. I tryed zoloft and it didn't seem to do any thing. I have taken cymbalta for about 8 mos. Can't really tell any difference except i'm not feeling so low. I feel like maybe i could live alittle.

Answer 7

there's nothing wrong with needing medication.The medication just allows the natural chemicals in your brain to flow.It's a good thing that you are seeking help.No,most antidepressants will not turn you into anything abnormal.Just realize that medications can hAVE side effects,just like anything else.

Answer 8

i haven't been there b4, but ill be glad 2 help. is it medication ur seeking or actual help?? plz plz plz email me (click on the avatar)!!! i'd feel sooo bad if i didn't help!! thanx and happy holidays!!!

Answer 9

MAKE SURE YOU LET YOUR DOCTOR KNOW EVERYTHING YOU ARE FEELING!! DONT WORRY !! YOU CAN GET BETTER WITH THE RIGHT HELP!! AND DONT BE ASHAMED IT HAPPENS TO THE BEST OF US!!!

Answer 10

psychiatrist don't prescribe benzos - only sugar pills like anti depressants. their goal is to make new drug companies rich.