Antidepressants

[Battie]

I don't see anything wrong with anti-depressants, but in a sense I believe they should be used as a last resort. However I do feel that there are situations where people become completely dependent on anti-depressants. And as long as your doctor controls how much you're taking, I'm okay with it.

But what about those stories where people who have taken anti-depressants and it only increased their rate of suicide? Especially among adolescents?

Some people become more suicidal on antidepressants because the the drug gives them energy before making them feel better completely. So while they were so depressed that they could not act on their thoughts before the drugs, they gain just enough energy to pull it of. (I think that's what happens. It was explained to me a while ago.)

Edit: I just saw your post, No Doubt. I'm so sorry you lost your brother. I'm glad you keep fighting against the depression. You can keep going!

 

[flicka]

There is a time for therapy, a time for meds, and a time for both. I don't think one is necessarily dependent on the other. Therapy has been successful for people I know when done on a short term basis. So have meds. But if the problem is physical the meds may be long term while therapy usually isn't. At least ideally.

 

[stan1980]

Are antidepressants wrong?

Seriously, wt f?!?

Yes, antidepressants are wrong. In the old days there was no such thing as depression, if you were feeling a little low they used to give you a slap round the face and tell you to pull yourself together.

I think people should stop using aspirin too. I don't care if they have got a headache, these things should only be used as a last resort and i don't care how much your head hurts. I also think it's about time doctors stopped giving antibiotics out for silly things like chest infections. These wimps have got coughs and don't need medical help. Also doctors should stop the practice of chemotherapy for cancer victims too... all it does is make their hair fall out, and i heard sometimes their rate of death actually increases ZOMG!!

People these days don't know they're born!

[/sarcasm]

 

[stan1980]

There is a time for therapy, a time for meds, and a time for both. I don't think one is necessarily dependent on the other. Therapy has been successful for people I know when done on a short term basis. So have meds. But if the problem is physical the meds may be long term while therapy usually isn't. At least ideally.

Quite right.

I think the main problem people seem to have is they don't understand depression. There are times when a patients chemical imbalance is so far out that therapy will have little or no affect. It's important therefore to get a patient suffering from clincial depression on antidepressants relatively quickly, as it can sometimes be trial and error finding the right dosages and combinations of drugs for the patient. Some people are advocating putting red tape in the way making it harder to prescribe antidepressants... this only wastes time, and if a patient is feeling suicidal, time is something we do not have.

 

[GrannieAnnie]

Seriously, wt f?!?

Yes, antidepressants are wrong. In the old days there was no such thing as depression, if you were feeling a little low they used to give you a slap round the face and tell you to pull yourself together.

I think people should stop using aspirin too. I don't care if they have got a headache, these things should only be used as a last resort and i don't care how much your head hurts. I also think it's about time doctors stopped giving antibiotics out for silly things like chest infections. These wimps have got coughs and don't need medical help. Also doctors should stop the practice of chemotherapy for cancer victims too... all it does is make their hair fall out, and i heard sometimes their rate of death actually increases ZOMG!!

People these days don't know they're born!

[/sarcasm]

Clinical depression and other clinically diagnosed mental illness is far from....feeling a little low. That's not depression in the clinical sense, that's just part of being human, everyone gets....a little down...sometimes. But full blown serious mental illness is something entirely different. Unfortunately many people who don't understand ther seriousness of the real disease often say.....oh just pull yourself together....or think you are weak. Clinically diagnosed mental illness is very very serious, and needs to be treated by several methods, therapy, meds and sometimes hospitalisation. I've had all 3 but am now only on meds...but my years of therapy have taught me how to live my life in such a way that I do the best I can to avoid situations that would trigger an "episode"....but that's not always possible. It's an on going process to stay healthy.

 

[stan1980]

Clinical depression and other clinically diagnosed mental illness is far from....feeling a little low. That's not depression in the clinical sense, that's just part of being human, everyone gets....a little down...sometimes. But full blown serious mental illness is something entirely different. Unfortunately many people who don't understand ther seriousness of the real disease often say.....oh just pull yourself together....or think you are weak. Clinically diagnosed mental illness is very very serious, and needs to be treated by several methods, therapy, meds and sometimes hospitalisation. I've had all 3 but am now only on meds...but my years of therapy have taught me how to live my life in such a way that I do the best I can to avoid situations that would trigger an "episode"....but that's not always possible. It's an on going process to stay healthy.

Yes, i agree. The post was tongue in cheek in response to thequite ridiculous question of whether antidepressants were bad. I was quite stunned anyone could even think they were bad on the whole.

 

[Idea]

Are antidepressants wrong?

Depends on the medical condition. If you do not really have a condition, and are just taking them for a buzz, it is wrong. If you are actually in need of medical help, with actual physical problems, diagnosed by a honest doctor, then you should take them.

14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
15 ... oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
(Old Testament | Psalms 104:14 - 15)

 

[stan1980]

If you do not really have a condition, and are just taking them for a buzz, it is wrong.

I'm not sure how many people take them for the buzz, but it seems no more wrong than drinking alcohol, doing a few lines of cocaine or taking amphetamines etc etc (all in moderation of course)

 

[NoDoubt]

Depends on the medical condition. If you do not really have a condition, and are just taking them for a buzz, it is wrong. If you are actually in need of medical help, with actual physical problems, diagnosed by a honest doctor, then you should take them.

Antidepressants don't really produce a buzz as they have a cummulative effect. It can take up to 2 weeks for them to work.

It's not like taking anti-anxiety medications such as ativan/valium etc.

 

[cantata]

What an odd question. Surely it's for experts in the field to say whether or not antidepressants are the best treatment for individual cases.

 

[NoDoubt]

What an odd question. Surely it's for experts in the field to say whether or not antidepressants are the best treatment for individual cases.

Happy Birthday!

 

[stan1980]

Surely it's for experts in the field to say whether or not antidepressants are the best treatment for individual cases.

I agree. From reading through this thread, it seems there maybe a mistrust of GPs. I'm completely astounded that some people sitting at home on an internet forum feel they know better than the experts over when antidepressants should be administered.

 

[quatona]

Are antidepressants wrong?

Not so quick. Let´s take that step by step.
First we need to ask: Is choosing to suffer from depression wrong/immoral/evil/sin?

 

[cantata]

I agree. From reading through this thread, it seems there maybe a mistrust of GPs. I'm completely astounded that some people sitting at home on an internet forum feel they know better than the experts over when antidepressants should be administered.

Well, yes, I agree, with a caveat: that we should be aware of how much pressure GPs are under (at least in this country) to cut waiting lists, meet targets &c. NHS psychotherapy is much more expensive and has a far longer waiting list than a course of Prozac. And I think there is a general worry that GPs are inclined not to notice the non-physiological elements of depression. I certainly know that there has been a certain haste to prescribe antidepressants whenever I have consulted a GP, without many questions asked. So by "experts", I meant not just GPs, but psychologists and psychiatrists as well. I see nothing wrong with a patient asking to consult another kind of recognised expert if they are concerned about being prescribed antidepressants, or if they just feel that they would like someone to talk to.

Feelings of being ignored or not taken seriously by a doctor can both contribute to depression and slow the healing process down. The attitude of the patient is profoundly important. Because there is mistrust (whether deserved or not), in the case of depression I think the patient's wishes and feelings should be taken into account. The patient needs to think that whatever treatment they are given is going to work!

 

[ladyt28]

A better question might be: do antidepressant help or not? The answer is going to be individual for each instance when they are considered.

A doctor wanted to give my 94 year old aunt antidepressants. I told him - "she doesn't need another pill, she wants her eyesight and independence back and, barring that, more rides to get out of the house and more frequent visits to the beauty salon!"

For myself, after my 25 year old son died last year, I couldn't get myself off of the chair, I couldn't attend to conversations and I couldn't keep a train of thought. I was put on antidepressants and have been talking to our pastor on a regular basis and putting effort into maintaining my involvement in various things at church as well as having gone back to work. I have slowly been weaning off of them and will be free of them soon after the first anniversary of our loss.

 

[Mayflower1]

Yes, i agree. The post was tongue in cheek in response to thequite ridiculous question of whether antidepressants were bad. I was quite stunned anyone could even think they were bad on the whole.

I didn't say I thought antidepressants were bad, I was just asking a question.

 

[Mayflower1]

Not so quick. Let´s take that step by step.
First we need to ask: Is choosing to suffer from depression wrong/immoral/evil/sin?

Choosing to suffer from depression is not a sin.

 

[quatona]

Choosing to suffer from depression is not a sin.

 

[stan1980]

I didn't say I thought antidepressants were bad, I was just asking a question.

Can i ask why you thought antidepressants might be bad then, since you wouldn't ask the question if there wasn't a part of you that thought they were bad.

 

[3girls2dogs]

Not so quick. Let´s take that step by step.
First we need to ask: Is choosing to suffer from depression wrong/immoral/evil/sin?

This is a joke, right?