Should I get medication?

[MarvinAndroid42]

My depression isn't very serious. I don't feel suicidal, but constantly melancholy, constantly plagued with self-loathing, constantly despairing of circumstances and fate... it's not ultra bad yet because this has been going on for years in varying intensities. But I find that lately it has getting the way of my day. I'm not quite sure how to proceed.
I don't want chemicals messing with my brain so I'm wondering, at what point should a person start taking medication?

 

[Bamboo_Chicken]

Hi Marvin ,
I'm not sure that we're the people to tell you that - have you thought about maybe talking to a therapist and seeing what they say? They're generally better to be able to give you the right diagnosis .

You're in my prayers Hun.

Shalom,
Steffi

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

See a therapist and start a regular exercise program if you haven't tried those things yet.

 

[MarvinAndroid42]

The way I see medication for depression is that the doctor's giving you a prescription for temporary relief. I have problems in my life, but who doesn't. Everyone has problems. I don't think what I have is some sort of "medical depression", maybe it's just a phase... a very long neverending phase perhaps, but still something that can be overcome without drugs.

Because though I may feel "better", the problem that causes my depression is still there. I see medication as having the effect of alcohol to momentarily get you on track in the day - just relieving symptoms of your unhappiness, not curing it. The doctor might as well give me prescription for recreational drugs, to make me "happy."
I value my brain. I don't want to get "addicted" - heck, I don't even like the thought of how I'd become another citizen of the "nation on prescription drugs", you know, the national epidemic of people needing meds.

 

[everlast]

Hi MarvinAndroid42, since you feel that your depression is mild then my advice to you is to seek out a counselor if you have access to one, if not maybe a close friend or relative you can talk to, preferably one with a positive outlook on life, as for the medication, I know what your talking about, I use to take medication for my depression but as soon as I missed a dosage, I went right back to were I started, its definately an ongoing process that one has to keep up with, but then again I also had the problem of feeling that I could overcome it myself,

Ive been med free for awhile now and all I can say is that if you are strong enough to handle it then do it, since I found God I have been able to focus my mind but it still has been difficult, find something you like doing or even do something nice for someone..I found that it makes me feel good, also stay productive, It all depends really on the person, if you feel you are unable to control your depression and that its eating you alive as I like to look at it, then maybe medical attention may be in order. Stay focused and God Bless.

 

[MarvinAndroid42]

I think I cry everyday now, just feeling overwhelmed sometimes, or deeply melancholy.
I don't think it will ever end, but how would medication help? It will only make me addicted to a drug, and I might as well get addicted to beer as that's hitting like, the kidney or liver or something, not my head. I think I'll never feel better ever. Maybe just a week I might "forget", but it all comes back and the next week is just as loathsome. Breathing fresh air, listening to hopeful inspirational music, hasn't helped me at all. I see it all as distraction from reality, and reality is not looking pretty.

I don't see myself as a pessimist, but more of a "realist", where I feel I see things as they are... but I know I give myself too high expectations, dream of too great ambitions... when I know I will never be the person I want to be, never do what I want to do, nothing I dream of, nothing God wants, will ever come about because I'm just me. I hate myself.

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

The way I see medication for depression is that the doctor's giving you a prescription for temporary relief. I have problems in my life, but who doesn't. Everyone has problems. I don't think what I have is some sort of "medical depression", maybe it's just a phase... a very long neverending phase perhaps, but still something that can be overcome without drugs.

Because though I may feel "better", the problem that causes my depression is still there. I see medication as having the effect of alcohol to momentarily get you on track in the day - just relieving symptoms of your unhappiness, not curing it. The doctor might as well give me prescription for recreational drugs, to make me "happy."
I value my brain. I don't want to get "addicted" - heck, I don't even like the thought of how I'd become another citizen of the "nation on prescription drugs", you know, the national epidemic of people needing meds.

Well to be honest with you, I took medications at one point and they had really bad side effects and made my moods and my depression worse. I went off them in the beginning of 2005 and have been doing so much better since then. Exercising and going to goal oriented therapy have been the two things that have really helped me to make a complete recovery. If I could go back in time and make the decision about medications over again, I wouldn't even go on them if someone offered to pay me millions of dollars to take them.

The good news is that depression is very treatable and that many people can make a full recovery without having to resort to drugs.

 

[Silver-winged Flyer]

I'd definitely suggest that you go to a therapist so you can get professional advice and they can help you sort out the causes of your depresson as it sounds like you do know what the cause is. Prescription medication isn't the only option. I'm currently taking a nutritional supplement and that does definitely seem to be helping and I'm not addicted or have any side-effects. Go to a pharmacy or health shop and see what they suggest. Maybe you should consider a temporary natural solution for just while you are dealing with your depression and to help you feel better in the meantime.

 

[burn97]

Hi Marvin.
Depression is a medical condition, and medication for depression is not different than if one per say had cancer or such. I'm on medicine for depression, I have clinical depression. I can't just think happy thought and it will eventually go away. I wish I could, but I can't. I love the Lord and I seek Him in all that I do. I believe God has placed medicine in our hands for a reason. It isn't always a bad thing. Do you need to be medicated? I don't know brother, only a doctor can help you. Tell him your concerns, and that you'd like to try natural first. They can help you with that, a change of diet, suppliments, exercise, theorapy, ect. Try not to be so hard on medication though, if you do need medicine, it doesn't make you a bad person, addicted, ect. It just means that you need treatment.And praise the Lord it's available.