Your experience with antidepressants

[notthatguy]

Hi, I've recently come to terms with the fact that I am depressed. previously I thought there was just some other thing wrong with me but I can't deny the signs. I know there's medicine specifically to treat depression. the idea of a drug that can fix everything wrong with me doesn't feel real or feels too good to be true. I want to ask those of you that have taken antidepressants what their experience with them was or is.

 

[Michi_Violeta]

It doesn't fix everything wrong with you. It numbs you and, in particular, certain uncomfortable sensations affecting you so that you are in a position to fix everything wrong with you with help from therapy AND yourself AND life giving you a break.

Fluoxetine did nothing positive for me to be honest and every medication has side effects so, yes, it's too good to be true, but not something to be discarded in case you want to explore all avenues of recover.

 

[SecretDissociation]

Tried SSRI's and an SNRI. They didn't work! You usually pair anti-depressants with therapy since anti-depressants can curb your depression, dim it down a bit, make your head quieter, or make you feel lighter, but it's not the case with everyone. You also need therapy to help manage the maladaptive coping mechanisms that can charge your depression, or low mood or bad mental health or mental illness or whatever!

My experience was that they haven't helped. Hopefully haven't helped, yet, but who knows. There are many to try.

 

[Rynalia]

YMMV. For me they didn't work at all, but I've heard success stories from other people.

 

[apearl]

I have been on like 10 different pills and none of them have really worked.

I think for some people they can be a saving grace and for others its no better then a sugar pill.

 

[Griever]

I've tried so many different antidepressants, but none of them have helped so far

 

[Daenerys Targaryen]

They didn't do anything to me, since the depression is secondary to mental pain and something unknown to psychiatrists and psychologists; they don't even know what I have.

 

[FoxSauce]

Hmm tried a few like : trazodone, wellbutrine, fluxotine, Mirtazapine so far.

They didn't help or made me way sleepy for now Effexor,buspar and lithium has worked.

Ofc is not a garuntee for everyone tho.

 

[LostLily]

it does help calm my mood. It just it takes time to find one that work and doesn't give out major side effects. I tried 3 separate anti-depressants before I found one that both works and doesn't upset my stomach.

Then after 10 years taking that one, I had to switch again because the effectiveness was wearing off.

 

[Irrelevant biologist]

Nothing has helped me and one actually gave me sporadic random muscle twitches. I also couldn't drive as I got dizzy looking over my shoulder. That said, I do enjoy xanax.

 

[cantthinkofusername]

i tried a lot of them before i found one that made me happy but then i realized being happy is just as unbearable as being miserable so i stopped taking medication

 

[milkteacrown]

My issue is very chemical, and therapy does nothing for me. I've been on most antidepressants with no success, but augmenting Cymbalta with Abilify has caused a noticeable shift in my apathy for the better.

 

[iamanavalanche]

my experiences with paroxetine and citalopram has been overall positive. though they have never stopped my suicidal ideation, paroxetine has definitely made me less depressed and citalopram seemed to only cover anxiety bases for me. antidepressants will vary from person to person

 

[used_and_abused]

they make me feel numb inside. Granted i haven't tried all antidepressants but I've tried a few.

 

[J&L383]

Tried SSRI's and an SNRI. They didn't work! You usually pair anti-depressants with therapy since anti-depressants can curb your depression, dim it down a bit, make your head quieter, or make you feel lighter, but it's not the case with everyone. You also need therapy to help manage the maladaptive coping mechanisms that can charge your depression, or low mood or bad mental health or mental illness or whatever!

My experience was that they haven't helped. Hopefully haven't helped, yet, but who knows. There are many to try.

I had a similar experience. (Nothing worked, tried various flavors but the side effects were always concerning) And everything I've read suggest you need therapy coupled with any medications for the best result. That being said, I have a brother and at least one niece on antidepressants (SSRI) who soon to be managing better with them. But they're definitely not a panacea and it will take some time to get the right cocktail. (You usually end up on more than one just one medication). Finally, they're incredibly difficult to get off of if you ever decide you've had enough of them.

 

[real human being]

Antidepressants can be harmful as well, and it isn't talked about enough. They can cause permanent sexual dysfunction even if you don't take them for a long time. They can also be very difficult to quit.

I recommend that you watch this video:

 

[apple0613]

i tried a lot of them before i found one that made me happy but then i realized being happy is just as unbearable as being miserable so i stopped taking medication

Why? Can you share more?

 

[sillycat]

For me I don't think antidepressants helped. I was really hoping that happy pill could get me through this tough period and help me think more positively.

 

[TitianCashew26]

Antidepressants did not help me.

 

[Dejected 55]

I was on Zoloft for a while. It was many years ago when I was seeing the psychiatrist who never wanted to talk except to ask how I felt and when I would say I felt the same as always, he would just up my dosage and say see you next week. After a while of that I got tired of it and told him I could be depressed for free if he wasn't interested in actually trying to help.

I think I ultimately discovered, though, that I don't have a chemical imbalance issue at all. I hoped I might, like maybe a drug could make me "normal" and then I would get along with people and want to do what they think is normal and then women would be attracted to me and I could have a relationship and a family like I always wanted. But, no such luck. I'm just unlovable, for whatever reason, and there isn't a drug that will make a difference or I'd take it.

 

[road2joy]

Never tried. My doctor told me fluoxetine doesn't give you erectile dysfunction meanwhile every avenue online including AI told me otherwise.

 

[MidnightCat]

Tried quite a few, 10+. Nothing worked or at least not enough to justify the secondary effects.

However, my wife and mother take them and it's night and day for them, you can clearly see them happier and more positive towards everything, to the point you can pretty easily tell if they missed a few pills.

So... It really depends on the individual.

 

[dewdrop]

The data here may be slightly skewed. I imagine if SSRIs completely changed someone's life then they might not be so active on a forum like this. SSRIs have been shown in studies to be more effective than a placebo, but it depends on the individual taking them, and overtime as you grow a tolerance they can sometimes stop working as well.

However, this doesn't mean they are not worth a try, and I've heard many stories from people who found significant improvement from taking antidepressants, even just making their mood or anxiety a bit more bearable on a day-to-day basis. I felt very brief improvements in my mood on two antidepressants, but the other two I tried didn't work. 3/4 gave me side effects such as irritation, fatigue, and nausea, so I had to stop. Whether a medication will help or not just depends on the person.

 

[BlueberrySylv]

hey! love your pfp for starters, a pokefur in this place is a raresight.
other than that my experince with anti dep medication is somewhat ok. i am on both imipramine and sertraline (prozac)
and they have worked amazingly for me so far.
i feel a lot better than i once felt. way less depressed and sad, i barely think of suicide anymore i have gotten more functional past few months and i have even started doing my hobbies once again, even started new ones, like reading, drawing, and gotten back to gaming.

generally speaking they make you feel numb at first, then more sad, then slowly less sad, and then more happier.
at least that was the steps for me. its diffrent for everyone anyways.
ive been on them for 3.5 months now. i might stop soon cause of the costs, and yes im worreid but generally speaking if you can.

PLEASE try them.
they might help or might not help but if you have suicidal thoughts and might end up actually hurting yourself they might just be the last hope that you are in need of.

 

[AdultVirgin]

felt like a numb lethargic zombie and was also suicidal

but then i was heavy drinking at the same time

 

[Daenerys Targaryen]

They don't cure my brain, I don't know what else. Antipsychotics? That's never going to get into my body

 

[vitbar]

Tried a few which did something, but not enough. Eventually found some that work for me. Saved my life. Find my days mostly worth living now. Side effects can be annoying, but a fair trade. I'm not completely numb like some get, it's mostly negative stuff it's blunted.

 

[broken_stoic]

I'm one of those people who get all of the side effects and only some limited benefit. Been on well over a dozen psychiatric meds since I was 22. They are absolutely life-changing for some people. Sadly I'm not one of them.

 

[astonishedturnip]

I'm on Lexapro. Worked like... 80% of the way for me?

It absolutely severed my nonstop looping anxiety/depression thoughts (I have OCD and once I get in a negative thought loop, it's quite dangerous) and allowed me to think clearly again and feel happiness. I still have high "highs" but my "lows" are easier to break out of. I had the power to get out of bed and break negative patterns, and have the focus to actually go about my day like normal instead of spending the entire day doomscrolling and worrying. I felt like "me" again after taking it.

The other 20%: I still have bad days. They are FAR fewer and less destructive than before my meds, but they still suck and are very traumatic. As someone who is generally healthy as a horse and used to physical problems being "fixed" easily, it was pretty discouraging to be told that I would never just stop having anxiety or depression like those people who go on antidepressants for a few months and then don't need them anymore. I gained a small bit of weight that's hard to lose and I'm somewhat less horny, which in turn makes me a little more high-strung lmao. The first couple of days suck after starting, but I adjusted quickly after that.

My recommendation? Worth a shot. YOUR LIFE is worth a shot. Remember that you're on SaSu and the sampling pool has a bit of... I wouldn't ever say "piss," maybe more like "tears"? Many people are here because antidepressants didn't work for them or they have some situation that prevents them from being able to use it as an option. Try starting with a GP and moving to a psychiatrist if the GP exhausts your options -- if you can. Don't be scared off immediately by horror stories of PSSD, gaining 100 pounds, getting their brains melted, etc. I'm not saying AT ALL that those people are lying, but everyone is different, and you're more likely to get replies from people who had an issue than people who had a normal experience.

It helped me get my life back. Mind you, I still haven't taken CTB off the table as an option, but that's simply because I don't want to live after my parents die and no dosage is going to stop the natural decay of human life lol.

 

[Konnsz]

I rarely get angry.

Those things made me unable to feel sad and made me feel rage instead.

A huge nono for me


It also destroys your libido/dick too