Any thoughts on Antidepressants

[rocky_road]

I just decided that I really want to get some therapy for my binge eating, perhaps antidepressants, since in general i'm not really happy any more. Ever since high school started I've felt basically sad and gotten more depressed, it seems, year-by-year. I'm definetely going to talk to my mom about therapy, since I have gone to one before but decided I didn't need one anymore. I didn't really like to express my feelings, but I feel like I'll have to if I want to start healthy behaviors. Now, I'd like to know if getting on antidepressants have actually hurt anyone here? I figure my doctor or therapist will know what to do and whether or not to prescribe me, but am just wondering if you ladies have any thoughts.

To tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous AND excited about this decision, but mostly excited. I know it will help me in the long run.

 

[Sassy69]

All I can say is if you do seek therapy, pay close attention to the therapist - there are a lot of really shitty ones out there who will just prescribe the drugs and not actually help you. I've been told in the past I've probably been slightly depressed my whole life and shoudl be on anti-d's. Fuck that - I was talking to the therapist about my weight issues and I'm like - the drugs make u fatter. F U lady. And then once I stopped obsessing about my weight and just stopped worrying about it, life got a whole helluva lot better. I still have to work hard to get "out of my head" but I prefer to do it w/o drugs complicating my body chemistry.

I was extremely shy & moody when I was in HS & my first years of college. I chose physics as my major (which is extremely isolating) at a party school 1500 miles away from family (further isolation). I work in software w/ mostly guys (further isolation and surrounded by socially retarded men) and now work in product mgmt, which is even more isolating as I am the entire product mgmt dept at my current job. In other words, I never get to work closely w/ anyone. No one reports to me & I have no authority over anyone. However I have lots of responsibility to get people to do stuff for me. Very tough when there's no one to bounce ideas off of or just go out for a beer. Further, I live in a state where I know no one, I live off the beaten path in a city where I dont know anyone outside of work and I freekin hate Atlanta. The gym is my one outlet and I belong to a relatively lame gym given I'm used to hardcore gymrats around me -- I'm the only hardcore gym rat for miles. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Well - my suggestion is talk to the therapist but scrutinize them. Just becaues their title says "Dr." or "Therapist" doesnt mean they can help you. If this one sucks, go find another. You may come to find out you really can do it yourself because they just end up patronizing you or messign w/ your head. If you truly feel you need meds, then explore that, but if you don't truly need them, you will have side effects from most of them in some form or another.

I have never used anti-d's - I've experimented w/ SAM-e (shit's too expensive) and have loaded Inositol (its just a B vitamin in powder form) -- by the time I've run either of those for a while, whatever was bothering me no longer bothers me or else those thing actually worked.

I think the best thing I've heard about from anyone seekign therapy is learning things to help them manage the behavior or learn better coping skills. I am so hesitant to rely on drugs to fix somethign that is just a part of who I am & how my body works.

But that's just me.

Good luck exploring this - but please do be very proactive in evaluating the people you are placing your well-being in the hands of. So many just suck and may really just add to your frustrations.

 

[rocky_road]

What a detailed response; thanks

I really actually trust this lady I went to before. When I talked to her before she thought I had a few things including mild depression, but we didn't have enough time to really explore it before I decided to stop going. She never mentioned antidep's or anything so I think i'm safe going to her.

Very good points, Sassy.

To be honest, though, I'm unsure of how to respond to your points about being isolated. It's like, I want to say soory, because in my mind being isolated rather sucks, but yet, and I know this because I feel this way, some people would simply rather be isolated. I appreciate your openness. It helps me figure out myself a little better. Anyway, I'm glad you have EF as a sort of outlet. It does suck to hear that you hate Atlanta which to me sounds like a nice warm city!

 

[rocky_road]

I hope you know what I mean about being isolated.


I don't know if I am strong enough, given my current situations of still living at home, still being in HS, and embarking on a whole new journey of college next year, to just "fix" my sadness myself. I am like you in that I'd rather have my problems be fixed naturally than through drugs, because what happens when I come off them? And how do they affect my health? No one really knows.

 

[gymmum]

I just decided that I really want to get some therapy for my binge eating, perhaps antidepressants, since in general i'm not really happy any more. Ever since high school started I've felt basically sad and gotten more depressed, it seems, year-by-year. I'm definetely going to talk to my mom about therapy, since I have gone to one before but decided I didn't need one anymore. I didn't really like to express my feelings, but I feel like I'll have to if I want to start healthy behaviors. Now, I'd like to know if getting on antidepressants have actually hurt anyone here? I figure my doctor or therapist will know what to do and whether or not to prescribe me, but am just wondering if you ladies have any thoughts.

To tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous AND excited about this decision, but mostly excited. I know it will help me in the long run.

I had a freind once who was quickly told she had depression and I feel she did to a point, but was more feeling sorry for herself and isolated herself from others. The doctor put her on anti depressants only to find after a couple of months taking them, they actually made her worse to the point of suicide.
She went down real fast. Stopped looking after herself, quit her job, slept a lot and started blaming others for her problems no matter how big or small they were. Some freinds and I took her to a clinic where they sudated her and asked lots of questions. She stayed for 2 weeks. They took her off the anti -d's and she recovered within a couple of months. SHe was taking the drug Prozac. Not a nice drug from what I have seen of it.
By all means I would suggest you see a councellor rather than a quack.
The councellors have time to listen to you and your feelings whereas a doctor gets paid by the minute and doesn't rally care about you only the bucks you pay him. But that's just my opinion.
Good luck with your endevours, which ever way you decide to go.

 

[rocky_road]

I had a freind once who was quickly told she had depression and I feel she did to a point, but was more feeling sorry for herself and isolated herself from others. The doctor put her on anti depressants only to find after a couple of months taking them, they actually made her worse to the point of suicide.
She went down real fast. Stopped looking after herself, quit her job, slept a lot and started blaming others for her problems no matter how big or small they were. Some freinds and I took her to a clinic where they sudated her and asked lots of questions. She stayed for 2 weeks. They took her off the anti -d's and she recovered within a couple of months. SHe was taking the drug Prozac. Not a nice drug from what I have seen of it.
By all means I would suggest you see a councellor rather than a quack.
The councellors have time to listen to you and your feelings whereas a doctor gets paid by the minute and doesn't rally care about you only the bucks you pay him. But that's just my opinion.
Good luck with your endevours, which ever way you decide to go.

Thank you for the late night reply.....lol

Thou shall be wary of quaks.

 

[Gymgurl]

If you need them you need them......There are so many kinds with many side effects...so find the right one that works for you....I have taken prozac twice after the birth of two of my girls and it worked great...but some people I know can't take it at all.....so just find the right one

 

[cindylou]

All I can say is if you do seek therapy, pay close attention to the therapist - there are a lot of really shitty ones out there who will just prescribe the drugs and not actually help you. I've been told in the past I've probably been slightly depressed my whole life and shoudl be on anti-d's. Fuck that - I was talking to the therapist about my weight issues and I'm like - the drugs make u fatter. F U lady. And then once I stopped obsessing about my weight and just stopped worrying about it, life got a whole helluva lot better. I still have to work hard to get "out of my head" but I prefer to do it w/o drugs complicating my body chemistry.

I was extremely shy & moody when I was in HS & my first years of college. I chose physics as my major (which is extremely isolating) at a party school 1500 miles away from family (further isolation). I work in software w/ mostly guys (further isolation and surrounded by socially retarded men) and now work in product mgmt, which is even more isolating as I am the entire product mgmt dept at my current job. In other words, I never get to work closely w/ anyone. No one reports to me & I have no authority over anyone. However I have lots of responsibility to get people to do stuff for me. Very tough when there's no one to bounce ideas off of or just go out for a beer. Further, I live in a state where I know no one, I live off the beaten path in a city where I dont know anyone outside of work and I freekin hate Atlanta. The gym is my one outlet and I belong to a relatively lame gym given I'm used to hardcore gymrats around me -- I'm the only hardcore gym rat for miles. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Well - my suggestion is talk to the therapist but scrutinize them. Just becaues their title says "Dr." or "Therapist" doesnt mean they can help you. If this one sucks, go find another. You may come to find out you really can do it yourself because they just end up patronizing you or messign w/ your head. If you truly feel you need meds, then explore that, but if you don't truly need them, you will have side effects from most of them in some form or another.

I have never used anti-d's - I've experimented w/ SAM-e (shit's too expensive) and have loaded Inositol (its just a B vitamin in powder form) -- by the time I've run either of those for a while, whatever was bothering me no longer bothers me or else those thing actually worked.

I think the best thing I've heard about from anyone seekign therapy is learning things to help them manage the behavior or learn better coping skills. I am so hesitant to rely on drugs to fix somethign that is just a part of who I am & how my body works.

But that's just me.

Good luck exploring this - but please do be very proactive in evaluating the people you are placing your well-being in the hands of. So many just suck and may really just add to your frustrations.

I am wondering myself how much isolation is healthy.

I work in software too ; and have for 7 years ; and the type of work I do is on my own I dont answer to anyone ; and no one answers to me ; I used to enjoy people but dont so much anymore ; I even hate talking on the phone. 6 people work with me! 6 people!! I never see anyone else!!!

i feel like my world is shrinking ; but yet at the same time ; I dont mind. LOL. If I have to be around people that I dont know very well ; I end up drinking! LOL!!!

 

[Gymgurl]

My quote in my log was about isolation yesterday.....funny.....

 

[Gymgurl]

The problem with isolating is that you get such bad advice