Is depression purely a medical condition or is it the situation of your life ?

[Expo123]

I would love to get feedback from some of you who are taking antidepressants as to whether you think you would need them if your life situation was different than it currently is. I've tried a bunch of different medications but none of them have really helped me. The problem I think is my life. I'm really lonely and for one reason or another I seem to have friends but not people who are close enough that I do things with on a regular basis. I've spent my whole life doing a job that makes me feel miserable yet I have no other skill set that would qualify me to do the things I wish I could. I feel like such an outsider in this world. Like I've never quite fit in anywhere and at the age I am now, I doubt this will change. If these are the things that are causing me to feel depressed, and I know they are, is there any chance that medication could ever really help me? I am feeing so lost, sad, anxious and alone. I can barely get up in the morning yet I feel like I would be a different person if I had just a couple of people who made me feel like I was loved and cared about, people who want to do things with me and make plans for fun things to do. Does anyone else feel the same way? If they do, does that mean depression isn't necessarily a medical condition but that it's more caused by the situation of your life?

[Kat_21]

Some people don't think situations can affect your depression. I was on meds, and they worked until I got sick. They just suddenly didn't help. Now I'm in a tough spot with my husband having cancer and a few other things. I've been on venlafaxine for a while and it's always worked until now. My situation has definitely had a role in my depression. However. I've also not been on medication, had a pretty great life, and still been depressed. It is a medical condition. But the environment and situation definitely affect how bad it is. At least, I think so.I hope you find relief.

[Expo123 in reply to Kat_21]

Thank you for your reply Kat. I'm sorry to hear about youe husband's illness. I wish you both courage and strength, and much better days ahead.

[Kat_21 in reply to Expo123]

Thank you. Same goes for you.

[Roxylox]

In my case perhaps a bit of both. At least the first of my two manic episodes were probably caused by grief. I was also in a job I hated at the time.

I was in a job I liked for 3 years till last year. Then a few people took a dislike to me, judged me wrongly and I was bullied indirectly.

I feel if I had not been on a stabiliser I might not have been able to cope with the situation. However I did go on online self help sites, joinef a mental health peer group on Zoom and started journalling.

The stabiliser does not make me feel groggy. Anti depressants used to knock me out. Obviously I'm far from an expert, but i feel if you can manage without antidepressants you would be far better off without them. I feel they can have side affects that will make you fe worse than you do now.

I do have a happy marriage, but when my husband is working during the day I get lonely, longing to have a friend.

Like you I never managed to fit in properly anywhere, despite making the best effort I could.

I do need a little nap during the day, but know I could forego that if I had company. I am 55.

I would say stay hopeful. I have found I am most at ease when in the company of others who have had setbacks in life. Perhaps you could join an oonline group.

[Hidden]

I hope something I say might be helpful:When I was a young mom I found I had a lot of anger and I didn't know where it was coming from. I was a "yeller" and I didn't want that for my children so I sought therapy. I had a number of traumatic experiences before I was even 25 years old. The counselor believed that each time these occurred and were not successfully resolved my serotonin production was reduced. Unresolved anger not expressed often manifests as depression. With each traumatic experience building on the next my body no longer produced an adequate amount of serotonin. So I started SSRI medications. As most people do I went through a great amount of trial and error until I found the right one.The therapy and the medication helped so I hoped at some point I might not need the medication. For my situation this was not to be and I had to accept chronic clinical depression. While my depression was set in motion by a number of life events and situation it was perpetuated by a chemical imbalance.

You are worthy of love and friendship and having a few really good people in your life will help. As hard as it is you may have to step out of your comfort zone to make the friendships you need.

Take care of you.

[samack]

I know just how you feel. I can say the same. I think both things apply, life conditioning affects medical outcomes and the reverse. Yes, I believe antidepressants can help with appropriate therapy. I need close friend or 2 as well. It truly would help.