Is antidepressant worth a try & when?

[Peacely]

So I have anxiety that I've managed the last year with meditation, walks, gardening and pulling back on my work schedule. Then recently I got a promotion with more hours and social engagement and had full-blown anxiety again. I would like to think that if I started an anti depressant, this would solve it all and I could keep my promotion but I don't know if that's a healthy choice when I had it under control with natural ways prior to my promotion. Has anybody had an experience where they felt they were pushed to finally taking an antidepressant for anxiety and if so what and what were your challenges/ success with the antidepressants for anxiety?

[Agora1]

Hi Peacely, congratulations on your promotion. With that comes more responsibility

and socializing. As good as that is for most people, the anxious person doesn't like

changes and this might be one reason your anxiety is escalating.

Of course trying an Antidepressant can help with both your emotional and physical

state but you must remember there is never a guarantee.

Just as you believed in meditation and walks etc, these should still be included in

your daily practice.

Taking a medication can have a profound effect on your struggling and suffering but

know that it can take up to 4-6 weeks to feel the effect. If it's the right med and right

dosage, you may feel better sooner. Talk with your doctor regarding starting on a

medication to help you through this difficult period of change and challenge.

I wish you well in your decision. Keep us updated. We Care. xx

[CornDog88]

I think that medication can get a bad wrap, I know that there are some that say that medication does not work, or that it is ineffective, and for some that might be true, but it's a gross oversimplification of something very complicated. Medication can work, we may not know how or why, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't work. I have been down the rabbit hole of trying to understand SSRI medication for a few years, and the only conclusion that I have is that, right now, we don't know how it works.

I got lucky, medication made a huge difference for me. I really improved my symptoms and I don't have plans to come off it right now, that may change. I think that it's worth trying. Just use it to the letter as prescribed by your doctor, don't miss or skip doses, and reach out to your doctor if you have any issues.

[EsmeLu in reply to CornDog88]

The biggest mistake I ever made is the same one many others make. Waiting too long to see a psychiatrist and start taking medication. It resulted in my depression and anxiety getting worse until I ended up in the hospital. Don’t listen to non-doctors. They obviously don’t know what they’re talking about. . When you get worse they won’t be there to help you I can tell you that. General practitioners sometimes won’t even diagnose you correctly. I also allowed my anxiety to get worse that led to panic attacks, panic disorder and agoraphobia. Don’t make the same mistakes I made. Get help now and do it right from the start. If you don’t like the medication you can always try something new.

[CornDog88 in reply to EsmeLu]

I agree with this 100%, I cringe when I hear people that are not doctors, much less psychiatrists' talk about medication and how it's either bad or good. I feel like I know a lot about the medications in general, but even I am humble to the fact that it's not something that I do every day and am an expert in, I always take the advice from the doctor as the truth, at least initially. If you have problems, value the fact that they are experts in what they do, just like you are in what you do.

[JenniferBut]

Hi Peacely,

If you can manage then I would say don't go on anything. I have been on meds for 35 years. Anxiety, OCD and depression in the past. Not so much now.

while meds have helped, I still suffer with anxiety and the downside for me is they have given me restless leg syndrome. I now find it impossible to get off the SSRI I am on because of discontinuation syndrome.

Go into taking meds with your eyes wide open. ( like you are doing )

These are serious drugs and most have side effects.

I guess it comes down to if you can manage without. if you can steer clear.

[EsmeLu]

antidepressants don’t cause Restless Legs syndrome. You have to be predisposed to RLS or PLMD in order to develop it. Why get off a medication that’s helping you? Have you seen other psychiatrists or neurologists about this? Untreated mental illness is the worst thing that can happen to a person.

[bethelbee]

Remember that everyone responds differently to meds and other treatments and not all give bad side effects. I was on antidepressants for decades and for the most part they helped. I couldn't have gotten through my depression and anxiety without them. They can play an important role in helping to control it. A few years ago I became treatment resistant to them; the last few I tried either didn't work or gave me intolerable side effects. Luckily my therapist recommended TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation)and it really worked for me.

[Naturegirl60]

Anti depressants are a huge help as I've been on for 35 years. I can't imagine years ago, the suffering people went through when there was no such thing.

[Peacely in reply to Naturegirl60]

Recommend any antidepressant in particular?

[Naturegirl60]

I'm on Effexor as it affects not only helps Serotonin and Dopamine but also Norepinephrine as the SSRI's don't. There are many to choose from. I also take Omega 3 fish oil. There are many to choose from. You are going to read tons of side effects. It isn't fun going through your body adjusting for some. But, it is worth my mind being ok in this world as you do adjust. Do whatever you can to help yourself I say.

[yhsbirny]

Anti-depressants are meant to treat depression, not anxiety. Some say they have the secondary benefit of treating anxiety but even if they do it is a very minor effect. The only thing that really works for anxiety are benzodiazipines ("benzos") but because of the way they have beeen demonized here and elsewhere ("Oh God, don't take even one or you'll be hooked for life!!!"), I hesitate to even mention them. I have been on anti-depressants for 50 years, every one you can name, and never got any relief from them for anxiety. I got that relief when I started benzos 12 or 15 years ago. I am on a very high dose of the benzo lorazepam (plus an anti-depressant) and that is how I am surviving. Do some of your own research and talk to your doctor; maybe a low dose (God forbid) of a benzo would be the answer. Also, be aware that sometimes it is hard to differentiate between depression and anxiety symptoms so many doctors will treat both.

[Craigliving4Jane]

Hey guys what about Busiprone for anxiety. It’s non benzo so no sedative and additive side to it. Right?

Took Clonopin for years with so so help, then went to a hospital and they increased my Busiprone from 10 mg to 30 and 90% relief.

They dropped the Clonopin. Recommending meds is tricky but if there is something that might help ,if your holistic approach isn’t quite cutting it .

This is obvious but I for one look at the recommendations and discussions here as educational and only as possibilities to discussed with my physcatrist.

It’s such a tricky things meds but without them I’d be sunk