May be a stupid question but what is the difference between an anti depressant versus an anti psychotic? I assume they work on different parts of the brain...is it that simple? I take sertraline for ocd, anxiety, depression and ptsd. It is doing nothing for me. I suffered a trauma and ruminate daily. I do see a therapist.
Have any of you had more success with one versus the other?
Thank you.
Dear Willieveebehappy, I am not sure what the difference is, and I am not sure if anyone will really know on this forum. I think we are just people trying to find a better way to live with PTSD but none of us are experts. Your doctor should know.
My experience is that I first took antidepressants for major depression. They helped but did not make the bi-monthly bouts of depression go away. I tried most of the major antidepressants for a few months. Most of these did nothing to me.
After a few years, drug companies came up with different meds that targeted specific parts of the brain. More people were getting help but they did not effect me. I started taking two different antidepressants. They helped but I was still having twice a month bouts when I could not get out of bed.
During most of this med treatments, I was also seeing a therapist weekly.
After a few more years, I decided to meet with a different therapist. I told her about my situation. She said that for people that are NOT getting results with antidepressants were getting results from antipsychotics. I told her I did not want to take them because I did not feel I was psychotic. She agreed that I was NOT psychotic but she thought I should try mirtazapine for the depression. I took a while but I did try it. I took Effexor and a low dose of mirtazapine. These meds made me very tired so I took both before bed time each night.
At first there was no effect. Then after 3 months, I started a little higher dose. My depression went completely away. It has been about a year and the depression has not returned. I still have to deal with the feelings around depression. My body was used to sleeping for days when I had major depression bouts. I still almost wanted to sleep like that but I could not make my self feel depressed. It really did make the depression go away.
I still see a therapist. I have to learn how to live differently. I have a lot more time to fill because I am not depressed. I have to learn how to do things in a more healthy way. All this is new for me. It has been a long road.
Mertazapine is not an anti psychotic medication.
An anti psychotic is usually only, taken by someone experiencing psychosis. Some antipsychotics have been used in the past in very small doses for sleeping. An anti psychotic used to treat schizophrenia is apt to make one sluggish during the day, has been proven to cause weight gain sometimes huge amounts of weight gain and is also linked to bowel problems so if you are 9n an antipsychotic its important, ultra important, to be monitoring bowel movements. (Sorry to raise thatissue). This is all the learnings I have on these medications from workingin mental health.
Anti psychotics are not just used for psychosis. They are often added to other med regimes if they are not working.
Depressed and scared
Feeling hurt, betrayed, shocked & depressed.
how the hell do you banish ptsd
Misdiagnosed for 12 years...
