Anti psychotics versus Anti depressants

Can someone please tell me the difference between anti psychotics and anti depressants? I am taking sertraline and it is not doing anything other than helping with anxiety .. my depression and ptsd are still quite bad. Thanks.b

[Stilltrying_]

Really you need to talk to your prescriber about this. Anti psychotics such as quietiapine can be used alongside sertraline to help with PTSD . In high doses these medicines are designed to "quieten" things like hallucinations in people experiencing psychosis. They are basically major tranquillers. In lower doses which would be prescribed for PTSD and depression ( significantly lower doses ; eg a typical dose for PTSD would be 200 mg compared with 1000 mg for schizophrenia ) they help stablilise the mood and help with any periods of temporary dissociation ( feeling like you're not really here for example or that there is a wall between you and other people or that the world is unreal) .

So that is the difference. Anti depressants help with anxiety and depression. Anti psychotics in high doses deal with illnesses such as schizophrenia. In lower doses they help with depression anxiety and feelings of unreality in patients who are experiencing symptoms of PTSD .

There are many more anti psychotics than quietiapine but that one tends to be the one used for PTSD ( but I am in the UK it may have a different name elsewhere)

Hope this helps.

Gemma

[Hidden in reply to Stilltrying_]

Great explanation. Thank you. I do plan to talk to my dr about this next week.

[Marnie22 Volunteer in reply to Stilltrying_]

I was given a low dose of quetiapine alongside my regular antidepressant. It was supposed to help with insomnia caused by the antidepressant. I have never been so ill in my life as I was on the quetiapine. I could only take it for a few days . Then when I came off it I became even more ill and that lasted for weeks. It may be great for some people, but it was absolutely horrendous for me. It was several years ago now and I still shudder to think of it. 😨

[Nathalie99 Partner in reply to Marnie22]

I had similar experience, Marnie

[Hidden in reply to Marnie22]

I am sorry you had such a negative experience. I really do feel that I need something to supplement my anti depressant as I am in a very bad place. As I have said a million times, I need something that acts like clonazapam....that is the only drug that helps me,

[lostgirl75]

Tell your dr or psychiatrist they can adjust your meds. And an anti phychotic just relaxes you more