Will anti-depressants help me feel better about myself???

[cortez]

Hi, there.

I am seriously considering taking anti-depressants, as I have never felt so negative about myself, my past and my future. I have experienced a few traumatic events this year and feel very hopeless and worthless. I've never had any confidence in myself anyway and suffer from anxiety a lot, and I'm a constant worrier too.

I'm anxious about the idea of taking anti-depressants, as I don't like the idea of taking medication as a way to cope with life; will give me a sense of loss of control. Also, I've read there can be terrible side-effects.

Could anyone tell me from personal experience if they have benefitted from taking anti-depressants, if yes, how so? Does it lower your inhibitions, make you feel drowsy? Does it numb feelings of resentment, guilt, sorrow etc.?

Many thanks xxx

[Clarebear86]

I was very much like you. My mum suffers from depression and I always worried I would end up like her. She took and still takes medication. I never wanted to be in that position. I’ve had a bad time this past year to the point where enough was enough. Going to the gym wasn’t helping, it was just a chore. They say exercise releases feel good endorphins, but I didn’t feel good after the gym, which just made me feel worse. I was expecting to feel better from going, but it didn’t seem to help. I won’t lie, when I started taking my tablets I was groggy, fuzzy and they are not a quick fix solution. For me I was having bad days with good moments, now I have good days with bad moments. I have been on the verge of throwing the tablets away a few times because I have to rely on them to make me feel better, but I do feel better. No one on here can tell you whether it is right for you to take anti-depressants, you have to make that decision for yourself. Everyone is different and reacts differently. Here to support and help anyway I can. I’ve been there and no how hard it is.

[Zoea in reply to Clarebear86]

What a nice reply. I feel like I know you lol

The medicine can help for sure. Modern science is relatively advanced. However, you may have to push and keep trying to find an effective treatment. I think it took my brother over a year. I used Fluoxetine (Prozac) for a while and it helped but it was kind of a haze, it's a neurochemical after all you should try and realise it for what it is. It was good, sure !, I would not say don't take it but it's a case of trying to get your mind in a place where you can VERY slowly decrease your dose. At least hopefully, in a number of cases.

Exercise should certainly help. Check out the Healthy Eating area of this website Health Unlocked. I'm also posting that to.

My general advice would be to not be wary of antidepressants in general and your GP / ER in summary. These treatments work now and are designed to help with your quality of life and in my experience certainly do so. Just be mindful of the possible side effect and don't get carried away or something. OK I'm rambling now lol :L)

[Zoea in reply to Zoea]

I take all this back. Try and get your thyroid and adrenals back in shape. Check out John Bergman on youtube. I was only made aware after posting the previous reply.

Spirulina, coffee, Vitamin D, fix your gut health, that kind of thing. You'll feel fine. For depression, magnesium supplements have been shown in stud(ies) to be as effective as antidepressants. I don't know exactly what's been going on but pharma seems to be s**t.

sorry.....

[MAS_Nurse]

Hi cortez, I am very sorry to read that you are going through a difficult time at the moment, and that you are feeling anxious and worried. With regards to taking anti depressant medication, I agree with Clarebear86, that this decision must be yours as you will need to feel right about starting medication. Like all new tablets, you may experience side effects more so to begin with until you adjust to them. But often these effects are short term and the benefit from the medication may help you to feel a lot better in yourself. Usually anti depressant medication takes at least two weeks before you feel the benefit and there are several different types so that if one kind of tablet did not suit you, your GP can prescribe a different one. Also to try and cope better with your anxiety and worries, I wonder would you consider asking your doctor to be referred for counselling. Talking to someone who understands our worries and fears can be cathartic in itself. You may also like to learn about Mindfullness, which requires practice, a little bit like meditation but where we focus on the 'here and now', not the past or the future as no one knows about the future. Perhaps speaking again to your GP about your fears and worries about starting tablets may help you to make that decision, and also speaking to your pharmacist may help allay some of your fears. Can any of our lovely members offer further advice and help for 'cortez' to help her reach her decision about starting anti depressant therapy? .......thanks very much.......

Let us know how you are getting on and I hope that you can reach your decision soon, so that you can start to feel better in yourself.......wishing you all the very best....... kindest regards to you and take care and good luck to you ........

[En1234]

Hi there and lovely to meet you!!

Through personal experience I have only ever had to take anti-depressants once. These were called Citalopram. I got them from my GP and he put me on a 20mg dosage. I was only only these for 6 months and I felt that they did help me. They made me feel "calm". I was not drowsy, and did not suffer any side effects at all (I was working at the time and could not take anything which would have made me feel sleepy). After six months I was on a reduced dosage of 10mg for 3 months and then came off them completely. I found they did help me for the time that i needed them but even now I am wary about taking pills. I actually worked for a Solicitor 10 years ago and I know he was taking this medication and he was constantly on 10mg. He even admitted that he needed them. His job was very stressful and he was constantly under pressure but not sure if he is still taking them.

I think anti-depressants are ok for the short-term but not to be depended upon. You should go to your GP anyway, even if its just to talk about how you are feeling. Most GPs these days dont want to give you pills, they would rather you had "talking therapy", but I definitely think you should go see your GP anyway. There is no harm (and no shame) in asking for help!! Good luck!!...XXX

[cortez]

Thank you for your comments and apologies for major delay in replying. I decided to take anti-depressants at the end of December. As soon as I took them, I felt heavy and light-headed. I stopped taking them after 6 weeks and have gone for a more productive and healthier route. I decided to see a counsellor, listen to audios/videos about positive thinking, confidence boosting etc, eat better and I have also introduced exercise to my daily routine. These things have all had an uplifting effect and I'm very pleased to not be taking tablets anymore. I am also meditating and having CBT sessions with my counsellor. Thanks again for your comments, much appreciated. I hope you are all well x

[En1234]

Brilliant!! That really is good.. You sound like a really sensible person and I know (I dont do exercise as such) when I go for a long walk I always feel a lot better. Its good to through yourself into something productive and good for your health as well..

I was actually toying with the idea of meditation but not sure how to go about it, although I have heard others say they really have benefited from it but definitely something I will be looking into.

Wishing you all the best!!

XXXX

[cortez]

Thanks for your reply, En1234. With regards to meditating, there are different forms and it’s all about what way benefits you the most. Even sitting and staring into space is a form of meditation. I hope you find what’s best for you. Good luck. Ps. I do struggle with exercising daily, but tend to cut myself some slack when I’m feeling super lazy and don’t do any. I love dancing, so sometimes I just put on some upbeat tunes and rock it out. I also use my punchbag, which does me the world of good. Great for venting xx

[En1234 in reply to cortez]

Hi Cortez,

I have to say I did a lot of staring into space yesterday but it was more because I was bored, not meditating..LOL!!... The trainer's voice is very monotone and it is hard not to feel sleepy after a while. (Most of the class feel the same way!!)

Yesterday was quite tough though. I got my log in details for my computer yesterday (almost 3 weeks later) and feel as though I am now trying to catch up with everyone else who had theirs a couple of days after they started. Just when I thought I knew what I was doing, I sat in front of my screen and my mind just went blank. The trainer said this is "normal" but I am trying really and still feel as though I am just not getting it. I have got the rest of this week and the next 3 weeks to go, so will just have to go with it and see how it goes. I have stopped posting on here too because I am afraid that people will just get fed up with me bleating on all the time, and I really dont want that, so need to just get my head down and try a bit harder......although God help me, I dont know how much harder I CAN try!!... :-)...

I hope you are OK today and I will try some of your suggestions.

PS. I love dancing in the kitchen when I am getting the dinner on and if anyone could see me they would have me locked up!!...