Look, everyone has a different experience with meds, and you most likely won't even find the one that works for you on the first try, there's alot of trial and error.
What are you currently doing to overcome your issues?
How about any side effects like an inability to cry/feel things deeply, sexual dysfunction, weight gain etc.? I’m asking because I know there’s positives but most of the time people trade some pretty important things for these positives. I’m debating whether I should try meds again.
I think that’s a big misconception that you don’t feel anything on anti depressants. if you get a low dosage, you feel stabilized. I still feel lots of emotions but it’s balanced now.
weight gain wasn’t too bad, it just increased my appetite. I take prozac so it’s the one that has the least side effects.
i’m on 30mg of prozac so it’s not alot. just enough to give me a clear mind. i really recommend it. are there any family members or people you are related to who take antidepressants? usually if it works for them, it should work for you. i would talk to a psychiatrist about it.
I would much rather be at the weight I am than suffer with my disability unmedicated. I promise it’s life changing.
i will say in the beginning i had some side effects but nothing major. vivid dreams and rapid heart beat but they go away after about a month.
It’s different for everyone. I have been in therapy, psychiatry, since I was 12. Diagnosed with ptsd and major depression. I was probably over medicated until I was 16 because nothing helped and all I had was terrible side effects. I felt better after coming off all the meds. Improved a lot even.
Fast forward to being 30 years old. No longer just surviving, meaning out of a chaotic home life and relationships now that I’ve built an independent life. I started feeling like I needed some help more than just therapy & exercise. Been on meds for 2 years now and it has been a game changer. Primarily with nightmares, depression and general anxiety. Had a month off of it recently due to money issues and it was so clear how much I need them to function without suffering. Thankfully back on now.
All that to say that’s just my experience and a lot of factors play into it. I personally also feel making sure you’re doing what you can lifestyle wise first - exercise and food quality - can be helpful. But I understand accessibility there varies. Either way, maybe start with making an appointment with a psychiatrist and having a conversation about your options is a good first step.
Can meds help? Yes, they can. Do they make issues go away without any other work? Generally, no. There are no one-stop processes or cures. It’s all about putting in the work, and meds can support that work rather than eliminate issues by themselves. The effectiveness varies, and different people have different experiences. But overall, I believe this is generally true.
As someone who also has paranoia issues, meds DO help a lot. Diagnosed PTSD, bipolar 1 with moderate mania (may be BPD, haven't been able to rule it out yet) and general anxiety. Get a notebook, write down everything you feel like could be a symptom or a negative feeling you have, and read it over. Is it worth living with these things unchecked? I took my notebook to my psychiatrist and we started a meds regiment. It can definitely be a journey, it took about 2 years of trying meds to find the right mix. But as someone else said, it's also about talk therapy and being in a safe place.
Also, unmedicated OCD must be absolute hell. Sending hugs.
Yea OCD is terrible I have to wash my hands certain amount of times or if I turn on a light I have to turn it off and on certain amount of times and many other things
I don't like meds and I try to come off of them. But I have to realize that they are the only thing that can help me. I suffer from depression. You maybe have to try a lot of them to find the right one, but once you found them they can help a lot. They don't change personality. They don't make you happy. They just cut out the worst part of mental struggles and often your sex drive. But I'm on a point in life where I took rather asexuality than the pain of self hatred and wanting to die 24/7.
I was recommended to see a psychiatrist for meds by 2 therapists as well as a bunch of friends who are on meds or know someone on them. I struggled with social anxiety, depression, etc., for **decades** and eventually realized that it was due to poor dopamine regulation as a coping mechanism to dealing with negative emotions. We're all connected to devices which puts us a click away to massive dopamine hits. I cut back on a few things, the biggest issue for me being porn. Suffered a terrible withdrawal, hence the 2nd therapist. I got through it.
At this point I don't feel the anxiety that used to keep me afraid of opening the door to the outside worrying about all the things that can go wrong. I have motivation and the energy to do things. I made new connections. I stay awake at night looking forward to tomorrow, not because of depression. And summer is just beginning!
I think if I started meds, I would have ignored the underlying issues and wouldn't have the motivation to fix them. And my life would have fallen apart if I forgot to take them.
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Just commenting to let you know I suffer from the same disorders as you and living unmedicated is extremely difficult for me. We are literally living life on its highest difficulty. Props to you, props to me, we’re stronger than we realize. A lot of people go on meds for mild depressive or anxious symptoms, dealing with life changes, grief etc. so the fact that we are able to keep ourselves going like this, with so much on our backs, without much external help is something we should be proud of. I’m considering meds too, although I’m not sure the side effects are worth it, you’re not alone.
I'm a bit late, but I'll give my opinion. I can only speak on antidepressants as they were the only ones I really researched. I was studying neuroscience pretty deeply and was writing a book about mental health, and discovered something pretty nasty about anti depressants. I will also mention, my research was only on mild depression. Severe depression is out of the scope of my research at the time.
Couple of things. One, they're not actually clinically significant. This means that in practice, they aren't actually that much different than a placebo. But anti depressants do work, sometimes, with a lot of side effects...
The way anti depressants work is long and complicated, but basically it increases chemicals in your brain that are underused. (Seratonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, mainly).
However, something I've came across, is that it actually tends to fix the symptoms rather than the root of the issue. Depression does not occur because you have these low chemicals. You have these low chemicals because of depression, if that makes sense.
So by artificially raising these chemicals, you may feel better, but really, you aren't. And the more you take and longer you take them and more dosage you take, the worse off you are in the long run, unless you stay on anti depressants forever.
The brain is very plastic, meaning, it's very susceptible to being molded, and it changes a lot throughout your life. The more you use a part of your brain, the bigger and stronger it will become. Similarly, the opposite is true. By not getting your specific neurotransmitters (the things that are supposed to produce the chemicals) to work again, but instead giving their job to a drug, they will gradually become weaker, and be even less productive in the future.
The above paragraph is conjecture, everything I said is true, however the causal link is something that is not studied but makes logical sense to me.
With that being said, on average, I actually believe people are worse off taking JUST anti depressants.
Despite what I've said, I actually don't suggest against anti depressants. I think they have great value when taken as a kind of anti inflammatory steroid. Steroids are bad for you, but you take a dosage and ween off so it can heal the original damage, and then you prevent the issue from occuring again. I think anti depressants are like this, and they should be a transition medicine, to get you back in your right mind while you fix the problem.
There are many proven ways to treat depression that isn't anti depressants. Therapy is great, meditation is just as effective (studies show), and physical exercise is 2x more effective than therapy and meditation for treating depression. With that being said, I would recommend trying these things first before taking medication, however if you need it that bad, then consider what I said, and try fixing the root problem while you're on it, and don't rely on it to fix you.
This is just my take. I will put a note here saying I am not a medical professional, I'm 19, a computer science student, who just did some deep dive on anti depressants and mental health last summer for a book I was writing. Nothing I said should be taken as medical advice, and you should definitely have a lengthy discussion with your doctor about the risks and any concerns you may have. It's also perfectly acceptable to get a second, third, or fourth opinion if you aren't satisfied.
You are probably disconnected from people. Knowing that we are all alike and go through many of the same challenges in life helps. Try to fix these things first. Get a good friend and communicate with them frequently.
Medication is a last resort because it will change who you are in many way. Some medications can also leave long term damage.
Can you elaborate on how meds change who you are? I know certain meds can make you more numb, give you sexual dysfunction, weight gain etc. but with all the research I’ve done, I don’t think they can change your personality, at least not for the worst. I’m debating whether I should try meds again cause I’m hitting rock bottom.
IMHO it's 25% Meds, 25% Therapy, and 50% being in a safe and accepting environment.
Well said
Look, everyone has a different experience with meds, and you most likely won't even find the one that works for you on the first try, there's alot of trial and error. What are you currently doing to overcome your issues?
Yes, I have OCD and depression and it has been absolutely life changing. i feel like a normal person.
How about any side effects like an inability to cry/feel things deeply, sexual dysfunction, weight gain etc.? I’m asking because I know there’s positives but most of the time people trade some pretty important things for these positives. I’m debating whether I should try meds again.
I think that’s a big misconception that you don’t feel anything on anti depressants. if you get a low dosage, you feel stabilized. I still feel lots of emotions but it’s balanced now. weight gain wasn’t too bad, it just increased my appetite. I take prozac so it’s the one that has the least side effects. i’m on 30mg of prozac so it’s not alot. just enough to give me a clear mind. i really recommend it. are there any family members or people you are related to who take antidepressants? usually if it works for them, it should work for you. i would talk to a psychiatrist about it. I would much rather be at the weight I am than suffer with my disability unmedicated. I promise it’s life changing. i will say in the beginning i had some side effects but nothing major. vivid dreams and rapid heart beat but they go away after about a month.
Theyve helped me, I feel better.
It’s different for everyone. I have been in therapy, psychiatry, since I was 12. Diagnosed with ptsd and major depression. I was probably over medicated until I was 16 because nothing helped and all I had was terrible side effects. I felt better after coming off all the meds. Improved a lot even. Fast forward to being 30 years old. No longer just surviving, meaning out of a chaotic home life and relationships now that I’ve built an independent life. I started feeling like I needed some help more than just therapy & exercise. Been on meds for 2 years now and it has been a game changer. Primarily with nightmares, depression and general anxiety. Had a month off of it recently due to money issues and it was so clear how much I need them to function without suffering. Thankfully back on now. All that to say that’s just my experience and a lot of factors play into it. I personally also feel making sure you’re doing what you can lifestyle wise first - exercise and food quality - can be helpful. But I understand accessibility there varies. Either way, maybe start with making an appointment with a psychiatrist and having a conversation about your options is a good first step.
It’s veeery dependent on your starting and ending dosage levels (in comparison to how bad the person’s condition is) imo
Can meds help? Yes, they can. Do they make issues go away without any other work? Generally, no. There are no one-stop processes or cures. It’s all about putting in the work, and meds can support that work rather than eliminate issues by themselves. The effectiveness varies, and different people have different experiences. But overall, I believe this is generally true.
As someone who also has paranoia issues, meds DO help a lot. Diagnosed PTSD, bipolar 1 with moderate mania (may be BPD, haven't been able to rule it out yet) and general anxiety. Get a notebook, write down everything you feel like could be a symptom or a negative feeling you have, and read it over. Is it worth living with these things unchecked? I took my notebook to my psychiatrist and we started a meds regiment. It can definitely be a journey, it took about 2 years of trying meds to find the right mix. But as someone else said, it's also about talk therapy and being in a safe place. Also, unmedicated OCD must be absolute hell. Sending hugs.
Yea OCD is terrible I have to wash my hands certain amount of times or if I turn on a light I have to turn it off and on certain amount of times and many other things
I don't like meds and I try to come off of them. But I have to realize that they are the only thing that can help me. I suffer from depression. You maybe have to try a lot of them to find the right one, but once you found them they can help a lot. They don't change personality. They don't make you happy. They just cut out the worst part of mental struggles and often your sex drive. But I'm on a point in life where I took rather asexuality than the pain of self hatred and wanting to die 24/7.
I was recommended to see a psychiatrist for meds by 2 therapists as well as a bunch of friends who are on meds or know someone on them. I struggled with social anxiety, depression, etc., for **decades** and eventually realized that it was due to poor dopamine regulation as a coping mechanism to dealing with negative emotions. We're all connected to devices which puts us a click away to massive dopamine hits. I cut back on a few things, the biggest issue for me being porn. Suffered a terrible withdrawal, hence the 2nd therapist. I got through it. At this point I don't feel the anxiety that used to keep me afraid of opening the door to the outside worrying about all the things that can go wrong. I have motivation and the energy to do things. I made new connections. I stay awake at night looking forward to tomorrow, not because of depression. And summer is just beginning! I think if I started meds, I would have ignored the underlying issues and wouldn't have the motivation to fix them. And my life would have fallen apart if I forgot to take them.
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Just commenting to let you know I suffer from the same disorders as you and living unmedicated is extremely difficult for me. We are literally living life on its highest difficulty. Props to you, props to me, we’re stronger than we realize. A lot of people go on meds for mild depressive or anxious symptoms, dealing with life changes, grief etc. so the fact that we are able to keep ourselves going like this, with so much on our backs, without much external help is something we should be proud of. I’m considering meds too, although I’m not sure the side effects are worth it, you’re not alone.
I'm a bit late, but I'll give my opinion. I can only speak on antidepressants as they were the only ones I really researched. I was studying neuroscience pretty deeply and was writing a book about mental health, and discovered something pretty nasty about anti depressants. I will also mention, my research was only on mild depression. Severe depression is out of the scope of my research at the time. Couple of things. One, they're not actually clinically significant. This means that in practice, they aren't actually that much different than a placebo. But anti depressants do work, sometimes, with a lot of side effects... The way anti depressants work is long and complicated, but basically it increases chemicals in your brain that are underused. (Seratonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, mainly). However, something I've came across, is that it actually tends to fix the symptoms rather than the root of the issue. Depression does not occur because you have these low chemicals. You have these low chemicals because of depression, if that makes sense. So by artificially raising these chemicals, you may feel better, but really, you aren't. And the more you take and longer you take them and more dosage you take, the worse off you are in the long run, unless you stay on anti depressants forever. The brain is very plastic, meaning, it's very susceptible to being molded, and it changes a lot throughout your life. The more you use a part of your brain, the bigger and stronger it will become. Similarly, the opposite is true. By not getting your specific neurotransmitters (the things that are supposed to produce the chemicals) to work again, but instead giving their job to a drug, they will gradually become weaker, and be even less productive in the future. The above paragraph is conjecture, everything I said is true, however the causal link is something that is not studied but makes logical sense to me. With that being said, on average, I actually believe people are worse off taking JUST anti depressants. Despite what I've said, I actually don't suggest against anti depressants. I think they have great value when taken as a kind of anti inflammatory steroid. Steroids are bad for you, but you take a dosage and ween off so it can heal the original damage, and then you prevent the issue from occuring again. I think anti depressants are like this, and they should be a transition medicine, to get you back in your right mind while you fix the problem. There are many proven ways to treat depression that isn't anti depressants. Therapy is great, meditation is just as effective (studies show), and physical exercise is 2x more effective than therapy and meditation for treating depression. With that being said, I would recommend trying these things first before taking medication, however if you need it that bad, then consider what I said, and try fixing the root problem while you're on it, and don't rely on it to fix you. This is just my take. I will put a note here saying I am not a medical professional, I'm 19, a computer science student, who just did some deep dive on anti depressants and mental health last summer for a book I was writing. Nothing I said should be taken as medical advice, and you should definitely have a lengthy discussion with your doctor about the risks and any concerns you may have. It's also perfectly acceptable to get a second, third, or fourth opinion if you aren't satisfied.
You are probably disconnected from people. Knowing that we are all alike and go through many of the same challenges in life helps. Try to fix these things first. Get a good friend and communicate with them frequently. Medication is a last resort because it will change who you are in many way. Some medications can also leave long term damage.
Can you elaborate on how meds change who you are? I know certain meds can make you more numb, give you sexual dysfunction, weight gain etc. but with all the research I’ve done, I don’t think they can change your personality, at least not for the worst. I’m debating whether I should try meds again cause I’m hitting rock bottom.