Anti-Depressants-A Cure ??

Hello All,

First post here though i've been a voyeur for a couple of years now (watch it!)

The reason i want to bring the topic of anti-depressants up is to gain scientific proof or hear other people experiences with the above.

During a timescale of 3 years i have taken ADs on two seperate occasions, the first time i gave up due to actually feeling more anxious after treatment. The second being very recently, i kept on them for a good few months but ended up with a slurry voice and almost zombified attitude to movement.

What is the general consensus in regards to ADs? Is it just one big scam aimed at making money out of the vulnerable?

I'm sceptical believe me!

[edit on 19-2-2006 by John bull 1]

Well, I had a 5 month episode of severe anxiaty and Depresion not too long ago, I thought it would never go away and it would get worse..

I shoulda , or thought I should of gone to get help and get some AD's

However I was too scared to tell anyone or Diden't quite know how to go about it so I decided to Ride it through, a verry unhappy time it was

But after 5 months I felt different, YOU change even if you don't realize it
your brain chemicals change

I never had a reason to feel the way I did, and so I've not done anything to change it....it just kina passed on its own


so If I got this again I don't think I would get Anti depressents

but I suppose everybodys different yeah?


I recon Anti depressants are like a stop gap, so maybe it will make you feel better untill it passes, but AD's in them selves wont make you better, if you get me? they just null it a bit, and weather you take them or not it will pass on its own, maybe a month maybe years.

note: none of the above relates to bi-polar, I wouldent like to give advice on that,



[edit on 17-2-2006 by TrentReznor]

Antidepressants are not a cure for depression or anxiety. Antidepressants help alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Medication when used in conjunction with psychotherapy has been shown to be very effective in helping someone with depression and/or depression to cope and, possibly, overcoming the debilitating effects of these psychological disorders.

I have had my own bouts with depression and anxiety disorder and medication, however unpleasant the side-effects may have been, were very beneficial in enabling me to function normally. Eventually, I was able to learn techniques; meditation, communication and mindfulness skills, which have greatly enriched my life and which have allowed me to be far more comfortable "within my own skin".

I think there are certainly cases where ADs are useful and just may be the best way to deal with a particularly 'bad' case of clinical depression, on a temporary basis. But I think FAR too many people are taking them. I think doctors prescribe them at the drop of a hat and I think too many people have the mindset "If I could just take a pill and feel better..."

I think too many kids are put on drugs because they're bored.

I have a niece who has been on ADs for years. She can't deal with ANY emotional upset. And I believe it's BECAUSE of the ADs. She's on drugs, there's no other way to say it. She doesn't try exercise or eating right or meditation or any of the things I know work, she just wants to take the pill. They keep her from living a full life; from experiencing sadness and joy. It's really sad.

I would try everything else before resorting to ADs.

Welcome to ATS, morbidman.

Edit:

Here's a thread I started on the drugging of America.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 17-2-2006 by Benevolent Heretic]

Yeah, I think there are lots of other things to try than drugs. Drugs should never be a first choice, unless for some reason it's the only option that will work. Drugs are many times not a cure at all and only mask the underlying problem.

For some people, maybe all they need is to get busy and start working towards accomplishment and goals. And to do something(s) of value that make you feel good. I don't mean "try" to accomplish things, I mean jump into life and actually "do" accomplish those things you want to do.

You are above any negative emotion, you are the creator of emotion. It is your choice to change how you feel. Forget controlling depression, as the Psychs like to say. Just become something other than depressed. Try it some time.

Troy

There is no actual cure for depression. There are some drugs that work better with some people, and others that are horrible for some people. The first one I started on made me end up slicing my wrist up. The second one I tried made me sleep 10-12 hours a day. It really depends a lot on the person, and the drug.

I'll just pop in "My 2 cents".

I wasn't depressed, before taking Anti Depressants. So why did I take them? I was about 12 or 13, less than wise, and was told by a "good doctor" that tests in AMerica had shown how wonderful they were for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and other stomach complaints.

I thought that it sounded weird, and I wasn't completely sure, but I thought if there was a quick fix for my stomach, that made me happy at the same time, it couldn't be bad. Fast forward a year, and I'm on the edge of madness. I was a different person, constantly angry or upset, giving up on everyone around me, basically your average depressed guy. I honestly believe the anti-depressants did something terrible to me. I stopped taking them after the initial year, and slowly but surely "Life" started fitting back together and the depression lifted, but until now, that was the worst mental state of my life.

I can't prove they made me depressed and a bit "maniacal", but I can say wholeheartedly that I believe it, because it was only after taking them that it all started, and only after stopping that it began to end. And to think, I wasn't depressed in the first place.

I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, a common disorder among women of reproductive age where cysts on the ovaries interfere with conception and reproduction...in my case, my ovaries have stopped working completely, so I have all the joys of menopause plus completely irregular cycles! Because of the hormonal imbalance I get horrible mood swings; I feel bad for anyone around me. I will start crying for no reason whatsoever. As a result, I've been on Prozac for almost 4 years. It has taken this whole time to finally find the right dosage, but in my case, I feel HUMAN again. The crying jags and mood swings have been at a minimum, and my coworkers actually like working with me now!

But on the flip side, I work in a pharmacy, and I see the downside of what ADs can do to people. You wouldn't believe how many children are prescribed ADs, and I'm talking children 4 or 5 years of age taking Prozac or the like. It's like ADs and drugs for ADD/ADHD are the new Parents or Discipline now days. The parents can't (or won't) deal with reality so therefore how can they be expected to take responsibility for their own children? Or the doctors of the past generations have prescribed benzodiazapines (Xanax, Valium, etc....) for disorders other than anxiety, and after 20+ years the patients can't function in everyday life without it. I had a patient complain about that recently: her doctor prescribed Xanax for her over 20 years ago for stomach spasms--now she can't go a day without it.

Well, I rambled here. Take what you want from this. I guess what I was getting at was ADs were invented with good intentions, and there are people who truly benefit from them; there are also people (doctors and patients alike) that use them for the wrong reasons, and that's why they have the reputation they do.

I think as has been said by most here, that antidepressants are not a cure-all, can be dangerous, BUT can be a helpful adjunct to therapy for depression for some as well.

Depression can be a chemical imbalance for no reason, for repressed/on going reasons, or when as a result of environmental factors. Only the individual and their therapist can decide if meds would be helpful or not, say if the person is always on the virge of tears and can hardly cope but is working things out in therapy, and changing their environment if it is causing stress etc.

A great book is called "Feeling Good" by David Burns and it teaches how to define distorted thinking and change it-often allieviating depression. Some read it and "cure" themselves, others use it in conjuction with CBT and either way it has been PROVEN as effective as meds in clinical studies with people so depressed they were suicidal.

The downfall of some meds is look at the side effects, and I'm not saying the sexual ones that are well known, I'm saying you will see warnings that some people become MORE prone to suicide. Yep-you read that right. Not everybody reacts the same.

People who are manic/bi-polar they usually need lithium and need it for a lifetime, but the average deopressed person usually fares well with therapy and CBT specifically is recommended by me (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy) and maybe some meds short term as a helpful adjunct as I said

There are different people with different needs...but all in all if you are on something that messes with your seratonin levels long term, eventually it becomes ineffective, and you need to change the dosage or the meds etc...often doctirs toying with dosages, meds, and combos to find the "right one" remember why they say "PRACTICING medicine and some practice better than others.

Antidepressantns used long enoug can lead to a type of dependancy because your brain no longer produces what it naturally should-it becamse to use to the pill providing it. This is not good either.

ANyway, after all this rambling if you are going to use an antidepressant have it prescribed by a psychiatrist, not your family physician. ANd have therapy or learn behavior modification, or read Burns book and learn cognitive thinking patterns etc...

good luck

Where in the world do these "no cure for.... " statements come from? Based on what studies? Is some overly paid drug company exec just sitting around thinking of untruths to spread to the masses? Folks, depression isn't some virus that is forever sewn into your body. Depression is largely mental, period. The "no cure" theory is a lie.

Troy

I have taken AD's in my past. While they have been effective getting me through a rough patch in my life I am glad to be rid of them once and for all. No, of course they are not a "cure"...it's important for anyone who needs to take them to explore more natural ways of controlling depresson. For example learning to identify patterns of negative thinking and how to use self-talk to change these patterns.
Looking back the thing that bothers me the most was the lack of information provided to me by my doctor. I was on Paxil and was assured that Paxil is a nonaddictive drug. I wasn't aware of the dangers of quitting the medication and stopped taking it cold turkey...causing me to experience the worst month of my life. Cold sweats, dizziness, inability to concentrate, intense buzzing and zapping in my brain!!!! Constant.
So yeah, while AD's are neccessary to get some people through severe depression it's important for doctors to stop handing them out willy-nilly.
I have since prepared myself with good coping strategies and lots of supports ... and will not resort to this type of medication again.
And I'll say...for severe depression I believe them to be a neccessary evil.

Originally posted by cybertroy
Where in the world do these "no cure for.... " statements come from? Based on what studies? Is some overly paid drug company exec just sitting around thinking of untruths to spread to the masses? Folks, depression isn't some virus that is forever sewn into your body. Depression is largely mental, period. The "no cure" theory is a lie.

Troy

And where do you get your statements from? Based on what studies?
Depression is very much a physical problem as well as mental. I have had major depression for quite a few years now and I have alot of physical symptoms of depression. For your info, there are alot of different kinds of depression. That's why it is so hard to treat. At present, there is absolutely no known cure for depression, alcoholism, Alzheimer's and alot of other maladies. I had 5 years of very good therapy, but still need to be on meds ojr I would be catatonic. Meds saved my life, I would have committed suicide by now.

Depression is often caused by trauma and creates a permanent change in the brain and so in some sense yes, depression is permanently sewn into the person, though it's not a virus. You don't need any studies to prove that we currently have NO cure for depression. The meds help me to live a fairly normal life, but they don't cure depression any more than AA cures alcoholics, (they still aren't able to drink any more, it's just in remission.)
I still have bouts of depression, even with the meds. But my life is much, much better now than before meds.
So yes, meds have helped me, but they don't cure depression.
Troy, in case you think I'm some kook, well I was a physchotherapist for 15 years and have studied the subject extensively.

-Forestlady

i don't know, i'm a believer in that everyone can cure themselfs!! my dads suffered with depression for years and as been on AD for years.

people who are on AD (most often or not) are not happy with something in their life - to be honest i think the best form of cure of this is just basicly get out more, find new hobbies/find a new meaning to your life!!

i understand depression common thing in this day and age (who doesn't feel down at times)? - working for 40/50 hours a week come home and watch the tv!! - doing that dayinday out is bound to make you feel depressed!!

so finding new hobbies is the best form.

i think AD should only be suscribed under extreme surcumstances (ie death in a family) if you've taken it bad, you've got to see a doctor.

Originally posted by cybertroy
Where in the world do these "no cure for.... " statements come from? Based on what studies? Is some overly paid drug company exec just sitting around thinking of untruths to spread to the masses? Folks, depression isn't some virus that is forever sewn into your body. Depression is largely mental, period. The "no cure" theory is a lie.

troy if you read the thread-only one person said there is "no cure for depression" and even then he/she was citing their personal experience with MEDICATIONS so really he/she is echoing the sentiment that medicines are not the cure...and certainly he/she found no cure via that route

You say it is largely mental...well no offense but DUH!!!! No one is saying it isn't...the biological chemical fact that depressed people do have a change in brain chemistry, thus it being a physical/medical problem still doesn't mean it is strictly biomedical, and I think everybody knows this.

So as I am not alone in my opinion , I'll state it again, therapy-my personal choice for recomendation being cognitive behavioral therapy- practiced as a solo endeavor through reading books, or led by a professional Psychologist/CBT, has been clinically proven to "cure depression" as well as meds, but without them, and having a longer success rate than those who find relief through meds alone-for what I think would be obvious reasons.

However sometimes medicine can temporarily be a helpful adjunct to such therapy ...but again, because it isn't successsful for everyone, nor is it even AS sucessful as those who change their brain chemistry naturally (as proven by PET scan) through CBT ALONE, it is not the cure for depression people sometimes think it is.

There is no cure for depression when it comes to medicine....there is temporary relief sometimes, so it has it's uses but is not a cure-this is the main point echoed here I think.

[edit on 19-2-2006 by think2much]

[edit on 19-2-2006 by think2much]