medications for depression? do they actually work

have any one gotten relief from anti depressent medications?

the effects of anti-depressants are no better than placebos. it's all in the mind to begin with and the brain is the strongest most intelligent thing in the human body. i was on them for awhile and they didn't really change a thing for me. got drunk one night and decided no more meds. next day i just sat myself down and decided no more being depressed period. what did i have to be depressed about anyway. had a vehicle, roof over my head and a menial job.
so i was alot better off than some people. i just kept telling myself i'm not gonna let depression in my head or life again. keep all the pills i was getting for a year. dumped them out on a table and they were 4 inches deep and a 1' x 2' in size. i looked at that and said, wow, holy s**t, look at what those quacks wanted for me to put into my body. no thanks, so glad i quit and i've not been depressed since. sad on ocassions, but that's normal for anybody.
good luck,,,p.s. i do have a degree in psychology if that helps.

I've been on and off psych medication since the age of 12. I would suggest trying it if you're having a really hard time and can't deal with the world, but I've never thought of it as a permanent fix. A good thing to do while you're on medications is attack what's stressing you out to the point of getting depressed. I've noticed that when stress is low, I don't really have much of a problem. Also, I feel a lot better when I've gotten enough sleep. I know people have told me that I seem a lot better when I'm on medication so it does make a difference. I wouldn't suggest staying on them for years and years though. All the adults I know that have been on medications for over a decade just can not go off them. If they do they're even worse than before the medication and it's not a pretty picture. Oh, one last thing, pills won't fix everything, but they are kind of a helping hand. I hope that helps.

I haven't taken psychotropic medications personally but have studied the effects of each for classes. In a nutshell medications work for some and don't for others. For some it's a life saver, others it helps a little bit, and some people say there was no effect whatsoever.

I know a few people that have benefited greatly from anti-depressants. It might be worth trying out if you suffer from depression. Worse case scenario if it doesn't help, then just take yourself off of it. As someone else mentioned medications should not be seen as a permanent fix. Just something else to try while dealing with these issues.

yes they do work but should only be taking if a doctor says you need them cause they can have very bad side affects i saw people on them and some was so hard to get off of them so if you can talk your problems out and get help other ways i would advise that first good luck

The trick is to find the right one for you. SSRI's didn't work for me but wellbutrin is working great. Prozac gave me a terrible headache, zoloft put me to sleep.

Don't get a prescription from a general practitioner. You need to see a qualified psychiatrist. Talk about your symptoms as honestly and in detail as possible. They need to be able to distinguish between depression, anxiety, bi-polar, personality disorders...etc.

It may take a while to find the right combination of drugs and correct dose,but for me it was worth it.

As a student of neuroscience...I believe in the effectiveness and the science behind antidepressants...

One last thing to think about...is your depression chronic or situational? Treatment for depression following divorce might be different than treatment for the person who can't get out of bed but doesn't know why..


Good luck

Yep, anti-depressants are things you really have to watch. I have had some myself. Welbutrin made me sick and zoloft was the worst. Make sure you have a prescription for them because some are considered controlled substances.I had one that caused me to have bad dreams,probably brought on by my military service. Good Luck in finding that one that works for you and realize that it is a personal choice also.

I've been on em' most of my life. I don't take them anymore....but that's only after years of therapy and behavior modification ( I suffer from major depression and OCD....) These meds should be prescribed in conjunction with therapy but most Dr.'s just prescribe the meds and that's all.

Now...I admit that these medications are way over prescribed. Most people that take em' don't really need them. In my case however...I needed them. I don't subscribe to the myth that you have to take them yr entire life though. I think some are actually very dangerous in fact and a lot of them have not been fully tested as to the long-term effects.... The side effects can be pretty bad too.....

I had to be on anti-depressants since my Dad passed away. They do work IF they find the right one for you. I do not believe that it is all in your head either. I was very depressed and crying all the time and after I was on my medicine for about 2 weeks, the crying slowed down a lot. Now I still cry over my Dad but it isn't as bad as it was...depression is nothing to be ashamed of. I lost the best man in my life and the best role model that any female could ever have.
Until we meet again Dad...Angel Kisses!!!!

I can remember what my ex was like with and without Prozac. Scary stuff. I would rather have the PMS than the zombie.

Is it time for 'my' Meds, or yours?

Medication is one of the tools in the box to fight depression but a pill alone will rarely does the whole job. Diet, allergies, anger management, sleep therapy, and socialization, journaling, even exercise need to be included. The right medication and the right dose is really important when medication is needed but I agree a good pychiatrist is much better qualified to prescribe and work out a treatment plan than a general doctor. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right medication and the right dose and honest communication between consumer and treatment team. Not unusual for a therapist to work with a pyschiatrist.

You can look forward to a rapid and sizeable gain in body weight, mainly gain in fatty tissues, when you start any psych medication. You will find yourself with disturbed or changed sleep patterns. Hello physical fatigue and muscle stiffness, good-bye agility and alertism.

If you can avoid it, don't take psych meds. If you need them and they help, do take them and don't not take them.

The side effects, as severe as they get, will be thwarted by the positive effects if you need the meds. If the side effects outweigh the positives, quit.

I don't know how old you are. The longer you will take them, the longer the side effects will act -- some never leave, some do. Insomnia, or else extreme fatigue, and a huge appetite for food and a decrease in libido will never leave, they stay with you as long as you are on the drugs.

Make sure you get a good doctor..My late husband was diagnosed with anxiety, put him on Prozac and he was like a zombie..When I told the dr I thought he had depression, he said I didn't know what I was talking about. I got him to another dr and got him off that medication.. A couple of yrs later he was diagnosed with Alzheimers...

I had a breakdown when I was 23 and pregnant..I know all about depression.. After 7 shock treatments and several different meds, I got off all meds and healed myself.. Not recommended but only way I knew then to heal..

Not all depression pills make you gain weight, the pills I just got put on actually did the opposite, I have dropped 44 pounds in 3 months and I do feel much better with the depression. You have to talk to your doctor and I am sure he will find the right one for you.