Okay. I have seen a psychiatrist. He asked me a bunch of question(we still haven’t talked about stuffs though)
So, the conclusion for today is I’ll be taking antidepressant.
So, how does it work? Like, will you be able to stop thinking of death or will it just let me be less negative about things?
Will it change me? I’m feeling a little conflicted about this. I feel like if I kill this part of me, I’ll die somehow. I’ve been living with this for like 11 years now. Since I was 6. And well, suddenly killing it is… I dunno. Overwhelming?Who will I become?
I’m finally doing something to change. Do I really want to change? Do I really want to leave this gray area? I’m somehow scared.
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I posted a similar question one week ago when I was prescribed two meds: Pristiq and Zyprexa. I decided to wait to start taking them in October. I too wanted to hear from people that were on the same meds or antidepressants in general. I don’t think you’ll take the meds and stop thinking about death and seeing vibrant colors in the next day, but who knows. Different bodies, different brains, different results… Maybe meds will make you a zombie (that’s my biggest concern)…? You won’t know for sure until you start taking them. That’s what a friend told me when I asked him about olanzapine. I hate the fact that I’m going to take meds, I see this option as my last hope and I know it really is.
I’ve been “sad” since I was a child too, but things only got really bad when I was 13-14. So idk, I’ve been living with my monster for a long time, I’m definitely “used” to being this way, I understand why you wonder if your meds would change you, but don’t. Idk how you feel about life, but I don’t want to keep living like this. This isn’t life. Whatever life is, it’s better than this nightmare and I believe I’ll be a happier version of me if things change. I hope the same happens to you.
Anyway, wishing you luck and I hope everything works out.
Hi. Thank you for your insights. Big help 🙂
I guess, I won’t be taking one until the next meeting and discuss it with him. We still haven’t really fully discussed about what I’m feeling. And my friend said that wrong meds can be bad. So, I’ll wait till October too. Thank you again for the reply 🙂
You’re welcome, I’m glad I could help you (:
Thank you for accepting my gratitude. 🙂
Hope things will be okay for the both of us. Cheers.
I take sertraline 50 g once a day does nothing for me.
Oh. I see. Thank you for the reply. Maybe they aren’t THAT strong.
I don’t think antidepressants are very powerful. For some people they have no effects, some people feel better after using them. I think at the end what antidepressants do is relieve some of the stress/anxiety in your brain so you can think a bit more positively or feel more calm etc. They won’t change your personality or anything. You won’t start thinking your life is great everything is okay and the world is in bright colors. They may reduce the intensity of your negative feelings though, that is, if you are lucky.
Thank you for clarifying that.
I’m still conflicted about it so I won’t be taking any until my next session this October. I want to clarify some things with my therapist.
Thank you for replying 🙂
Some people do have adverse effects. Up to the age of about 25 there’s a chance you might feel worse for a week or two before you feel better. I had a doctor who wouldn’t give them to most under 18s. I always felt terrible for a couple of weeks when I changed meds or upped the dosage, and after that I settled back to where I was with no noticeable effect. For lots of people they take the worst of it away and for some they’re the key to their recovery. If you’re one of those people, I don’t think you’d ever regret taking them. Some people feel more numb taking them and find that worse. But for others they can do wonders, or be a first step to feeling more like yourself than you have for years. And you can come off them again fairly quickly if they’re not helpful.
For me, I tried a ton of meds and then I wanted to stop taking them because they weren’t doing anything, and it was always a struggle coming on and off them. I noticed a much bigger change when I took up exercise than medication, though it didn’t come close to curing my depression. Psychological techniques are starting to sound more effective in other people, so I’m hoping to go down that route instead. I think most people tend to need something else, like a talking therapy, as well as the meds. If they make you feel worse in any way you can stop. But if they work as they should, they should make things a lot easier and take some of the pain/struggle away. They could be a door to something better.
I see. Thank you for the response.
My friend said that I should clarify some things with my family therapist because she thinks that he got my condition wrong. And taking wrong meds can worsen me.
So, I’ll wait until the next meeting this October or maybe I can go now or tomorrow.
Thank you again.
So, are you taking any meds right now?
Hi,
I’ve been using anti-depressants for 2 years now. I started out with sertraline but that didn’t work for me. It wasn’t effective at a low dose and on a higher dose it gave me side effects. It even made me more depressed since now I was depressed + side effects. It settled after a month or 2 but never reached the wanted effect. I just felt the same. I then switched to Lexapro after a few months. The beginning is usually a bit harder, your body has to get used to it. You might experience side effects in the first few weeks. It’s different for everyone. It will not alter your thoughts directly. The idea is for it to help you to be less down and give you a slight increase of energy. Together with therapy this might get you to do more things that you (previously) liked which eventually might give life more purpose, at least more than it is now. Which then might alter your thoughts but thats not the medicine, thats you. This is the ideal situation though. A lot of maybe’s.
I don’t know if it worked for me. I have ups and downs and it’s hard to see what part is the medicine, what part is therapy, or what part just goes paralel with life’s obstacles. I still have periodes of deep depression and suicidal thoughts. I guess when i look back to the beginning, maybe it’s a little better. But after so long i can’t help but wonder how it’d be without medication at all. Maybe these moodswings are the medication… Either way it’s another factor contributing to how you feel. It might be good to document some of it just for your clarity.
I totally understand what you mean with it being part of you. I’ve been coping with this a long time, way before I looked for help. It’s a part of me aswell, it’s how I know myself. But i guess even on medication it can’t just be killed. You’ll still be you and it’ll still be a struggle, maybe just a slight different one.
Good luck on your decision. And remember…If after a few months you are not satisfied you can always quit taking it. Just make sure you do it together with your docter since he’ll have to gradually decrease the dose to avoid complications/withdrawl symptoms. The reason i don’t quit is because i’m afraid that the medicine is doing more than I think it is, I don’t want to fall deeper than i am now.
Thank you for these words. And I’m sorry for the late reply. ><
These are really some eye-opener. Thank you for understanding.
Right now, I told my mom that I think I'll be taking it. The family doctor(whom she really trust) suggested it as well to control my severe mood swings.