Okay, I was here months ago asking for advice on emotional issues and so on, and things got bad, so I was was therapy bound. Things have been on a downward spiral and my therapist thinks it's best for me to go on an antidepressant. She's giving me the choice for the time being because I'm not an immediate threat to myself or anyone else, but she thinks that it would benefit me greatly, what with my plummeting grades and all. I'm incredibly wary of this because I've seen what some of those drugs have done to my loved ones and it completely takes their "humanity" away, so to speak. I know that this was probably because of her alcoholism while on the drugs, but it still frightens me.

So, my question is, should I or shouldn't I?
If you've ever been on antidepressants, how did this work out for you?

I've come frightfully close to attempting suicide and that gives me enough reason to want to try, but I'm terrified of medicine that alters my mental state. I dunno yet. My family thinks that I should because they don't want to lose me, but I'm very scared of what the drugs will do to me.

You can try on a trial-basis. Take the antidepressants for thirty days or so, maybe a box, and if you feel like you're not yourself and it's making it worse for you, stop taking them. I get that it might be a bit terrifying to do that, because it's like you lose control of who you are, but it might make you feel better and not change you at all. Medicine reacts differently from person to person, so my guess is: take them for a while. If you don't like it, tell your therapist and stop taking them.

I think you need to do what is best for you and only you can decide that. Anti-depressants are like a mood stabilizer, you don't get the highs but you don't get the lows. It kinda of sounds almost robotic but then if you are getting really depressed maybe its better to plateauing on mellow then swinging from one extreme to another. Remember this isn't a permanent solution unless you have chronic mental health problems and taking anti-depressants is not like having a lobotomy. You are still you. You should discuss any concerns you have about your medicine with your doctor :)

Here's some info I found online to help :)

Making sense of antidepressants | Mind

To be honest, I've been on anti-depressants since early February and haven't considered myself 'robotic.' My situation sounds similar to yours, so if you ever want/need to talk I'll be all ears.

I find it slightly odd that you get a choice of which medication to take as I was just given mine, but don't feel like you're stuck with that one drug. I'm onto a second anti-depressant because I felt the first one wasn't working for my symptoms and I'm still in the "needs to kick in" phase so I can't be sure they're helping yet.

I would say try it because it doesn't hurt anything. Honestly, I think the losing a sense of self comes with much higher dosages because mine are fairly low/normal right now. Don't be scared about becoming numb or robotic. I personally haven't felt that way, but I've felt they have helped to a certain extent.

In the end, though, it's your own personal choice. But I'll ask one question: do you think you can carry on in the same way you do now, or is there something that just needs to change?

:)

I've been on anti-depressants for about a year now and I'm on a double dose mainly because I was deep deep into depression but it's not taken my humanity away or made me robotic. Going on them was a very hard decision to make but going on them has really helped it took a long time for me to get the help I needed and it put me in a very dark place. So for me I am in a much better place now.

What you've got to remember is that they're not "happy pills" that people assume they are and that they're going to work instantaniously and the people around you and you yourself have to understand that, they can take a couple of months to kick in properly and you have to do things to help yourself get better, also getting a daily routine might help you.

If you ever want to talk then you can always talk to me.

Ultimately it's up to you if you but you have to ask yourself "Can I carry on like this ?"

I just don't like the funky gag reflex thing I get from mine. I don't take them on a regular basis but if I start to get really depressed then I do.

The doc would probably prefer I take them according to directions, but that gag thing really annoys me.

Originally Posted by una

I think you need to do what is best for you and only you can decide that. Anti-depressants are like a mood stabilizer, you don't get the highs but you don't get the lows. It kinda of sounds almost robotic but then if you are getting really depressed maybe its better to plateauing on mellow then swinging from one extreme to another. Remember this isn't a permanent solution unless you have chronic mental health problems and taking anti-depressants is not like having a lobotomy. You are still you. You should discuss any concerns you have about your medicine with your doctor :)

Here's some info I found online to help :)

Making sense of antidepressants | Mind

Actually there is a whole 'nother class of drugs known as "mood stabilizers" they're not anti-depressants (not really anyway).
I was on them for many years because I am bipolar and antidepressants send me shooting up into wayyyy crazy mania-land.

Mood stabilizer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My advice: Before you try medications, try taking vitamins and OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS!! (Found in "fish oil") Of course talk to your doctor about these, but...

But they are wonderful, the fish oil I mean. They help me focus and they help my moods stabilize--most people don't get enough omega-3.
And while the fish oil can get expensive--it's sooooo worth it, especially considering that a lot of medications tend to rake up the costs too...
Fish oil will help with many parts of life--it helps with concentration, you'll feel better, it's good for your skin and your body, ect.