re: How do you feel about antidepressants?

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You have to do what you have to do. Anxiety/depression isn’t something “you just deal with”.

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Unfortunately I have struggled with anxiety and depression for many years. I had a nervous breakdown in 2016, and was put on more meds than I had taken previously. It has helped to keep me from being overwhelmed and does take the edge off, but I also take Risperidone and Buspar. I’m hoping that just being on the aforementioned two will be enough.

I may get some wisecracks on this, but the main reason I’m getting off Effexor is that it has caused increased sexual dysfunction and numbness. So that is a major motivator.

I never really found they did anything for me. I found changing my overall lifestyle is what really helped. Exercise more, eat healthier, cut back on drinking and weed (this was the real big one). Once I did that I noticed my bad anxiety was practically gone. Felt better mentally and physically and found I didn’t need to take pills to help me.

I would say it’s a case by case issue. I know some people who’s lives have improved because of them, and I know some people who didn’t find relief as a result. I always think it’s best to do what you can to avoid exogenous intervention, but sometimes it’s necessary.

They work very well for people. Some people may need them longer than others.

over prescribed when therapist can treat many cases. That said, it is necessary for folks

ETA - i'm personally on them.. but not for depression... for aggression. I also see a therapist... for anger

I take a daily anti-depressant for an off-label use for my migraines. Amitriptyline has been the only thing that keeps my migraines at bay. It's a lower dose than what someone taking it for true depression would need. Where I take 25 mg, someone who actually needs it for depression may take 3-4x that amount, sometimes more. In a roundabout way it helped with my non-chemical depression by taking away my migraines, which made me borderline suicidal. I say that kind of halfway joking, but if you've ever had to go through chronic migraines, then you'd understand how death may not be such a bad thing after all.

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You have to do what you have to do. Anxiety/depression isn’t something “you just deal with”.

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Exercise helps with depression. It really does. Gives you a sense of achievement and makes you feel better about yourself.

This:

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I think modern living is overall bad for the human mind and body. We're not meant to be cooped up indoors all day and living in an artificial environment, so it's not surprising that people have depression.

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Only a very small percentage of people have "organic" depression. Most causes are from environmental reasons that can be changed. 95% of people on them should make changes in their life and get off them. Antidepressant use doubles the risk of suicide and also increases violent behavior. Particularly when someone switches from one anti depressant to another one or changes the dosage. I know of three people that took a shotgun to themselves. Lots of money for the Big Phrama companies though. Learn as much as possible about the 4 neurotransmitters in your brain and what controls them. We have more control than we think. (For example both sauna and cold thermogenesis have shown great results. for ex. Cold shower for 5 min at 60 degrees has been shown in some studies to do the same as antidepressants for some.)

Can they shrink my prostate, because that has me pretty depressed?