Tell me what you know about antidepressants

[scottmandue]

I don't think I need any... I'm 56 and have got thought fine without them so far.

Worst event of my life would be my older bother passing of a heart attack/stroke when he was 50 (I was 48 at the time) and I got through that without any drugs.

I just got married late in life and my wife moved into my house last September... typical newlywed stress... which toaster do we keep and which to give to charity... what color do we paint the living-room... "PUT THAT TOILET SEAT DOWN!!!!" etc.

But things are settling down and going pretty smooth around the homestead.

However...

Dad is 89 and mom 90...

Already been called to the hospital once "to say goodbye to dad" when he had a 'heart episode'. He got better (but good news is we finally got him to stop driving).

So my wife is thinking/saying "next time you see your doctor you need to ask him about getting a antidepressant because things are going to get worse."

However...

As I understand it antidepressant are not a "one size fits all" sort of thing... for instance a co-worker tried them and came into work for the lack of a better word "stoned".

Also as I understand there are dozens of these things and it is hit and miss trying to find what works for you.

And (again if I understand correctly) they are not like pain pills... you have pain... take pill... pain goes away... (I.E. they are for people with a chemical imbalance not for getting you through a tough time in life).

Any advice from anyone who has experience in such matters?

Thanks,
Scott

[sketchers356]

AntiDepressants are for clinical depression. Having a family member die is a terribly tragic event but it is not clinical depression.

Spoken from someone that has had clinical depression.

[Rikao4]

Alex is on it..
Big Pharma has Americans convinced..
something bother you..
we have a pill for that..
some have serious side effects...

like thoughts of suicide...

Rika

[Laneco]

Alex is right. An anti-depressant is for a clinical condition, not a tragic life event. These terrible, though inevitable, events may trigger depression in certain individuals, but most likely, they will trigger deep sadness which does not warrant medication. Sadness is a normal part of life.

Taking an anti-depressant for a person who is not depressed but anticipates an issue would be like taking chemotherapy when you don't have cancer, because you might get cancer. Not appropriate and possibly very harmful.

angela

[wdfifteen]

^
What he said. Talk therapy can be a big help in situations like yours.
Anti depressants (most likely they would give you an SSRI) can have nasty side effects. Look to them as a very last resort.

[DonDavis]

I want to be a fly on the wall when Scott corrects his new wife on the definition of "anti-depressant".

[wdfifteen]

My son, a psychologists at Boston University Hospital calls Paxil "Mydicksaflop" because of one of it's common side affects.
"They've got him taking xmg of Mydicksaflop, no wonder he's depressed."

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

I want to be a fly on the wall when Scott corrects his new wife on the definition of "anti-depressant".

"Now looky here woman, let me tell you..."

The END!

ps: Good luck Scott...(with the anti-Ds)...you're own your own with the missus

[john70t]

Afaik: some may have physical side effects as well as severe mental complications.
Low-grade pot is safer and can be quit anytime.

Find out if there are any support groups.
It might be easier to share genuine feelings and accept feedback from people without emotional walls built up (i.e. spouse).
Spend time with them, talk and listen, and do what you can.
Doing your best in a situation leaves no regrets behind.

[glewis80SC]

+1 recently had my Mom pass away the sadness comes and goes but is part of life. My sister has done the anti-depressants they seem to cause more harm then good. Talk about the feelings, as cliche as that sounds, it helps.

Originally Posted by Laneco

Alex is right. An anti-depressant is for a clinical condition, not a tragic life event. These terrible, though inevitable, events may trigger depression in certain individuals, but most likely, they will trigger deep sadness which does not warrant medication. Sadness is a normal part of life.

Taking an anti-depressant for a person who is not depressed but anticipates an issue would be like taking chemotherapy when you don't have cancer, because you might get cancer. Not appropriate and possibly very harmful.

angela

[TechnoViking]

I take an SSRI for anxiety.

One (mostly) beneficial side-effect is that this class of drug makes you last longer in bed. However, I tried to stop taking it once and became a minute-man in bed.

Think carefully before taking these.

For your situation, you're probably better off seeing a shrink and smoking some weed as others have said.

[Iciclehead]

I was put on them because I have a severe sleep disorder....and I would never go on them again. Two major issues for me (and I tried several before I gave up). First, I couldn't THINK any more, basically I just lost my ability to focus and think laterally, I literally had trouble concentrating on issues and tended to just float off to the "what the heck" category. May have been the right thing for my issue, but it sure damaged my ability to work.

The other thing, it totally destroyed my libido...and that did not go away. I went from a normal guy with normal drives and interests to literally asexual and having zero interest. Has been an extremely difficult thing in my marriage to say the least and I would make the case that this particular aspect of life is not coming back - it has been so for years.

So, while I am sure there are many positive cases for that class of drugs, but keep in mind they are powerful, they dick around with your brain and they ought to be the instrument of last resort for those with severe issues.

I ended up just taking a regular sleeping pill and most of my sleep issues are gone....much less damaging and no material side effects.

Dennis

[Nostril Cheese]

You dont need them.

Cultivate a group of good people in your life, think positive and play guitar more.

[vash]

i was getting some symptoms. losing sleep, stuff like that.

i talked to my doc. she ran some test..normal.

she sent me to some therapist. he scheduled me for some group talk. god, i cant remember the session titles. they talk about things like "automatic negative thoughts"

example of this: you misplace your wallet. instead of retracing your steps mentally as a first step, you immediatly think something like. "crap why do bad things always happen to me!" or "life hates me".. (apparently, this is the classic BIG first sign of a depressed person)

hahhaa.. not saying i havent beaten myself up with crazy thoughts, but i didnt fit the bill. the class was 8 sessions and i promised my wife i would go and listen..and participate. best thing ever. i learned two things:

1. there are poor folks with real problems, and real depression.
2. compared to them, i was a happy mofo.

in the end, giving up my time was a good thing. if i ever do hit depression, i sure as hell will know what it looks like.

i changed my life after that. i just calmed my ass down, ate better, and exercised like a man possessed. i sleep like a baby..and i am not so bored any more.

see if your hospital offers a group session.

on a side note, ,that tharapist was damn quick to offer up some magic pill. when i said "NO!" that was when he suggested the group session.

[nostatic]

While you might be the target audience for pharma and drug-happy docs, imho I'm with everyone else who thinks you likely don't need them. Typical anti-depressants aren't "insta-treat" for episodes - they take weeks to take effect are really are designed for people with clinical symptoms who have a chemical imbalance in the brain. I tried an SSRI once (anxiety) and it made me climb the walls. They are serious drugs with serious side effects, suicide ideation being a common one.

[recycled sixtie]

Yes your wife is overreacting by suggesting antidepressants. Sure things get tough in life but reaching for the pill bottle is not the answer.Sorry to hear about your brother. Have people around you that don't cause stress and counselling sessions are good. Vash says lots of exercise and I agree with that 100%.

Your folks are getting older and be prepared for changes in mental health as they get older(theirs not yours !?!). My mother died last year at 94. Somebody said at her funeral that she had died ten years ago. This is normal and some handholding may be in order......be strong!

[matt711]

I know that when my wife stops taking hers I am in for several days of completely irrational arguments...

[Vipergrün]

I wouldn't do it. Sadness is not depression. Supportive friends, exercise, good diet, etc, should be enough.

[scottmandue]

Sounds like we are all in agreement...

I have been seeing the same Dr. for fifteen year and pretty sure he knows I'm not clinically depressed... so not likely I could even get my hands on them even if I wanted to.

Thank you for confirming my suspicions.

I'm seeing my Dr. in a week to have my regular blood work check... I will chat with him and he will confirm what you all have told me then I will have 'the talk' with my wife.

Thanks again

[livi]

What pretty much all the previous posters have told you, Scott. This is very potent drugs with a somewhat erratic and almost random effect ratio in any given individual. There ought to be a very strict diagnose in order to medicate. None of us can make that clinical judgment from just your posted information, but having to choose I will concur with the rest. Not for you at this point, Scott.