I have been dealing with depression since my oldest son was born 23 years ago. I had post-partum depression and was on Prozac first, then Wellbutrin, then Effexor XR...now am on a new one called "Brintellix". I am 45 and have been fighting the ups and downs for years...just thinking it was "depression"..until about 6 months ago after not feeling loved anymore by anyone, getting irritated for no reasons at all, short tempered, yelling at my son, etc.. I thought maybe I was going "crazy and off the deep end", but no thoughts of hurting myself or others ever. I may have said outloud to myself a few times.... "I wish I was dead, I hate my life, I hate this house, I hate...I hate...I hate..." I always would come out of it. Two weeks ago I knew I was at my worst ever...I couldn't get myself out of this "hate" feeling and total feeling of "lost", "lonely", "afraid", "hateful", "discouraged", "totally unhappy with everyone and everything". So I went to a new doctor and told him that I needed to get off Effexor XR as it was no longer working for me. He told me to try this new med....Brintellix. For the first few days getting off Effexor XR slowly and changing over to the new....I was dizzy, stressed out to the max, hurtful to others verbally, ran into a cubicle at work, couldn't concentrate at all, couldn't think, sleepy, etc... I couldn't hardly function....so I took 3 days of FMLA from work, had my son's county fair too at the time so another 3 vacation days off I took. I am back to work today....and feeling somewhat better after having a week off. I am slightly dizzy, very tired and thoughts of what I could be doing if I weren't at work here and at home working. I am on here to find out "who I really am" and " what do I really have?"..... I know this forum will help me. Thanks to all who comment. Lisa