Anti-depressants

From personal experience, does anti-depressants (or other drugs) help? How so? Does it make you feel at peace with yourself? Or does it just lessen the emotional pain? Are you a 100x better or just a little bit better? Does it always help, or just sometimes? Do you become dependent on them like you couldn't cope without them? I've heard stories in the news of anti-depressants causing non-suicidal people to become suicidal. Has anyone experienced that?

Hi,

Is this a survey? In any case, you have heard about how anti-depressants have caused people to kill themselves because the best news is bad news. Once you recognise this fact, you'll realise that the good stories are never heard. Anyi-depressants DO work, and I am living proof of it. Some factors to consider, however, are that there are different anti-deperssants in use (many, many of them), and each affects people differently. So, there are many variables in this.

As far as I am aware, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly used now, in Europe especially. I think that in the USA it is still old 'favourites' such as prozac. I have no stats to back this claim up, however.

Kevin

PS - Why the BPD forum? Do you suffer from it?

I haven't been diagnosed. I have a consult appointment scheduled in another 5+ weeks to discuss this. I've been reading a lot on the 'net about treatment. From what I've read, they recommend SRRIs and Cognititve Behavioural Therapy. Anyways, the thought of taking drugs scares the hell out of me. In the case I'm given a prescription, I want to know as much as possible before taking anything (including personal accounts of others).

Thanks for your response. I'd appreciate more.

Antidepressants have helped me significantly. I have been working on my BDD for years, with lots of improvement, and only in the last year began medications. For me, the meds I'm on are SUCH a blessing, because they kind of just keep me from getting into a spiral. I might have negative thoughts, but they rarely blow up into a cycle where I can't bring myself down and become so extremely upset that I'm hyperventilating, sobbing, suicidal, etc., anymore. I definitely recommend trying medications if that's what your doctor advises, and keep in mind that it may take a lot of trial and error to find just the right one for you. Be honest with your doctor for any side effects or problems you feel with a medicine. If down the road you get frustrated with side effects and stop taking it, it definitely can't help you then. (And can also be dangerous, I stopped taking Cymbalta back in November without getting switched to something else and ended up in psych hospital for a week; I was totally at the mercy of the so-called withdrawal syndrome).

What SAvvy says is good, but I will add more because I have taken an SSRI and have had cognitive behavioural therapy. The SSRI which I took was Lexapro. You won't even notice much side-effects (or positive effects) in the first few months of taking it. However, be aware that medication can act differently in different people. In the long term, Lexapro helped me to manage my anger outbursts, depression, and OCD more effectively.

Don't fear change.

Kevin

hi everyone,
does anyone in this topic live in the UK? I have my next hospital appointment this coming Monday, and they should (hopefully) be prescribing me some meds, I was just wondering if what meds they give over here differ from those given in USA.

I'm sooo scared of becoming medication dependant, its making me feel phsyically sick to even think about it now, but I know I can't carry on without them as i have been over the years. I feel asif I'm trapped between 2 choices, neither of which I really want to make. BDD has ruined my life, I would give ANYTHING to be normal. Any help/advice would greatly appreciated xx

I live in the UK (but I'm Irish). I have only lived here for 8 months now but I think that the SSRIs are the most common drugs prescribed for issues that you're facing. The meds they use in the USA seem to be more 'old fashioned', as far as I can gather. You'll be thankful to hear that the SSRIs are not that potent, and will take a long time to take effect. Don't worry about any addictions that may come about. Just listen to the advice your doctor gives and follow it. Let me know how it goes.

Take care dude/dudette,
Kevin

hiya,
thanks for the reply. its not so much being addicted that worries me, just ive never liked the idea of having to take pills everyday for the rest of my life and some of the anti-depressants ive heard about making people suicidal, and lets face it, I don't need anymore help in that department lol.

are you on meds now? (if u dont mind me asking) and last but not least, do they help u??

thanks x

Heya,

You're welcome, but where did you hear that you'll be taking them for the rest of your life? I only took mine for 4 years, but I've been off them now for around 3. Some people do indeed end-up taking them forever, but if you have the mindset from the word 'go' that you will eventually be off them, then that will giveyou the determination to actually work hard to get better (so that you can come off them). Some people rely to much on the tablest, when most of the work has to be done by the patient - i.e. you.

They do'nt make people suicidal, in most cases. What happens is that the patient starts getting frustrated that the medication isn't working, and this makes them feel worse. As I said earlier though, most of the work has to be done by you - the medication should be seen as a minor aide. The one I took was called Lexapro, and it belongs to a class of drugs call the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). These are milder than most drugs for dealing with depression and anxiety.

If you think that your life will only get worse from here on, then take the medication. Something has to change, right?; so why not make the change going to a doctor to talk about medication.

Kevin

4 years.. well i suppose things are looking up. and ur med-free now?
welldone you!! i always like hearing about other people sucseeding (terrible at spelling i know lol) it gives me the hope that oneday maybe i can too. it was my GP puttin stupid ideas in my mind, but she said herself seh knows next to nothing about it, well ive been referred to hospital so dont have to listen to any of her nonsense now

thanks for your help
its much appreciated talking to some1 that actually understands & knows about the treatment availible '
x