Anti-depressants

[Siege]

Jersey Diamond, I’ll make you the same offer I made in another thread on depression recently. A few years ago, I wrote an essay on depression from a Christian perspective for my church’s newsletter. If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll e-mail it to you. My e-mail address is in my profile.

Ten years ago after being hospitalized for life-threatening depression, I spent several months on two successive anti-depressants. I started off on Anafranil, but went off it when my health insurance ran out and I couldn’t afford treatment. A few months later, I started seeing a therapist at a free clinic after a night when the only reason I didn’t commit suicide was because I made a point of not keeping anything lethal in my apartment. At that clinic, I was put on Paxil, which was a brand-new drug in those days. My understanding of what it did was even out my lows so that I could deal with the issues I needed to deal with. I’m not a big fan of medication – I’m someone who only takes aspirin if I think my head’s about to explode – but at the time, it was necessary. I went off Paxil with my therapist’s approval when I returned to the mainland and went over 7 years without meds or therapy, by my own choosing.

Last spring, when I found myself dealing with rather overwhelming issues I’d walled myself off from for my own defense, I started seeing a therapist. About 6 weeks ago, as I mentioned over in MPSIMS at the time, I tried anti-depressants again because of the volume of stuff I was and am dealing with. I acquired a GP to do the prescribing and tried Zoloft. It didn’t work, and I’m not going to repeat the details of how it didn’t work. After I’d got the last of the side effects out of my system, I tried Wellbutrin. While the side effects weren’t as dramatic as Zoloft, it still didn’t work well enough to continue. I consulted with my therapist who pointed out that, despite everything, I’m not severely depressed because I’m still functioning, and right now I’m not on anything. In fact, this morning, I finally caught a breath of the Christmas spirit and as I type this, the lights of my Christmas tree are being reflected on the screen.

Jersey Diamond I have no regrets about going on Paxil a decade ago. I think the drug, combined with the counseling, probably saved my life. I had a great deal of faith then, and I still do, but just as God mercifully gave us penicillin to combat infection, so I believe he gave us anti-depressants to combat depression (I’ll save the arguments about why He didn’t do so sooner for a Great Debate sometime). Of course there are doctors who prescribe anti-depressants and other psychotropic drugs unnecessarily, and I’m not thrilled about the idea of using anti-depressants without therapy. To me, that’s curing the symptoms, not the disease.

Also, attitude counts. Just as a person won’t join Alcoholics Anonymous, or, for that matter, come to Jesus until he or she is ready, so you cannot get someone to accept treatment until he or she is ready. In my case, that didn’t happen until I was flat on my back and non-responsive in a mental hospital. Since what got me out of that state was a miracle, in my very humble opinion, I don’t recommend that for everyone, but I also know that depression sabotages one’s ability to seek help. In your case, putting you on Prozac against your will was probably a bad idea, but I’m a patient, not a doctor.

Spoc, you and others might be interested in hearing that I set up a support group called Cecil’s Place specifically for depressed Dopers. It’s not the liveliest spot on the web, but it is out there.

I hope this helps.
CJ

[Guinastasia]

Also, what jarbaby said about hating the things you loved. That was me. I couldn’t get enthused about anything-our new cat, (Noel at the time, now our oldest cat), new clothes, Barbie dolls, books, television, my favorite foods. Nothing.

I was miserable. I didn’t want to die, but I wanted to hide. To stay in the darkness and just be away from everything.

I’m afraid if I don’t find a job soon I’ll find myself down there again. But not just any job. It’s NOT fun.

'scuse me, I’m going to start crying if I keep talking about this.

[Siege]

Guinastasia, if you ever need an unemployed Pittsburgh Dopers mini-Dopefest, shoot me an e-mail. I’m going through the same thing with the job hunt, and I swear I don’t know what I’ll do to the next politician who asks why young people leave Pittsburgh!

End hijack.

CJ

[Zoe]

How do you tell depression from 'just another crappy day? I hope that doesn’t sound dumb.

It doesn’t sound dumb at all! I wish more people would ask! These are some of the symptoms of depression:

1. changes in sleeping habits – either insomnia or sleeping all the time.

2. changes in your weight – either gaining weight or losing weight. (Some people eat to comfort themselves and other lose their appetites.)

3. inability to concentrate

4. feelings of hopelessness

5. lack of energy

6. suicidal thoughts

I’m sorry if that this list is incomplete. You don’t have to have all of these symptoms to be clinically depressed. If you have three or four of these symptoms and they persist for more than two weeks, you may have clinical depression.

cjhoworth, although I agree with you about how people won’t seek help until they are ready, that is not to say that they don’t need the help long before that. And since their “attitude adjuster” is broken, sometimes that can be to late. Depression is all too frequently a terminal illness. I do agree with you strongly that medication and the care of a good physician or therapist are a gift from God.
quote:

Originally posted by Persephone
But sometimes, the depression just doesn’t lift. You don’t move past it. You can’t carry on. Everything you do becomes a struggle, even simple things like getting out of bed.

response by DiamondJersey:
Boy, oh boy, I have days like that.

But have you ever had years like that?

by DiamondJersey:

Is it just being able to talk to someone, or do they tell you different things to do to help yourself. I know this probably isn’t a good example, but in the Soprano’s, it didn’t seem like the psych dr. was doing anything for tony.

It’s been a l-o-o-o-o-ng time since Tony has fainted. I think that she definitely has helped him with the depression and anxiety. But he hasn’t begun the hard work that he needs. He quit seeing her. And keep in mind that very little time is given to his sessions in the program which is, after all, fiction.

It is quite possible that you didn’t have the right counselor. Do you feel that you need counselling? You didn’t need the medication and you may not have clinical depression at all. I see my psychiatrist once a month for a twenty-thirty minute session. We don’t dig around in my past anymore. We focus on what is going on now. Some people may need much more time and may need to talk about their pasts.

Originally posted by Persephone

…and depression isn’t a stigma anymore.

It’s getting better but the stigma is still there. Too many people still think that it is just a matter of “getting a hold on yourself.”

People still tend to blame others for having clinical depression. These same people would never think of blaming Michael J. Fox for having Parkinson’s. Yet it all has to do with brain chemistry.

I wish that psychiatrists would change the name of the illness to something besides “depression.” Since everyone gets depressed now and then, calling it “depression” leads to many misunderstandings.

I though it was very strange that he prescibed something after only a 45 minute session with me.

Did he by any chance do a blood test? Sometimes the chemical imbalance can show up in the blood – so I am told. Also, doesn’t your regular physician sometimes prescribe medication after only fifteen minutes? Clinical depression is often a physical as well as mental disease. Maybe he was listening for specific things in the conversation that you had with him. (Of course, there is always the chance that he didn’t handle the situation right.)

Tabithina. my heart is with you. I can’t imagine the kind of pain you have gone through.

by Legomancer
After being consistently depressed for over ten years, I was willing to try an antidepressant. It was not a light decision to make, and I haven’t been on it long enough to know how good of a decision it was.

Don’t give up no matter what. Please let us know how it goes. We’ve been there!

[JerseyDiamond]

Originally posted by Zoe
Do you feel that you need counselling?

I’m not sure. My only real problem is that I worry about and panic about everything. I could misplace my debit card or license and be frantic instantly without having looked for it. (small example)

husband never worries. It is amazing! He will tell me to relax and everything will be ok. It never fails, he is always right.

Another thing is that I get angry easily. The thing is, I know that I am getting angry and I know how to control it, but it is so much easier to blow up, so I do. Does that make sense?

They are not a big problems, but it bothers me a little. I really don’t think it is something a counselor can help me with, and definetely not smething I need drugs for!

Originally posted by Zoe
Did he by any chance do a blood test? Sometimes the chemical imbalance can show up in the blood – so I am told. Also, doesn’t your regular physician sometimes prescribe medication after only fifteen minutes? Clinical depression is often a physical as well as mental disease. Maybe he was listening for specific things in the conversation that you had with him. (Of course, there is always the chance that he didn’t handle the situation right.)

No, he didn’t do any blood tests, and my PCP almost never gives me meds unless I have a sinus infection or something of that sort.

But have you ever had years like that?

No, I can’t say that I have.

Thanks, guys, for all your insight. Very helpful.

Talk to you later

[Guinastasia]

Oh, you bet there’s a stigma. Remember that time that woman sent me a note saying, “Did you act like this before or after you went on your medication?” (During the JanL thing?)