Should I take anti-depressants?!
Question: I've been a depressed person for over 10 years. Its been better and worse over time, and I seem to be in a particularly rough stretch at the moment.
I'm sleeping far too much and have no energy, yet I find it hard to fall asleep and get little rest when I do. My overall energy level seems low.
Some days I over eat and other days food doesn't interest me in the least. When i eat everything seems to taste boring.
Several times today I felt like I was about to break down crying, which is very odd. I'm a 25 year old man, and I haven't cried in over 10 years. Yet, when i feel that I should cry.. I can't, ie. at funerals or whatever.
I'm thinking about seeing a doctor about getting prozac or something. A therapist would never work, I travel for work and I don't really have any traumatizing, depression inducing events to talk about anyways.
But, my job is highly dangerous. I operate heavy machinery for a class 1 railroad here in the US. This prescription may disqualify me.
Answers: I've been a depressed person for over 10 years. Its been better and worse over time, and I seem to be in a particularly rough stretch at the moment.
I'm sleeping far too much and have no energy, yet I find it hard to fall asleep and get little rest when I do. My overall energy level seems low.
Some days I over eat and other days food doesn't interest me in the least. When i eat everything seems to taste boring.
Several times today I felt like I was about to break down crying, which is very odd. I'm a 25 year old man, and I haven't cried in over 10 years. Yet, when i feel that I should cry.. I can't, ie. at funerals or whatever.
I'm thinking about seeing a doctor about getting prozac or something. A therapist would never work, I travel for work and I don't really have any traumatizing, depression inducing events to talk about anyways.
But, my job is highly dangerous. I operate heavy machinery for a class 1 railroad here in the US. This prescription may disqualify me.
It sounds like you have some major clinical depression. You may benefit from antidepressants; and, you may not want to hear it, therapy. Cognitive therapy can help re-frame your schema, your perception of life. Antidepressants when used in conjunction with psychotherapy are very effective at treating this illness and improving quality of life. There are a lot of antidepressants on the market today, so, I suspect some are compatible with your job.
Only you and a doctor can determine if antidepressants are best to treat you. You should visit your physician and discuss your symptoms and medication concerns with her/him.
I wish the best for you, and I know better days lie ahead.
Well, I've been on and off meds since I was 12 and I've had depression since I was 8 1/2 - 9 years old. I'm 20 now. The best thing that has ever happened to me that has changed the way I think was my other mothers. But for you, get some close friends who will be there and support you and try to help you and be there for you when you need them.
Friends are the best to have around in a time like that. Meds will only work for so long before they have no effect what so ever. Meds are expensive too and some never really work, they can just make you feel worse. I know some people would tell me they make u feel a little worse before you feel better but it just makes you feel worse.
Yes the meds will soon loosen your mental strength and you will take more and more. Try to remove false hopes for love and life and avoid depression.
Either way you are going to have to retrain yourself to be happy. Meds or not. They are only a stepping stone to mental health. I would definately seek council with a nutritionist. You can largely eat your way to mental health as well. You could have an allery or sensitivity as well. It is not that far off to have diet play a huge factor in depression.
I have on again and off again depression as well. I have had a panel of doctors at my side a few times, and many tests. My mother is bipolar and it can be hereditary, so I had to know. What I learned was this, I don't have bipolar, and the reasoning they gave me, in plain english was this.
People reacy to a trigger, so to speak. And mentally stable people do react, but there is always a reason. When you fall over the edge is when there is no trigger, when your head just takes you to that dark place, without you deciding that is. Now people with depression always 'worse case scenerio' everything, they will run with the smallest little thing and make it seem like it's huge. But there is always some sort of trigger. Some event in their lives that sparks this depression. They may not even be aware of them. But you have to know your own triggers. Self awareness is just the first step to mental health.
Once you know your brain and what drives you to and over the edge you can stop it. Without the use of meds. I don't take any meds and don't seem to have any manic phases anymore. But it took a bit of work on my part to identify triggers. Some were people, some places, wituations in life. That I had to eliminate from my life to be happy. Maybe you are just in the wrong places in life to be happy. Either way you will have to find your own path out of the darkness.
HI AKM you haven't cried in over ten years ? what happend back then?you were only 15 .think about it you will find it.then for give your self or them and let it pass. move on try to motivate your self .eg.set your alarm for 6 am and say to your self this is a new day and i am gunna change for the better & do better for your self. good luck mate.
Though I'm not a doctor, I can suggest that you see one to get on some type of medication because it sounds as if you'd be a good candidate for something like prozac. You don't have to have anything traumatic to happen in your life to see a therapist and you can always set up a scheduled time to see him/her. Please get yourself help before things worsen. Everything will be o.k.
Hi AKM,
Whether you are on medication depends on the grade of your depression. Looks like you are currently not on any medication and merely getting by, so it looks like mild depression.
If your diagnosis of the depression is mild, you could try non-drug therapies such as these:
- psychotherapy - although more expensive than medications, at least your license will not be impacted
- guided imagery
- biofeedback
- hypnosis
- aromatherapy
- yoga
- meditation
- acupuncture
- massage therapy
- herbal remedies