For people on antidepressants: Do you expect to take meds for the rest of your l!
Question: I'm posting this question, because I have a history of clinical depression. I have been on antidepressants on several different occasions, but I always ended up stopping them for one reason or another. And unfortunately, the depression always makes a return. Do any of you expect to have to take antidepressants for the rest of your life, or do you think you can make a full recovery and be able to function well without meds? Explain your situation.
Answers: I'm posting this question, because I have a history of clinical depression. I have been on antidepressants on several different occasions, but I always ended up stopping them for one reason or another. And unfortunately, the depression always makes a return. Do any of you expect to have to take antidepressants for the rest of your life, or do you think you can make a full recovery and be able to function well without meds? Explain your situation.
A history of clinical depression is not a good indicator for being medication free anytime soon. You do not say how old you are or how long your history is but here is my story for what it is worth.
My father was hospitalized and underwent electroshock therapy for mono-polar depressive syndrome in 1958.
My first bout of depression was in the fall of 1962. I was 16. I know now that it was probably the beginning of seasonal depression which I still have. There were no antidepressants at that time. In the fall of 1965 when I was failing college I was given Librium (a tranquilizer) and offered undifferentiated group therapy. Neither was a noticeable success.
In 1970 I moved to northern Minnesota ( real stupid but I was in love). I had not had any treatment for depression since 65. That is not to say I was not depressed. I became more depressed and dysfunctional but did not seek help and I managed to stay married and have a baby daughter.
Around 1981 I sought help for compulsive overeating in a 12 step group and became self aware enough to recognize the depression as a large part of the problem. I tried therapy but did not have the right therapist or understanding of what I was up against so gave up on it. I did decide to finish college finally and took a triple emphasis program which included psychology and counseling classes. I fell hard for self help books and wasted several years trying to fix myself. I learned a lot but depression became an ever more stinking albatross around my neck.
In the early 1990's I became aware that my daughter was also suffering from seasonal depression which began for her at about the same age mine had begun for me. We both were prescribed early generation antidepressants. Thank god neither of us was placed on Prozac. I have taken one or another antidepressant (or 2 0r 3 at a time) ever since with only marginal relief.
In 2004 I finally sought therapy again and was blessed to find the right therapist. I am almost 62, I am still in therapy, I take Effexor, Welbutrin and Concerta, I work to improve my recovery everyday, I expect I will continue to take some form of antidepressant medication for the rest of my life because of the chronic nature of my disease and the changes in brain function which are caused by repeated episodes of depression.
My advice is treat this disease as chronic. Find a therapist you can work with and expect to work hard on life altering attitude and belief changes (cognitive therapy) for the next several years. Work with your MD, therapist and a qualified psychiatrist to find the right medication(s) and review their effectiveness regularly. Recovery isn't a goal it is a process.
I took Celexa for nine years. After my life changed drastically, ie. divorcing that jerk I was married to, changed jobs, moved away, I felt a whole lot better, so I decided to try to stop the meds. To date, I haven't needed them again and it's been about 7 years now. Make sure your environment has nothing to do with your depression. I hope you get better soon. Some day, you will be able to give them up.
From my understanding of it, in order to get over depression you must have a combination of medical support and emotional support through good therapy. You need to be able to get at what drove you to depression in the first place and work that out and then you should eventually be able to work your way off meds.
The lady above me here is a good example, she was removed from the situation that made her depressed, she basically started her life over. I don't recommend divorce but a change in the situations either in your thought life or your physical surroundings.
I also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy or Christian therapy. Get a recommendation for the therapist, a good one will recommend changes in thinking and exercises in healthy living.
Antidepressants only work while you're taking them. If you have recurring depressions, then you may end up taking them for the rest of your life. However, this is the benefit of really good therapy. I'm not talking about "how are you feeling..what did your mother do to you therapy." I mean solution-focussed, good therapy. There are specific behaviors that put people at risk for recurrent depression--and you can change them. You can learn what are warning signs that you're going to get more depressed, and how to ward it off--exercise, disciplined good sleep, good nutrition, time with people, engaging at work, forcing yourself not to withdraw, etc. Look for a therapist--or good book--on interpersonal and/or cognitive-behavior therapy for depression and get off your meds. I did, and I haven't needed them for years. Getting good sleep and not letting myself avoid problems/people has been the key for me. I'm not just opining here; there is good science behind cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal therapy giving lasting results. Also, depression disrupts normal sleep patterns and this contributes to symptoms.
No I believe if you put you mind to it and learn to cope you will be able to come off medication. I have been on Anti-depressents and Anti-Psychotics now for five years and hope to get off the medication one day soon.
Check with an actual psyciatrist...I was taking antidepession meds for 13 years...My symptoms got worse over the years...I was just recently diagnosed with bypolar disorder...Ive been taking these meds and feel no depression symtoms what so ever...Make sure you keep taking meds as recommended by you doctor......the doctor can also tell you whether or not you can be treated with psyciatric sessions...dont give up on finding more info..............
havent been on them for 25 years
I did Yoga and TM and took Homeopathic treatment side by side and found the need for antidepressants vanished in about 3 months
This is only my opinion..
Depression is nothing but a caged animal. Find the key to set him free and the cage will have nothing to repress.