26yr.old suffering lifetime of depression: raised in divorce/alchoholic househol!


Question:

26yr.old suffering lifetime of depression: raised in divorce/alchoholic household; are meds worth it? Lexapro?

Been suffering from anxiety and depression all of my life- I don't want to point blame, but would say it arose from an alcoholic father and early childhood divorce. First attempted medication in high school, but found alcohol to be a much quicker fix...I have been a heavy drinker since-- most notably through college (not sure how I made it out). I try to remain self-reflective of current drinking habits now, have a great job and feel that I continue to impress people, but feel really empty inside. With the recent end to a long relationship, I am contemplating medication (Lexapro specifically). I feel that I have never been able to concentrate due to a wondering, depressed mind and it is currently worse then ever.

I have attempted positive thinking practices, finding religion, drugs, and whatever else I can to find inner peace but always get distracted . Is medication the answer? My worries stem from side-effects and the idea that I cannot drink alcohol. Any advice?


Answers:

I'm 24 years old and I was on Lexapro (currently on Celexa, which is very similar...my Rx insurance wouldn't cover Lexapro). Personally, Lexapro worked wonders for me. It doesn't "cure" the depression, but rather helps put you back in control of your thoughts - you can "deal" with life better. It helped me A LOT with my anxiety especially. There were times I was afraid to leave the house b/c I didn't want to have an anxiety attack.

Side effects can vary, but common ones seem to be loss of sex drive, nausea (only at first), dizziness (ditto), etc. It typically takes a few weeks for the medication to take effect, so you may not notice a difference at first. As far as taking it with alcohol, personally I've done it (when I go out, only every now and then), and mostly the after effects are like having a really bad hang over. It's really not something you want to do that often. Alcohol is a depressant anyhow, so maybe start thinking about weaning yourself off of it, or at least not drinking as much. Talk to your doc about the effects of alcohol and Lexapro to get a more accurate idea on what to expect.

More importantly, hang in there. You can make it through!




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