3 Lousy Reasons to Consider an Antidepressant Medication

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I have read that depression is anger without release of some kind. Never matters anyway. Depression means isolation, no happy friends, no decent caring lover, no family interaction or happy, healthy, normal, fun events..(camping, boardgames,family vacations, NOTHING!) People use your sensitivity against you. Medication or not, every time you feel alittle better someone sabotages it and back down you go. 5-HTP and St Johns Wort are helpful but just a bandaid. Gotta make lots of changes.

S.Johnson of TX 9:30AM December 06, 2009

I have a lot of inflamation, an in pain daily. N
eck and back kind of stuff could that be depression causing it.

melissa jabbia of LA 11:51AM November 29, 2009

Antidepressants become addictive. The withdrawal can be horrible/impossible, if you use them more than for a couple of months. You can pretty much consider them to be something you take forever. And they do seem to rearrange your brain's chemistry, so you aren't the same person that you were before. Subtle affect, but real.
There is an increased risk of diabetes--I've heard conflicting accounts of it being due to the depression alone, or depression treated with antidepressants. Nevertheless once you get the diabetes, it is too late..
None of the antidepressants cover all the symptoms that an individual has, there are always holes or gaps in their coverage, which can be the source of continued problems. They seem to unmask some people's "hard wiring" issues...
Some of the side effects are difficult to cope with, and they never seem to go away. The side effect that I don't like; the recurrent episodes of sweating.
I've tried and rejected about a dozen antidepressants, but been on them for about fifteen years. I will never not be on them. I'm not the same person I was before I began taking them (fatter, diabetic, quieter, less aggressive, gelded); but I am still alive, which I may not have been if I had not started taking them...

Phil of OR 9:47AM August 11, 2009

"Gorse", "Gentian" and/or "Mustard under the " Bach Flower Remedies ", available from most good Health Food Stores provide better, cheaper and permanent help in this regard than psychiatric/chemical medication.
Or one should consider Homeopathic remedies from "recognised" practioners.
People could also enquire about NAET, www.naet.com

Joseph D'Souza 2:56AM August 11, 2009

Your article on why Rx for antidepressants has increased is basically all right. The drugs however do not increase suicide risk in adolescents, the drugs decrease risk. The drugs do increase incidence of suicidal thoughts. Thus, the FDA has put a "blackbox" warning on many newer antidepressants about suicidal thoughts. The conundrum for the physician is to weigh thinking about suicide with actual attempt to commit suicide. Nobody died by thinking about suicide, but many die when they attempt suicide: the former is increased in adolescents and the latter decreased by appropriate antidepressant drugs.

Profbam of NC 4:06PM August 10, 2009

Interesting figures on the great rise in usage in the last years.
Otherwise, not much news here.
I did enjoy reading the article, but I'm aware. Sorta like preaching to the choir, you know.

junie rabin of FL 2:54PM August 10, 2009

Doctors are handing out antidepressants like candy rather than troubling themselves to find out what is actually wrong with a sick patient. I have nearly died twice (ending up in emergency surgery) becuause of doctors refusing to acknowledge that I was ill and instead insisting that I was depressed. Unfortunately, this is NOT unusual. I have seen many doctors and ALL behaved exactly the same.

GD of MD 10:21AM August 10, 2009

i have had a serious depression problem for years. dont bother telling me to eat some health food or some non-sense like that, i have real depression. the only way i can stay alive (not do myself in) is by taking these evil pills. make a long story short, i dont always have money to go to high priced head docs just to get these pills. so over here the years if i move or whatever i go to new doc. all i have to do is just meantion i need them. zip zap bang, i have a script and no probs or questions. i have NEVER been asked even why i need them. i dont know why anyone would want to take them if they dont need them but i know there are many and i doubt they have any problems getting them.

gotthehat of KS 9:02AM August 10, 2009

the writer is catching the gist of it and she needs to continue to pursue this-- it's not the "people or patients" that are taking them for what I consider dangerously everything under the sun, excuse me, but it is uninformed and under educated doctors that are over- and randomly-prescribing them for , o crud, my boyfriend just broke up with me, boo hoo, take a mind-bender, Next!" ya know? doctors are (some) out there making piles of money on this stuff from the manufacturers of same, patients (people) do not get them OTC, nor self-prescribe in MY experiience, but hey what do i know? good article, wrong demographics.

linda m of OR 4:04PM August 07, 2009

and establish a mental health "record" in somebody's file, please go the health food store and buy yourself some strong GINSENG. It may be all you need to lift both mood and energy.

Muser of NM 3:35PM August 06, 2009