do depression pills work

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I need to know. Do they make you happy? or do they make you a drone? did you lose yourself? or gain new life? What do they really do. Ive battled with depression/anxiety but never wanted treatment. I finally had my doctor do something for my anxiety but my depression is just as bad.

Category: Tags: asked March 15, 2014

10 Answers

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accepted
They take a few weeks to settle in and get used to, but no, they don't make you into a drone and the only personality change I have noticed is people getting more bossy/insistant, but maybe that's only them. There are a number of different anti-depressants and they don't have the same effect on every person. This is a big decision for you; it is an important time in your life. I agree with GreyChaos, try the vitamins first, and exercise (running/swimming/dancing) can really help, also avoid alcohol.
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Don't worry, depression pills aren't like heroin or weed or anything :P they don't make you high! But what they do do is they just raise the lowest mood you can have, so it's like you get a boost. You won't be high and constantly smiling and be on a boat in a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies (ignore that if you don't get the reference), but they give you the chance to be normal. Some people say that after they took the pills, they became a totally new person. It removed the dreadful skin depression gave them and let the real them come out! Medication can be a beautiful thing and work wonders. But be careful. Coming off them can be a terrible pain and you have to be extremely careful with this medication. I strongly suggest that before you take serious medication, you should try vitamin supplements - seratonin supplements (SAM-e) specifically. Ask your doctor about those. They've worked wonders for me and work like vitamin tablets - I can adjust the dose and come on it or off it without medical advising. Go ahead and take medication if you think you need it - it's anything but a sign of weakness. It can be a new start for you :) It takes patience and precaution, but in a lot of cases, it pays off. Just remember to tell your doctor everything about your medication habits - EVERYTHING. Good luck!
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As a pharmacist, antidepressants drugs are important to treat depression if no other methods worked, like talking to a therapist. They don't make you high but they help elevate the mood so you would feel better but you should keep in mind that the actual effect takes some time to appear. If you start taking them then you will need to be patient. Follow your doctor's orders specifically on how to use the antidepressants so that you would get better :)
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Actually no. From talking to people who have taken depression pills, they usually just make you feel worse, and they usually just mess you up worse. I would try just talking to a therapist without taking depression pills, or find another way of therapy that doesn't involve taking those pills.
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I am a huge advocate for medication because of how much it helped me. Although the trial period can be long -- and yes, you can have a bad reaction to some -- once you find the pill that works best with your body, you'll be happy you went through the process.

They didn't change my personality. They simply made everything seem more manageable and made me put things into a more realistic perspective. I didn't feel overwhelmed by experiences because I knew I could handle them. I didn't get pissed off when people weren't on time or little bumps in the road happened. And the culmination of all these things really helped me in therapy because I could sort out what was important and what wasn't important.

That being said, I acknowledge medication isn't for everyone. But there's no harm in giving it a chance, especially if you feel like you've tried everything else! Good luck & stay strong.
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I have currently been on medication for clinical depression for about four months now. They don't just make you happy. I talked with my former therapist before going on them and she basically said that having depression is like having a black veil over your eyes, that all the medication really does is lift that veil and it makes it easier to function.I have to say, she was dead right. I found it easier to see the good in things, I got out of bed without a fight, my attendance and performance in college picked up. I am not in talk (supportive) therapy anymore but I have been moved to Schema Therapy. It's a lot tougher emotionally and mentally. I definitely wouldn't have been able to do that without medication.With everything though, there are some negatives. If you begin taking medication and decide you want to stop, you will have to be weened of them by your doctor. I went cold turkey on my meds for two weeks and it was Hell. People said I was very difficult to deal with and I basically went back to square one.There are lists of side-effects you should probably look up. A lot of people suffer horribly with side-effects and don't think taking the medication is worth it. Personally, I had no negative side-effects at all.As always though, everyone's reaction to medication will be different.
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They didn't make a big difference for me, I find therapy better for me than taking medication. I found myself feeling nauseous on the last lot I was on. I tried them but they weren't for me, they aren't for everyone. Give them a try, if they work, great. :)
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Thank you all So much!!!!
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Usually it varies, depending on what medication you're taking and what your dosage is. Medications are usually meant to ease symptoms, which is what most anti-depression medications will do for you; if they work the way that they're supposed to, you should begin to feel happier over time and not feel as down or drowsy as you have before. Unfortunately, a lot of people I know suffer from side effects of these medications, which can range anywhere from mild shaking to suicidal thoughts --> Remember that if you're feeling suicidal to tell someone, even if you think it might just be a side effect of your medication. If you are feeling a certain way that you know isn't safe or right, you need to contact somebody.♥I wish the best of luck; so far everything has turned out really well for me, and I hope the same for you!
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I strongly recommend medication, there are a few downsides of course but when you're in a situation where the pros of them outweigh the cons it's good to take them. They don't necessarily make you happy directly but they balance your mood, (therefore sometimes making it ineffective with people with very mild depression) but there are different kinds and one might not work for you. Don't let this frustrate you as it does take some time to work but I think they are really beneficial so I wouldn't let that discourage you. They may change you in a bad way or good way, along with side effects, but as I said, the help is worth it. Personally, I couldn't imagine myself without them.