Antidepressants

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:36pm

Is anyone on here on antidepressants??????

IF you think that you may want to try an antidepressants, you have to have a doctor prescribe them to you, right?????? So this would be a psychiatrist....right?????? I've been depressed, and it kinda goes off and on. Plus, I've had Social Anxiety Disorder(SAD)......I've gotten better, but can still feel it inside of me at times, parties, auditions to name a few.....I've lost auditions because of my nerves....just today(however, I have gotten better at that just on my own, but I know that I have suffered from SAD, though maybe not as much now).....Still, I want to do something about it......even if taking a pill just plays some sort of mind game with me(then I guess it was all in my head to begin with).

Doesn't Prozac work for both depression and SAD?????? I'm pretty sure it does, that's what the literature I had sent to me a while back said. Anyways, at first I was against this, but now I want to try it, because I think it can help me.

Any Advice??????

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:37pm

I'm interested to know as well.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:38pm

Ow. Those question marks are saying they're tired and need a break. It makes my head feel like it's in a vice when I read your post.


Having said that, look into Paxil. It's used for depression, SAD and OCD.

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:45pm

Wellbutrin is also used for SAD and Depression, but it caused me to gain a lot of weight.

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:46pm

From what I've read and learned in various psych classes in grad school (cognitive neuroscience) is that these antidepressants alter your natural neurotransmitters via various mechanisms to restore a balance or regulate excess or too few neurotransmitters. However, if you are not clinically diagnosed with a problem, these may not help and instead may result in the opposite of the desired outcome. Make sure to consult with a doctor, however, these days, they seem to be handing out antidepressants like candy.

[babygiraffeboots]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:46pm

I'm a prozac child myself, depression and ocd i guess it's also suppose to help with my anxiety. I tried anxiety meds once but it coincided with a nasty panick attack that ended up in the aemergency room. It was probably coincidence but we stayed way.
mtvmann, are you seeing a psychiatrist or therapist? If so, talk to them about how you're feeling and see if they can help. If you're not, try to look into seeing someone.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:51pm

I'm not sure what she is exactly, psychiatrist or therapist,.....I haven't been to her in years, but I guess when I go home in June I make an appointment. Hopefully, it won't require that I see her for 6 weeks and then she'll decide if I need something......

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:51pm

MTVMANN, I second bme and babygiraffe - talk to a psychiatrist or therapist first. A lot of people hope that medication can solve their problems without talking it out with a shrink first. We live in such an over-medicated society - You don't know yet if you do have a chemical imbalance that's causing your emotions (I think the chemical is serotonin?), but please try to talk out your issues with a shrink first, and if that doesn't work then consider talking to a doctor.



ETA - Just saw your post. Good idea. Hope it works out!

Updated On: 4/12/05 at 06:51 PM

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:56pm

For me,as someone with bipolar disorder, I found therapy AND medication to be useful. The problem with taking medication is that a lot of people use that as an excuse to not develop coping skills or a more healthy pattern of thinking; they expect the drugs to do all the work.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:58pm

Exactly, Ma.

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:58pm

Exactly, Tiff. I think there are a variety of neurotransmitters that can impact mood (it's been a year and a half since I looked at this stuff): serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and GABA. However, if this is something that is really plaguing you, maybe you should try speaking to a physician sooner than later. On another note, it may be something that you can talk out, rather than taking meds. They generally take 2 weeks to work (they actually change the structure of different neuroreceptors in the brain).

Best of luck!

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 7:51pm

MTV - A regular doctor can prescribe antidepressants. But Social Anxiety Disorder is a harder problem to deal with than depression and does not respond well to drugs alone. If you visit the Social Anxiety Disorder websites, they have a lot of info about the current therapies including bio-feedback. Sometimes it helps to start on the meds first (at least 6 weeks) because it "takes the edge off" your moods which can trigger negative thinking patterns that repeat themselves in SAD.

SAD can be very crippling and can worse with age. I know. Treating it now can break up the thought patterns that get so easily ingrained with time. Good luck.

[MikeH]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 7:54pm

Just be really careful. Someone I knew was recently on Paxil and she tried to commit suicide. It really depends on the person and their chemical makeup.Best wishes.... :)

Posted: 4/12/05 at 8:12pm

MikeH, I've read about many cases that are similar to your acquaintance/friend. It seems as if that happens when the patients on the meds don't actually have the chemical problems and the meds work in the opposite way than expected.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 8:37pm

I'm on paxil for depression and social anxiety... I can't sleep... ever... Updated On: 4/12/05 at 08:37 PM

[Taryn]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 8:37pm

As the daughter of a dysthymia sufferer, you have my full sympathy. You should ALWAYS start with therapy first before trying medications--sometimes it's all that's needed. Unless there's a biological reason for your unhappiness, medication won't help. And depression, as it is defined, it a consistant feeling of unhappiness for two weeks or more. If you're on more of an on and off feeling of depression, it may not be biological. In any case, I'd definitely recommend starting with therapy first and seeing how that works out before considering medication. And if you're not feeling comfortable/happy with your therapist, find another one. It's all about fit. I've seen medication do wonderful things for some people, but it's not all for everyone.
Updated On: 4/12/05 at 08:37 PM

[mollyllom]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 9:21pm

What others have said--definetly start with a therapist. I've had a therapist, a psychiatrist, and I take Wellbutrin XL. Because of the first two, I was able to solve my problems, but the medicine helps my body control the depression. I've been on the medication for two years now and have only had one time where I became depressed again, and that was when I was switching from a 2x-day to the XL, so totally understood.

But I think that talking to a psychiatrist for prescribing medication is a lot better than just your plain doctor, because they know so much more and can truly understand your specific needs and problems.

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 9:26pm

Also, when picking a therapist, find the right one. It took me a few tries to find one that I responded well to. But if you don't trust your therapist and are not open with him/her, it won't do you any good.

[CurtainUp2]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 9:34pm

Zoloft is used for both depression and SAD. But stay off the meds if you can help it. Too many negative side-effects. I realized a long time ago that life isn't supposed to be all smooth sailing. You're supposed to have highs and lows. Meds just even everything out. They may help to prevent the really low lows. But you won't have the really high highs anymore either. Unless your lows are so low that you can't function or become suicidal, I wouldn't get aboard the meds train. Good luck!

[mollyllom]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 9:56pm

Not always true. I don't have the low low medical-diagnosable lows anymore, but I do have the high highs. Some medications make you numb (eg, watch Garden State) but some don't. Finding the right one is the key.

[Adoannie925]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 10:29pm

Any doctor can prescribe anti-depressants, but different anti depressants do different things, and you usually try a few before you find the right match, or work with a combination of meds. A regular physician won't know a lot about them, but going to a Psychiatrist can be really pricey, so I suggest going to a Psychiatrist until you figure out what you need, and then once you've figured that out, just have your regular doctor prescribe the stuff for you so you don't have to always be going to the psychiatrist to be monitored, but then if you can afford it, stick with the Psychiatrist because even after they figure out what the right medicine/combo of meds/dose for you is, they'll still play around with the dosage and meds, etc.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 11:58pm

I can't respond specifically to SAD, but between knowing a lot of psych, and my own experience, I'll share what I know. I recently had a very huge anxiety attack to the point where I had to be taken out of the anxious situation and then I the anxiety turned to depression. I was first put on klonopin(sp) just because the extremity of the anxiety, that's only to be used in such cases, it can be addicting. Then I was started on lexipro, which took a little while to kick in. Actually, experiences, it takes much more than 2 weeks for most meds to work. I think mine might have taken 6 weeks to months before I started feeling a difference, sometimes it can take 3 months. Lexipro is more for anxiety, side effects it's had on me included increasing tiredness and that seriously increased my appetite. It mainly increases seratonin, the neurotransmitter which controls mood/emotions and dreams...my dreams actually have been more vivid as a result too.

Between the weight and tiredness, my psychiatrist added wellbutrin to the equation and I think with time she wants me to go more ot that than the lexipro. Wellbutrin is supposed to increase more dopamine, which relates to learning and energy and increases norephephrane which well controls mainly arousal, my psychiatrsit made a joke b/c I had just studied all the neurotransmitters yes people like this one becuase it makes sex more enjoyable. Haha. So it's giving me more energy, and I was told it's supposed to make my appetite less, that's odd that it increased yours, Ma.

In terms of getting help for it...I too would recommend finding a good therapist, and it could take time, you wanna find one you're comfortable with. I've seen two years ago, and neither was particularly helpful, one I actually disliked. Now I have a really good one, she's worked with people like me a lot and she loves Broadway and the Yankees so sometimes I'll spend half the sessions talking about Broadway with her, it just makes me happy and more comfortable. Once you find a therapist, usually they're associated with a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist controls your medication. What would then happen is you'd see the psychiatrist once a month, talk mroe about medication but also how you are, and you see the therapist once a week. Again, you may find medication is unnecessary from the therapy. Good luck!

And anyone can PM me any questions they have, I won't be seeing my psychiatrist for like another 6 weeks, but I can totally write down the questions and be sure to ask her if anyone would like.

[SamohSam]

Posted: 4/13/05 at 12:20am

quyte a few of u need antidepresints. SAD is n undrstatment

[midtowngym]

Posted: 4/13/05 at 12:28am

MTVMANN is obviously crazy. He comes to a theater message board for advice about antidepressants? Oy.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/13/05 at 7:37am

"MTVMANN is obviously crazy. He comes to a theater message board for advice about antidepressants? Oy."

Perhaps not, midtown....looks like s/he got a lot of responses...both from personal experiences and general advice, much of it quite good.

That being said, I agree with the school of thought that holds that slapping a medication on a problem isn't going to fix what is causing it. But the right medication *can* make it considerably easier to deal with things. Add therapy to the equation, and the results can be infinitely better.