I've tried prozac, lexapro, concerta (even though its not an ad), wellbutrin xl, and now am on effexor xr for the 4th day. I'm thinking about just giving up on taking these, the side effects suck, and with all the worrying about whether they'll work or if the side effects will happen almost make things work. Do chemical imbalances with serotonin really exist? Is there ways we can get better without medication?
I have. I have tried various medications such as, wellbutrin, lexapro, effexor, geodone, depakote, paxil, zoloft, and many more. Nothing has really worked for me. If you find something please let me know!
Hi,
I’m no expert, but I personally feel that taking these medications can be at times more harm then good (this is from personal experiences).
If you want to get better you can, the first step is wanting to get better. Sounds silly, but its all in the mind. Tell yourself that you don’t want to be depressed any more, and that you WILL be happy and live your life, its just a start, but it will help.
Also, take a look at your diet. Look at what you eat and drink, again, may sound silly but it all makes a difference. If you have time and money, get these 2 books, they have helped me, and im sure that they can help you.
The first book is called “Fit for Life” by Harvey Diamond
The second book is called “Unlimited power” by Anthony Robbins.
Like I said, they helped me. Maybe they can help you!!
Boy do I know how you feel. I will try some meds for a while and give up over and over because I get so sick of the side effects. I just want to feel good, look forward to things, stop worrying all the time, and have sexual desire. I just can't believe that they can come up with all kinds of meds but not depression meds without all these side effects. It just TICKS ME OFF!!!
Hey,
well, on a different note, I have tried dozens of anti-depressants and found one that seems to be working!!! Like you all, I OFTEN felt that "I don't need these things" and "this isn't doing anything" and I even went to the ER when taking effexor. I tried changing my diet, but came to the conclusion the depression was keeping me from doing that. although now that I have found something that works I definitely agree that diet plays a prominent role. I Kept trying and I am now on cymbalta (and lithium for bipolar disorder). I disagree that it is all in the mind psychologically, but keep in my mind this is my opinion and others are entitled to form their own. Depression runs in my family for one, in fact it took me three years to find the right combination of medications that worked for me, meanwhile, I have an identical twin sister who was having very similar issues, and what does she do, she goes into see a psychiatrist the for the first time, and bingo, she gets on exactly the right combo of meds for her. And you know why? Because she saw my psychiatrist, and he put her on the exact same meds. So I suggest that you just keep trying to find the rigght combo of meds. If I even miss one dose of my meds, by night I notice I am starting to "revert" to being depressed again, like crying and abnormal behavior. Hope this helps.
I, like most of the posters have had absolutely NO luck with anti-depressants and have come to the conclusion, that AT BEST, they are WAY over prescribed. I don't doubt that chemical imbalances exist in some people, but in far fewer than are on AD's. Don't get me wrong, I think if it works, do it, but the more I hear, read, and experience, the more I've come to the conclusion that something about society and our ability to cope with increasing stress is at the heart of the increase in depression. Depression is apparently one of the fastest growing illnesses, yet it seems like new drugs are being released weekly to treat it. If they were effective, we ought to see depression rates go down not up....
I, like most of the posters have had absolutely NO luck with anti-depressants and have come to the conclusion, that AT BEST, they are WAY over prescribed. I don't doubt that chemical imbalances exist in some people, but in far fewer than are on AD's. Don't get me wrong, I think if it works, do it, but the more I hear, read, and experience, the more I've come to the conclusion that something about society and our ability to cope with increasing stress is at the heart of the increase in depression. Depression is apparently one of the fastest growing illnesses, yet it seems like new drugs are being released weekly to treat it. If they were effective, we ought to see depression rates go down not up....
I really don't like when people say it is all in your mind. MANY people with depression like myself CANNOT just snap out of it. We don't like being this way and if simply saying I will not be depressed anymore worked then we would have said it a long time ago. Sure there are people that maybe should not have been perscribed AD's but there are a lot of us that need them to live a normal life at least for now. Sure I hope one day I will be able to live without them. But I would rather live a happy life on meds than a miserable one and be able to say I am drug free.
Re: Anyone given up on anti-depressants? 
