I became depressed this February gone and I went to doctors in March, he said the first thing to try would be therapy, I had two months of that and it kind of helped to talk to somebody who I don't know, just somebody to listen. But I feel the same if not worse. So I am going to make an appointment to see my doctor tomorrow and I believe he will prescribe me some tablets but I am scared because I don't know what they will do to me, of course I will ask him tomorrow but I don't want to be worrying about this all night. I've heard people say it is weak to take them and that they can make you feel worse or you can become addicted. I don't know what to do, I've tried getting better without trying tablets but it hasn't really worked. So I just want to know what might happen.
Taking anti-depressants is not a sign of weakness any more than taking antibiotics are when you have an infection. To tell the truth most doctors prescribe antidepressants first since they start working within a few weeks while talk therapy can take years to work if ever. Finding the best medication and dosage can be tricky. Don't be disappointed if it takes a few tries before you and your doctor find what works. Antidepressants are not addictive in the sense of narcotics, speed, alcohol, or cigarettes. Most antidepressants should not be stopped abruptly since this can cause rebound depression, anxiety, or panic attacks; If you go off antidepressants your doctor will taper the dosage over a period of time.
Fillet's advice is good. The only thing I'll add is that when you're trying different medications at different doses under your psychiatrist's guidance, they can sometimes have some disturbing side-effects. Be sure to report these to your psychiatrist; they can help her/him determine what changes to make. These side effects are not permanent and are almost never severe, and as long as you faithfully follow the medical instructions you get, they should go away quickly after you change the medication or find the right dosage.
Been there,went through 6-8 pills before something worked... Yes, there are side effects. And as far as i'm concerned it should be a last resort (mind you i was in therapy for 5 years now, i'm a therapist, i believe in therapy, but bottom line is, the therapy(and i've been to multiple therapists with different focuses), nothing works as well as the right medication. try it, what's the worst that can happen?
Thank you very much.
