I am not wanting to argue about this.

I am trying to speak for those of us who have suffered with clinical depression throughout our lives. From my understanding, this is genetic, having to do with my biochemistry. It runs in my family. I have an uncle who actually committed suicide. My NORMAL MOOD LEVEL is lower than others. So, yes, I developed LIFE STRATEGIES to boost my mood..exercise, diet, aromatherapy, lights on in my house, etc...but ON THE BEST OF DAYS, I can be in a darker mood than others...

I'm not on antidepressants NOW but I BELIEVE in their value for me and folks like us. Antidepressants CAN be life-saving. I have an uncle who committed suicide during a phase when he went off of his meds, just after his wife died...what a combination of factors. So just like DIABETES runs in families, so does depression, and so does the necessity of ALL kinds of treatments available.

Several years ago when suffering from an actual CLINICAL DEPRESSION, I was unable to function without antidepressants.

During my H's affair, I went back on one, fearful of getting to that place again. I had to go on. I had to go to work and take care of my children. So, on a low dose of WELLBUTRIN, who according to my psychiatrist is the only antidepressant WITHOUT SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS, I remained SAD but was able to stop the CONTINUAL, NONSTOP SOBBING.

For those interested, READ the findings of the PSYCHOLOGICAL and PSYCHIATRIC (Medical) literature and NOT the PHARMAC. RESEARCH. These studies, many done by NIMH, are unbiased. As I said previously, the research, which I've followed and studied FOR YEARS, without my head in the sand, because this is a HUGE PART OF MY LIFE, has been consistent in indicating that the BEST TREATMENT for CLINICAL DEPRESSION is CBT (cognitive-behavior therapy) COMBINED with MEDICATION..not either/or. LIFE-STYLE CHANGES are also recommended.

Beck and Lewinsohn (author of AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS) are a couple of the psychologists who do much writing and research on this.

Exactly..and Jerry, you do not sound bitter to me...just informed.

Have a great day my friend.

great article from the WSJ.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120051950205895415.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news

Oops, Seligman wrote AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS. Here is his website.

AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS

My problem isn't with your opinion of the pharmaceutical companies. Am I happy with everything that that pharma industry does? No. Money is what drives industry and innovation, however. It takes approximately 800 million dollars to bring a drug to market, and most of them fail in development anyway. You get that money by selling other medicines. And the last time I checked, Pfizer was the number one philanthropic company in the world. And I can tell you that the kind of sleazy sales tactics you were employed for are expressly forbidden now, because I have to sit through the trainings. We have corporate values and leader behaviors, and I believe that we do vastly more good than harm.

I could go on, but like I said, you are entitled to your opinion. My problem is with your behavior on this thread.

A guy comes on and says he's in the aftermath of D-Day and that he's hurting and he's thinking about ADs. Your first post was okay, basically telling him to consult with a mental health professional and expressing your opinion that ADs don't work.

Then some other people chimed in and talked about how ADs have helped them and that the poor guy (remember him?) ought to talk to a professional and at least consider ADs.

But you feel it necessary to come back and tell us that ADs are crap and don't really work. Several more people come back and say "Well, they worked for me" and "they changed my life" and the like.

Your next responses to me read "No, dammit, they do not work! I was a salesman for a drug company, and I KNOW. The companies only want to make money!" and yes, your comments are reminiscent of the nut job talking to Matt Lauer.

The guy's moniker is h8inlife. Hating Life. If you're still out there, h8nlife, please consult a mental health professional and consider meds. This has been my point all along.

MEDC, I'm not sure what your point or motivation is here. Obviously, you can respond if you want, but now that I know how to put you on ignore, I won't be reading.

LOL, SD guy, his post put me off too. But everyone has their opinions.

I come from a family where depression goes back generations. There were 3 suicides in my grandfathers family. My aunt was depressed and starved herself to death.

My sis seems to have inherited the depression. Years ago, SHE started having suicidal thoughts. It was so painful. She didn't want to try the anti-D's, but finally at my insistance did. She came out of the depression immediately and went on to finish law school at Harvard.

And she only took them for a year.

I've taken them once for a short time and then got off them. They were a life saver. And I am a no pill type of person. I've probably only taken 10 aspirin in my whole life. I don't like having to take meds.

But for severe depression anti-D's are a God send.

My ex was severely depressed before D-day and I begged him to seek help. Instead he had an affair which ruined our lives together, did immeasurable harm to our family, OW's family and his future. What a shame!

You can hold your head up high that you are helping to get rid of the "dark ages" mentality and untold unnecessary suffering.

And as far as the money factor, when my husband left, I barely had the $15.00 co-pay. My doc gave me FREE samples to get me through until the meds came through the mail. Undoubtedly they were left with him by some unscrupulous drug rep.

B@stard.

My theory is that most people who question ADs have never suffered serious depression.

It is the old "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" thinking.

Now that we've been through it, my sis and I recognize the warning signs BEFORE clinical depression sets in. Then we make the necessary changes in our lives, exercise, get good sleep and eat well, and practice self care. It works fine.

It always makes me sad when folks here are warned off meds.

I understand there is much controversy about anti-depressants, however, I feel strongly that depressed people should go to their doctors. I am not a doctor, and am certainly not equipped to advise a person what will or won't work for them. I can only give my own personal, anecdotal exp, which is meaningless.

For me, PERSONALLY, as a person who suffered life long depression, AD's did not help me as much as natural methods. But that is JUST ME; others have experienced the OPPOSITE. That is why in this matter, I DEFER to the experts, ie: DR HARLEY:

see, and my personal experience with them was not good. there were 2 different occasions in my life when i was prescribed an AD for 2 different issues. on both occasions i had the dr. take me off of them as i hated the effects. i hated feeling like i didn't feel anything. it was beyond on an even keel, it was NUMB.

for me, i am much more into natural methods.

mlhb

I think that it would be better if people were encouraged to see their doctors, and to be totally transparent with that doctor about the stuff they are going through. SO, that the Dr. can be the one making the diagnosis of depression, and the need for (or not) for ADs.

I have seen people post, and the first response out of the gate is..."you need to be on ADs...tell your Dr. that you need ADs". We cannot diagnose people here. We cannot determine whether or not they need ADs.

I have been through some pretty horrendous stuff in my life but I have never had to take ADs. A "student" one time was taking H&P for my PCP and she told me that I "needed" ADs. On what basis do you make that claim, I asked her. She told me that she thought that I was really depressed, and that I just putting on a facade to hide the depression.

Good Gawd...I was in the midst of surgery induced menopause and I wasn't able to sleep. The minute my PCP came in the room, I informed him of her eagerness to give me ADs....and the comment about the "facade". Geez Louise...did he get furious or what?! All I needed was a sleep aid for 3 weeks...it was the one that you take gradually and then reduce gradually.

My Dr. said that I have pretty good coping skills. He has been my PCP for close to 20 years so he KNEW me. She didn't.

Some people have good coping skills, some don't.

This is JMHO.

We should encourage them to see their Primary Care Physician and to be totally forthcoming with ALL information. That way the right person will make the diagnosis....not some "fly by night, I've been there, I know what you are going through, you need to be on ADs, tell your Dr. to give you a script" lay people.


committed

Well shoot...Mel beat me to it.

I guess that's what I get for taking so long to hit "submit"

committed

Ya gotta be quick to outpost a Texan, commie!!

Mel,

Anyone who drives around with their horse in the front seat must be "quick on the draw".

I knew Texans loved their horses...I just didn't know HOW much.

committed

sheesh, I bet you damnyankees make your horse sit in the back! Poor yankee horsies! :eek:

I done got the vapors again....


Mel called me Yankee....


~*~*swoon*~*~

I need some salts...

committed

It goes without saying that the first stop should be your primary physician. That is where I went for help. And my doc prescribed the anti-D's. Of course, he has been my doctor for 25 years and knew me well. But I was thankful I didn't have to go see a shrink.

And as far as side effects, I experienced practically none. I did have a dry mouth. And later, after reading on MB about the sexual side effects I realized I did experience that. But I had no partner at the time, and it didn't really matter in the whole scheme of things.

The anti-D's work in several weeks (and now some of the newer ones work much more quickly), so I think when there is a solid reason to take them, it doesn't hurt to try them. If the side effects are awful, then quit.

I will give the caveat that some anti-D's will increase thoughts (and maybe actions?) of suicide for those that are under 25.

please forgive me, hunny! :eek:

Yanno, I'm not opposed to AD's in some cases as long as you have a plan of action to end their usage.

Too many folks rely on AD's as a way to avoid the tough work necessary to return to a healty mindset. I have at least 10 family members that are on AD's from their Doctor's and none have an exit strategy. Not very healthy IMO. None of them are any more stable than before the start of their use, and in reality they ALL feel, by their own admission, as out of control as ever. All have been using AD's for at least 4 years or more. Looks to me like the only ones profiting in their cases are the doctors and drug companies.

As for me , I would never use them, I find natuaral alternatives, like excercise, prayer,Omega 3's, etc....

I used to think that too, until I tried to take myself off these little "happy pills" cold turkey a couple a mos. ago.
the ideation of suicide is not limited at all to people under 25.

I'm 58!!


When I asked my FWW how she coped with betraying me and our M, she replied: "I upped the dosage of my AD's."

Worked fine for her.

All Blessings,
Jerry