It seems too good to be true to take medication for my sadness. I am against drug taking because the body is a very delicate system. I'm afraid to mess with my brain chemicals. Can you get hooked on anti-depressants? I heard that they made some people suicidal. Any success stories?

I've taken A/D's off and on for several years. I take them more for anxiety than for depression, though have found myself really badly depressed a couple times and didn't recognize it until I was non-functional and a mess of tears.

They work differently for everyone. A friend of mine successfully took Paxil and swore by it for years while I couldn't stand it--couldn't sleep, had tremors, and had terrible sexual side effects. I have taken Celexa and now Lexapro, both very successfully.

They won't "cure" a person. You can still be sad and be on meds. However, if you are suffering from a chemical imbalance, they regulate it and even out your moods so you are better able to think rationally about things instead of feeling like you're in a hopeless pit.

Some people have complained about not being able to feel any feelings at all. I still have moods and can still laugh, cry, get angry, or whatever. I'm not on a high dose, though.

I'm not sure about the connection with suicidal thoughts in adults. I know it can be an issue in children and teens. I would think if someone was feeling at all suicidal, they would want to be carefully monitored by a doctor while on the meds.

And as for becoming dependent on them, they're not habit-forming, but I've decided on my own a couple times to stop them and have done so suddenly, and they can cause some serious jitters and electrical "zap" feelings in my arms and legs. I learned it's better to wean off more slowly.

LL

Most of the suicidal issues with ADs that I've heard of involve alcohol.
You don't want to be drinking lots while on them. While the ADs intensify the effects of alcohol, I think there is something else going on too, that causes this.

I took them for about 3 months. I had to continue working while my ex WW was at home, talking daily with the OM and planning their lives together.

With the Anti-D's I would have been a wreck. But, after she moved out and was gone for about a month, I decided I had to deal with this on my own. So, I stopped the anti-d's and started attending a Divorce Support group. The group was the best thing I ever did. I walked into it a broken, shattered man and came out with hope.

I am sooory to hear about your depression-part of the grief process. I appreciate your reservations about taking anti-depressants. In imho I would research the pro-cons. Some people develop adverse side effects- I perfer more natural herbal anti depressants.

You might want to do your homework. Everyone is different.

I suggest if I have the address correct. www.drugawareness.org

I am sending a link card-to comfort you of God love special care for you!

http://www.angelhugs.net/WeAllNeedSomeone.html

Christ Love
My love,
Sky