Have antidepressants helped?

Have antidepressants helped?

DanielQ432

Registrant
I haven’t posted on here for a couple of years. We’ve all been collectively dealing with a lot lately, so my personal struggles felt less to me somehow. Now though I am particularly down in the dumps, and it’s different now from how I usually have found my mental health challenges.

I’ve always lived with PTSD symptoms- that’s really all about anxiety and fear. When I was in therapy (for many, many, many years) I used to describe it as feeling like I was the prey, hunkered down and hiding as silently as possible in the tall grass, with the pack of predators circling and seeking me out.

And there is still plenty of that. But I also have come to this place where I have shut down and do the absolute bare minimum I can to get through each day. I have no enthusiasm for much of anything I used to enjoy, and actively resent some of those things in my life now which I have to continue to engage with because I started them in the past, such as keeping up yard and garden - my former pleasures are now drudgery.

I still see a psychiatrist about 3 times a year, mostly to keep the resource available if I do need help with something new. I’ve been prescribed several different types of antidepressants in the past but honestly I never found them helpful. They never made the pack of predators go away, that’s for sure.

Guys, have any antidepressants helped you with depression or anxiety? Or at least given you more energy? I know something needs to change in my life, maybe this could help?
 
Yes! I can’t believe I was reluctant to start them. 3 months later I know I will never go off. One side effect I hadn’t expected was that they eliminated my hyper sexuality. For the first time in my life I am controlling my sexuality instead of it controlling me. They haven’t made me feel great. They just make me feel “normal” I am also on an anti psychotic to stop nightmares. That has worked great.
 
I may have missed some entries, but sometimes the anti impotence drugs (Viagra, etc.) can compensate for antidepressant side effects. on another occasion no one had mentioned that a urologist can prescribe a penile injection kit-self administered-which would overpower the side effects. I'm sure its less than ideal difficulty-wise. As frequently recommended, probably best to discuss pros and cons with a T. Seems there could be a fairly wide range of consequences. I imagine the old fashioned way is best if one is able, if unable choose wisely. Best
 
Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I’m just “down in the dumps” in a way that is really different from how I’ve ever been before. I’ve been at crisis points and tough times in life before, but those always made me feel and react like a hummingbird- nonstop 24/7 motion and action. Now I feel like a turtle hiding inside it’s shell, or maybe a slug, or a slug riding on the back of the turtle.

I guess I’ll try either welbutrin or a combination of that and prozac. Over the years I’ve had combinations of different ones - they just never did much at all for anxiety, and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been truly afflicted with what fits the medical descriptions of true clinical depression.

I think no one really knows what to do for PTSD from a pharmacological angle, so psychiatrists just throw stuff at you and see what might work. Which is pretty much the way with most psych drugs anyway from what many people say.

Regarding sexual side effects, prozac didn’t give me any ED problems, but it definitely made it difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, to achieve orgasm/ejaculate. Welbutrin seems much less problematic in that respect, it delays it a bit for me but I still get there in the end. I can definitely see why low doses of some of these could help with premature ejaculation.
 
hi i'm on welbutrin now and it helps me out its funny many years ago i tried it and it didnt work then years later i tried it again and bingo it works idk how or why but i'm glad it does as depression can be tough to handle
 
I used to be on wellbutrin too. Now I take Effexor. I've been on it and only it for many years. I only know life with it now. I guess it's helps.
Smoking all this pot isn't helping. I mean, I feel great, but... I'm too flighty to make any progress in my life. Or am I? lol Maybe not. Maybe I just need more coffee!!!!
 
hi been a while Im dealing with non stop issues and actually a little more than thrust back into the world thanks to the jabs.
I work -ha-poorly these days in entertainment.
My life has been one PYSD aventure after another and today I was right back to my 20's and panicing in public watching men and frowns and sighs in a doctors office and ran out feeling such anxiety
I fought yesterday for a better apartment from a low level ( that window observation crap gets me bad feeling like the perpys look into it ) and now meds come back up.
I cant do it. There isnt ant cure there but only more heart ache.
I was 20 alone and a jar of lube. 2 hours later I had the dick of blister sore and no where ab;e to stay up , but I gave it an hour more. I was on every combis of drugs and even later on ED meds. NOTHING compares to being off these beasts on the libido than those first few days of finally getting the big O. I went 20 years celebate due to psych drugs psych issues and I tell ya. I as the great Buckingham said "NEVER GOING BACK AGAIN"
 
Also note my new condition has me sleepless. Sick..so I feel like im on the EFXOR and blurry eyed crying here ...sorry for mis spells and rambling.I am alone and was very happy to log in tonight.
 
I have had two extended rounds of anti depressants- the first started in 2005 when I became severely depressed and ANGRY after a heart attack post knee arthroscopic surgery. After two years I weaned off. Then when the genie of the past blew up the bottle I stuck what the Perp did fir forty years those little pills saved my life. Only stopped after a LOT Of work with my third T and I stopped in an effort to overcome the libido side effects - which only partly helped but I can now “feel” and deal so all’s good. Take them if you need them and don’t hesitate to tell the prescriber (mine has always been managed by pcp with input to both him and I at last stoppage from my Psychologist) if they are t working or are causing other problems - there are new and better treatments all the time.
 
I have been on and off meds over many years and most of the time they helped at that moment, though side effects were challenging. However today after trying different meds i feel better than i think i have for most years of my life. Not saying its make everything go away and i feel just perfect. It really reduced the dark feelings, the desire to just not live and just wanting to stay in bed when ever i was not at work. I have also come to accept i will need them probably the rest of my life, which before i felt ashamed being on meds. Now i don’t which i think also helped.

For me i use Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Wellbutrin everyday and most night i use Trazadone which helps me stay asleep but it is also an antidepressant. The Wellbutrin did help on countering the sexual issues i had with just taking Prozac, not problem free but much better. Just work with you Dr and T to figure out the right one(s) for you. Unfortunately it just takes time.
 
Anti-depressants (Remeron) helped for a time and then, the side-effects became too cumbersome (Slowed metabolism, Weight Gain). Because my abuse involved drugs, it was a huge step for me to get on it. For me now, I use lots of yoga and a device that does neuro-stimulation. The neuro stim has allowed me to sleep well 99% of the time and also helps with depression. I swear by it but it can feel weird to zap yourself. There are many studies with people with PTSD who have benefited from it. It's from Fisher Wallace. I have been using it steadily for several years.
 
I had all kinds of problems trying to find an antidepressant that worked for me. Several flat out didn't work, SSRIs had bad side effects for me, Prozac made me suicidal, etc etc. My doctor finally put me on one that is meant for bipolar, but is also used as an atypical antidepressant, and it helps me stay a little more even, and seeing at least a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. It's called aripiprazole/Abilify, and like I said, no side effects, and works for me where others didn't.
 
Antidepressants have lifted me out of despair and suicidal ideations in the past, but they also put a cap on how happy and joyous I can feel. I end up in a very narrow emotional existence, which is slightly less than happiness at its best.

Ultimately, most of the times I ended up on antidepressants I really just had bad life situations that I needed to address, and once I did address them I began to feel better and was able to get off the antidepressants. Along the lines of "the mind creates the abyss the heart must cross." A bad life situation is a bad life situation, and no amount of pills will change one's situation, just temper emotional responses to it. We can change our views to some extent, but abusive situations are abusive regardless of our ability to be in denial about it. That's been my experiences, ymmv.

Every antidepressant negatively influences my sex drive and performance (they can even create ED) going back over 20+ years.
 
I have been on antie anxiety-depression meds for years and only y panic attacks have been eliminated. I am starting a new med now andI hope it will kill the depression and negativity in my mind. I cannot remember the last time I was truly happy. I pray to God this medication works or they will try mood enhancers whatever the hell that is. The only thing that enchances my mood are the weed gummies I eat now and again...
 
Top