What is YOUR anti-depressant of choice?

And to add:

YES lets all go take a dose of our pets!:D

DJFyrewolf I think you really nailed a lot of the problems right on. Too often drugs get thrown out to people when it may or may not be what is needed or best for the individual. I think if it is at all possible, natural alternatives are the best way to go.

As I do medical transcription, I see just how often people come in to a doctor, say they are feeling anxious or down, and how often the doctor will immediately start them on an antidepressant or anti-anxiety agent, after a 5 minute talk with the patient.

I was always afraid to go to a doctor for my problems because of just THAT K9. I was afraid that I'd just be shoved a pill and expected to feel better :mad: . So many times, depression has many many parts to it and I think doctors need to treat the patient, and not the disease.

Thats why talking about it helps! I should form a PT support group so people can vent :)

Currently, I am on Zoloft. I would rather be on prozac but my insurance isn't prozac-friendly.


I've had wellbutrin but it made me so sick I couldn't get out of bed.

Thankfully I have never needed meds against depression, that seems to be something my gene pool doesn't lead to. For this I am quite thankful. Hugs usually work for me, and nose-pets for Miss Hoppy. I know that for those who need medical intervention, different drugs work for different people, which make sense given each individual's different brain chemisty.

I surely hope I have not opened any can of worms here. I had hoped this could be light hearted AND serious if possible and the listing of all the medications was just an anonymous way to show how very common that *some* sort of treatment was - not to push meds - totally non scientific - though now I wish I had done it a bit differently. As in the DogHouse thread, I told that my diagnosis is PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I have been on many. many anti-depressants and unfortunately, was not helped by any of them, though many people are. I take medication specific to control panic attacks and seizures. Like several people have said, my kitties are by far the most wonderful therapy I have - that and hubby as my very best friend! PetTalk is another therapy for me - a way to interact, especially during times when I am not doing well and am housebound. The Internet has enabled me to connect with and meet with survivors of the same trauma I have survived and I would otherwise have assumed I was alone!
BTW - I did check with Karen RE: this thread and if it goes *poof* that is the reason. :) The last thing I want to do is bring offense or hurt to anyone!!

*EDIT - I see that Karen posted so I guess the thread is A-OK:)

Debbie - good thread.
There are many people slightly thrown by depressive illness and to get things 'out' in the open certainly does no harm.
I'm lucky I've never had any doctor try to shut me up (!) with tablets. But that is a problem for many people - getting the right doctor for them.
I was lucky my GP knew there was something wrong - and even though I argued I wasn't depressed he didn't quit on me and finally I agreed to see a psychiatrist, who to this day I bless, he took me into a private care centre and I was treated with Prozax initially, saw counsellours and talked endlessly - I cried many tears - and laughed too.
I was together with a wonderful group of people and the help we gave each other was priceless - to this day I've not forgotten the love, care and kindness of other depressives.
Yes I still get bad times - hence my disappearance after New Year - but as long as I keep on my present medication - Citalopram - I will come out of the endless black tunnel and carry on - perhaps and hopefully a little wiser and definately grateful.

Lynne

Sirrah, I don't think there's anything wrong with the thread. I do think I posted more seriously after it was meant in a more light-hearted way, I probably should have thought a bit more about it before I posted. Sometimes I just have a thought and speak it and it's not always stated the right way or at the right time.

I also should clarify I am not against medicines at all but what I am against is how some of the medical community so easily prescribes them when they may not necessarily be indicated and also without educating about the medicines, how they work, what effects they may have, and so on. But I also think it is probably that way for a lot of other medications too, not only antidepressants.

I totally support people being able to feel like that can more openly discuss these issues and I think overall this board has a great bunch of understanding people :)

I'm currently on Zoloft and it is the first pill i've taken for my depression/anxiety/paranoia. It has greatly helped me alot, I love my pets and they are very theraputic but man, I was so bad I wasn't taking care of myself or them, luckly I've got a good boy who loves me and takes care of me and my animals when I'm not able to.

My docs also weren't very quick to prescribe meds to me without talking to me about it first and see what other measures I've taken. Once we decided that therapy and such weren't helping all too much and my problems really were affecting my way of life that we decided meds would be a good option.

I never regret our decision to get on my meds, if I didn't get on them...well..I wouldn't have the strength to talk to like anyone anymore. so yay for my drugs working for me!

Quote:

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Originally posted by K9soul
I do think I posted more seriously after it was meant in a more light-hearted way
I totally support people being able to feel like that can more openly discuss these issues and I think overall this board has a great bunch of understanding people :)

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I agree K9 and do not think you hurt any feelings - we can be light hearted AND serious - yes? Good people here
:)

you forgot puppys! lol when my mom was in deeo clinical deppression the ONLY thing that got her out of it was when we got happy.

Quote:

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Originally posted by cali
you forgot puppys! lol when my mom was in deeo clinical deppression the ONLY thing that got her out of it was when we got happy.

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You are right!! I should have added babies, kittens, puppies and CHOCOLATE! (but here at PT, we probably already knew that;) )

I could be on pills, but for the time being I've chosen to try to work things out myself. So far so good. I feel like I'm too young right now to start with that stuff. So long as I don't fall back to how I was before, I think I'll be fine without them. Although, something for anxiety might be good. I'm horrible with that

My first reaction to this thread was light hearted..........I immediately thought about my kitties.....and when I have been down, I can always count on Rascal for some love and reassurance.

My second thought was that, as Karen said, I am lucky, my gene pool has provided me with stability and strength.

And there isn't a person in my family that does not love chocolate.
(reminder to get new bathroom scale......this one cannot be right)

But my final thought reminded me of a friend's son..........he is on medication and once he starts feeling better......he stops taking it. He was alone one weekend and off his meds. The results were disastrous. There was a public display and he stood on top of his car tearing his clothes off. The neighbors called the police. He did not get the help he needed immediately and it took a long time to get him stable again.

With so many people coming forward and volunteering that they need these medications - then no......this isn't a light hearted subject at all.

I have reconsidered my original response, given all that I have read here. I am fortunate that I have not personally dealt with this sort of mental illness, nor has anyone in my family that I know of.

Although I still encourage anyone suffering from the symptoms described here to get medical attention, first, from a doctor you trust, I'm glad that there is a place you can come and share your experiences, and where the rest of us can learn.

Last year, I was having trouble sleeping. I mean MAJOR trouble and I went to see my doctor about it. The first thing he did was put me through a "test" to determine whether I might be depressed. I was not (told him that from the start, but I appreciate his willingness to get to the bottom of the problem). My problem was stress, not depression. It's not gone, and on occasion, I still need a sleep aid to help me sleep, but at least we pinpointed the issues I am dealing with that caused the sleep issues, as well as some blood pressure issues, which are now under control with medication.

I applaud all of you who are taking the steps to help yourselves. And if being here, talking about your issues, as well as your pets, helps you! We're so glad to be a part of your recovery!!!!! :) You all certainly help me get my "getaway", every day, sharing in the joy and sorrow of pet ownership. :)