"Here's what you need to do and here's why you need to do it..."

[Into The Light]

1) From my point of view, our current society seems to want the "quick fix" more than anything. I wonder how many people taking anti depressants say "Im not happy. I tried to fix it. Give me a pill."?

you are making huge assumptions here. this is a very general and broad statement, and i also think it is a very popular misconception. first, from what we know, it seems only about 30% of people suffering from depression actually get treatment for it. mostly because either they don't know they're ill, or won't admit to being ill (can't get treatment for something if you refuse to acknowledge the problem).

second, it seems to me that most people resist medication. many people come here saying they don't want the meds and want a different way of managing and recovering from their condition. (i was one of them.)

third, anti-depressants aren't happy pills. a non-depressed person would not feel any elevation in mood if they took them.

anti-depressants reduce emotional pain and help restore energy levels. depressed people struggle with even the smallest of tasks that don't take any effort on a healthy person's part. that boost is very much needed.

2) Lets say your 30 years old and are depressed. You turn to antidepressants to "fix" your depression. Do you rely on pills for the next 60 years of your life? I just dont see an exit strategy that I like.

again, you are making way too many assumptions here.

1. anti-depressants alone will NOT fix your depression. they take the edge off. without therapy, you're not going to improve beyond that.

2. who says you'll need them for the next 60 years? some people may, and others may not. it's highly dependent on the person (their body chemistry, their history of depression, situational factors contributing to the depression). i've been on them for a year and a half, and to be safe will probably continue for at least another 6 months as recommended. but by then i don't see any reason why i can't taper off and stop them.

3) It seems like for every "illness" there is a healthy way to deal with it. Dont want to be obese? Eat right and excersize. Dont want Alzheimers? Work your brain out. Dont want lung caner? Stay away from cigarette smoke. Of course in a perfect world obesity, alzheimers, and lung cancer would still exist, albeit in smaller numbers. Some people are just genetically predisposed to certain illnesses. For these people surgery and medication would still be needed. Why do we treat depression any differently?

we don't. we treat depression exactly the same way. prevention: exercise, socialize, take time for yourself, eat well. but too many people don't do this. and too many people unfortunately are in situations where they can't prevent depression (i am thinking abuse victims here). in the cases that people do end up with depression, if it is more than mild depression, medication is important. but again, medication alone only takes off the edge. it doesn't cure the depression. that requires therapy and hard work along with the medication.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

First of all, I want to clear this up. In high school all my friends called me the devlis advocate because I would debate anything that could be debated regardless of how I felt about the subject. If Im sounding insensitive I dont mean to be. I think I just naturally form arguments that get people riled up. I like hearing the other side of the story so "attacking" others, even if its not sincere, seems to bring it about most often. Long story short. Im not nearly as anti antidepressant as it seems.

You may be in the wrong place, then. This is a "Psychology Self-Help and Mental Health" forum primarily intended to be an information and support venue for people struggling with mental health issues. A bit of debate now and then isn't necessarily a terrible thing but when it amounts to implying that other members are wrong for following the advice of their physicians and therapists, it steps over the line of the forum guidelines. There are other forums on the net that encourage this sort of debate. Psychlinks just isn't one of them.

1) From my point of view, our current society seems to want the "quick fix" more than anything. I wonder how many people taking anti depressants say "Im not happy. I tried to fix it. Give me a pill."?

I would say close to zero. In my experience, which is now over 30 years as a practising psychologist, the problem is usually trying to encourage people who could benefit from medication to give it a try. I don't know anyone who is taking medication just for the hell of it. People so inclined are far more likely to turn to alcohol or street drugs.

2) Lets say your 30 years old and are depressed. You turn to antidepressants to "fix" your depression. Do you rely on pills for the next 60 years of your life? I just dont see an exit strategy that I like.

For the vast majority of people, that isn't necessary. Many are able to discontinue the medication after 1-3 years, with perhaps a booster period if there is a recurrence of depression. Some people do need to remain on the medication for longer - but only those that NEED to be on it longer. I take medication for hypertension - that's going to be for the rest of my life as far as I know. That's fine with me. If it enhances and improves the quality of my life and prevents more serious consequences, why on earth would i want to ever stop taking it?

3) It seems like for every "illness" there is a healthy way to deal with it. Dont want to be obese? Eat right and excersize. Dont want Alzheimers? Work your brain out. Dont want lung caner? Stay away from cigarette smoke. Of course in a perfect world obesity, alzheimers, and lung cancer would still exist, albeit in smaller numbers. Some people are just genetically predisposed to certain illnesses. For these people surgery and medication would still be needed. Why do we treat depression any differently?

As I said above, this is a straw man argument. The situation you describe doesn't exist, except in your imagination. Therefore, any further response to your scenario is totally pointless.

And, intentional or otherwise, your comments in this thread are insensitive to other members and hurtful and offensive to other members. This is a breach of our forum rules and guidelines and will not be tolerated.

As lawyers like to say, govern yourself accordingly.

 

[MaynardJamesKeenan]

This is going to be a dumb question because peoples pride will be attached to their answer but Ill ask it anyway.

How many people, who are on anti depressants, are happy?

As Ive looked through this entire message board the past few days Ive noticed alot of peoples "My Moods" have been negative. I noticed this even before this debate started. Now I havent been here long at all so my "sample" is very narrow but its interesting non the less.

 

[Halo]

How many people, who are on anti depressants, are happy?

Again, antidepressants don't make a person instantly happy...working on themselves in therapy by dealing with their issues and becoming a healthier person will make someone happy. Pills don't do the work...people do.

As Ive looked through this entire message board the past few days Ive noticed alot of peoples "My Moods" have been negative. I noticed this even before this debate started. Now I havent been here long at all so my "sample" is very narrow but its interesting non the less.

Although people's moods may be described as negative, people who are taking medication as well as some who are not are all dealing with issues in their life many in therapy and when you do that it brings up a variety of emotions, negative and otherwise. This is a self-help forum after all and people are encouraged to be honest with how they are feeling and to obtain support from other members. They are not expecting you to be taking a poll of their moods to try and prove your point about medication and its usefulness.

 

[Into The Light]

depressed or not depressed, people still have problems, mjk. maybe you are thinking that not being depressed equals being happy. that's not quite how it works. people can have problems and not be depressed.

problems affect our mood. say you don't get a promotion at work but you worked hard and feel you deserved it. that can make you feel upset and unhappy. that'll last for a few days or whatever and then you bounce back.

i agree with everything halo said.

 

[braveheart]

A pill can't take away the sadness and grief of having lived through a traumatic or difficult past. And nor should it.

 

[Misha]

Ok I may be totally wrong here but I was always under the impression that anti-depressants were just what their name says.... they work against depression. That doesn't mean they're going to swing you to the other side of the spectrum. What they do is relieve the biological reasons for depression and give you the stability you need to change things in your life and learn positive coping strategies. That's where you start looking for happiness, or at least contentment. I have never taken anti-depressants with the expectation they make me happy. I take them to keep me alive and out of hospital. They give me a chance to make myself happy.

 

[MaynardJamesKeenan]

I take them to keep me alive and out of hospital. They give me a chance to make myself happy.

I think that cleared it up for me. If they allow you to work on yourself then Im all for them. Thanks Misha.