FeenixxRising

He wasn't feeding you a line, he was telling you the truth.

Antidepressants

EndGameNYC

People have strong feelings about other people taking medications for mood disorders, but that doesn't give them the right to post misinformation about what they do and don't do. And it's none of our business whether you take them or not. I think that the knee-jerk reaction to persuade people not to use antidepressants or other medications that may improve quality of life should fall under the rule of not giving medical advice. Attempting to scare people out of taking medication is not helpful for anyone. I'm not advocating taking meds, and I won't attempt to persuade anyone not to try them if they believe that's what they need.

As Dee commented, people respond differently to different medications. Antidepressants don't make you high. If they did, people would be selling them on street corners at a premium. No one robs pharmacies for Prozac. They are non-addictive. What they generally do is make more available the brain's natural neurotransmitters that are implicated in mood disorders. You don't pop a pill and then suddenly experience euphoria.

If your mood is interfering with your functioning, or if it concerns you in any way, consult your doctor. He or she will not force you to take pills; the decision to go on a trial of antidepressants is entirely up to you.

Dee74

Thanks Jeff.

Like any medication that one might take for a long time, I think it's good to see your Doctor before you come off them.

D

Jaxsyer84

Yes, people definitely have their own strong opinions about the topic. I was just curious how I effected others. If depression is a trigger or cause, then I'm assuming it would make it easier to stay away from the booze

Dee74

If you're depressed I think stopping drinking will help immensely - and as others have said, antidepressants won't work properly until you stop drinking anyway.

D

EndGameNYC

That makes sense, right? But triggers and other conditions under which we drink are more complicated than that. Many people report that drinking is more attractive when they start feeling better in sobriety. My history demonstrates that I'm more likely to want to drink when things are going well, and that I'm less likely to drink when they are not.

Antidepressants have never been marketed as a remedy for alcoholism or any other addiction. The exception is Welbutrin, which is marketed under the name Zyban to help people quit smoking. There are also anecdotal data that some people have increased cravings while taking SSRIs.

Again, a consultation with your doctor is in order if you think you need help for your depression. Be forewarned that the best treatment for major depression -- which is much different from chronic sadness -- is a combination of medication and therapy. Each alone is much less effective than both combined. The right medication can lift our mood, but it cannot change the behaviors we learned as a result of our depression. That's where the work comes in.

feren

You're right, I didn't mean to sound preachy and yeh everyone v different. I was literally hooked on the high of taking x3 20 tabs of citalopram but was then so buzzing I needed lots of booze just to chill..Not advocating this at all btw just my reaction. Too much serotonin then dopamine? I dunno. It ruined my sex drive too

feren

*but doc told me to 1 x 20 a day.

AdHominid

Good comments.

I liken SSRIs to a cork: it can still be pushed under water, but it will not continue sinking, and it helps return you to the surface. But they don't replace the alcohol. They regulate; if you are prone to downward spirals of negative self-talk, they really do help with that. So what we often self-medicate with alcohol for--that can be controlled (but you still have to deal with the booze).

There are downsides. As others have mentioned, they can require a certain amount of commitment. I am on a very low dose, and tried to wean off them too early. No reason other than I didn't want to be "on" anything. They worked, I was doing well and wanted to see if I could handle life. However, I wound up experiencing the negativity and anxiety much more intensely. And that was pretty scary! But the nice thing was that I recognized those strong emotions as irrational and familiar, and knew that antidepressants were there for me--rather than heading for a 12 pack. I am OK with having to "be on something" for now.

feren

I am thinking of trying this after about 2 months sober, minimal dose x10 a day just for a week or so. I agree it has def worked at least for me for a bit when not drinking, just not at all for me when drinking too. I go craazy.

RecklessEric

I would have no problem reccommending a person take anti d's to get over a hump. They are not, however, a panacea. I believe most people could get through without them, but no harm in getting a helping hand.
That said, I tried suicide on an anti depressant. So they aren't without risk.

Gottalife

No, he was giving me his opinion. Medical opinion has at various times been wrong. It was once thought that electro convulsive therapy could cure alcoholism, or homosexuality for that matter. Medical opinion was that thalidimide was a good thing. Time proved otherwise.

I think you are looking at the addiction issue from a chemical point of view. Some substances are highly addictive from that point of view, like P for example. Alcohol less so, and perhaps SSRIs not at all.

But there is also the pysychological aspect of addiction- chemicals or behaviours that change how we feel, in a way that we like more than we should. If this apsect doesn't exist then there would be no sex addicts and gamblers for example. People get addicted to all sorts pf things, even computers.

Some stridently insist that marijuana is not addictive. I wouldn't know, but from experience, a small taste of that mind altering substance lead immediately to a twelve month binge that almost killed me.

I will stick with my experience. Mind altering chemicals are dangerous for alcoholics and should be approached with great caution, and absolute honesty with one's doctor.

For a year or two we had legal supposedly non-addictive party pills (legal highs) available in our shops. They were the undoing of more than a few alcoholics. The fact that they were legal and non-addictive didn't seem to help.

feren

Just in my experience, your post rings a lot of truths. And off topic a bit but there is no at least last generation in my fam of any type of addictive personality.. Everyone is different

Girlie928

I took an antidepressant many years ago to treat a major depressive episode. After about a year I felt like I didn't need them and weaned myself off. I did just fine. A couple of years ago I felt depressed again and spoke to my Dr. Back on an anti-d with OK results. Honestly, I figured I was depressed because of my drinking and thought an anti-d would allow me to keep drinking without depression. Last November I decided to get sober. After about 60 days of no alcohol I decided to wean myself off my anti-d as I thought I might not need it since I wasn't drinking. Stayed sober for 3 more months and then started drinking again. Drank for about 5 weeks. The last weekend that I drank I called a suicide hotline as I was truly suicidal. Weaned myself off alcohol (over 3 days) and have now been sober 35 days. It took me a week or two to make the connection - stop anti-d, start drinking, become suicidal etc. I am back on my anti-d now and grateful to have it. I describe the effect of my anti-d as not making me high, but raising my bottom. When I am down, I am not so far down. With the help of AA, SR and my anti-d I now feel hopeful I can live a sober life. See your Dr.