I took anti-depressants several times before I was sober, but I never had much success with them. Of course, alcohol probably did not help....After a few years of sobriety, I found myself in the clutches of major depression, so I sought help. I took Zoloft, and for the first time in my life, I had a sense of what it meant to be "normal." I still had depression, but I could cope. I was also therapeutically available. Without medication, I was cognitively dulled, and it was difficult to engage. I took Zoloft for about 18 months, and by then it had done what it was going to do for me.
I am what some call a "double dipper." That is, I have dysthymia (or chronic low-grade depression) that I've probably had all of my life. I never realized it because I had always felt that way--sort of like telling a fish that it lives in water. The major depression was an additional "layer," and that is why I needed Zoloft. The major depression is no longer an issue, but I live with dysthymia. I am aware that I see the world through the lens of mild depression, and I have to remind myself that my perception may be a little skewed. I am often tired, and I have to take care of myself. I suppose that I could get a prescription, but I have weighed the pros and cons. At this point, I would rather manage my dysthymia than live with the side-effects of meds.