For people that have experience with antidepressants.
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For people that have experience with antidepressants.
Just wondering if you would like to share your experiences, good and bad. My doctors prescribed me citalopram (celexa) for a while I didn’t fill it. Probably because I was drinking and it does not interact well with alcohol. Now I’ve filled it and haven’t started taking it. I was nervous about the idea of depending on a pill every day, that it would make me feel like a completely different person.. convinced I didn’t need it. Now I’m starting to think maybe I do.
For those that have taken it, did it help with your recovery? Make it harder? Was the difference in your mental health slight or drastic? Any input would be appriciated, thank you.
For those that have taken it, did it help with your recovery? Make it harder? Was the difference in your mental health slight or drastic? Any input would be appriciated, thank you.
I have been taking sertraline (zoloft) for years and it's helped a lot to curb my depression. I was taking it when I was drinking and it didn't work well but after I stopped drinking, it worked as it should.
I understand your fears, I was prescribed some drugs that I never took too! It's kind of silly when you think about it though...we don't dare try a mood altering pill but we happily poured a mood altering chemical down our throats for years ( alcohol! )
I did eventually try an SSRI and my experience was that it did absolutely nothing other than make me more tired. Each person is different and responds to each drug in a different way - I know some people have achieved fantastic results with some drugs while others actually have a worsening of symptoms.
You mention that now think maybe you should be taking something - I would guess you are experiencing increased symptoms of some ailment then? I found it really helpful to talk with a counselor about some of my symptoms too - vs just getting a scrip from a medical doctor.
I did eventually try an SSRI and my experience was that it did absolutely nothing other than make me more tired. Each person is different and responds to each drug in a different way - I know some people have achieved fantastic results with some drugs while others actually have a worsening of symptoms.
You mention that now think maybe you should be taking something - I would guess you are experiencing increased symptoms of some ailment then? I found it really helpful to talk with a counselor about some of my symptoms too - vs just getting a scrip from a medical doctor.
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Join Date: Jul 2017
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I've been on some variety of anti depressant or anti anxiety med for years. Currently venlafaxine. I have no issue with taking it as it doesn't get me high. Untreated depression or anxiety while trying to maintain sobriety and recovery isn't a risk I'm willing to take. I want every advantage I can get.
I went the gamut of various antideps and only found efficacy early on. I did, however take a benzo with that also. Paxil (same class as celexa) was first, then went to celexa later and my experience was generally the same...there was a positive effect but the downside was carb cravings and fatigue.
I wound up going the SNRI route later with cymbalta and pristiq both being the choices. The side effects were better and maybe it was coincidence, I started drinking heavily around that time and those two obviously didn't mix I think the SSRI's seemed to work more effectively for me (anxiety was my primary diagnosis) overall but the side effects were greater.
From my experience it wasn't a situation where I was a 'different person'; only it in concert with other meds and therapy helped me cope to a certain extent with my anxiety.
Definitely keep in touch with your doc if the side effects become bothersome though.
Hope this helps..
I wound up going the SNRI route later with cymbalta and pristiq both being the choices. The side effects were better and maybe it was coincidence, I started drinking heavily around that time and those two obviously didn't mix I think the SSRI's seemed to work more effectively for me (anxiety was my primary diagnosis) overall but the side effects were greater.
From my experience it wasn't a situation where I was a 'different person'; only it in concert with other meds and therapy helped me cope to a certain extent with my anxiety.
Definitely keep in touch with your doc if the side effects become bothersome though.
Hope this helps..
I have been sober for the past 3 years and started on Trintellix (vortioxetine) 2 years ago.
Even though, I had struggled with depression for years, I was very resistant to trying an AD. And, while I was drinking, I flat out refused to try one.
Much to my surprise, my AD turned out to be a total game changer for me. My moods evened out and I was able to start enjoying my life, instead of just struggling through each day. I was no longer crying multiple times a day. I felt more normal than I had ever felt in my life.
I am very grateful that my doctor wore me down And now I no longer make copious appointments trying to find out what is 'wrong' with me.
Even though, I had struggled with depression for years, I was very resistant to trying an AD. And, while I was drinking, I flat out refused to try one.
Much to my surprise, my AD turned out to be a total game changer for me. My moods evened out and I was able to start enjoying my life, instead of just struggling through each day. I was no longer crying multiple times a day. I felt more normal than I had ever felt in my life.
I am very grateful that my doctor wore me down And now I no longer make copious appointments trying to find out what is 'wrong' with me.
I take citalopram 20mg. Doesn't react badly with alcohol for me, just doesn't work. I'm about 6 weeks sober and although it's not a drastic effect it definitely helps me with anxiety. Don't worry about depending on a pill, take all the help you can get.
Last edited by Pulaski; 02-08-2018 at 02:08 PM. Reason: Addition
I take a variety of medications including Zoloft for depression. It helps. You have to take it, though!
I'd recommend that you go to a psychiatrist who specializes in substance abuse. It is helpful to be reassured that the medications I am taking are ok even if I do drink.
O
I'd recommend that you go to a psychiatrist who specializes in substance abuse. It is helpful to be reassured that the medications I am taking are ok even if I do drink.
O
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I took 20 mg of Prozac every day when i was 24-25 for pms. Looking back, I now know that what I experienced on it was mania. Not sleeping, not eating, dropping weight, always in hyperdrive, more drinking, more promiscuity...it was wild. I didn't tell the doctor because I liked it so much I was afraid he'd take me off it. I went to visit my parents in this period and my mom pulled me aside and said, "are you on something?" I said just Prozac.
I only stopped it because I became pregnant with my firstborn.
I never picked that up again.
I only stopped it because I became pregnant with my firstborn.
I never picked that up again.
Took Zoloft while drinking didn't do ****
While not drinking:
Took Depakote for a while but made me too blah and tired.
Took Prozac alone and it took the edge off but still felt extremely unmotivated.
Took Prozac and Abilify together which helped the most.
Last year I lost my health insurance for a few months so stopped taking it, once I got health insurance again I didn't really feel the need to take it anymore BC I was in a better place.
I've had depression before alcohol came into play (since I was about 12) but the alcohol made it significantly worse (obviously) but I've found sober I don't feel nearly as depressed and with the coping tools I have no I haven't felt I needed it
However if that changes I have no problem in going back on them. I have seasonal affective disorder, and will be moving back up north to have a baby so that or post-partom depression might come into play.
The thing is anti-depressents work differntly for everyone so you'll have to find what dose and what med works for you
While not drinking:
Took Depakote for a while but made me too blah and tired.
Took Prozac alone and it took the edge off but still felt extremely unmotivated.
Took Prozac and Abilify together which helped the most.
Last year I lost my health insurance for a few months so stopped taking it, once I got health insurance again I didn't really feel the need to take it anymore BC I was in a better place.
I've had depression before alcohol came into play (since I was about 12) but the alcohol made it significantly worse (obviously) but I've found sober I don't feel nearly as depressed and with the coping tools I have no I haven't felt I needed it
However if that changes I have no problem in going back on them. I have seasonal affective disorder, and will be moving back up north to have a baby so that or post-partom depression might come into play.
The thing is anti-depressents work differntly for everyone so you'll have to find what dose and what med works for you
I take trazadone at bedtime for insomnia, depression, anxiety. It's had a positive effect on my sobriety as sleep is crucial to one's well being.
I also have a script for xanax. But I rarely take this unless I'm having a meltdown of some sort or really having a heavy dose of depression and anxiety.
I also have a script for xanax. But I rarely take this unless I'm having a meltdown of some sort or really having a heavy dose of depression and anxiety.
I was on Effexor for maybe 4 months. It certainly "took the edge off" of early sobriety and I'd been diagnosed by several Doctors. Frankly 4 things bothered me and pushed me to try recovery without them:
1 - I was really not a fan of the physical side effects
2 - Part of me felt like I was giving up 1 drug to get hooked on another...and I didn't want to be in that group if I could help it.
3 - While I wasn't depressed anymore and was able to pretty-much look and function like what I felt was "normal," I had a recognition that I didn't feel much of anything while on them. Life was really rather bland...and again, that wasn't what I was signing up for in recovery.
4 - Like just about everything I've been told in my life, I had my doubts the doctors were right.
Looking back with the clarity of hindsight, I maybe wasn't "really" a case of clinical depression though my symptoms sure indicated it. That I was able to not use them AND assemble a lifestyle that I preferred without the meds leads me to think the Doctors may have been wrong. I really can't say for sure though.
1 - I was really not a fan of the physical side effects
2 - Part of me felt like I was giving up 1 drug to get hooked on another...and I didn't want to be in that group if I could help it.
3 - While I wasn't depressed anymore and was able to pretty-much look and function like what I felt was "normal," I had a recognition that I didn't feel much of anything while on them. Life was really rather bland...and again, that wasn't what I was signing up for in recovery.
4 - Like just about everything I've been told in my life, I had my doubts the doctors were right.
Looking back with the clarity of hindsight, I maybe wasn't "really" a case of clinical depression though my symptoms sure indicated it. That I was able to not use them AND assemble a lifestyle that I preferred without the meds leads me to think the Doctors may have been wrong. I really can't say for sure though.
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Join Date: Jun 2014
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I've thought about antidepressants to take the edge off a stressful work environment but I assume this would mean a sort of sedative. And if one works well then two is even better. So for me it is best I don't start.
Regarding others: I've heard a number of success stories in AA regarding members whose lives have improved after taking such medication. I've also heard members complain they felt too sluggish and quit .
So I guess it comes down to the individual and their doctor.
Regarding others: I've heard a number of success stories in AA regarding members whose lives have improved after taking such medication. I've also heard members complain they felt too sluggish and quit .
So I guess it comes down to the individual and their doctor.
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Thank you everyone for these responses. I love hearing all different types of experiences. I suffer from major anxiety problems and depression. I would say most of my problem is social anxiety and panic attacks. Alcohol helped with my social anxiety but made my panic attacks worse. Right now I’m just struggling with my mental health. I have no motivation to go anywhere or do anything. Just getting out of bed and making it to the gym or doing basic things like grocery shopping are difficult. I have 3 small children so I try to keep it together for them but behind closed doors it’s wearing me down.
I Had a short spell on citalopram a few years back. It took my doctor almost a year to talk me into it. I had two non alcoholic friends who went through depression at about the same time and we compared notes. We all had similar experience, essentially the pills numbed us out, took away our edge. You Know, the edge that keeps you safe. One became especially careless with his money. Another, with his property - he tried to give me some of his engineering tools which were worth a great deal of money. I became careless with my business. I went from stressing out, to not caring at all.
There was a woman doctor who said " you can't selectively numbe emotions" which meant in our case, pretty much everything got mumbed, good and bad. In a way we went from depression to total apathy. We all stopped taking it when we realised what was happening.
Just by chance after that experience, I became much more active in AA again,
paticularly working with others, and all issues of depression disappeared. That action actually accomplished what I hope the ADs would do.
Now I wonder also if the doctor was right. If it was the spiritual malady returning, it would have much the same symptoms. I alos stumbled on soem research recently which stated roughly 82 percent of those in the trial did just as well on the placebo as they did on the real thing. It doesn't sound like this type of medication is governed by any kind of accurate science.
There was a woman doctor who said " you can't selectively numbe emotions" which meant in our case, pretty much everything got mumbed, good and bad. In a way we went from depression to total apathy. We all stopped taking it when we realised what was happening.
Just by chance after that experience, I became much more active in AA again,
paticularly working with others, and all issues of depression disappeared. That action actually accomplished what I hope the ADs would do.
Now I wonder also if the doctor was right. If it was the spiritual malady returning, it would have much the same symptoms. I alos stumbled on soem research recently which stated roughly 82 percent of those in the trial did just as well on the placebo as they did on the real thing. It doesn't sound like this type of medication is governed by any kind of accurate science.
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