Do SSRI's have an [positive] effect

[myusername]

UNCJigga's thread got me looking, and while I have tried in the past a couple different meds for depression, I never tried an SSRI, as the whole dependency thing makes me nervous.

The meds I did try had no noticable effects.

If I tried an SSRI and "didn't need it" would I know it because nothing happens, or would I like it even if I didn't "need" it?

 

[TitanDiddly]

Link for the uninformed?

 

[Shawn]

SSRIs are horrible. Don't take them unless you can't survive without them.

 

[Gurck]

SSRI = Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor. Class of drugs that includes most modern andidepressants, including prozac.

 

[myusername]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
Link for the uninformed?

Jigga's thread is "I'm back on Drugs", though he said it was an NRI not an SSRI after I posted this thread.

Originally posted by: Shawn
SSRIs are horrible. Don't take them unless you can't survive without them.

Well, I am "surviving" quite well, but I am not "living". I know SSRI's are bad, which is why I haven't tried them yet, but the only reason I don't hate my life with passion is because I zone out, bury myself in online gaming (when I'm not posting here ), and have thoroughly removed the element of passion from my life.

I'm not depressed, like I used to be, instead I'm just a zombie who eats sleeps sh!ts works and occasionally nefs. I've pissed away my mid twenties living where I don't want to, working a job I don't like, and spending 90% of my waking hours staring at a computer screen.

Occasionally, a little objectivity bleeds through, and I start wondering what life would be like if it were different - if I were different.

So I was thinking about SSRI's, and I was wondering if I "didn't need" them, but took them anyway, would I *think* I needed them after taking them, or would they just be as effective as sugar pills like the other meds I've tried.

 

[imported_KirbsAw]

They wont fix anything, it's just putting a bandaid over it. You need to work out your problems.

 

[UNCjigga]

SSRIs = teh evil

NRIs = woohoo I can concentrate!

 

[myusername]

Originally posted by: UNCjigga
SSRIs = teh evil

NRIs = woohoo I can concentrate!

In addition to..? If you were simply treating that, wouldn't it make more sense to go with an amphetamine derivative?

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: myusername

Originally posted by: UNCjigga
SSRIs = teh evil

NRIs = woohoo I can concentrate!

In addition to..? If you were simply treating that, wouldn't it make more sense to go with an amphetamine derivative?

No, stimulants are for kids.

 

[thomsbrain]

SSRI's let the seratonin your body naturally produces stay in your body longer. seratonin is a "not feel bad" chemical, not a "feel good" chemical. they will not make you high, if that's what you're after. but neither will they hurt you. they will, however, make you feel better if you have a seratonin deficiency.

don't listen to naysayers, SSRI's really do work, however they aren't the magic cure-all for everyone.

i'm a psych major, BTW, and have personally taken SSRI's and known many others who have taken them, as well.

if you were referring to the thread i think you are, i posted a lot of information about them there.

 

[thomsbrain]

god, i can't believe the bullsh!t people are posting in this thread.

SSRI's are NOT bad. they are NOT horrible. there IS a ton of misinformation, twisted facts, and straight bullsh!t out there about them, though.

i took Prozac for a year and had NO side effects. ZERO.

SSRI's do NOT make you commit suicide.

taking prozac made it easier for me to sleep at night and stay awake during the day. it helped me get out of bed in the morning and not want to kill myself. after a year, i learned enough coping techniques to survive and get by on my own, and i stopped taking it.

i did NOT have withdrawl symptoms. nobody does. SSRI's are NOT addictive. they don't even make you feel good. they DO help to teach your body to properly produce the correct amount of seratonin on its own. generally, as with any long term drug, they ask you to taper off your dose. i stopped cold turkey but didn't have any problems with that.

 

[thomsbrain]

oh yeah, the bad rap antidepressants get about suicide is because with ANY person who is recovering from depression, it is during the UPSWING that a person is most likely to commit suicide. the reason is they finally get enough strengh to take control of their lives, and there is a risk they will use that control to take action in an unproductive way -- killing themselves. this has NOTHING to do with the drug, and EVERYTHING to do with feeling stronger. it's a risk any depressed person takes.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: UNCjigga
SSRIs = teh evil

NRIs = woohoo I can concentrate!

OK, I've seen plenty of ads on SSRIs, but I've never heard of NRIs, at least I don't think I have. Whay drugs are NRIs?

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Muadib

Originally posted by: UNCjigga
SSRIs = teh evil

NRIs = woohoo I can concentrate!

OK, I've seen plenty of ads on SSRIs, but I've never heard of NRIs, at least I don't think I have. Whay drugs are NRIs?

without googling i'd guess norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors? it's another brain chemical similar in function to serotonin.

 

[edi sucks]

I just picked up my prescription of zoloft yesterday...I don't really think I need it, but i've been feeling a bit down lately (hate my dead end job, its stressful, and the past few weeks i've been having problems sleeping)...what can I say, i'm weak...

I'm still debating on whether or not I should take it...

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: Muadib

Originally posted by: UNCjigga
SSRIs = teh evil

NRIs = woohoo I can concentrate!

OK, I've seen plenty of ads on SSRIs, but I've never heard of NRIs, at least I don't think I have. Whay drugs are NRIs?

without googling i'd guess norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors? it's another brain chemical similar in function to serotonin.

I tried google, and it comes back with snri. Is that the same thing?

 

[Ausm]

SSRI's are not evil...I have been taking Paxil for 5 years now and it completely turned my life around. I was slipping into deep clinical depression and Paxil brought me out of it. If you never experienced true deep depression it may be hard for you to understand what I was going through.

Ausm

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: KirbsAw
They wont fix anything, it's just putting a bandaid over it. You need to work out your problems.

Work out a physicological problem that I have no control over?I will tell you right now without my medicine I was a borderline basket case one minute and then completely normal the next. I thought I was going crazy. I struggled with it for 2 years and finally on the verge of a nervous brakdown I went to my Doctor and got the help I needed.

Going to a shrink would have done squat in helping with my health problem.


Ausm

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
god, i can't believe the bullsh!t people are posting in this thread.


i did NOT have withdrawl symptoms. nobody does.

check this thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1549014&enterthread=y

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: yellowfiero

Originally posted by: Shawn
I didn't read all that but to answer your question: HELL YES! I was only one Paxil for 2 months and I had HORRIBLE withdrawl symptoms for 2 weeks when I tried to get off of it. My mom is currently on Zoloft and she is unable to stop taking them because of the withdrawl symptoms.

What did you end up doing, if I may ask and what symptoms of withdrawl did you experience?

Well I ran out of pills and I didn't want to get anymore. The final few days I cut the dosage in half until I ran out. Basically I was extremely light headed, nausous all the time, and pretty much had to stay in bed bacause I felt like I was going to throw up. The only reason I was able to make it through it was because it was summer vacation and it was before I had a job. I just stayed in bed the whole time.

 

[SLU MD]

another drug u might be prescribed if u see a doctor would be Wellbutrin (Bupropion). This is a fantastic drug in the anti-depressant category. I would recommend looking into it. Sounds like the drug of choice for what you are describing.

slu MD

 

[shilala]

At a time, I went through all of them.
Effexor did nothing, just made me puke a lot.
I took another one that wouldn't allow me to get a nut, can't think of it's name right now.
The rest just had no noticable effect.
Serzone was wonderful and worked like a charm with no side effects.
My buds liked to eat the serzone, it'd give them a buzz.

It turned out I was nuts because of the way I think. After a few years of brainwashing and reprogramming, I'm happy as a pig in a field of shyt.

 

[myusername]

Originally posted by: SLU MD
another drug u might be prescribed if u see a doctor would be Wellbutrin (Bupropion). This is a fantastic drug in the anti-depressant category. I would recommend looking into it. Sounds like the drug of choice for what you are describing.

slu MD

Originally posted by: shilala
Serzone was wonderful and worked like a charm with no side effects.
My buds liked to eat the serzone, it'd give them a buzz.

I've tried both. Serzone had no noticable effect whatsoever. Wellbutrin .. well.. Maybe it's ironic, since I'm complaining about flat affect/lack of affect, but it made me more emotional in the sense that I could have my feelings hurt. Probably just the first step in *having* feelings? :Q but I really was hoping for something that would brighten my mood and outlook, not just make me more cognizant of the fact that life sucks - I suppose you could say it eliminated the "zombieness", but did nothing about the underlying reasons for retreating into a zombie-like state to begin with. Maybe that's the point where you have to intervene with psychotherapy? Or is it possible that a different drug would work?

 

[CrispyFried]

Originally posted by: edi sucks
I just picked up my prescription of zoloft yesterday...I don't really think I need it, but i've been feeling a bit down lately (hate my dead end job, its stressful, and the past few weeks i've been having problems sleeping)...what can I say, i'm weak...

I'm still debating on whether or not I should take it...

There are several classes of antidepressents. So if this doesnt do it, there are others that work differently.

Just take themexactly as perscribed. They take a few weeks to kick in.

And yes in most all cases you should not stop cold turky you need to taper off unless its a really light dose.

The ones you read about are usually the ones on high doses who simply stopped without the taper. This is a serious brain affecting drug. Dont play with it.

Also if you are normal and take it, it can (on very rare occasions) trigger manic/depressive cycles.

 

[iwearnosox]

myusername- I've taken SSRI's on and off for a decade, I've had some seriously bad sh!t happen to me that made me just want to toss myself off a bridge. In my opinion you've got little to lose by trying a month on them and seeing if it improves your outlook. A friend of mine takes lexapro, and for the most part she feels like a new person. However, I sense a certain "numbness" to her personality now.

In addition there are sexual side effects- I had erection problems with prozac and climax issues with celexa. A little frustrating to feel good about yourself and then lose that.

 

[Vich]

One thing u cant do is drop SSRI's cold turkey you need to slowly lower your therapeutic blood level. People who just drop it are asking for trouble. With any medicine like a beta-blocker if you just stop taking it you could immediately go into a heart attack.

The reason SSRI's and anti-depressants are in your body for so long is because they have a very long half life, and that is why it takes about 3-4 weeks of taking the pills before you even get an effect, because it takes that long to establish a therapeutic level in your body.