If diagnosed with severe depression??
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Depression comes in so many forms, from my experience with chronic depression, and trying over seven antidepressants, as well a speaking with psychs. I would have to say in my case I will constantly have high and low days. The meds are there to help you from falling too far. But in order to control your depression I have been told to look back at myself, mylife and others involved. What's the cause. What can I do to love myself, How can I change? Living 20 years with depession I found there is no wonder drug and noone can "fix" you. You must find answers from within yourself. Of couse diet and excercise, sunlight and smiling all play a factor. Bottom line I feel today which may be different tomorrow.- Laugh and try to have some fun. Nobody is perfect. Wish you all the best - keep your chin up and don't stop your meds - talk to a doctor or psych find out what underlies the depression in you.
I have never had severe depression but mild depression which needed treatment. i am totally sympathetic. Others don't understand how sick you are. The cure takes ages. You got to cure yourself mainly. Do something. I couldn't even meet people before. Go for lots of walks. You can beat this.
Medication alone doesn't always work as well as medication and therapy. There are a lot of medications out there as well, and the one you're on may not be the right one. You should talk to whoever prescribed the medication - I would highly recommend a psychologist rather than your regular doctor, because they know more about depression and other disorders, and the medication to treat them.
There is no "happy pill" that will make you feel all sunshine and roses. You have to do things that will help you heal. Therapy, exercise, eating right, getting enough sleep, having a good social life - these are all important parts of feeling better about yourself.
Let me know how you're doing, okay?
when it comes to depression or any severe illness for that matter, i dont think a person is ever fully in remission.medications work differently for everyone and u may need a stronger dosage, but i can speak for myself when i say medication didnt work for me. I tried everything from prozac to wellbutrin, and it just made me sink lower and lower, because i felt like some freak, who had to constantly pop pills. the thing that has gotten me through my depression is my friends being there to talk to me, and help me realize that even though i have problems, that doesnt make me less of a person, but more of a fighter. Try upping ur dosage on the meds if u think its not working, or try talking to someone. either way u should see results. hope this helps
First off, what does your psychiatrist say about this?
Secondly, I have experienced this. I too am taking wellbutrin and though I feel better I have lack of motovation, lethargy, and a general malaise that leaves me not wanting to do anything. I am great at procrastinating.
Finally, from what I have been told, yes the meds have kicked in by 9 weeks. So you are not alone.
The development of newer antidepressant medications and mood-stabilizing drugs has improved the treatment of depression. Medications can relieve symptoms of depression and have become the first line of treatment for most types of the disorder.
Treatment may also include psychotherapy, which may help you cope with ongoing problems that may trigger or contribute to depression. A combination of medications and a brief course of psychotherapy usually is effective if you have mild to moderate depression. If you're severely depressed, initial treatment usually is with medications or electroconvulsive therapy. Once you improve, psychotherapy can be more effective.
Doctors usually treat depression in two stages. Acute treatment with medications helps relieve symptoms until you feel well. Once your symptoms ease, maintenance treatment typically continues for four to nine months to prevent a relapse. It's important to keep taking your medication even though you feel fine and are back to your usual activities. Episodes of depression recur in the majority of people who have one episode, but continuing treatment greatly reduces your risk of a rapid relapse. If you've had two or more previous episodes of depression, your doctor may suggest long-term treatment with antidepressants.
Medications
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Doctors often consider selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro), as the first-line treatment for depression because they have fewer serious side effects. They seem to work by increasing the availability of the neurotransmitter serotonin in your brain. Drugs similar to SSRIs include serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as trazodone (Desyrel, Trialodine) and venlafaxine (Effexor), and dopamine reuptake inhibitors, such as bupropion (Wellbutrin).
Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants. These medications also affect neurotransmitters, but by a different mechanism than that of SSRIs. They may be used for any type of depression, be it mild or severe. Among tricyclic antidepressants are amitriptyline, desipramine (Norpramin), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), trimipramine (Surmontil), and a combination of perphenazine and amitriptyline. Tetracyclics include maprotiline and mirtazapine (Remeron).
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). These drugs, which include phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate), prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitters. The drugs have potentially serious side effects if combined with certain other medications or food products. Doctors rarely use them unless other options have failed. Your doctor may prescribe them if you have chronic depression and eat or sleep excessively.
Stimulants. Your doctor may initially prescribe a stimulant such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Dextrostat) or modafinil (Provigil) if you can't take antidepressants because they're contraindicated due to another medical condition. These medications are also sometimes given in conjunction with antidepressants.
Lithium and mood-stabilizing medications. Doctors prescribe lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), valproic acid (Depakene), divalproex (Depakote) and carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol) to treat bipolar depression. Medications called atypical antipsychotics such as olanzapine (Zyprexa), risperidone (Risperdal) and quetiapine (Seroquel) were initially developed for treatment of psychotic disorders. Doctors sometimes also use them to treat bipolar disorder.
Precautions for children, teens and young adults
In some cases, antidepressants have been linked to an increase in suicidal thoughts and behavior. The Food and Drug Administration requires that all antidepressants have black box warnings — the strongest health warnings possible on prescription medications — about their link to suicide in children, adolescents and young adults ages 18 to 24. These warnings don't mean that people in these age groups should avoid antidepressants entirely. However, anyone in these age groups who takes antidepressants must be closely monitored by their loved ones, caregivers and health care providers.
The increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior doesn't appear to apply to adults older than age 24. In fact, for adults age 65 and older, antidepressants can actually decrease the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Think of someting you want to acomplish, like a goal, such as making something, then do it. It's going to make you feel a lot better.
Stay with the med and ask your physician to possibly increase the dosage slightly. You may need just a little more to get you over the hump. Do not go off the med. this would hurt you. Talk to your physician and tell him about your progress and about the things that aren't working for you. He should understand and make changes. I hope you are seeing a psychiatrist Rather than a G.P. G.P.s or family doctors do not have adequate experience in mental health and should not be involved in prescribing medication. They can do more wrong than help. Your diagnosis should be made by a psychiatrist rather than a Family Doctor.
First, what type of evaluation have you had for your depression? I mean, is it situational or do you have clinical depression where you were suicidal? If you are not suicidal or have a major mental health issue, you should not be on pills.
Therapy with a good therapist should establish finding the root of the depression and then dealing with that by way of better coping skills, behavior modification, etc.
I suggest you educate yourself a great deal about meds and depression to be a good consumer. The sad fact is that in this country, antidepressants are handed out like candy by doctors in bed with drug companies.
Also, diet has been found to be a major contributor to depression. For example; stay away from sugar and alcohol, both found to cause problems. Exercise is very important as it boosts the endorphins in the brain, that makes you feel better. Check out Phenocane in the health food store. It was originally used for pain and they found a nice side affect--it took away depression.
personally, i would not choice prescription, i would try a natural way that doesn't involve any pills, there is a good material that could help you in treating this problem, severe depression i mean, many people had
http://mamsam.beatdep64.hop.clickbank.ne...
but its up to you, i suggest you continue your medication first because you have started it and can try the material also, if you are getting better you could discuss with your doctor what better to do next.
hope that's help!
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