When taking anti-depressants, how do you know if they are working?
Question:
Answers:
This is a subject I know a lot about. The thing with antidepressants is if you need them, you wont really feel anything. If you do have side effects after the first week, then it is probably not the right thing for you. They are very subtle in how they work and the best way to judge if they are working or not, ie. bouts of depression that last more than a couple days, isolation, sleep a lot or not sleeping, that kind of thing. If it ain't working you can try something else.Keep in mind most antidepressants take two weeks to a month to really kick in. I have had depression most my life and it has been treated successfully for a few years.
Well, if it's not changing how you feel then it's probably not working. Probably the best thing you can do is figure out what is making you feel that way and get to the bottom of it.
It could depend on how long you have been taking them. It can take over a month to see the results. That is what happened to my mom.
see a physic dude you have some real issues going on if none of the anti's help you.
If you notice that you are calmer and less angry is always a good sign that they are working.
There is no 1 pill that will fix things, but it help keep the edge off of things. Usually you have to combine the meds with some kind of therapy. I can always tell if a med it working if I take them for a while, then stop for a couple of days I can tell a big difference. Most meds take up to 2 weeks to become effective, you have to give it time!
I felt a huge increase in self-esteem after beginning Lexapro. I stopped beating myself up as much & started to feel like I mattered...at least to myself. Mind you my life is not all that bad to begin with so I really believe in my case depression is a chemical problem. Perhaps drugs are not helpful if your life is in a truly bad place or if you have problems to work out.
I dont know how long you've been on it but you should let it settle in.maybe you should ask the people around you like close relatives to see if they've noticed a change.
If you just started taking them its not going to happen over night.
maybe you can read up some more about it at:
http://chealth.canoe.ca/drug_info_detail...
You don't mention your age. It is difficult to find the right med for teens, as their brains are still forming and their livers are still immature (the liver metabolizes drugs). Generally the med works if you become less depressed.
The bad news is that meds hardly ever do the trick without another method in addition, such as therapy.
I was born with bi-polar disorder. I've been taking meds and going to therapy for about 20 years, and probably will have to for the rest of my life. But I can tell you the quality of my life has vastly improved.
Anti-depressants take almost one month to start working. I'm using "Sertalina" (perhaps "Sertaline" in English), a drug selled with different names, and works wonderful.
You should feel better it depends on the meds and how long you have been on them anf why your depressed? the why is a big thing. I mean is it something you can get over or fix? Get over a flat tire. Cant get over a paralyzing wreck. But no matter what you should be able to notice some difference. I was put on something and I reacted very badly to it in just 3 short days. I dont normaly take meds and drink alot of water and have a fairly clean system so I guess they hit me fast then most people. Talk to your Dr about it and they will know if you have been o it long enough to notice a difference or not and if you need a new med or a larger dose. Best of luck to you and I am sorry for what ever caused you the depression in the first place
More Questions & Answers...