To be scared of taking anti depressants?

[Wolfie26]

For the past 4 months or so I’ve not been feeling myself. It’s really come to a head in the last few weeks and I’m now starting to feel like I might need some help. My head is a very dark place at the moment and I’m struggling to see any light/positivity. I just want to crawl under my covers and never come out again, which is basically what I’ve done for the past two days. I don’t want to go to work, I don’t want to entertain DS, I don’t want to see anyone or do anything, I’m so sick of having to put a face on and pretend I’m okay. I just can’t cope anymore. I haven’t washed my hair in over a week, only showered once, haven’t been taking my make up off or brushing my teeth at night. I usually take pride in my appearance but I just don’t care right now. I look awful and my house is a complete tip. I’ve tried to speak to a few close friends and my long term boyfriend about it but no one really wants to know, they’re not interested which I can understand. No one wants negativity dragging them down.

I have always had some issues with anxiety/my mood but I can usually find ways to cope until I start to feel better. I don’t know if it’s circumstances or not but this time, I just seem to be getting worse and worse. My dog just been diagnosed terminally ill, affecting his pooping/peeing so I’m spending a lot of time cleaning up and trying to cope with that, my relationship is probably going to break down as he is going to move 7 hours away for work, I’m just waiting on tenterhooks for that to happen, my house is horrible, messy and smelly (because of DDog) and I’m not doing great financially by any stretch of the imagination. I feel like the worst mum, girlfriend, employee. I feel like I’m failing everyone constantly and they would all be better off without me.

I am going to try and make a doctors appointment tomorrow but I am really scared that they will just put me on anti depressants. I’m scared of the side effects and of feeling worse and I’m absolutely terrified that I will just end up on them for life. I had a pretty awful childhood because of my own mum’s mental health issues - she has been on and off anti depressants for 25-30 years now and is still a complete wreck. I am so scared that I am going to end up like her.

Don’t be scared, you may need anti-depressants though. If the serotonin in your brain gets too low (yours sounds rock bottom) your body can’t produce enough naturally. You will need chemical help for that. Speak to your GP, ask for a double appointment because you will need to
Talk it through and I found it so hard as I was sobbing the whole time. You need help please go and get it, if you start now you could feel a good deal better by Christmas.

I'm on sertraline for anxiety. It's been great and had changed my life totally, for the better. I may or may not be on it forever, but I'm fine with that, as I feel like myself again. In short, give it a go. hugs

I'm another one that's improved a lot on Sertraline. I am still very unmotivated to do stuff around the house but am generally managing to function better with work etc.

Sertraline has turned my life around. I was very, very low at the end of last year. It's not a miracle cure, but it's given me the ability to focus more on what's right with my life rather than what's wrong xx

Poor, poor you. It sounds wretched.
Please give a/d a go.
They absolutely revolutionised my DD s life 1 year into uni. She hadn't realised quite how bad the last 3 years had been, since she was 16.
She is now off them, happy, outgoing, functional and finds life good.
We too, worried about a/d esp in a teen, but when she got them in the end at 19, well, it was life changing.
Give yourself that chance.
S/e last 2-3 weeks. Depression can be crippling for months or years.
Good luck

You have a lot going on at the moment, a lot of what if’s which are anxiety provoking alone

As far as friends & boyfriend not wanting to know, it probably because they don’t know how to help.
Be truthful tell them & gp exactly how you feel, that way you will get the correct help. If you find that after you’ve told friends and there still not suggesting anything (come for a coffee round mine, are u feeling any better etc) then there not the friends you thought they were.
How would you help a friend out?
It depends what you feel you want from them and they can give.

Your dog situation won’t be helping( not dogs fault) because that will be getting you down. To get rid off the poop smell get zoflora from £1 shop
You only need tiny amount and some smell lovely.
Tiny steps, if you only do 1 thing a day.

Regards gp appt I’d suggest double appointment as said, that way you’ll have more time and won’t feel rushed and forget things
Write it down and take it with you
Or even give gp note to read.

If you’ve been going down hill for that amount off time, then I think maybe try an Med.
They will give you SE (unless your a lucky one) but you may not even notice because your feeling bad as it is .
They take at least 4 /6 weeks to kick in
Don’t up the med till you’ve been on it at least 4 weeks as it takes quite a while for the brain to adjust.

I was like you years back, under the mh team. I literally couldn’t eat, sleep
Dry heaving every morning
Full of anxiety symptoms and no enthusiasm whatsoever and in a world of my own.
I’m in a much better place now, can function and mood is nothing like it was.
I still have my days, but mainly anxiety.

You are in control of this. Talk to the GP - she may recommend pills but you can choose whether or not to go ahead. You can ask to go on a waiting list for talking therapy too. Some people find that tablets are helpful just to ‘reboot’ the brain chemistry. If you get side effects you can go back to the GP and try a different tablet.

I hope you find something that helps you