To be disconcerted by how effective antidepressants are?

[VeniceQueen2004]

Had a bit of a stress-related breakdown before Christmas and was prescribed citalopram. Been taking it for a little over a month now and am STUNNED at the difference in myself. I feel so calm! I had no idea how much anxiety was ruling my life, affecting absolutely everything. My challenges at work and in my relationship - they haven't really changed but I am so laid back they are improving themselves, just because I'm not on my last nerve all the time and overreacting to everything that happens.

And my libido, far from having lessened as u feared, has burst into life for the first time since I had my child three years ago!

Only downside is I can't seem to sleep very well... But I don't even feel tired! I've been ony knees with exhaustion for months - now I feel lively! Even at 2 am when I ought to be asleep 😆

So AIBU to find it quite alarming how completely messing with my hormones has changed everything? Makes me wonder if anything I feel or ever felt was "real" in some sense and not just chemistry... But I also don't care because it's so so lovely not to feel like shit all the time!

Does it really mess with your hormones?

Basically! Stops my body "recycling" serotonin so there's more available in my system (if I understand it right!).

I wish they would work that well or at all for me

I don't want to piss on your parade but you sound a bit hyper, which could be great but I've been hyper on antidepressants a couple of times in first few weeks and it can turn a bit downward so take care.

Its great it has worked for you, but my story is much different and 5 years on and shit ton of different drugs, I still haven't found anything that works for me and my anxiety.

The only one I did find, put me into such a deep sleep, I couldn't wake up and was sleeping close to 14 hours a day. Plus side no anxiety.

The only thing I would keep an eye on, is how dependent you become on them, I am not sure if it is true, but I was once told, that many antidepressants are there for the short term till your brain clicks in right.

for those still suffering; it's utter shit. I lost my mum to suicide 2 years ago and she was on high strength antids and had tried many types over 40odd years of depression, so I know it's no miracle cure for all... One of the main reasons I didn't want to take them for a long time.

Eek Jog - I hope you're wrong! Apart from the sleep I don't feel hyper per se... Just happy. But we'll see ...

Get a decent therapist.

sobeyond, have you ever been considered for the drug clomipramine? it's not an SSRI like newer anti depressants, but an older TCA type.
It has more side effects, but after a good 10 years of trying everything else its all thats ever worked for me. I'm prescribed it for OCD, not sure if they prescribe it for all types of anxiety but worth asking about.

@RonaldMcDonald I've had a lot of counselling... Don't really know anything about therapy beyond that. What would you recommend?

My trouble is I'm too good at arguing - with myself as much as anyone! So talking therapy tends to just be me having an epic conversation with myself about why the way I am feeling (crap) is the only objectively reasonable thing to feel under the circumstances, and I walk away feeling like I've paid someone £50 just to sit next to me while I do it...

@AlmostAJillSandwich I would have to double check my notes, but I am sure that that is the one that put me to sleep for 14 hours.

I am on a new set of drugs at the minute I am shit with the names So waiting to see if these kick in, I am already on the highest dosage. I also have OCD along with a host of other mental health illnesses, so it is worth checking in the morning. Thank you

I'm on a similar AD and it's also made a huge difference to me. I don't feel "lively" or have trouble sleeping, though, just less anxious and able to cope with what life throws at me. I'm only on 10 mg, are you on a high dose? Perhaps you're slightly over-stimulated?!

As you say, not being so anxious means I can engage my brain and figure things out instead of reacting to situations. Life is more fulfilling and fun now.

I'm on 20mg... Thought that was the low dose! Maybe I'll ask to go down at next review... Could really use a bit of sleep now my toddler has (fiiiiinally!) started sleeping through the night...

I don't think 20 mg is especially high, but you do need your sleep!

So glad you're feeling better, it's an amazing feeling when you can stop worrying all the time and start enjoying life again.

@venicequeen2004 do you keep a drug diary or mood diary?

I have found it really helpful for reviews for an example, I told my doctor that while I was depressed I hadn't been manic and was worried that they were not working. She pointed out that they were working, because they were more for my mania side, not those exact words, also good to keep a sleep diary (or lob it all in together) It has helped me keep track of things, although my poor doctor gets things like that skin blistering drug, because I forgot to write down the name of the drug but can remember the worst side affect

@sobeyondthehills that's a good idea thanks!

Skin blistering drug sounds grim!

LOL, it was the worst side effect other than death.

I believe I had 2 to choose from, skin blistering drug and get bloods taken once a month drug.

I went with the skin blistering drug because I hate needles, it didn't work and now I get to be on the bloods taken once a month drug. I am very lucky with my doctor and if I have forgotten to write what they are on, just the date she knows what I am talking about

And @AmICrazyorWhat2 - that's just it, fun! I thought ads would make me numb... I got so low I would have welcomed numb... But instead it's like waking up from a bad dream and feeling proper feelings again, not just this strangulated dread all the time. I have never laughed so much at work (colleagues are lovely). Things that would have thrown me into a spiral last month are still happening (workload and expectations are ridiculous) but now I just think "well I'll do the best I can and let the chips fall where they may" with a little mental shrug ... Would have been IMPOSSIBLE to do that a month ago

Citalopram helped me out of a pretty dark place!

I've been on citalopram for a few years. I remember the relief of feeling better when I first started taking them, as my racing thoughts hushed.

I would definitely recommend CBT therapy as well, and any support groups you can find too. Where abouts in the country are you? Maybe people can point you in the right direction to support groups.

Glad you're feeling better and having better days.

Counselling is fine if you just want some supportive listening, a space to explore issues etc - but if you actually want treatment for anxiety (rather than the short term use of antidepressants alone) then see a psychologist or psychological therapist who can provide cognitive behavioural therapy.

Counselling is much more than simply supportive listening.....it is quite wrong to typify it as such

I’m a counselling psychologist - there are relatively few of us and psychologists in general aren’t trained to work with depression or anxiety

Many counsellors are trained to be highly competent in CBT and other methods of psychological intervention
Many people with anxiety and depression need an approach that is wider than that provided by CBT alone
Many many people feel zero help from CBT
A good therapist/counsellor is what most people need. CBT is not the magical cure all it is touted to be.
A decent counsellor is very hard to better

That wasn’t directed at you OP.

If you didn’t feel as though that therapy helped you maybe try another well qualified and ideally recommended practitioner
I’m like you in that I always think I have the answers in therapy and yet it is clear given the circumstances that I am sitting facing a therapist that I don’t
That is lever enough for me to try a different way and pay attention to the insights I gain
I hope you stay feeling better and understand what was going on to get you to this place soon

@Ronald

I'm a clinical psychologist. Yes CBT is not a panacea and won't work for some people. However the evidence base for CBT as a treatment for anxiety is much stronger than it is for a counselling approach. Furthermore OP has stated she has already had a fair amount of counselling which doesn't seem to have been helpful. So there would be rationale there for her to try a different form of therapy and see if that feels of more use. Such as CBT, if she hasn't tried that before. Which many people DO find helpful. And you don't know until you try.

The counselling you may provide as a counselling psychologist will of course be beyond supportive listening. However there are many counsellors out there who have undergone far less training and in many cases what they are providing is unfortunately effectively supportive listening. Which may be fine for some people but is often hugely ineffective for anyone with anxiety, depression etc who may benefit much more from help developing strategies and tools to manage anxiety and mood etc.

The counsellors I work with are all trained to level 7.
The amount of knowledge and ability to integrate that that they have is extraordinary.
I have been so impressed by their flair and ability. I feel oddly protective of them as I am viewed as ‘better, more professional or more valued’ when I know this is not the case.

Secondly we’re both aware why CBT is touted so widely. If used by an actually trained CBT therapist, with empathy, for 15 + sessions - I too agree it can be a very worthwhile therapy. This rarely occurs, as we are both aware and therefore its ability to affect lasting change is minimal. We both also know the brief solution focussed interventions are not what CBT research qualified and yet often it is all that is offered under the guise of CBT.

I think the problem counselling has is that it is not a protected profession and that any fule can claim to be a counsellor with zero education or experience to back that up. This hugely damages counselling.
A good counsellor of whatever flavour with a decent relationship and number of sessions will make all the difference