I'm thinking about taking antidepressants. AIBU to ask you about your experience?

[Theheartisalonelyhunter]

NA for this.

Having a hard time in myself. Lots of dark thoughts. Doing everything I can to help myself - hard exercise, walking, eating well, sleeping but still feel it.

Just wondered what people's experience was of taking antidepressants? Worried about weight gain and sleep and feeling creatively dulled to nothing.

Took me a while to get the one that suited me. But it’s been amazing. I’m not dulled. I’m not numb. I’m me.

Yeh! That is great to hear. How long did it take to get one that suits and which one, if you don't mind? Are there side effects?

I tried citalopram first. Then mirtazapine (sp?) and setraline. Now on fluoxetine.
No side effects now. Earlier ones did have some.

I have taken citalopram for a number of years. It was pretty awful for the first 2 weeks but after that it helped a lot. I do notice I cry a lot less. I was never particularly emotional - just depressed, anxious and very negative - but films, music, news stories that would have really touched me no longer do so. TBH I'm fine with that - crying is overrated 🙂

I've been on sertraline for (separately) depression, anxiety and intrusive thoughts. The dulling/numbing thing is either an incorrect stereotype or an issue with the old school tricyclic antidepressants, I'm not sure which, but I've not heard of anyone experiencing it with SSRIs. When I'm on them they make me feel like I have my real personality back instead of it being buried under the mental illness.

With sertraline I had a day or two of nausea and about two weeks of sweating and jaw clenching (both mild), but otherwise no side effects. I tried citalopram first and that was worse - I couldn't sleep AT ALL, and for a while it completely wrecked my 'fullness' signals so that I permanently felt hungry and would eat until I made myself physically sick. However, the doctor won't hesitate to prescribe sleeping pills if that's an issue, and once I understood what was happening with the eating I got it under control by measuring out portions instead of relying on feeling full. Both side effects cleared up after a couple of weeks.

I’m on sertraline and it has given me my life back.
I’ve had no more imagining the worst of everything, I can think clearly. My job is creative and I’ve had no problems there at all, ima cruelly more productive as I can concentrate without being in a dark cloud.
I had some nausea for a week or so and sleep was difficult for a week or so as well.
It’s a gradual lift, it took about 6 weeks for me to feel better than I had in years

I was on mirtazapine and with that and counselling it saved me from depression and PTSD.

I'm taking fluoxetine and I would struggle to function happily without it. It has been a life saver. It was horrendous to get on, the side effects for the first 3 or 4 weeks were awful as it got into my system, but now my body is used to it it's honestly brilliant. I haven't put on weight, I feel like me only not overly anxious or miserable. I still feel low sometimes, but feel great other days - I think for me it just stops it getting to that point of sadness/anxiety where it is abnormal, rather than stopping me from feeling anything at all. If you've tried other stuff to try and improve your mental health and it's not working then I definitely think you should speak to your dr about the possibility of antidepressants.

Thanks all. Really helpful and so glad you're all finding peace and contentment! That's a life worth lived.

I’m on sertraline and wish I had taken them years ago. My anxiety is under control and I just feel more chilled about things.
Unfortunately antidepressants seem to have a bad name; I’m not shy about saying I take them because they have really helped me!
I have put on weight but think this is with lockdown and peri more than my medication!

I'm on sertraline. It's been so good for me. Really made a difference that I'd never believe possible. Good luck with what you decide.

I was on citalopram for awhile. The first week I had lots of side effects but after that it was helpful. I only stayed on them for about 10 months and had some good therapy in that time that helped. I also worked on the things that help when I feel myself getting depressed- exercise, sleep, not too much alcohol etc so I'm better at managing things generally. One of the biggest helps for me was probably that because I took them in the evening I slept well for the first time in a long time. I tapered of them with advice from my GP and didn't have any problems with stopping

Sertraline saved me. I felt like "me" for the first time in years. I was genuinely happy, I could laugh again, I could enjoy things that I had forgotten how to enjoy.
I was in a bad place before taking them, and couldn't cope with day-to-day life. Sertraline gave me my life back. I wouldn't hesitate to take them again if I needed to.

Sertraline.

I felt funny the first 2 weeks, restless and overexcitable, then settled.

Now I don’t hate myself anymore. If anything I’m more creative and less numb because I can actually think about stuff rather than constantly worry about how shit I am at everything.

My sex drive is significantly lower. I still enjoy it and orgasm (quickly) when we have sex, it’s just that the idea that we should do it doesn’t occur to me very often.

I take citalopram and no side effects, I don't notice I take it if that makes sense
It's like my thyroid medication, I just take it to make my brain "normal"

Sertraline. Took it for 6 months years ago and am on them again now. Last time it just felt like I was able to function, this time it's better. I've had side effects - tiredness, nausea after taking it, a bit harder to reach orgasm/slightly less crazy sex drive, a bit easier to gain weight; all pretty manageable and the benefits have been big. I just feel quite good! Life has positives again.

Sertraline has been very helpful to me. I thought his meant I'd failed but now i realise that I just needed help

50mg sertraline, it just removes the mood crashes which is really helpful for me. No side effects.

I took 25mg for the first 6 days. Bit of nausea for the first couple weeks and then fine.

Some people certainly do feel worse before they feel better.

You do need to take some action Op, and medication combined with CBT can be helpful.