Close to asking GP for anti-depressants

[javierbademswife]

I have suffered throughout most of my adult life with anxiety and mood swings. Generally, I have a fairly optimistic outlook on life and manage to drag myself out of whatever hole I have dug - but I am getting tired of doing this. I feel exhausted and just want a steady life. I have spent years looking for magic formulas to solve my problems - more sleep, less booze, more exercise, be more organised etc. but I always end up in the same place. I have put off going to the Drs because I know that if I go onto meds it will probably be for the long-term, and this scares me. I have tried counselling in the past but it had little impact. I know very little about anti-depressants so here I am, looking for some advice and first-hand experience...!

They're not addictive. If they help for the long term then that's a good thing overall right? They can be a right pain but you will probably find one that helps. Do it :) Worst case scenario is you decide you can't be doing with it and go back to how you were before, ie no change.

I am still looking for one that works for me but most people find one a lot sooner than I have so that will probably be you.

They all give you a dry mouth so keep up with your dentist stuff. It's likely that you may find this your only side effect.

You probably know this but you have to take them every day. Some people take them as and when and wonder why the adjustment period is so long and why it's not kicked in. Just in case you didn't realise that. I think every single one has to be taken like that (or twice a day but same thing)

Good luck :)

Thanks Rinabean, it's good to hear your experiences. It's a bit of a plunge for me. My husband thinks I should go to the docs and my sister is dead set against the idea of meds (we both had a pretty tricky childhood so she gets it). Not really sure what my other options are for managing this.

The doctor can refer you for talking therapies - it does not have to be meds if you don't want. Meds can help put you on an even keel tho which then helps the talking therapies work. I have been on them for 7 years now with a couple of changes during that time. The initial side effects can be difficult but if they are too bad after a couple of weeks it is worth trying a different one. I still have ups and downs but generally they help me stay stable - I cannot see a time when I won't be on them but I look on it as insulin - just something my body lacks that I can give it.

Yes, it can help with therapy.

Bear in mind you can come off them at any point. Even if it takes a few weeks to lower the dose, you're not stuck on them. They won't make you dependent. So if you try it and then decide your sister was right all along, it's no big deal. And you could still choose to try again in the future. It's only choosing what to do rn, not forever

Thanks Rinabean and Carbonel. I'm going to get myself to GP this week. I think I owe it to myself and my family.