Avoid Antidepressants?

[Parkmama]

For the last 6 months I have felt rubbish, sad, anxious, tearful, irritated and stressed. All triggered I think by a stressful job, 2 x young DD's and my husband lost his job last year. He's gone self employed and has got clients but isn't being paid what he was and it does involve lots of travel so how I am feeling is not out of the blue but I seem to have lost all resilience to cope with all of this and feel like I am depressed. My biggest issue is this irrational fear my husband and I will end up divorcing eventually, I keep on thinking about it and worrying that his feelings will change or that mine will and I keep totally over reacting to everything. I was fine 6 months ago so I think it's my current state of mind making me over analyse everything and feel a bit disconnected. I'm seeing a counsellor next week so hoping the support will help but I keep finding myself considering anti depressants as another option to help get my life back on track but I'm worried about the side effects helping my totally emotional state on the one hand but equally numbing my ability to feel love, especially towards my husband and dd's that really is the last thing I need!! Any other things to try before AD's? Taking St Johns Wort from H&B but honestly don't think it's achieving anything

St John’s wort interferes with the function of the contraceptive pill, OP. If you’re currently relying on oral contraception, you are risking pregnancy.
Secondly, it’s a rather weak antidepressant, related to old fashioned tricyclics. If your GP agrees that you need ADs, they can prescribe much more effective modern ones.
Why not make an appointment with your GP and talk through the options?

Why are you worried about antidepressants. I see them as exactly as you would take medication for blood pressure/diabetes and exactly like those conditions...medication alone will not solve your problems.
Antidepressants used in conjunction with counselling/mindfulness/lifestyle changes can be very effective.
I take Sertraline and have been on it for 2 years. For me it has been a life saver! I usually take 100mg (currently on 150mg to deal with side effects from my fertility medication).
I had the worries of feeling disconnected and numbing me but that isn't how it works. My main reason for taking them is anxiety and I find it just quietens the voice in the back of my head. I'm still me, I'm just able to focus on me and the world better.
I know that taking Sertraline enabled me to engage with counselling, courses and lifestyle adaptations in a way I wouldn't have been able to without it. The first couple of weeks were rough, and it was about a month before I started to feel better...but it's been uphill since then.
My advice is speak to your GP and try, they may not work for you but you would be surprised by how many people are on them!!!

@huffleclaw have you found upping your dose from 100mg to 150 helpful, I'm on day 2 of doing this. Have you noticed any differences at all?

Did you know that depressive illness is a PHYSICAL illness? You have had so much pressure put on your limbic system, that you have broken it. Great news - it can be healed! Counselling helps it to heal, rest helps it to heal, but often some medication is also needed to heal it - this medication comes in many forms (of anti-depressants). The book that this extract is from is the Bible IMO spckpublishing.co.uk/pub/media/preview/9781847092366_preview.pdf

@Sian03 yes...it took a week but I am now feeling much better! Had a bad week of panic attacks and feeling a bit spaced out but by day 7 felt more me and my friend commented that I just looked completely different and better. About 3 weeks in now and the difference is amazing!

@huffleclaw thanks for the reply. Today is not a good day for me.....yesterday was a really good one though. It's only night 2 of taking the 150 though so must give it time. I was on 150 3 years ago and it worked wonders for me, the last few years I've been down to 100, but the last 4 weeks the anxiety has returned. Its bloody tough, usually by this time of day I'm fine aswell.

Thank you @chocolateworshipper for the link, it's really interesting reading and totally resonates. I'm definitely going to see the GP as I'm not feeling any better and I worry the longer I struggle on hoping it will resolve itself, potentially the more damage it's doing. Thanks everyone I appreciate your experiences x

Started on SSRI's in February. Citalopram didnt agree with me and changed to sertraline after a month or so. It's amazing. I'm having counselling as well but it's like resilience in pill form, it doesnt make me happy all the time but it does help me manage when things aren't great.

@Bobbiepin and you don't feel numb, flat, or disconnected? I worry that might happen . . .

@parkmama I've been on sertraline for 3 years, initial dose 150mg but reduced it down to 100mg for a good 2 years now. When I first went on them I had every side effect going and it was rough, but they worked wonders for me and I felt like my old self again. Unfortunately recently certain things have triggered the anxiety again and I find myself back where I was 3 years ago, but the dr has upped my dose and I'm seeing a therapist weekly. Dont be afraid to try anti depressants, if you need the help. X

I've been on citalopram for a few years as has DH. I would describe it as a little hand hold in your mind saying "hey, it's ok, come on now" (anxiety). Certainly hasn't numbed any feelings and wish I had have started years earlier as I can enjoy things much more now.

I started taking citalopram about 4 months ago. It has changed my life for the better. I don’t feel numb- I feel able to cope- happy even,

I held off asking for AD's for years. Finally could not cope with my anxiety anymore and asked for that kind of help. I feel like a different person entirely. I wish I hadn't those years soldiering on, it was not worth it.

Bobbie makes a good point- if one AD doesn't work for you, don't give up - go back to the GP. There are different "families" of ADs and several different options within each "family" (SSRIs are one family and can't remember the others). Fluoxetine made me feel hideous, but is fabulous for some people. I finally settled on Mirtazapine, but you'll often see threads by people who don't get on with that one at all.

OP if that link resonates, and if you can afford it, I strongly recommend buying the book