Will SSRIs help?

[Seenonchannel4]

Please can anyone offer advice?

I’m struggling with very low mood /mild to moderate depression and have done on and off for months now. It’s affecting my job and my life and I desperately want things to change.

I put most of it down to environmental factors. I’m a single parent with little practical support, I work full time in a stressful job, I constantly worry about money and due to moving to a new city a couple of years ago, my social life is pretty limited. I don’t have many friends nearby or people to talk to. My relationship of a year and a half broke up last month. It has all taken its toll, and when I think about it logically, it’s unsurprising that things feel bleak.

My question is, will SSRIs help at all? I saw the GP today as I and she suggested them as an option. I’ve always been very wary of taking anti depressants and to be honest, I’d much rather sort out the problems than cover them up. But right now, it all feels too much. I feel so stuck. Should I just ride through it, or will meds help me to see things differently? I’m not sure they’re the answer or how they’ll help - my problems are caused by my actual life, if that makes sense.

If anyone has any advice I’d be really grateful.

Thanks.

Hi there Seenonchannel4, like you I am feeling down due to a series of circumstances. I am taking sertraline - at day 20 today. Sometimes I am feeling really rough with it but also much more even and I would say that, on reflection, it's helping. It's giving me my 'brave' back. I have also taken the difficult decision to leave my 'nice' but very precarious and stressful career to do something else. Ultimately it's a decision that only you can take, decide how much the medication can help you be yourself. i was getting to the point of working in autopilot and wanting to be dead. I no longer want to be dead - that's huge improvement :D
I wish you all the best whatever you decide

Hi MonnaLiza, thanks so much for your message. That’s good to know they’re working for you and you’re feeling better. Do you think the meds helped you to make the decision about your job?

Not to take the decision but they helped me to process this period of uncertainty. Like you I had lots of changes and many reasons to be sad. I would say the meds are helping me to gain some distance and consider the situation with some respect for myself instead of considering myself a "failure".

How did you asses you have mild depression? Have you taken the PHQ-9?

It sounds very positive that you can identify factors behind your low mood, can you find community support for any of these issues?

Antidepressants are successful in many cases but not a solution for everything. I found a combination of medication and support groups is most effective for me

If your mood and depression are preventing you from engaging in activities that would help your anxiety then ADs could help while you seek other therapies or ways to deal with your mood.
They aren't a cure so you do have to make efforts to learn their ways to deal with it. Diet, exercise, activities like yoga, Thai chi, swimming, hobbies, socialising etc.
I had to look at my lifestyle and change it permanently to get better.
Also, ADs can be difficult to come off and some people prefer to stay on them long term rather than make changes to how they live and think.
Only you can make the decision on how to go forward. Good luck .