Happy pills

[Spinkle]

Not being flippant or judgemental here in any shape or form. Just interested. How many here take anti depressants? I ask as my GP hinted to me she thought I might be depressed.
I pointed out that I didn't have time to be depressed. But now find myself wondering...

i took Citalopram for a yr. The Doc said I was burnt out, had lived on adrenaline for yrs (since ds2's birth) and it had caused anxiety etc, apparently it had caused my adrenaline to go in to overdrive & couldn't switch off.

A combination of the drugs, rest and counselling helped but I was off work for 4 months.

The drugs certainly helped me. As did the counsellor.
Spinkle are you in E/Anglia? if so my counsellor was very good & I wouls certainly recommend.

anti depressants are NOT happy pills and I find it quite insulting that some people think a mental illness is just someone not coping well enough with stress

if you really have depression you will know that these sorts of medications are anything but 'happy pills' - depression is not just feeling sad and the pills don't miraculously make you happy

Blushingm, I really don't think that is waht the OP is saying at all.
Maybe she is just unsure what is going on herself and struggling to find the correct words.

Blushingm - no, I wasn't being flippant at all. It's just a term I used. I think most people understood they meant antidepressants.

My sister is bipolar and I have quite a good understanding of mental illness, as it happens. My sister calls her antid's 'happy pills'.

I apologise if you are offended by my use of the term.

I do not think mental illness is someone not coping with stress.

I am currently on Prozac and have taken citilopram in the past (and I do call them the 'happy pills', by the way) and have been long term carer for family member with mental health needs.

For me it was about making life still 'doable' while I got some other help, talking therapies, exercise, time for me, etc etc. When life is very black, but you still have to carry on caring, then they gave me breathing space... I'm still on them, but am looking at coming off them before too long.

They work for some, not for others...

sorry, read that back, meant previously been long term carer for family member with MHN.. now carer for ds and dh.

Valium