Reservations about medication

[frogthroat]

My T has recently suggested a low grade anti-depressant and I'm not particularly thrilled. I've read so much about psych meds being all about the placebo effect. Zoloft made me so violently nauseated that I ended up throwing up my third day on it. She wants me to go to the doctor and tell them that I've experienced a great deal of trauma and that I'm working through it and that the therapist suggested an anti-depressant for now. I'm really torn and I feel really stubborn about not needing one so I'm not sure I should do it or not. Do you sleep better? Can you sleep? Can you get through a day without feeling like you're going to cry? I have a hard time going to a doctor anyway because being poked and prodded enrages me but I feel this is weakness on my end and I can't get past that feeling. Plus, I can't be taking anything that makes me sick or makes me gain weight.

 

[EveHarrington]

The placebo effect is not a psych med thing (across the board). There is much discussion about antidepressants having a placebo effect....but even if they do, and you feel better, does it really matter? In the end you feeel better!

I know people who take antidepressants and they are doing much better now.

 

[joeylittle]

She wants me to go to the doctor and tell them that I've experienced a great deal of trauma and that I'm working through it and that the therapist suggested an anti-depressant for now.

Get a referral to a psychiatrist, ask your therapist if there are any that her clients work with that she thinks might be good for you. Going to a GP for psych meds isn’t the best route, especially if you are concerned about having options.

 

[ArmadilloPolarBear]

Do you sleep better? Can you sleep?

I don’t think anyone can answer that for you, some people sleep like a baby on anti-depressants and others can’t catch a wink. Some anti-depressants make you very sleepy so they use them at night. Medication is a very personal decision, and the drugs vary a lot in effects.

It’s weird because all the therapists that I’ve been to that suggested medication kinda went against my beliefs about not wanting to take medication, and I went and got a psychiatrist or doctor and started medication and I always resented my T I had at the time because I felt forced to take it when deep down I didn’t want to. I always felt like it was a cop out on the therapists end, like they lost confidence in helping me, so wanted me to take meds because they couldn’t help me.

But sometimes medications can deliver on their promises and a lot of times they just don’t deliver. It’s a gamble, which may or may not pay off.

I didn’t personally have luck with anti-depressants, and in fact I almost lost my sanity on one of them. But they could be the best thing to help you, maybe even turn things around, you never know. And as for did I feel like crying? No, I didn’t feel anything at all, I got agitated and manic, but I’m not bipolar. But I guess I just have odd reactions to all SSRI’s, it’s probably not the norm.

 

[PiggyBack]

There's been a lot of research that just hitting the gym 3-4 times a week has the same boost as an SSRI. I get the sense from your post that you're not ready for meds. There are other ways to take care of yourself. Eat well. Exercise. Yoga. Just food for thought.