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Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

(www.theguardian.com)
206 points pseudolus | 2 comments | 21 Nov 25 00:02 UTC | HN request time: 0.464s | source
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hirvi74 ◴[21 Nov 25 02:48 UTC] No.46000685[source]▶
I can't bring myself to try an SSRI. I just cannot do it. I've got a prescription for an NDRI on my desk, and I still won't take it. I am not anti-psychiatry either. I take psychiatric medication for a different condition already. But something about anti-depressants just doesn't sit well with me.

As crazy as it may sound, I think a lot of my depression stems from living a life that is not true to myself and due to countless failed attempts to be someone I cannot never be. As far as I am concerned, depression is just a symptom of my situation and not some true disorder. For the sake of analogy, I would say it's like food poisoning. Yes, the GI issues are awful, but the body is responding appropriately.

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anuramat ◴[21 Nov 25 12:18 UTC] No.46003812[source]▶
> not some true disorder

there's a tool on your desk that might help you solve your problem; what does it matter if the problem is an "appropriate response of your body"? so is pain/anxiety/diarrhea

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1. cj ◴[21 Nov 25 20:19 UTC] No.46008522[source]▶
> stems from living a life that is not true to myself and due to countless failed attempts to be someone I cannot never be.

If this is their mindset, they might benefit from CBT more than medication.

I'm not against SSRI at all. But after taking them for a few months in my 20's, and experiencing how terrible the withdrawal symptoms are when stopping, I'd be very hesitant to ever start up on them again. I remember having to open up the lowest dose pill capsule and splitting the dose into very tiny increments to be able to wean off completely.

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2. hirvi74 ◴[22 Nov 25 01:39 UTC] No.46011261[source]▶
I'm the GP of this comment chain. I actually did a 16 week long trial of CBT with a professional where my symptoms were tracked during each week. I actually ended the 16 weeks worse than before I started.

I later learned that CBT can have that effect on people with ADHD, so I attribute that to being a possible explanation.

I still do therapy, but honestly, I think it's a waste of time and money. I predominantly do it for cathartic purposes and so other people/professionals will stop recommending it.

> terrible the withdrawal symptoms are when stopping

I tried one when I was in my early 20s too. I swore I would never take one again. Withdrawals weren't my issue really. It was the clarity I gained after getting off. I realized how awful I was to people around me. I had such blunted emotions, that I basically became devoid of empathy. I also learned that I needed high levels of anxiety to function, which the medication took away from me.