Comment author: AdeleneDawner 12 April 2011 07:36:16PM 2 points [-]

It would make me crazy to know that I need medication for feeling happy instead of carrying it off on my own.

The truth about whether you can pull off being happy on your own is separate from whether you take the drugs - and, more importantly, you don't get to choose whether it's true or not. If you can't be happy on your own, choosing not to take the drugs doesn't change that fact, it just changes whether you are able to be happy, or not. And taking the drugs for a while doesn't mean that you definitely can't learn to be happy without them, either. You can do both - take the drugs, and also go to therapy to learn to avoid thinking in ways that lead you to be depressed.

Comment author: rrrebane 12 April 2011 08:40:08PM 0 points [-]

Thanks, that sounds logical for me. And I don't mean that I can't learn to be happy without them. I already have found out some ways on my own to cope better.But I can't "heal" it completely.And I have also started a therapy now.It seems like my psychotherapist understands me but I'm not really sure whether he can help me or not. ( I was only once there and my second date will be next week)

Comment author: magfrump 06 April 2011 12:53:26AM 2 points [-]

Perhaps another couple words might be helpful given what you're saying.

A few of the major symptoms of my depression included not having a lot of energy, being moody, and having a harder time just relaxing and having fun. It often felt like depression would come up and stand in the way of me being myself. That is really an experience of being controlled, where things were happening 'just because of the depression.'

The subjective experience I've had of starting medication has been beautifully transparent. All that has happened is that depression coming up and ruining my day happens far less often. It feels like I am allowed to be myself.

Obviously these things work differently for different people, but the experience that I've had has been great and I can't commend it highly enough.

Comment author: rrrebane 12 April 2011 07:12:50PM 0 points [-]

I could talk a lot about it. So what exactly do you want to know ? :-)

I have the same symptoms. But the worst for me is that it is so difficult to keep myself under control ( like you have said that things are happening just because of the depression) I also often have weird thoughts,some kind of hallucinations. Most people equate depression with sadness. But it isn't only sadness. I would rather say it feels like inner emptiness. Or like someone dismembers you into pieces. ( I don't really know how to describe this feeling).Sometimes I'm even beside myself with rage. Therefore I get the urge to scream and to destroy things ( normally I'm a very calm person). And sometimes it hurts so much that I can't feel affection or love. That's getting me really,really down. I don't want to be so cold.

I have finally realized that I can't bear it anymore. It keeps getting worse and all my attempts to do something against it have failed. Sometimes I'm able to distract myself but I can't "heal" it.

Comment author: magfrump 30 March 2011 10:55:56PM 6 points [-]

I've been using Lexapro for some time and it has been great for me, without noticeable side effects.

I worried about relying on a drug for my happiness, but in the end I realized I needed to be more worried about being depressed than I did about being reliant on drugs.

As wedrifid said, if someone ends up taking drugs for the rest of their life, and that gets rid of their depression, great! Goal accomplished!

I think the big thing that helped me make the decision to pursue medication was all the smart technophiles that abound on Less Wrong. Realizing that using technology to make things better was the point of having technology in the first place, rather than trying to grunt and bear it myself.

Comment author: rrrebane 05 April 2011 08:55:24PM 1 point [-]

First of all I want to point out that this post sounds very convincing for me. :-) I have already thought about the same things. As my boyfriend said I fear to get dependent from drugs. I think it would be useful to specify this statement. Relying on a drug for my happiness is exactly what I mean.It would make me crazy to know that I need medication for feeling happy instead of carrying it off on my own. I'm also a little bit afraid of how antidepressants affect me.There is one aspect more that makes me insecure. How do you know if you are "really" happy or just because of the drugs? I know it shouldn't bother me but it does. I often reflect on psychological stuff and try to find out what makes me and other people happy.That's why it would frustrate me to know that there is no other solution than taking drugs for me. Your conclusion that you have realized you needed to be more worried about being depressed than you did about being reliant on drugs puts me into a contemplative mood. And I admit that you are right. You can't always go it alone...

Powered by Reddit Powered by Reddit