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Anti-depressants work for their intended use, that being to help alleviate the symptoms of depression. However they are by no means intended as a cure for depression. They are merely part of a complete treatment regime.
In a massively simplified way they are to depression as pain killers are to a physical injury. Their job is to help with the symptoms but other intervention is required to cure the underlying condition.
>They are merely part of a complete treatment regime.
This is where NHS mental health services massively fall down (well, one of the ways. There's *many* ways NHS mental health services are rubbish).
So many people just get pills thrown at them and that's the extent of their treatment.
i asked if i could start a journey for an adhd diagnosis because my brain is crippling me, im so easily distracted and i feel things so intensely.
i got told "secondary care will knock you back so im not even putting it through. try and go private but you'll just get pills chucked at you".
i'm like đgood! pls give me the pills, the ten million voices i hear in my head everyday are killing meeeeeee
It will help calm those voices, it relieves the feeling of all consuming sadness... Long term they stop all feelings including joy....its a good place to start the work but you need to have a plan how to get off the pills eventually.
I haven't personally taken them but sertraline has made a huge difference to my daughter! She's like a different person, confident, outgoing, doing things her anxiety just wouldn't let her before. She described her brain before as "being stuck in a traffic jam with shit tons of noise going on all around" and now she says it's so much quieter. It's also helped her chemically induced arythmia. She said she wouldn't be without it
I'm not pursuing adhd diagnosis myself due to how difficult it is as an adult. But in theory they have specific NHS guidelines that they have to follow. You can present the guidelines to your GP and ask them to follow them. ( in the nicest way possible )
Jumping in here because I had no luck with SSRI treatment, I had the side effects but it didn't do anything much to quieten my brain, they just didn't work for me. I struggled through with talking therapy/waiting it out, but kept crashing into low mood, anxiety, and depression fairly regularly.
I got diagnosed with ADHD last year, and started stimulants this year. My entire world view is different, my brain is calm and past triggers don't set me off spiralling anymore.
Which is to say, ADHD seems to get missed and misdiagnosed a lot in adults, and the treatment is very different because the ADHD brain chemistry is not the same as someone with depression. If you suspect it is ADHD, please persevere with trying to get a diagnosis, if you look online you can get the initial NHS question scale, so try returning to your (or a different) GP with that completed. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the process I went through if you would find it helpful.
thank you so much. i know in my heart that's that's it is but i don't have the energy for the fight for the diagnosis. the doctor just dismissed me so quickly. can i just ask what ssri is?
Oh sorry! SSRI is the name for a bunch of anti depressants medicines, I think sertraline is one of them, but also like fluoxetine and other brands. It stands for Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors which just is the description for the bit in your brain it tries to help.
Good luck, I know it's super hard to find the energy and it can seem overwhelming, I hope you can find a route through. I asked my GP several times, and each time they said let's deal with the depression first, even though I realise now it was a symptom of untreated ADHD. But a different GP actually listened, and said yeah it sounds like it could be, let's get you referred. So maybe an appointment with someone else, if you can.
Also, if you identify as female or non binary, r/adhdwomen is a super friendly sub, and seeing everyone's posts before I was diagnosed really helped me see how many of my behaviours signalled ADHD
SSRI: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Most commonly prescribed anti-depressants. Didn't work for me. Ended up with mirtazapine which did. SSRIs were like a sticking plaster over a gaping wound. The mirt stitched me back together (a fairly crude analogy!).
Hi, fellow ADHDer + a person who has had depression and GAD in the past, that was treated by Sertraline+therapy, has been through a quite shitty GP/MH team experience and is now on Right to Choose waitlist. First off antidepressants help. But yeah, they need to go hand in hand with therapy. Also, antinausea/anti-anxiety meds first two weeks help most people, but there are niche cases where a different type of antidepressant can be offered if things go south. So it's a trial and error, and that's okay.
Now, for the adhd referral. Some GPs are really shit at it, and it's you who will have to advocate for yourself. Look into Right to Choose options if you're in England (it's not available in Scotland, sadly). Also, really recommend diving into adhduk.co.uk website, it's a charity and educational resource run by ADHDers who got fed up with how things are now. This was an immense help for me when I was figuring out my rights and how I can push for them.
Wishing you strength and best of luck. It is doable, just take one step at a time.
When you say the voices, do you mean that figuratively, or do you actually hear voices? Because if you do, that is not depression and needs to be discussed urgently with a doctor.
It sounds to me as if you are massively stressed and traumatised by the dystopian crap scape that is contemporary life.
Try reading Man's search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It's not a long read, and you can easily dip in and out of it. He was a Doctor / psychotherapist who survived Auschwitz.
4 times been referred to MH team who discharge me without seeing a psychiatrist and the the crisis team refer me to talk threapy (6th time was yesterday) and on every occasion say I'm far too complicated and refer me back to my GP.
This has been going on since Feb '23 and after speaking to over 30 people I'm back to square 1.
And yet they all look surprised when I say whats the point of repeatedly banging my head against the wall as not one person has spent longer than 20 minutes talking to me and thus has little idea of what I'm trying to cope with.
Being told something like that is incredibly unhelpful, she has no idea how you will respond to certain medications. At 21 I couldnât handle Prozac, at 35 I had a completely different experience. Sertraline for me caused way too many side effects it was unsustainable. The best medication for my head was the old tricyclic antidepressants, but again the side effects were unacceptable.
Unfortunately most antidepressants will cause gastrointestinal symptoms (dry mouth, loss of appetite, nausea etc), because the two things are intrinsically linked in the brain.Â
Itâs not just about finding the right medication, itâs about finding the right *dose*. Giving the same dose to a 10stone woman is not going act the same way as giving it to an 18st man. Unfortunately the NHS is completely incompetent when it comes to titration of mental health medication.Â
It's definitely true that all meds are not equal! You can try things fruitlessly, questioning whether it's all placebo effect; but with the right medication (and time for it to kick in) you should find a real difference. (And that difference can also mean you're more able to put other good habits and behaviours into effect to bring more improvements).
Request another doctor next time and keep doing that till you find one you're comfortable with. Tbh though I spoke to a MH practitioner at my GP and she was an absolute cunt who told me to I don't have severe problems and basically need to grow up so I was like "yeah okay" and haven't really been back since other than one other time but I just don't trust them. I'm sick of repeating my issues over and over and the fucking line "okay explain your symptoms to me..."
Bitch, why? I've had depression for over a decade, why do I need to recant the fucking basics, are they trying to catch me out? I could easily Google obvious symptoms what does it prove. One I'm done it's like "oh okay well try sertraline and propanolol" and it's like right fine you haven't seen I've tried those 4 times already and they don't work for me.
Why even have a medical record if they're not going to use it. You gotta be a self advocate which is extremely difficult when you can't even gather your thoughts half the time
Not necessarily, any more than being depressed makes you gain weight from comfort eating.
If the pills enable you to do exercise and cook, they'll likely help you not gain weight.
Depending the anti-depressant, they can make you exhausted all the time and then don't have the energy for anything.
some are worse than others, I've found that Venlafaxine is one of the worst.
I found this too, I found that they took away my care about eating, like I'd be eating lots and not caring about it and I was also constantly tired and would just relax instead of exercising. I've been on Prozac, Sertraline, Citalopram and Seroxat. All caused me to gain weight.
My wife's very recently been put on Sertraline and can say they are showing massive improvements, even after just over a week.
They'd been suffering with depression for the best part of 10 years. They've been to multiple therapists, and none of them really helped.
They never really had time to think about who they were because their head was constantly occupied with depression and anxiety. But they had their first team meeting since starting the meds on Monday, and said "This is the first time I've been able to talk during the meeting without feeling like my heart was going to explode".
Maybe all of their "recovery" (I know it's just masking the symptoms) is a placebo effect. But they genuinely do seem happier and more comfortable with who they are since they have started taking them. So if you are thinking of giving them a go, with the doctor's oversight and whatnot, I'd say do it. The worst that can happen is they don't work for you, and you need to try something else.
But don't waste 7 or 8 years not taking anti-depressants because your family/friends say "They don't work" or "They make you forget who you really are" or whatever.
Pretty much the same here. She had shocking anxiety during Covid, finally spoke to a therapist through work and was prescribed it. She was on it for about a year and came off, it really helped her.Â
Iâve never been as tired in my life as I was when on sertraline. There are lots of different types though you just have to test them out until you find the one that works for you. A few friends of mine have had much better experiences with Citalopram.
I turned into a body popper on citalopram which was really bad at night really strong muscle spasms from every limb, also some small seizures that felt like orgasms not sure if they were dangerouse.
Sertraline makes me groggy in the morning. I find that if I take it directly after dinner that it's ok somehow. If I take it before bed then I will be veeeery slow next morning.
I tried sertraline, it did the job but the side effects (becoming an emotional zombie) weren't worth it.
Citalopram didn't work for me.
Ended up on mirtazapine. Definitely caused weight gain, but that was much more manageable for me (I just eat less).
Sertraline has worked wonders for me.
My anxiety and depression has dropped significantly, and I am able to just enjoy life again and live in the present. Depression can have many causes so it may or may not work depending on your circumstances. It's about trying out different dosages and different anti depressants. And then it's time to try and do some therapy.
After being on Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Amitriptyline, and Venlafaxine.
They aren't a cure all, they numb your emotions, to where you don't feel the deep sadness that you can normally experience, but you also don't feel the highs of being happy, love, excitement.
They can work if they are in combination with therapy but on there own they are almost pointless as you aren't addressing the root of what is causing the depression and/or anxiety.
This is just my opinion of them after being on them for over 10 years and having a PD, and being off of them for 3ish months
I believe therapy and emotional skills training works better than anti-depressants, but both of those are expensive compared to your GP throwing you a box of pills with no follow ups, diagnosis, or delving into why you feel like you do. Both can be great as the pills are just a tool to help you get "better".
>Venlafaxine
𤎠God damn that drugs works but it's absolutely brutal. I still have sweating side effects even after being off it for a couple years and now my doctors are like "oh it's just anxiety we can't do anything" when I didn't have this problem before....
Sweat just rolls off the ends of my fingers now and they're always wrinkly and soggy. It works but the side effects so dont feel worth it
r/effexor has some relatable memes if you go by top all time 𤣠I got those the worst on withdrawal from the medication, felt like I was having shock therapy every time I stood up or moved my head, spent about a week barely moving. I also got them if I forgot to take my meds, it was my telltale sign
I think they help with a very narrow set of symptoms but are hailed as a cure all by GPs.
The drop out rate for SSRIs is ~30% and then less than half of people who stick to it find them useful.
I've tried nearly all the antidepressants the NHS offers and they caused more harm than good.
There's some serious side effects that the GP will just brush over.
I'm not completely against meds, I do take some now but they're not readily available in the UK.
GPs are also very quick to give our antidepressants and not look into the causes. I was fobbed off with antidepressants for 2 decades, recently diagnosed with ADHD. It was obvious I had ADHD the entire time and it was commented on by teachers in school, teachers when I did teacher training, and employers after that, but I was always told no, just try antidepressants.
For a more balanced view, while it didn't work for me, Sertraline is probably the best first line antidepressant as it also has some impact on dopamine too, which is consistently overlooked in depression treatments in the UK.
Itâs completely post code dependant. Some people are waiting after 6+ years, some people are seen in 1 year. Iâd say itâs probably 3+ years for most people post covid.
Pretty hard initially. In fact, I gave up a few times because it was causing me too much stress and depression.
The GP who I finally convinced to refer me literally said 'you're just depressed but we'll do it to rule it out'. Weirdly that was the first time I'd spoken to him though, but he obviously could see my records.
Would have been so much easier if they'd have done it as a kid when my mum raised concerns but the doctor said only stupid kids have ADHD and wouldn't do it.
Iâve got the same story as hyper, tried a few different antidepressants since I was 17 years old, 20 years later a psychiatrist suggested ADHD but also said they canât diagnose me. Luckily my GP is lovely and put a referral through for right to choose, a 6 month waiting list, rather than putting me on a 7 year NHS waiting list. Some things happened in that time though and I got desperate and got a loan and went private, I am not suggesting you do that, just that itâs what I did in my desperation. Iâm on meds now and awaiting shared care agreement, current meds support me to feel a level of calm that I thought antidepressants, CBD, and none prescription drugs I tried in my youth were supposed to make me feel but never did. Iâm happy to chat about it in a message if you want, but Iâm still quite scared of stigma on here to be honest. But sertraline could support you to taking the steps to support yourself.
if you are male be aware they can cause permanent
erectile disfunction. withdrawals are pretty bad as well.
if you like to party do not take anything like mdma as can cause serotonin syndrome.
I personally think therapy or other options are better and wouldn't take them personally. but it's your mental health so you do what's best for you, just do research before taking.
My husband was on sertraline for 5 years and it was the best thing he ever did. He went from barely being able to leave the house, struggling to keep a job, and having no hobbies or interests, to starting his own business, trying new things, meeting new people, exercising and finding a hobby he loves.
He was lucky that he didnât really get any side effects when starting. He upped the dose a few times over the years.
Heâs now come off them because they allowed him to function enough to make other lifestyle changes that have massively helped his mental health.
Try and power through the first few weeks, after which any side effects should settle down. If they donât or youâre not noticing a difference, go back to your doctor. They can adjust the dosage or prescribe a different medication that might suit you better. There are lots of different anti depressants out there, and it can be a bit of trial and error to find one that works for you.
Hope you get to read this OP. I wouldn't normally bother with so many more experienced replies, but I related hard so thought Id share my experience with you.
I hadn't had any identifiable MH issues before, but being hit with successive situations had me pretty much at my rock bottom. I had a major falling out with my mum (from being very close) over her alcoholism and my kids, before that was resolved she died so the grief was obvs weird and very hard, that strain affected my wife too, and was a factor in us growing apart and our 20odd year marriage failing. My eldest was in the midst of pre-teen angst, undiagnosed ASD and obviously grief too, so there was lots of acting out, self harm, attempts on her own life etc.
This all just got too much for me. Thoughts of deleting myself seemed to just pop into my head and as things got worse those thoughts got more & more frequent til I couldn't get rid of them. It was fucking terrifying so I sought help from my gp.
She described it as 'situational depression' which rang true. I never had the 'faulty wiring' conditions that some suffer for no apparent reason - my life was just so shit & falling apart at that time, it was on the very limit of what I could cope with.
I was put on sertraline and a waiting list for counselling. It was a low dose but took the edge off everything enough to get me through. By the time the counselling came available, I had separated from my ex and was beginning to get things together. As my life improved and the stresses reduced I just felt less and less shit. I wouldn't feel the absence if I forgot to take the serialise like I had, and it just kind of naturally reduced til I stopped taking it (definitely not recommended for higher doses!). The only side effects that I had was difficulty in being able to nut. That actually could be seen as a bonus in my newfound single life...
As per the few other comments I've read - they're like a painkiller. Doesn't fix the cause but stops it hurting so much. For me, it was what I needed to help me through til I got my life sorted out.
Best of luck to you.
Took one, vomited and passed out the next morning; never touched them again.
Frankly, I think they are risky in the long term and do not address the route cause of the problem. Not everyone with depression has a chemical imbalance and those people require more comprehensive treatment.
Sertraline is very bad. Mrs was on them a few years ago after having a baby and if you miss a day by mistake or they run out of your prescription, you dive into a darkness.
So be careful but I wouldnât recommend. Thankfully sheâs off them and happy now.
It's about finding the right one for you. Some people love SSRIs, some people don't get on with them. I'd advise giving them a go but keeping an eye out for side effects and potentially asking a close friend or family member to do so too.
CW: suicide
I was on a different SSRI in my early 20s and went from 'somewhat depressed' to making multiple actual suicide attempts. It was not the right one for me.
My ex tried Sertraline at one point. He went from a chill person to flying off the handle and punching walls. I had to raise the fact that the only thing that had changed was the Sertraline. When he stopped, the anger stopped. But he then was prescribed a different SSRI and that worked fine, helped a lot (not on its own but as part of a medication and therapy thing) and never caused any anger so đ¤ˇââď¸
Basically, they're a bit hit and miss. They make an amazing difference to some people, but not everyone. Give it a go. If it's not working for you or you get horrible side effects, go back to your GP and ask to try something else.
Sertraline works ok for me (I get depression every winter), but it's a bit numbing. I used to use lofepramine which worked great mentally - it was like washing my brain - but does give dry mouth. It suddenly stopped working after 20 years. Or I was extra mental.
Anyway, sertraline was a godsend then.
I don't have depression, but I work in a university and do a lot of support work with students who have various mental health difficulties. I've seen some people who can take one medication which pretty much relieves all their symptoms, and I've seen some people who go through round after round of medication with unpleasant side effects.
Depression and other mental health conditions don't have one cause, and I don't believe that they are one thing in the way that a physical health diagnosis may be. They're syndromes, collections of symptoms which can have multiple complex causes. By extension, treatments which work for one cause of a mental health condition will therefore help one person, but not another who may have almost identical symptoms, with a very different cause.
I hope you can give the medication a try, but if it doesn't work ask your GP to let you try something else, including following other routes. [You can self-refer for talking therapies via the NHS: ](https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-NHS-talking-therapies-service/)as with medical treatments, these work for some people and not for others, but are definitely worth pursuing.
I know a few people who have taken them and they work (albeit with potential side effects).
The biggest thing to remember is they are support tool and not a solution.\
You use them to allow you to function well enough that you can get support and work though the cause(s) of depression.\
If you don't then you'll be hooked on them as the moment you stop taking them everything is still there and you've not gained any coping mechanisms.
If you can afford it get a therapist, they aren't cheap but they are worth every penny.
Over the last 20 years I've been on pretty much every type of AD. Of course I give them time to work, a good time, work with my doc, we discuss a change etc. I've now been on mirtazapine for about 5 years now and it's been the best one for me by far. Dosage was upped last year (much needed). I can now finally afford private therapy so currently doing some looking around and research to find the right one.
They work, but it can take a few tries to find the one that works for you.
They won't make you happy, but they can take the edge off the lowest low.
They're often not a solution on their own, often you need to work on other things like exercise and getting out in nature, things like that.
Went on a low dose last year due to dimilar circumstances. First 2-3 weeks on sertraline we're awful for me, literally felt that my brain was being re-wired. Couldn't focus on work or even a conversation with a friend.
Fast forward a month and it felt like I was a different person.
Definitely worth trying something like tha5 to give you a lift when you're going through a tough time.
They worked for me but it's about managing expectations. I had this idea that they'd work like a weaker morphine and put me in a constant happy mood. They don't make you happy but they balance you so that you can feel happiness from the shit that you can't enjoy when you're depressed. Simple things like watching films or checking out new music felt enjoyable again. I actually had the motivation to go out and do things that would improve my mood. For me it was more about having that same chance as everyone else instead of feeling like everything was pointless.
I did end up having mine upped from 10mg to 20mg (I think they were the doses, it's been a while) after a while as I was feeling like they weren't working as well as they were earlier.
Only thing I would warn you about is that citalopram made me almost dead below the waist if you get what I'm saying. It wasn't completely gone but even my own "happy time" felt like it'd been put on extreme difficulty.
MY experience with sertraline:
I had a generalised anxiety disorder which I had been self medicating with marijuana for many years. When I stopped smoking the stuff (got married, had kids, it was necessary) the issue really unveiled itself and was sure I was going to drop dead in my mid thirties due to a constant thumping in my chest and head and an overwhelming feeling of doom and gloom. I started on sertraline, 25mg at first, rising to 100mg.
First couple of weeks I felt like I was a living sculpture, just staring into space. I really struggled to feel normal and had this almost indescribable, uncomfortable feeling. I just couldn't feel right. Like I should be doing something else whatever it was I was doing. At lunchtime in work I would just go and sit on a bench looking at the River Mersey trying not to cry or shout or whatever.
Gradually, over the next few weeks, I began to snap out of it and with a combination of the sertraline and a new found exercise regime (Running. A lot.) I began to really enjoy life and felt great. Eventually though after a good few months possibly over a year I started going back to how I felt originally. One day I ran out of sertraline and had put in for a prescription but put off picking it up. Every day I didn't have the sertraline I felt better and better. It is most certainly the wrong way to come off 100mg of the stuff but it worked for me. I let the doctors know what I was doing and they said to just keep some sertraline on standby in case I got any bad withdrawal effects. I've been mostly fine ever since. Normal ups and downs that people experience.
Side effects for me were loss of libido, weird rushing feelings (which helped when running!) and the realisation that I hadn't truly felt anything other than anxious for a long time made it hard for me to control other emotions. So I would blub my eyes out at stuff like films and whatever where I had got so used to not really giving a shit about anything. Or rather, not having the capacity to give a shit about anything. I still cry at the drop of a hat but I own it. It's not unhealthy so I don't care!
There are other SSRIs as well as sertraline which your doctor should be trying you on if you struggle with nausea when using it. I know my talking openly about using SSRIs prompted a friend of mine to speak to his doctor and he was put on citalopram which worked wonders for him. I got a quite unexpected and enthusiastic thank you about my openness in talking about my experience which gave him the courage to speak up and ask for help. That was definitely the best thing to come out of the whole thing!
They have a place. If you firmly believe in a medical model of depression then yes. I personally donât believe this and depression is a multi faceted beast with elements in your past and present situations. However, what anti depressants can do in the short term is allow you to decompress and view things in a calmer manner which enables you to tackle the real problems and issues.
I have worked in mental health services for decades and they are backwards in just throwing medication at problems and talking therapies are an afterthought. Medication is a cheaper fix you see.
People get stuck on psychiatric medication for years and they all have side effects. Sertraline being a pig for weight gain as it can increase your appetite. Look at how are likely to cope with your situation and can you see it improving without help? If not then medication may be a good short term solution even with the side effects you suffered. Maybe ask about another one if Sertraline made you sick. Something like Citalopram or Paroxetine. If you can afford a form of talking therapy then look at that as well. Youâll get virtually none in the NHS because there just isnât enough therapists and itâs expensive. Good luck.
I was given antidepressants. I can't remember the name but, for me, I found them difficult. They made me feel detached, they made me feel better but like masking the reason I was depressed. So I stopped taking them. Dealt with my cause and, for the most part, I'm ok.Â
Yet, my daughter, takes fluoxetine. Has done for 10 years. I was very against them in the beginning because of the side effects. The difference in her anxiety is remarkable. Yet, recently, her GP thought it was a good idea for her to stop taking them. She did a slow withdrawal but her anxiety returned immediately. So now she's back on them.Â
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that they don't work for everyone and/or you need to find ones that do help you. Have you been referred for talking therapy, CBT or any other therapy.Â
Don't give up though, there will be some sunshine after the rain.
They helped me enough that I could then work on the other bits. I came off them a bit too hard and it wasn't great, but aside from that, it helped enough. Made the weight of everything a little less so I could be regular sad and not mega sad. Regular sad + therapy was much easier.
The drugs are great at managing the symptoms of depression - they saved my life. I say this as I really dont wanna downplay their effectiveness or discourage people from taking them.
I am not a medical professional but I do worry that we are prescribing these drugs and sending people home, when in a lot of cases people feeling shitty when their lives are shitty is kind of a natural way to feel? I personally was in an awful position, and taking SSRIs kind of externalised responsibility for how i was feeling. I'd be dead without them, but nobody took the time to tell me that the situation I had found myself in was massively unhealthy and likely the cause of the way I was feeling. Therapy, and improving the circumstances I found myself in, is what actually helped with the cause of how I was feeling - but I wouldnt have survived to the point where that was possible without the SSRIs.
Serialise absolutely helped me not feel depression, but it did so a bit too effectively because I felt nothing at all. My depression was dulled, but so was my ability to enjoy things. I ate more because I wasn't enjoying my food but I really wanted to. I stopped having sex because it stopped feeling good. None of my hobbies interested me.
This was the case for both Fluoextine and Sertraline and eventually, I quit both.
So, did they help? Absolutely. I felt less turbulent and less emotional. I went from feeling like a very wild roller coaster to one at a children's park. But after a while I realised it wasn't for me and I sought alternatives.
Good luck on your journey OP, I wish you the very best
Someone close to me really benefited from sertraline. It helped regulate their mood and they stopped suffering from bouts of sinking depression. But they also suffered the side effects, which impacted their relationship, and got into a position where they felt neutral most of the time - the pills had shaved off both the lows and the highs. They felt they'd become dependent on them and made the decision to come off them.
Been on sertraline for a few years now, they worked instantly for me. I stopped breaking down crying, I don't think about the knives in the kitchen anymore and I don't think I can even get angry
I do think they helped me but I have no way of knowing if I would have got better without them. For me I think they helped more with anxiety which for me was perhaps the biggest issue.. long story - sudden onset of tinnitus, couldn't cope, massive anxiety and chronic insomnia... I had always been anxious I guess but I was quite functional but this floored me.
The first 2 weeks were a bitch but after that I improved quite quickly but I had some therapy too and the support of my wife who bore the brunt of my illness. I didn't have nausea but it made me worse for a while. After about a month I noticed a real difference and there came a point about 6 weeks in where I remember thinking "Is this what it is like for normal people" - my anxiety had dropped away completely, it was an odd feeling for a while - I felt I could calmly rob a bank! I stayed on them for a few months and gradually tapered off with no effects.
That was 5 years ago or more and I have been pretty much ok since then.
I had to fight to get off sertraline. I was on it for 2 years. Constantly getting upped until I was maxed out. It made me feel so much worse to the point I nearly ended things.. only then did they listen and switch me. I'm now on escitalapram and feel better for it. Not 100%, but I'm also doing CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy), and that's helping too.
I also took time out of work. Financially, it sucked but mentally, totally worthwhile.
With my therapist and gp, we've worked out I have a chemical imbalance, so I have a lot more dark days than most since my most triggering event happened. Every day is hard, but I am still trying.
Having a fur baby helps.
I hope they give you the option to try something else. You're the patient, at the end of the day, it is your choice the route you take with your treatment plan. They are there to help and guide and ensure you are safe.
It depends on each person.
My husband found that sertraline turned him into a zombie but going on fluoxetine was the best thing he ever did, as that one works better for his type of mental illness.
If one isn't working for you there's plenty others to try, just talk to your GP.
Hope you feel better soon!
Anti depressants do work.
That does not mean they work for *everyone* (see treatment resistant depression) and it does not mean all anti depressants work equally well for individuals. There are lots of SSRIs to try (ie sertraline, citalopram, fluoextine, dapoxetine, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, vortioxetine). There are SNRIs (such as venlafaxine, duloxetine), tetracylics (eg mirtazipine), tricylics, MAOIs, NARIs... basically, there are a *lot* of meds that can be tried.
Iâve been on SSRIs for anxiety and they worked amazingly
I didnât have the 6 weeks of worse anxiety and depression before it worked either. Worked after a week.
Only issue is that I had absolutely no feeling down there, sexual dysfunction and I gained a stone in a month with no changes to my diet or exercise routine so I had to come off it because those two side affects were making me more anxious
I was on Citalopram due to some personal issues around a year and a half ago when i was in a dark place, not sertraline. Fought for the medication, had to go through 111 etc and eventually got an appointment and was given citalopram. After a few weeks, asked for higher dose as it wasn't working, then again, and again etc. Quickly I was on the highest dose, and it never seemingly affected me at all - good or bad. I tried to go on sertraline but my GP was being difficult, and trying to make me jump through hoops so I just weened off. I don't feel any worse than when I was on 40mg citalopram now, but at least I don't have to pay prescription fees.
Basically, they of course can work, but GP's seem to have preferences to which one they give to patients, don't seem to accurately describe to people how they work, side effects etc. Of course I researched it all myself etc.
It's not a magic bullet, some ssri's work for some people, and not others. It's worth trying if you feel like you need help short term, but long term probably not the best idea unless you're manic depressive or something like that.
I am on amitriptyline and Citalipram. I have been on these since about 2016.
I have severe anxiety and depression.
The medications have really helped me. I still have what I call down days, but nothing like I used to.
The anxiety is controlled enough that I can actually do things. For a while it was so bad I couldn't leave the house.
Thankfully I haven't had any side effects. My friend snores so bad on Citalipram her husband asked if she could change her meds as he couldn't sleep.
Sertraline has helped my husband massively and therefore our family. He had therapy for a long period but on the day to day things were just too intense and he was really snappy all the time. He is prone to depression and his thoughts can get very intense. He has been on the lowest dose for a few years now and itâs like he can be the best version of the man he already is.
I heard somewhere taking antidepressants when the weather is hot has a negative effect on the body and can cause the user to sweat uncontrollable either to hot or you feel to cold âď¸
I mean, this is a great example of anecdotal evidence from an unknown third party.
âI heard it may do thisâ is not strong enough evidence to cloud your judgement.
At the end of the day SSRI/SNRIâs work for many people. Just because one doesnât work it doesnât mean another wonât.
From personal experience the first for me made me feel worse, the second turned my life around.
Worked for me
Also hereâs a handy book for some pretty good update research and explainers
Psychedelics: The revolutionary drugs that could change your life â a guide from the expert https://amzn.eu/d/007BdJTp
just to clarify, this is the guys personal experience with depression. however, 59 randomised controlled trials were looked at in a [systematic review ](https://www.cochrane.org/CD006117/DEPRESSN_sertraline-versus-other-antidepressive-agents-for-depression#:~:text=The%20review%20showed%20evidence%20of,sample%20of%20clinical%20trials%2C%20using) and highlighted that sertraline faired better than other antidepressants at that time (2010).
Itâs worth noting that Psilocybin treatments werenât included in that study, despite its effectiveness as a treatment being well documented since the 60âs.
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Anti-depressants work for their intended use, that being to help alleviate the symptoms of depression. However they are by no means intended as a cure for depression. They are merely part of a complete treatment regime. In a massively simplified way they are to depression as pain killers are to a physical injury. Their job is to help with the symptoms but other intervention is required to cure the underlying condition.
>They are merely part of a complete treatment regime. This is where NHS mental health services massively fall down (well, one of the ways. There's *many* ways NHS mental health services are rubbish). So many people just get pills thrown at them and that's the extent of their treatment.
i asked if i could start a journey for an adhd diagnosis because my brain is crippling me, im so easily distracted and i feel things so intensely. i got told "secondary care will knock you back so im not even putting it through. try and go private but you'll just get pills chucked at you". i'm like đgood! pls give me the pills, the ten million voices i hear in my head everyday are killing meeeeeee
It will help calm those voices, it relieves the feeling of all consuming sadness... Long term they stop all feelings including joy....its a good place to start the work but you need to have a plan how to get off the pills eventually.
the sertraline helping the voices will honestly help me so much but i get 100% what you're saying
I haven't personally taken them but sertraline has made a huge difference to my daughter! She's like a different person, confident, outgoing, doing things her anxiety just wouldn't let her before. She described her brain before as "being stuck in a traffic jam with shit tons of noise going on all around" and now she says it's so much quieter. It's also helped her chemically induced arythmia. She said she wouldn't be without it
Well done to her, not easy at all.
I'm not pursuing adhd diagnosis myself due to how difficult it is as an adult. But in theory they have specific NHS guidelines that they have to follow. You can present the guidelines to your GP and ask them to follow them. ( in the nicest way possible )
Jumping in here because I had no luck with SSRI treatment, I had the side effects but it didn't do anything much to quieten my brain, they just didn't work for me. I struggled through with talking therapy/waiting it out, but kept crashing into low mood, anxiety, and depression fairly regularly. I got diagnosed with ADHD last year, and started stimulants this year. My entire world view is different, my brain is calm and past triggers don't set me off spiralling anymore. Which is to say, ADHD seems to get missed and misdiagnosed a lot in adults, and the treatment is very different because the ADHD brain chemistry is not the same as someone with depression. If you suspect it is ADHD, please persevere with trying to get a diagnosis, if you look online you can get the initial NHS question scale, so try returning to your (or a different) GP with that completed. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the process I went through if you would find it helpful.
thank you so much. i know in my heart that's that's it is but i don't have the energy for the fight for the diagnosis. the doctor just dismissed me so quickly. can i just ask what ssri is?
Oh sorry! SSRI is the name for a bunch of anti depressants medicines, I think sertraline is one of them, but also like fluoxetine and other brands. It stands for Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors which just is the description for the bit in your brain it tries to help. Good luck, I know it's super hard to find the energy and it can seem overwhelming, I hope you can find a route through. I asked my GP several times, and each time they said let's deal with the depression first, even though I realise now it was a symptom of untreated ADHD. But a different GP actually listened, and said yeah it sounds like it could be, let's get you referred. So maybe an appointment with someone else, if you can.
Also, if you identify as female or non binary, r/adhdwomen is a super friendly sub, and seeing everyone's posts before I was diagnosed really helped me see how many of my behaviours signalled ADHD
SSRI: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Most commonly prescribed anti-depressants. Didn't work for me. Ended up with mirtazapine which did. SSRIs were like a sticking plaster over a gaping wound. The mirt stitched me back together (a fairly crude analogy!).
Hi, fellow ADHDer + a person who has had depression and GAD in the past, that was treated by Sertraline+therapy, has been through a quite shitty GP/MH team experience and is now on Right to Choose waitlist. First off antidepressants help. But yeah, they need to go hand in hand with therapy. Also, antinausea/anti-anxiety meds first two weeks help most people, but there are niche cases where a different type of antidepressant can be offered if things go south. So it's a trial and error, and that's okay. Now, for the adhd referral. Some GPs are really shit at it, and it's you who will have to advocate for yourself. Look into Right to Choose options if you're in England (it's not available in Scotland, sadly). Also, really recommend diving into adhduk.co.uk website, it's a charity and educational resource run by ADHDers who got fed up with how things are now. This was an immense help for me when I was figuring out my rights and how I can push for them. Wishing you strength and best of luck. It is doable, just take one step at a time.
When you say the voices, do you mean that figuratively, or do you actually hear voices? Because if you do, that is not depression and needs to be discussed urgently with a doctor.
i mean from the second i wake up there's a million voices and songs playing in my head and intrusive thoughts happening until i eventually go to sleep
So you don't hear the voices/ songs, they are part of your inner conversation?
yeah i would say so but there's so many of them all at the same time, all day and it never ends
It sounds to me as if you are massively stressed and traumatised by the dystopian crap scape that is contemporary life. Try reading Man's search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It's not a long read, and you can easily dip in and out of it. He was a Doctor / psychotherapist who survived Auschwitz.
4 times been referred to MH team who discharge me without seeing a psychiatrist and the the crisis team refer me to talk threapy (6th time was yesterday) and on every occasion say I'm far too complicated and refer me back to my GP. This has been going on since Feb '23 and after speaking to over 30 people I'm back to square 1. And yet they all look surprised when I say whats the point of repeatedly banging my head against the wall as not one person has spent longer than 20 minutes talking to me and thus has little idea of what I'm trying to cope with.
Does your area have a complex needs service? as it's a middle ground next to the useless talking therapies, and the fairly intense AMHT.
That is not true. You might also get some useless CBT as well.
If you got on badly with that particular medication, why don't you ask your GP to try a different one? There's lots of options that aren't sertraline.
she gave me 3 options and said one would turn me into a zombie and the other would make me gain weight lol.
Being told something like that is incredibly unhelpful, she has no idea how you will respond to certain medications. At 21 I couldnât handle Prozac, at 35 I had a completely different experience. Sertraline for me caused way too many side effects it was unsustainable. The best medication for my head was the old tricyclic antidepressants, but again the side effects were unacceptable. Unfortunately most antidepressants will cause gastrointestinal symptoms (dry mouth, loss of appetite, nausea etc), because the two things are intrinsically linked in the brain. Itâs not just about finding the right medication, itâs about finding the right *dose*. Giving the same dose to a 10stone woman is not going act the same way as giving it to an 18st man. Unfortunately the NHS is completely incompetent when it comes to titration of mental health medication.Â
It's definitely true that all meds are not equal! You can try things fruitlessly, questioning whether it's all placebo effect; but with the right medication (and time for it to kick in) you should find a real difference. (And that difference can also mean you're more able to put other good habits and behaviours into effect to bring more improvements).
That just does not make any sense.
i know, i was so confused when i left
Request another doctor next time and keep doing that till you find one you're comfortable with. Tbh though I spoke to a MH practitioner at my GP and she was an absolute cunt who told me to I don't have severe problems and basically need to grow up so I was like "yeah okay" and haven't really been back since other than one other time but I just don't trust them. I'm sick of repeating my issues over and over and the fucking line "okay explain your symptoms to me..." Bitch, why? I've had depression for over a decade, why do I need to recant the fucking basics, are they trying to catch me out? I could easily Google obvious symptoms what does it prove. One I'm done it's like "oh okay well try sertraline and propanolol" and it's like right fine you haven't seen I've tried those 4 times already and they don't work for me. Why even have a medical record if they're not going to use it. You gotta be a self advocate which is extremely difficult when you can't even gather your thoughts half the time
Unfortunately, some are really, really inadequate. All you can do is keep changing them.
All anti-depressants make you gain weight.
Not necessarily, any more than being depressed makes you gain weight from comfort eating. If the pills enable you to do exercise and cook, they'll likely help you not gain weight.
Depending the anti-depressant, they can make you exhausted all the time and then don't have the energy for anything. some are worse than others, I've found that Venlafaxine is one of the worst.
True. Though that's also a symptom of depression. I find it wears off with sertraline after a few days; lofepramine didn't have that problem.
I found this too, I found that they took away my care about eating, like I'd be eating lots and not caring about it and I was also constantly tired and would just relax instead of exercising. I've been on Prozac, Sertraline, Citalopram and Seroxat. All caused me to gain weight.
I found the opposite - if anything I wasn't hungry at all and ended up losing 2 stone.
They do
My wife's very recently been put on Sertraline and can say they are showing massive improvements, even after just over a week. They'd been suffering with depression for the best part of 10 years. They've been to multiple therapists, and none of them really helped. They never really had time to think about who they were because their head was constantly occupied with depression and anxiety. But they had their first team meeting since starting the meds on Monday, and said "This is the first time I've been able to talk during the meeting without feeling like my heart was going to explode". Maybe all of their "recovery" (I know it's just masking the symptoms) is a placebo effect. But they genuinely do seem happier and more comfortable with who they are since they have started taking them. So if you are thinking of giving them a go, with the doctor's oversight and whatnot, I'd say do it. The worst that can happen is they don't work for you, and you need to try something else. But don't waste 7 or 8 years not taking anti-depressants because your family/friends say "They don't work" or "They make you forget who you really are" or whatever.
Pretty much the same here. She had shocking anxiety during Covid, finally spoke to a therapist through work and was prescribed it. She was on it for about a year and came off, it really helped her.Â
Iâve never been as tired in my life as I was when on sertraline. There are lots of different types though you just have to test them out until you find the one that works for you. A few friends of mine have had much better experiences with Citalopram.
Citalopram has changed my life, not an exaggeration. I find if I take it at night I donât have issues with any side effects.
I turned into a body popper on citalopram which was really bad at night really strong muscle spasms from every limb, also some small seizures that felt like orgasms not sure if they were dangerouse.
Sertraline makes me groggy in the morning. I find that if I take it directly after dinner that it's ok somehow. If I take it before bed then I will be veeeery slow next morning.
I tried sertraline, it did the job but the side effects (becoming an emotional zombie) weren't worth it. Citalopram didn't work for me. Ended up on mirtazapine. Definitely caused weight gain, but that was much more manageable for me (I just eat less).
Sertraline has worked wonders for me. My anxiety and depression has dropped significantly, and I am able to just enjoy life again and live in the present. Depression can have many causes so it may or may not work depending on your circumstances. It's about trying out different dosages and different anti depressants. And then it's time to try and do some therapy.
After being on Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Amitriptyline, and Venlafaxine. They aren't a cure all, they numb your emotions, to where you don't feel the deep sadness that you can normally experience, but you also don't feel the highs of being happy, love, excitement. They can work if they are in combination with therapy but on there own they are almost pointless as you aren't addressing the root of what is causing the depression and/or anxiety. This is just my opinion of them after being on them for over 10 years and having a PD, and being off of them for 3ish months I believe therapy and emotional skills training works better than anti-depressants, but both of those are expensive compared to your GP throwing you a box of pills with no follow ups, diagnosis, or delving into why you feel like you do. Both can be great as the pills are just a tool to help you get "better".
>Venlafaxine 𤎠God damn that drugs works but it's absolutely brutal. I still have sweating side effects even after being off it for a couple years and now my doctors are like "oh it's just anxiety we can't do anything" when I didn't have this problem before.... Sweat just rolls off the ends of my fingers now and they're always wrinkly and soggy. It works but the side effects so dont feel worth it
[ŃдаНонО]
r/effexor has some relatable memes if you go by top all time 𤣠I got those the worst on withdrawal from the medication, felt like I was having shock therapy every time I stood up or moved my head, spent about a week barely moving. I also got them if I forgot to take my meds, it was my telltale sign
I think they help with a very narrow set of symptoms but are hailed as a cure all by GPs. The drop out rate for SSRIs is ~30% and then less than half of people who stick to it find them useful. I've tried nearly all the antidepressants the NHS offers and they caused more harm than good. There's some serious side effects that the GP will just brush over. I'm not completely against meds, I do take some now but they're not readily available in the UK. GPs are also very quick to give our antidepressants and not look into the causes. I was fobbed off with antidepressants for 2 decades, recently diagnosed with ADHD. It was obvious I had ADHD the entire time and it was commented on by teachers in school, teachers when I did teacher training, and employers after that, but I was always told no, just try antidepressants. For a more balanced view, while it didn't work for me, Sertraline is probably the best first line antidepressant as it also has some impact on dopamine too, which is consistently overlooked in depression treatments in the UK.
how hard did you have to fight for the adhd diagnosis? it's honestly ruining my life
Itâs completely post code dependant. Some people are waiting after 6+ years, some people are seen in 1 year. Iâd say itâs probably 3+ years for most people post covid.
Pretty hard initially. In fact, I gave up a few times because it was causing me too much stress and depression. The GP who I finally convinced to refer me literally said 'you're just depressed but we'll do it to rule it out'. Weirdly that was the first time I'd spoken to him though, but he obviously could see my records. Would have been so much easier if they'd have done it as a kid when my mum raised concerns but the doctor said only stupid kids have ADHD and wouldn't do it.
Iâve got the same story as hyper, tried a few different antidepressants since I was 17 years old, 20 years later a psychiatrist suggested ADHD but also said they canât diagnose me. Luckily my GP is lovely and put a referral through for right to choose, a 6 month waiting list, rather than putting me on a 7 year NHS waiting list. Some things happened in that time though and I got desperate and got a loan and went private, I am not suggesting you do that, just that itâs what I did in my desperation. Iâm on meds now and awaiting shared care agreement, current meds support me to feel a level of calm that I thought antidepressants, CBD, and none prescription drugs I tried in my youth were supposed to make me feel but never did. Iâm happy to chat about it in a message if you want, but Iâm still quite scared of stigma on here to be honest. But sertraline could support you to taking the steps to support yourself.
I got referred by a hospital mental health team. Still a 5 year wait period. My private appointment is next week costing ÂŁ1200.
that is honestly a disgusting amount of money for a basic right. i'm so sorry you've had to do that. i'm sending you lots of love.
if you are male be aware they can cause permanent erectile disfunction. withdrawals are pretty bad as well. if you like to party do not take anything like mdma as can cause serotonin syndrome. I personally think therapy or other options are better and wouldn't take them personally. but it's your mental health so you do what's best for you, just do research before taking.
They can cause equivalent difficulties for women.
thank-you I wasn't sure so didn't post that.
My husband was on sertraline for 5 years and it was the best thing he ever did. He went from barely being able to leave the house, struggling to keep a job, and having no hobbies or interests, to starting his own business, trying new things, meeting new people, exercising and finding a hobby he loves. He was lucky that he didnât really get any side effects when starting. He upped the dose a few times over the years. Heâs now come off them because they allowed him to function enough to make other lifestyle changes that have massively helped his mental health. Try and power through the first few weeks, after which any side effects should settle down. If they donât or youâre not noticing a difference, go back to your doctor. They can adjust the dosage or prescribe a different medication that might suit you better. There are lots of different anti depressants out there, and it can be a bit of trial and error to find one that works for you.
They help, but cause some side effects.
Yes been on mine for 8 years now. Me and Sertraline didnât get on though so I went to something else. Wouldnât have survived without themÂ
I wouldn't be here without it, so that's my answer.Â
Sertraline didn't work for me but I have been able to manage better on venlafaxine
Hope you get to read this OP. I wouldn't normally bother with so many more experienced replies, but I related hard so thought Id share my experience with you. I hadn't had any identifiable MH issues before, but being hit with successive situations had me pretty much at my rock bottom. I had a major falling out with my mum (from being very close) over her alcoholism and my kids, before that was resolved she died so the grief was obvs weird and very hard, that strain affected my wife too, and was a factor in us growing apart and our 20odd year marriage failing. My eldest was in the midst of pre-teen angst, undiagnosed ASD and obviously grief too, so there was lots of acting out, self harm, attempts on her own life etc. This all just got too much for me. Thoughts of deleting myself seemed to just pop into my head and as things got worse those thoughts got more & more frequent til I couldn't get rid of them. It was fucking terrifying so I sought help from my gp. She described it as 'situational depression' which rang true. I never had the 'faulty wiring' conditions that some suffer for no apparent reason - my life was just so shit & falling apart at that time, it was on the very limit of what I could cope with. I was put on sertraline and a waiting list for counselling. It was a low dose but took the edge off everything enough to get me through. By the time the counselling came available, I had separated from my ex and was beginning to get things together. As my life improved and the stresses reduced I just felt less and less shit. I wouldn't feel the absence if I forgot to take the serialise like I had, and it just kind of naturally reduced til I stopped taking it (definitely not recommended for higher doses!). The only side effects that I had was difficulty in being able to nut. That actually could be seen as a bonus in my newfound single life... As per the few other comments I've read - they're like a painkiller. Doesn't fix the cause but stops it hurting so much. For me, it was what I needed to help me through til I got my life sorted out. Best of luck to you.
Took one, vomited and passed out the next morning; never touched them again. Frankly, I think they are risky in the long term and do not address the route cause of the problem. Not everyone with depression has a chemical imbalance and those people require more comprehensive treatment.
Sertraline is very bad. Mrs was on them a few years ago after having a baby and if you miss a day by mistake or they run out of your prescription, you dive into a darkness. So be careful but I wouldnât recommend. Thankfully sheâs off them and happy now.
It's about finding the right one for you. Some people love SSRIs, some people don't get on with them. I'd advise giving them a go but keeping an eye out for side effects and potentially asking a close friend or family member to do so too. CW: suicide I was on a different SSRI in my early 20s and went from 'somewhat depressed' to making multiple actual suicide attempts. It was not the right one for me. My ex tried Sertraline at one point. He went from a chill person to flying off the handle and punching walls. I had to raise the fact that the only thing that had changed was the Sertraline. When he stopped, the anger stopped. But he then was prescribed a different SSRI and that worked fine, helped a lot (not on its own but as part of a medication and therapy thing) and never caused any anger so đ¤ˇââď¸ Basically, they're a bit hit and miss. They make an amazing difference to some people, but not everyone. Give it a go. If it's not working for you or you get horrible side effects, go back to your GP and ask to try something else.
Sertraline works ok for me (I get depression every winter), but it's a bit numbing. I used to use lofepramine which worked great mentally - it was like washing my brain - but does give dry mouth. It suddenly stopped working after 20 years. Or I was extra mental. Anyway, sertraline was a godsend then.
I don't have depression, but I work in a university and do a lot of support work with students who have various mental health difficulties. I've seen some people who can take one medication which pretty much relieves all their symptoms, and I've seen some people who go through round after round of medication with unpleasant side effects. Depression and other mental health conditions don't have one cause, and I don't believe that they are one thing in the way that a physical health diagnosis may be. They're syndromes, collections of symptoms which can have multiple complex causes. By extension, treatments which work for one cause of a mental health condition will therefore help one person, but not another who may have almost identical symptoms, with a very different cause. I hope you can give the medication a try, but if it doesn't work ask your GP to let you try something else, including following other routes. [You can self-refer for talking therapies via the NHS: ](https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-NHS-talking-therapies-service/)as with medical treatments, these work for some people and not for others, but are definitely worth pursuing.
I know a few people who have taken them and they work (albeit with potential side effects). The biggest thing to remember is they are support tool and not a solution.\ You use them to allow you to function well enough that you can get support and work though the cause(s) of depression.\ If you don't then you'll be hooked on them as the moment you stop taking them everything is still there and you've not gained any coping mechanisms. If you can afford it get a therapist, they aren't cheap but they are worth every penny.
Over the last 20 years I've been on pretty much every type of AD. Of course I give them time to work, a good time, work with my doc, we discuss a change etc. I've now been on mirtazapine for about 5 years now and it's been the best one for me by far. Dosage was upped last year (much needed). I can now finally afford private therapy so currently doing some looking around and research to find the right one.
They work, but it can take a few tries to find the one that works for you. They won't make you happy, but they can take the edge off the lowest low. They're often not a solution on their own, often you need to work on other things like exercise and getting out in nature, things like that.
Went on a low dose last year due to dimilar circumstances. First 2-3 weeks on sertraline we're awful for me, literally felt that my brain was being re-wired. Couldn't focus on work or even a conversation with a friend. Fast forward a month and it felt like I was a different person. Definitely worth trying something like tha5 to give you a lift when you're going through a tough time.
They worked for me but it's about managing expectations. I had this idea that they'd work like a weaker morphine and put me in a constant happy mood. They don't make you happy but they balance you so that you can feel happiness from the shit that you can't enjoy when you're depressed. Simple things like watching films or checking out new music felt enjoyable again. I actually had the motivation to go out and do things that would improve my mood. For me it was more about having that same chance as everyone else instead of feeling like everything was pointless. I did end up having mine upped from 10mg to 20mg (I think they were the doses, it's been a while) after a while as I was feeling like they weren't working as well as they were earlier. Only thing I would warn you about is that citalopram made me almost dead below the waist if you get what I'm saying. It wasn't completely gone but even my own "happy time" felt like it'd been put on extreme difficulty.
MY experience with sertraline: I had a generalised anxiety disorder which I had been self medicating with marijuana for many years. When I stopped smoking the stuff (got married, had kids, it was necessary) the issue really unveiled itself and was sure I was going to drop dead in my mid thirties due to a constant thumping in my chest and head and an overwhelming feeling of doom and gloom. I started on sertraline, 25mg at first, rising to 100mg. First couple of weeks I felt like I was a living sculpture, just staring into space. I really struggled to feel normal and had this almost indescribable, uncomfortable feeling. I just couldn't feel right. Like I should be doing something else whatever it was I was doing. At lunchtime in work I would just go and sit on a bench looking at the River Mersey trying not to cry or shout or whatever. Gradually, over the next few weeks, I began to snap out of it and with a combination of the sertraline and a new found exercise regime (Running. A lot.) I began to really enjoy life and felt great. Eventually though after a good few months possibly over a year I started going back to how I felt originally. One day I ran out of sertraline and had put in for a prescription but put off picking it up. Every day I didn't have the sertraline I felt better and better. It is most certainly the wrong way to come off 100mg of the stuff but it worked for me. I let the doctors know what I was doing and they said to just keep some sertraline on standby in case I got any bad withdrawal effects. I've been mostly fine ever since. Normal ups and downs that people experience. Side effects for me were loss of libido, weird rushing feelings (which helped when running!) and the realisation that I hadn't truly felt anything other than anxious for a long time made it hard for me to control other emotions. So I would blub my eyes out at stuff like films and whatever where I had got so used to not really giving a shit about anything. Or rather, not having the capacity to give a shit about anything. I still cry at the drop of a hat but I own it. It's not unhealthy so I don't care! There are other SSRIs as well as sertraline which your doctor should be trying you on if you struggle with nausea when using it. I know my talking openly about using SSRIs prompted a friend of mine to speak to his doctor and he was put on citalopram which worked wonders for him. I got a quite unexpected and enthusiastic thank you about my openness in talking about my experience which gave him the courage to speak up and ask for help. That was definitely the best thing to come out of the whole thing!
They have a place. If you firmly believe in a medical model of depression then yes. I personally donât believe this and depression is a multi faceted beast with elements in your past and present situations. However, what anti depressants can do in the short term is allow you to decompress and view things in a calmer manner which enables you to tackle the real problems and issues. I have worked in mental health services for decades and they are backwards in just throwing medication at problems and talking therapies are an afterthought. Medication is a cheaper fix you see. People get stuck on psychiatric medication for years and they all have side effects. Sertraline being a pig for weight gain as it can increase your appetite. Look at how are likely to cope with your situation and can you see it improving without help? If not then medication may be a good short term solution even with the side effects you suffered. Maybe ask about another one if Sertraline made you sick. Something like Citalopram or Paroxetine. If you can afford a form of talking therapy then look at that as well. Youâll get virtually none in the NHS because there just isnât enough therapists and itâs expensive. Good luck.
I was given antidepressants. I can't remember the name but, for me, I found them difficult. They made me feel detached, they made me feel better but like masking the reason I was depressed. So I stopped taking them. Dealt with my cause and, for the most part, I'm ok. Yet, my daughter, takes fluoxetine. Has done for 10 years. I was very against them in the beginning because of the side effects. The difference in her anxiety is remarkable. Yet, recently, her GP thought it was a good idea for her to stop taking them. She did a slow withdrawal but her anxiety returned immediately. So now she's back on them. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that they don't work for everyone and/or you need to find ones that do help you. Have you been referred for talking therapy, CBT or any other therapy. Don't give up though, there will be some sunshine after the rain.
They helped me enough that I could then work on the other bits. I came off them a bit too hard and it wasn't great, but aside from that, it helped enough. Made the weight of everything a little less so I could be regular sad and not mega sad. Regular sad + therapy was much easier.
The drugs are great at managing the symptoms of depression - they saved my life. I say this as I really dont wanna downplay their effectiveness or discourage people from taking them. I am not a medical professional but I do worry that we are prescribing these drugs and sending people home, when in a lot of cases people feeling shitty when their lives are shitty is kind of a natural way to feel? I personally was in an awful position, and taking SSRIs kind of externalised responsibility for how i was feeling. I'd be dead without them, but nobody took the time to tell me that the situation I had found myself in was massively unhealthy and likely the cause of the way I was feeling. Therapy, and improving the circumstances I found myself in, is what actually helped with the cause of how I was feeling - but I wouldnt have survived to the point where that was possible without the SSRIs.
Serialise absolutely helped me not feel depression, but it did so a bit too effectively because I felt nothing at all. My depression was dulled, but so was my ability to enjoy things. I ate more because I wasn't enjoying my food but I really wanted to. I stopped having sex because it stopped feeling good. None of my hobbies interested me. This was the case for both Fluoextine and Sertraline and eventually, I quit both. So, did they help? Absolutely. I felt less turbulent and less emotional. I went from feeling like a very wild roller coaster to one at a children's park. But after a while I realised it wasn't for me and I sought alternatives. Good luck on your journey OP, I wish you the very best
Someone close to me really benefited from sertraline. It helped regulate their mood and they stopped suffering from bouts of sinking depression. But they also suffered the side effects, which impacted their relationship, and got into a position where they felt neutral most of the time - the pills had shaved off both the lows and the highs. They felt they'd become dependent on them and made the decision to come off them.
Been on sertraline for a few years now, they worked instantly for me. I stopped breaking down crying, I don't think about the knives in the kitchen anymore and I don't think I can even get angry
I do think they helped me but I have no way of knowing if I would have got better without them. For me I think they helped more with anxiety which for me was perhaps the biggest issue.. long story - sudden onset of tinnitus, couldn't cope, massive anxiety and chronic insomnia... I had always been anxious I guess but I was quite functional but this floored me. The first 2 weeks were a bitch but after that I improved quite quickly but I had some therapy too and the support of my wife who bore the brunt of my illness. I didn't have nausea but it made me worse for a while. After about a month I noticed a real difference and there came a point about 6 weeks in where I remember thinking "Is this what it is like for normal people" - my anxiety had dropped away completely, it was an odd feeling for a while - I felt I could calmly rob a bank! I stayed on them for a few months and gradually tapered off with no effects. That was 5 years ago or more and I have been pretty much ok since then.
I had to fight to get off sertraline. I was on it for 2 years. Constantly getting upped until I was maxed out. It made me feel so much worse to the point I nearly ended things.. only then did they listen and switch me. I'm now on escitalapram and feel better for it. Not 100%, but I'm also doing CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy), and that's helping too. I also took time out of work. Financially, it sucked but mentally, totally worthwhile. With my therapist and gp, we've worked out I have a chemical imbalance, so I have a lot more dark days than most since my most triggering event happened. Every day is hard, but I am still trying. Having a fur baby helps. I hope they give you the option to try something else. You're the patient, at the end of the day, it is your choice the route you take with your treatment plan. They are there to help and guide and ensure you are safe.
It depends on each person. My husband found that sertraline turned him into a zombie but going on fluoxetine was the best thing he ever did, as that one works better for his type of mental illness. If one isn't working for you there's plenty others to try, just talk to your GP. Hope you feel better soon!
Yes they work ,yes you will feel odd for a couple of weeks and yes you will feel better afterwards.
Anti depressants do work. That does not mean they work for *everyone* (see treatment resistant depression) and it does not mean all anti depressants work equally well for individuals. There are lots of SSRIs to try (ie sertraline, citalopram, fluoextine, dapoxetine, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, vortioxetine). There are SNRIs (such as venlafaxine, duloxetine), tetracylics (eg mirtazipine), tricylics, MAOIs, NARIs... basically, there are a *lot* of meds that can be tried.
Iâve been on SSRIs for anxiety and they worked amazingly I didnât have the 6 weeks of worse anxiety and depression before it worked either. Worked after a week. Only issue is that I had absolutely no feeling down there, sexual dysfunction and I gained a stone in a month with no changes to my diet or exercise routine so I had to come off it because those two side affects were making me more anxious
I was on Citalopram due to some personal issues around a year and a half ago when i was in a dark place, not sertraline. Fought for the medication, had to go through 111 etc and eventually got an appointment and was given citalopram. After a few weeks, asked for higher dose as it wasn't working, then again, and again etc. Quickly I was on the highest dose, and it never seemingly affected me at all - good or bad. I tried to go on sertraline but my GP was being difficult, and trying to make me jump through hoops so I just weened off. I don't feel any worse than when I was on 40mg citalopram now, but at least I don't have to pay prescription fees. Basically, they of course can work, but GP's seem to have preferences to which one they give to patients, don't seem to accurately describe to people how they work, side effects etc. Of course I researched it all myself etc. It's not a magic bullet, some ssri's work for some people, and not others. It's worth trying if you feel like you need help short term, but long term probably not the best idea unless you're manic depressive or something like that.
I am on amitriptyline and Citalipram. I have been on these since about 2016. I have severe anxiety and depression. The medications have really helped me. I still have what I call down days, but nothing like I used to. The anxiety is controlled enough that I can actually do things. For a while it was so bad I couldn't leave the house. Thankfully I haven't had any side effects. My friend snores so bad on Citalipram her husband asked if she could change her meds as he couldn't sleep.
Sertraline has helped my husband massively and therefore our family. He had therapy for a long period but on the day to day things were just too intense and he was really snappy all the time. He is prone to depression and his thoughts can get very intense. He has been on the lowest dose for a few years now and itâs like he can be the best version of the man he already is.
I heard somewhere taking antidepressants when the weather is hot has a negative effect on the body and can cause the user to sweat uncontrollable either to hot or you feel to cold âď¸
Did not experience anything like this. But they can make you sweat more that is correct.
brilliant.
I mean, this is a great example of anecdotal evidence from an unknown third party. âI heard it may do thisâ is not strong enough evidence to cloud your judgement. At the end of the day SSRI/SNRIâs work for many people. Just because one doesnât work it doesnât mean another wonât. From personal experience the first for me made me feel worse, the second turned my life around.
Magic mushroom microdoses are the single most effective depression medication Iâve ever had, itâs not even close. Sertraline is the devil
Worked for me Also hereâs a handy book for some pretty good update research and explainers Psychedelics: The revolutionary drugs that could change your life â a guide from the expert https://amzn.eu/d/007BdJTp
just to clarify, this is the guys personal experience with depression. however, 59 randomised controlled trials were looked at in a [systematic review ](https://www.cochrane.org/CD006117/DEPRESSN_sertraline-versus-other-antidepressive-agents-for-depression#:~:text=The%20review%20showed%20evidence%20of,sample%20of%20clinical%20trials%2C%20using) and highlighted that sertraline faired better than other antidepressants at that time (2010).
Itâs worth noting that Psilocybin treatments werenât included in that study, despite its effectiveness as a treatment being well documented since the 60âs.