Are you for or against antidepressants?

What's your opinion of antidepressants? Do you think they are an effective way to keep peoples emotions under control, or are they too much of a quick fix that sweep the problem under a rug?

I have seen them work with a friend who had postpartum depression. So, I don't think they are all bad. But I think they are way over-prescribed.

They're WAY overprescribed, overly-taken and hardly a 'quick' fix in that they screw with the body for weeks trying to get used to them only to find that they may be the wrong kinds and have to try all over again.


And you want to talk about the side effects? What was it, Prozac, they used to give people energy, and they found out it gave them energy enough to kill themselves...isn't that what you take antidepressants to avoid?

Chris wrote:What's your opinion of antidepressants? Do you think they are an effective way to keep peoples emotions under control, or are they too much of a quick fix that sweep the problem under a rug?

I think they're both. The right med can work miracles for some people. But as Red & Supernova said they're also way over-prescribed. Doctors are too quick to write these, at times trying to encourage patients to take them. Several years ago I had a doc get mad at me when I told him not to write one. Literally mad. I also think some people expect too much from them. A pill doesn't magically solve all their problems but it can help some cope with them. Doesn't work for everyone & not everyone on them needs to be on them.

I suffer from depression and mild bipolar and anti-depressants have helped me through some difficult times. I do agree they are overprescribed and some people on them don't need them.

I have had to take them for years off and on because I have PTSD. I do think its irresponsible to prescribe such medications without a person also being in therapy. The goal should be if at all possible a person living a life free of medication with the aid of psychotherapy. Of course some diagnoses this is not possible. With PTSD, there could be another situation around the corner regardless of how careful I am which will throw me into another episode. I would probably require medication no matter how good the counseling I get it.

I don't think general practitioners should be prescribing these kinds of meds. I think psychiatric meds should be left to the psychiatrists. However having said that, there is a lot of stigma attached to mental health treatment. Its not unusual for people to avoid seeing a "shrink" and getting what they need from their family doctor. However they are just not trained or aware of the medications that they are prescribing.

Sadly some of the judgmental responses I see on here are responsible for the stigma attached to mental health treatment. You really don't have any business having an opinion unless you have been there yourself. You don't know what its like to loose control of your mind, your responses and your life.

Lindsey_Mcfarren wrote:I have had to take them for years off and on because I have PTSD. I do think its irresponsible to prescribe such medications without a person also being in therapy. The goal should be if at all possible a person living a life free of medication with the aid of psychotherapy. Of course some diagnoses this is not possible. With PTSD, there could be another situation around the corner regardless of how careful I am which will throw me into another episode. I would probably require medication no matter how good the counseling I get it.

I don't think general practitioners should be prescribing these kinds of meds. I think psychiatric meds should be left to the psychiatrists. However having said that, there is a lot of stigma attached to mental health treatment. Its not unusual for people to avoid seeing a "shrink" and getting what they need from their family doctor. However they are just not trained or aware of the medications that they are prescribing.

Sadly some of the judgmental responses I see on here are responsible for the stigma attached to mental health treatment. You really don't have any business having an opinion unless you have been there yourself. You don't know what its like to loose control of your mind, your responses and your life.

Yes, I agree that psychiatropics should be only prescribed by a psychiatrist. Not just a FP! I am bipolar and have been for almost 15 years. I do take Wellbutrin, which is an antidepressent and I also take 2 mood stabalizers. I do believe that when people's health demands that they are needed that it is an effective medication. However, for a FP to prescribe them I believe is out of their scope of practice. As said above. My life has significally improved taking antidepressents.

I dunno. I've never been on them. I guess it would be a little of both.

If anti-depressants stabilize someone's depression and calms them down, then I don't see why they are a problem.

Lindsey_Mcfarren wrote:I have had to take them for years off and on because I have PTSD. I do think its irresponsible to prescribe such medications without a person also being in therapy. The goal should be if at all possible a person living a life free of medication with the aid of psychotherapy. Of course some diagnoses this is not possible. With PTSD, there could be another situation around the corner regardless of how careful I am which will throw me into another episode. I would probably require medication no matter how good the counseling I get it.

I don't think general practitioners should be prescribing these kinds of meds. I think psychiatric meds should be left to the psychiatrists. However having said that, there is a lot of stigma attached to mental health treatment. Its not unusual for people to avoid seeing a "shrink" and getting what they need from their family doctor. However they are just not trained or aware of the medications that they are prescribing.

Sadly some of the judgmental responses I see on here are responsible for the stigma attached to mental health treatment. You really don't have any business having an opinion unless you have been there yourself. You don't know what its like to loose control of your mind, your responses and your life.

I love the point you made about people being in therapy as well as being perscribed such a medication. That makes sense.

Looking on the posts before yours, I don't think anyone was intentionally being judgemental. I have never taken such a med, though have experience in seeing friends who have taken them, some for the better, and some I scratch my head as I wonder why they were given them in the first place.

RedBedroom wrote:

Looking on the posts before yours, I don't think anyone was intentionally being judgemental. I have never taken such a med, though have experience in seeing friends who have taken them, some for the better, and some I scratch my head as I wonder why they were given them in the first place.

No one in this thread was being judgmental. Just about everyone agreed that they are beneficial to some but over-prescribed. All true.

Impact wrote:If anti-depressants stabilize someone's depression and calms them down, then I don't see why they are a problem.

I'd rather have an erratic person zombie'd up via pills than let them run around half-cocked, with the potential to go off at any minute...

If you need them for some health related reason then take them.