Antidepressants

Many people, including people who are very bright and knowledgable argue with me about the fact that antidepressants and psychotropic drugs are very useful for specific cases. I'd like to tell you about my own case and you can judge for yourself.

            Twenty-five years ago I was severely depressed. I didn't know how depressed I was. In fact, suicidal thoughts went through my mind a lot. I dreamed of being out of my life, out of my situation, and in any situation but my own skin. Most of my thoughts were dreams and not reality. I spent very little time in my own body and in my deductive mind. 

            I went from relationship to relationship seeking something—love I thought—trying to fill the hole that was there. 

            One day after I discovered a partner had been cheating on me, I was walking down the street. I imagined that a car would run over me. I took no regard in looking both ways, just walked into highways as I plodded along on the longest walk of my life. When I returned home, I packed my bags and left. 

            A close friend encouraged me to go to see a doctor. The doctor prescribed an antidepressant. I didn't even know what one was, to tell you the truth. But when I took it, all I did was sleep for three weeks. That was splendid to me. I hadn't slept a complete night in weeks. Then one day after three weeks, I woke up and the entire world looked different. It was as if I walked out of a cave I had lived in my entire life. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping. The flowers were beautiful and colors burst like I had never seen before. Suddenly, I was seeing life as I imagined most people were seeing it on a day to day basis. I actually had energy to get up and live my life. That was a first. 

            I have tried over the years to get off of the antidepressant, but to my dismay, my body just doesn't make the proper amount of anything to make me feel like a normal person. I've felt normal. I know what normal feels like. And I'm not going back to depressed! So, I choose a $4 a month drug that I take once a day to help me on my path to feeling better and healthier. 

            If you had arthritis and a doctor prescribed a drug to make your legs stretch out normally, would you take it? or decide that's not my style to take drugs?

            Most people who don't believe in antidepressants actually drink and smoke pot to help them feel better.  Hello! Drugs are drugs! You might as well be paying only $4 instead of doing something illegal and paying a lot of money and ruining your lungs. 

            Lots of people come into my sessions with borderline personality disorders, anxiety, stress, bi-polar disorder, ADD, and Obsessive Compulsive disorder. All of the above are treatable with medication and will help you feel close to normal. You just have to find the right ones. 

            Some are scared off by getting on the wrong drug. I know what that feels like too. I took Wellbutrin for a while and felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin. There is no way I would ever take that again. And if that were my only experience on antidepressants, I'd be hard-pressed to ever try one again. But the truth is, there are many drugs because there are many different kinds of people with many different disorders. Find the right drug. If something is not working for you, by all means, tell your doctor and change it.

            But if you are experiencing any of the above disorders, go see a psychiatrist and find the proper medication to calm your body and brain, so that you can heal properly. Who knows, you may be one of the fortunate ones who can get off of it after a while.