Any thoughts on Antidepressants

[velvett]

I just decided that I really want to get some therapy for my binge eating, perhaps antidepressants, since in general i'm not really happy any more. Ever since high school started I've felt basically sad and gotten more depressed, it seems, year-by-year.

Have you ever just sat down and really thought about what sets off the binge? Is it a response to something that has happen, does eating make you feel better emotionally after something has affected your feelings or is it just the need to eat after not eating or not enough enough for a period of time and feeling deprived of food?

Understanding the how's and whys of how we feel and how other make us feel is a great place to start.

I think if you don't know how to come to those answers or face them - talking to someone about it is a great idea. But I would start with talking first because understanding you and the necessity of altering the chemicals in your brain are two different things, you may only need the former.

I've suffered from migraines for many years and several years ago I had a very bad and exceptionally long attack that when I was being treated the doctor along with various migraine meds prescribed a mild anti-depressant (I can't for the life of me recall the name) and after I got over feeling insulted about it I took them and it was like getting a really good night's sleep.

So I think there are difference between working out your thoughts and understanding your feelings and that you have the right to voice them (even if they are negative) vs. a flat out chemical imbalance in the brain and one doesn't necessarily "fix" the other.


Hope that makes sense.

 

[Sassy69]

I am wondering myself how much isolation is healthy.

I work in software too ; and have for 7 years ; and the type of work I do is on my own I dont answer to anyone ; and no one answers to me ; I used to enjoy people but dont so much anymore ; I even hate talking on the phone. 6 people work with me! 6 people!! I never see anyone else!!!

i feel like my world is shrinking ; but yet at the same time ; I dont mind. LOL. If I have to be around people that I dont know very well ; I end up drinking! LOL!!!

I"m not saying I voluntarily seek out these environments, but I guess partially my nature and what I"ve chosen as my professions and the environements I've gotten into. I'm more comfortable around men than women & there are defintely more men in the professions I've chosen, but those men who have been my friends over the years have unfailiingly demonstrated that they are still pieces of shit who would fuck up a friendship & many years' work relationship to fuck over their wives & families. That has definitely impacted my choices in who I let into my life these days. It is what it is, but my point is that those situations can lead to certain outlook on life and frankly they are depressing as hell when you are let down by people and their lack of integrity constantly. But I deal. For me, drugs don't fix it. I'm saying there is clinical depression and then there's "suck it up & deal w/ it".

 

[wlmcrae]

RR, because each person has very individual chemistry, each one reacts differently to the side effects of SSRI's (Prozac, etc). If you have mild depression or dysthymia and your therapist is OK with it, St. John's Wort is readily available in the grocery store or health food store, is commonly prescribed in Germany and much of Europe for mild/mod depression, is proven effective in double-blind studies for mild/mod depression (doesn't touch major or melancholia - but that's the 'I'm killing myself tommorrow' level), and the only known side effects are slight stomach upset on starting (goes away with use) and some light sensitivity (in certain people). I use it every winter, due to Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter depression).

As with any anti-depressant, it takes about six weeks for the effects to be fully established, and no anti-depressant should be quit cold-turkey. Look up depression on the web - you'll find lots of information on treatments other than drugs or to be used with the drugs.

From my experience, my depression is worse when I'm not eating enough, get into sugar, don't exercise, get off the SJW in the winter.

 

[rocky_road]

Sweet...thanks for all the replies, guys

Velvett-My binge eating disorder seems to caused by a combination, MOSTLY by emotional baggage, eating to feel better OR food cravings, and only a MINORITY because of physical responses to dieting.

I think that counceling is my best bet, but I still would like to know if I do have a chemical imbalance of seratonin.

WLMCRAE- Did you say that St. John's Worton is non prescription? That sounds like a nice alternative to prescription drugs! I'll have to look at it in the grocery.

I'm getting settled with a councelor before deciding on any antidepress., hopefully she can help me figure out round about what is going on with me.

 

[H_T_]

what you tolerate, you cannot change.

 

[rocky_road]

what you tolerate, you cannot change.

Eh?

Sure you can.

It happens.

Just not very often.

 

[H_T_]

Eh?

Sure you can.

It happens.

Just not very often.

you're a fuckin' prodigy.

 

[velvett]

LMAO @ HT

I've often said that love = tolerance.

The thing about tolerance is that change and tolerance typically can not co-exist together because to tolerate is to not change and to change is to no longer tolerate.

 

[H_T_]

i wanna puke myself silly, i just don't want the guilt....

 

[H_T_]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOQ-9He8UuI&mode=related&search=