# How long?



## CallaLily (Jan 13, 2011)

Whats the longest you or someone you know, have been on anti-depressants? 

Was talking with a friend of mine whose mother is 75, she is on antidepressants and she said she has always known her to be on something. Her mother even told her back before she was born she was on different things. The sad part is I have known my friend and her mother for close to 22 yrs and anytime I have ever seen her mother, she always hits me as still being somewhat depressed no matter what kind of medications shes on. 

I have to wonder if any of the different meds she has been on over the years ever did her much good. I'm not sure how much of it is the meds just not working or how much of it is her not actually trying to help herself either. 

Do you think being on medications for a long time for years and years isn't good for you?


----------



## Amyd (Nov 12, 2012)

CallaLily said:


> Whats the longest you or someone you know, have been on anti-depressants?
> 
> Was talking with a friend of mine whose mother is 75, she is on antidepressants and she said she has always known her to be on something. Her mother even told her back before she was born she was on different things. The sad part is I have known my friend and her mother for close to 22 yrs and anytime I have ever seen her mother, she always hits me as still being somewhat depressed no matter what kind of medications shes on.
> 
> ...


It's hard to say. Some of the older psychotropic meds are dangerous so I'm pretty sure long term use of those could lead to several problems. 

As far as the SSRI's I'm not sure but anything you take that alters your brain chemistry must have some type of long term effect. It would make sense. Currently, I'm not on any meds; I'm trying to substitute exercise and meditation as healthy alternatives for treatment.


----------



## CallaLily (Jan 13, 2011)

Amyd said:


> It's hard to say. Some of the older psychotropic meds are dangerous so I'm pretty sure long term use of those could lead to several problems.
> 
> As far as the SSRI's I'm not sure but anything you take that alters your brain chemistry must have some type of long term effect. It would make sense. Currently, I'm not on any meds; I'm trying to substitute exercise and meditation as healthy alternatives for treatment.


I know and understand some people NEED medications, BUT I would still think long term use it could be harmful in some way, but maybe all medications regardless of what kind can be. 

I remember telling my friends mother a few years ago something about maybe looking into alternative things to try, her response was, she asked her doctor what if she ever wanted to come off the medications, his response was, why would you want to? You will always need to be on something, just think of it like a diabetic or a heart patient they NEED their medications and so do you. 

For some reason I found that response kinda sad.


----------



## Amyd (Nov 12, 2012)

CallaLily said:


> I know and understand some people NEED medications, BUT I would still think long term use it could be harmful in some way, but maybe all medications regardless of what kind can be.
> 
> I remember telling my friends mother a few years ago something about maybe looking into alternative things to try, her response was, she asked her doctor what if she ever wanted to come off the medications, his response was, why would you want to? You will always need to be on something, just think of it like a diabetic or a heart patient they NEED their medications and so do you.
> 
> For some reason I found that response kinda sad.


I do understand the doctors response. I can feel the difference being off meds. Everything is harder and when I get upset it takes me longer to become regulated. How I'm living is dangerous but it's something I really want to do. Plus, I enjoy meditating which is key to being off meds. There's ton's of research that meditation works on brain chemistry in a similar fashion as medication.


----------



## CallaLily (Jan 13, 2011)

Amyd said:


> I do understand the doctors response. I can feel the difference being off meds. Everything is harder and when I get upset it takes me longer to become regulated. How I'm living is dangerous but it's something I really want to do. Plus, I enjoy meditating which is key to being off meds. There's ton's of research that meditation works on brain chemistry in a similar fashion as medication.


I agree. I get what doctors say when they compare a diabetic and how they need their meds, to a depressed person who may need them, BUT I just think sometimes there are alternatives and it doesn't always have to be the medication way for the rest of some people's lives. I think that doc came across that its the only way period. Of course that is his line of work.


----------



## Jamison (Feb 10, 2011)

CallaLily said:


> I think that doc came across that its the only way period. Of course that is his line of work.


Exactly, its his line of work. It depends on what line of work a doctor is in as far as what they are going to push or advocate for. 

If you have a doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist whose is all about medications, then thats more than likely what they are going to push, plus they get a cut from the medication companies when they prescribe medicines too. If you have a doctor such as a holistic or alternative one etc, then they are going to push for what they do etc.

Speaking of diabetics, there are some who go off the meds altogther, because they do a complete lifestyle change. I'm sure with the help too, of a alternative doctor and nutritionist. So
no some people do NOT have to be on meds for the rest of their lives.

As far as your friends mother always looking depressed regardless of what shes ever been on could be a number of things. Either they never found medication with a good balance. Maybe she took herself off of them. Maybe she has something other than depression and it went undiagnosed or untreated. Or maybe she completely relied on medication alone to be a fix it all, which will never work. She has to do some work herself.


----------



## izzy123 (Aug 23, 2012)

My W has been on some sort of dope for 14 years.


----------



## that_girl (Jul 6, 2011)

My friend is 47 and she's been on different ones since she was diagnosed with severe depression at 14.

It's a complete chemical imbalance for her. The only time she wasn't on meds was when she was pregnant twice. Pregnancy hormones made her feel "normal"...which is crazy because I was insane while pregnant :lol:


----------



## CandieGirl (Apr 27, 2011)

I hate antidepressants and other over prescribed drugs. It seems that they're rampant, so many people are on them...all in the name of numbing yourself because you can't deal.

I know all my H had to do was walk into a clinic to get them from some GP. He wasn't seen by a mental health professional, yet he's still stuck taking SSRIs 4 years later.


----------



## ShawnD (Apr 2, 2012)

CallaLily said:


> I agree. I get what doctors say when they compare a diabetic and how they need their meds, to a depressed person who may need them, BUT I just think sometimes there are alternatives and it doesn't always have to be the medication way for the rest of some people's lives. I think that doc came across that its the only way period. Of course that is his line of work.


Like your doctor said, depression is usually caused by some kind of medical problem. Without being able to fix the problem, drugs are the next best thing. For example, we know that anxiety disorders are linked to an overactive amygdala. We know that borderline personality disorder is linked having a small hippocampus. People with depression often have an unusually high number of 5-HT2a and 5-HT2c receptors. Many people with depression have significantly elevated levels of MAO, which is an enzyme that destroys neurotransmitters. Depression can also be caused by problems in the hypothalamus.


----------



## that_girl (Jul 6, 2011)

Some things are just hereditary. Like my friend. Her mother has issues and now her 13 year old daughter has issues...sad, really.

I am not a fan of medication, but some people truly need it and I won't scoff at that.


----------

