Should I try meds?

>>18133365
i wouldn't. anti depressants can help, but they also come with their own issues, which is why its a last resort.

its kind of like plastic surgery. everything could go wrong and you could be happy, but its often better to deal with issues yourself

>>18133365

I'd say wait a bit. You're finishing high school, so life will change somewhat, no matter what direction you go. Sometimes that can help. Try to introduce some changes it you can, despite the apathy and see if it helps. If it doesn't, then consider meds. Medication, however, is not a solutions in itself. They at best give you the energy to make the changes required for improvement. People who complain about them expect mircale solutions and are dissapointed when it doesn't happen.

>>18133369
From my understanding, since my problem is mild compared to others, the side effects should also be less severe. I'm willing to cope with a lot of bullshit if it's temporary and will help me enjoy life again. Unlike most people, I can't find a source for my problems, and fighting them directly looks impossible. The people in my family tree are really erratic, and I could have definitely gotten a shitty roll genetics-wise.

>>18133382
What kind of changes would you suggest? I know there's diet and exercise, but can they do more than boost your energy level and give you a temporary runner's high?

>>18133390

>the side edffects should also be less severe

wrong. if you're taking the same medicine as everyone else, you get the same dose and end up with the same side effects.

thats like saying the less sick you are the less nyquil will put you to sleep.

>>18133390

>can they do more than boost your energy level and give you a temporary runners high

absolutely. we are designed to have those things make us happy, because thats what we'd get in the wild: exercise and a natural diet.

otherwise cave people, or really animals as a whole, woudl commit suicide in droves.

>>18133365


> My mother and therapist have convinced me that antidepressants would be fine, but the internet keeps telling me to stay away from them

So I guess you have decide who are you going to believe, your doctor who has trained for years to graduate medical school and become a licensed physician or a bunch of teenage weebs on the internet who get all of their information from meme websites?

>>18133400
Guess that makes sense. The risk is that high, though?

>>18133404
I can see that. Do you know how long it takes for those positive effects to kick in?

Also, how much more info do you think I can get if I tell a doctor about this? I think I have Dysthymia, but I'd really like to know where it originates from.

Forgot to mention, I just got a job for the first time, so most of my free time on 4chan is about to be replaced with stocking shelves in a grocery store. Do you think this will help much?

>>18133411
I have seen a shit-ton of negative stories about meds without even looking for them, and my therapist never denied that there were risks. I'd like to avoid taking supplements if I can avoid them, but I also need a clear path towards improvement if that's the case.

>>18133390
>What kind of changes would you suggest?

Sure, start with basic things like diet, exercise and strict sleeping rythm, but also more general things. If you're depressed now, then change your life in a manner that brings you enjoyment. Make new friends, go to places you might find interesting, study things that fascinate you, get a job that provides you with money to buy things you might like, etc. The problem with depression is that it makes you apathetic and thus it's harder to achieve these things, but usually changing your life and how you live it is ultimately what helps.

At least that's what helped me. My shink sorted me out on the basic stuff where I was going wrong, but it didn't help much until I actually did shit to improve my situation. Dwelling on how shitty I felt only kept making it worse, while doing something/anything to shake myself out of the apathy helped to build up energy that in turn helped to establish more lasting improvements.

>>18133413

>the risk that high though

go read peoples accounts. the thing about these medications is they dont fix you, they just simulate. it can become a life long use of these pills, often considered to be like having an addiction. and the side effects range, it depends on the pills.

>how long does it take for those positive effects to kick in

depends on the pills, osme people say never because they are specifically designed to fight chemical imbalances, and some people dont actually have that.

>how much more info do you think i can get if i tell a doctor about this

about as much info as he can answer?

>>18133421
I've made a few improvements, like going to after-school clubs and sometimes making a quick song or two in FL Studio, but I feel mostly blank a few minutes after I do these things. They don't leave lasting changes to my mood. Have you had that before? Would that change?

>go to places you might find interesting
I think that will help. I haven't properly gone out and done things in six or seven years now, all my time is on the computer.
>doing something/anything to shake myself out of the apathy
Did you feel good when you did these things? I don't, maybe I'm doing something wrong.

>>18133426
>they don't fix you, they just simulate
That's a big reason why I don't want to use meds
>depends on the pills
I meant exercise. How long until jogging could improve my overall mood, for example?
>about as much info as he can answer?
I meant stuff like being genetically predisposed to have this occur to me. Even if I know it's true, confirmation will make me feel much better.

>>18133419

>I have seen a shit-ton of negative stories about meds without even looking for them, and my therapist never denied that there were risks

Yes. Nothing is without risks. My point is don't come here and let a bunch of autists psyche you out of taking sound medical advice just because there is a chance something negative might happen. The point of being in the care of your doctor is that if anything negative DOES happen you're in the hands of a professional.

There are tons of different SSRIs and medications to take for anxiety/depression and sometimes you have to play around and find the right medication and dosage for you but like I said, don't psyche yourself out. There are no guarantees in life so not taking them because theres a chance you might experience a negative side effect is ridiculous. The gain wildly outweighs the risk and if it doesn't work out you just stop taking the meds. A possible side effect of going outside is getting hit by a car but thats not a legitimate excuse for never leaving your house.

Curing actual clinical depression with exercise and a good diet is a fucking meme. Yes, making positive life changes will help and taking any medication that changes the chemistry of your brain is scary but if your doctor recommends it, go for it.

>>18133445
Let's say I find a medication that works: When would I give it up? I'm okay with using it for a few years and ditching it when I feel better, but does depression just go away like that?

Also, does the happiness from meds feel fake?

>>18133365
Try exercise
Try traveling solo
Try a change of diet (Paleo)
cut out sugar/processed food
Try creating art (painting)
Try hiking
Try vitamin B-12!
drink lots of water..

>>18133468
>cut out sugar/processed food
What does this do?

>>18133454

>When would I give it up?

Consult your doctor. He would know best when and how it would be best to start weaning off of the medication.

>but does depression just go away like that?


No. Anti-depressants aren't the cure for depression. Depression will never just go away. Anti-depressants are just another tool used to take the steps towards managing your symptoms. A good diet, exercise and positive life changes can be huge benefits towards helping you manage your symptoms and anti-depressants are no different; just another piece to the puzzle.

>Also, does the happiness from meds feel fake?

Anti-depressants aren't happy pills, they just help make happiness more easy to achieve.

Anti-depressants clear the road of obstacles. It is still up to you to travel the road, if that makes any sense.

>>18133488
Gotcha. When you say "It is still up to you to travel the road", you're referring to stuff like diet, exercise, socializing, and whatnot, right? I feel like I can do those things now, but it doesn't feel good when I do them. Would antidepressants make those more enjoyable, or just give me more energy/motivation for trying those things? If this is outside your realm of knowledge, I understand.

>>18133488
This anon speaks the truth

>>18133504

>Would antidepressants make those more enjoyable, or just give me more energy/motivation for trying those things?

It really depends but, in my professional experience, that kind of response is fairly common. Everyone responds to all the medications differently so this is the part where its really important to communicate with your doctor about how the medication is working for you. Sometimes you have to change up medications and dosages a few times to get it right.

I'm a mental health counselor and I've been working in the field for 11 years. I'm not a physician and I don't prescribe medication but I have a lot of first hand experience with working with physicians and people who do take the medications so I have a fairly decent grasp on the concept.

>When you say "It is still up to you to travel the road", you're referring to stuff like diet, exercise, socializing, and whatnot, right?

Of course. Anti-depressants won't just make you happy. You have to make you happy. Anti-depressants only inhibit the chemical imbalances in your brain that make that happiness difficult to achieve.

>>18133558
>that kind of response is fairly common
I'm confused, is this for the former or latter part of my question?
>Anti-depressants only inhibit the chemical imbalances in your brain that make that happiness difficult to achieve
This makes me hopeful. It really does feel like a chemical problem.

>>18133475

lets put it this way... If you were a cave person you'd only drink water, right? so how can putting chemicals like soda into your body be in any way healthy? and yes, these effect your mind just as much as your body.

>>18133572
It's unnatural, but I don't see how it's bad. I put sugar in my coffee, should I quit doing that?

>>18133566

>I'm confused, is this for the former or latter part of my question?

I mean finding joy out of things you typically didn't before is a common response to anti-depressants.

I can't tell you whether or not energy or motivation are direct chemical results of anti-depressants but logic serves that if you're happier than things like energy and motivation become easier to cultivate especially if you're eating right and making conscious efforts to improve your life.

>>18133579
Oh, excellent, that's exactly what I was hoping for. I'll give meds a shot then. Thanks for the responses, I really appreciate your help.

Sad, disinterested, low energy, cannot concentrate. That's 4 symptoms of depression already. OP, do you have thoughts of dying/killing/hurting yourself? Do you feel guilty? Have you been eating more/less or gaining/losing weight? Have you had issues sleeping? Do you have any physical complaints?

>>18133607
>OP, do you have thoughts of dying/killing/hurting yourself?
No
>Do you feel guilty?
No
>Have you been eating more?
Yeah, I snack more than I used to because it's one of few ways I can feel pleasure.
>Have you had issues sleeping?
A little
>Do you have any physical complaints?
I spend a lot of time physically uncomfortable during the day. There's some stomach pains and flatulence due to my poor diet, but I also get unusual chills and feel mediocre overall for some reason.