To someone who is not currently on anti-depressants, I would suggest trying other treatments first - for example, psychotherapy.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Perhaps anti-depressants should be best reserved for the very extreme cases and, more importantly, for those who do not respond to alternative forms of interventions.
Psychotherapy works, and some types of therapy have been shown to be much more effective than antidepressants over the long run.
I suffer from manic-depressive disorder, and I've chosen not to take medication for it. Because of that, every once in a while I go through manic episodes and really depressed episodes.
There seems little reason to prescribe anti-depressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients.
I definitely think that prescription drugs, like antidepressants, are prescribed so cavalierly, anyone can get anything, but I need it. I do think that it needs to work hand and hand with therapy.
If you're taking an antidepressant, it's working, and you're not experiencing side effects, go on taking it. But if it's not working, or not working well enough, or if you have side effects you don't like, talk to your doctor about an alternative approach.
Depression comes back over time in about 90 percent of people on antidepressants. Studies show that relapses are far less common when people are treated with psychotherapy.
In 1997, a severe depression hit me, but I didn't respond well to anti-depressants.
Depression is something that doesn't just go away. It's just... there and you deal with it. It's like... malaria or something. Maybe it won't be cured, but you've got to take the medication you're prescribed, and you stay out of situations that are going to trigger it.
I have suffered from depression for most of my life. It is an illness.
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