If you can just "decide" not to be depressed anymore instead of taking meds you were not depressed to start with.

I have been taking Lexapro for about a year know and it has changed my life tremondously. I should have done it 10 years ago.

If only it was that easy to decide not to be depressed..You can't control a chemical imbalance

Yup, this is spot on. Anyways, I was on Zoloft and Prozac for a while. I liked Zoloft better personally as Prozac made me lose my sex drive.

Juicy + meds = commonplace!

I think the point was not everyone actually has that chemical imbalance. Everyone gets depressed from time to time. And then they deal with it. Thats life.

I take several tinctures of Coffea Arabica plant each day and it does wonders.

To expand on what Sly stated immediately above. If extensive tests by specialists point to a chemical imbalance then attack the imbalance with more chemicals. Make this the last step.

If depression is caused by external events, job, partner, death, etc ... then deal with it head-on or ride it out. If the problem is never addressed how will it be overcome. If stopping use causes depression will most ever be able to stop?

Also don't hide from those that really do care and want to help.

Anti-depressants are like "Smart Blur" in Photoshop.
They just make everything appear glossy, the zits are still there!

get it bent!

Explain ....!

This thread is disturbing... would never take *any* mood-changers.

The human race never did need to run along to a doctor and seek an instant remedy because ya saw the name on TV :)

In fact, stay away from doctors, you'll live longer :pimp

True, but there are a lot of times experienced in a great loss when you WANT everything to be glossy, even if you know the zits are still there. That was my intent for asking my Dr. for them - didn't work, that I can tell. Who knows, maybe when I go off them I'll realize they WERE making things a blur and I might decide I like blur better.

How so? In no way is MDMA an Anti-Anxiety, nor does ti relate to the topic of this thread anyways.. Complete different ball park my friend ;] Save the x and vics and all the goodies for a night of spinning records ;] :thumbsup

Are you still having problems with paxil, or is this something else?

I would never ride around in a wheelchair either until I needed one.

:1orglaugh Excellent point. I thought panic attacks were bogus and something people had control over - until I had one in my 40's.

its funny how non depressed people are all "id never do that its sick". if youve ever been depressed, it can kick your legs out from under you and completely change who you are. the chems in your brain ARE chems, and for whatever reason they can change your life. do whatever helps you. to those coming off antidepressants, a benzodiazepine (valium xanax clonopin ativan etc) can completely kill side effects of anxiety until youve gotten used to the change.

and hey, i love all you guys.

you can't turn on or off a chemical imbalance. it's no different than being diabetic.

everyone has their own demons -EVERYONE - people who think "it's all in yoru head" are small minded stupid people.

using dr prescribed meds properly monitared that allow you to enjoy a better life isn't a bad thing. if you need them - USE THEM.

you wouldn't tell a diabetic not to take his insulin would you?

Totally agree L-Pink.

The majority of these type of problems where the magic solution is a course of medication lasting... six months, a year, two years, more(?), are related to lifestyle. Change the damned lifestyle and address the root cause of the problem - it's usually *very* obvious.

Agree there are genuine instances of chemical imbalance and usually related, or the cause of other mental problems - this is not the norm, tho not exactly rare.

Unfortunately the pharma industry have been permitted to promote pills direct to the public and giving their "advice" to contact your doctor and explore the possibility if their pill could be right for you. A totally absurd scenario.

Similarly many doctors are also being sold, and are now behaving like parrots with repetitive actions writing scripts for pills where they have been indoctrinated from college days by the pharma corps (who also provide notepads, vacations, pens, meals, samples, - and chances are, directly or indirectly, funded part of their education).

When almost 50% of a nation are on some form of medication, it may give a clue that there is either something in the air that is causing this mass illness or a problem with the healthcare system in that people are being sold crap they rarely need. Guess the right answer :upsidedow

That's really interesting. I've been really depressed. Even talked to a doctor about zoloft (but he says it's not a one time thing you have to build it up and take it every day...takes over a couple weeks to kick in and really only works if you have chem imbalance).

BUT I do have sleep apnea. My wife says I stop breathing for over a minute at a time when I sleep. That can't be good for the brain cells I figure...

Thanks very much for your post. It gives me something to look into.

Kava can damage your liver.

more than "hard as fuck"....

yeah right....:error :error

turn off your computer and take some vacation! Gee

I feel so emotionally stable right now. I am not taking of those stuff.