Will it have to be Prozac for life?

I absolutely do not agree with this post.  In January, my 57 year old sister comitted suicide.  She had suffered years of depression and mental health issues.  She was 57.  Her issues were further exacerbated by menopause, and the hormonal changes which that brings. No matter how hard she tried to 'be happy'  she could do nothing about it - because depression is a chemical imbabance, not a state of mind, or something to be shrugged off.  It is not a choice. To state that 'removing irritants' and 'choosing to be happy' shows a gross misunderstanding of mental health, and is an insult to my sister and the milions of other people who struggle with this hellish condition every day.  Nigel - would you post the same advise to someone suffering from cancer?  Drugs did nothing for me...remove the irritant.... change your job or your wife, decide to be happy and you will be ok?   Depression is not a state of mind.  It is a a major illness, like any other - which can be fatal. A person can not 'snap out of it' or choose to be well, any more than they can choose not to have cancer.

Most anti depressetns to work for people, but for some people, nothing can cure them of their hopelessness.  My sister could not escape the inside of her own head, and she could not take it any longer.  She had a lovely home, was well off and had lovely children.  According to you, she should have been 'happy' but she took her own life at the age of 57, something no one does lightly.  Please.  

Think carefully before posting such pompous, ill informed crap.  

  

Lesley, without knowing the full story of your unfortunate sister's life, or understanding the severity of her condition, it's just as ill-informed to say that mental illness can't be "shrugged off" - it can, with strong guidance and effective tools and skills learned by an individual whenever talking therapies can provide an answer to a lot of questions that, as you say, keep people locked inside their own heads.

Medication is not always the answer. Psychiatry is a science and like all sciences, is based largely in theory and as such, medication can theoretically work. It is, however, the pharmacological equivalent of ECT in that it should, by all accounts, be the last resort in - I'd say - about 95% of cases of depression.

I cannot agree with you.  However,  all of our opinions are just that - opinions.

In my opinion, mental illness cannot be 'shrugged off';  a horrible analogy that gives the impression that it is somehow up to the sufferer to be in control of such a dibilitating disease.   Biological clinical depression cannot be 'talked through', or reasoned with any more than cancer can be eliminated through talking therapy or, answering questions, or sitting under a pyramid.   It can be beyond the control of the sufferer to simply change the thoughts of a  mind altered by chemical imbalance.   I did not say in my post that medication was the answer...indeed, having helplessly watched my sister take everything from ecitalopram to lithium AND have ECT, none of which worked as she is now dead by her own hand - I would say that at times there are no answers. I too have suffered with depression which thankfully is controlled by medication.  I can identify with the original poster of this thread.  

As you quite rightly say, you don't know the full story or the severity of my sisters condition.  But she tried everything.  Everything. Please dont patronise me by telling me that psychiatry is a science.what else could it be?  You don't understand it any more than I do, or indeed the psychiatrist dealing with my sister who I have since spoken to.

Let none of us make statements that we can not back up with facts. 

 

I disagree.  It's totally dependant on the chemical makeup of the person which is up to trained professionals to suss out.  I would never presume to put a percentage on the amount of people that could be helped by medication.  Why are you?  Also, no...electroshock therapy is NOT the equivelant of SSRI inhibitors.  Have you ever assisted in administering ECT?  I have.  Have you ever read doctor's notes and the history detailing what has been tried and the results and how the patient feels about it?  Have you ever worked as a professional with the suffering patient having to be hospitalized or catatonic from trauma where nothing can change their state?  It looks brutal on TV, but that is actually the way it looks in reality.  Very unpleasant.  It is the very last option.  But remarkably, it is a gift.  I have seen complete reversal from the hopeless or catatonic state to a smiling, gentle, person, who is eager to read again, play boardgames, watch TV and converse.  Why?  It wipes away the short term memory of what had gotten them to that point in the first place.  But they and their family are well aware and sign the release.  It does wear off and usually need a series of 3-6 before it "takes" for good.  Medications to not wipe away memory at all.  They just alter brain chemicals on a short term basis to allow the adrenaline to calm down so you may be rational and not weighed down by depression.  You can still be concerned by a problem, but not obsessed to the point where you cannot function.

My name is also Lesley. I know your post was a year ago so you may never see this.  I am so sorry for the loss of your sister.   I am 47 and going through a lot of the things she went through and have had suicidal thoughts.  I am just now starting to feel better, but it took antidepressants, seeking out people to talk with and changing some things in my life.  And it is still a work in progress.  I used to think, before my depression got so bad, that it was something you could choose, that you could fight it off, shrug it off, but major depression is indeed an illness that you just can't fight off.  I am lucky to be alive because I sure have had some dark moments where I thought it would be a good idea to just end my suffering.  Again, I am so sorry for your loss, and sorry for people who do not understand.

I know this thread is old but when I read this comment I had to address it. This is an incorrect and extremely dangerous opinion. You cannot think away depression. If that worked for you, you weren't suffering from depression. Job related stress can cause all sorts of unwanted health effects but actual depression is not one of them. If what you're saying were true there would be no one with depression. Despite your implication, people with depression don't want to have depression. If we could wish it away we would. Please refrain from posting such dangerous misinformation in the future.

Awesome answer.  Depression IS an illness as real as diabetes, only more scary and disabling.  I lost my oldest brother to depression as well, he took his own life at a young age.  I have been on Prozac myself for over 20 years, which has allowed me to live a rather normal life with its drawbacks offcourse like low libido, a smal price to pay for sanity. If anyone thinks he/she can wish depression away, he/she still has not gone down to the dungeons of hell, and should thank God and his/her ancestors for it.

What you're saying is very true. I took diazepam yesterday and I was a bit relieved of my depression but just this morning I've been taken back to my old situation though it's lessen a bit. Please I need your advice on what to do cus I've not been in a happy mood since I this depression for a bout a month now. Please what do I do to overcome this situation? I need help

Hi  agyengo Ive taken 20mg Prozac for two years now and its the best thing Ive ever done. Diazapam (valium) is quite strong and not meant to be long term its good for panic Ive taken it when I had a very stressful life situations and it gives temporary relief. I have always been a happy person but suffer from anxiety and a bit of depression and Prozac is a life saver I'm on the lowest dose and all I can say is I feel 'normal ' I don't suffer severe anxiety over nothing like I ised to or the thought of social situations. I was so against anti depressants for years and now I think the world of them they are not the personality changing things I thought they'd be. I had no side affects I think it took the 2-4 weeks to work like they say but I did feel better straight away maybe just because I had finally made the decision to try them. Hope they work for you they seem to work for the majority of people and there are other brands and types of meds out there too see what your foc reccomends xx

Nigel, it is that simple when the depression is not major. I used to believe the same thing.  When mine got really bad, major clinical depression, I learned that I could not fight it alone, no matter what.  I have always been a positive person and thought people should be able to change their situations and choose to be happy.  Unfortunately, I now know that doesn't work once it gets to a certain point.

I agree with you. I've lived with depression (undiaganosed at the time) for many years before I finally attempted suicide and as a result ended up at the pediatric section of the psych ward. Before I've decided to end my life, I've struggled for many years to "snap out" of depression, but to no avail. I am very glad I got the help I needed from my stay at the ward. I am on anti-depressants now and I go to therapy every week. It is helping me a lot. I agree with NigelW that removing the cause of depression helps, but it is also a long process for some people whose irritant is not easily removed. (Body image, self-esteem, family issues etc.)