New User’s Guide to Antidepressants | 6 Things I Wish I Knew
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical expert. This article is a collection of takeaways from my own personal experience with depression and antidepressants. Always consult a doctor or psychiatrist for real medical advice. Also, I am not a “pill pusher.” Antidepressants aren’t for everyone. This article is for those of you who are ready and willing to try them and are under the supervision of a professional.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 1–800–273–8255.
My (Abbreviated) Story
Although it seems like a lifetime ago, there was a time when I was mentally unhinged.
I struggled deeply with obsessive thoughts and felt completely powerless over my mind.
The more I resisted intrusive and uncomfortable thoughts, the louder they became.
It was like Chinese water torture.
Drip…Drip…Drip…Drip…
I was also manic. I’d go from feeling like I was on top of the world one minute to feeing like the world was on top of me the next.
I’d go from feeling like I was on top of the world one minute to feeing like the world was on top of me the next.
This culminated in my slamming my head against a wall in frustration and a trip to the looney bin (I’m crazy so I’m allowed to call it that) where I spent the better part of my summer as a 16 year old.
There, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was also found to have a mild form of epilepsy. I was put on a Prozac based cocktail of meds but being the stubborn kid I was, I didn’t take it properly.
“This isn’t working,” I remember saying after just a few days of taking my new prescriptions.
“This is making me feel worse,” I remember saying as I failed to really take them consistently.
So, I eventually stopped taking the medicine entirely after I moved out of my parents house.
Years went by and it wasn’t until my early 20s that I finally had enough of the obsessive thoughts and depression.
I found a psychiatrist and got my meds dialed in and my life back in order. It truly changed my life.
Here are some tips if you’re about to take antidepressant medications for the first time.
#1 Be Transparent with Your Doctor
I don’t know why I felt like I needed to impress my psychiatrist and pretend I was doing fine when I wasn’t.
Your psychiatrist literally listens to people all day with every possible issue you could imagine. You don’t need to hold back from your psychiatrist. It’s not worth it.
You don’t need to hold back from your psychiatrist. It’s not worth it.
When my medicine wasn’t working, I didn’t let him know. Instead I just stopped taking it and told him I was fine.
Had I been more open about the side effects and lack of results, we could have tweaked things and gotten them working sooner.
After I decided to be honest with my psychiatrist, I had a huge but simple breakthrough.
I said, “My medicine isn’t working like it used to.”
He said, when are you taking your pills?
I said, first thing in the morning.
He asked me if I took it with food.
I wasn’t.
DOH!
Since the medication I was on would not be absorbed properly on an empty stomach, a simple change in my breakfast made the meds work at full strength again.
I would have never learned that had I not been upfront.
There’s a bunch of other things that you might not be aware of that simple communication with your psychiatrist or doctor and help you avoid.
For example, did you know that many fruit juices can weaken the strength of antidepressants? Probably not. Why would you?
Ask…Discuss…Be open. Even though it’s hard, it’s worth it.
#2 Never Miss a Dose
The severity of a missed dose varies depending on the medication, but taking an antidepressant intermittently can be worse than not taking it at all.
I recommend you implement a “habit stack,” to ensure you never miss a dose.
This involves pairing multiple habits together into a ritual that makes it almost impossible to forget.
For instance…
Brush your teeth, wash your face and take your pills. By pairing these acts together, you’ll greatly reduce the risk of forgetting a dose.
Get a Sunday through Saturday pill container as well. They cost about $4 anywhere. You can even get a fancy one with AM-PM and extra space for those big multivitamins!
Even if you’re taking just one medication, fill the container. This will ensure you don’t miss a dose and if you do, you’re aware of it. Awareness is key. Many people probably don’t even realize they’re skipping doses until they feel awful.
#3 Follow the Instructions
Do what the medication label and doctor say.
Take with food if it says take with food.
Don’t drink alcohol if it says not to drink alcohol.
Etc. Etc.
You’re not the exception. If you really feel bad, give yourself a chance to feel better and play by the rules.
#4 Know the Side Effects
Remember back when rX commercials were allowed to quickly speed whisper/mumble the countless potential side effects of medications at the tail end of the ads?
There’s a reason that stopped. People need to understand the possible side effects so they can be aware of them and contact their doctor (or maybe even the hospital) if they experience them.
Yes, this will surely lead to some placebo type effects where the awareness that you might have a negative side effects leads you to start to actually feel it, that’s a necessary trade off.
You need to clearly understand the medications you’re taking.
#5 Be Patient
Antidepressants aren’t a cure all and they don’t work overnight. Before you decide to stop taking anything, talk to your doctor and be sure you’ve given enough time for them to actually kick in.
Be prepared to switch medications if the first ones don’t work. Everyone is different and just because the first attempt doesn’t work doesn’t mean that antidepressants won’t work for you.
You might even feel worse after taking medication. Talk to your doctor and be ready to try more than one approach.
#6 Quit Properly (NOT Cold Turkey)
If you decide you want to stop taking a medication, you absolutely must do so under close medical supervision.
It scares me to think how many people have done horrible things to themselves or others as a result of the induced mania of going cold turkey off any type of antidepressant.
Having done it myself and having watched many others do the same, I can assure you, it’s not the right thing to do.
It is scary and dangerous.
You owe it to yourself and others around you to do the mature thing and ween yourself off the medication properly and incrementally under professional supervision.
I hope this helps. As always, speak to a doctor if you have any medical questions. Again, if you’re considering Suicide, call #1–800–273–8255
