antidepressants not for sissies

Antidepressants of today also known as SSRI's

are not the medications of our parents.

Shoot, in the days of our parents, if you said you were

depressed you were given medications that made you a zombie 

if you weren't hospitalized and thought of as damaged or weak.

The world of antidepressants has changed.

Not only are these medications different from those of 

generations past but they are used for so many other things 

besides depression.

You probably are wondering where I am going with this.

I am speaking out for all those out there who may be

depressed and scared to say so, scared to get on medications.

I, about 10 years ago began on one of these antidepressants

better known as SSRI's because we had begun to have the 

troubles with baby boy and I knew I would have to be strong to 

deal with the upheaval our lives were about to begin.

SSRI's are known as serotonin enhancers.

Serotonin is something we get from the sun and 

none of us get enough sun to  keep our levels high,

therefore all of us can benefit from a little SSRI.

Shoot, I think the whole world should be on something,

pipe into the water system... lol.

I had been on the same ones, Celexa and then Lexapro for 

these 10 years. I probably did not need them anymore but stayed on them

all the same because I liked myself better. I often said,

although I was a good mommy, I would have been even better

had I taken these when they were young.

The reason the last 5 years I had stayed on them was because

they are now used also for chronic pain and I wanted anything

that would help me in that area.

Where am I going with all of this, well the post is two-fold.

While sharing to hopefully help the people out there who may be

suffering and too embarrassed to talk to their doctors, 

hoping knowing that I am on something will help them,

I also am sharing to tell the tale of what happened to me in the last

few months to make awareness known.

So, every day I would take me generic Celexa and go about my day.

However, since we moved, I am sure you can tell by me posts of those times,

I was having a rough time with adjustment. 

I would want to be happy but find myself laying around with no 

desire to do those things that I once loved to do.

I was blogging, journaling, and scrapping much less.

I watched a lot of movies and took naps often, spent a lot of time

laying around. I would not have labeled it as depressed, just "blah".

When I went for my 3 months check-up with the infamous,

Dr. Pitre we discussed this and she agreed that it would be 

worth changing the SSRI I am on thinking that maybe my body 

has become immune to the other I was on for 10 years.

She switched me to Prozac that is still a SSRI but 

works a little different due to its chemical make-up.

Oh my, what a difference the change has made in only a week.

I did not know how bad I was feeling until I began feeling better.

Again, my love for writing and blogging is back as I know you can tell

by my blog posts. I am loving not only the house again but 

decorating the house. I am full of ideas of things I want to do,

working in the yard, even with the heat, is something I am enjoying again.

I want to do some motivational speaking again as well as 

volunteering to teach religion again.

I feel sooo much better.

This post is really not to talk of myself so much but to tell

you out there,

Do not be afraid to speak to your doctor for medications if you have

lost the desire to do those things that you once loved.

To say, if you choose medications along with your doctor,

do not be discouraged if it takes some time to find the one that works for you.

Know that it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to get the full effect of the medications

and if you have any negative side effects, those two usually go away after

the first 6 weeks, and the most important part of this long, winded post,

if you have been on one for a long time and find yourself not your best,

try the switch to a different one with the help of your doctor.

I am feeling so much better.

Love to all, and last reminder,

Admitting to depression does not mean you are weak

more that you are strong as admitting is half the battle.