Hi Adespota: I've been on Cymbalta for 2 years now. And prior to that, I've been on quite a few other antidepressants as well, sometimes in combination with other stuff. None of it has ever made any serious dent in my depression.

The Cymbalta has seemed to do 2 things for me that cause me to stay on it though. First, it seems to "keep a floor under me", as I like to say. In other words, it seems like it keeps me from sliding so far down that I become actively suicidal again. When I do start getting that low, it seems like it kicks my sorry butt back up to a level where I just don't really give a rip one way or another.

The other thing the Cymbalta seems to do for me is to keep me from having little outbursts of anger, which used to be common. From my perspective, & based on my experience, I am convinced this is about as much as I can expect an antidepressant to do for me. I've tired of continually trying new med's. They never do any better; and the continual upheaval of changing from one med to another is disturbing.

As far as inpatient hospitalization goes... I've been involuntarily hospitalized twice following suicide attempts. Each time I was admitted to the psych ward of a different general hospital. Based on my experience, again, I 'd have to say the only value there is in being in the hospital on a psych ward is to keep one from making an attempt on one's life. Beyond that I don't believe I gained anything from my 2 experiences. Occasionally, when I get down, I think perhaps I should consider going back. But then I recall what it was like before & I conclude, what's the point, unless I'm truly a danger to myself.