Hi sigmund,

From your posting I guess I would say then my antidepressant is not addictive, because I don't see the abuse potential. However, I have to say I think our bodies do become physically dependent and emotionally I am certainly fearful about ever going off antidepressants completely again because of past relapses and I wonder if this constitutes psychological dependence. I guess it is a psychological dependence that has a physical underpinning--return of depression.
I guess a lot of my questioning really has to do with what someone above mentioned. Are antidepressants and other psychotropics masking my emotional issues or are they addressing a biochemical imbalance that is responsible for a large degree in causing the emotional issues I have.
I come from a large family. I would say most of my siblings tend to have as much or more anxiety and depression as I do. Two of them have had very severe manic episodes. None of them however thinks of themselves as a person with anxiety, depressive or bipolar disorders and they don't take any psychotropics or have taken them briefly and have soon stopped because they aren't "crazy.". They think I am a drug addict for taking the prescribed psychotropics. On the other hand, most of them drink heavily or smoke pot or seriously overeat and I think of them as self medicating their psychological disorders. So I guess I am wondering who is right here?

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