[BrownHat22]

Hey guys,

I haven't been having the best of days today. My depreciative thoughts are on full blast today. Anyway, I'll get right down to the point. Ever since my medicine kicked in I've steadily been feeling better, and yesterday I felt almost normal. That sounds good in theory, but I know that this is entirely the medicine's doing. I have to take medicine just to feel normal again, and these pills aren't a long term solution either. I have to get off of them after six months, and I know that I'll just go back to how I was before. I know that because nothing in my environment and my actions has changed other then my taking of medication. And here I am, feeling happy and healthy, and my parents are overjoyed that I'm feeling "better" while I just sit here with the knowledge that none of this will last. I can't fix myself. This is the closest I've ever gotten and its artificial happiness. Has anyone ever dealt with this? If so, how have they overcame it?

[Rohag]

I'm glad you are feeling better in the short run. It is not impossible the meds are allowing you to feel what you would otherwise be unable to feel.

Why is this med trial limited to six months? (Please feel free to ignore these questions.)

Knowing this elevation is temporary, can you exploit it as an opportunity to move toward some sort of goal? That goal may require several "bounds," each bound broken by depressive lows.

Do you have a goal that permits reaching it by bounds rather than constant, sustained efforts?

As artificial as you may feel your lifted spirits are, may you enjoy and employ them.

[Sunflower123]

Originally Posted by Rohag

I'm glad you are feeling better in the short run. It is not impossible the meds are allowing you to feel what you would otherwise be unable to feel.

Why is this med trial limited to six months? (Please feel free to ignore these questions.)

Knowing this elevation is temporary, can you exploit it as an opportunity to move toward some sort of goal? That goal may require several "bounds," each bound broken by depressive lows.

Do you have a goal that permits reaching it by bounds rather than constant, sustained efforts?

As artificial as you may feel your lifted spirits are, may you enjoy and employ them.

Excellent advice.

[BrownHat22]

Originally Posted by Rohag

I'm glad you are feeling better in the short run. It is not impossible the meds are allowing you to feel what you would otherwise be unable to feel.

Why is this med trial limited to six months? (Please feel free to ignore these questions.)

Knowing this elevation is temporary, can you exploit it as an opportunity to move toward some sort of goal? That goal may require several "bounds," each bound broken by depressive lows.

Do you have a goal that permits reaching it by bounds rather than constant, sustained efforts?

As artificial as you may feel your lifted spirits are, may you enjoy and employ them.

Hey there, thank you for your help.

The med trial is limited to six months because that's what my T had recommended, but I can't have it for over 1 year, because of health concerns related to overuse of the medicine.

I can exploit this elevation to move towards a goal, but I don't seem to be making any progress, hence the depressed feelings. However, I do not have a bound-based goal system, so that may help. I'll have to talk to my T about that.

[BlueMerleGirl]

If for whatever reason you can't continue this Med long term there are plenty of other meds available that can be used over the long term and they may help you. You also may not Need them forever. Sometimes taking meds for a few years to get your life together and develop positive thinking and habits can be enough for some people and then they can go off of them eventually.

I can understand what you mean about feeling fake. But remember, depression is an illness. You're taking medicine to feel better, and you're feeling better. This is great news. It is the same thing as taking medicine for a physical issue and feeling better. You aren't fake, you are receiving treatment for a medical condition and you're feeling better. Try to think of it like that. Good luck.

[Frankbtl]

Hi Brownhat

First of all, I'm sorry you've had a tough day, I hope today is a little better??

And........while you're right, the improvement is very, very likely down to the fact you're taking the medication.........it still sounds to me that you're being way too tough on yourself!! So let's see about you giving yourself a bit more of a chance, hey?

Comparitively speaking it's not that long since you've started on the med so it will now be starting properly kicking in, so it is going to be giving you chances to be hitting more of your potentials.........the one's depression stole from you...........

And that's going to include developing more coping strategies/skills/perspectives when things are hard, because there can still sometimes be hard days on/despite meds...........but hopefully those hard days will still be better than how they were............and the more you practise those skills/perspectives and put those into practise.........that is going to be you, not the meds, but you who is doing that.........and you who will be/is deserving of all of the credit.
Right now the meds are just moreso allowing you to be more you........the you that was underneath the depression, and opening the doors for you to discover/rediscover some of those skills.......so I wouldn't say it was fake..........
And if there's a point where the meds were to stop.........then you are going to still have some of those skills/perspectives "under your belt"...........one's which could maybe help you should there be "dark days"...........
But, let's see how it goes, hey? Maybe there will be an extension or an alternative when this trial stops.........but either way........right now I'm glad that you're startig to feel the you underneath the depression, the you that you deserve to be..........and here's to the meds helping you on your journey in moving away from..........



Alison

[Zukodyn]

Originally Posted by BrownHat22

Hey guys,

I haven't been having the best of days today. My depreciative thoughts are on full blast today. Anyway, I'll get right down to the point. Ever since my medicine kicked in I've steadily been feeling better, and yesterday I felt almost normal. That sounds good in theory, but I know that this is entirely the medicine's doing. I have to take medicine just to feel normal again, and these pills aren't a long term solution either. I have to get off of them after six months, and I know that I'll just go back to how I was before. I know that because nothing in my environment and my actions has changed other then my taking of medication. And here I am, feeling happy and healthy, and my parents are overjoyed that I'm feeling "better" while I just sit here with the knowledge that none of this will last. I can't fix myself. This is the closest I've ever gotten and its artificial happiness. Has anyone ever dealt with this? If so, how have they overcame it?

The drug-induced state is fake because it doesn't address the real issue. That's still in you. The drugs just "cover it up" so to speak.