[Angel_of_the_Past]

Seven years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety. I have been trying to get through without the use of meds. My therapist is trying to help me and respect my decision not to take any meds although she has told me she thinks they would help me. My depression has been labeled as "severe". My MD really wants me to start on some anti-depressants. I've had some bad reactions to other meds, plus I'm afraid if I start on anti-depressants I'll never get off of them. Am I making a poor choice not to use meds?

[(JD)]

Why not take medications for a short time, a year or so? They can help with severe depression, severe anxiety (of which PTSD is...an anxiety disorder.) It isn't like it's forever, you know? And if they can help you heal faster, well, I'd try them for sure.

[MINIME]

Im not on meds. Meds made me numb. However I wasnt depressed.If I was I would probably listen to my T because they are the professionals at least thats what they say.

[skeksi]

It's an individual choice, but I believe most psychiatrists and therapists will agree that PTSD responds best to a therapy-medication combo. I was initially resistant to the idea as well. My T said I was so locked up inside that it wasn't possible to really get at the core stuff. I went on an antidepressant and it helped take care of the depression enough that I could dig at the trauma.

It has taken me years to decide to try medication for sleep, and it has made such a difference in my life that I'm irritated I was too scared to do it earlier. Now that I am well-rested, I can deal with the other symptoms so much better.

What if you asked your doctor for a 6-week trial of a med, after which you could go off if you found no difference (or disliked the side effects). You can't know if it will help/won't help until you try.

[sunrise]

Angel, I was depressed for years but didn't know it. When I hit bottom and went to a therapist, I did not take meds. Therapy helped me some with depression. Then I went to another therapist who helped me a lot with PTSD, depression, anxiety. I still had not taken meds and felt good I had beat the depression without them. Then a couple of months ago I began taking Wellbutrin for ADHD. (Wellbutrin is an AD prescribed off label for ADHD.) For some reason, I was very open to taking drugs for ADHD but hadn't been for depression. Wellbutrin has really helped my mood. I feel less depressed and I didn't realize I was still depressed. I'm not going to say I wish I had tried ADs sooner, but I am glad I am on the Wellbutrin now. It has helped some with the ADHD symptoms and really improved my mood and outlook. Sometimes I just feel happy. I do not feel numb at all. When I am sad, I am able to cry just fine. I have more energy. I have not had any bad side effects. My provider tells me it is really easy to come off Wellbutrin so being on this drug forever has not worried me. I'll stop when I am ready.

If you do decide to try meds, do so at first with regular/frequent visits to your doc so he/she can follow you closely to see if the meds are helping, if the dosage needs adjusting, if there are bad side effects, etc. You can stop at any time if the med is not working. My advice if you decide to go this route: come onto the med very gradually, starting at a low dose and slowly working upward into therapeutic range. And if you give it up, also taper off gradually.

Best of luck.

[Angel_of_the_Past]

Thank you for sharing your personal experience, it made me feel better. I'm so depressed that I feel like I may not have a choice but I'm not ready to take the step to AD's. The Phd & MD feel my depression is "severe". I'm just taking it one day at a time. Again thanks for sharing!