[Hopefull]

I have been on Lexapro for five months and still crying every week. I am sleeping better, better energy levels and improved focus. I am concerned that I might get stuck on the drug.
I suspect this because my mom used to joke that she couldn't get me to smile as a baby. Third grade report card: "The last month ___'s behavior has returned to beginning of year-crying, fits of temper-frustration, hitting, falling to floor, will not listen-gets very defensive. Humming throughout day" Fourth grade speech therapist: "____'s attitude is better. There seem to be fewer 'highs and lows.'" I used to threaten to commit suicide and was irritable in the mornings during high school. (My childhood wasn't the greatest.) Now, my nephew seems to have inherited my odd perfectionistic thinking tendency. The main mood that I remember as a kid was "blah." My sister has been moodier than usual too lately.

[(JD)]

"get stuck" ???? If your body isn't producing or using the chemicals you need for happiness, why would it matter if you can get them through a medicine?

What would happen if you DID happen to take them for a few years or even the rest of your life? What could happen if you don't take them and need to?

I'm sorry this has you concerned. Perhaps it is part of your depression, also... and hope you can begin to eliminate the cry ing and feeling this way soon.

[Talulah]

I resisited the drug thinkg for soooo long. I was in talk therapy for a year and a few months before I decided it might be a worthwhile shot. I am also on Lexapro! I am at 20 mg per day. It has really helped with my depression, the anxiety is syill there, but the edge is off.....

I cry too. Almost every session. I am also afraid to become dependant on this to feel good throughout my life. I will work hard to get to my core issues and hopefully within a year taper off and see how it goes.....

For now, focus on what positive changes the drugs help make and combine that with some hard work to learn and incorporate new ways of thinking so maybe you'll be able to one day be without Lexapro. But yes, if it is doing you well, you may need to stay a longer course with antidepressants and some people really need the biological/chemical component thing long term.

Good luck and PM me if you worry.....we can worry together!

Interesting. I quit meds because I felt emotionally numb. Was on them for years. I have been off for over a year. It's been difficult but I am convince therapy is the answer...good in-depth therapy. Anyway that is the answer for me is what I mean.

I hope you find whatever works well for you! I hope you feel much better soon!

[Perna]

What about being "stuck" on anti-depressants scares you? I have found for me that if I "accept" my symptoms and work on what's behind them it helps.

When I was crying too often it was too hard to keep up my defenses against that so I let go of them. What's the worst that can happen if you're crying each week? See if you can arrange when you cry so it doesn't get in your way as much? I use to make sure I was in bed before my husband or knew he wasn't going to come into the room I was in for a bit, in the car on the way to/from work, etc.

Remind yourself how well you're doing in other areas like your sleep and energy and actively look for improvement in the crying. Crying is complicated and healthy, a "good" thing! http://publicaffairs.uth.tmc.edu/hle...ears-0426.html Your body is trying to take care of you the best it can. The anti-depressants seem to be helping at the moment. Don't think too far ahead, concentrate on what you can do now to get better?

[psisci]

I agree. Also, crying per se indicates sadness which is normal and healthy. Depression is quite abit different. Many depressed people cannot cry, but start to do so again when they get treated. My point is to not take crying to equal depression.

[sunrise]

Hang in there, Hopefull. You have only been on the Lexapro for 5 months. That is really not very long at all. Maybe it is giving you a chance to get on your feet and work on your problems. As someone else said, I think good therapy can really help, either in combination with meds or on its own for some people. My latest therapist has worked wonders with my depression, and I am currently med free. So my suggestion would be to try and combine psychotherapy with your meds. When you work in depth with a skilled therapist and solve your problems, you may find you don't need the meds anymore or you may find you do. Either is OK!

[Hopefull]

I did talk for over six months before even trying an anti-depressant. Besides, I allow myself to cry at times because it is better than not being able to cry as mentioned in one of the above postings. Now that was reallly strange. Besides, my voice doesn't haven't any flatness in it like it did before I met T. My T said that she remembers my voice being flat when we first met. I liked hearing that she heard it to. At first, I thought I was the only one who heard it at times (at night when I would get tired).
I shared with T my fears of getting stuck on anti-depressants. She didn't have a lot to say about it. She seems to think that if a drug helps you function, then why not use it. I just don't like drugs. My doctor made sure to use the word "medication" in his response.
As for controling when I cry, I have managed to not cry at work for quite a while now except once (didn't get caught by anyone). However, I cry at school, at home etc. I haven't cried for three days. But that is pretty normal after my time with T. I hope that I can go for a whole week without trying to hold it in though. (I hate not being able to cry even more than crying at work right in front of my boss.)

[Juliana]

Crying can be a problem if it's happening many times a day and interfering with your life in a big way. I think it's healthy to cry sometimes though.

I rarely cry and I wish I could. My psychiatrist has told me on many occasions that I need to stop holding things in and controlling my emotions, but I don't know how to do that.

I had agoraphobia for over 3 years. I lost my job, my social life, was very poor, etc. but I didn't cry even once. I wanted to because I wanted that relief. I wanted to be able to just FEEL something rather than just thinking. I tend to be very analytical and unemotional.

When I'm depressed, I can't cry either. It's only when I'm doing well that I'm able to cry once in a while -- when something sad happens or when I get frustrated -- and I welcome that rare ability to have a good cry.

As for getting "stuck" on anti-depressants -- I look at it this way. If there are medications that help you feel better and live a full life, that's a good thing. The brain is another part of the body. Are diabetics "stuck" on insulin? I'm sure they wish they didn't need to take injections every day, but finding a medication that works and alleviates symptoms is a positive thing. Taking meds for depression or anxiety or any other "mood disorder" is no different in my view.