Accepting Taking Antidepressants,



You are beginning to understand something about yourself - you are tired, sad, listless, and often hopeless more than not. And this isn't who you are. Or who you want to be. You want to change - but you can't. You feel stuck. So finally, you go to your doctor who sends you to a therapist. You go for a while, and its fine -- but then you stop. You do this several time in your life, Each time you go for therapy, it's generally for the same reasons. "I'm overwhelmed by my life. I'm depressed."

Finally, the third or fourth time you visit your therapist or your physician they give it to you straight. You have been feeling this way for years. It hasn't just been one episode brought on by grief or another huge life stressor. You have constantly and consistently had depressive symptoms throughout your life. You probably need to take an antidepressant, and you need to accept that you probably will have to take it for a long while.

You panic! Do you want to be on drugs for the rest of your life? Is this who I am? Weak? I need drugs to manage my life?

Learning to accept the fact that you could be taking antidepressants for as long as you need them is a very scary proposition for a lot of people, especially people who view depression as a character flaw instead of the mental health disorder that it really is.

If you were diabetic, you would try lots of things to improve your overall health, but you would also make sure that during that process you would be okay. So you take your insulin. People suffering from depression should follow that same path.

Begin an exercise plan. Discover a hobby you are passionate about. Connect more with friends and family. Focus on taking care of yourself more. And while you are doing all of that--take your medication everyday - on time - and watch how you will finally gain control of a life that was once just a sleepwalk.

You will not necessarily be taking an antidepressant for the rest of your life. Many people eventually don't have to be, once they feel in emotional control (and of course other signs that your physician will look for), and live without depression and without medication for the rest of their lives.

There are some who do have to continue to take the medications for years to come to be healthy and happy.. Really don't think of that as a bad thing. Just another pill to keep you healthy and happy.



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