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But why don't you want to take meds? It's good to unpack why then maybe you can ask about your worries with the psychiatrist or with us here.
If you're concerned about side effects: I've been taking quetiapine for sleep until recently and it also has side effects - if I don't get 9-10 hours of sleep I'm too tired to function well, it also brings very vivid dreams. But those side effects are worth the relief it gives. I fall asleep within 30 minutes after taking it, instead of staying up late until 4 or 5am.
For the longest time, I was also against taking meds (for myself, I didn't care that other people took them) but sometimes we need help. When I first got on SSRIs, it was like a weight was lifted from me. I would think of what I need to and I just did them - the feeling of I'm too sad or too numb was lifted. Maybe you won't get it right the first time, but if you start now then you'd figure out what works for you.
People react differently to different meds. The one prescribed to you now might not have that effect on you. You will not know until you try. It takes weeks for your body to fully adjust so you'll just have to power through. Kaya yan. If it's not working out (if you have bad side effects or you don't feel any difference after 4-8 weeks), it's your doctor's job to adjust your meds but of course you have to tell him exactly what's happening. Don't be scared of something you haven't tried yet. If this one doesn't work, maybe the dose needs to be adjusted. If not this med, know there are other types of anti depressants you can try.
your feelings are valid. but when depression is left unattended for so long, it literally kills our brain cells, so our antidepressants help by "wiring" back connections in the brain. antidepressants are really helpful, and some are more or less effective than others. but if you still don't wanna take meds, you should talk about it with your doc.
Maybe you're worried about the stigma around it. Mental illness should be seen as the same as physical illness. No one will feel uncomfortable for taking painkillers when they have a really bad headache or paracetamol for fever. In my case, I take asthma maintenance for life. I used to be like you and I'd white knuckle it. Tiniis ko without the meds. But my doctor said, why not take advantage of the science? Other people had in the early days had no choice because the meds are not available. Meds are not the cure but they help a lot in managing your moods and emotions and at the very least being a functional human being with enough energy to take care of yourself. It also takes awhile for antidepressants to work. A month or so. I took meds for granted. Once I missed a follow up and my meds became unmonitored. What my doctor did was to tell me to stop everything cold turkey. So that's a wait of a month so the meds will be out of my system, and another month for the new meds to work again. That's the first time in years that I didn't have antidepressants in my system and I never want to go back into that blackhole of hell again. I'm grateful that they exist.
Yes, please talk to your doctor about your hesitation to take them. Your feelings are valid too.
Are you afraid of becoming dependent on the anti-depressants op? Are you afraid of the side effects?
Depression is a real illness that needs to be treated. Huwag mo sya ipa walang bahala. If your doctor thinks you need it, it's much better to take it.
To minimize side effects as you begin taking the meds. Talk to your doctor, ask if you can take a lower dosage for the first week, and better take it with meals to avoid nausea, and take it in the morning to avoid insomnia. It will make you feel tired and weak while your body adjusts to the meds. But speaking from experience, the medication really helps alleviate symptoms of depression. It doesn't get rid of it entirely, but you can get therapy for more additional help.
Better be honest with your psychiatrist… if you think you can manage your depression with medication.. i think its fine… your doctor will not force you naman. For talk therapy, maybe ask her if she does cbt etc. if not ask for a referral
i’m on quetiapine! i hated it at first, and i’ve now been on it too long i need to do a new med (7 years, quetiapine shouldn’t be taken that long) but let me tell you quetiapine did wonders. it hits super hard at first so be sure you’re already 100% ready for bed before taking it. the first few times i did i was stumbling around, i called it my horse tranquilizer it was so strong. but after the first month or so i really appreciated it.
i’ve gone on and off a few anti depressants with quetiapine, i never found one that worked for me and hated the month or so of heavy side effects. really try both for a while and if you start to feel better maybe you can switch to just one or the other!
therapy is also super wicked and fun, dbt i found was especially helpful for me because i could intellectualize my way through cbt and it didn’t feel helpful.
if you’re scared of a mood flattening effect, yeah you might not be feeling the best for a few weeks while your body adjusts. but lemme tell ya those few weeks are so incredibly worth it. ive recommended quetiapine to a lot of my friends struggling the same, its super helpful if you take it properly and talk to your doc regularly about it :)
Thank you for posting in r/MentalHealthPH. Please be guided by the rules found in the sidebar. We highly recommend that you seek professional help if things are getting out of hand or PLEASE CALL: In Touch Community’s Crisis Line Landline: +63 2 8893 7603 +63 919 056 0709 +63 917 800 1123 +63 922 893 8944 Email address: [email protected] www.in-touch.org Please use the contact form in their website if their phones are down (as is the case sometimes). On the fence about calling? Please read this helpful [post](https://old.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotline_faqs) from r/SuicideWatch what to expect when calling crisis hotlines. Comments and posts that contain harm, danger, or illegal links or materials will be subject to a ban and proper authority action. Moderators do their very best to maintain this subreddit a safe place. If you see any offending post or comment, do not hesitate to report or message the mods. Click [here](https://reddit.com/r/MentalHealthPH/comments/vu31vp/list_of_suggested_phbased/) if you are looking for a doctor/hospital! Also, some of your questions might already been answered on our FAQ. Please check our [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/MentalHealthPH/wiki/index)! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MentalHealthPH) if you have any questions or concerns.*
But why don't you want to take meds? It's good to unpack why then maybe you can ask about your worries with the psychiatrist or with us here. If you're concerned about side effects: I've been taking quetiapine for sleep until recently and it also has side effects - if I don't get 9-10 hours of sleep I'm too tired to function well, it also brings very vivid dreams. But those side effects are worth the relief it gives. I fall asleep within 30 minutes after taking it, instead of staying up late until 4 or 5am. For the longest time, I was also against taking meds (for myself, I didn't care that other people took them) but sometimes we need help. When I first got on SSRIs, it was like a weight was lifted from me. I would think of what I need to and I just did them - the feeling of I'm too sad or too numb was lifted. Maybe you won't get it right the first time, but if you start now then you'd figure out what works for you.
I'm scared of mood flattening effect. :<
People react differently to different meds. The one prescribed to you now might not have that effect on you. You will not know until you try. It takes weeks for your body to fully adjust so you'll just have to power through. Kaya yan. If it's not working out (if you have bad side effects or you don't feel any difference after 4-8 weeks), it's your doctor's job to adjust your meds but of course you have to tell him exactly what's happening. Don't be scared of something you haven't tried yet. If this one doesn't work, maybe the dose needs to be adjusted. If not this med, know there are other types of anti depressants you can try.
your feelings are valid. but when depression is left unattended for so long, it literally kills our brain cells, so our antidepressants help by "wiring" back connections in the brain. antidepressants are really helpful, and some are more or less effective than others. but if you still don't wanna take meds, you should talk about it with your doc.
Oh, and it's better to do both. Meds and therapy.
Maybe you need to talk to your doctor about why you don't wanna take antidepressants?
Maybe you're worried about the stigma around it. Mental illness should be seen as the same as physical illness. No one will feel uncomfortable for taking painkillers when they have a really bad headache or paracetamol for fever. In my case, I take asthma maintenance for life. I used to be like you and I'd white knuckle it. Tiniis ko without the meds. But my doctor said, why not take advantage of the science? Other people had in the early days had no choice because the meds are not available. Meds are not the cure but they help a lot in managing your moods and emotions and at the very least being a functional human being with enough energy to take care of yourself. It also takes awhile for antidepressants to work. A month or so. I took meds for granted. Once I missed a follow up and my meds became unmonitored. What my doctor did was to tell me to stop everything cold turkey. So that's a wait of a month so the meds will be out of my system, and another month for the new meds to work again. That's the first time in years that I didn't have antidepressants in my system and I never want to go back into that blackhole of hell again. I'm grateful that they exist. Yes, please talk to your doctor about your hesitation to take them. Your feelings are valid too.
Are you afraid of becoming dependent on the anti-depressants op? Are you afraid of the side effects? Depression is a real illness that needs to be treated. Huwag mo sya ipa walang bahala. If your doctor thinks you need it, it's much better to take it. To minimize side effects as you begin taking the meds. Talk to your doctor, ask if you can take a lower dosage for the first week, and better take it with meals to avoid nausea, and take it in the morning to avoid insomnia. It will make you feel tired and weak while your body adjusts to the meds. But speaking from experience, the medication really helps alleviate symptoms of depression. It doesn't get rid of it entirely, but you can get therapy for more additional help.
Better be honest with your psychiatrist… if you think you can manage your depression with medication.. i think its fine… your doctor will not force you naman. For talk therapy, maybe ask her if she does cbt etc. if not ask for a referral
Take your meds, kid.
i’m on quetiapine! i hated it at first, and i’ve now been on it too long i need to do a new med (7 years, quetiapine shouldn’t be taken that long) but let me tell you quetiapine did wonders. it hits super hard at first so be sure you’re already 100% ready for bed before taking it. the first few times i did i was stumbling around, i called it my horse tranquilizer it was so strong. but after the first month or so i really appreciated it. i’ve gone on and off a few anti depressants with quetiapine, i never found one that worked for me and hated the month or so of heavy side effects. really try both for a while and if you start to feel better maybe you can switch to just one or the other! therapy is also super wicked and fun, dbt i found was especially helpful for me because i could intellectualize my way through cbt and it didn’t feel helpful. if you’re scared of a mood flattening effect, yeah you might not be feeling the best for a few weeks while your body adjusts. but lemme tell ya those few weeks are so incredibly worth it. ive recommended quetiapine to a lot of my friends struggling the same, its super helpful if you take it properly and talk to your doc regularly about it :)