Anti-depressants made me worse

[number71]

I was prescribed Mirtazapine by a GP three-and-a-half years ago during a severe bout of insomnia. I started sleeping better immediately but soon developed a dependency and felt I couldn't sleep without it. The drug also improved my mood, but the good moods - when I felt witty and clever and highly effective - were interspersed with bizarre hot flushes and dips in mood that eventually became intolerable.

I finally stopped taking Mirtazapine two years ago, but the drug has left a psychological scar. In short: I'm still chasing those Mirtazapine 'highs'. I want to be that highly impressive person that I felt I was inbetween the hot flushes and the dips. That person, I believe, can become successful, earn big money and win the affection and admiration of everyone he meets.

I now constantly monitor my moods and analyse what I say in conversations. I've become obsessed with saying the 'right' thing - in every conversation with almost everybody I talk to from the minute I wake up until the minute I go to bed - and am petrified of looking stupid or sounding boring.

Of course, all my efforts to do/say the 'right' thing have made me even more anxious (and, ironically, less effective/sociable). I've now been diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and OCD and am currently seeing a psychologist who is trying to help me unpick the mess.

I have no idea whether anyone else has ever had this sort of reaction to Mirtazapine or any other anti-depressant, but drugs were definitely the wrong treatment for me.

[Future Memories]

I have been on 3 different medications and I developed violent tenedencies, apathy, and some features of bipolar disorder. One of them, Celexa, messed with my heart as well. Although I am really emotionally handicapped right now (I am not taking any medications) I am afraid to go back on them. I admit, at least I did have a life on them, but I felt they were wearing out and losing their effect (which is typical of the lifespan of some prescription drugs). I read a book called PROZAC BACKLASH by Joseph Glenmullen, which made me positive I never wanted to go back on drugs. I am looking into ECT and TMS and natural remedies. I am going to counseling and that helps a little, as well as exercise, but it's not nearly enough to make a real improvement. I just feel so hopeless. Oh by the way, thyroid issues can contribute to mental illness(i'm not sure if that applies to you or not, just putting that out there). I wish you the very best.

[Roxteler]

Hello everyone. Anti-depression pills are not healthy and not good for health so we should not make a habit to use it because these pills have so much side effects .Look for some other solution for depression. Try to avoid it.

[littlerivers]

Hello everyone. Anti-depression pills are not healthy and not good for health so we should not make a habit to use it because these pills have so much side effects .Look for some other solution for depression. Try to avoid it.

I'm going to have to disagree. While it's true, doctors often irresponsibly and incorrectly prescribe the stuff, I think it's harmful when people make blanket statements discouraging people from trying them. Yes, some specific medications are terrible to specific people. But some can really help bring people up enough to start getting better. Sure, avoid them initially. But don't rule them out.

Sorry... it's just that I spent 4 years in misery, and people constantly told me, "medication will not help. It will just make you worse." and it broke my heart because it destroyed one of the most central things I placed hopes on trying and being helped by- antidepressants. And now that I am on a SSRI, I do feel better, I have had minimal side effects, and I finally feel well enough to attend therapy, go to lectures every day, and exercise with my dog. And I feel pissed that I listened to the people who told me never to take these pills.