Re: OT: Despair
Re Atrocities & anti-depressants:
Anti-depressant medication can work and it is a very valuable tool to be used against a truly hideous condition.
Forget cancer & AIDS, depression is the true plague of the 21st century.
Anyway, anti-depressants are not the only tool, and are not ideal for long-term use. They're good for giving you a little stability while you address the causes of your depression, but I do believe they are addictive (even if 'only' psychologically addictive) and can mess you up. There can also be side effects, so they should only be prescribed with care, and with an eye to working on other solutions (like counselling, exercise, diet and lifestyle changes) to the depression in the meantime so that one day the meds will be no longer necessary. Your doctor should help you with these things when prescribing the meds. If s/he doesn't, and seems to be offering the drugs as a complete solution, then consider going to a different doctor.
On another note, many sufferers of depression (although I think this is only good for mild depression) swear by St John's Wort. You can pick it up at any health food shop. Apparently it reduces depressive feelings without damping other emotions in the process. However it does have its own side effects and doesn't mix well with some other drugs, so research carefully.
EDIT: Just realised how old this thread is. That was a very stealthy bit of necromancy, AT.
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