OT: Despair

[Renegade 13]

Raging Deadstar said:
Most have heard the concerns about Prozac but less in the light are Cipramil/Citalopram and Effexor/Venlafaxine. I've had experience with both of these, mostly negative so i'll admit i'm somewhat biased, so let me dig out some growing concerns about them.

Wish I'd known about this a while ago. One of your links says patients on Venlafaxine should not be under 18 years of age. I was prescribed it when 16. Isn't that a great indication of competency within the medical profession?

Saber Cherry said:
R13: You're Canadian. If you experience seasonal depression (worse in the winter compared to summer) I suggest looking into light therapy. If not, and if you've had depression constantly (or chronically) for the last couple years, without recurring crises (parents' divorce, followed by being dumped, followed by your dog dying, etc - healthy young people don't stay depressed for years after a single incident) - and especially considering your family history of suicide - I suggest you give antidepressants a second try, with a different doctor, and different drug.

Fortunately, I can control it on my own -- for now. When the day comes when I can't, I will revisit the realm of antidepressants. You're right also; it can come out of the blue, for no apparent reason. My previous comment was flawed that it arises spontaneously out of a person's circumstances. That of course can happen, but isn't always the case.

Though the brain is less a mystery than it used to be, it is still somewhat a mystery. For example, no one really knows for sure by what mechanism consciousness is generated. As long as there are aspects of the brain that are unknown, it will be difficult to know exactly what causes certain illnesses, or the effects that introducing drugs that mess with brain chemistry will have.