Antidepressant Poll

[anonymous]

I am surprised by how many people take antidepressants. I thought it was less common. I am curious.

[Razzmatazz13]

I have suffered with depression for most of my life, although it was only recently that I figured out what it was. My father and both of my aunts have it, and my maternal grandmother and mother have both been diagnosed with SAD.

I think everyone on that list (including myself) have tried medication for it, but I think only one of my aunts is still currently on the meds. We all have varying reasons for not continuing the medication, and I can go into more detail as to why if you'd like, but for now I'll just answer the question you actually asked.

[skysidhe]

Barring grieving and low thyroid untreated, no nothing lingering for no apparent reason.

I stuff my feelings. I'll probably die of stomach cancer before I get depression.

[Cloud]

I did not submit a vote, since I couldn't find a match. Depression was a very significant problem for me in my earlier years--many years of trazadone and wellbutrin. I have not taken meds since 2002, and have been okay (except for right after my hysterectomy, when I definitely could have used some chemical assistance).

I think I've mostly grown out of it, and exercise and self-awareness help a great deal, but I still have to be careful, and would not rule out meds in the future if I need them. The trick is to get help when you need it, which is easier said than done. Wellbutrin works great, and would choose that again.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by anonymous

I am surprised by how many people take antidepressants. I thought it was less common. I am curious.

Me too. And part of my ignorance is if the Cellar is actually representative of the population in general, or if we are somehow self selecting. Do more (or less) people who need antidepressants come here because there is something about this community that is welcoming. Maybe the Cellar just allows us to be more open than irl, and antidepressant use the same "out there" as "in here?"

I think this poll question is as much a question about the community built here as it is a question of how widespread antidepressant use is in the world.

[HungLikeJesus]

Perhaps the Cellar is a kind of asylum.

[Pico and ME]

Its really common anymore. In fact its use has doubled since 1996...now its roughly 10% of the population. And those numbers are for 2005, I'm sure its increased even more now.

Pharmaceutical companies have been pushing their anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs really hard for the last 10 years...just look at all the commercials. When I was taking Prozac in 1993, I kept it to myself, now telling someone you are on an anti-depressant is hardly a big deal.

[DanaC]

I think we are necessarily self-selecting as a group: we represent a particularly net aware segment of society and are primarily western, with access to IT.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by glatt

Me too. And part of my ignorance is if the Cellar is actually representative of the population in general, or if we are somehow self selecting. Do more (or less) people who need antidepressants come here because there is something about this community that is welcoming. Maybe the Cellar just allows us to be more open than irl, and antidepressant use the same "out there" as "in here?"

I think this poll question is as much a question about the community built here as it is a question of how widespread antidepressant use is in the world.

Yes, I agree.

Right now the poll numbers are small and evenly split, but in reading the posts in the "round up" thread,
I have the impression there is more "self medication" being exposed by Dwellars.

Years back, I created custom databases and so had access to personal data of group members.
In one (public) group of summer school kids, there was a high rate of medications for ADD, etc.
In a separate (religious) group there was almost none.

It struck me that one organization was being used by the public as respite care and/or baby sitting,
while the reglious group was there for reasons of faith and instruction.

Being something of a control freak, myself, it was while doing the software programming that
I realized that I chose to do that kind of work because it gave me a lot of control over my own life.

[Griff]

I used to self-medicate. I feel like my emotional state is better since I stopped, its like I was feeding my moods rather than adjusting them. When I was self-medicating, I learned that I could handle social situations, so there was value in that, but for me now I think I need a clear head.

[footfootfoot]

I've self medicated with all sorts of substances and activities. To a great extent I self medicate with Cellar.

I have to finish this later. I've got to go.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

To a great extent I self medicate with Cellar.

Sometimes, if the funk ain't too bad, I do the same. If it's a deeper funk, Teh Cellar usually leaves me worse off than I started.

[morethanpretty]

I was put on anti-depressants in 8th grade, was on/off 'em through out high school. The first one was Celexa, then Lexapro. I think I spent some time on Zoloft towards the end of senior year. Then I threw them away forever (which wasn't the first time I had done so.) Then I got mono about 3yrs ago (I think) and suffered from some serious fatigue for a long time after that, so doc put me on Lexapro again, but that only lasted about a month before I decided the doc was wrong and stopped taking them again. Finally last year I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, that causes hypothyroidism that causes depression. Yea I was right, go me! I'm still depressed and fatigued, but I'm just in a slump I can't seem to crawl out of due to repeat sinus infections. They just won't leave me alone!

[Aliantha]

I've been taking 100mg of Zoloft for about 18 months now. A few months ago I tried to do it without them, but just couldn't really cope. Things got really bad really quickly. I don't know if I'll be on them for life or not, but I hope not. Dazza and I are going to go to some counselling together to see if we can find some better ways to deal with the issues I have since Max was born.

[monster]

I'm surprised that the now and never categories are the two most popular. Not sure why, i guess i always expect the middle ground to win -the math nerd in me wants the "best" average to win. Sometimes mode beats mean.