What is Post Partum Depression
Postpartum depression (also postnatal depression) is a form of major depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, after childbirth. It is widely considered to be tre...
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My therapist thinks I should be on an anti-depressant forever. I have been having panic and anxiety since my mom got drunk and made a scene a few months ago. My therapist thinks I am having post partum depression. I don't know.
Has anyone been told they should be on a med forever? I thought you were only supposed to be on them for 6mos to a year. It depresses me to think 6 months ago I lived without panic and now my therapist thinks I will live with it forever. Need a little help!!! Posted on 03/08/07, 03:03 pm |
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Hi - I don't really think you can tell at this point whether you'll need to be on an antidpressant forever. I have been on and off for 4 1/2 years. I have gone off the med but my depression comes back after 6-9 months.
My doctor told me that there are 3 catagories of people with depression: those who have a problem, are treated and never have another problem; those who have a problem, are treated, have another problem, get treated and then never have another problem; there are also those who have a chronic problem and will need meds at least off and on forever. I seem to fit in the last catagory. I have been on Lexapro for over a year now. I would rather take a pill a day for the rest of my life than to live with depression. Hope this helps. :-) 
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Hello Leahsmom,
I know in my case age and family history has a lot to do with it. At 33 my mother was checked into a psych. ward for three months of my life when I was 10. My whole family (father and mother's side) suffer from either depression or anxiety. When the wheel spun I got the good ol' anxiety. I will most likely have to be on Lexapro until I go through menopause (only 33 now) and my hormones stabilize. My anxiety is based highly on my hormones. - Emily
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Hey Leahsmom,
I just wanted to tell you, I had a therapist tell me she thought I would need to take meds my whole life too. That was 10 years ago and over the course of 10 years I've found that I have not always needed the meds. There have been times that I've weaned off of them and done just fine for months and occasionally years at a time. There's no shame in needing to take anti depressants. Depression and anxiety are physical diseases! I've found a lot of joy in life by playing the medication game by ear. My guess is that you know when the panic is bad enough and you feel when the clouds are lifting. Go with your gut, but don't be ashamed to need help now and then. Good luck to you and God Bless!
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You may be on them for life and you may not. I, over many years, have been on and off several times. I sometimes need them and then for years I won't, but I have an issue with my seratonin and always will have. I j=know that I'll probably end up back on them again at some point.
The way I look at it is this: My husband is type 1 diabetic because his pancreas doesn't produce any of the hormone insulin. He has 2 insulin shots a day, ever day, he has done so for 25 years and he will continue to do so every day of his life. My brain has times where it doesn't produce enough of the hormone seratonin. At those times I need a drug to help keep it balanced in my body. The only difference between my husband and I is the name of the enzyme that is lacking. Of course, I'm lucky enough not to always lack my enzyme, whereas he will always lack his. But, the point is there is no shame attached to an illness. Good luck and hugs, C.
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